Issue 38 - December 2017

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contents

Journaling a better you.............................................................................................4

The IRN-BRU Carnival is back!

INTERVIEW: Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis..............................................................8

Top Five Celtic Connections Picks............................................................................10 INTERVIEW: Talisk....................................................................................................11 Liam’s Corner...........................................................................................................13 INTERVIEW: SLAM....................................................................................................14 Podcasts: Where to begin........................................................................................15 Dissecting the Lion King Live Action Cast................................................................16 The 12 Movies of Christmas....................................................................................17 Gig Guide................................................................................................................22 Cyberchondria: Are you a victim?............................................................................24 Cyberloafing............................................................................................................25 Old is the New with Mr. Ben’s Retro Clothing Shop................................................26 Give Good this Christmas....................................................................................... 27 Christmas Gift Guide...............................................................................................28 Eating in at Christmas.............................................................................................30 Eating out at Christmas...........................................................................................31 Have yourself a crafty little Christmas.....................................................................32 It’s beginning to look a lot like gin-mas..................................................................34 Santa’s little secrets.................................................................................................35 Get yourself a coffice...............................................................................................36 New Year Fear..........................................................................................................37 Pick of the Month....................................................................................................38 E. info@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk T. 0141 222 2202

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December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

3

Write for your life

HOW WRITING CAN HELP US

and strife and people feeling the pressure of the trials and tribulations that life throws at us on a daily basis, it can often leave people feeling a tad overwhelmed and in a state of mental distress.

IT’S A PROBLEM SOLVER

With the world awash in a cavalcade of trouble

Give it a go There are various ways that writing can be a helpful tool in times of trouble, however, to list them all would make this piece absurdly long. So here are what I consider to be the 3 most helpful.

IT CLEARS THE COBWEBS

Being inside our heads can often feel like being stuck in the world’s noisiest and longest traffic jam, with the constant worrying about things we have to do, things we have done and things we might have to do, often feeling like a bit much.

By getting it all down on the page, we clear the cobwebs of our minds, letting us gain some much needed mental breathing space that could be filled with more positive and helpful thoughts.

Everyone faces problems in life and often we might be tearing our hair out trying to figure out how to deal with them. When we write these problems down, we’re “looking it in the eye” if you like, and thanks to our newly cleared head (see number 1) we might now be able to take our time to really think about how to solve the problem.

While there are many methods that people use to help ease the pressure of the mental stresses that life places on us, one such method that I feel is perhaps the most innovative, creative and certainly one of the oldest form of stress relief is getting a piece of paper and pencil (or more likely a word processor for those of you who live in the 21st century) and writing it all down.

IT’S FUN

Take it from me, writing is just great fun, plain and simple. It might be my job to write, but honestly, I would be doing it even if it wasn’t. To me, there is no greater joy than simply putting pen to paper and having fun with all the various thoughts that come out of my mind.

In this article, I’m going to be looking at the various forms of writing and journal keeping that could not only help to relieve the stress of modern life but also perhaps introduce many of us to a fun and addictive new hobby.

Journaling

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y o u .

1) Bullet Journaling Bullet journaling is exactly what it says on the tin. You write down all the various thoughts and feelings that pop into your head in the form of bullet points, perhaps as a list of sorts. This technique is a refreshingly simple way to get your thoughts down on paper and it is handy is you perhaps aren’t able to or don’t wish to spend too much time writing.

2) Gratitude Journaling Gratitude journaling is for those who wish to spend a bit more of their spare time with a pen and paper. The basic concept of gratitude journaling is to reflect and write down all the things that you have experienced over a period of time (e.g. a week) for which you are grateful for, whether it be a big thing like your friends helping you through a tough time or, in my case, something simple like finding a 20 pound note in your pocket that survived the washing machine.

3) Art Journaling For the more creative types who aren’t keen on writing, there is art journaling. With this approach, one might put down their thoughts and feelings in a variety of expressive forms, such as drawings, paintings, photography, creating collages of various bits of things they find and all other art forms that people might enjoy. It’s a creative way to clear your head that’s also a great bit of fun to boot.

LET’S

LOOK

AHEAD

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! However, believe it or not, there are still things going on outside of the Christmas build-up that you might miss underneath all that snow.

THE HIDDEN LANE’S HIDDEN CHRISTMAS

MAMMA MIA!

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS IN CONCERT

THE IRN BRU CARNIVAL

SCOTLAND’S TRADE FAIR AND SPECIALITY FOOD SHOW

MAXIMUM PRESSURE

Be spoiled by talented small businesses at this festive event for all the family. Purchase perfect, locally made gifts for all your loved ones and reluctant Secret Santas whilst supporting handmade, Scottish crafts.

There’ll be mince pies, mulled drinks, tombola and crafty activities (likely adorned in glitter) as well as the chance to meet the makers themselves. Expect jewellery, illustrations, art, candles, textiles, chocolate and oh so much more, all while listening to relaxed live music.

The second instalment in The Harry Potter Film Concert Series makes its way to Glasgow on 9 December. The tour will feature a live symphony orchestra performing, to picture, every note from the movie. Audiences will be able to relive the magic of the film in high-definition on a 60-foot screen while accompanied by John Williams’ original score.

Scotland’s Speciality Food Show 2018 will be the 10th year that the show has been running in its present format and it is the result of a joint venture between Scotland’s Food Show in Glasgow and the Speciality Food Show in Edinburgh. The show runs for 3 days from 21st to 23rd January at Glasgow’s SEC with 130 companies exhibiting all types of speciality – food including gift food.

Here we go again! The hit ABBA musical returns to Glasgow on Dec 5 with a spectacular new set promised to transport you directly to Greece. ABBA’s musical premiered in 1999 to immediate critical acclaim. It returns to entertain Glaswegian audiences just ahead of the movie’s 2018 sequel. In fact, we can already hear the crowds cheering during that line in ‘Super Trouper’...

Europe’s largest indoor carnival returns to Exhibition Centre on 21 December for a limited time only. With inflatable play areas, rides, amusements, delicious food and allday entry for just £13, it’s no wonder that this is one of Glasgow’s most highly anticipated events of the Christmas period.

Buy your tickets and plan your visit via irn-bru-carnival.com.

With a sold-out series debut in Glasgow’s SWG3 under their belt, perpetual techno advocates and all-round nice guys SLAM prepare for round two. With longer opening hours that will, once again, see the duo utilising the entire SWG3 complex – including the newly renovated Galvaniser’s warehouse space – Slam will be joined by the finest DJing talent in a fabulous 10-hour extravaganza on New Year’s Day.

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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RED RED ROSE STREET

MANIPULATE FESTIVAL

LOONY DOOK

A FINE LINE

REBUS30

HOGMANAY CELEBRATIONS

This exceptionally cool festival celebrates all things Robert Burns, with a variety of different events, activities and animation. It’s set to be popular amongst literary fans across the country but it also engages closely with locals and nearby businesses, boasting a variety of free, ticketed and drop-in entertainment across all three days.

Cure the hangover on New Year’s Day with a revitalising dip into the Firth of Forth in your finest tartan attire and raise money for a good cause at the same time. Dookers will march the length of the High Street as part of the Dooker Parade before launching themselves into the freezing Firth of Forth.

This is one of Scotland’s finest Hogmanay traditions and spectators are welcome to cheer each other on at various points throughout the stroll.

In 1987 Ian Rankin published Knots and Crosses, the first book in what became an internationally best-selling detective series, centred on Inspector John Rebus. For the first time, there will be a selection of manuscripts and personal items on display belonging to and interpreted by Ian Rankin in his own words, along with filmed interviews made especially for Rebus30. This exhibition celebrates the relationship between the author and his most famous creation, his city, its history and people.

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Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival is produced by Puppet Animation Scotland, the champions of visual theatre, puppetry and animation in Scotland and it supports all artists and organisations who engage with these art forms. The festival organisers enable audiences and Scottishbased artists to engage with world-class performers in the field. It takes place in the Traverse Theatre between 27 January – 3 February.

A free group exhibition by artists Lizzie Farey, Angie Lewin, Frances Priest and Bronwen Sleigh. Spanning two and three dimensions and a diverse range of disciplines, the exhibition features a series of beautiful prints and drawings, sculpture, collage and ceramics. The festival takes place in the City Art Centre in Edinburgh and is running until 18 February 2018. Free admission for all, too!

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay shows the world how to party with three days of spectacular events, great music and amazing crowds from every corner of the globe.

Join thousands of marchers bearing firelit torches, enjoy birling to traditional Scottish music beneath the striking edifice of Edinburgh Castle and watch top stars and incredible fireworks from Princes Street Gardens.

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December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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TSA’s Cassay Baillie talks to Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis about their revolutionary services G

lasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis (GCRC) have just launched a drop-in service for students at Strathclyde University. The service aims to provide access to support and information for young students who, quite often, do not know what type of help is out there. Whilst GCRC also run a drop-in service at their headquarters in Glasgow city centre, they recognise that the aspect of venturing out of your comfort zone to a strange centre could be quite daunting for some; hence one of the aims of having a drop-in service on campus is to make support more accessible and less stressful for the student.

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The launch of the service comes as a result of GCRC working alongside the Equally Safe in Higher Education project (ESHE): a Scottish government funded initiative with the aim of eradicating gender based violence within Scottish higher education institutions. The project was developed in response to a report conducted in 2011 by the National Union of Students, which found that a staggering 1 in 4 female students reported having experienced ‘unwanted sexual behaviour’ during their studies.

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Whilst the project focuses on educating students on gender based violence and so forth preventing it, it also recognises the detrimental effects that sexual violence can have upon a student’s time at university; primary parts of student life such as studying, socialising, or even the thought of sitting in a crowded lecture hall can be the toughest part of a survivor’s day, whilst the student’s mental and physical health can also be greatly affected too. Hence GCRC have collaborated with ESHE to provide a service that offers students support in order to lessen the impact upon their time at university.

The launch of the drop-in at Strathclyde is an amazing triumph for GCRC. Whilst it’s still a pilot scheme, the hopes for the future are bright with ambitions to install a similar service on every campus in Scotland. It’s taken a long time, but it seems that academic

Personally, the support material I was offered didn’t help me but if we can create something that’s engaging and provides useful information to its readers, we will have achieved our goal. All we want to do is help people. We have been in their shoes and we want to do whatever we can to make those first steps easier.

institutions are no longer ignoring sexual violence as a factor in student life and are finally doing something about it.

Yet this is just an example of the astounding work that Glasgow Rape Crisis, and Rape Crisis Scotland do for women and men; Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis have a Freephone and instant messaging service as well as their drop-in sessions every Wednesday and scheduled appointments.

They also offer legal help with their ‘support to report’ campaign, which is run by law advocates who offer support and information to anyone aged 13 and over who is thinking about reporting their sexual assault to the police. Rape Crisis Scotland also have a freephone service and information on drop-in services based all over Scotland, such as GCRC’s, can be found on their website.

With the opening of the drop-in service, GCRC hope to make the public more aware of the help that is available to those who have experienced, or know someone who has experienced rape or sexual abuse.

This year has been extremely busy for those at GCRC and also at Rape Crisis Scotland, who launched their I Just Froze campaign back in March. The campaign’s objective is to raise awareness of different reactions that the body has when faced with trauma, and that these reactions aren’t always what we would expect; some of us, when faced with trauma, will fight back, fly, or freeze. The significance of the campaign is that it highlights and challenges perceptions surrounding rape that deem the ‘right’ way to react to being sexually assaulted is to fight back, scream, or run away, whilst freezing up is never recognised as being an ‘appropriate’ reaction.

Brave members of the Rosey Project Community were invited to parliament on the 15th of November to speak at the NSPCC’s report The Right to Recover.

The report detailed what happens to a child after the disclosure or discovery of sexual abuse in the West of Scotland and campaigned for the provision of ‘therapeutic services’ for those children.

Victims often fear being judged because of not having the ‘right’ reaction, this can then discourage them from reporting the assault to the police, appearing in court, or even just seeking help and support. Between 2015-16, only 51% of survivors, who had used GCRC services, had reported their assault to the police. Whilst the number of people reporting their assaults to the police is increasing, there is still a large volume of the population who don’t.

The campaign aims to reduce the stigma surrounding rape and to raise awareness that ‘freezing’ is a completely natural reaction to rape, and as such stamp out the misconception that there is a ‘right’ or ‘appropriate’ reaction. The campaign has received astonishing support from the public and is a vital move forward towards changing the way rape and sexual assault is spoken about.

Jenny MacLaren Young Person’s Support & Advocacy Worker Rape Crisis

by Cassay Baillie

c.baillie@tsaglasgow.com

b o in M an e f n th for or w d ou e m e Fa w.

C n G at In ly d C io gl c d a R n st eb as w eR tG Cc ag oo go eb a la a ra k: w si pe sg n m c @r te C o ly : Tw @ : o d ri w se er th si it s’ te er o yp a p e r r: s oj c @R ey ec ris p is os tc r om .or ey oje _P ct m g.u un r o co k m je i t m y ct un it y

They aim to compensate for the tremendous lack of informative resources available publicly and on the internet for young sexual assault survivors between the ages of 13-25. One RPC member commented on their personal experience with support material offered to them:

The reactions received from the audience were a mixture of ‘audible gasps, tears, and shock.’ followed by an overwhelming round of applause from the full room. The Rosey’s left Holyrood that day feeling ‘empowered’ to keep on pushing for change in regards to the way sexual violence is spoken about in Scotland.

The RPC is a branch of Glasgow Rape Crisis and has now launched a drop-in service ..for individuals aged 13-25 who have experienced sexual assault, every Thursday from 4-7 at the Rape Crisis Glasgow centre. One RPC member stated that the impact the project has had on her life: This might sound annoying and cliché but at a time I felt my life was falling disintegrating in front of me, and the people I met through the centre felt like saviours. I had workshops on self-care which reminded me how to look after myself and that I was important. I had individual talking support where I could openly express my deepest thoughts, fears and emotions. I joined a support group where we discussed topics such as blame, guilt, and body image. The Rosey Project has so many amazing purposes.

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The Rosey Project Community is a small network, ran by young service users of Glasgow Rape Crisis, who share and create informative and supportive resources on social media, such as articles, self-care tips, blog posts, personal experiences and advice.

Three Rosey’s each got up and bravely told, to an audience of MP’s, West of Scotland Nurses, and other Rape Crisis Scotland centre members, their own personal experiences, covering issues that they wanted to be addressed both by the government and the public.

They focused on living with the aftermath of sexual violence, attitudes and responses to sexual violence from academic institutions, and also the fantastic support made available to them by Rape Crisis Glasgow.

The work that the staff and volunteers at RSC and GCRC do is fundamental to the women, children, and men of Scotland and we are eternally grateful that there are such support services available to us.

If you have experienced sexual assault and want to speak to someone about it please do not hesitate to contact the centre, they offer, free, confidential, non-judgemental support and advice for anyone who needs it.

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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TOP 5 CONNECTIONS TO MAKE IN 2018 The Celtic Connections festival will celebrate it’s 25th anniversary in 2018 and, in a fashion true to that of the vibrant festival, the celebratory line-up is more ambitious and eclectic than ever before.

Bringing the world to Glasgow

The festival will run from Thursday 18 January to Sunday 4 February 2018.

That’s 18 solid days of entertainment brought to Glasgow to brighten up the cold, wet January climate with a plethora of concerts and one-off musical collaborations, talks, workshops, film screenings, ceilidhs and even exhibitions. And, luckily, for the perpetually skint students among us, many of these events are free.

Since it’s birth in 1994, Glasgow’s traditional music festival has come a very long way from the original scepticism that surrounded the event.

In 2017, it is now forecast to entertain over 100,000 music lovers from around the globe.

Here are our top five events worth braving the cold and wet January for.

BOTHY CULTURE & BEYOND: THE GRIT ORCHESTRA WITH DANNY MACASKILL Following its unforgettable debut at the opening concert of Celtic Connections 2015, the ground-breaking GRIT Orchestra presents another spectacular world première – a grandscale live version of Bothy Culture, the late Martyn Bennett’s second album. Bennett’s music, a virtuoso fusion of Celtic, Scandinavian and Islamic traditions with techno, breakbeat and hip-hop, has again been orchestrated by violinist Greg Lawson, who also conducts the performance. Comprising around 80 leading folk, jazz and classical musicians, the GRIT Orchestra is a truly unique ensemble, and a thrilling embodiment of Scotland’s contemporary musical landscape, the richly hybrid terrain which Bennett so brilliantly mapped and celebrated.

18 January - 4 February 2018 Buy tickets now at celticconnections.com /celticconnections

@ccfest #ccfest18

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The show features a special appearance by astounding Scottish stunt cyclist Danny MacAskill, inspired by his 2014 film The Ridge (now approaching 55 million YouTube views), which follows his death-defying, world-first traverse of the Black Cuillin Ridge on his native Skye, sound tracked by Bennett’s inspirational track ‘Blackbird’.

DALE WATSON & HIS LONE STARS AND SPECIAL GUESTS Succinctly synopsised by the Austin Chronicle, as a “silver-pompadoured, baritone-beltin’, Lone Star beer-drinkin’, honky-tonk hellraiser” and as “Austin’s answer to Johnny Cash”, old-school country diehard Dale Watson first preached his truth in ‘Nashville Rash’ (his reaction to Music City’s mainstream), from 1995 debut album Cheatin’ Heart Attack. “I’m too country now for country,” he rued, “Just like Johnny Cash”.

Between an annual 300-odd days on the road, invoking the timeless spirit of honky-tonk, outlaw country, rockabilly and Texan swing, Watson’s prolific subsequent output includes a triple album of trucking songs, and when free he hosts Sunday shows at his own Big T Roadhouse, featuring interval games of ‘chicken-s*** bingo’ (Google it. . .)

