David Byrne Rides Into Town For The Edge

Submitted by edg on Fri, 12 Jun '09 3.42pm

David Byrne, the Stranglers, and The Streets, are among acts appearing at this year's The Edge Festival, the contemporary music festival within the Fringe Festival. Formerly known as T on the Fringe, the music fest marks its tenth anniversary this year.

It is the first time in five years that Dumbarton-born artist and former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has played Edinburgh - he's at the Playhouse on 8 August. Byrne's gig coincides with the launch of his book Bicycle Diaries (on 6 August) in which he shares a view of the world's cities - London, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Manila, New York, and San Francisco - from the seat of his fold-up two-wheeler.

Proto-punk pioneers The Stranglers are also in town playing the HMV Picture House on 7 August, while Mike Skinner's The Streets brings its distinctive blend of UK garage, hip-hop and electronica to the same venue on 15 August

There is also a strong Scottish flavour in the year of Homecoming, with home-grown acts Calvin Harris, Malcolm Middleton, Young Fathers, Unicorn Kid, Broken Records and Frightened Rabbit all due to perform headline sets. The Your Sound showcase also features some of the best independent talent to have come through King Tut's unsigned initiative this year.

Among the Edge Festival's acts to have been revealed thus far are the experimental electronica troupe from Iceland Múm, energetic post-hardcore from Enter Shikari and indie-folk stylings from rising stars Mumford & Sons.

Brit-popsters The Bluetones and Amanda Palmer of Dresden Dolls fame also make appearances, while Andrew Bird, Emiliana Torrini, Foy Vance and the hugely popular SOMA night complete the launch line-up.