DEC 2014 ISSUE 4
GLASGOW’S HOMELESS
CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
CONTENT THE STUDENT ADVERTISER
COVER & NEWS
NEWS • ADVICE • EVENTS • OFFERS
HOMELESS THIS CHRISTMAS: A TSA SPECIAL REPORT WHAT GLASGOW’S DOING TO HELP BURGER MEATS BUN MONTHLY MEAT UP DRINK DRIVING LIMIT GOES DOWN
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INTERVIEWS
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AN INTERVIEW WITH RAE MORRIS 10 AN INTERVIEW WITH PEACE 12 PICK OF THE MONTH: DARKSOUL 31
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WHAT’S ON IN DECEMBER
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WHAT TO DO IN GLASGOW THIS FESTIVE SEASON 14 JUDY’S VINTAGE FAIR 18 WHAT’S ON THIS HOGMANAY 19 COLONEL MUSTARD AND ESPERANZA 23 SANTA DASH 2014 24 THE ORIGINAL GLASGOW COMIC & TOY FAIR 25 COLOURS BOXING DAY WINTER PARTY 28 SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER 29 WHO’S TOURING IN 2015 30 FAMILY FESTIVE FUN DAY 39
The Student Advertiser 2014 Newspaper Printed By News International Managing Director Mark Ferguson mark@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk Editor Katie Jones katie@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk
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Sales Manager Tony Gillespie tony@thestudentadvertiser.co.uk Content Contributors Derek Healey Courtney Hendry Emylie Howie Joanna Mullan Aidan Scott Jonny Stone Cameron Willis
ENTERTAINMENT & PREVIEWS THE HOBBIT: BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES PREVIEW 32 TV AND FILMS IN DECEMBER 33 GIGS OF THE MONTH 36
Thank you all DEC 2014 ISSUE 4
STUDENT LIFESTYLE TOP CHRISTMAS JUMPERS THIS YEAR 41 DIY CHRISTMAS 42 TOP 10 CHRISTMAS SONGS THAT NEVER GET OLD 45 ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS FILMS 46
GLASGOW’S HOMELESS
CHRISTMAS
RAE MORRIS
PEACE
HOGMANAY - WHAT’S ON
DISCLAIMER
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The views expressed in The Student Advertiser do not necessarily reflect the views of those who have contributed to the publication. The Student Advertiser takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisements in this publication. The Student Advertiser considers its sources reliable, and while every effort has been made to ensure that information is accurate at the time of print, reporting inaccuracies can occur, therefore readers using this information do so at their own risk.
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COVER FEATURE
HOMELESS THIS CHRISTMAS:
Christmas time has some very strong connotations. When we think of ourselves getting into the festive spirit, we often think of warm fireplaces or opening presents with our family by the tree. Perhaps you think of Christmas dinner or gingerbread coffees or getting on your best party gear and heading out on the town for a night out with your friends. Christmas, in the modern context at least, is a time for having fun. For some people, however, Christmas will be none of those things. For some people, the trials and tribulations of an incomprehensibly difficult existence won’t just cease temporarily because the date on the calendar reads ‘December 25th’. Glasgow has a homelessness problem. According to a report from the Glasgow Homelessness Network, a total of 1,771 people sought out help from homeless services in Glasgow in the past year alone and of those, an ‘absolute minimum’ of 560 spent time sleeping rough on the streets. Homelessness is something that makes us all uncomfortable. When you walk past someone on the pavement, there’s just something in your gut that tells you it’s wrong, that a person shouldn’t just be left there while we all get on with our day. Some of us might buy them a coffee or a sandwich, others might choose to walk on by, trying not make eye contact, secure in the knowledge that one single kind gesture wouldn’t be enough to solve the wider problem. We all have our own ways of dealing with homelessness when we’re confronted with it head on. Even the most compassionate among us find a way to compartmentalise it and push it to the back of our brains. But this Christmas and throughout this winter, the problem won’t just go away, not really. Whilst we enjoy our Christmas with our families and our home comforts, those same people we pass every day on the street will have to find a way to survive the cold winter nights. Thankfully, there are services out there that will help to look after a percentage of them and others will find temporary
A TSA SPECIAL REPORT
shelter with family or friends. Some won’t be so lucky. What’s worse is that this time of year often sees increases in the number of people being forced to seek out homeless services. According to Graham Steven of Glasgow City Mission, the holiday season can often push charities to the very limits. “For us, winter time is always a very busy period,” Graham explains. “What we tend to see at this time of year is a spike in the number of people using our services. Partly that has to do with the cold weather but in January, there’s another spike again as relationships which have resurfaced over Christmas begin to break down. “There’s also the issue of people who are just struggling to make ends meet. It could be that they’ve overstretched themselves over Christmas and the build-up of debt just becomes too much for them. For ourselves and a lot of other agencies throughout Glasgow, our aim is to get under the skin of why someone has come in to see us and understand what’s driving that need.” For Britons, debt is a huge issue every Christmas but research from MoneySupermarket has found that we’re set to spend more than ever this year and with a third of us planning to borrow to pay for the costs of the holiday season, it’s easy to see how things can quickly spiral out of control. Whilst lingering bills and unpaid fees can often force people into desperate situations, Graham thinks there’s another even bigger issue which is driving the need for people to seek out services: lack of housing. “The long and short of it is that there’s just not enough accommodation in the city,” Graham says. “A number of the big hostels closed in the ‘90s and early 2000s and whilst most people agree that was the right thing to do, the problem is that insufficient numbers of alternatives have been provided in their place.”
Lorraine McGrath, the chief executive of the Glasgow Simon Community – a homelessness charity who work on developing and delivering services for homeless people – agrees that a lack of social housing plays a massive part in forcing people onto the streets. “One of the biggest problems we’ve got in Glasgow at the moment is the fact that we have such huge pressures on our accommodation,” she says. “There is simply not enough social housing for single adults in the city. It’s a well-accepted fact among the different statutory bodies who deal with homelessness in Glasgow that accommodation pressures would be one of the single biggest issues that we need to address. “The thing is; the council faces very difficult challenges in that respect. All of the housing in Glasgow has been transferred into community ownership so no matter how much desire they may have to change things, they just can’t do it on their own. This isn’t just a local issue; it’s a problem on a national scale.” That seems to be one of the biggest difficulties in addressing the root causes of homelessness. Interestingly, during the research for this piece, almost every charity I questioned spoke favourably on the work that the council have been doing but all were very clear that more still needs to be done. “There’s a wide acknowledgment that the way things are cannot be sustained and that it’s not acceptable,” says Lorraine. “Could they do more? Of course, if they had unlimited resources - but they don’t have that, none of us do. I think the reality of the situation we’re in is that it’s about how do we do more with what we’ve already got. “The key thing is that there’s an effective response to individual’s needs. Of course accommodation is really important but it’s not just about that. More often than not,
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4 there are health issues involved and mental health issues play a big part. It’s getting that kind of support in and mobilising the resources that we do have.” Indeed, mental health issues play a very serious role in the situations that lead to individuals experiencing homelessness. The report from the GHN also found that mental ill-health is the most frequently occurring support need identified alongside the need for accommodation, and is identified by nearly 40 per cent of service users. That’s a particularly striking statistic because mental health issues have also been identified as a problem when helping individuals escape from homelessness. According to Lorraine, the Simon Community regularly works to engage with those who are sleeping rough and struggling to interact with the kind of systems that could help them find a permanent solution. “We are wholly dedicated to combating the causes and effects of homelessness,” she says. “We work with over three-thousand people every year and we have supported accommodation places for people who have some very complex issues. “We actively engage with rough sleepers across the city and help people who really struggle to work with services and find a way through the system that works for them.” Graham has also seen no shortage of examples of this problem at Glasgow City Mission. He says that for those suffering with mental health issues, the current systems can sometimes just be too difficult to navigate alone. “We find that a number of the processes and systems that you’ve got to go through to access help from statutory services can be incredibly complicated,” he explains. “If there are these underlying issues with mental ill-health, then it could be really challenging for some people to access the help that they really need. “We often find that those are the people that we end up working with. It could be that they’ve already been through a statutory service or been on a course but at the end of it, they’ve not been able to support that individual back into employment or provide the services that they need. “In those situations, it could be a case where those statutory services say there’s just nothing more that they can do for that person and then they find themselves with nowhere to go. That’s when a lot of people come to us.” The reality is that the third sector is having to deal with a massive strain on their resources. With the huge numbers of people seeking out help from homeless services, it’s to be expected that some might fall through the cracks. In February, the Scottish Government launched an investigation after the Daily Record’s John Ferguson did an undercover report on the Bellgrove hotel, a homeless hostel in Glasgow’s East End. As Kevin McKenna put it in his write up of the story in the Guardian a month later, “the Bellgrove hotel is a place where men go to die, expiring in their own waste and choked by alcohol and drugs – 150 of them at a time.” The ‘hotel’ made millions for its property magnate owners on the back of the desperation of our city’s most desperate. Whilst the council “no longer refers homeless men to the Bellgrove”, it’s a clear example of how badly wrong things can go when those of us who do care push thoughts of the vulnerable to the back of our minds for too long. At this time of year, it seems abhorrent to think of those who need our help sitting in squalor or out in the cold. For those not lucky enough to find the help of groups like Glasgow City Mission or the Glasgow Simon Community, this Christmas time will be an unimaginable ordeal. Every single interaction I’ve ever had with the people of Glasgow tells me that’s not good enough and that it’s just not the kind of thing we stand for. Christmas, as much as it’s a time for fun, is also a time for sharing and in that sense it couldn’t be a holiday more befitting of the Glaswegian spirit. This year, I challenge you to think of those less fortunate and ask what you can do to make their Christmas a little by Derek Healey @Healey26 merrier. d.healey@tsaglasgow.com