He’ll be serving the same straight-no-chaser

musical moonshine right here, with his gutsy, gritty, yet super-slick Lone Stars trio, plus some very special guests.

OUMOU SANGARÉ One of the world’s greatest female singers, Malian diva Oumou Sangaré returned from an eight-year recording break with 2017’s Mogoya, marking a bold step forward on her celebrated musical journey. Featuring French production trio A.l.b.e.r.t. and iconic Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen, the album couples her phenomenal voice and traditional Wassoulou roots with dynamic dashes of rock, funk and soul, together with edgy dance grooves, while retaining the powerful social commentary for which she’s also renowned.

“Sangaré is poet and storyteller, moral guide and denouncer of injustice all wrapped up in one singular, beautiful voice.” (Dusted) OUT LINES Commissioned by Easterhouse’s Platform arts centre, Out Lines is a unique collaborative project that saw The Twilight Sad’s James Graham, together with SAY Award-winner Kathryn Joseph, turning local residents’ first-hand stories into songs, abetted by producer Marcus Mackay.

Following their première Platform performance, the album Conflats – by turns harrowing and uplifting, tragic and hopeful – was released in October, an arrestingly powerful testament to art’s transformative potential.

THE NATIONAL WHISKY FESTIVAL Returning as part of Celtic Connections 2018, the second annual National Whisky Festival of Scotland will once again descend on SWG3 for seven hours of whisky wonderland: masterclasses, food, talks, live music curated

by Celtic Connections and of course, plenty of drams!

Showcasing Scotland’s ‘water of life’ to an audience of whisky fans and industry folks from all over the globe and part of the opening weekend of the world’s largest winter festival, the whisky festival welcomes over 2000 enthusiasts to celebrate the finest whisky Scotland has to offer.

Twenty four year-old Mohsen Amini is a celebrated Glasgow based folk musician and part of the multi award-winning Talisk. The band features Amini on concertina, Hayley Keenan on fiddle and Graeme Armstrong on guitar.

Taking time out of their international tour, Mohsen spoke to TSA about the band and, current album, Abyss.

How did you get involved with folk music?

When I was about ten, I did Irish dancing for about four months and took part in a competition where a ceilidh band were playing – I had a nosey, and found out about music classes. I’d planned to do karate for ages, but tried music, thinking I’d quit it after one night… I’ve still never tried karate.

I was studying chemical engineering at uni when I got offered my first tour. I dropped out and wanted the experience. I got back and started working with a friend who owned a roofing company who said I could work with him and have a day off when I have a gig.

For two years I did that until I became busy enough that I couldn’t fit any roofing in, and that led me to where I am now.

we met Craig are formed Talisk. Originally, it was only supposed to be a one-off: there were originally five of us playing a gig, then four, then three, then we tried to cancel it but it was fantastic. After a great reception online, Hayley entered us into the Folk Awards, and we ended up winning.

Has there been any sort of pressure over the last few years off the back of that success?

As soon as you get it, you get put into the Cambridge Folk Festival and others off the back of winning the award, and we only had about three sets, so we had to make a big set list full of music for all these gigs – we had to come up with a whole repertoire in a month, but it worked out!

How well did you know the others before forming the band?

Is that where your album Abyss came from?

Graeme joined the band six months ago. At first, it was me, Craig Irving and Hayley. I had a band with Hayley about two years before, then

Basically. Some bands spend a year on an album and the next few years touring with it – we tried

to get into that cycle. We did it quite early on and we’re still trying to find our sound; there’s a track on Abyss called ‘Echo’ that’s essentially the sound of Talisk. The next album will be very much like that.

Is it a collaborative writing process?

We start with a tune, play around with it. Most of it might be absolute garbage, but you take that one brilliant minute and make more. Right now, we’re gigging the new stuff, seeing reactions, and tweaking little bits, so that when we get home we’ve got a set that works everywhere.

Musician of the Year, I got really busy. You have to handle when you come home you can’t lie in your bed and do nothing, you have to make an effort to see everyone, because you’ll be away for another few weeks and won’t see anybody. That’s probably the biggest thing, but apart from that it’s quite easy-going and it’s not changed much about me at all!

What’s coming up next?

Through December and January we’ll just be writing, then we’ve got our gig at Celtic Connections, then a week and a half after that we’re away to America. We’ve got a bit of a Christmas break then we’re straight back into it.

How do you account for Talisk’s success?

I don’t really know. A lot of it comes down to luck – there are so many bands that fit the same categories. Most of trad music is online now, through social media; people who haven’t seen you get a good impression if you’ve got an active social media presence, so I think that is a big plus. We hit Facebook as much as we can to get ourselves out there. Everyone’s done it for years, but we made sure to do it when we were starting the band. It’s given us a massive step forwards in comparison to other bands our age who have the same following offline, but maybe don’t use social media as much.

Has the success impacted you?

You have to deal with not being home a lot.

Within a week of winning Young Traditional

by Callum Creaney reelfilmlife.wordpress.com @callumc3275

TAL I S K

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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D F CONC ERT S BY ARRANG EMENT W IT H C AA PRE SE NTS

TUE 20 MARCH

GLASGOW THE SSE HYDRO King Tut’s New Year’s Revolution is back for it’s 8th consecutive year this January – perfect timing to brighten up those chilly and damp January nights – and it promises to showcase some of the best emerging music talent in Scotland right now.

Across the 16 day of festival madness, over 50 artists will take to the stage of the iconic King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut with three bands supporting a new headline act each night with a venue DJ.

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King Tuts is synonymous with many of the brightest singing talents in Scotland, having been the launchpad for various world renowned artists such as Paolo Nutini and Biffy Clyro.

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In short, the festival is absolutely ideal for fans of fresh, new music.

The legendary ‘Golden Ticket’ returns in 2018 too, available for £40, if you are hungry to get the most from the event and gain access to the full festival.

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by Liam Menzies @blinkclyro

www.blinkclyro.com

Liam’s Corner www.blinkclyro.com

Record of the Month We Can Die Happy by TENNIS

The meticulousness of its stylish instrumentals combined with the lush vocals of Alaina results in a power couple whose work is thankfully greater than the sum of its parts: not that they aren’t lovely on their own anyway.

It’s hard to say something can make you feel rose tinted for an era you weren’t around to experience: that’s not the case with Tennis’ latest EP. Following up their last LP Yours Conditionally, husband-and-wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley manage to find solace in giving their modern pop outings a hefty coat of old timey colouring – it’s hard to put your finger on what exactly gives off this vibe but it undeniably feels like the kind of music you’d expect to hear radiating from a wee CRT tele on a Top Of The Pops episode.

The meticulousness of its stylish instrumentals combined with the lush vocals of Alaina results in a power couple whose work is thankfully greater than the sum of its parts: not that they aren’t lovely on their own anyway.

Solidarity & Music It’s been near unavoidable to

read or watch the news the past month or so without a piece exposing yet another wicked higher up for harassment or abuse: why by no means being a new thing, this all bubbled to the surface with Weinstein and hasn’t slowed down since, with a new culprit being found nearly every day.

While it seemed like this was only exclusive to Hollywood and politics, it was only a matter of time until this reached the realm of music. While it’s a case of too little too late for most, these revelations have been welcomed nonetheless: just a few weeks ago Brand New were prepared for the UK leg of their tour before a victim came forward to reveal Jesse Lacey had groomed and harassed

her for years, starting when she was a minor. Their line of gigs have since been cancelled.

This is just one instance of many and has made for some harrowing reads but have been very necessary in dealing with the misogyny that has been ripe in many subcultures for ages: journalists including ourselves have pointed out the sexist attitudes and actions of several artists who still have a career somehow and it finally seems to be resulting in repercussions.

Sadly, it seems to be a reoccurring trend that when an artist is accused of these horrible acts their following finds themselves so infatuated by their idols that they discredit and harass victims; all it takes is one quick look at the Brand New subreddit to see the toxic attitudes of those unwilling to believe someone over a man they have no reason to trust. Not only does this result in those with cases feeling apprehensive about coming forward but it reinforces a mindset that only seeks to keep this status quo of sexism alive.

Solidarity is a word that I’ve thrown about repeatedly over the past few weeks and one that I’ll continue to until the cows come home. If the past month has taught us anything, it’s affirmed the

Disgraced: Jesse Lacey

best tracks

Continue reading...

Be sure to check out Liam’s exclusive Edinburgh and Glasgow Gig Guide on pages 22-23.

Liam Menzies is a college graduate, somehow balancing uni work and a love for music: legend says that he’s yet to be seen in the wild without a cap on.

niggling notion that those with power and influence, especially with a vulnerable fan-base, will abuse it.

Instead of churning out the victim blame rhetoric, why not listen to those affected, show our support and put our money where our mouth is by exiling these abusers: these repeated offences can’t and won’t be tolerated.

Yours Are The Only Ears – Saturn Delicate and deeply personal, the latest serving from Brooklyn singersongwriter Yours Are The Only Ears (real name Susannah Cutler) is equal parts stunning and heartbreaking. Singing alongside a fragile pair of guitars and keys, Saturn touches on the loss of identity and self-love, Susannah’s voice carrying each and every word with grace and emotion which makes it hard not to find yourself leaving with a great admiration but a hundred questions for yourself.

Vistas – Retrospect An old favourite of the site, Vistas have came leaps and bounds since appearing on our radar in early 2016. and Retrospect goes to show how true that statement is. There are an abundance of lad rock bands around at the moment but these Edinburgh boys manage to stand out by being champs at hooks and melodies, unashamedly embracing the traits of their pop contemporaries while still bringing some rock sensibilities along for the ride.

Joji – Will He It’s odd that you’ll find much, if any, creative ventures from YouTubers reaching peaks in term of quality: enter stage Joji Miller, better known for his crass escapades under the Filthy Frank moniker, with his latest EP. Opening track ‘Will He’ is a perfect introduction to a gentler yet still aggressive Joji as he gets sadly nostalgic, setting the tone for the rest of the release.

BC Unidos ft. Carly Rae Jepsen – Trouble In The Streets Having made her last two releases 80’s drenched, synth driven pop bangers, a change of sound for the now critical darling Carly Rae Jepsen is welcomed and who better to deliver that than BC Unidos. Comprised of two of the biggest pop heavy hitters of the 2010’s, this collaboration finds CRJ chiming over a troubled relationship (not exactly groundbreaking) but with a beautifully shoe-gaze influenced instrumental in charge of things, it’s hard not to find this coupling utterly irresistible.

Pinegrove – Intrepid Unashamedly raw with an enticing, emotionally gooey centre, the latest track from alt-rock New Jersey outfit is one that feels as tight as it does evocative. With a wide array of beautiful lyrics as well some perfectly natural performances, ‘Intrepid’ is certain to nuzzle its way into Pinegrove‘s setlists as well as into the heart of anyone willing enough to risk shedding a few tears.

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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With a sold-out event series debut under their belt – a jam packed Halloween extravaganza in Glasgow’s SWG3 - perpetual techno advocates and all-round nice guys Slam prepare for round two.

We caught up with the prolific duo to discuss what techno means to them and find out a bit more about the Maximum Pressure concept.

Hello! So, 2017 has been a momentous year for you with touring, releases, the continuation of your Slam Radio project. From a personal perspective, what have been some of your career highlights this year?

We had some success and more importantly some great music out on the Soma 25th birthday compilation album including tracks from Robert Hood, Blawan and Jeff Mills as well as ourselves digital and also a box set of vinyl and the subsequent single we did as Soma’s 500th single release!

Plus there’s also been our Soma Track Series which has gone from strength to strength with many of our peers playing them out – so much so that we have made the new one ‘Take Your Time’ featuring Cajmere aka Green Velvet the very last one of the series. We always shy away from fame hehe.

You launched your Maximum Pressure concept on the 27th of October, and this was the first time that SWG3’s newlyrenovated Galvanisers Yard

by Rachael Procter @rrretro___

editor@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk

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was put to use. What was the atmosphere like inside?

The recent first edition of our Maximum Pressure was amazing..

The crowd were up for it and everyone put effort in to make the venue look and sound incredibleIt was an off the hook party – the first of a brand new series of events using the complete SWG3 complex in Glasgow including a new warehouse space called the Galvanisers. Exciting stuff with New Year’s Day as edition 2. We plan to do 4 each year.

How did this new concept come into formation?

We’d been travelling and touring and impressed with some of the venues we played in around Europe mainly.

When the new space became available at SWG3 we knew instantly that we could turn it into a great Techno room – one of the best

– the production seems minimal but has a lot of thought and time put into it – high ceilings and trusses holding lights pointing down and well as uplighting of some of the features of the raw space.

We wanted to do bigger parties with longer opening times and realised that to keep it special this could not be as frequent as every month – even so, we are putting together festival style lineups but doing it only once every 3 or 4 months.

Are there any acts that you are particularly excited to have onboard at your upcoming New Year’s Day event in SWG3?

DJ Stingray is an exciting prospect as is Dr Rubinstein – it’s great also to have the other big room too with FJAAK who make their Glasgow debut and Radio Slave. As well as two bonafide headliners in Alan Fitzpatrick and Jeff Mills.

Why do you think techno music evokes such a euphoric and emotional response from listeners?

Techno is a music that can encapsulate the whole gambit of emotion as well as making you dance like mad! It’s cerebral at times and other moments climactic.

Could you tell us a little bit about your Slam Radio Project?

We’ve been running a weekly radio show every week for more than 5 years – occasionally we get a bigger name like Laurent Garnier or Sven Väth on but mostly it’s real underground and lesser known names – it’s consistent and has a big global following – find it on slam-djs.com With music-making – and sharing – equipment now more accessible to us than ever before, do you believe that it is possible to build a solid DJ-ing portfolio from the comfort of your bedroom? Or is it more of a genre that is harnessed by gigging and engaging with audiences at live events?

MMMMMMmmmmmm – we make music at home – both of us have a studio in the garage – and sometimes do a mix for the radio or a podcast from home – but it’s different when you perform live in a club or at a festival – you join with the crowd and there is a two way reaction and engagement that can’t happen remotely – with big or small audiences and venues.

Any New Years between you?

Resolutions

Any healthy ones begin on the 2nd as we will be up for the Maximum Pressure party on NYD – after a few days of rest and relaxation we will be busy again organising the Riverside Festival and Easter Maximum Pressure and on Jan 12 we are in the Sub Club with Gary Beck before we go back on the road again – so, not too much rest for the wicked!

PODCASTS Where to begin?

Whether it’s company while you’re on a jog, travelling in the car, or blocking out blaring tunes at the speakers, podcasts are great ways to entertain and inform. The list below features shows that are great jumping off point for anyone looking to explore the podcast realm.

The Guilty Feminist Presenters: Deborah Frances White, Sophie Hagan, Sara Pascoe, Cariad Lloyd Episode Length: Around 1 hour

Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review Presenters: Simon Mayo, Mark Kermode Episode length: around 2 hours Since 2001, the BBC’s flagship film review show has combined the talents of presenter Simon Mayo and critic Mark Kermode.

Nicknamed Wittertainment, each episode contains the broadcasted material from their Friday afternoon slot on BBC Radio 5 Live, with added podcast pre and post amble: covering reviews of the top ten UK film releases of that week, interviews with celebrity guests relevant to the upcoming releases, reviews of new films, and features like DVD of the week.

Radiating warmth, its easy-going nature stems from a mix of chat between the hosts, anecdotes throughout, and contributions from a vast community of fans. With professionals like Stephen Fry, Jason Isaacs, and Natalie Dormer making up their millions of monthly listeners. The show is a hub of good-natured film-related wittering for anyone looking for film info or just an entertaining couple of hours.

The Adam Buxton Podcast Presenter: Adam Buxton Running Time: around 1 hour This American Life: S Town Presenter: Brian Reed Running Time: around 1 hour

After receiving an email with the subject line ‘John B McLemore lives in Shit Town, Alabama’, American broadcaster Brian Reed went to the town of Woodstock to investigate both the murder of a young man whose killer boasts about the deed and a local police officer, still on the force, who was accused of sexually abusing a woman. In seven one-hour episodes, the podcast is Reed’s journey around the stories and the people of Woodstock.

Reaching 10 million downloads within hours of release, S-Town is extraordinarily popular and presents a great platform for fans of true crime, mystery, or documentary.

With his special brand of charm, comedian Adam Buxton’s podcast offers listeners the chance to sit in on conversations with him and a number of famous names.

Whether it’s Louis Theroux, Zadie Smith, or Bill Hader, Buckle’s chats always carry an air of friendliness and ease that lets guests open up without falseness or reserve. Caitlin Moran’s episode includes a particularly insightful tale with Lady Gaga in a Berlin nightclub. The show’s been running since 2015 but since new episodes are released sporadically, there’s no need to worry about catching up, meaning that it makes for perfect listening to even the most casual podcast fan.

“I’m a feminist, but I’m actually a big fan of Pretty Woman and I’m open to the idea of Richard Gere entering me on a grand piano”.

Deborah Frances-White’s The Guilty Feminist offers an insightful, hilarious, and realistic exploration of what it means to be a 21st century feminist and potentially undermining hypocrisies and insecurities. Focusing on a new topic each week, the hosts come to each episode having completed a challenge for that week and discuss their experience, before being joined by a guest who joins in the discussion.

