If, of course, its showmanship you’re after follow the yellow brick road to the newest experience at Sphere for a mind-bending showing of The Wizard of Oz.
Which is expanded to fit the 360°, 16k definition screen.
You’ll be wrapped in colour and movement as seats rumble while you feel cool breezes and the sweet scent of poppies fills the air.
Nobody has captured Autumn better and, as we kick through the leaves and conkers, take a tour with us celebrating the season of Keats and mellow fruitfulness.
Much is owed, or ode if you like to the Romantic poet.
For his 25 prolific poetic years on this Earth.
Not least for inspiring this Edinburgh Fringe poet who found beauty in his words, despite the mechanical teaching of school educators.
This year marks the 230th since the Great Man’s birth and centenary of the opening of Keats House in Hampstead, London.
A Regency house this splendid property is where Keats lived for two years in 1818 before he left for Italy.
And you get a true sense of time and place in the home where he wrote La Belle Dame Sans Merci, The Eve of St Agnes and Ode to a Nightingale.
Keats House at 100
Time capsule: Keats House, Hampsted, in 1925
The Hampstead House is key to the Keats story.
As his neighbours during these years were only the family of his muse and great love Fanny Brawne.
The new Keats House 100 exhibition and special displays will immerse you in how the house looked when it opened to the public in May 1925.
Entry to the exhibition is included in the £10 adults admission.
As are the 30-minute accessibility-friendly volunteer-led tours, which take place most Thursday, Friday and Sunday afternoons at 2.30pm.
The holy of holies. At the end of the Francigena in Rome
In the spirit of poetry too the curators offer an introduction into Keats’s life and work.
Now it would be all horses in Keats’ day but for those coming by train, the nearest stations are Hampstead Heath (Overground), and Hampstead and Belsize Park on the Northern Line.
While buses 1, 24, 46 and C11 all stop nearby and there is a car park on East Heath Road.
The strains of Irish Country stars is a familiar and nostalgic theme for an Irish Diaspora returning to the Old Sod.
Although the young lad being kept awake in his rented Harkin’s holiday home next door to the bar was blissfully unaware of its meaning.
Now with Country ruling the airwaves just now, down in no small part to Cowboy Carter it is worth acknowledging its Irish offshoot.
Because long before Thin Lizzy, U2 and the Boomtown Rats put Irish pop on the map Irish Country was the music of the masses.
And with international acts bypassing Ireland for Britain, Johnny Cash apart, then Irish singers and bands covered their tunes.
And became superstars on their own island.
Bands of gold
Lough out: Lough Eske
The 78-year-old crooner and other stellar names from the world of Irish Country have become a fixture.
At the institution that is lakeside luxury Harvey’s Point just €15 taxi ride from Donegal Town.
Eamonn Gillespie is the man with the mic every Wednesday introducing the acts, running from September 3 to November 5.
And as well as the Bould Brendan guests can enjoy the likes of Sandy Kelly, Michael English, Dominic Kirwin, Sean Costello and Keith & Lorraine McDonald.
As well as Darly Simpson, Patrick Feeney, Declan Nearney, Simon Casey, Sean Cuddy, Realta Dance of Ireland, Eugene Ginty, Grainne Gavigan.
The Ennis Brothers, The Murphy’s, Jessica Mc Kean and house band, Four Masters Quintet.
Deal us in
Drinks on us: Donegal hospitality
You will, of course, sit down for a sumptuous 5-course dinner in the Ballroom.
Before immersing yourself in the captivating two-and-a-half-hours entertainment, and all for just €75.
While as you’ll likely want to turn in there for the night then check out the Cabaret Accommodation Package from €349pps.
For a two-night stay in their executive suites with breakfast by Lough Eske.
A five-course dinner and shoe,
Homemade cookies in your room, a wine tasting and cooking demo on Tuesday and Thursday
And a guided walk every Wednesday morning.
Lie back and think of Ireland: Your Donegal rest
We can’t guarantee that you’ll get your lobby washed down but Brendan Shine will put a smile on your face.
And a host of Irish Country stars making it a very special 25 years of cabaret at Harvey’s Point in Donegal.
Something the Irish National Anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann, or the Soldier’s Song, also accomplishes, more of which later.
Toi, paree de mille et un attraits/
Je ne sais jamais qui tu es/
Tu changes si souvent de visage et d’aspect.
Or She May be the face I can’t forget/A trace of pleasure or regret.
Oooh, la, la Blondie
My cherie: Debbie Harry
Take a forgotten Sixties doo-wop song, turn the protaganist from female to male, make him French and you have a hit… pretentious, moi?
Mais non, Debbie Harry was keen to broaden her international appeal and pretty much created a niche with French lyrics in English songs.