COVER FEATURE TSA spoke to Glasgow City Council to find out what kind of services they offer to help homeless people. Here’s what their spokesperson had to say: “In our experience, there can be rise in homelessness application after the festive period, although we fully recognise that homelessness can be acutely felt by those affected over Christmas and New Year. “The council provides a full range of services, including supported accommodation units that are tailored towards particular kinds of support needs, housing support and temporary furnished flats. These services are available throughout the year with an emergency service available around the clock every day of the week. “Closing the large scale hostels and the network of supported accommodation and temporary furnished that was put in
Neil’s Story “I ended up sleeping on the streets on and off a few years ago after my drug use got worse. It’s a bit of a spiral because you’ve got to use the drugs if you want to get to sleep at night. You’ve got to do something to get your head down. “It’s not good. It’s not a good way to live. It gets cold out here and if you can’t get yourself somewhere to sleep, it’s hard. I’ve done it before loads of times, spent the night out on the street and it’s no good. This year it’s been a bit milder but it’s getting colder now. “Without places like the shelters, folk would be a lot worse off. At least you can go there and get yourself something to eat and get a wee heat. It’s not just that though it’s a place to catch up with folk and meet up with your pals.
place of the hostels has made a significant contribution to the drop in the number of homelessness applications. “However, many of the issues that contribute to homelessness such as deprivation, substance misuse, crime and family or relationship breakdown among others continue to exist in Glasgow and so an extensive response is still required. “The council currently directs funding to around 80 voluntary sector organisations who deliver support for people affected by homelessness. We are developing a partnership arrangement with the voluntary sector so we can deliver a coordinated and enhanced response for those who often have the greatest difficulty in accessing services and support. This partnership will focus its efforts on the city centre and is due to be introduced in April next year.”
“The only thing I ever got offered was to go into the hostel and I don’t want to do that. I went there before and I got all my stuff stolen so I don’t want to go back. For me to stay away from all that, I’d rather just stay on the streets. If I make enough money, I go into the Euro hostel and stay there or else I just stay out here and get by the best I can. “I don’t really think it’s worth looking forward because you don’t know what’s going to happen. If I can try and get in somewhere decent then that’s what I’ll do but it doesn’t really matter what time of year it is, you’ve just got to do your best and see what happens.” *Name changed to protect anonymity
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COVER FEATURE
WHAT GLASGOW’S At TSA, we know that people in Glasgow are always keen to lend a hand to those in need. With that in mind, we’ve picked out three charities that are doing great things to help Glasgow’s homeless this Christmas. Have a look and see how you can get involved.
THE RUCKSACK PROJECT Starting for the first time in Glasgow only last year, the Rucksack Project has already taken off in a big way. Organiser Lorna McLean presided over an event last Christmas that saw more than four-thousand rucksacks collected for Glasgow’s homeless. This year, the Project is expecting as much as double that amount and close to eight-thousand people have already made pledges on the event’s Facebook page. For Lorna, the journey began when she came across a post online and inspiration struck. “I saw a post on Facebook one day and I was just so inspired that I decided I would try and bring something together in Glasgow,” says Lorna. “I thought maybe twenty or so of us would get together and we’d go and visit some homeless people and try to do something kind for Christmas. “That was probably in about September time and I set up the event page just before I went away on holiday. When I came back, it had just gone mad and so many people said they wanted to get involved.” For Lorna, the response was incredible but raised a new set of challenges. How could she cope with organising such a massive event? In the end, she sought help from other homeless charities in Glasgow and fortunately, they were only too happy to lend a hand. “I contacted the Simon Community and they very kindly helped me to pull together some other agencies,” she explains. “So many people got involved and it was absolutely inspiring to see so many people turn up to give something back. Lorna believes that the festive time of year coupled with the charitable nature of Glaswegian people inspired such a huge number to take part last time. With more than eight-thousand people expected to offer their help this time around, Lorna says the response to the Project is a sign of people’s intrinsic good will. “I think what’s really captured people’s imagination is the timing,” she says. “It’s Christmas and people want to give. It’s a natural thing to want to do. People are kind by nature. If you’ve got a good life, you want to be able to
help someone else. “I think it’s also a case of the big-hearted people of Glasgow as well though. We are very open hearted and we do want to share. I know that with the other Rucksack Projects around the country, nothing has come close to what’s been happening in Glasgow. Not even remotely close. “Of course, it’s usually a case where people say something and then they don’t bother to actually turn up but actually we’ve found the very opposite. Last year, two-thousand people said they’d get involved and we ended up with fourthousand rucksacks. Maybe it’s just one person signing up but if they get their school or work involved then it can have a huge impact.” Lorna is keen for even more people to get involved this year and aims to provide enough rucksacks so that homeless people in Glasgow can be given one all year round if they find themselves in need of assistance. “If people want to get involved, they just need to get themselves a bag or a rucksack,” she says. “They fill it with specific items that will help people who are living rough. We’re looking for things like warm clothes, a decent quality sleeping bag, new underwear, unopened toiletries and possibly a flask. “We all know we really shouldn’t have this situation
going on in our city but it is going on and rather than just try to ignore it, we can all do our little bit to be kind to other people and help some of the most vulnerable in our society. To find out more about the Rucksack Project and how you can take part, visit the Rucksack Project Glasgow 2014 event page or rucksackproject.org. For more information on the Glasgow Simon Community, please visit glasgowsimon.org
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
COVER FEATURE
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DOING TO HELP... THE WINTER NIGHT SHELTER A lifeline accommodation service for Glasgow’s rough sleepers is due to reopen this month. The Glasgow Winter Night Shelter runs from December 1 through to the end of February and provides basic emergency accommodation for those with nowhere to sleep but the street. Operated by Glasgow City Mission, the service runs in partnership with more than a dozen homeless support agencies around Glasgow. Grant Campbell, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Mission, warned that the Christmas period can provide some of the toughest conditions for those forced to sleep out on the streets. “The harsh winter can be life threatening for some of our most vulnerable citizens,” he said. “Together with our partners, we want to provide a safe, warm and welcoming space for those who are forced to sleep rough in the city”. Mr Campbell said they were encouraged by discussions with council bosses and others to simplify the homelessness application process. He added: “Many rough sleepers have incredibly complex needs yet the process for applying for housing is also incredibly complex. By working together, we’ve been able to recommend a number of improvements and simplifications to the process. “Sadly there is still not enough suitable temporary and social housing in Glasgow which is the major underlying factor for rough sleeping in the city. Until more housing is built, services like the Glasgow Winter Night Shelter remain necessary. Now in its fifth year, demand for the Winter Night Shelter has remained high and last year saw 358 individuals benefitting from the service. The Glasgow Night Shelter is based at Renfield St Stephens Church Centre, Bath Street and is staffed by full time workers from Glasgow City Mission and a team of trained volunteers. You can find out more about Glasgow City Mission’s Christmas Appeal and how to donate at glasgowcitymission.com/ Christmas
Scottish Charity: SC001499
THE TRUSTY PAWS CLINIC Launched in October this year, The Trusty Paws Clinic is a pop-up project that aims to provide a place for the city’s homeless to bring their dogs for medical care, food and blankets. The project was set up by fourth-year veterinary student Ruby Shorrock and has so far held two clinics with items donated by the Glasgow public. “I got the idea at Christmas time when my Nan pointed out a news article about a group down in Nottingham who were doing a similar thing,” Ruby told STV news. “I saw what a good job they were doing down there and it made me wonder if we had anything similar in Glasgow.” After researching the different charities around Glasgow, Ruby found that there were no other programmes of this kind available and because homeless shelters don’t allow dogs into the shelters, she found that homeless people often chose to sleep outside rather than leave their dogs behind. A description on the group’s Facebook page reads: “To many of these people, their dogs are the only things willing to love them without judgement. They provide much needed company and are very special to their owners. Preventing the dogs from catching nasty diseases and parasites is an easy way to make sure their lives are comfortable.” With their third clinic about to take place this month, Ruby and the clinic’s student vets are looking to provide the animals with vaccinations, microchips and help homeless people look after their pets. The next clinic will be held at their drop-in centre on London Road on December 3 and the team are looking for donations of old coats, leads or dog collars. To find out more and how to donate, visit the group’s Facebook page at facebook. com/trustypaws
by Derek Healey @Healey26 d.healey@tsaglasgow.com
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DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
NEWS
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BURGER MEATS BUN’S
CHRISTMAS TAKEOVER AND
MONTHLY MEAT UP!