Past guests include, Sarah Millican, Sara Pascoe, David Baddiel, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

If you want to engage with 21st century intersectionality, then The Guilty Feminist is a compact and simple way to sink your teeth into any of its many essentials. While an hour on each topic won’t leave you an expert, each episode is as insightful as it is entertaining.

by Callum Creaney reelfilmlife.wordpress.com @callumc3275

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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Dissecting the live action cast

Say what you like about Disney, but the world’s second largest media conglomerate sure knows how to get your attention. In one casting announcement, Disney have made their live action remake of The Lion King into one of the most anticipated releases of recent times, despite audiences not getting to see a frame of the Pride Lands for another 18 months.

Like many other “90s kids” for whom the original Lion King was such a crucial part of our childhood entertainment, I greeted the news of the proposed remake with Rafiki-like scepticism. Surely, we all thought, this film must be sacred? They’ll trample over our childhood like the proverbial wildebeests, leaving us to stand weeping by the corpse of a pure moment of joy from our youth.

Jon Favreau joining the project as director did go some way to alleviating these fears. His 2016 Jungle Book was a triumph; a remake that managed to be both respectful of the source material while bringing something new to the screen, with the astonishing visuals supporting a tale both darker and more jovial than the much-loved 60s classic.

The prospect of a new Lion King, however, still seemed like a mistake – the arrogant prince Disney was taunting the crazed hyenas of their fanbase a little too much in their search for an easy buck.

Fortunately, the cultural and economic behemoth that is Disney found one word to distract the masses, turning apprehension into excitement and worry into glee, and that word was: Beyoncé. Announcing that everybody’s favourite musical superstar was to play Nala sent the internet into raptures of adoring frenzy. Seemingly every headline responding to the news had Beyoncé’s involvement front and centre, demonstrating that Disney definitely know how to build a buzz.

And while the prospect of the new movie featuring the peerless voice behind some of the last decade’s best pop songs is certainly

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exciting, it is worth unpacking the rest of the cast that were revealed alongside Queen Bey. As part of a Hollywood culture often criticised for whitewashing, Disney should be celebrated for the diversity of their casting: the main leads are all actors of colour, and there are only three white faces in the first image of the ensemble that spread like a bush fire across the internet at the start of November.

Modern day polymath Donald Glover is perfect for the lead role, and will give Simba both a sense of vulnerability as well as impeccable comic timing. James Earl Jones is reprising his iconic turn as Mufasa, and it will be fascinating to hear how the intervening 25 years have affected his melodious timbre.

Among the high number of comedians in the cast is John Oliver, replacing Rowan Atkinson as the jobsworth hornbill Zazu. Oliver’s comedy persona has been built around his stuffy English reserve, so for American audiences the change will be seamless. Eric Andre and Keegan-Michael Key will make excellent comic sidekicks, and are sure to have great fun alongside relative-newcomer Florence Kasumba as the villainous but incompetent hyenas.

Having Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumba respectively seems like a nod to the parents dragged along to cinemas by their children. Children’s films nearly always have something a little risqué that will go over the heads of the target audience but tickle the funny bones of the adults in attendance, and having loveable pothead Rogen voice a warthog is as good a choice as any.

While all of these decisions are sensible and will pay literal dividends when we eventually see the finished product, the most inspired piece of casting of all has to be Chiwetel Ejiofor, replacing Jeremy Irons as Scar.

Irons’ threatening but enchanting drawl is amongst the most memorable features of the original Lion King. Ejiofor undoubtedly has large claws to fill, but I have no doubt that he will bring menace and depth to one of the best villains in modern cinematic history.

by Mat Johnstone @matjohnstone

There are many wonderful things that come with the festive season – mince pies, love and understanding, turkey with stuffing – but chief amongst these is the Christmas movie, a film set on or around the birth of Jesus that reminds you of the joys of this overly-commercialised holiday. Navigating the snowy labyrinth of Christmas-themed films can be overwhelming, so I’ve helpfully compiled a list of some of the best the genre has to offer, and made the job that little bit more difficult for myself by awkwardly setting it to the lyrics of the iconic carol. God bless us, everyone!

12 hours of brilliance (All three extended editions of The Lord of the Rings) Is there a better way to celebrate having time off work/ university than to settle in and marvel at all 714 minutes of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings? Probably not. While they are not technically Christmas movies, this is maybe the only time of year you’ll have the time to dedicate to watching all three masterpieces back to back.

11 years ago (The Holiday) Make yourself feel old by realising that Nancy Meyer’s delightful transatlantic rom-com was released more than a decade ago. A great cast and a sharp script make this the perfect accompaniment to a snowy afternoon.

10 scissor fingers (Edward Scissorhands) Tim Burton’s attempt at a Christmas film was never going to be entirely conventional, but he surpasses himself with this melancholic tale of impossible love and loneliness. Stylised to within an inch of its life, Edward Scissorhands is the perfect festive fairytale.

9 ladies directing (Take your pick!)

Do your bit to smash the patriarchy this Christmas and enjoy some cinema directed by women. Start with Patty Jenkins and Kathryn Bigelow if you want more mainstream entertainment, or explore the work of Lynne Ramsay, Sofia Coppola, and Ava DuVernay if you’re after something more arthouse and thought-provoking.

8 English treasures (Love Actually) No list of Christmas flicks would be complete without the ensemble joy of Richard Curtis’ Love Actually. While it may be painfully cheesy in places, its heart in definitely in the right place, and anything with Alan Rickman AND Emma Thompson is sure to win over even the Grinchiest of Christmas sceptics.

7 tears a-shedding (It’s a Wonderful Life) Frank Capra’s 1946 classic is the key ingredient to Christmas for every generation. It’ll probably be showing on every channel for all of December, but you could also round up the whole family for a trip to see this on the big screen at the Glasgow Film Theatre.

12 Movies of Christmas 6 kids offended (Bad Santa) With its impressive record of almost three swear words a minute, this blackest of Christmas comedies is best enjoyed on your own, late at night on Boxing Day, while you finish off the last of the festive booze. Billy Bob Thornton’s acerbically inebriated Father Christmas is definitely not for children.

5 Muppet ghosts! (A Muppet Christmas Carol) By far the best interpretation of Dickens’ timeless tale of Christmas redemption, A Muppet Christmas Carol has everything you could possibly want: Rizzo and Gonzo narrating, Kermit the Frog as the downtrodden Bob Cratchit, and Michael Caine singing his heart out.

Perfection.

4 laughs a minutes (Elf) For a certain generation, this is the quintessential Christmas movie. It is packed with quotable lines – “the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup” – and it is probably the funniest item on this list. Anyone who says otherwise sits on a throne of lies.

3 rubbish sequels (Home Alone) It was all downhill from here, with the success of Macaulay Culkin’s resourceful hero launching a series of terrible attempts at recapturing the magic of this 1990 romp. Watching as an adult, you realise there’s no way Harry and Marv would have survived the punishment Kevin inflicts upon them, but it is a testament to the brilliance of the film that this doesn’t distract from the festive fun.

2 hours of madness (Mad Max: Fury Road) As pointed out on Twitter by @CharlotteOfOz, we can’t definitively prove that Fury Road is not a Christmas movie, as the dystopian society of the future have dispensed with calendars. So stick on George Miller’s modern masterpiece after lunch and watch your gran’s head explode. What a lovely (Christmas) day!

And a Christmas yippee ki-yay! (Die Hard) What is Die Hard if not the story of a man trying to get home to see his wife and children at Christmas? Yes, he does have to kill several international bank robbers and blow up a skyscraper in the process, but at its core this is a heart-warming tale about the importance of family.

With explosions.

by Mat Johnstone @matjohnstone

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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READING IS FUNDAMENTAL

Image: Bronx-raised children’s and young adult’s writer Adam Silvera

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END

BY ADAM SILVERA So attaching a spoiler alert feels redundant.

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Bronx-native Adam Silvera has become a preeminent young adult fiction writer, with new release They Both Die at the End and his previous novel History is all You Left Me receiving universal acclaim. His work has the ability to leave you an emotional wreck: fast forward to me sobbing on my daily bus commute to work. In this speculative reality, Death-Cast is a company that calls people at midnight to tell them they will die at some point in the next 24 hours. No other details are given, leaving the client to choose whether or not they are brave enough to make their last day count or attempt to play it safe in the face of inevitable death.

Strangers Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio both receive this bad news, and amidst their own personal drama, decide they don’t want to face this day alone. Thankfully, there is a handy app for such an event – Last Friend – that hooks people up to hang out before they croak. Bittersweet, heart-breaking antics ensue. Meanwhile, the reader catches up with Death-Cast employees and related characters whose lives are changed and defined by death.

within this pseudo-dystopian novel in which the ending is in the title. Nor does it feel like tokenism, where diverse characters are forced into a narrative for the sake of inclusion. There are several characters peppered throughout the novel, which at once offers readers further insight to the effects of fascinating, terrifying Death-Cast and feels a little crowded. Silvera finds a good balance, but at times it feels like we are being taken away from the drama, kicking and screaming as events unfold.

Don’t let any notions of morbidity put you off picking this up: They Both Die at the End is impossible to put down and one of the most thoughtful and inspiring novel in recent years.

Silvera is a superb talent to be celebrated and enjoyed.

Exploring mortality, especially in a “one day left” fashion, is of course nothing groundbreaking. The nuances of They Both Die at the End, however (namely Death-Cast and its domino effect on modern society) feel almost Orwellian with a morbid spin for the social media generation. The novel challenges the reader to not only address their own attitudes to life and death, but also to how we deal with our baggage while we’re here, how we communicate and what we’re really afraid of.

Silvera navigates diversity seamlessly throughout the story – splitting the story between a closeted gay Puerto Rican and a bisexual Cuban – without feeling contrived or typical. The characters’ respective identities are explored with care and nuance, especially in regards to Mateo. There is no typical love story here, which feels fitting

by Jonny Stone @jonny_stone_ j.stone@tsaglasgow.com

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UNPRECEDENTED HOMOPHOBIC

LANGUAGE

The past month has seen an unprecedented number of celebrities caught out retroactively for homophobic and racist language used on social media platforms, especially Twitter, in the years of their relative obscurity. These historical Tweets reveal a darker, sadder side to public figures with avid and impressionable followers.

YouTube celebrity Jack Maynard made headlines on the cusp of his mainstream success when he was axed from I’m a Celebrity after his historic Tweets, posted between 2011 and 2013, repeatedly used the n-word, insulted disabled people and referred to other users as “faggots.”

Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of Jack Maynard before this was revealed, and on one hand it’s hard to be angry with someone you have never heard using monstrous language on Twitter. On the other, why can’t I be mad? We all know these stories have a short shelf life: celebrity offends entire community of minorities, apologises, releases follow up work that redeems self, rinse, repeat. But this isn’t the only recent case of history sneaking up on a reformed celebrity.

YouTube sensation Zoella has been stung by her own resurgence of historical Tweets, criticising lesbians and working class people as well as offering the delightful diatribe “I find it funny

when gay men spit… it’s like they’re trying to be a bit macho but never works…” Her apology feels a little dismissive and passive, stating “Obviously that is not who I am today and I’d like to think I’m a little older and wiser! I’m not perfect and I’ve never claimed to be, I’m only human!” She may be 27 now, but this would have made her between 19 and 22 when she tweeted about “lesbos”, “trannys” and “fat chavs.”

Frankly, old enough to know better. Claiming young people are ignorant is naïve and offensive, especially when considering a generation for whom gender-fluid and non-binary are now commonplace terms.

Even grime darling Stormzy is not immune to hurtful comments he made surfacing years later; in late November, Pink News discovered many Tweets from between 2011 and 2014 rife with homophobia, including calling an EastEnders character a “f***ing fag,” asking another Twitter user “are you a fag” for discussing hair straighteners and instructing his followers to “Put on BBC1, this little black boy is a f***ing fag.”

This is not an exhaustive list. Call me a cynic, but I believe a person who so fervently and frequently used language like this as little as three years ago – as well as spouting ignorant and cruel attitudes towards gay people.

He has tried to repent, saying: “I said some foul and offensive things whilst tweeting years ago at a time when I was young and proudly ignorant.

Very hurtful and discriminative views that I’ve unlearned as I’ve grown up and become a man ... The comments I made were unacceptable and disgusting, full stop. Comments that I regret and to everyone I’ve offended, I am sorry, these are attitudes I’ve left in the past ... I take responsibility for my mistakes and hope you can understand that my younger self doesn’t reflect who I am today.”

It’s not as if this is the first time I have heard the words these public figures have so easily, joyfully typed, nor is it the first time that a celebrity has had to address their attitudes towards LGBT+ people in the public eye by any stretch. I resent the suggestion that they were so young then and have matured so much since their hateful outburst. What was it in the following two or three years made you realise that the word “faggot” isn’t yours to use, or appropriate for social media, or a cruel slur? The three people in question – two straight cisgender men and a straight cisgender woman – have no agency to the word and should have known it was not theirs to use. They may well have become more socially aware and sensitive, as we all have (hopefully),

but no one is naive enough to think they can use that word without any malice or awareness of its power.

Though what is the end game? Ask everyone who has ever said something offensive to resign from whatever position they hold? Let’s all take it down a notch. However, it feels hard to find a suitable outlet for our anger and disappointment. I am embarrassed to admit I know next to nothing about these specific celebrities, but I still find it impossible to accept their apologies, which range from irked to seemingly genuine; maybe this is because I’m of the generation that still heard “faggot” thrown around in school, and still find myself processing the trauma that word can instil in people. At the risk of allowing it to blossom, especially in online bullying, perhaps taking the high road and accepting these apologies can take the sting out of homophobic and transphobic language. But we need to accept that these words do sting, and can endanger lives. The sooner people – public figures and humble citizens alike – address the power their words carry, the better.

by Jonny Stone @jonny_stone_ j.stone@tsaglasgow.com

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

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LGBTI NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD The most exciting and optimistic LGBT+ news story is surely Australia’s recent success regarding same-sex marriage.

After an often-disheartening and messy three month campaign, 7.8 million Australians (61.6% of eligible voters) supported legalising same-sex marriage in Australia, versus 4.8 million (38.4%) who voted “no”. All Australian states and territories recorded a majority “yes” vote, with the highest being the ACT at 74%, and the lowest being New South Wales

at 57.8%. Participation in the survey was 79.5% or 12.7 million people. The result does not automatically legalise same-sex marriage, but means the government will allow a vote on a private members’ bill in the parliament – a crucial step towards legislation. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said “Now it is up to us, here in the Parliament of Australia to get on with it, to get on with the job the Australian people have tasked us to do, and get this done. This year. Before Christmas.”

The world has been shaken with every accusation and recounting of sexual assault throughout politics and Hollywood. One accused perpetrator is Oscar winner Kevin Spacey, who felt now was as good a time as any to finally come out as bisexual. Cynics pointed out the coincidental timing of this revelation, claiming it was an attempt to soften the blow of his accusations. Spacey’s sexuality

brings a complexity to his inexcusable crimes; contended that Spacey used his unofficial “out” status to tie the hands of credible journalists, an anonymous journalist told Buzzfeed that “Being closeted has for him enabled him to use this privacy claim as a shield against anybody looking closely at his actual behaviour.” Let’s hope he and these other suspects are brought to justice.

Troubling news from Turkey’s LGBT+ community as it is believed that the country’s banning of LGBT+ events or celebrations signal a move towards discrimination as a part of anti-secularism. Authorities in Ankara banned such public events citing threats to public order and fear of “provoking reactions within certain segments of society”. This includes banning a festival of German-language gay films in the capital city. Meanwhile, closer to home, Stonewall

and YouGov have revealed that attacks on lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the UK have soared by nearly 80 per cent in the past four years, while more than one in five LGBT people have experienced a hate crime or incident due to their sexual orientation or gender identity in the last 12 months, compared with 16 per cent in 2013.

“Know your history. Live your present.”

There is an amazing new site The Queer Bible dedicated to showcasing and celebrating rich LGBT+ history. Run by Jack Guinness, the site serves as a collation of essays and interviews focusing on people who led the way and left their mark on queer history, like Cox, Vanessa Bell, Frida Kahlo and Prince. “We are revealing our sometimes hidden history, anchoring us in our rich history, engaging our community with innovative content, and encouraging Not really LGBT+ news specifically, but long-time gay icon and ally Björk has released her ninth studio album Utopia and it is amazing and everyone should listen to it. That is all.

us to look forward to the future.” An incredible and beautifully curated resource that is essential for anyone under the queer umbrella. Scratch that: everyone.

CLUB NOIR’S FINAL NEW YEAR’S EVE EVENT IS HAPPENING THIS YEAR

A

Glasgow institution is drawing its velvet curtains for the last time, as the infamous Club Noir hosts its final ever night to ring in the New Year. The self-proclaimed “grandest New Years Eve spectacle in the UK,” Club Noir brings its renowned fusion of burlesque, music and cabaret with a glamorous send off to 2017. Since 2004, the great burlesque club present their vintage, retro and modern soundtrack alongside some trademark tassel twirling, human curiosities, burlesque shows and more for the last time, following a long and successful run.

Club Noir’s annual Hogmanay celebration, this year entitled “Moulin Noir,” will no doubt be a bittersweet affair – so by all means get yourself a ticket and indulge in some glam debauchery one last time. Expect the club night’s usual array of pulse-racing burlesque and Pin Up Parlour, Morag Antoinette, bagpipers, French showgirls, queerlesque and boylesque performances acrobatics and singing and much more.

Club Noir – which has hosted the likes of Channing Tatum, Vanessa Paradis and Helena Bonham Carter – which promote such inclusion and diversity.

The inclusion of boylesque and queerlesque alone indicate the club night’s passion for putting on a show and celebrating queer performance.

Hopefully Club Noir has inspired another aspiring burlesque promoter to take the mantle.

