The First Annual Metafilter Edinburgh Festival Meetup?

August 10, 2006 3:38 AM

The First Annual Metafilter Edinburgh Festival Something or Other Meetup Anyone ?
posted by sgt.serenity to MetaFilter Gatherings at 3:38 AM (24 comments total)

Looking at this thread , it appears that it's not just marquis and meself about the town just now , i'm back from bosnia , marquis is probably around , we've never met milquetoast and the bisto king is in town - what could possibly go wrong ?
posted by sgt.serenity at 3:40 AM on August 10, 2006

I was thinking the same thing yesterday. I'm about in Edinburgh three or four days a week at the moment, as is Jack, and there's always time to kill between reviewing one godawful comedy fringe show and the next. Should we do it some time next week?
posted by Len at 4:23 AM on August 10, 2006

I'm coming up one night only next Friday. Arrive 1830, leave 1530 on the 19th. I have about 6 people I have to meet in that particular period (and a show or 2 to catch), but if the meetup overlaps I might be able to make it.
posted by handee at 4:42 AM on August 10, 2006

I'm in, but like Len and Jack (and others? Bonaldi? what's with Scottish MeFites being journalists?) my schedule's sporadically very busy. Unfortunately I also don't often have very much notice. Still, I think it would suit me to arrange something for Monday or late next week... What about a Sunday?
posted by Marquis at 5:26 AM on August 10, 2006

I think probably Sunday of next week would be best.
posted by bonaldi at 6:34 AM on August 10, 2006

I'm up for the Book Festival on Saturday and will be around on Sunday afternoon.
posted by johnny novak at 8:53 AM on August 10, 2006

that is next weekend, ie. 19th and 20th Aug
posted by johnny novak at 8:53 AM on August 10, 2006

Lucky bastards.
posted by Squid Voltaire at 9:30 AM on August 10, 2006

I'm down for next Sunday.
posted by milquetoast at 10:35 AM on August 10, 2006

Been and gone last week. Arsemonkeys.
posted by klaatu at 3:35 PM on August 10, 2006

A week on sunday then , i hear the wester hailes shopping centre has a great bakery........or somewhere else ?
posted by sgt.serenity at 3:48 PM on August 10, 2006

Next Sunday would suit me fine. Where do we want to have it? I'm partial to the Villager on George IV Bridge* because it's central, it's nice and it's not full of tourist twats. Although I am open to suggestions from those who actually live in Edinburgh, because they know the place far better than I do. Or: if we want that true Edinburgh radge feel, I suppose we could have it in the Penny Black. At eight in the morning. Or the Phoenix (if it still exists; it's years since I've been in there ...)
posted by Len at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2006

Is the Villager the one where they do the mindfuck cocktails, and the bar staff are all hot? If so, good plan.

20th it is then? Start at lunchtime, since johnny novak is leaving in the afternoon?
posted by jack_mo at 5:08 PM on August 10, 2006

I'm fine with the villager at lunchtime on sun 20th , i'm trying to work a bisto gag in here but its not happening : (

surely we can go see some terrible one star student show as well ?
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:38 PM on August 10, 2006

Jack: The Villager is the pub you, I, Elanor and Nadine spent a refreshing afternoon in, so essentially, yes.

If everybody's up for it, I say aye. We can introduce any non-Scot MeFites to the delights of the 'Burg, and the rest of us can soak up the atmosphere.
posted by Len at 5:56 PM on August 10, 2006

I'll miss it by 24hrs or so. Damn.
posted by handee at 3:53 AM on August 11, 2006

surely we can go see some terrible one star student show as well ?

I have sworn to avoid the Fringe in its entirety this year. Maybe Len could blag us in to a gig, though?
posted by jack_mo at 6:48 AM on August 11, 2006

Maybe Len could blag us in to a gig, though?

Well, I just had a look at the T on the Fringe line up, and the only gig on the 20th is godawful fake indie pricks The Automatic, and I'd rather boil my cock in gravy than go see them ;)

Actually, hang on – just checked another listings site, and the rather ace 1990s are on at Cabaret Voltaire on the 20th. I should be able to blag at least a couple of tickets (maybe more; depends how packed the guest list is likely to be); if everyone's up for it, we could buy however many extra we need beyond the freebies, and split the cost evenly. (The tickets are on six quid anyway, so it's not going to break anyone's bank ...)

Thoughts?
posted by Len at 8:18 AM on August 11, 2006

Fuck. on further inspection, it looks like the 1990s have cancelled and it's the decidedly less ace Flying Matchstick Men playing instead. An I'd rather go and see The Automatic than see them.
posted by Len at 8:21 AM on August 11, 2006

i loathe The 1990s and am glad they cancelled. (however pls do not add me to the Flying Matchstick Men fanlist either.)
posted by Marquis at 9:14 AM on August 11, 2006

Marquis – why the 1990s hatred? (I'm genuinely interested; wasn't aware that they could inspire actual loathing ...)
posted by Len at 7:12 PM on August 11, 2006

i loathe The 1990s

?!
posted by jack_mo at 4:55 AM on August 12, 2006

It's one of those loathings borne out of the scale of their popularity (and thus overratedness) more than anything else. I just think their songs are fun but ultimately joyless, all steam and no boil. The good bits feel directly sampled from better bands, and the best bits are all "oohs" and "la la las" that they do no better than a hundred garage-pop pub bands. They're not a bad band - in fact, they're an okay band. But seeing them signed to Rough Trade, applauded by Sleater-Kinney, applauded more fiercely & dumbly than even, say, Uncle John and Whitelock (!) a few weeks ago... ugh. c.f. my frustration with Harry Potter, the American version of The Office, Zadie Smith, Sufjan Stevens, etc etc etc.

One of the things I was most relishing about a review of Get Off My Pavement was the chance to slag them off for a few sentences, but unfortunately the ole' word limit (and my own clumsiness as a writer) meant I was restricted to a minor quip. I did manage to get digs in at that other sacred cow of the scottish scene, though - Park Attack...
posted by Marquis at 12:30 PM on August 12, 2006

I had no idea! Well, I knew about the Rough Trade deal, and was distinctly surprised at the amount of cash, but had no idea they were being lauded all over the shop.

The good bits feel directly sampled from better bands

Namely the Yummy Fur and V-Twin ;-) (Which is maybe why I like them - those two bands never fulfilled their promise, thanks to horse and mannered Lee Mavers-style perfectionism respectively, so it's nice to see a synthesis of the two doing well.)

And all applause for UJ&W is justified. They've been the best band in Glasgow for about five years, and yet they somehow aren't global ultrastars. No fair.

Re: Park Attack - *retches*.
posted by jack_mo at 5:36 AM on August 13, 2006