BAH HUMBURGER...that’s right, BMB are taking on Christmas! With festive treats that’ll blow your box, and cracking drinks, service and tunes as standard, this December Burger Meats Bun will be serving up a BMB Christmas menu with all the trimmings. From one-off burger specials with bells on to Yuletide crafted cocktails, they’re set to mix up the traditional Christmas offering. To put it simply – why have turkey when you can have beef? To get into the party spirit BMB have pulled together a special menu, available to book for parties of 6 or more from Tuesday 2nd – Wednesday 31st December. And because it’s especially important to give a little back this time of year, BMB will be donating 50p of every Seasonal Special sold throughout December to their partner charity, Move On. In the New Year, Burger Meats Bun will also be throwing a monthly ‘Meat Up’ following the success of their event on the 3rd November. This is definetely exciting news, after all, these guys did start the burger epidemic taking over Glasgow right now (in our opinion anyway) – and we definitely can’t complain!!
When it was announced that BMB were throwing a burger swaray, we were definitely more then excited. Not to mention that Mark Donald was taking over the gril – which was just the topping on the burger. Having begun his cheffing life at Straviagn, Mark has gone on to become one of Scotland’s brightest young kitchen talents. Following a stint at the world famous Noma in Copenhagen, Mark spent two years at Scotland’s only 2 Michelin Star establishment, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie. He is back in Scotland following two years in London as Sous Chef at Claude Bosi’s 2 Michelin Starred ‘Hibiscus’, before heading Down Under to be part of the opening team at Sydney’s hottest new restaurant. The menu was, in true BMB style, simple but with a twist, with each of the three courses coming with a complimentary drink. Highlights of the menu included the mouth watering Braised Pork Cheek Poutine complete with fries, cheese curds and gravy. And for dessert, guests were smoothered with ice cream beer floats and snickers eclairs. Tickets, costing £22 sold out fast, so make sure you keep
an eye out for the montly take overs in the New Year, and grab those tickets when you can!! Something tells me they’ll be going fast. Nom!
DRINK DRIVING LIMIT GOES DOWN
JUST IN TIME FOR THE FESTIVE PERIOD The Scottish Parliament has approved a reduction in the drink-drive limit which will come into force on December 5th. This change in the law means that the blood alcohol limit will be lowered from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood. You may have seen the TV adverts which have been running as part of a high profile public information campaign to raise awareness about the reduction, they encourage
drivers to realise that the best advice is have no alcohol at all. Considering just one small glass of wine could put the average woman over the limit and just under a pint of beer would put the average man over, this seems like good advice to follow. After the Scottish Parliament approved the new limit, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “This new law will bring Scotland into line with most of Europe and hopefully reduce drink drive arrests and prosecutions, as we have already seen in the Republic of Ireland, where drivers adjusted their behaviour to take account of the lower limit.” He added: “You are six times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident between the present limit and the planned new lower level compared with having no alcohol in your system.” An average of 20 people a year die on Scotland’s roads as a result of drink driving related collisions and last year a further 90 were seriously injured, and 340 people were slightly injured in crashes relating to drink driving. Chief Superintendent Iain Murray, Head of Roads Policing for Police Scotland pointed out that the new
lower limit will reduce those numbers and said: “the evidence from across Europe where the lower limit applies, suggests we will see reductions in drink driving and blood alcohol counts.” However, he added that ‘even at the new limit you are three times more likely to die in a car crash than if you had taken no alcohol’. This echoes the advice from the public information campaign that there really is no safe amount to drink and it is better, when driving, to completely abstain. During the festive season, with so many events and parties approaching, drivers should also be cautious of driving the morning after drinking as alcohol can stay in the blood for some time and the automatic 12-month driving ban will still apply after the new limit is introduced. Alcohol is generally removed from the blood at the rate of about one unit an hour, according to the charity Drink Aware, however they do point out that this does vary from person to person. Factors including size, gender, food consumed, metabolism and the state of your liver are all important when it comes to the rate alcohol will be removed from your blood. Mr MacAskill advised those who would generally be driving the morning after drinking: “If you are going to have a significant amount of alcohol then make arrangements to get a lift, take a bus or by Courtney Hendry take the train.” @courtneysarahx
c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
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INTERVIEW some time with it, to understand and enjoy it in their own way and own time. What can we expect from it? Have you tried to go in any particular direction with it? I think everything that I’ve released so far has been a taster on the way to the final destination that is the album; there isn’t a drastic change or shift in tone or mood. Really what people can expect is just the full picture. Without any holes or gaps. How much does the album differ from your earlier EPs? I guess the EPs that I released before now were very public works in progress! I was trying to figure it all out and people got to go through those motions with me and watch the whole thing develop. I feel really lucky to have fans who have been through everything with me! I believe you recorded a lot of it in America. How was that experience? I was lucky enough to make the bulk of the album out in Los Angeles last summer. It was truly amazing and I think it was the perfect way to do it, being that far away from home really gave me great perspective and enough distance to reflect on life back home. For someone who is maybe coming across your music for the first time, how would you describe it to them and what would you hope that they might take away from it? I always hope that when people hear my music for the first time they would feel like they were opening a part of themselves more than learning about me. My music is pretty raw and emotional, so I would hope that they would take away new feelings of release and a freedom to be honest.
RAE MORRIS DISCUSSES HER NEW ALBUM, PERFORMING WITH CLEAN BANDIT AND BEING DESCRIBED AS ‘WISE BEYOND HER YEARS’. If you’re one of the people who managed to make it to the very last episode of E4’s Skins, there’s probably a pretty good chance that you’re already familiar with Rae Morris. Her tack Don’t Go was chosen to close out the popular series and earned her massive praise from Skins fans. But that was just one turn in what amounts to a rollercoaster past few years for the young singer-songwriter. She signed with Atlantic Records straight out of college at the tender age of 18, has put out three EPs and toured with the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, Noah and the Whale and Tom Odell.
I have a really new favourite as it was only added to the track list right at the very end, just a few weeks ago. It’s called Morne Fortune and I began writing it last year but couldn’t quite find the right energy to finish it. A few weeks ago I realised what it was about and was able to get it done in time. It was definitely a key piece that I’m so relieved to have finished. For me it’s about family and new generations.
