Tinderbox Orchestra’s endless energy for collaboration is creating a melting pot of local and international artists in a stunning new festival venue – the Grand Hall at ‘Pianodrome at The Old Royal High’.
Bringing together rappers and singers with soaring strings, heavy brass, woodwind and thundering bass and drums, packed with original music and unexpected collaborations, it features some of Scotland’s leading young musicians across genres and a rotating cast of local and international guests. Their new show builds on a sell-out Fringe run in 2019 and recent headline shows across Scotland.
The show takes place in-the-round at an extraordinary new Fringe venue at the Old Royal High in the heart of Edinburgh – once intended as the main debating hall for the Scottish parliament, this brand new festival hub will be filled with music led by Tinderbox and their various guests.
With different guests joining them across their run of shows, collaborators range from Chinese alternative folk-punk ensemble Dawanggang (German Record Critics Award for Album of the Year) to an array of Scottish bands and singers including improvisational trio S!nk, alt-folk duo Jellyman’s Daughter, indie songwriter Brave Little Note, electro-pop artist Pinlight, Duke Duncan & the Hurricanes, and spoken word and rap collective Culture Clan.
Over the lockdown, Tinderbox also developed online collaborations with a dance group from Project Elimu in Kibera, one of the largest informal settlements in Kenya, and with drummers and puppeteers from Kathputli Colony, an extraordinary community of traditional artists in Delhi – both of whom will be visiting Edinburgh for the Fringe as well. They will be bringing their own shows as well as sharing the stage with the orchestra’
Artistic Director Jack Nissan says “There’s such an exciting mix of musicians from different genres, ages and backgrounds in the show, and when they come together their energy is incredible! This is the most ambitious and collaborative Fringe run we have ever put together and we’re so excited to bring it to the festival this year.”
The orchestra is part of the wider Tinderbox Collective, a vibrant community of young people, musicians, artists and youth workers in Scotland. From grass-roots youth work to award-winning music productions, they aim to ignite a spark in people, one which fills them with confidence, imagination and a sense of possibility, and enables people to achieve things they never thought possible.
Pianodrome at The Old Royal High (Grand Hall)
8-9pm; Aug 5-7, 10-14, 17-21
Jim Welsh
Radio Summerhall Arts 