The evening takes place on Sunday 31st December at O2 ABC on Sauchiehall Street. Tickets are £22 and dress code is as follows: strictly no jeans or trainers. Head to their website for a look at their suggestions, which range from diamonds, Scottish, military, burlesque, punk and even more. Let your imagination go wild and make an effort for the legendary Club Noir’s final curtain call.

There are few other club nights as renowned as

by Jonny Stone @jonny_stone_ j.stone@tsaglasgow.com

20

lgbt+

WORLD AIDS DAY 2017 FALLS ON 1ST DECEMEBER... ...and sees a worldwide campaign to unite in the fight against HIV/ AIDS. The campaign is a powerful platform to raise awareness and remind people across the world that much is still to be done to eradicate it, as well providing constant support for those affected by the virus. Becoming involved is easy and can be as simple as sharing a link on social media to donate to the National AIDS Trust, visiting their site to learn more about their work and of course showing solidarity with those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their allies by wearing a Red Ribbon, the campaign’s iconic symbol.

The Red Ribbon is hugely recognisable and will be forever synonymous with the fight against the virus. I have mine on a jacket all year round (it’s a fancy tartan one); I wear it out of pride, as it is a tribute to those who lost their lives to the virus and those who work tirelessly to eradicate it, and as a reminder for other people that HIV/ AIDS is still a prevalent issue that doesn’t reappear once a year for a campaign like World AIDS Day. Since orchestrating the first official public health campaign to raise awareness of the virus in 1988, World AIDS Day has served to remind global citizens and governments of how crucial it is to fund research, provide support to those suffering from HIV/AIDS and prevent it spreading throughout the world. And in 2017, 33 years after its clinical discovery, educating ourselves about HIV/AIDS has never been so crucial.

Our generation has not been exposed to the trauma AIDS inflicted on previous generations, especially from the mid-80s to the early 90s. With effective treatment of HIV and good prognoses for a long, fulfilling life, it is easy to become complacent with the threat

of contracting the virus: according to the National Aids Trust, the number of people living with HIV has doubled in the past 10 years, over half of all people living with HIV are aged between 30 and 49 and an estimated 103,700 people now living with HIV in the UK. Complacency is detrimental to the fight against AIDS, and when more than 500 people died from HIV-related illnesses in 2013, clearly the fight against the virus is far from over.

Truvada/PrEP continues to be controversial topic in the UK. In a number of other countries like the US, Truvada has already been rolled out as a way of keeping gay men safe from infection with HIV. It prevents infection if taken every day alongside other preventative measures like using condoms to also protect men from other sexually transmitted diseases. The controversy in the UK is not so much over whether it works, but whether it should be government funded, as well as the theory that supporting the drug would lead to an increase in promiscuity. Surely, then, we should be working towards educating more people about safe sex practice, with drugs like Truvada being available on the NHS for those particularly vulnerable to the virus.

When statistics of HIV/AIDS are as frightening as they are in the UK, surely we need as much support we can get.

Education is key and HIV/AIDS prevention is easy to achieve. HIV is avoidable with safe-sex practices such as using a condom or dental dam as well as water-based lubricant (not oil-based). Universities and colleges often supply free condoms and lube, as well as gay-friendly clubs and bars. It is recommended that gay and bisexual men are tested at least once a year; the Steve Retson Project offers rapid HIV testing with results in 60 seconds, PEP (Post-exposure prophylaxis for sexual exposure to HIV) and vaccinations that cover hepatitis and HPV.

Whether you have multiple sexual partners or are in a monogamous relationship, the routine of regular check ups gives you control over your sexual health. And the staff are lovely!

You have a month to organise an event of your own: pull together all your resources, family and friends and raise money and awareness for a great cause. World AIDS Day may only last one day of the month, but thinking about the way HIV/AIDS still affects our day to day lives is something we must do throughout the year. The momentum of showing solidarity with those with the virus and working to find an end to it must be sustained. Donate generously to the National AIDS Trust and allow them to continue their excellent work to finally see the end of HIV/AIDS; and if you haven’t done so recently, be sure to develop the habit of having routine HIV tests and take part in making HIV/AIDS a thing of the past.

by Jonny Stone @jonny_stone_ j.stone@tsaglasgow.com

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

21

Gig Guide: Music in Edinburgh & Glasgow

THU, 7 DEC

The Kerrang Tour The Kerrang! Tour returns for 2017 with a host of jawdroppingly good bands. Aussie metalcore outfit The Amity Affliction will headline the event, with three of the UK’s hottest new bands – Boston Manor, Vukovi and Casey completing the line-up.

O2 ABC: 18:00 £20.20 Mastodon American metalheads bring their near 2 decade spanning catalogue to the iconic venue Barrowlands: 19:00 £27.50 Gus Harrower Gus Harrower takes his “infectious” sound to The Hug and Pint on the 7th of December with his band.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £6.00 Invisions + Death Remains + Rare Breed + Tenements Never Forgotten Promotions in association with Saviour Management presents Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £7.00 DROVES / GENDO KARI / ENJOYABLE MOMENT SOUND SYSTEM Slippery Nights Presents: with supports from Gendo Kari and Enjoyable Moment Sound system Bloc: 21:00 FREE First Dates w/ Spook School DJs First Dates w/ Spook School Djs /// School disco for the pop-punk / nu metal generation!

Nice N Sleazy: 23:00 FREE

Glasgow FRI, 1 DEC

Larry Heard AKA MR Fingers Live This Tennessee-based DJ brings his Chicago house music over the pond Barrowlands: 19:00 £25.00 BDY_PRTS BDY_PRTS are a band hailing from Glasgow, Scotland comprising of two songwriters – Chicago-raised Jill O’Sullivan (of cult band Sparrow And The Workshop) and Jenny Reeve (of Strike The Colours and frequent Malcolm Middleton collaborator) Stereo: 19:00 £10.00 Saint Etienne With over 25 years experience as a band and new album, Home Counties, reigniting the fire in their musical bones, Saint Etienne are back playing shows that celebrate everything about where they come from.

O2 ABC: 19:00 £28.00 Shed Seven It’s been 16 years since Shed Seven’s last record, but fans can now look forward to the release of their anticipated album later this year. To support the forthcoming album, ‘The Sheds’ will embark on an extensive UK tour in December. The indie band, know O2 Academy: 19:00 TBC Mark Sharp Mark Sharp launches his latest EP ‘Lost Cause’ with an intimate headline show at The Hug And Pint.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £8.00 Iron Bastards You Dig Fast Rock n Roll hardcore punk and heavy Vibes? This gig is for YOU Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £5.00 Adam Beyer & Slam From the fertile Swedish underground to the peak of global club culture, the reign of Adam Beyer continues to pull on the heartstrings of modern techno like few others.

SWG3: 22:00 £24.00 Ghost Girls Expect the unexpected… they will be bringing to the table…. your 90’s nostalgic dance classics ….your 00s R&B and everything they’re currently loving! Here for all of your carefree dancing needs.

Bloc: 23:00 FREE Harsh Tug HARSH TUG /// Hip Hop & RnB to the extreme Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 £3.00

SAT, 2 DEC

The Twang Fast forward a decade since their debut and the energy builds again – experience it live as The Twang return to play their acclaimed record in its entirety as they tour the UK. O2 ABC: 18:30 £24.60 Gun Homegrown hard Scottish rock finds itself in the Barras in the form of Gun! Barrowlands: 19:00 £19.50 Karl Blau Regarded as an American folk hero, Karl Blau makes his way to Glasgow’s intimate venue Stereo: 19:00 £15.00 Stillia plus special guests There’s no need to debate whether they are indie or pop, Stillia are a fresh and exciting new sound Broadcast: 19:00 £5.00 Pearl Jam UK Having previously sold out a UK tour, Pearl Jam UK are back. This Liverpool tribute band perfectly recreates the 90s by playing grungy tracks by one of the most influential American rock bands of all time.

O2 ABC: 19:00 £16.00 Dorec A Belle Dorec-a-belle bring their potent combination of gorgeous harmonies, catchy songs and unique instrumentation to this well-known venue.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £8.00

22

gig guide

Alex Cameron Alex Cameron approaches with his righthand man, Roy Molloy.

Cameron knocks the cup from the young man’s hand and Molloy threatens him with his life.

Mono: 19:30 £12.00 Futurise + Bad Jeff + Edgar Road Futurise are a 3 piece alternative electronic rock band based in the city of Glasgow.

Vocalist Pete Westwater has featured on Vic Galloway’s Back of the Net show on BBC Radio 1 and also performed at the corporate opening of the SSE hydro dome in Glasgow.

Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £8.00 2ManyDJS The Belgian Brothers, Stephen & David Dewaele are without doubt one of electronic dance music’s most legendary acts, who have blown the roof off SWG3 on more than one occasion.

SWG3: 22:00 £13.00 Technocentric: A Night of Live Machines fusing the most diverse and exciting electronic music with other worldly visuals to create a theatre of sound and vision challenging our relationship with technology through uniquely themed nights Stereo: 23:00 £6.00 Sugo XMAS The long-established Euro trash/Italo party takes over Glasgow for another season and is back for Xmas time Bloc: 23:00 FREE Subculture The longest running house night on the planet!

Sub Club: 23:00 TBC Glitterbang Glitterbang! /// Disco Divas & Europop Anthems for those ready to SWEAT Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 £3.00

SUN, 3 DEC

Femme Described as a “one-woman powerhouse’” by Radio 1’s Annie Mac, FEMME is the real deal when it comes to unadulterated artistry.

Broadcast: 15:00 £7.00 Steven Young (The Imagineers ) + Eugene Twist + Run Into the Night + WYLDE + Hollow Tones + Powderkeg + AWOL + The Super Pumas + Talker Run Into The Night present... EMBRACE 10 Garage Punk Rock n Roll bands strip back their sound for charity.

Nice N Sleazy: 16:00 £5.00 Kobi Onyame Kobi Onyame will be live in Glasgow at The Poetry Club/SWG3 on December 3rd, performing songs from his critically acclaimed new album GOLD. SWG3: 19:00 £8.00 Creeper Following their meteoric rise in 2016; being crowned as both the “Best British Newcomer” at the Kerrang! Awards, and the “Best New Band” at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, Creeper have no intention of slowing down as they announce a string of headli O2 ABC: 19:00 £17.40 The Serious Men Expect nagging hooks and insistent choruses from five adults who should know better by now.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £3.00 NULL/VOID Whether you were there for the Optimo heydays, or miss the Hung Up Sundays or these days love a So Low special, this will be one of the best things you can do with your pants on!

Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 £3.00

MON, 4 DEC

The Charlatans British indie-rockers, The Charlatans announced a string of headline shows in support of their latest release, Different Days. The album has already been applauded by Q, who described it as “a wondrous record” as the band with Mark Collins on guitar, Mart O2 Academy: 19:00 £32.00

Acoustic Open Mic Night with Gerry Lyons Come and see some of the best unsigned artists in the country for free! /// Free beer for performers!

Nice N Sleazy: 20:00 FREE Tim Burgess DJ set The Charlatans frontman brings his favourite tunes to what it set to be a bouncing audience!

O2 ABC: 22:00 £5.00

TUE, 5 DEC

Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes Former Gallows frontman and punk rock maverick, Frank Carter is ready to embark on a UK tour with The Rattlesnakes.

As one of their most complete albums yet, fans can expect to hear material from Modern Ruin, as well as tracks from their debut album, Blos O2 ABC: 19:00 £20.00 Marilyn Manson “Suicide rock” veteran, Marilyn Manson returns to the UK to play an exclusive show at O2 Academy Glasgow. Fans can expect to hear new material from his latest album, The Pale Emperor.

O2 Academy: 19:00 £37.00 Schwervon! Their music is an expression of imperfect love through jagged rock minimalism.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £8.00 Gracefell + Neon Suicide + Ale Maxwell Gracefell is a three piece alternative rock band with undertones of funk and psychedelia. UK. Their music spreads over a wide variety of genres ranging from hard hitting aggressive funk rhythms to slow gentle ballads and everything in between.

Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £4.00 MILKTOAST / FRANTIC / DEC ’91 Common Records Presents: Milktoast’s record launch with supports from Frantic and Dec ’91.

Bloc: 21:00 FREE I Am I AM – Every Tuesday’s at Sub Club Sub Club: 23:00 TBC

WED, 6 DEC

Grace Petrie Hailed as the political voice of a generation, singer-songwriter Grace Petrie has emerged in recent years as one of British folk’s most powerful new stars.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £10.00 Danny And The Champions Of The World Multi award-winning band, Danny & The Champions of the World return to Glasgow in December for another breathless musical evening.

Stereo: 19:30 £14.00 Life Model + West Princes + L Space + Caitlin Buchanan Life Model are a 4-piece dream pop band from Glasgow, made up of Sophie Evans (vocals), Chris Smith (guitar), Joanne McCafferty (bass) and Michael McDonald (drums).

The band mixes classic indie and pop influences like The Sundays and Belle and Sebastian w Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £5.00 LOST AVENUE / FLAKES ‘Lost Avenue are an Alternative/Punk three piece from Derry, Northern Ireland. They have received heavy airplay on BBC Radio (their single “Killing Time” received it’s premiere on the Huw Stephens show on BBC Radio One by Phil Taggart,) as well as substa Bloc: 21:00 FREE

Basement – Residents Jam Fresh from their unbelievable debut with Watergate resident Butch, BASSment are back with another night full of House and Techno BEEZERS. Sub Club: 23:00 £3.00

FRI, 8 DEC

The Doors Alive As the number one tribute band to The Doors, The Doors Alive are performing fan favourites of the iconic, sixties band. Don’t miss out on this night of rock.

O2 ABC: 18:00 £17.40 The Vatersay Boys The celtic band are set to hit out with their cracking ceilidh dance tunes!

Barrowlands: 19:00 SOLD OUT Wild Front Master class in glistening guitar pop that transports listeners to warmer climates with its exotic mix Stereo: 19:00 £7.00 Cloud Nothings & The Hotellier A night full of critically acclaimed contemporary post punk and emo rock.

Art School: 19:00 £15.00 Mark W Georgsson & Friends Join Mark and his hand picked collection of friends and musical partners for a special festive show.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £8.50 Underworld Featuring Glasgow’s best party starters in a whole new night for the city!

SWG3: 22:00 £5.00 DEATHKILL 400 Deathkill4000 has been running since 2003, it is wholeheartedly anti-establishment and features a wide range of alternative music whilst eschewing irony in all its despicable musical forms…

Bloc: 23:00 FREE Return To Mono Since the late 1990’s Ø [Phase] has been part of the UK Techno scene. The London based producer whose style ranges from gritty Minimal Techno to Detroit influenced material is best known for his work on Token Records.

Sub Club: 23:00 £12.00 Anna & Holly’s Dance Party Ultimate rock n roll + 60’s girl group + garage psych beat music Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 £3.00

SAT, 9 DEC

HUNKYBUG + FLOSS + TWO TONE TELEVISION + INDIAN TONIC Hunkybug are here on their debut headline show with a bunch of special guests!

Broadcast: 18:00 £6.00 Soul II Soul This 80’s musical group will have the whole venue grooving to their British soul singles.

Barrowlands: 19:00 £30.00 DIVIDES EP release show With a hard to pin sound, Divides are set to transcend genres at this release gig.

Stereo: 19:00 £7.00 The Membranes Following the release of their highly anticipated album, Dark Matter/Dark Energy, The Membranes are returning to Glasgow for one night to give fans an experience over 25 years in the making.

O2 ABC: 19:00 £14.10 GlasVille Born out of a mutual love for the hit US television show, Nashville, GlasVille perform songs in tribute to the music featured on the series. If you’re looking for the best possible Nashville experience, this one’s for you.

O2 ABC: 19:00 £17.40 Kodaline The Irish quartet, Kodaline come bearing fresh material – the first since their UK gold album, Coming Up For Air in the form of their latest single, ‘Brother’ as they perform a string of dates this December.

O2 Academy: 19:00 £32.00 NICK HARPER & THE WILDERNESS KIDS After leaving a streak of rip-roaring, celebratory shows in 2016, road-testing his back catalogue of 12 albums, Nick Harper & The Wilderness Kids (aka Port Erin) are back with a new album Lies! Lies! Lies! and UK tour for 2017.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £12.00

JW-JONES + Guests Jones is a JUNO Award Nominee (the equivalent of the Grammy in USA), tours constantly, and is known for his high-energy live shows.

Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £12.50 Jax Jones Jax Jones continues to make his way to the forefront of the music industry, pioneering the next wave of dance music, with a huge following of supporters at his side, a true superstar in the making SWG3: 22:00 £18.00 Subculture The longest running house night on the planet!

Sub Club: 23:00 TBC

SUN, 10 DEC

ROAM Fresh from releasing their new album, this British act will be tearing it up with their pop punk sound Stereo: 18:30 £10.00 Dinosaur Jr Iconic rock outfit will be making a buzz as they come to Glasgow.

Art School: 19:00 £23.00 Traveller With Megan Black on support, Traveller are set to bring their A game to the intimate venue The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £7.00 Low Cut Connie + Guests Philadelphia’s premiere rock n roll outfit, Low Cut Connie is crossing the Atlantic for the first time for an eight-stop tour of the United Kingdom this December.

Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £14.00 Don’t Drop This man needs no introduction… Dennis joins Don’t Drop for their second last party in the series.

Sub Club: 23:00 £9.00

MON, 11 DEC

HO99O9 Experimental thrashcore rap, crossover punk band from New Jersey, Ho9909 has been described as combining hip hop, punk rock and noise.

Stereo: 19:30 £10.00

TUE, 12 DEC

DRAWNS CREATURE MASK / RYDER THE EAGLE (FRA) / WHITE BAER We have Drawns Creature Mask, Ryder the eagle and White Baer play at Bar bloc+ on the 12th of December. If you enjoy some French indie/hip hop then this is the gig for you!

