Punk rock, podcasts and a pop-up opera to ponder

PODCAST

The People Vs J Edgar Hoover, from June 13

Capitalising on our obsession with crime, podcasts and the FBI, and drawing on her experience helming the Americast podcast, BBC defector Emily Maitlis, above, returns to the fold to present this look at the famous FBI director and the legacy of paranoia and suspicion he bequeathed America. The show is available on BBC Sounds and will also air on BBC Radio 4 on weekdays beginning on June 13 (1.45pm)

Dance OPERA Scottish Opera Pop-Up, Haddo House, Ellon, today; Mackie Academy, Stonehaven, June 12; Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, June 15, Strathpeffer Pavilion, Strathpeffer, June 16

Offering three performances at 12 noon, 2pm and 3.30pm, Scottish Opera’s hugely popular pop-up tour returns to offers all-comers a taste of the repertoire. This year it’s Mozart’s The Marriage Of Figaro and Rossini’s The Barber Of Seville.

Continues into early July.

DANCE

Dance North Scotland, today, Moray

Taking place over one day at various locations on the Moray coastline, Dance North Scotland, above, celebrates contemporary dance and performance and features Scottish and international companies. Mexico’s Foco alAire will present an interactive performance (8pm, The Park, Findhorn) while Scottish choreographer Rosemary Lee mounts a piece for 24 dancers titled Threaded Fine (12pm onwards, The Dancing Green, Findhorn). There’s also a tribute to Scottish film-maker Simon Fildes, who died last year (Dancing On The Inside, 6.30pm Universal Hall, Findhorn).

MUSIC

Bikini Kill, O2 Academy, Glasgow, June 12

After stints fronting Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin, 1990s punk legend

Kathleen Hanna has reformed seminal Riot Grrrl act Bikini Kill and finally lands in Glasgow on a tour postponed from 2020 because of the pandemic. With iconic songs like Rebel Girl seeming to soundtrack every other show on Netflix these days, now is a good time to catch one of the decade’s most influential bands.

FESTIVAL

Borders Book Festival, Harmony Garden, Melrose, June 16-19

The much-loved festival returns with a bumper line-up which includes some heavy hitters from the world of politics and the media as well as the usual array of top authors. Among the former are Andrew Marr, Ed Balls, Clive Myrie, Jonathan Freedland, Darren McGarvey and Fintan O’Toole (his views on Brexit will be worth the entrance price alone). Among the latter you’ll find Val McDermid, Tracy Borman, Jenny Colgan, Liz Lochhead and Clare Askew.