In his second round-up, EWAN CAMERON picks excellent solo shows that deal with Scottishness, Englishness and race as highlights
Latest editorial
Hartnoll gold
WILL STONE applauds a band that is never one to shy away from making a political statement
[Pic: Arek Olek/CC] 
Fiery words from the Bard in Blackpool and Edinburgh, and Evidence Based Punk Rock from The Protest Family
MATTHEW HAWKINS is mesmerised by a performance that dissolves the line between audience and performer
MATTHEW SHARPE recommends the essays of a Renaissance politician that instruct and unnerve after 400 years
GAVIN O’TOOLE welcomes the reissue of a seminal work of revolutionary theory that have genuine relevance in the current context
RON JACOBS rides shotgun with a member of Black Bloc on the wave of anti-capitalist protests of the 1990s and early 2000s
Orbital
Hammersmith Apollo
THE Hartnoll brothers known as Orbital, an album techno institution, are back with bells on as they gear up, with trademark head lights, to assault the senses with their legendary high-octane performance boosted by a vibrant visual display.
Their latest offering, Optical Delusion, is a mixed bag featuring some of the duo’s most unlikely collaborations including the Mediaeval Babes and Sleaford Mods.
The gurning face of the latter’s vocalist Jason Williamson is projected on a big screen to sing the words from their track Dirty Rat, an acid-tongued take-down of the anti-immigration brigade “blaming everyone at the bottom of the English Channel.”
More from this author
WILL STONE relishes the chance to hear the Isle of Wight indie sensation in an intimate setting
WILL STONE fact-checks the colourful life of Ozzy Osbourne
WILL STONE witnesses a thrilling festival super-charged with opposition to the British government’s policies on Gaza
BBC accused of silencing acts at Glastonbury for standing in solidarity with Palestine
