More than 600 writers from 41 countries have been announced for this year’s @edbookfest.bsky.social, which this year sets its sights on the theme ‘Changing Your Mind’. John Grisham, Ian Rankin, Candice McCarty–Williams, Matt Haig, Jenni Fagan will visit the festival.

‘It's bold and delicious’ Seven years after opening, Brett has transformed from wine bar to open-fire restaurant and, after a fresh refit, it’s better than ever. We put the tasting menu to the test to find out if it’s worth it.

‘That Omari was able to transform several lifetimes’ worth of trauma into an eloquent 70 minute production is a testament to her abilities as a writer.’ Playwright Mariem Omari’s award-winning play returns, following Scottish aid worker Samira as she witnesses the Arab Spring implode.

Muse have rolled out plans for a large-scale tour of the UK and Europe as they prepare to launch The Wow! Signal, their tenth studio album.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 We’re crowing about Scottish talent in this week’s Road To Edinburgh Festival, including Ifrah Qureshi, Amy Matthews, Iain Connell, Bikini Body, Dara Dubh, a troupe of up-and-coming theatre practitioners, and plenty more. Hit the Road ⤵️

‘Music is the main way that I have learned how to handle life' Joan Wasser (AKA Joan As Police Woman) is revisiting her 2006 debut after 20 years of live performance. She tells us about playing keyboards for Iggy Pop, and explains why she never once wanted to perform a song exactly as recorded.

Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has announced its closing film for 2026 will be Bel, a profile of the Scottish-Kenyan musician, singer and songwriter Beldina Odenyo, who performed under the stage name Heir Of The Cursed.

‘So tricky to categorise that bookshops might need to create a special section for it’ ‘Pemi Aguda’s debut novel follows 23-year-old Yosoye as she arrives in Lagos, takes a job building a city reclaimed from the ocean, and slowly unravels the dark cost of who gets left behind.

‘Realistically, minorities are people that just want to piss in peace' RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner and Celebrity Big Brother runner-up Danny Beard is heading to Dundee Pride, and they’ve got a lot to say. We talked to them about queer community, being recognised in B&M, and drag as activism.

‘At times, the album feels like it’s been sequenced for maximum dynamic impact.’ Portland’s Modest Mouse return with their first album in five years. Was An Eraser And A Maze worth the wait?

If you want to explore beyond the central belt, we've got you covered. This month's highlights include a festival incorporating opera and poetry, an artistic celebration of wildlife and a ropy psychic.

After turning the lens on his own family in The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg returns to the sci-fi genre he’s so closely associated with, albeit with less impressive but still reliably entertaining results.

‘Not many people know that I was a painter first.’ From euphoric Boiler Room sets to spotlit oil paintings, Tahliah Simumba is returning to where it all began. We meet the DJ, producer and artist ahead of her Glasgow debut exhibition.

Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) has revealed one of the final building blocks of its already-teeming programme: the Global Ideas Stage, which will invite Ken Burns, Gordon Brown, Bryan Stevenson and Amy Goodman for a night of discussion and live performance.

‘Whether it can turn that hazy atmosphere into something more lasting remains to be seen’. Teenagers, smalltown dreams and a curated 90s soundtrack. Following a tight knit group of suburban kids as they skate, fall in love, and dream of escaping smalltown life, Mixtape is not your average game.

Marjane Satrapi, the highly influential comic book writer, filmmaker and political thinker, died last week aged 56. James Mottram sat down with Satrapi in 2007 to discuss the film adaptation of Persepolis, Iranian politics, her transition from comic books to animation, and the allure of Hollywood.

‘A glossy modern RSA building on Princes Street – audaciously imagined across the road from its historic home on the mound’ Two hundred years of Scottish art. Expect bold sculptures, visceral paintings and at least one piece that will stop you in your tracks.

‘I’m at one with the water. I’m in this moment only, as life falls away.’ Ahead of the release of her debut book, we spoke to climber, illustrator and nature advocate Gilly McArthur about exploring what happens when you surrender to the cold, and why it might just change everything.

‘There were two separate worlds, and it’s taken quite a long time for them all to morph into one’ Once one of the biggest music producers in the UK, Richard Fearless (aka Death In Vegas) has cut a unique path through electronica.

The Punisher has arisen; Phoebe Bridgers has announced a full-scale tour of the US and Europe, with a number of dates across the UK and Ireland.

From a Fringe brochure announcement to a glut of funding initiatives, it’s been a busy ol’ week for big Edinburgh Festival news, and much of it heartening. Hit the Road ⤵️

‘Every moment of exuberance propped up by an undercurrent of despondency’ Swedish producer DJ Seinfeld (Armand Jakobsson) is back after five years, and album three finds him playing bigger stages than ever, with a record that’s confident and dancefloor ready. Find out if the wait was worth it.

‘Happiness there seemed tied to community, nature, balance and presence, not constant pressure and stress in a rat race.’

Thinking of visiting the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival? From plays about bullying to charming tales of friendship, here are a few picks that will appeal to a broad audience.

@edfringe.bsky.social has launched its official programme, features 3,649 shows across 258 venues, making up 53,884 performances that tackle some of the biggest issues of our time, including artificial intelligence, the manosphere, social class and global politics.

