Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 5th-12th August 2006

A second run on the Edinburgh Fringe and a return to the same venue - so why was this year's Sax to the Max show so very different to last year's Sax in the City?

• A new, 10-item programme with three special highlights: lead soprano Debbie Sargent as soloist in Astor Piazolla's Histoire du Tango, Roger May's winning Introduction & Riffs, and the soprillo instant hit classic, Phillip Buttall's Waltzing Soprillda, showcased to tumultuous applause every day by Nigel Wood.
• A five-star review (above and below). This press accolade escaped us last year and is very welcome confirmation that we're heading in the right direction...
• Just one show a day instead of last year's two. The theory was that this would allow members to experience the rest of the Fringe more fully and preserve their stamina (which, in truth, it did), but it also allowed:
• More busking. Not only were there two planned and one spur-of-the-moment appearance on the Fringe's High Street stages, but a good deal of parading through the streets of Edinburgh with spontaneous performances at the drop of a hat*. Being (gently) moved on by the police was a first, but understandable (unashamed bragging coming up) given the size of the crowds we attracted.
• A new saxophone! We had thought our sax family was complete but the choir met Simon Bull and his monstrous contrabass at the World Saxophone Congress where he (innocently) agreed to join us in Edinburgh. Having discovered that he was expected to transport, stand, walk and be endlessly photographed with this mighty creature, he undertook all this and more with great skill, Herculean strength and charm, apparently fuelled only by beer and the attention of fascinated onlookers.
• Less sponsorship, fewer ticket sales (the result of the wrong show time appearing in the Fringe programme) and an unhealthy bank balance. It's sobering, but appearing on the Fringe today is an expensive business and performers do not necessarily have control over essential factors such as venue organization, show times or ticket prices.
• On the subject of venues, same location (Reid Hall, Bristo Square), new name – Underbelly Cowbarn (we're getting to the silly bits now):
• Pedicabs. A highly successful addition to our Cavalcade appearance, where three well-muscled rickshaw riders transported contrabass, tubax and bass plus players along the entire cavalcade route.
• New celebrity endorsements. Last year it was Jim Bowen of Bullseye, this year it was the Hamiltons, who did show a momentary lapse of judgement in not inviting us onto their Fringe show (or coming to see ours), but did get our photo into the Times. There were also 4 Poofs and a Piano (Jonathan Ross show) who remarked that we had "The best costumes of the Fringe" but were actually only after our:
• *Sequinned pink Stetsons. Acquired for our appearance at the prestigious Fringe party where we flanked a 15m pink carpet to welcome guests into the event, the hats soon became the must-have item for savvy Fringe saxophonists and appeared at all busking sessions. The party performance revealed the hidden diva in several players, and was received with delight, and some surprise, by guests.

Photographs

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