Bloc: 21:00 FREE I Am I AM – Every Tuesday’s at Sub Club Sub Club: 23:00 TBC

WED, 13 DEC

Big Hogg Progressive, rockin’, blast-off, power pop from three of Glasgow’s local talent.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £5.00 Texture + BloodBlood + Futurology Black Lantern Music presents a night of science-fiction hip-hop from Bram E. Gieben aka TEXTURE (dust / Chemical Poets).

Nice N Sleazy: 20:00 £5.00 YEAHRS (GER) / DTHPDL / PALE YOUTH YEAHRS are an alternative/ indie/shoegaze band from Germany with support from DTHPDL and Pale Youth.

Bloc: 21:00 FREE

THU, 14 DEC

HIM The Finnish goth rockers are set to say their goodbyes on this farewell tour date.

Barrowlands: 19:00 £28.50 Hipsway Formed in the mid-80s, Scottish new-wave pop band Hipsway only released two albums before calling it a day. However, with the growing demand from their fans, the band reunited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album last year, and with thei O2 ABC: 19:00 £28.00 Extreme Grammy-nominated rock legends Extreme return to UK shores to fire off a volley of chart-topping hits, including their acclaimed track ‘More Than Words’ as they perform a string of headline shows.

Support comes from US funk rockers Dan Reed Network, as the O2 Academy: 19:00 £34.00 Donnie Will + Pure Grief Two of Scotland’s brightest rock bands will embark upon a co-headline tour this December that is sure to set venues, north of the border, alight.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £6.00 SMALL TALK w/ DJ ADIDADIS Vaporbeat + Eurowave from Cosmic Lewis Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 FREE

FRI, 15 DEC

Amy MacDonald Scottish folk sweetheart will play her wildly successful songs to what will no doubt be a packed house.

Barrowlands: 19:00 £25.00 P.O.S Founding member of Doomtree will be putting on an enthralling show!

Stereo: 19:00 £12.00 King Krule With his post-punk musings, King Krule will tear the venue up with moody tunes off his new LP SWG3: 19:00 £13.00

Medicine Men Their final Glasgow show of the year will take place at Broadcast on Friday 15th of December. It’s been an amazing year for them with the album coming out Broadcast: 19:00 £7.00 Hipsway Formed in the mid-80s, Scottish new-wave pop band Hipsway only released two albums before calling it a day. However, with the growing demand from their fans, the band reunited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album last year, and with thei O2 ABC: 19:00 £28.00 Stevie Pilgrim Steve will play songs from his latest album ‘Morning Skies’ and back catalogue, with Double Bass provided by old friend and bandmate Dean Ravera.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £8.00 Fantastic Girls & Ghost Man All of the music you love, and the music that you hate to love plus so much more.

Stereo: 23:00 £4.00 Art’s House Everyone’s favourite DJ Artwork embarks on his takeover tour once again. The man’s talent stems from years of dedication to the scene and this well-curated series stops in Glasgow once again.

Sub Club: 23:00 £15.00 Hot House w/ DJ Cat Reilly Cat Reilly (PUSH IT) kicks out the jams, everything from Cher to Shania Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 FREE

SAT, 16 DEC

Amy MacDonald Scottish folk sweetheart will play her wildly successful songs to what will no doubt be a packed house.

Barrowlands: 19:00 £25.00 Rascalton + Dead Pretties + Pleasure Heads Banging Scottish music in a tight wee venue!

Stereo: 19:00 £8.00 Christmas Queens Hosted by Michelle Visage and featuring Peppermint, Sharon Needles, Thorgy Thor, Ivy Winters and Ginger Minj.

O2 Academy: 19:30 £39.00 Ferry Corsten The word legend gets thrown about quite easily these days, but it is 100% accurate when it comes to this man.

SWG3: 21:00 £22.00 Subculture Trouw resident and one serious DJ, Job Jobse previously joined us with Red Axes and we have been desperate to have him back ever since!

Sub Club: 23:00 £10.00 The Lance Vance Dance Discover Disco anew, refreshed, revitalised Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 FREE

SUN, 17 DEC

RM Hubbert RM HUBBERT is a guitarist from Glasgow in Scotland. He writes music about love, death, friendship, mental illness and occasionally a dog called D Bone. It’s not as depressing as the previous sentence suggests.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £15.00 Paper Mountains + Guests The decision to kick off the UK tour in Glasgow was down a combination of their Managers Scottish roots and the fact that the entire band think that Glasgow is the best place on the planet!

Nice N Sleazy: 19:30 £4.00 Don’t Drop Charlotte joins Don’t Drop for their final party in the series. The 8th and final party. Good night.

Sub Club: 23:00 £11.00

MON, 18 DEC

Boyzlife What happens when you combine two of the biggest UK boybands of the 90s? Boyzlife is what. Keith Duffy of Boyzone and Brian McFadden of Westlife have come together to form the supergroup and they’ll be touring the UK this Christmas, playing all the hits f O2 ABC: 19:00 £32.00 The Prodigy Electronic pioneers The Prodigy are heading out on their first UK tour in two years, including a date at O2 Academy Glasgow. With a career that spans over 30 years, six albums and with a new record slated for release in 2018, this is an unmissable tour fo O2 Academy: 19:00 £45.00 Slow Club From Glasgow’s folk music hive of activity, the Blas Collective emerged in 2009 as a jam with a few friends. Since then it has become an eclectic evening of folk, jazz, country, blues and some pop covers too.

Bloc: 21:00 FREE

TUE, 19 DEC

I Am I AM – Every Tuesday’s at Sub Club Sub Club: 23:00 TBC

WED, 20 DEC

A HUG AND PINT FOR CHRISTMAS A night of christmas classics with live band, mulled wine, charity raffle, mince pies and some of Glasgow’s finest voices.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £10.00

The events listed below were correct and up to date at time of going to print but please check the venue’s own website prior to booking

Sensu After Maceo Plex was sadly unable to travel to Glasgow for Sub Club SoundSystem, we have been working hard with his management to organise a rescheduled date.

Sub Club: 23:00 £10.00

SUN, 31 DEC

Fish Fish returns to UK stages this December to debut his upcoming studio album, Weltschmerz, together with a final full 30th anniversary performance of Clutching at Straws, his last album with Marillion.

O2 ABC: 18:30 TBC

Edinburgh

THU, 21 DEC

Flembot Jazz Hip Hop Soul Funk The Hug & Pint: 19:30

£7.00

Skream Skream returns to his favourite club for the last date in his tour, from open ’til close.

Sub Club: 23:00 £10.00

Drugstore Glamour The most tantalising Steamy Disco + Sleazy Hits Nice N Sleazy: 23:30 FREE

FRI, 22 DEC

Gerry Cinnamon New home-grown sensation will have the place bouncing to his warmly received tunes.

Barrowlands: 19:00 £20.00

SAT, 23 DEC

Gerry Cinnamon New home-grown sensation will have the place bouncing to his warmly received tunes.

Barrowlands: 19:00 £20.00 SONGWRITERS CIRCLE 3 successful singer songwriters, 3 different personalities, 1 great concert.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £10.00 Happy Mondays Manchester’s legendary Happy Mondays are set for a massive run of shows this winter. The ‘Twenty Four Hour Party People – Greatest Hits Tour’ will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut record, Squirrel And G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People O2 Academy: 19:30 £33.00

Culture a brilliant line up with 3 excellent local dj’s who all have there own unique style to bring to the night.

Stereo: 23:00 TBC Subculture The longest running house night on the planet!

Sub Club: 23:00 TBC

SUN, 24 DEC

SONGWRITERS CIRCLE 3 successful singer songwriters, 3 different personalities, 1 great concert.

The Hug & Pint: 19:30 £10.00

TUE, 26 DEC

90’s Rave No self respecting 90’s party would be complete without UV cannons and thousands of glowsticks... expect a bit of a club make over, banging song selection and hands in the air.

SWG3: 22:00 £10.00

I Am I AM – Every Tuesday’s at Sub Club Sub Club: 23:00 TBC

WED, 27 DEC

Bigfoot’s 9th – Anastasia Kristensen Helena Hauff is a DJ and producer from Hamburg, Germany, where she ran a club night called Birds and Other Instruments at the Golden Pudel Club. As a DJ it is difficult to nail down her sound, cutting between genres with ease. Acid, Chicago, Electro and W Sub Club: 23:00 £12.00

THU, 28 DEC

Animal Farm 13th Birthday Animal Farm round of the year celebrating our 13th year of existence with a special 3hr set from Berghain resident and good friend Kobosil.

Sub Club: 23:00 £10.00

FRI, 29 DEC

Taylor Swift Celebration Night Lisa Kowalski brings together an array of talented Scottish artists to showcase Taylor Swift’s songs old and new.

Stereo: 19:00 £10.00

SAT, 30 DEC

The Complete Stones Roses Madchester tunes will be filling the venue as the delayed November takes place.

Barrowlands: 19:00 £18.50 Dogtooth Dogtooth have had an incredible year so far, with the release of their debut EP Breakthrough and shows all over the UK. Catch the Brit Pop trio as they play a hometown show this December to celebrate everything they’ve achieved over the past 12 months.

O2 ABC: 19:00 £7.00

The Black Madonna After The Black Madonna sadly had to cancel her show with us earlier in the year due to food poisoning, the Smart Bar curator and resident is back.

Sub Club: 23:00 £18.00

Sub Club XXX NYE Subculture residents Harri & Domenic epitomise all that is good about the place, playing virtually every Saturday for an astonishing 23 years – a world record in DJ residencies!

Sub Club: 23:00 £18.00

FRI, 1 DEC

Swampfog Fat horns and heavy riffs, with a healthy serving of New Orleans grooves, from Tom Pickles’ 6-piece with sax, trumpet & trombone horns plus Jed Potts (gtr/voc), bass and drums: a mix of originals, classics and a few unexpected covers Jazz Bar: 00:00 £4.00 Tongue Trap ‘Spring Period’ EP Launch Tongue Trap will release their EP Spring Period Pt1 with Loud South Ladies and Fisty Muffs.

Sneaky Petes: 19:00 £5.50

Graeme Mearns A Hat, a Suit, and a Guitar. With a swing/jazz/acoustic style somewhere between Django Reinhardt and Richard Thompson, you’ll hear familiar songs in a way you’ve never imagined Jazz Bar: 19:00 Free till 7 30pm Butterz Crew Electrikal welcome back the Butterz crew with Kiss FM’s Flava D plus Elijah and Skilliam Bongo Club: 19:00 TBC Absolute Bowie Europe’s favourite Bowie tribute band takes you on a musical journey through the ever changing phases of Bowie’s music and fashion with incredible attention to detail.

The Liquid Rooms: 19:00 £15.00 Belako Belako have toured with Crystal Fighters and Placebo over the last few yeasr and have received numerous national music awards, including one from Rolling Stone Magazine.

Mash House: 19:00 £8.00 Bright Noise Bright Noise is the collaborative project of two tenor players – Scotsman Ben Bryden and Belgian Steven Delannoye. Leading lights of the genre in their respective nations, they are part of a growing scene characterized by blending the jazz aesthetic with Jazz Bar: 21:00 £5.00 Propaganda Propaganda is proud to present an incredible room of music every Friday at The Liquid Rooms.

The Liquid Rooms: 22:30 £5.00 Shapework x Timedance: Batu & Ploy Sneaky Petes are ecstatic to announce that we are bringing Timedance’s Batu and Ploy to their venue Sneaky Petes: 23:00 £9.00

SAT, 2 DEC

Future Heroes Superbly creative guitarist Aki Remally fronts this brilliant Groove/ Funk 6-piece, with funky horn section of Jonny White (sax) and trumpet ace Chuck Dearness Jazz Bar: 00:00 £4.00

Henry Ibbs Expect a mixture of tunes: traditional, original and cover versions (with more than a dash of Scouse!) from well-known singer/songwriter Henry Ibbs.

Jazz Bar: 18:00 FREE BDY_PRTS BDY_PRTS are a band hailing from Glasgow, Scotland comprising of two songwriters – Chicago-raised Jill O’Sullivan (of cult band Sparrow And The Workshop) and Jenny Reeve (of Strike The Colours and frequent Malcolm Middleton collaborator) Sneaky Petes: 19:00 £9.50

Filthy Tongues Homegrown talent will be filling up the venue The Liquid Rooms: 19:00 £12.65 Square One “A powerhouse of Scottish jazz talent”’ (BBC Radio Scotland), from Joe Williamson (guitar), Peter Johnstone (piano), David Bowden (bass) and Stephen Henderson (drums).

Jazz Bar: 21:00 £4.00 Rewind Be transported back in time with tunes from the 70’s to the noughties!

The Liquid Rooms: 22:30 £8.00 Heal Yourself & Move with Firecracker Allstars Outrageous local lineup from the acclaimed Firecracker label for an all night winter warmer. Featuring Linkwood, Lord Of The Isles, Other Lands and House Of Traps. Jeezo.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 £6.00 Mumbo Jumbo Mumbo Jumbo is a night with a mix of musical styles from funk and hip hop to house and electro care of resident DJs Trendy Wendy (The Street) and Steve Austin (Headspin), joined

by MC MAD (Groove Armada) with live congas and percussion by Bongo Dave and l Bongo Club: 23:00 £3.00 Allsorts Bringing you a judgement free party space with no specific genre policy.

Mash House: 23:00 £5.00

SUN, 3 DEC

The Jets This dynamic 5-piece debut the Jazz Bar’s stage with a selection of Funk, Motown and Soul tunes. Featuring Lissa Robertson (Vocals/Fiddles), Phil Allen (Vocals/Guitar), Ron Happy (Keys/Fiddle), Simon Phillips (Bass) and Scott Jamieson (Drums).

Jazz Bar: 00:00 £6.00 Stillia plus special guests There’s no need to debate whether they are indie or pop, Stillia are a fresh and exciting new sound Sneaky Petes: 19:00 £5.00 Main Street Blues Unadulterated electric blues from of one of the most prominent Scottish bands in the genre, with a powerful mix of high energy electric blues and funk material.

Jazz Bar: 21:00 £6.00 HAAi with Gav Miller and Kipp$ HAAi are a spree through psychedelic afro, deep techno, new york post-punk, cold wave, originators’ house bangers, basically she’s the perfect Coalition DJ! Sneaky Petes: 23:00 £3.00

MON, 4 DEC

101st Airborne Soaring guitar and driving funk rhythms from brilliantly creative guitarist Aki Remally and his 4-piece Funk/Soul groove band (named after Jimi Hendrix’s US Army unit!)

Jazz Bar: 00:00 £5.00 Gyptian MOBO winner and international dancehall star Gyptian is bringing his live tour to the Bongo: expect a sell out show.

Bongo Club: 19:00 TBC Winter Reggae Fever Headlining this event will be the 2010 Mobo and Soul Train award winner ‘GYPTIAN’, who along with Sean Paul and Damion Marley is noted as the other Jamaica artist who has achieved ‘GOLD STATUS’ in the last 15 years.

Bongo Club: 19:00 £12.00 Mark Lanegan Band Alt indie goodness from the man himself!

The Liquid Rooms: 19:00 £25.00 Victoria Bennet Making a welcome return after her 2016 Fringe shows, Edinburgh vocalist Victoria Bennett sings beautiful ballads and sultry swingers, paying homage to classic Rodgers and Hart, Gershwin and Porter songs.

Jazz Bar: 5.30pm £5.00

TUE, 5 DEC

The Sunday Sinners Dance to dynamic Funk/Soul grooves from in-the-pocket 5-piece band with outstanding vocals.

Jazz Bar: 00:00 £4.00 Hot Tin Roof Stripped-back atmospheric Blues/Soul from Andy Challen (guitar/ voc) and Gavin Jack (slide guitar), AND loads of Swing/Blues Dancers on the dancefloor!

Jazz Bar: 18:00 FREE Soul Jam: Pentland & Ben G Sneaky Petes welcome regulars and very familiar faces Pentland & Ben G to the Soul Jam booth for a long overdue debut. They’re kensmen.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 TBC Midnight Bass New weekly Tuesday powered by Electrikal Sound System.

DnB, Jungle, Bassline, Grime & Garage with DJs from Junglism, Big n Bashy, Electrikal, Roots, Witness, 59th Degree + more!

Bongo Club: 23:00 £4.00

WED, 6 DEC

The Jazz Bar’s 17 Piece Band Wonderful sounds from this great weekly band with FOUR trumpets, FOUR trombones, FIVE saxes and FOUR rhythm! It’s a variable line-up of top-class pro players, who travel in from Glasgow, Borders, Perth, Fife (and Edinburgh!), to participate in this outsta Jazz Bar: 20:00 £5.00 Witness X 131 Northside Rising hip hop crew 131 Northside join Witness for a night of gully riddims.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 TBC Glamour & The Baybes 6-Piece funk with ripping horns and massive vocals that grab you by the soul and drop you on the dance floor!

Jazz Bar: 23:30 £4.00

THU, 7 DEC

John Hunt’s After Work Blues Acoustic/ Electric Blues by singer/guitarist John Hunt – and check out his amazing handbuilt guitars! ‘Gritty, Funky Boogie-Woogie from a master of blues slide-guita Jazz Bar: 18:00 FREE Umfang at Juice Brooklyn breakthrough Discwoman Umfang makes her Edinburgh debut at Juice. Expect some raw, fast and mind bending techno.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 £6.00

FRI, 8 DEC

Linoil Sure to be another big one for them (their last date with Soichi Terada and Optimo’s JG Wilkes in May was huge).