Rae Morris is set for huge things. In this interview, Rae talks to TSA about her new album, playing Glastonbury with Clean Bandit and what it feels like to be constantly described as “wise beyond her years”. Here’s what she had to say…
Almost every feature I’ve ever read on you has described you as having a style that’s “wise beyond her years” or “as if it’s been penned by someone twice her age”. How do you feel about that kind of description?
2014 seems to have been a big year for you. What have been some of your personal highlights?
I guess it feels really normal that people would say that as I’ve always felt a lot older than I am; I was always that kid at school that would feel a little out of place amongst the kids her age. I’m not sure why that is but as I’m getting older things are balancing out! I’m starting to feel just right!
It’s been an amazing year of touring. I feel super lucky to have done some great support tours and also a couple of my own headline tours. My September tour was particularly special, since I was stepping up to venues that I’ve wanted to play for a long time.
I THINK EVERYTHING THAT I’VE RELEASED SO FAR HAS BEEN A TASTER ON THE WAY TO THE FINAL DESTINATION THAT IS THE ALBUM
Now she’s set to start the new year with a massive tour and the release of her debut album, Unguarded, set for January 26. What’s more, one of the tracks Under The Shadows has already been chosen as ‘Hottest Record’ by Radio 1’s Zane Lowe.
Your music seems to be written with a very personal tone. Do you have any particular favourite tracks on the album or any that you think will particularly stand out to fans?
Your debut album is coming out on January 26, are you excited for everyone to finally hear it? Oh yes, I’m so excited! That’s definitely what I care about the most. People hearing the record and being able to spend
There’s a huge amount of anticipation for the album with some of the big hitters in the industry like Zane Lowe and Greg James getting behind your music. How does that feel and does that kind of praise come with any pressures? It’s such an honour to know that people with such great taste and knowledge are enjoying what you’re doing. I really appreciate their support. It makes a huge difference having people like that care about it. I guess there are always the pressures that you put on yourself. You don’t want to let anyone down!
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4 You’re going out on a full UK tour in February to support the album. How much are you looking forward to getting out on the road and are there any venues you’re particularly looking forward to playing? Oh so much! I’m on tour with George Ezra in Europe at the moment playing solo. It’s been absolutely amazing but I do miss my band and can’t wait to get playing with them again in February. I’m particularly looking forward to playing Gorilla in Manchester, I really love that venue. All the venues on the tour are amazing. Perfect size and atmosphere! What kind of plans do you have for the new year and do you think you’ll be hitting up the festival circuit in the summer? I guess the new year is all about the album coming out and I plan to continue touring through the year – that would be the absolute dream! To go right through to festival season would also be ideal – so exciting! You performed with Clean Bandit at Glastonbury this year in front of a massive crowd. How was that experience and were you nervous at all beforehand? I was particularly nervous performing with those guys at Glastonbury because they were both quite pivotal shows for both the bands. When you’re part of someone else’s big moment, you really don’t want to mess up for them. That would just be the worst thing. Doing the other stage at that time on the Sunday with Bombay, sun going down, that was a moment I’ll never ever forget.
INTERVIEW You’ve done some pretty amazing things already but are there any ambitions you would like to try and fulfil in 2015? I just want to better a lot of things in 2015. I feel like this is when it all begins and almost like there is a whole new platform for me to jump from and build upon. Everything that has happened so far feels like my apprenticeship in a way. I’m excited to keep learning.
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Rae Morris’ debut album Unguarded is set for release on January 26 and is available for pre-order now. She will be performing at King Tut’s Glasgow on 3rd February. For more information, visit raemorris. co.uk by Derek Healey @Healey26 d.healey@tsaglasgow.com
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INTERVIEW eventually managed to convince the club promoter I was ‘fliering’ for to let us play at his techno night. There was no scene or anything we were just trying to do anything but stay still I think. When your debut album In Love was first released, it was obviously a huge success considering you hadn’t been on the music scene very long – how did you cope with the fame and success? If we have encountered fame and success it definitely hasn’t had any impact on us. I feel like sometimes the guys try to be normal to wind me up. I’m always like “where’s the champagne and the girls?”. This isn’t what I signed up for. Kidding. Not kidding. It must have taken such hard work and determination to create such a successful sound – what is your main driving force? I wish I knew what was keeping me going. I wish I had a muse or something. I’m not really sure who I’m trying to impress with all this. Maybe there’s some deep rooted psychological stuff going on. Who knows? There must be.
AN INTERVIEW WITH
PEACE After huge success in the music scene last year following the release of their debut album ‘In Love’, indie rockers Peace are gracing us with another UK tour. They were nominated for ‘The Sound of 2013’ award by the BBC alongside American trio HAIM, and our fellow Scots CHVRCHES following their release of catchy, confident single ‘Bloodshake’.
release of their second album, we can definitely predict an exciting year ahead for them.
Keeping it in the family, the band is made up of brothers Harry Koisser (vocals,guitar) and Samuel Koisser (bass), alongside friends Douglas Castle (guitar) and Dominic Boyce (drums). Their ‘In Love’ EP demonstrated a huge variety of sounds, from their colourful, foot stomping anthem ‘Bloodshake’ to the relaxing, hazy sounds of ‘California Daze’.
Thanks for your time, we understand you guys have been busy with your new album and touring. Are you excited to perform your new music live?
I ALWAYS WANTED TO SOUND LIKE A MODERN DAY LED ZEPPELIN BUT WE’RE CONSTANTLY COMPARED TO OBSCURE BANDS FROM THE 90S THAT I’VE NEVER HEARD OF
We are definitely excited to hear them! You have released a couple of singles from the upcoming album such as Money and Lost on Me – how has the response been so far?
The English indie-rock quartet began to receive critical acclaim in 2012 having been compared to some of the biggest indie acts today such as Foals, Vampire Weekend and The Maccabees, and if they’re not being compared to them, they are supporting their sell out gigs. Peace have toured with psychedelic rock band ‘Tame Impala’ and fellow indie-rockers The Vaccines before taking to the stage with Bombay Bicycle Club this December. 2014 has definitely been a stepping stone (more of a ladder) for Peace, but with their second headlining tour as well as the
We caught up with Harry, who spoke about the band’s upcoming album, hitting the road and his favourite things about Glasgow! Here’s what he had to say:
No worries. We’re all hideously excited to be performing the new tracks. They’re awfully fun.
The response has been very positive. People seem to really like the songs and that means a lot to us. We seem to live in a weird time for music. People seem to be a lot more accepting of artists experimenting and trying something different and I guess as a band that’s first release had a 10 minute trance cover on, songs like Money and Lost On Me feel a lot more wild for us than going out on another 15 minute jam or keeping cosy on the nu-psyche bandwagon. Going way back to 2009 – how did the band first get together? Dom and I were friends in college and started playing with my brother on bass. Doug was a school friend of Dom’s so it all came together very naturally. We rehearsed in my parents garage in a small town outside of Birmingham and then
We couldn’t help but notice you have been compared to incredible bands such as Foals and The Maccabees – who are your main influences? I always wanted to sound like a modern day Led Zeppelin but we’re constantly compared to obscure bands from the 90s that I’ve never heard of. I wish people realised that I was born in 1991. Until about 2002 all I’d ever listened to was my dad’s music like The Who, James Brown and Led Zeppelin or Barbie Girl by Aqua. In fairness actually my uncle gave me Nevermind when I was way too young to be that angry. I was well into it. Your songs have been praised for catchy beats and creative lyrics, who does what when it comes to creating new songs? I write the “song” as it would be. I write the lyrics and melodies and come up with chords and sometimes production ideas but for me the magic is really getting in to the room. I absolutely love coming up with the beats and groves with Sam and Dom and then going in and creating these colourful guitar sounds between me and Doug. It’s a really good dynamic and seems to work for us. We understand you have toured with bands such as Tame Impala, The Vaccines and are also joining Bombay Bicycle Club this December – if you had the choice of any musician or band of all time, who would you tour with? We’ve done a few shows with those guys. I’d love to tour with The Who in the 70s. I think they had an absolutely wild one. So back to the new album, Happy People. What is your favourite track from the record and why? My favourite track today is either Happy People or Someday. I think Happy People has an amazing groove but Someday is a super real. Not trying to be anything other than a straight up emotionally honest song. I like it. You recorded your debut album, and now your upcoming album with producer Jim Abiss, who has worked with superstars like Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian and Bombay Bicycle Club! How has it been working with such a great producer? Jim Abbiss is one of my favourite people in the world. His productions sound incredible and he’s an absolute master of his art.
