On The Rocks Opening Night Review

If the rest of On The Rocks is anything like the opening night, it’s worth checking out.


I am a cynical and uncreative man, which leaves me with very little right to speak critically or meaningfully about art. Even with this perspective in mind, I still felt qualified before Friday night to grumble about St Andrean creativity – that the town’s size and culture promotes a sort of self-consciousness and superficiality completely antithetical to art, that my degree is a waste, etc. I understood that a certain artsy population existed simply based on ignored Facebook invitations and walks by Taste, but I hadn’t taken the time to be part of an audience. The first night of On The Rocks suggested that such people not only exist, but are talented and worth observing in precisely this context.

It was a really worthwhile evening, both for the value of the performances themselves and for the knowledge that creative students have an outlet like On The Rocks for their talents’ showcase. Three separate corners of The Byre were carved out for student and professional acts, which made writing a comprehensive review of all of them seem difficult, so I’ve decided against it.

As with most art, I’m not sure that I “got” all of it. Musical performances on the lower floors broadly spoke for themselves, but I wasn’t sure that my understanding of Chilean culture was enhanced by seeing a drummer dressed like Father Christmas accompanied by spiritual sounds mixed live on vinyl by Moodroom. But I am delighted that it happened, and that I was there to watch it. The auditorium hosted main stage acts Eagle Owl and Inti Rowland, while installations from Minimood and the Anthropology Society, as well as various artists from Edinburgh were found throughout The Byre. The night was the perfect example of how On The Rocks works to show diversity through art.

If the rest of On The Rocks is anything like the opening night, it’s worth checking out. https://www.facebook.com/ontherocksfestival