Bongo Club: 19:00 TBC

Indigo Velvet Indigo Velvet are a young Tropical-pop quartet from Edinburgh – come soak up the good tunes!

The Liquid Rooms: 19:00 £8.00 Pixel Throughout the last 6 years Pixel has established themselves as one of the leading innovators on the European pop and jazz scene. Playing for sold-out venues across Europe, they continuously push the limits for what a jazz band can be Jazz Bar: 21:00 £6.00 Propaganda Propaganda is proud to present an incredible room of music every Friday at The Liquid Rooms.

The Liquid Rooms: 22:30 £5.00 Bigfoot’s 9th – Anastasia Kristensen Bigfoot’s bring in Danish force of techno, Anastasia Kristensen for their December edition to celebrate 9 years of class parties.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 £7.00 No Strings Attatched NSA have gone all out and paired up the rather marvellous DJs Ivan Smagghe & Manfredas to take over The Mash House. We’re expecting something pretty special from the French & Lithuanian mavericks who will have you locked in from the off.

Mash House: 23:00 £14.00

SAT, 9 DEC

The Doors Alive As the number one tribute band to The Doors, The Doors Alive are performing fan favourites of the iconic, sixties band. Don’t miss out on this night of rock.

O2 ABC: 18:00 £17.40 Headless Playing a mixture of classic rock and more up-to-date pop, they cover a range of artists, with both faithful renditions and some alternative takes on classic songs.

Sneaky Petes: 19:00 FREE Ryan McMullan Acoustic pop rock.

Mash House: 19:00 £11.00 I AM A Raver Extra date added by popular demand: don’t miss out on this raving good time!

The Liquid Rooms: 22:30 £22.00 Big N Bashy Join Big n Bashy for a feast of musical delights spread over three rooms and two floors. Featuring the best in grime, dubstep, reggae and jungle, with Brother Most Righteous, Skillis and Deburgh.

Bongo Club: 23:00 £6.00

SUN, 10 DEC

Otherkin Otherkin are a riotous four piece, all leather jackets, torn jeans and garage rock riffs. Blazing energy, morse code guitars and caveman drums.

Mash House: 19:00 £7.00 The Jam Experiment Jam Experiment display a fresh, energetic and honest approach of original compositions and arrangements. All band members write music for the band and contribute musical ideas equally, creating a beautifully varied set of music, and a very individual, coo Jazz Bar: 21:00 £6.00

MON, 11 DEC

JB Quartet An eclectic repertoire spanning across the swing, bop and postbop eras, with contrasting pieces from T. Monk, W. Shorter, C. Walton and a handful of hand-picked standards.

Jazz Bar: 17:30 £5.00

TUE, 12 DEC

Toby Mottershead Acclaimed Edinburgh bluesman and lead singer of The Black Diamond Express, Toby Mottershead, presents a solo musical exploration of different roots styles.

Jazz Bar: 18:00 FREE Midnight Bass New weekly Tuesday powered by Electrikal Sound System.DnB, Jungle, Bassline, Grime & Garage with DJs from Junglism, Big n Bashy, Electrikal, Roots, Witness, 59th Degree + more!

Bongo Club: 23:00 £4.00

WED, 13 DEC

Pronto Mama W/ Special Guests Pronto Mama are a past post-modern bug-eyed beatnik group from Glasgow who are just as confused as anyone else. They are soulful. They believe irreverent wordplay, clean musicianship and a dirty dedication to song-writing is how you do it.

Sneaky Petes: 19:00 £11.00 Witness X Shapework Witness bring along young team techno tastemakers Shapework along for a big old UK Funky versus.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 TBC

FRI, 15 DEC

Frankly, The Smiths Frankly, The Smiths are a Scottish Smiths tribute band, fresh from multiple sold out shows.

Sneaky Petes: 19:00 £6.00 Headset Headset is consistently one of Bongo Club’s strongest Fridays and this event is one of five or six the promoter is doing in Edinburgh and Glasgow to mark the 3rd birthday Bongo Club: 19:00 TBC

Rascalton + Dead Pretties + Pleasure Heads After their packed out show at Electric Fields we are happy to announce the following show with one of Glasgow hottest new bands Rascalton.

The Glasgow four-piece will bring their no-nonsence punk rock aggro flare sound around the country this December.

Mash House: 19:00 £7.00 Propaganda Propaganda is proud to present an incredible room of music every Friday at The Liquid Rooms.

The Liquid Rooms: 22:30 £5.00

Overground X Alien Jams Lo-fi lovers and party starters Overground, who’ve established themselves and their on-point booking policy firmly into the city, venture down the road for a one off at Sneaks!

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 £5.50

SAT, 16 DEC

Moulettes Will be packing an eclectic 11-track opus for the Natural World, and the strange and beautiful creatures in it.

Sneaky Petes: 19:00 £15.00 Trio Magico The music of Egberto Gismonti is like a microcosm of his native Brazil – diverse, joyful, and unique. Award winning jazz pianist Paul Harrison, bassist Mario Lima Caribe and drummer Stu Brown have a special rapport from years of performing together in Sco Jazz Bar: 21:00 £5.00 Aperion Crew Cutting edge all female techno trio come to the city for the first time from Copenhagen to grace the Wasabi decks.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 £6.00

Soulsville Residents Cameron Mason and Calum Evans will be spinning the finest cuts of Deep Funk, Latin Rhythms and Rare Groove into the early hours from 11pm -3am. Strictly party vibes.

Bongo Club: 23:00 £5.00

Hip Hop Time Machine Ultimate Christmas Party with THE HIP HOP MULLED WINE MACHINE & THE MERRY MOTOWN MACHINE The Liquid Rooms: 23:00 £8.00

SUN, 17 DEC

Keith Edwards Quintet ‘Hard Bop’ swinging arrangements by Keith Edwards (sax), Robert Pettigrew (piano), Ed Kelly (bass) and Aldo Morrow (drums).

Jazz Bar: 18:00 £6.00 Donnie Will + Pure Grief Two of Scotland’s brightest rock bands will embark upon a co-headline tour this December that is sure to set venues, north of the border, alight.

Sneaky Petes: 19:00 £6.00

MON, 18 DEC

The Pause American trumpeter Jon Green returns to the stage after a year brought a new baby (yes!) and a new president (no!).

Jazz Bar: 17:30 £5.00

Pinnacle Pinnacle is set to start the festive season with a BANG in the last night of the 2017 series. Join us on 23rd December and get ready to shake the floor.

Mash House: 23:00 TBC

TUE, 19 DEC

Stormy Sunday Monthly Blues night with resident band Piranha Blues and new special guests every month. This month’s guests will be Gus Munro.

Jazz Bar: 21:00 £5.00

Midnight Bass New weekly Tuesday powered by Electrikal Sound System.DnB, Jungle, Bassline, Grime & Garage with DJs from Junglism, Big n Bashy, Electrikal, Roots, Witness, 59th Degree + more!

Bongo Club: 23:00 £4.00

WED, 20 DEC

RIDE NYEE Live fast die young, RIDE gals do it well. Lollz and Cheeky Checks bring in the NYEE with 00s rnb and 90s hip hop and put their lighters up right through til 5am.

Sneaky Petes: 23:00 TBC

FRI, 22 DEC

A Night to Celebrate the Genius of Grant Hart A Tribute to Grant Hart of Husker Du, featuring members of Part Chimp and a host of other musicians. Proceeds to Canongate Youth.

Sneaky Petes: 19:00 TBC Dave Ohiggins Quartet Dave is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, educator and latterly recording engineer and producer. He has been a popular figure on the UK and international jazz scene for 30 years now, with 19 albums as leader under his belt Jazz Bar: 21:00 £5.00

Headset Skillis (Big n Bashy) and friends playing garage, techno, house and bass downstairs, with old school hip hop upstairs.

Bongo Club: 23:00 TBC

SAT, 23 DEC

Party Fears Three Widely recognised as one of the leading eighties cover/tribute bands in the UK, Party Fears Three are back in EdinburghOOMS (Official) in Edinburgh on Saturday 23rd December 2017 for their hotly anticipated Christmas show.

The Liquid Rooms: 19:00 £12.00 Eyal Lovett Trio sraeli born pianistcomposer Eyal Lovett creates a wide range of music. Although classically trained, he is deeply immersed in the jazz tradition, as well as in the diverse music located in Israel and the Middle East.

Jazz Bar: 21:00 £5.00 Wee Dub Hogmonay Edinburgh’s biggest NYE party returns for lovers of good music and irie vibrations. Taking place over two venues, Wee Dub Hogmanay will be taking guests on a musical trip fuelled by reggae, dub, jungle and beyond. Samedia Shebeen bring the tropical vibes Mash House: 22:00 TBC Bowie vs Prince A night celebrating the music of David Bowie & Prince The Liquid Rooms: 22:30 £8.00 Messenger Messenger Sound System, the original roots advertiser, consistently programmes the heights of conscious reggae music, dub-wise and otherwise!

Bongo Club: 23:00 £5.00

SUN, 24 DEC

Andy Lawernson Trio THE GYPSY JAZZ CELEBRATION is a stylish, humorous and very entertaining portrayal of a style of music originally pioneered by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli in 1930’s Paris Jazz Bar: 21:00 £6.00

MON, 25 DEC

Graeme Wilson Quartet This cross-border quartet return to the Jazz Bar with new material building on their acclaimed 2016 release ‘Sure Will Hold a Boat’. Expect more off-kilter earworms and heartfelt ballads mining the stray seams of jazz, improv, funk and prog-rock.

Jazz Bar: 17:30 £5.00

TUE, 26 DEC

Midnight Bass New weekly Tuesday powered by Electrikal Sound System.DnB, Jungle, Bassline, Grime & Garage with DJs from Junglism, Big n Bashy, Electrikal, Roots, Witness, 59th Degree + more!

Bongo Club: 23:00 £4.00

FRI, 29 DEC

Butterz Crew Butterz Crew are back with another one of their Carnival parties (all very bouncy dancehall / soca / reggaeton etc) Bongo Club: 19:00 TBC GROoOVEMATIC TRIO French pianist Cédric Hanriot brings his GroOvematic Trio to Scotland on their 2017 tour. With music fed by the cross-currents of jazz, pop and groove, the group playfully explores famous international themes taken from the pop of Katy Perry, the rock of Jazz Bar: 21:00 £6.00 Ben Klock It will be 2 years by the time of the event since our sell out event in December 2015, a long awaited return The Liquid Rooms: 22:30 £20.00

SAT, 30 DEC

Bad Manners A must for any fan of Ska music!

The Liquid Rooms: 19:00 £22.00 TAUPE aupe are a Newcastle upon Tyne based trio specializing in razorsharp polyrhythmic play, exploratory improvisation and raw, high energy live performance.

Jazz Bar: 21:00 £6.00 Mumbo Jumbo Mumbo Jumbo is a night with a mix of musical styles from funk and hip hop to house and electro care of resident DJs Trendy Wendy (The Street) and Steve Austin (Headspin), joined

by MC MAD (Groove Armada) with live congas and percussion by Bongo Dave and l Bongo Club: 23:00 £3.00 We Love The 90’s Edinburghs biggest 90s retro night open up for a very special Nightafore show and 5:00am license The Liquid Rooms: 23:00 £7.00

SUN, 31 DEC

Headset Headset are running a NY bash with a strong local line-up, including the Soul Jam crew upstairs.

Bongo Club: 19:00 TBC Hogmanay One of Edinburgh’s biggest club shows of the year, featuring GROOVE ARMADA, JORIS VOORN + much more The Liquid Rooms: 22:00 £30.00

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

23

CYBERCHONDRIA Your curiosity just got a little bit more dangerious.

This winter, I am here to tell you something that sounds harsh.

It sounds harsh because it is harsh, but you need to hear it, and the further into winter we get the more important it will become that you repeat this harsh little home truth to yourself, over and over and over again. Make it a mantra, write it on your mirror using whiteboard pens and your best handwriting so that you have to look at it every day, paint it in foot high letters along a local wall, I don’t care. Do whatever works for you to make sure that, as we leave this season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, and transition into the season of layers and colds, you remember – you are not dying.

As nihilistic as millennials are wont to be, and as much as we clamour ironically for the warm embrace of death to release us from this world of student loan debts and minimum-wage jobs on zero-hours-contracts, this world in which we probably won’t get paid at all until we’re in our late twenties and most likely will never be able to make a living doing what we love, we do get very worried whenever it looks like that might actually be about to happen to us.

I promise, I’m just as bad as you are, or were, or ever could be. I am onto WebMD and the NHS website the second that I have even the slightest headache, and I will be the first to convince myself I’m dying of a brain haemorrhage before even considering the possibility that I haven’t had enough to drink today, or eaten anything except super-noodles and garlic bread in the last week, or gone outside practically ever.

I’ll let you into a little secret, known only to myself, my family, and anyone I happen to have been in a three-mile radius of in the last month or so: I was recently diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency – and before you make the joke,

24

lifestyle

it’s a real thing and not a euphemism for my Tinder matches. When you think about it, it’s not really that surprising that a large percentage of the population of Scotland has low levels of the vitamin you get from sunlight, but it came as a revelation to me, and taking the prescribed supplements has been hugely beneficial. But here’s the thing – before my mother stepped in and forced me to make an appointment at the doctors’, I did a bit of googling, and convinced myself that I was terminally ill.

Having plugged my symptoms into an online diagnosis site other than the infamous WebMD, and telling them my biological gender, my age, and my location, I was immediately presented with a list of 10 possible diagnoses, which included hypothyroidism twice, some terrifyingly complex names like acrodermatitis enteropathica, scurvy, and two different conditions that had little red flags next to them. The website also allows you to filter your results by what’s most common in the population and by “red flags” – having (obviously) chosen the latter, I was greeted with a frankly baffling list of diseases so rare that they’re

named after specific people, although whether they’re named after the people who had them or the people who discovered them remains unclear. Absolutely nowhere on the website did it list a vitamin D deficiency.

care as anybody else – if something is negatively impacting your life, then asking for help to sort it out does not make you weak, or a burden, or anything of the sort. Doctors want to help you, and if you walk into your appointment downplaying your symptoms because technically they could be worse, then you’re not making it easy for them, and you’re not going to get the help you deserve.

If you get a bad doctor – like the one who recently told me that my only options were to continue feeling like I’d died and been partially reanimated or to drop out of a degree which I have worked really hard to get into and which I adore – then ask for another one! Women are less likely to be taken seriously by male doctors, so, ladies, by all means ask for a female doctor – it’s your legal right.

Now, just to be clear, I am not telling you to run to your doctor every time you cough. Nor am I saying to just ignore your symptoms – I’m telling you that Google shouldn’t be your first resource. If you’ve got a headache and a blocked nose and a cough then it’s probably a cold, and if it hasn’t gone away in a week then go and see a doctor. If you’re headache doesn’t go away after you’ve drunk a whole bunch of water, gone for a walk and had a nap, maybe call NHS 24. If your foot turns purple to and swells up like a balloon, go to A&E.

“I did a bit of googling and convinced myself that I was terminally ill.”

That, in a nutshell, is the problem with googling your symptoms. You’re not a trained medical professional, and you don’t know what’s missing, so you can assume the worst when the fix is something as easy as some supplements in winter and going outside in a t-shirt more when the temperature allows it.

I can understand that going to a doctor’s office might be daunting. Making a phone call is often scary enough, and it’s far too easy to feel like an imposition when doctors are only given 10 minute slots. Take deep breaths, and remember that you are just as entitled to the same level of

Cyberchondia is real, and it can be scary. But for as long as you stay calm and act as rationally as you can, I’m sure you’ll be just fine. If in doubt, call the NHS, and never – ever – google your symptoms.

CAREERS

“With so many of us working on computers, it can sometimes be irresistible to lose whole hours of the day swiping” EVER HEARD OF THE TERM GOLDBRICKING? I consulted Google, the pinnacle of all knowledge, to learn about it – at my desk in work, admittedly.

I wasn’t long in realising that I was looking for deeper meaning in something that is actually self-explanatory which in no way, shape or form mirrors to the way I approach most menial tasks in my everyday life... Promise...

Literally speaking, goldbricking relates directly to the act of applying a coat of gold paint to a brick of metal that is, in fact, not gold. This results in having an object that appears to be solid gold but in reality is far less valuable.

You may be wondering how you ever managed to live life fully without this knowledge or, simply, how this applies to your life being a person not in the business of forgery. Well, in actual fact, it does in many ways. You see, if you understand the idea of goldbricking, you realise that this is an action we have all been guilty of, perhaps even this very minute.

The phrase “looking the part” springs to mind

Are you a Goldbrick? here. Have you ever turned up to the library to check-out a tonne of books, grabbed a coffee, found a table, scattered your materials around you like a cage, and proceeded then – and only then – to direct your attention to your social media accounts for a few hours?

known for and it spells bad news for employers who lose millions of pounds each year due to people slacking.

Our advice is straightforward but that’s not to say

Perhaps the most likely thing you’ve been guilty of doing is using the computer in work whilst still maintaining the appearance of working. It could be as simple as having Facebook open in a minimised tab, concealed from the prying eyes of your supervisor, and still continuing to scrunch your nose, drum your fingers and sigh periodically in order to create the illusion of tackling a stressful workload. It’s similar to saying you need to take an important business call and leaving the room to finalise weekend plans with your buddies over the phone.

GIVE YOUR JOB YOUR FULL ATTENTION

The specific term for procrastination on the web at work is cyberloafing. With so many of us working on computers, it can sometimes be irresistible to lose whole hours of the day swiping, scrolling, liking, and stalk– I mean, um, scrolling some more.