‘You’re DJing seven hours a night for four nights a week; that’s really when you learn how to DJ’ From a last-minute hen party booking in Ibiza to creating and headlining her own festival, Dundee’s own Hannah Laing talks homecoming, hard house and why it’s never too late to rave.

‘I’m just excited that someone other than my mom listens to it’ From a chance meeting in a Stockbridge bakery to supper clubs, face to face events and a second season. We spoke to Kevin Rivers and Carlos Miranda, the podcast duo building Edinburgh's food community one story at a time.

It’s time for June’s edition of The Wee Gig Lowdown, our round-up of the best gigs happening in small venues across Glasgow and Edinburgh. It’s rich pickings this month, with sets from CupcakKe, Jo Mango, Nuovo Testamento, Wavetable and more.

👟 Fancy a workout? We’re gambolling in the great outdoors for June’s edition of The List, with massive features on running clubs, padel, cold swimming, cycling, and how sport can build stronger communities.

It’s been a packed month on the Scottish music calendar, with singles from Dara Dubh, Arab Strap, Boards Of Canada, Sonedo, Susan Bear, and more. Listen to some Singles In Your Area ⤵️

Whet your appetite with this month’s Something To Eat & Drink, in which we’re spotlighting al fresco dining locations, sharing locations for cookery courses, and giving you a peek at where your food comes from. Find Something To Eat & Drink ⤵️

In a first for The Road To Edinburgh Festival, we’re discussing cheesy crackers at length as the brand Cheez-It partners with the Fringe. We’re also covering shows from Kathleen Hughes and Bebe Cave, and finding out about EIBF’s Global Ink initiative. Hit the Road ⤵️

Want to find your funny? Monkey Barrel Comedy has announced the return of the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) improv classes, a prestigious programme that's helped develop the talents of Ayo Edebiri, Bowen Yang and Jason Mantzoukas. Find out how you can get involved ⤵️

'They are puzzles and I’m not sure anyone really wants to solve them.' Explore the elegant, experimental, and deeply mysterious world of Talk Talk as Graeme Thomson chats to us about how the musical mysteries crafted by the late Mark Hollis and his bandmates have only grown more fascinating.

The inaugural Everywhere At Once Festival, an initiative designed to champion grassroots music venues and music-making, has announced its vast Scottish line-up with acts including Brooke Combe, Mungo’s Hi-Fi, Pippa Blundell and more.

Forza Horizon is finally hitting the neon-lit streets, mountain passes, and coastal highways of Japan. Find out if we thought it lived up to the years of hype.

'I’ve been an audience member for so long and I know it’s really special to find music that you can connect with.'

It’s been almost one year since @filmhouseedinburgh.bsky.social reopened, and it’ll mark its first birthday with screenings of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Don’t Look Now and Disclosure Day, as well as discounts, projection booth tours, a new food menu, and more.

Eat & Drink 365 Edinburgh is out now. The second edition features almost 400 places to eat and drink, and is designed to help readers navigate the restaurants, diners, cafés and bars worth visiting in Scotland’s capital.

Eat & Drink 365 Edinburgh has landed. Grab your ultimate guide to eating and drinking will be available free as a supplement in The Scotsman today.

We’re getting topical in this week’s edition of The Road To Edinburgh Festival. This time we’re chatting AI at the Festival, AB (Andy Burnham) at The Stand, Palestinian circus at Underbelly, and much more.

Eat & Drink 365 Edinburgh has landed. The second edition features almost 400 places to eat and drink, and is designed to help readers navigate the restaurants, diners, cafés and bars worth visiting in Scotland’s capital.

The 90s cult hit is back in panto-esque style for the stage, with the original cast members treating audiences to songs, gags and crowd-pleasing references.

Leith Short Film Festival (LSFF), a new celebration of films in Edinburgh, has revealed further details of its inaugural event, with plans for short film screenings, live music, discussion panels featuring industry professionals, and an awards ceremony championing selected films.

Maniatrix, Azamiah, Buffet Lunch, Dinosaur 94, Doom Scroller, Emma Dunlop and Evie Waddell are just a few of the acts added to this year's @hiddendoorarts.bsky.social line-up.

We're back on the Road with news from EIFF, an impressive feat from Kate Smurthwaite, a sauna at Summerhall, and more self-deprecating one-liners from Dan Rath. Hit the Road ⤵️

Mr Galloway has your May gig calendar sorted. Check out his top live music picks across Scotland this month, featuring Super Furry Animals, Hamish Hawk, Tinariwen, Kraftwerk, and Dead Pony.

‘Cannibalism is a really juicy horror theme.’ Find out how feminist archive collective Invisible Women programmed a selection of flesh-eating films for this year's Dundead.

Mild-mannered axe-wielder Adrian Smith chatted to us about the upcoming documentary on the band, the legions of young fans connecting with their music, and why the drive for performing has never dimmed.

Small venues are where it’s at, as we’re proving with the latest edition of our Wee Gig Lowdown. This time we’re highlighting gigs from The Yummy Fur, Simone Seales, Orla Noble, Broken Chanter and Dovetailed, and waving goodbye to The Flying Duck.