Having temporarily put down their pens and picked up guitars, this crime-writing super-group – Mark Billingham, Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre, Luca Veste, Doug Johnstone and Stuart Neville – happily murder much-loved songs by The Clash, Elvis Costello, The Beatles, Talking Heads, The Jam, The Pretenders, Johnny Cash and many others who are currently considering legal action.
Between them, they have sold over 20 million books worldwide and won every major crime-writing award, but now they’re rocking out on the stage instead of the page and performing killer tunes in a series of killer shows at major festivals and venues, including this first ever run at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The band have rocked the stage at Glastonbury, blown the roof off The Queen’s Hall, and performed to international audiences from Reykjavik to Toronto. The unlikely band formed at the House of Blues in New Orleans in 2016, when an open mic night at a crime-writing festival got out of hand.
Fuelled by whisky, beer and distinctly murderous tendencies, the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers deliver the most rocking night out this side of a library. Murder on the dancefloor is guaranteed!
MORE than sixty artists will open their studios to visitors as Largo Arts Week kicks off on Saturday July 16 in Fife’s “Robinson Crusoe” village of Lower Largo.
The festival combines art, concerts, free gigs and talks with renowned crime novelists Sir Ian Rankin and Val McDermid each featuring in “an audience with” session.
The third annual Largo Arts Week – www.largoartsweek.com – runs from Saturday July 16 – Sunday July 24 and will also feature appearances by folk music legend Rab Noakes, Americana R&B guitarist Brooks Williams, international sculptor David Mach, singer and broadcaster Richard Jobson and children’s illustrator Jill Calder.
A total of 66 artists – nearly double the number who participated in the festival’s inaugural year in 2019 – will be exhibiting in 36 homes and studios, which will be open to the public throughout the week.
Lower Largo is famous as the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the man who inspired the story of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe.
Val McDermid and Ian Rankin will take part in “an audience with” events in the village’s Crusoe Hotel, being interviewed by Skids frontman and broadcaster Richard Jobson, who also hails from Fife.
The Crusoe Hotel will be the main ‘hub’ for the Festival with the Upper Largo Hotel and community café The Aurrie as other key venues.
Festival director Andrew Stenson said: “It’s shaping up to be a fantastic week of art and music and we hope there is something for everyone in the programme with the combination of internationally-known artists and writers along with local artistic talent.”
Key highlights of the festival include:
Scots folk music legend Rab Noakes, who is making his third appearance at the Arts Week, will join Georgia-born guitarist and Americana songwriter Brooks Williams in a gig at community venue, The Aurrie.
Internationally recognised opera singer, soprano Charlotte Whittle, will also give a recital at the community venue.
Award winning illustrator and calligrapher Jill Calder, whose work has featured in children’s picture books, huge hospital murals and global advertising campaigns, will be stage a Children’s Workshop at the Community Library.
Lower Largo’s harbour, next to its historic pier, will be the location for an open-air free concert for the community on Friday 22nd July, featuring a retro 80’s band.
Local bands Astral Suns, Longway, The Passing Stages and The Best Dressed Blues Band will be playing in a series of free gigs at the Upper Largo Hotel.
Val McDermid has officially reopened the revamped CafeLife community cafe on Cheyne Street. Dubbed the Queen of Crime, the author has sold over 17 million books to date across the globe and is translated into more than 40 languages. Val met with café customers and fans to sign copies of her books brought along on the day.
CafeLife is run by renowned local charity LifeCare Edinburgh and all proceeds from café sales go towards the organisation’s vital care services for older people living across Edinburgh.
Val said: “Every community should have a resource like CafeLife. We’re lucky to have it. The LifeCare centre, and all the vital services provided by the charity, help support serious issues such as isolation and loneliness.
“I’m proud to be supporting LifeCare in its important work.”
The pandemic forced the café to close its doors to its loyal sit-in customers in March 2020. The closure was a real loss to the area as CafeLife is the only fully-accessible community café around, offering good value food and drink appealing to all generations and with lots of space for buggies and wheelchairs.
Opened nearly ten years ago, the team took the opportunity to upgrade the café through the covid-closure. The charity secured emergency funding to revamp CafeLife’s interiors and the kitchen team have spent time creating a new and improved menu to appeal to all tastes and dietary needs.
CaféLife will be running a series of promotions throughout the coming months to celebrate the reopening and to welcome everyone back.
LifeCare Edinburgh relaunches Stockbridge café with new menu, revamped interiors and guest appearance from celebrated local authorVal McDermid
CafeLife, the popular community cafe on Cheyne Street, is set to officially reopen on Monday 9th May with a brand-new menu and revamped interiors following its forced closure through the pandemic.
Run by renowned local charity LifeCare Edinburgh, all proceeds from the cafe go towards supporting the delivery of the organisation’s vital care services for older people living across Edinburgh.
The charity, which turned 80 last year, helps over 1,000 local older people a year. Essential services such as registered outreach care and day centres, help at home, meals on wheels and support for carers enable local older people to remain living full and independent lives.
The pandemic forced the café to close its doors to their loyal sit-in customers in March 2020. The closure has been a real loss to the area as CafeLife is the only full-accessible community café around, offering good value food and drink appealing to all generations and with lots of space for buggies and wheelchairs.
Opened nearly ten years ago, the team took the opportunity to upgrade the café through the covid-closure. The charity secured emergency funding to revamp CafeLife’s interiors and the kitchen team have spent time creating a new and improved menu to appeal to all tastes and dietary needs.
The charity is today announcing that they will be joined by celebrated and best-selling Scottish crime writer Val McDermid for the official ribbon cutting event on Wednesday 11th May.
Val will sign copies of any of her books brought along on the day.
Jemima Hankins, Community Hub Co-ordinator at LifeCare said “We are absolutely delighted that we are reopening CafeLife at long last. There’s nothing else like us in the area and we know how much our regular customers have missed us.
“We’ve a huge bright space that appeals to all ages and stages; people pop in on their own or come with friends to enjoy good honest food and drink – with all proceeds going towards our vital care services for local people. We really are a cafe with a difference!
“Our loyal customers love to pop in to meet or make new friends, enjoy good value food and we’re relaunching with an exciting new menu designed by Chef Tony keeping our cafe staples such as soups, bacon rolls and paninis but we’ve added pancakes, smoothies and milkshakes. The blueberry pancakes are a must!
“We are thrilled to be marking our reopening with a guest appearance from Val McDermid on Wednesday 11th May and we will be running lots of promotions across the week – check our socials for full details or pop-in for more info.”
LifeCare Edinburgh is a registered charity and with no service fully-funded the organisation relies on the generosity of its funders.
Recent funding from the Scottish Government’s Adapt and Thrive fund covered the cost of the café upgrades and an award from The National Lottery Community Fund supports the new Community Hub Coordinator position created to help safely bring people back to the space after the pandemic.