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
INTERVIEW
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You said that you intend to start recording songs for your third album before releasing Happy People – you must be very prepared. Has the songwriting process began for your untitled third album? I’m always writing songs. I wish we could just record all through our downtime but it’s really expensive. In reality we probably won’t get much recording done before Feb but I’d love to if we get the chance. It was on the cards at one point but our schedule is filling up fast. You played Glasgow last year at the QMU and are returning next year to play the iconic venue King Tut’s. Apart from the Scottish chants and enthusiasm, what are your favourite things about the city? You also recorded three tracks on Happy People with producer Duncan Mills. How do these producers differ in style, and how does this reflect in the album? After we’d finished the sessions with Jim, for one reason or another we ended up with some time and I wrote some new songs that we felt were really good. We didn’t know if they’d end up on the record but having worked with Duncan before and loving his stuff we just thought we’d try it. The outcome was really exciting in a different way and kind of added contrast to the stuff we’d done before so we decided to throw a couple of tracks on. I think everything we do is just a snapshot of where the band is at that moment in time. Your UK tour next year has a huge number of dates, how is it spending so much time together on the road? I love being on the road with the guys. Saying that, we were
on tour for almost 2 years and I’m pretty sure by the end we all knew exactly what we didn’t like about each other. It’s been enough time off now though. I’m ready to get back involved. They’re my brothers. It’s gonna be amazing!
I’ve always found Glasgow very romantic. If I had a GF I’d take her to Glasgow and read her Sonnets Valentine under winter’s first snow. That and I can’t live without my Buckfast White Russians.
As well as your 2015 tour, can we expect you to play any festivals?
The band’s second album ‘Happy People’ will be released on February 9, 2015. The album will feature singles such as ‘Lost on Me’, ‘Money’ and ‘World Pleasure’ which are currently available for individual purchase on iTunes. PEACE will support the release of their upcoming album with a string of UK tour dates. You can catch them playing at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow on the 17th and 18th March next year, but with their second date being sold out already, you better be quick!
Definitely, I’m not sure I can say which ones though yet. After playing Reading and Leeds & T in the Park, do you have any crazy stories or festival experiences? At T in the Park I saw a dude working at a burger stall and we were driving behind the mesh fence behind his stall. And he was serving people but what the customers couldn’t see was that he was 100% nude below the waist. His pecker was inches away from the grill. What a guy. I salute you nude grill dude.
Tickets cost £12.50 and are available from www.gigsinscotland.com
0141 353 0510
by Joanna Mullan @joannamullan j.mullan@tsaglasgow.com
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WHAT’S ON
SEASON’S GREETINGS
WHAT TO DO IN GLASGOW THIS FESTIVE SEASON The festive season is well and truly underway, the Christmas trees are up, the lights are switched on and if you’re organised, the shopping has begun. Glasgow has a huge variety of activities and events taking place throughout the festive season. There really is something for everyone to keep the Christmas spirit alive.
Christmas Market The continental market is a must! This year, it is set up along Argyle Street and is a real global affair. Traders from all corners of the world, including Russia and Ecuador are in
Glasgow until Sunday 21st December. You can easily spend a good hour or two at the market enjoying mulled wine and gourmet delights. There are a number of continental bars with seating areas, where you can enjoy a drink and take in the festive atmosphere around you. Mulled wine not your thing? Then why not sample some of Bavaria’s favourite beers at the Bavarian bar. And of course, treat somebody, or yourself to a gift. There is a wonderful selection of gifts and crafts at the market and they really are unique. Everything from wooden figures to jewellery and glassware, everything has been specially designed to give that extra personal touch.
Glasgow on Ice The much loved ice rink is back again this year with George Square as its stunning backdrop. For many, gliding under the twinkling lights in George Square signifies the start of Christmas and it marks the beginning of festive fun, which will see free entertainment, themed nights on the ice and funfair rides all taking place right in the heart of Glasgow. Councilor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council said: “Christmas is the perfect time to see the city of Glasgow at its very best. Our programme of events at Glasgow on Ice means there is something for all the family including music, food and drink, and not forgetting many people’s favourite attraction, ice skating on George Square. “If you are looking for a way to get into the Christmas spirit I can think of nothing better than skating under the festive lights on one of Europe’s largest outdoor ice rinks. Make a date to come and join us and see why Christmas in Glasgow is not to be missed.”
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
WHAT’S ON
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Sunday 7th, 14th and 21st December there will be Santa Story time at lunchtime when he will tell his favourite stories. There will be fun for under 5s on Wednesday 10th and th 17 December when the Village Storytellers will be back with Imagine Lab – a place for growing tiny imaginations. Through interactive storytelling, play and songs, pre-5’s and their adults can cook up fantastic fictions and discover new worlds together.
Pantomimes
George Square We all love a good Throwback Thursday and this year, entertainment will be provided on and around the ice throughout the festive season. This will include Throwback Thursdays from the 4th – 18th December when skaters can dress to impress and dance to DJ’s from Radio Clyde who will be playing music from different decades – the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Can’t make it on a Thursday, but still want to dance? Have no fear. Every Saturday there will be an Ice Rink Disco with different DJ’s playing different styles of music each Saturday night for people to boogy along to on the ice. There will be ‘Music for the Movies’ on Wednesday 10th December when there will be a night of movie music madness on the ice. A specially commissioned soundtrack will be played featuring music from all your favourite blockbuster films. Glasgow on Ice isn’t complete without the funfair! This year there will be the opportunity to try out the Big Wheel, the Traditional Carousel and the Wave Swinger if you dare!
George Square remains at the heart of the city’s festive entertainment and it will play host to a number of events and themed nights throughout the festival period. This year there will be the Alpine Bar where visitors can enjoy a drink in the warmth as they look out over the ice rink. There will also be an alfresco Christmas bar where guests can enjoy some traditional festive refreshments with a Scottish twist. During the day at weekends there will be a focus on family with free entertainment and activities aimed at the younger generation with activities taking place in the Christmas Workshop including Santa Storytelling and arts and crafts which are sure to keep the kids at bay. On Saturday 13th and Saturday 20th Decembers ‘Niks’ Creative Christmas’ will transform the Christmas workshop into an imagination station. Activities will include making candy cane mice, Santa masks, Santa sweetie bag holders and tree decorations. On Sundays, the workshop transforms in to Santa’s living room – a place for storytelling and matinee performances.
