Edinburgh Fringe: Peter Pik – musician

Peter Pik on Rose Street, Edinburgh

We came across Peter Pik in Rose Street buying copies of of his two CDs that he had on sale. He is a talented guitarist from Sydney in Australia. Peter has been coming to Edinburgh during the fringe for the past five years. CRM met him last year. Pik is on Facebook.

Unfortunately this may be the last year that he comes. "There is so much red tape and bureaucracy this year." Pik is particularly exercised by the blanket ban on the use of an amplifier in a public street in Edinburgh. I play an electric guitar which needs amplification. I have already been warned twice. Next time it will be a £40 fine."

One can understand Edinburgh Council wanting to clamp down on buskers during the year who may play at very high levels. However, surely during the four weeks of the Fringe this rule could be relaxed with only musicians using excessive noise being penalised.      

A fringe post from Edinburgh

Street performer

 Crowd watching 

We are down in Edinburgh for a couple of days at the Edinburgh Fringe. We started with the True to Life exhibition at the Scottish Modern Art Gallery. This is an interesting exhibition of British realist art which was a popular movement between the two World Wars. 

Then it was a hike across town to the Pleasance Courtyard where our neighbour and comedian Twayna Mayne is presenting her show Black Girl during the whole of the festival. Tickets here. Twayna tells of her experience as a child growing up with a non-functioning mother, who she hasn't seen since she was six, and being fostered and finally at the age of 14 being adopted by a white mother, a teacher who lives in Forest Hill (London SE23). Interestingly there were a number of people from Forest Hill in the audience. Definitely recommended – we were very impressed. 

In the evening we went to the excellent Rat Pack Live presented by Nicholas Abrams and Richard Williamson at C in Chambers Street. Afterwards we had a very good meal at Nanyang, a Malaysian restaurant.        

 

 Scottish Gallery of Modern Art

 There will be no miracles: Scottish Gallery of Modern Art

 Detail of the gallery

Colourful tiles in the toilets at the art gallery