And not being a linguist she does seem to have a knack for it…
Denis Denis, avec tes yeux si bleux, / Denis Denis, moi j’ai flashe a nous deux, / Denis Denis, un grand baiser d’eternite. / Denis Denis, je suis si folle de toi, / Denis Denis, oh embrasse-moi ce soir, / Denis Denis, un grand baiser d’eternite
And came back for more on Sunday Girl, sounds much more sultry and sensuous as la fille du dimanche and even more so in the full French version.
La Marseilles
Fly the Tricolore: Bastille Day
Et little would Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle have known in 1792 that his peasants’ song would become the most rousing national anthem of them all.
Mais oui, there is the Stars and Stripes, the Soldier’s Song, Land of our Fathers and the Internationale.
Now we expect that the Marseillaise will be sung with gusto around the world but perhaps even more so this year.
As cette annee marks 230 years since the French Convention adopted it as the First Republic’s anthem.
While some of the songs we’ve picked here may have a Pariscentric feel, La Marseilles is truly panFrench.
With De Lisle writing it in Strasbourg, with its original title Chant de guerre pour l’Armée du Rhin.
And it being popularised by Marseillaise volunteers marching to the capital.
Whether French or not we all recognise the stirring cri de coeur so it burns my eyes to see AI want to translate it into English.
Better preserve some things for humans to create like Rainy Days and Songdays – Five Bastille Bangers.
I blame our hosts Visit Orlando and our party PRs Natalie and Fiona, who kept refilling our shots glasses when our backs were turned.
Bev ‘Lady’ Lyons and I had formed a bond being the only two Scots in our international party of travel writers to the Sunshine State and were poring through the music menu.
Drinking buddies: With Bev
To pick what tracks we would sing up there on the stage with the professionals.
If I’d have had my wits about me I would have sussed out that Bev might have sung before.
When she said her Karaoke go-to was The Carpenters.
Rolling down the river
Star turn: Tina Turner
But there was no mistaking that Bev was well practised in performing.
When she introduced herself to the 2,000 crowd as ‘Bev from Glasgow’.
And the Emcee called on the audience to give me a big cheer as ‘a dude doing a girl’s song.’
Mr Brightside Bandanaman
Not put off, though, I was back for more with an equally vocally challenged colleague, Eoin, later in the week to mangle Mr Brightside.
Eoin, the then-showbiz editor of our esteemed newspaper titles did put a spin on it.
When he met Brandon Flowers on tour.
Only for The Great Man to shoot his eyes up to heaven.
Make Bev a hit
Looking up: For Bev Lyons
My old friend Bev, who has also made a career on the other side of showbiz as the Showbiz Lion, is equally adept front of stage as evidenced in Orlando.
And the exciting news is that she is taking her first nervous step into her own musical career.
With the release of her first single, I’m Leaving You.
I’ve been around the world only to get my worst sunburn, actual sun bubbles on my back, on the Scottish isle of Skye, which is why I’ve got a start here on Holidos and Don’ts how to survive a music festival.
Of course while the sun is the biggest, brightest and most brutal of adversaries if not respected.
It is by no means the only challenge for festivalgoers.
As Glastonbury newbies and those who just get overexcited will be discovering this weekend.
In my defence I had youth on my side when we watched the Skye Folk festival.
Festival or bust: My old pal Finlay
From atop a hill looking down into the shinty stadium (ask a Hebridean).
And I was in the company of some thirsty Highland and Islanders, with my old mucker and flatmate Finlay leading the charge.
And largely responsible for the call from the Tannoy.
Saying that the local (and only) supermarket had run out of booze.
Who proud patriots that they were flew a Tricolore above their tent with a picture of national hero Paolo Rossi… this was post World Cup 1982 naturally.
Of course, at a big fest like Glasto you’ll not be the only ones from your country.
So maybe fly balloons with bandanas on… see I told you they were useful.
Your valuables
Muddy marvel: Pray it doesn’t rain
Now you’re never more vulnerable than when you’re portable so it’s doubly true.
That you apply the daily lesson of look after your valuables even more when you’re away from home.
Not that everybody should be viewed as a threat, with music festivals generally trippy places.
Full of love, peace and understanding, but just be vigilant.
Your inhibitions may be down and judgments loosened by the vibe and the drink or substances you take.
But my rule of thumb is to keep my valuables, wallet, phone, keys in my front pockets.
And I make sure I pad them regularly to see they’re still there.
I like to tell people where I am when I arrive in case of emergencies or if they need to contact me.
Make sure too that you don’t get carried away by the surge and stay close to friends.
Out of the mouths of my children
Moved on: It was Runrig back in my day
A lesson here from my own Electric Picnic festivalgoing childies who take theirs to the loo , buy your own drinks and don’t leave them out of your sight.
And padlock your tents.
But probably most importantly enjoy the craic because for the rest of us we just want to stop the world and get off.
And in time-honoured tradition, if you follow these tips.
Courtesy of Holidos and Don’ts how to survive a music festival, then you’ll live to alight another day.
