There is much to be said for the philosophies of rock musician, campaigner and spoken word artist Henry Rollins. In his work, from the early days of Black Flag and Rollins Band, there has been an element to his art that has looked toward the seeking of truth. His frenetic and charged delivery is nothing short of electric as his intensity powers him through whatever topic is on his mind.
For this year's two-day appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe, Rollins is back to make good on the promise of his prospective trip to North Korea, hinted strongly at in his 2010 show. Talking about the oddness of the culture shock at being led around under constant escort and military guard is nothing short of fascinating. It's to Rollins's credit that he can conjure the same amount of energy when speaking about topics as varied as world travel, filming for National Geographic, touring punk gigs in '80s New York and even shopping in Costco.
Next year he promises to be back for a longer run; only a fool would miss the chance to see him in action.