Is it really Christmas without going to the pantomime? OH NO IT’S NOT! I hear you call. This year, the pantomime of choice at The Kings Theatre is Peter Pan. It is running from Saturday, 6th December until Sunday, 11th January. The cast includes star of Gary Tank Commander and Fresh Meat, Greg McHugh, in the role of Smee, Luther actor Warren Brown as the evil Captain Hook and Capital FM presenter Des Clarke makes a hearty return as Starkey. Peter Pan not your thing? Then head over to the Clyde Auditorium from Saturday 13th December to Sunday 4th January, with John Barrowman and The Krankies for the most ultimate pantomimes of them all, Cinderella. Or you could get on over to the good old Pavillion, where they will be performing Treasure Island. Join young Jim Hawkins (Stephen Purdon), who inherits a long lost treasure map, as he embarks on the biggest adventure of his life. Treasure Island will be showing from Wednesday 26th November to Sunday 18th January. Glasgow really has pulled out all the stops with a great variety of activities you can be doing over the festive holidays. So get wrapped up, get the family and friends together and get out there and experience it all. Trust me, whatever it is you choose to do, you will enjoy it. by Emylie Howie @EmylieHowie e.howie@tsaglasgow.com
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FEATURE
THIS HAS BEEN GLASGOW’S YEAR Calling 2014 ‘Glasgow’s year in the spotlight’, feels like an understatement. Never before has the city packed so many exciting events into just 12 months and it was a brilliant, fun year that we’ll never forget. Glasgow welcomed sporting legends, musical superstars, spectators and fans from all over the world. The city stepped up and took on its hosting duties with excitement and pride and performed exceptionally well during its time in the limelight. Let’s take a look back at the highlights:
Radio 1 Big Weekend As Glasgow is one of only six UNESCO ‘Cities of Music’ in the world, it was only a matter of time before BBC Radio One decided to host its huge summer time event, the Radio One Big Weekend, here and it finally came to the city in May, bringing with it some of the biggest names in music. Over 60,000 revellers partied across Glasgow during the three-day event which started on Friday 23rd May at George Square with amazing performances from Tiesto, Martin Garrix, Pete Tong and Annie Mac. Saturday and Sunday saw the festival-sized event move to Glasgow Green where Pharrell Williams, Paulo Nutini, Calvin Harris, Coldplay, Kasabian and Katy Perry, to name a few, performed for the mostly Glaswegian crowd – the majority of the tickets were allocated to people living in the Glasgow area and surrounding burghs (70%) with a further 25% going to residents in the rest of Scotland and the remaining 5% were allocated for those in the rest of the UK. Competition for the amazingly completely free tickets (aside from booking fee costs) was intense with what seemed like literally everyone in Glasgow registering for the random lottery that was used to allocate tickets. The event sold out in just 35 minutes and aside from being immensely enjoyed by those attending the actual ‘Big Weekend’ there were also other benefits that the festival brought to Glasgow. BBC Learning produced and funded the third annual
Radio One Academy in Glasgow in the week leading up to the Big Weekend. Over 7,000 young people between 16 and 19 attended the academy and sought advice and inspiration from celebrities such as Emeli Sandé, Rita Ora, Kevin Bridges,
Example and multi-millionaire entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. The event was intended to celebrate Glasgow hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games and it certainly kicked off an amazing year.
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
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Commonwealth Games Glasgow has been widely praised for hosting what some have called ‘the best Commonwealth Games ever’ and it’s easy to understand why. It was the biggest sporting and cultural event Scotland has ever hosted and over the course of the eleven days of the competition, nine world records and 142 Commonwealth records were set. Team Scotland performed brilliantly during the games and with the home crowd cheering them on, they managed to surpass their previous record of 33 medals, set at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. They finished
fourth on the medal table after winning an incredible 53 medals, 19 gold, 15 silver and 19 bronze and they also set four games records. However, it wasn’t just the athletes who were setting records. 50,811 people, from all over the world, volunteered for the 15,000 available volunteer positions at the games and this was more than the combined number of applications for the Manchester and Melbourne games. The Commonwealth Games had a fantastic impact on Glasgow and official research has shown that hosting the
world’s third largest multi-sport event has brought in an additional £282m worth of tourism to the city. An estimated 690,000 people travelled to Glasgow to attend the various events at the games and it seems that they were not disappointed with their trip as 91% of spectators at ticketed events said they were ‘satisfied or very satisfied’ with their overall games experience. Glasgow definitely set the bar high for the next host city, which will be Gold Coast City in Australia, as well as providing a lasting legacy for the people of Glasgow.
Ryder Cup Gala Concert On Wednesday 24th September, The SSE Hydro played host to an awe-inspiring fusion of vibrant colour, stunning production and spectacular performances for the one-off The 2014 Ryder Cup Gala Concert. Although The Ryder Cup tournament took place in Gleneagles from the 23rd of September until the 28th, the concert rocked out in Glagsow. With a proud nod towards Scotland’s eventful year so far, the first half consisted entirely of homegrown acts, with performances from Scottish favourites Twin Atlantic, Nina Nisbett, Amy McDonald and Midge Ure. Two hours later, during which the likes of Texas dutifully phoned it in, the evening caught fire with a joyous set from disco/funk legend Nile Rodgers. As for the competition itself, Team Europe got the win, triumphing over Team USA on our very own Scottish soil. Scotsmen Sam Torrance and Stephen Gallacher were amongst the winners. C’mon!!
Europe Music Awards Over 2.3m people across the world tuned in to watch Nicki Minaj host the annual MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in Glasgow with a fun time travel theme. ‘Europe’s biggest party’ saw performances from hostess with the mostest, Nicki Minaj, two-time winner on the night – Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Enrique Iglesias, Charli XCX, Royal Blood and Kiesza. MTV had promised the ‘hottest music stars’ would be attending the event but many fans were disappointed with the celebrity turn out. Although Ozzy Osbourne, supermodel Jourdan Dunn, WWE’s Bella Twins Nikki and Brie, and randomly enough, David Hasselhoff, were also there on the night, they didn’t quite match up to fans expectations as ‘superstars’ such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Eminem and One Direction have all attended the event in previous years.
24-year-old, Stephanie Shannon, was there on the night, she said: “It was a good night, however I was a little disappointed about the acts as there weren’t that many great people there which I would definitely say let it down.” Despite the lacklustre international celebrity presence, the event was attended by many Scottish performers including Prides, Biffy Clyro and Amy Macdonald. One Scottish superstar who fans missed on the night however was Calvin Harris who unfortunately had to pull out of the show due to a reported heart scare. The night was however still a huge success and was estimated to have brought around £10m to the city’s economy. And that’s a wrap!! by Courtney Hendry @courtneysarahx c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
