Club Spiegel: aiming to bring the best party bands to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

• David Pollock
• 6 August 2014

This article is from 2014.

Shooglenifty / Photo: Sean Purser

Melbourne’s Shuffle Club, The Loveboat Big Band and Shooglenifty are among acts confirmed

’Always live and always unexpected’ is how Spiegelmaestro David Bates describes Club Spiegel, the late-night offshoot of that most legendary of Fringe venues, the Famous Spiegeltent. Built in 1928 in Flanders, Belgium, the antique mirrored tent will relocate here to the grass on St Andrew Square, its sixth Edinburgh Festival home in almost 18 years, and Club Spiegel will keep revellers up until the wee hours with live bands and guest appearances from jazz/ swing/ boogie band, Melbourne’s Shuffle Club.

‘Club Spiegel’s the very essence of a festival club,’ says Bates, ‘and will be full of artists, producers, deal makers and late-night post revelry. It’s the full stop to a day of artistic over-stimulation and the perfect place to unwind to some tasty tracks and surprising, spontaneous performances.’ Included in the programme will be two very special residencies: the first from Scotland’s 16-piece swing orchestra The Loveboat Big Band (7, 15 & 25 Aug, £10), and the second from carousing folk troupe Shooglenifty (19–22 Aug, £15). ‘They’re made for the Spiegeltent,’ says Bates of the latter. ‘For many years they’ve done earlier, more formal time slots, but this year they’re on at a time that suits their revelry nature the best.’

The Famous Spiegeltent, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug, 11.45pm, £10 (£5) unless stated above.