While it isn’t the crime of the century, being a goldbrick isn’t exactly something you want to be

that executing it will be easy.

In having a job, you are wealthier than a quarter of the population in the UK and if your job is in your field of choice then you’ll find that you are wealthier in a variety of other respects. By giving your job 100% of your attention, you’ll not only improve at your job but you’ll equally learn lots about your downfalls and be able to give them the attention they need. Good jobs are so few and far between that having one should make you feel quite lucky and, therefore, you should not jeopardise that by only giving half of your effort.

helps us to subconsciously differentiate between our downtime and working time, thus, be more productive in the workplace. However, if you find yourself adorning your body with expensive garments, jewellery, make-up and the like in order to compensate for your lack of abilities, ask yourself if you are in the right job for you.

BE AUTHENTIC When you successfully manage to fool your employer or peers that you are working hard – be that in the library, the office or even the gym

– when in actual fact you are barely exerting yourself, the person you are disappointing first

and foremost is yourself. Give yourself adequate time to learn and shine in all that you do. They

say you should “fake it till you make it” but there’s no point in being the aesthetic spokesperson for

something if you can’t deliver in the role yourself.

ASK YOURSELF: WOULD I WEAR THAT?

Yes, the reason we are often asked not to dress too casually at work is that dressing smartly is that it

by Rachael Procter @rrretro___

editor@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

25

Old is the new

MR. BEN’S RETRO CLOTHING On a chilly December morning, Mr. Ben’s Retro Clothing shop – an heterogeneous rainbow-cumvintage goldmine situated on perimeter of Kings Court– is an inviting saviour from the cold.

From the minute I step beyond the doorframe, beyond the coats and briefcases sitting idly outside, with our model, Glasgow University student Georgia Wilkinson, it occurs to me that I am closer than I have ever been to the visual representation of eclecticism. This is a sensation that revisits me throughout the duration of my “not long enough” visit.

Now, listen here: I once considered myself to be an apostle of the vintage lifestyle for several reasons which I now realise happen to hold little value in somewhere like Mr. Ben’s. These include, but are not limited to, having a record collection that is composed entirely of charity shop finds and my dad’s original purchases – with the exception of one solitary Ed Sheeran album. I also frequently wear a satchel, and use an instant camera, and I am most definitely an advocate for the sepia-toned filter wherever possible. Surely I qualify?

However, having spent a morning amid Mr. Ben’s rails that – and I really do need to emphasise this – are saturated by trench coats, and dresses, and cashmere, and tweed, and tartan that collectively span the centuries, I am now questioning the authenticity of my past claims, and I’m more inspired than ever to shop vintage. Real vintage.

As a student, often one of the biggest concerns we encounter is what to wear and whether or not we can actually afford our taste (or new clothes at all). Venturing into charity shops or sourcing secondhand goods online isn’t anything to turn your nose up at anymore. In fact, it’s a bit of a sport; the satisfaction of turning up to meet your friends in a complete outfit that cost less than a pair of trainers is a feeling we should be chasing after and that can definitely be achieved somewhere like here.

Shops like Mr. Ben’s make it very easy to slip back into the rapport of buying local where we can place a human face on the shopping experience again.

The outfits Georgia wears in the surrounding photographs here were all sourced from the depths of Mr. Ben’s Retro Clothing.

As you’ll see, whether it’s a ball gown you’re after or a genuine aviator coat predating the war, Mary-Ann King’s life’s work has you covered from head to toe for a fraction of the price of the high street.

All that’s left to say is that you should get yourself down there and find it before somebody else does.

by Rachael Procter @rrretro___

editor@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk

Would y ou like t o featur Contact: e yo kenny@t hestuden ur business? tadvertis er.co.uk 26

lifestyle

Give Good Giving to charity isn’t difficult and often can be incorporated into traditions you already have. So this year why not make someone’s Christmas special by making your own celebrations a charitable occasion?

If your co-workers or neighbours still exchange Christmas cards consider buying yours from a charity shop this year to add an extra Christmas spirit to your giving. It’s also important to remember to recycle your cards once the holidays are over.

We all have someone in our life that’s impossible to buy for. Every year you spend hours in overcrowded shops or searching the internet for something they will actually want. This year get them something unique that also helps someone in need. This can simply be donating to their favourite charity or cause under their name or maybe buy a charity gift. Most charity shops will have them but some of our favourites include buying a homeless person a Christmas dinner from Centrepoint (£10). The animal lover in your life will definitely love the £26 goat from Oxfam that is sent to a family in a third world country or buy 100 polio vaccines from Unicef (£14.50) for your favourite health worker.

It’s easy to forget that for a lot of families in the UK Christmas adds strain to already tight budgets and that can

Mr Ben stationary etc_TSA Ad 2017 04/12/2017 11:24 Page 1

mean Christmas dinner isn’t as plentiful as yours. While buying groceries it might be an idea to buy a few extra (nonperishable) items to give to your local food bank. During the Christmas period food banks are also looking for festive items such as selection boxes. You can even continue the good deeds into the new year by donating any unwanted gifts such as toiletries to food banks.

It’s easy to get your whole workplace involved in your seasonal joy with National Christmas Jumper Day. Make dress down Friday festive on the 15th of December by encouraging colleagues to wear their tackiest Christmas jumper and donating a pound to Save the Children. You could also hold a festive bake sale or organise a group donation instead of the usual secret santa.

can help the NSPCC continue providing a safes pace for children through their Childline service.

There are so many fun and creative ways to spread the good will this Christmas and your donation can really make a difference to someone in need.

And how could we forget about the man of the hour, Father Christmas himself. This year you can arrange to have the youngest in our family receive a personalised letter from Santa delivered by “reindeer mail” by donating £5 to the NSPCC. £5

Kings Court 101 Kings Street Glasgow G1 5RB www.mrbenretroclothing.com

Tel: 0141 553 1936 info@mrbenretroclothing.com Follow us on Facebook facebook.com/MrBenRetroClothing

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

27

GIFT

GUIDE

CHRISTMAS The Bookworm

Small Vinyl Record Bookends £14, NotOnTheHighStreet.com

Reading Journal – £11.99, available on Amazon

Personalised Italian Leather Bookmark – £9 NotOnTheHighStreet.com

Quirky, useful and perfect for the music and book lover.

Give a bookworm the satisfaction of recording reads.

A simple and high quality gift for any book lover.

Skye Candles Small Tumblers £12 each, Skye Candles

Aromatheraphy Associates Ultimate Wellbeing Time Gift Set £65, available at John Lewis

The Bath Worshipper

Wolf Onesie £39.99, Kigo The perfecti outfit to jump into after a relaxing bath. Lined for extra cosiness, what more could they ever need?

A quality alternative for the Yankee loyalists in a plethroa of scents.

Introduce a whole new way of bathing to someone special.

The Music Lover

Personalised Lyrics Leather Bracelet – £25, BEECYCLE

Music Print Scarf – £15.95, French Grey Interiors

Personalised Walnut Record Divider – £7.50, Oakdene Designs

Whether it’s your song together or their song, music has feel good. Share it.

Simple and eternally elegant.

Personal and very useful, not to mention cheap to boot!

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GIFT

GUIDE

CHRISTMAS

!!!

HARD L EVEL

The Budding Crafter

Manuscript Callicreative Hand Lettering Set – £25, Hobbycraft

Get Crafty Start Candle Making Kit – £10, Hobbycraft

Crochet Your Own Reindeer and Penguin Decorations 2 Pack – £3.00, Hobbycraft

A traditional craft that’s gaining more and more social media presence.

Instead of buying one, how about a kit to make a candle? It contains everything you need.

Another kit with everything you need, give the gift of new skills this year.

The Token Traveller

Dinosaur tooth

Meteorite

Campo del Cielo 4.54 billion years old. Chaco, Argentina – £40

Personalised Airplane Travel Bracelet – £38, WUE

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, 96 million years old – £5 to £75

Delicate, personalised and with Instagram-worthy levels of cuteness.

If they love souvenirs, they’re bound to love these incredible fossils from Mr. Wood’s in Edinburgh.

Personalised Destination Travel Journal – £14, The Alphabet Gift Shop The perfect place for them to record every place they wished you were there...

The Technology Advocate

Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Remote – £39.99, Amazon

Beats UrBeats Headphones – £49, Beats (available at Currys)

Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker in Champagne Gold – £24.99

A wealth of T.V. and boxsets in a voice-interactive setting.

Mid-range headphones from the world’s leading range, Beats.

Aesthetic, loud and wireless. This is an exciting way to transport your tunes.

by Rachael Procter @rrretro___

editor@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

29

Eating IN

Christmas

Guide

Let’s face it: the drunken, jolly Christmas night out isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. In fact, there’s rarely any tea involved during these often messy encounters with the busy town. And that just doesn’t suit everyone, which is fine because we have rounded up some ideas to help you achieve the perfect indoor Christmassy atmosphere with your friends whilst still adorned in your favourite, festive onesie.

SOME HOMEMADE MACARONI CHEESE

Is there anything more inviting than a piping hot dish of creamy macaroni cheese, positively dripping with tangy, flavoursome sauce that dissolves on your tongue? ...You’re not convinced.

Ok, how about macaroni that is so drenched in sauce that it swells in your stomach turning you into a portable hot water bottle as you cosy up. Better? So, grab your favourite tea towel to protect your sensitive finger tips from the heat and take ownership of that dish in front of the TV. We are fully behind McIntosh’s, personally.

THE MARKS AND SPENCER MEAL FOR 2

It’s back. The go-to date solution we all love and have relied upon to impress at least once in our lives – or maybe you were just really hungry. It has returned, and this time with a Christmassy twist that includes a complementary bottle of wine. Yes. ‘Tis the season after all. Choose yourselves a main, a side dish and a dessert for ten smackeroonies between the 6 – 12 December only. There’s everything from duck, sea bass, steak and turkey to profiteroles and a cheese selection. Thank you M&S, the real heroes of Christmas.

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BUFFETS

Christmas is synonymous with overindulgence and believe no one who tries to tell your otherwise. After all, the mascot for the whole season is an overweight elderly gentleman in a red suit, which I believe directly alludes to myself following dinner each year. So, why not build yourself your own buffet at some point this month? It doesn’t need to be for everyone, you see, because there are two types of buffet. Allow me to explain:

1. I JUST WANTED SOME NIBBLES

This one s built around you and maybe one or two select individuals whom you deem worthy. It involves lots of little bowls full of treats that you enjoy. Think breadsticks, thousand island dip, cocktail sausages – because you’re saving the real pigs in blankets for the big day – crackers, pickles and cheese, Pringles, mince pies, maybe some prepacked gingerbread men, Haribo and Malteasers.

This one is best for sitting in to watch movies with in an intimate setting and if you use recyclable paper plates then there isn’t very much to tidy up after.

Hallelujah!

2. I FULLY INTEND TO COMATOSE MYSELF AND TAKE EVERYONE DOWN WITH ME

In summary? Go big or go home, people. You’ll want a turkey, boiled veg, sprouts for those strange friends or family that you are obligated to accommodate, sliced melon (sliced for impact), diced cheese (bitesized chunks of joy), roast potatoes in a dish, a showcase of home baking and, of course, the holy grail of the festive season: pigs. in. blankets. by the oven load. Oh lord, forgive us for we have sinned.

Alternatively, maybe you are a bit of a party animal and the mere mention of the office party is making the sequin gowns at the back of your wardrobe quiver with delight. Luckily, you needn’t look much further than Glasgow or Edinburgh as both cities are stocked full of Christmassy menus, events and treats. A word of caution, however.

Should you find yourself venturing into these parts with colleagues, everyone remembers everything that happens at the Christmas night out and will proceed to taunt you with any of your mishaps for the next 365 days. Or Longer. Just Saying.

BLOC, GLASGOW

Bloc, located on Glasgow’s infamous Bath Street, is a fantastic location for eating out at Christmas time without worrying about spending too much.

They run various deals including burgers for less than £5 on Tuesdays, and it is the ideal cosy establishment to take refuge from the elements when it is particularly miserable outside. For a friendly atmosphere, good music and a night that won’t break the bank, this one has you covered.

BAVARIA BRAUHAUS, GLASGOW A taste of Europe out with the markets. Bavaria Brauhaus, Glasgow, is a Bavarian themed restaurant and bier house (fancy) that promises to offer and authentic German experience right in the heart of the city centre, a stone throw away from the renowned Style Mile no less.

If you have a passion for craft bier and a quality immersive experience, this is the perfect place to wind down inside after a busy day of shopping.

You might even find your new favourite drink!

Eating OUT

s a m t Chris

Guide ThFORTH FLOOR RESTAURANT,

Forth Floor Restaurant situated inside the Harvey Nicholls store in Edinburgh offers the ultimate luxury dining experience all year round, never mind when Edinburgh is positively alight at Christmas time. One of the most striking features of it is the spectacular panoramic view of the city of Edinburgh on one side and the Firth of Forth on the other. Dishes showcase the finest Scottish produce, with our team creating inventive combinations using modern flavours and traditional techniques. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you can swing downstairs and do a little shopping too.

THE GROSVENOR, ASHTON LANE

This little Glaswegian gem is perhaps the worst kept secret in Scotland. Ashton Lane is a cobbled backstreet in the West End of the city, connected to Byres Road by a short linking lane beside Hillhead subway station. And, among other things, it is quite possibly the cosiest nook around. In the heart of the lane is the Grosvenor – a beautiful restaurant with an old-school cinema beneath it – where they are currently offering a sit-down meal and a movie for £29 (£39 if you’d like a glass of prosecco).

The restaurant itself is classy enough that if you wanted to dress right up for the occasion, you wouldn’t look out of place but also not so fancy that you’d be shunned for wearing jeans a t-shirt either. The Grosvenor have taken the traditional date idea and revamped it for your enjoyment at a very accessible price and we are all for it.

by Rachael Procter @rrretro___

editor@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

31

WANT TO WRITE FOR TSA?

Currently studying? Whether it’s interviews, reviews or features you’re good at, TSA has the platform for your work. Get in touch with our editor Rachael today:

Have yourself a

crafty

little Christmas

EDITOR@THESTUDENTADVERTISER.CO.UK

with the

edinburgh art shop

Edinburgh’s famous fossil shop Edinburgh’s famous

fossil shop

The festive season is soon approaching which Edinburgh’s famous fossil shop means ’tis the season to turn 5 Cowgatehead, 55 Cowgatehead, Cowgatehead, Grassmarket GrassmarketEdinburgh EH1 1JY your home into santa’s grotto with Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH1 EH1 1JY 1JY 0131 220 1344 0131 0131 220 220 1344 1344 warm, colourful and bright decorations. mrwoodsfossils.co.uk www.mrwoodsfossils.co.uk www.mrwoodsfossils.co.uk There’s no need to spend a fortune this Christmas, why not get creative and make something unique, edgy and merry for your little student abode using odds and ends you already have! Here are some easy, fun and cheap ways to decorate your student digs to impress your friends and family.

Christmas Lanterns

O

ld jam jars are perfect for this simple yet quirky christmas decoration idea. All you’ll need is a mason jar, some glue, green glitter and a paintbrush. Start off by painting some triangle tree shapes on the outside of the jar using your glue. Dab some glitter onto the areas where the glue is and gently distribute the glitter upwards using the paintbrush and soon you’ll have a miniature little forest of glittering trees. If you feel being really creative, why not

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draw some paper houses onto black paper, cut out the windows, make sure the bottom of the paper is in a straight line which in the long run will make it easier to stick onto the bottom of your jar. Make sure the drawings are facing outwards and are well glued onto the inside of the jar and for the finishing touch add a little tea light to make the jar appear like a snowy winter wonderland.

Get all of the materials you need to have a bash at these crafts (and more) from the Edinburgh Art Store, situated at 129 Lauriston Place, Tollcross, Edinburgh, EH3 9JN. With a 15% discount for students, what’s not to love?

Wine Bottle Ornaments

If your flat is home to the party and you have an endless supply of empty wine bottles then why not do your house a favour and recycle them and turn them into fun, xmas-themed decorations? All you’ll need are three wine bottles, some coloured paints, cotton wool, twigs, material and goggly eyes.

Paint one bottle brown, one bottle red and one bottle white. Once the bottles are nicely coated, leave them to dry over-night. The next day, you can put some twigs in the brown bottle, gather a small circle of cotton wool and paint it red and stick on the goggly eyes- now you have Rudolph! You can make any character, from Santa to Jack Frost.

Treemendous

This one involves tree twigs, fairy lights and a lot of string rope (which will cost you only a few pennies).

Gather a variety of twigs, these will be used for a pyramid shape, twist the string around both ends of the twig ensuring it’s even and secured at both sides, each twig used should be slightly bigger than the previous twig so that it starts to look like a pyramid shape. Once complete you

should have what looks like a twiglike triangle joined together using the string rope, this can be used as a hanging for on your wall or door.

Final touches can be hanging some fairy lights around it and adding a star to the top.

Hanging Leaf Garland

All you need is some sprinkle glitter, leaves and ribbon. Get outdoors and pick some pretty fallen leaves (as many as you think you’ll need), cover them in glue and sprinkle some glitter over them until dry, best thing to do is leave them to dry overnight. Attach a ribbon to each leaf and tie the ribbons onto a longer piece of ribbon. Once complete hang the centre piece like a to jazz up your walls.

2 cups of flour 1/2 tsp of baking soda 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar 1/4 cup of white sugar M&M’s Using a small funnel layer the cookie ingredients into the jar, start with the flour, baking soda, brown sugar, white sugar and M&M’s. Use candy pieces so the jar is full to the top. Print out the recipe and stick it onto the side and add a little ribbon and some tags- now you have a cookie jar gift.

by Sophie McLean sophiemcleanblog.wordpress.com

Festive Cookie Jar

For this easy and cute christmas idea, you’ll need a mason jar with a lid, scrap fabric, ribbons, glue, paper and a cookie recipe.