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WHAT’S ON
JUDY’S VINTAGE FAIR RETURNS TO GLASGOW FOR CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! Fashionistas and like-minded vintage lovers everywhere will be preparing themselves for the return of Glasgow’s Affordable Vintage Fair. Hailed as a ‘shopping phenomenon’, the UK’s finest vintage fair and market ‘Judy’s Affordable
Vintage Fair’ has been travelling through a number of UK cities such as London, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and is now preparing for its glorious return to Scotland’s most fashionable city (in our opinion, anyway). What to expect is over 40 of the nation’s leading vintage traders all coming together to give you the shopping trip of your dreams at the gorgeous venue, The Wasps Artists’ Studios in the east end of Glasgow. At Judy’s, you can find a huge selection of vintage, re-worked and hand made garments which have been hand picked by fashion gurus all over the country. The garments are all priced individually and ensure you receive up to 75% off high street prices on rails full of vintage, and with deals like that, it is no surprise that over 1,200 shoppers attended Judy’s last event in Glasgow. The fair has captured the attention of thousands from being featured in high fashion magazines such as Elle, Stylist, Vogue and Marie Claire as well as featuring in fashion designer/journalist Dawn O’Porter’s channel 4 show ‘This Old Thing’. Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair was founded in 2005 and gets stronger fair by fair due to their simple mission – stunning vintage pieces from the four corners of the UK with an affordable price tag. This year you can expect the return of classic items like the tea length skirt, wide leg swing trouser and bomber jacket repeatedly featured on the catwalk at London Fashion Week, but why get something new that costs an arm and a leg when you can get something more genuine and affordable at Glasgow’s Affordable Vintage Fair? The fair features everything you could possibly want – from fashion to furniture, accessories to crafts, and not to mention the antiques! They work with over 2,000 of the UK’s top traders, such as 5-6-7-8 Vintage, Aurora Vintage Boutique and Memoir Vintage. Also at the event, you will
find Miss Dixiebell, a beautician with a love for all things vintage based in Glasgow. She will be there with her beauty salon for those after a new, glamorous look for the Christmas festivities. The talented beautician specialises in retro, pin up and rockabilly looks from the 20’s through to the 60’s. The brand and events manager for the event, Emily Hughes doesn’t hold back when it comes to praising the Glaswegian shoppers saying the city is definitely a highlight in their calendar ‘with such a variety of different styles within the city and a prevailing vintage scene throughout – a return to Glasgow is a no brainer’. ‘We always have such a wonderful turnout in Glasgow’ Emily adds, ‘with families, fashion fans and students alike all looking for that perfect piece of the past to take away with them’. When you get tired from a hard days shop, you can relax at the decadent vintage tea party and enjoy lashings of tea – because who doesn’t love tea? – as well as cakes and sweet treats from local bakers ‘The Hidden Lane Tearoom’ based in the west end. But Judy’s Vintage Fair is also a problem solver for those struggling to find the perfect christmas gift for a loved one – you can take them on a day out to Judy’s Vintage Fair and also get them a Judy’s gift voucher. You can get these vouchers at www.judysvintagefair.co.uk. Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair will be in Glasgow for one day only, so you better get down to the Wasps Artists’ Studios on the 13th of December and treat yourself just in time for Christmas. Entry is only £2 for a full day of fashion, with the event running from 12pm – 5pm and shoppers under 12 go free! by Joanna Mullan @joannamullan j.mullan@tsaglasgow.com
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
WHAT’S ON
WHAT’S ON THIS
HOGMANAY ceilidh or otherwise. In fact, TSA strongly encourages it. If it’s a fancy affair you’re after and fancy dusting off your tux, there are a few places that will help you see in 2015 in style. There are several balls taking place around the city, mostly in hotels such as Crowne Plaza, the Hilton Glasgow and Grand Central Hotel: these fine establishments are offering 3 course, black-tie dinners with DJ sets and dancing afterwards. It may cost you all the money your aunties have given you for Christmas – most dinner dances costing at least £100 – but it would certainly be worth it to celebrate in style and an unforgettable experience. There are, of course, a tonne of other possibilities if you prefer your Hogmanay a little less straight laced. For example the iconic King Tuts is hosting Glaswegian band Tijuana Bibles to ring in the bells, supported by Crash Club and Medicine Men. For a sweet £10 you can countdown to midnight with the blues rock outfit, tipped for huge success in the coming year, and enjoy a more alternative New Years celebration. Other great bars like Nice’n’Sleazy or Stereo will undoubtedly offer an amazing night but may reach capacity
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It can get pretty tiring seeing billboards throughout the last two months of the year promising you New Years Eve will be THE BIGGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR. We know. Hogmanay tends to be a pretty regular occurrence. But how do you make sure your 2015 gets off to the best possible start? Glasgow arguably holds the title for the best nightlife in Scotland (sorry Edinburgh. The castle is lovely at the bells, to be fair), so here are the highlights of this year’s Hogmanay season. Hogmanay is the perfect time to crack out all those ceilidh dances you were forced to learn in primary school, and if you’re going to deck it at some point throughout your New Years celebrations it may as well be to the sound of a fiddle and accordion. There will be many ceilidhs around Glasgow on the 31st, including Arta’s Hogmanay ceilidh and dinner package (£55 for dinner and dancing, £15 just for the ceilidh) which is followed by a DJ set. Cottiers in Hyndland is also hosting their annual ceilidh dinner for £29, though to be honest you could easily assemble a Strip the Willow on any available dance floor throughout the evening,
D TU
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earlier than usual, so you may be forgiven for breaking the fashionably late rule just this once. Ashton Lane undergoes its annual transformation from a laid back hidden gem of the West End to a buzzing allnight party. Featuring live music, DJs and food and drink all through the night, as well as a piper for the bells (because obviously), tickets for this Hogmanay favourite are £25 and is ideal for anyone less inclined to venture into town for the night. And don’t forget Merchant City Square are also hosting their annual NYE hootenanny (Will Jools Holland assassinate me for using his word? Most likely); tickets are £25, and the night features performances from 50s-inspired dance troupe The Kennedy Cupcakes, upbeat RnB group Soul Nation and Scottish man-band (Gary Barlow now has a ransom for my head) Killer City Sound, as well as a good old fashioned ball drop to welcome in 2015. Speaking of which, it goes without saying that every club in Glasgow will be eager to make you their first foot on Hogmanay, but only a handful may be worth it. Arches plays host to Clyde 1 DJ and Glasgow-favourite George Bowie as part of GBX Anthems. Bowie knows a Glaswegian crowd and can be relied on to provide the essential playlist with which to ring in 2015. Other DJs lined up for the night include Mallorca Lee and Steve Cocky and tickets start at £20. One of the highlights of Glasgow’s Hogmanay schedule, however, is Club Noir New Years Eve at O2 ABC. The selfproclaimed “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 2014. For anyone unfortunate enough to have never ventured to Club Noir, it remains one of Glasgow’s most popular and entertaining club nights and this Hogmanay spectacular is the ideal chance to indulge in some old school glamour. With tickets at £22.50, this is the quintessential party to end 2014 on a high. Whatever takes your fancy on New Years Eve, every place will offer something unique and exciting, and Glasgow won’t disappoint as the best city for a Hogmanay night out. Whether you’re in the city centre, the West End or your local, have a safe and memorable night, and be sure to revise the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne to avoid any embarrassment. And of course there’s always Jools Holland to keep you company if you’ve decided by Jonny Stone it’s too cold to venture out.
