Despite being a beautiful, blossoming city of international renown and appeal that hosts the biggest arts festival in the world, Edinburgh’s all year round independent music and arts venues are few and far between.

At the heart of this scene since 1996, The Bongo Club is a nightclub, gig venue and all-round artistic hub with a street-level-headed attitude and an international reputation. It is truly independent, as the performance venue of local arts charity Out Of The Blue, which has an established track record as a catalyst for creativity in Edinburgh. This has allowed The Bongo Club to put the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar, encouraging the community to get involved and The Bongo Club to do their own thing. A long standing stalwart of the Edinburgh Fringe with a list of guests that reads like a ‘who’s who’ of cultural alternatives, the loss of this venue would be of real detriment to the city.

However this could all too soon be the reality; its landlords (amongst the city’s biggest and certainly the biggest host to festival venues) Edinburgh University have given The Bongo Club notice to quit. This notice terminates the lease a whole year in advance of the agreed period.

To end the lease at this point jeopardises the work that has established Out Of The Blue and The Bongo Club as vital Edinburgh institutions whose value is recognised and supported by The Scottish Government, Edinburgh City Council, Creative Scotland and many other partners. To highlight the relationship with the University; of the 67,795 audience members who attended the Bongo Club in 2011, at least 20,000 were Edinburgh University students. The Club has hosted events by over 100 different University societies, charities and theatre companies. As Edinburgh University Rector Iain Macwhirter says;

"I cannot believe that it is beyond the wit of Edinburgh University to find some accommodation for this highly successful and groundbreaking community venture, which has done much to strengthen links with the ordinary people of Edinburgh - the people who pay for the university through their taxes. The university has a truly vast estate of buildings and surely some corner can be found. I say: 'Save the Bongo'."

We have 7 months to ensure that this famous Edinburgh institution continues to flourish and protect the vitality of the city. The preferred option is for the University to acknowledge the value of The Bongo Club and to reverse its decision. Negotiations between the management of The Bongo Club and the University currently indicate that the University have no intention to change their decision.

The situation is typically well summed up by one of The Bongo Club’s perennial performers, broadcaster and comedian Mark Thomas;

"The Bongo Club is a rare and wonderful thing, a club that encourages the best of its local artistic community. During the Fringe it is a venue that works to promote new and exciting work that attracts visitors and locals alike AND provides genuinely inspiring line ups and shows at properly affordable prices. It has an ethos of experimentation and discovery and accessibility that is unique. It is part of the artistic DNA of Edinburgh and to lose it would be an act of cultural self harming. "

Our regular Monday evening session is hosted by Joanna at 6pm

http://www.facebook.com/FitnessAroundTheWorld  

Our regular Tuesday fitness class at 7pm, with more Latin Rhythms hosted by Katy

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CorpusPro-DanceFitness/153435178021419  

The Ceilidh Club @ The Bongo Club runs every Tuesday night from 8:30pm, bringing you the best in Scottish ceilidh music and dance, with tonights's guests Heeliegoleerie.

Every Tuesday there is one of Scotlands top ceilidh bands, and each band has a caller who will teach the dances, so the event is great for everyone from complete beginners to experienced ceilidhers.

Come and experience Scottish dance the way its meant to be!

www.edinburghceilidhs.com  

For those who want to celebrate the hip hop classics but just as importantly the brand new!

Tracks ranging from Big Daddy Kane, Odd Future, Slick Rick, Wiz Khalifa, Biggy, Wu Tang, Cool Kids, Lil Wayne, Mack Maine, Outkast, Biz Markie, J Dilla, Rick Ross, Styles P, The Dream, Kool G Rap, Kanye, Gangstarr, Clipse, Evidence, Big L, Strong Arm Steady ....

EAST COAST, WEST COAST, SOUTHERN...BOOM BAP, CRUNK, CLUB, UNDERGROUND, HARDCORE, CLASSICS, REMIXES, 70's, 80's, 90's, Naughties and the future!

Live performances, guest DJs & more

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It's every Wednesday, and it's free!

Bringing you the best in reggae/dub, dubstep, future garage, grime, drum'n'bass and jungle from DJs throughout the Scottish scene

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002996920265  

The Bongo Club is proud to present a banging night of Hip Hop/ Reggae fusion by two of Polands premiere artisits in their respective fields

DJ Feel-X, a Polish Hip-Hop veteran and pioneer since 1995, fuses his inimitable style and scratches with one of Poland’s leading reggae artists Gutek, front man for Indios Bravos

Expect DJ Feel-X’s usual blend of deep beats, cool cuts and funk rhythm coupled with Gutek’s smooth sound and lyrics to get you bouncing like a space hopper

So come along for a sweet night on the 9th February at the Bongo Club, doors open from 7pm with support from Fyglash Sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzOzy3qhtaM  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo0m_ZQXUCk&feature=related  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-7TOZAy-Fw

Good time soul music for dancing, the perfect start to your weekend, Four Corners serves up another rapturous blend of soulful dancefloor music, new and old, from right across the map

Deep funk, jazzy breaks, Afro-latin and dub reggae with DJs Simon Hodge, Astroboy, Johnny Cashback, Wee G - and Decoy Roy dropping roots reggae upstairs

The residents pride themselves on maintaining an honest and dependable get-down of deep funk and future soul, party hip hop and good-time reggae, nu-Latin breaks and afro beats - all making for an evergreen blend of outernational soul ... and one hell of a party

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=31928742230  

Playing reggae, grime, dubstep and jungle, Big n Bashy is one the hottest nights to hit Edinburgh’s Saturday night club scene in recent years, which has already gained a steady and loyal following amongst Edinburgh’s clubbers for its up-to-the-minute, bass-heavy sounds

Catch Era + Deburgh every Thursday 4 - 6 pm on
http://nasty.fm  playing Grime + Dubstep

Follow us on the twitter n that ken
http://twitter.com/BignBashy  

Charles Fort is the father of the study of the strange and bizarre, hence The Edinburgh Fortean Society

Tonight's guest speaker is Stewart Smith talking on The Golem of Prague

Stew Smith will explore the story of the Golem of Prague, a magical construct created to defend the Jews of Prague from their oppressors.  It will also look at other folklore and tales of magical happenings in the capital of Bohemia as well as considering the wider cultural impact of the Golem, including the influence on modern superheroes

www.edinburghforteansociety.org.uk