For the cookie ingredients you will need: December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

33

Gin Crackers

That Boutique-y Gin’s, £99.95, calendar features distillers from The Gin Masters 2017 so you are getting the full flavour experience. Some behind the window spoilers include Swedish Rose Gin – Hernö, Spit-Roasted Pineapple Gin, Chocolate Orange Gin.

Festive Flavours

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like

Gin-Mas The holidays have started with Gin topping sales for the first-time ever, move over beer it’s about to be Ginmas!

The ever so popular G&T has been storming the nation. It is no longer the back-seat spirit to vodka. With an array of establishments branching out with new tastes and flavours there is something to suit everyone.

We all have a friend or family member who loves the classic G&T or think they are a gin fanatic, why not treat them to a gin inspired gift this Christmas.

Let the festivities begin with this year’s holiday spirit!

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All your Christmas joy in a glass. Copeland gin has its very own unique Christmas flavour. Using locally sourced goods from County Down, they have produced their Spiced Apple & Blackcurrant mix. This natural ‘ginfusions’ is limited edition so grab it while you can. It even looks Christmassy with its red glow. Have it cold or slightly heated, this could be the new edition to your winter warmer list.

Morrison’s have their own gin advent calendar this year, selling out fast at £60 a go. Including gins ranging across the whole of the UK, you can see some of your favourites hidden behind each door, you may open to find some Martin Millers, Edinburgh Rhubarb & Ginger or Tanqueray plus many more.

Decorations with a twist

Now this doesn’t sound too appealing but fits the Christmas cut. Portobelllo Road have released a Turkey flavoured gin, TURKEY?! Their Directors Cut No.03 Pechuga Gin will be the first ever turkey gin in the world. With hints of apples, nutmeg and cinnamon it’s like a liquid Christmas dinner, who wouldn’t want that.

It’s Christmas Day and you see your beautiful tree looking superb, the one that took ages to put up, you then notice your baubles brightly catching your eye, reminded that they contain a hidden stash. Pickering’s Gin have come up with the perfect way to delightfully decorating your Christmas tree with Gin Baubles. A set of six colourful, decorative baubles are filled with 5cl of Pickering Gin. Santa wouldn’t even be able to resist pinching one.

Have you no room for dessert after a Christmas feast and load of turkey? Get yourself one of these instead. Sacred Spirts have come up with a Christmas Pudding flavoured gin, made by distilling whole Christmas Puddings this sweet current and spice rum sensation is the perfect Christmas G&T. Add cinnamon and orange for that extra festive feeling.

Sipsmith have jazzed up those Christmas tree branches even more with their miniature bottle decorations. Not only do they look appealing, they taste the part too. Each set contains 6 x 5cl bottles of our London Dry Gin, with Sipsmith ribbon displayed in a presentation box. A nice touch to a gin fanatic’s Christmas tree, perfect to hang alongside your boozy baubles.

Advent Calendars You will Gin-gle all the way up until Christmas if you got to open one of these every day! 24 windows of juniper goodness in the very festival gin-vent calendar. There are a few on offer this year, ranging in price and taste.

Drinks by the Dram have collaborated with a few companies, as followed, this year to produce their wonderful Christmas 30ml selection.

Gin Foundry, for £124.95, have craft gins too rare to find gin to offer, Taste are described as ‘light and citrusy to rich and rootsy’. Some spoilers are Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Gin, Bath Gin, Sir Robin of Locksley Gin.

Kick off your Christmas dinner with Drinks by the Drams exciting twist on Christmas tradition.

Instead of your party hat and terrible jokes or toys that you lose immediately, they have revamped the cracker to reveal a mini gin. With an assortment of wonderful flavours, you will definitely be rushing to pull open your cracker this Christmas.

Make your own Christmas Gin If you can’t decide on the perfect gin or you want something a bit unusual from the typical bottle, give them a chance to make their own Christmas Gin. With the choice between three festive botanical blends this could be perfect for the Christmas season. It only takes 24 hours to create, comes with all the ingredients and instructions, all you need to provide is a bottle of vodka. It allows you to discover which botanicals and tastes suit your taste buds and find the blend of gin for you. This gift is perfect for a passionate gin lover to add a personal touch to their gin collection.

by Rhiannon Melrose @RhiannonAdele r.melrose@tsaglasgow.com

Santa’s Little Secrets

At least once in their life, everyone has been roped into doing a secret Santa, whether it’s through your work, your

uni group or with your family. Buying a gift for someone you only see one day a week can be something you love – even thrive from. But others, well... they detest it!

Funny, thoughtful or just plain nice, here is a quick guide on how to get the best gift and handle your secret Santa stress free, while getting the most out of your secret Santa budget.

Use a Secret Santa Sorter

There are plenty of apps or websites to help you get the perfect surprise gift. They do all the hard work of organising and assigning names, you just enter your details with a bit about you and emails are sent to all involved with who they have and the rules of the presents (Budget, theme etc.) This could be useful if you don’t have the time to all meet up and pick from a hat. And prevents anyone cheating by picking the easiest person to buy for.

Give it some thought

Don’t just buy rubbish that you will chuck in a cupboard or give to your brother or sister. Get to know your work or class mate chosen and make the gift suit them. It takes no time at all to find out someone’s interests or at least their favourite colour. Why not personalise it, you can add someone’s name to almost anything, glasses, bags, mugs you name it.

Make it funny!

After all, this time of year is supposed to be cheery, so give them something that will make them laugh. Places like Amazon and Mankind are great for hilarious gifts, a man-kini, a voodoo doll with your co-workers name on it, up yours mugs, prosecco pong or a book on how to do your business at work/uni. These quirky and fun gifts will show everyone your funny and silly side to life, outside of your timetabled schedule.

Pre-wrapped gifts Some places offer a box specifically designed for your general secret Santa gift. For a guy or a girl, you can buy a box which you don’t know the content but it will do perfect for someone you don’t really know, a mix of Christmassy gifts all wrapped up for you. If you’re more of see before you buy shopper, Lush and Soap & Glory have a great range of soap sets which are impressively wrapped and have a huge variety to suit their taste.

Bits & Bobs

If you can’t think of the one best gift, try to get a bunch of little things. Sweets, miniatures of their favourite drink, slipper socks, soapy stuff, just like a goody bag with a mixture of things to choose from.

by Rhiannon Melrose @RhiannonAdele

r.melrose@tsaglasgow.com

December 17 | WeAreTSA.co.uk

35

Get yourself a

Coffice

Picture this: You, your laptop, your books, your gel pens…stickers. Yes, it’s time to get your study on.

But check this, add in a cute coffee shop with comfy cushions, hippy teas, cakes, and what have you got?

Your new Coffice. Yes, the term literally has been coined from people making their local coffee shops their personal office spaces and we LOVE it.

So, what are some of the benefits to setting up study camp at your local café instead of using your university library, or even just at home home? Well, let me tell you...

First off, let’s just get it over with. The main reason we would turn a coffee shop into our own personal office is in the hope that a really beautiful man or woman sees us sitting looking pensively at our textbook, (Which, in fact, is really just you staring at a page full of incomprehensible theories explained by people who have never successfully explained anything to anyone in their lives as you think nostalgically, reflecting on your time spent in the womb when things were a lot simpler.) This enigmatic person will, ideally, saunter over to you and start chatting which will, again ideally, lead to an extremely happy marriage between two people filled with wonder and excitement. Yes. It’s a marginally shallow reason to migrate your studies outdoor and, no, I don’t care.

Another benefit to studying in a coffee shop is – drumroll please – the COFFEE. Yes, the coffee will actually taste good compared to the scoop of instant granules you’d get studying at home. Trust me when I warn you that the only instant thing about that coffee

is the regret. The food is also beneficial. Biscuits, muffins, cakes, toasties, soup, and even all day breakfast in some. The possible downside to this is the weight gain but winter is here and, as the old proverb goes, an extra layer of fat means less money spent on the heating bills…or something like that.

You won’t be annoyed by other people sitting too close to you as you’ll most likely have claimed your corner in the coffee shop as soon as you sit down, and people who sit in coffee shops alone are not to be messed with.

If you went to your library, you may have to sit next to really over excited freshers who don’t understand the function of silent study, or have to fight it out for the only plug in the room with the guy next to you. Worse still, what if you run into that person you hooked up with in second year and ghosted the day after? AVOID. On a serious note, picking a good coffee shop to make your own can have a seriously beneficial impact upon your studies and your mental health. Feeling comfortable in your surroundings makes studying less stressful and more productive, and spending a few hours once or twice a week in an environment which isn’t directly related to work or uni can be quite cathartic. Plus, coffee shops always advertise local events such as slam poetry nights (picture Jonah Hill but Scottish), open mic nights, bookclubs, fundraisers etc, that could be of interest to you or your friends.

Personally, I’m shipping the new trend and have most definitely set up numerous coffices around the city already. Oh about that: please don’t take my spots.

by Cassay Baillie

c.baillie@tsaglasgow.com

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It’s that time of year again to start thinking of those New Year’s resolutions. Winter has always been a time for looking back to the past and forward to the coming year. However very few of us actually stick to our resolutions. Here are five of the top New Year’s resolutions you’ll be most likely to make this year and how to stick to them.

1. Keeping Fit We’ve all been there wanting to lose the extra pounds we’ve put on at Christmas. Finally using that gym membership that’s been collecting dust the past year.

However, through the year a lot of us give up on keeping fit and go back to our old habits. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors when it comes to losing weight and keeping fit. Stick to a healthy weight loss programme or fitness regime and you’ll see a difference by the end of the year.

2. Quit smoking If you have decided it’s time to stamp out your smoking habit there are plenty of ways to help you nip it in the

new year

F E A R ?

bud. There are over-the-counter nicotine replacements such as nicotine patches and chewing gum that have been proven to help with those cravings you get when trying to quit. Even if you have tried to quit in the past and failed, don’t let that get you down. On average, smokers try about four times before quitting for good.

There are also free support services and hotlines to help you stop smoking for the new year.

3. Travel more Wanting to travel more and see new places is tempting especially if you’re stuck in a rut. Travelling is one of the most common resolutions you hear about. At the start of the year you should make a reasonable list of places you would like to try and visit that year, whether it’s a two-week holiday abroad or a day out somewhere. You should be sure to be specific to where you want to go because vague ideas rarely get done, but attainable goals are something you can work. You could even make it more fun by travelling with friends or family and share new experiences together.

5. Save more money Saving money can be hard but it is important to save and put money away for a rainy day. Putting away a small amount each week or each month can add up over the long run. This will help when you need some spending money when the unexpected happens instead of having to scrimp by till pay day. Try not wasting your money on things you don’t need just because the money’s there and put it away for when you will need it, whether that’s having to pay to get your phone fixed or booking an outof-the-blue trip with your friends.

by Keira McLean

4. Get more sleep As students it’s hard to get sleep when you’ve got such a busy lifestyle trying to cram studying and partying in the week.

However, sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your well-being. Many of us stay up into the wee hours and wake up before we are fully rested. You should try following a circadian rhythm by getting to bed early waking up early. Other things you can do to help are cutting down on caffeine before you settle down and even doing some sort activity to make you tired before you go to bed. Making small changes like these will help improve your sleeping pattern and you’ll see a difference right away.

BAVARIA BRAUHAUS OPEN

Sun-Thurs

12pm-12am

Fri & Sat

12pm-1am

With live music from the Brauhaus Brass Band 7pm-9pm followed by our resident DJ every Friday & Saturday throughout December!!

THE BIGGEST SELECTION OF GERMAN BEER ON DRAUGHT IN SCOTLAND

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December Pick OF THE MONTH

It’s no great secret that Scotland’s music scene is a thing to be proud of. So we here at TSA have teamed up with Scotland’s very own New Hellfire Club to bring you a monthly pick of who we think are doing epically well right now. Keep your eyes out for these up and coming bands. This is TSA and New Hellfire Club’s ‘Pick of the Month’.

Hello Swampers! It’s always great to get something a wee bit heavier in for our Pick of the Month, especially as you guys have been personal favourites of ours for a while now. Start us off by telling us a bit about yourself and the band then, especially the beginnings of The Swamp Born Assassins?

Charlie: Stevie and I had been in bands doing the cover band circuit for a good few years, me with The Easy Riders and Stevie with Crackerman. Stuff happens with cover bands and it was time for a change for both of us. I had been jamming with The Rev writing songs and we asked Stevie along to have a jam on the drums with us to try a few things out.

Well it all more or less happened on the first night; we jammed on a few riffs and one in particular got us going. I wrote the words to the riff there and then, got a chorus and we ended up with WALK TALL that same night which is on our album.

Right, for the name question now, as I am intrigued!

Both of the band name, and even the name of your debut album (Smell The Mud) are pretty interesting, where did they come from?

Charlie: The name of the band was the Rev’s idea. He had always had that name in mind for the next band he was in. We all thought straight away it was right for what we were about and the ideas and song’s we had for the band. The logo painting was done by a friend of ours Catherine Heffernan who done the amazing painting of Alex Harvey in the Clutha. Man she nailed what we were about big time. The album title came out the blue and was inspired by My Rock Radio DJ Campbell Stewart. Campbell was the first to play our songs and at that time they were just demos. During the show he talked a bit about the band and after the song played; which was ‘Out in the Rain’ he said the song came right out of the deep south that you could almost ‘Smell the Mud’ Well we thought that was spot on and we decided to write a song and name the album after his quote. I had the idea of an on-going story about the Legend of the Assassin running through the album and the song’s we wrote to go along with that really gave us the theme of the band and the live act. The Assassin was on the loose!

You guys also seem to be great at picking events and gigs that seem perfect for you. Is there a certain

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knack that you have for choosing events? Any tips for other bands following in your footsteps regarding choosing events?

amazing session guitarist from Sweden, and I got in Chris Glen and they both played on the second song on the album, so that was a bonus for us.

Charlie: We decided to be very choosy and not jump in and go too quick into the live thing. We had to get a live band together over here as the other musicians on the album were over in Norway and it was impossible for them to get over as they had work and family commitments. We got Stevie’s friend Willie from Crackerman to play bass and auditioned for a lead guitarist. We had some fantastic well known guitarist’s come along but one young man nailed it; in came Andy Christie from Last Alibi, Kirsty Moffat on backing vocals, and Jamie Moffat on second guitar. Willie had to leave and was replaced by Allen Bell from Maiden Scotland. We decided to only do support slots for bigger bands to get us into the live scene and get our music better known. Every gig we done was better than the last, we were more or less learning our trade so to speak. Bigger opportunities came along on top of the album doing so well and the live band hitting the spot with the punters.

We got into the Wildfire Festival and The Kentucky Headhunters gig in Glasgow and supporting Zal Cleminson’s new band on both his Scottish dates.

Gigs down England next year and a Fantastic Headline slot in Glasgow in April with NHC.

What is next for you guys then, any big plans or events you can share with us for 2018? Any new recordings in the pipeline yet?

Smell The Mud seems to have gone down a storm with both fans and reviewers alike, but what goes into making an album like that? Was it weeks and months in the studio trying to get every song perfect?

Charlie: Stevie, The Rev and I were originally going to be a three piece and keep thing very…VERY basic.

Drums, heavy riffing guitar, vocals and grudged up Harmonica. Once we had wrote a few songs Stevie sent them over to friends Alf Vesterelv and Tommy Granli in Norway to check out. They thought the songs had something and wanted to play guitar and bass on them. We wrote more songs and recorded our parts over here in Scotland and sent them over for them to do their parts. The songs progressed into something a bit special after ideas being sent over the North Sea. Effects, keyboards more guitars and vocals were added and Alf and Tommy mixed and mastered them in the Carnivora Studios in Norway.

This took over a year but the final mix made it all worthwhile. Stevie knew Linkan Anderson ,who is an

Charlie: We are recording a new song just now which will lead eventually to recording the second album next year. Most of the songs are written but my problem is I can’t play guitar and need to hum the songs to the guys..ha ha. The Rev has some more of big riffs so we will put things together and take them along the Studio for the rest to put their ideas into them. It’s team work, we are one big Swamp Family and everyone has input. Lots happening next year with our first gig in England in February at The Bad Ass Bash in Wakefield. Then we have The NHC Carnival of the Dark arts in April which we are headlining, that will be epic, we have plans for that one..all hush hush. Later on we have a short weekend tour with Last Alibi and Norwegian band Rhinojets in Bannermans, CCs in Paisley and hopefully Wildfire Festival. There is also some major support slots in the pipeline but not confirmed. So it’s going to be a busy year. HAPPY DAYS.

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Festive Fun

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A festive show that dares to be different, swing into the adventurous, exhilarating and imaginative world of The Jungle Book from December 9, Stuart Paterson’s acclaimed stage adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling tale. Or come along to Christmas at the Conservatoire, (Dec 1415), a musical extravaganza from

our Music and Musical Theatre students packed with seasonal swing and contemporary classics.

Looking ahead, 2018 brings a new season of outstanding performance.

January sees the return of Into the New, one of Scotland’s most vibrant contemporary performance festivals taking place at the Pearce Institute.

In March, there’s the Scottish premiere of English National Opera’s production of The Day After

by Jonathan Dove and musical theatre fans should look out for the Tony, Olivier and Grammy award-winning musical Spring Awakening, produced in association with Dundee Rep Theatre.

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Visit www.rcs.ac.uk/boxoffice for information on how to join Tickets26 and to view the full list of what’s on at Scotland’s national Conservatoire

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