Hidden Door: LoneLady @ King's Stables Road, 22 May

First things first, Hidden Door isn’t as hidden as the would-be detective in you might hope. A stone’s throw from the Grassmarket, the ‘secret courtyard’ on King’s Stable Road is wholly accessible – but that’s no bad thing. On discovering room after room of theatre or installations or bars with purposely brewed IPA, it becomes so much clearer how and why the returning multi-discipline project deserves its name. And thanks to the festival’s (somewhat controversial) reaping of eager volunteers, the before-and-after photos of the courtyard are impressive, with the previously disused space de-weeded, whitewashed and re-dressed in the universal language of fairylights, bunting and artfully distressed, reclaimed tyres.

Friday’s sold-out launch night boasts a robust and locally flavoured line-up, seeing C Duncan and Jonnie Common kicking off proceedings in the live-music ‘Long Room’. With the bare bones of the stage exposed, the mechanical combines with the lovingly hand-crafted to provide a more than appropriate setting for LoneLady – the fest’s first musical headliner.

Mancunian post-punk Julie Campbell plus full backing band wreaks industrial havoc from an outwardly traditional guitar-keys-drums set-up, offering up a set taut, clipped and intuitive. Opener Into The Cave’s ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ promises an evening of shimmying shoulders, and the following tracks from recent record Hinterland make good on that pledge. The 80s infused, slick and twisted Groove It Out is evidently Prince-indebted and the agitated, itching guitarwork on Bunkerpop winks at St Vincent, but Campbell’s attack translates these influences into a harsh, futuristic reality. Special stuff for a special venue.