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GIG GUIDE
CITY CENTRE 13TH NOTE 1st DEC DOWSING (CHICAGO, IL) / KITTYHAWK (CHICAGO, IL) / THE GREAT ALBATROSS / FLAKES 7:30pm 4th DEC DASKINSEY4 / HERBERT POWELL / PENNYCRESS 8PM 5TH DEC THE MITRE 5’S / TOLSTOY STORY / THE HONEST MISTAKES 8pm 7th DEC SHORTLEGS / K.AR. / TABERNACLE / THE DELIBERATE CRUMBS / BOB FLAMBE 7PM 10TH DEC CODE ORANGE KIDS / + 2 8pm 11th DEC BROTHERHOOD PROMOTIONS: HOPES UP HIGH / PANICBYFLARE / + LOCAL SUPPORT 8pm 12th DEC UNTIL WE’RE HEROS / THE ZONULES OF ZINN / THE POLARNECKS 8:30pm 13th DEC AFTERNOON 2-5 IN THE BASEMENT. BRAW BOOKS PRESENTS…. JOHN MILLER COMIC LAUNCH! 2pm 14th DEC STRUGGLETOWN XMAS PARTY!: MAYCOMB / WOLVES AT HEART / THE SINKING FEELING 7:30pm 17th DEC THE HIGH LEARYS / THE RESPONSIBLE / + 2 8pm 18th DEC THE FEUDAL SYSTEM / THE LAPELLES / CALUM O’CONNOR 8pm 19th DEC FLY THE FRIENDLY / OF SPIRE AND THRONE / HEAVY SMOKE / SAPIEN 7:30pm 20th DEC THE PARKINSONS / + MORE 8pm 21st DEC YAKS / PHASES 8PM 28TH DEC SPOUTMOUTH / CUTTIN’ A RUG 8:30pm
CLASSIC GRAND 4th DEC I AM CONCERTS PRESENTS CLASSIC GRAND SHOWCASE 7pm
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
5th DEC AUDIO GLASGOW PRESENTS BIG COUNTRY 7pm 8th DEC BROMOTIONS PRESENTS ‘68 6:30pm 9th DEC GLASSWERK PRESENTS JANET DEVLIN 7:30pm 11th DEC CLASSIC GRAND PRESENTS RICKY WARWICK 7pm 12th DEC CLASSIC GRAND & PLUSWELT PRESENT COMBICHRIST + SPECIAL GUESTS 7pm 13th DEC R B MUSIC MANAGEMENT PRESENTS POND FLOYD 6:30pm 16th DEC I AM CONCERTS PRESENTS NICHOLAS MCDONALD 6:30pm 19th DEC CHRIS GLEN AND THE OUTFIT 7pm 20th DEC CHAZ ROYAL PRESENTS XMAS BURLESQUE BALL 7pm 27th DEC SHOCK CITY PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS MAIDEN SCOTLAND & GALLUS COOPER 7pm
KING TUTS WAH WAH HUT 2nd DEC JESSE MALIN 8pm 3rd DEC BIG SIXES + ALBINO BEARS 8:30pm
5th DEC THE BLUE DAWNS + THE 23’S 8:30pm
6th DEC GERRY CINNAMON + CALUM FRAME + MARK MCGOWAN 8:30pm 8th DEC AGAINST THE CURRENT 8pm 9th DEC LITTLE SIMZ, OCD (MOOSH & TWIST) 8:30pm 10th DEC GRAMATIK 8:30pm 11th DEC HAIGHT-ASHBURY + OLD BOHEMIA 7pm 12th DEC THE AMORETTES + MANTA + THE BAWLERS 8:30pm 13th DEC MALCOLM MIDDLETON FULL BAND SHOW 8:30pm 15th DEC HEFFRON DRIVE 8:30pm
17th DEC SWALLOWS + MUKA 8:30pm 18th DEC SUNSHINE SOCIAL + TIBET + THE HAZY SHADES 8:30pm 19th DEC BAHOOKIE 8:30pm 20th DEC ALABASTER JONES + FILIP BLAST + THE HOOK & SLINGERS 8:30pm 21st DEC MADE AS MANNEQUINS 8:30pm 22nd DEC JOE STRUMMER TRIBUTE NIGHT 8:30pm 23rd DEC THE MOJO CAMS 8:30pm 24th DEC THE FABLES + THE TRIPPS + CARAVAN CLUB 8:30pm 27th DEC GLASS MUSEUMS + KEEPING DIRT CLEAN + DISTRICT 55 8:30pm 28th DEC LIZZIE’S ARCADE + THE CARLTON JUG BAND 8:30pm 29th DEC ENEMIES OF THE STATE 8:30pm 30th DEC THE SINSHEIMERS 8:30pm 31st DEC TIJUANA BIBLES WITH SPECIAL GUESTS CRASH CLUB + MEDICINE MEN 8:30pm 3rd JAN DIVIDES + START STATIC + THE BLACK ART + PICNIC BASKET NOSEDIVE - PART OF KING TUT’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION 2015 8:30pm 8th JAN KILL THE WAVES + AMATRART + STATIC FUTURE + WOODWIFE - PART OF KING TUT’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION 2015 8:30pm 9th JAN WEEKEND WARS + INDIGO VELVET + FOREIGNFOX - PART OF KING TUT’S NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION 2015 8:30pm MONO 4th DEC MONO PRESENTS: THE SEA PINKS + THE YAWNS + MELLOW DRAMA + SHAM GATE 7:30pm 14th DEC MONO FESTIVE
BABY DISCO! 12:30pm
NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY 5th DEC BILL RYDER-JONES & SAINT SAVIOUR 8pm
11th DEC PRESS TO MECO + SO MANY ANIMAL CALLS + TOY MOUNTAINS + CANAL CAPITALE 8pm 12th DEC JONNY JACK 7:30pm 13th DEC CHANTEL MCGREGOR 7:30pm 14th DEC TRASH KIT + GUMMY STUMPS + PENNYCRESS 7:30pm 18th DEC HIGH FLIGHT FANZINE LIVE 7:30pm 19th DEC MERRY CHRISTMAS YA SLEAZY ANIMALS WITH: MOUNTAINS UNDER OCEANS, SERAPH SIN, MEGALOMATIC 8pm 21st DEC OLYMPIC SWIMMERS 8pm
02 ABC 1st DEC THE XMAS SHOWCASE 6pm 3rd DEC YG 7pm 4th DEC GRAHAM BONNET - CATCH THE RAINBOW TOUR: GRAHAM BONNET, MORPHEUS RISING 7pm 4th DEC METRONOMY 7pm 5th DEC THE CIAZARN AFFAIR: MIAMI MONROE, ATLAS, THE TALES 7pm 6th DEC MACFLOYD - INTO THE DISTANCE 7pm 7th DEC SAXON - WARRIORS OF THE ROAD - 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR: SAXON, HELL 7pm 8th DEC MARILLION 7pm 9th DEC BEHEMOTH: GRAND MAGUS, DECAPITATED, WINTERFYLLETH 7pm 11th DEC MICHAEL SCHENKER’S TEMPLE OF ROCK: MICHAEL SCHENKER, WESTERN SAND 6:30pm 12th DEC INSPIRAL CARPETS: BLOSSOMS 7pm 12th DEC H.E.A.T 7pm
13th DEC TAKING BACK SUNDAY: MARMOZETS 7pm 13th DEC HOTTER THAN HELL EUROPE (KISS): LIVE ‘N’ DANGEROUS (THIN LIZZY TRIBUTE), WHITSNAKE 7pm 14th DEC M.O.P.: MIXKINGS DJS 7pm 15th DEC THE ENEMY & THE TWANG 7pm 16th DEC THE GAME 7pm 18th DEC SMOOVE & TURRELL: NOWT BUT NORTHERN, RAY HARRIS & THE FUSION EXPERIENCE 7pm 19th DEC THE TWILIGHT SAD 7pm 20th DEC VIGO THIEVES 7pm 20th DEC THE XMAS XTRAVAGLAMZA FT. THE SENSATIONAL DAVID BOWIE TRIBUTE BAND, DIRTY HARRY, THE SLADE EXPERIENCE, HOT LOVE (T.REX) 7pm 27th DEC ALEXANDER O’NEAL: ODYSSEY, UNOMA OKUDO, DJ NAEEM 6pm 27th DEC BARS AND MELODY 1pm 31st DEC THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS: FILSONIK, VILMOS (THE SHIMMY) 10pm 02 ACADEMY 5th DEC 2MANYDJS: DRUM OF DEATH 9pm
6th DEC RODRIGO Y GABRIELA 7pm
13th DEC MACHINE HEAD: DEVIL YOU KNOW, HEART OF A COWARD 7pm 14th DEC ANGUS & JULIA STONE: THE STAVES 7pm 31st DEC CLUB NOIR - NEW YEAR’S EVE 9pm
SLOUCH 2nd DEC LATE NIGHT JAZZ WITH GRINGO CHOLO’S TUESDAY NIGHT SWEETHEARTS 10pm 3rd DEC WEDNESDAY NIGHT BLUES WITH BLACK CAT BONE 10pm
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4 4th DEC SLOUCH UNPLUGGED
ARMS 10pm
WITH BEAR ARMS 10pm 5th DEC BADSEED WITH DAN SOUTH (DJ SET) IF YOU’VE GOT A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PROBLEM, WE’VE GOT THE SOLUTION… ROCK N ROLL, BLUES, ROCK, FUNK SOUL & THE KITCHEN SINK 11-3am 6th DEC SLOUCH PRESENTS RIP THIS JOINT (DJ SET) WITH DJ JOPEZ PLAYING INDIE/ ROCK N’ROLL/ROCK/BLUES/ SOUL AND FUNK 11pm till 3am 7th DEC ELECTRIC SUNDAY FEATURING PRECIOUS PENNY PLUCKER, JUSTHOPE & MICHAEL EDGAR 7pm 9th DEC LATE NIGHT JAZZ WITH GRINGO CHOLO’S TUESDAY NIGHT SWEETHEARTS 10pm 10th DEC WEDNESDAY NIGHT BLUES WITH HOT TIN ROOF 10pm 11th DEC SLOUCH UNPLUGGED WITH THE AUTOPILOTS 10pm 12th DEC BADSEED WITH DAN SOUTH (DJ SET) IF YOU’VE GOT A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PROBLEM, WE’VE GOT THE SOLUTION… ROCK N ROLL, BLUES, ROCK, FUNK SOUL & THE KITCHEN SINK 11-3am 13th DEC SLOUCH PRESENTS RIP THIS JOINT (DJ SET) WITH DJ JOPEZ PLAYING INDIE/ ROCK N’ROLL/ROCK/BLUES/ SOUL AND FUNK 11pm till 3am 14th DEC ELECTRIC SUNDAY WITH FIRST TIGER, ERIN FERGUSON& THE PURPLE FELTS 7pm 16th DEC LATE NIGHT JAZZ WITH GRINGO CHOLO’S TUESDAY NIGHT SWEETHEARTS 10pm 17th DEC WEDNESDAY NIGHT BLUES WITH ALAN ANDERSON 10pm 18th DEC SLOUCH UNPLUGGED WITH BEAR
19th DEC BADSEED WITH DAN SOUTH (DJ SET) IF YOU’VE GOT A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PROBLEM, WE’VE GOT THE SOLUTION… ROCK N ROLL, BLUES, ROCK, FUNK SOUL & THE KITCHEN SINK 11-3am 20th DEC SLOUCH PRESENTS RIP THIS JOINT (DJ SET) WITH DJ JOPEZ PLAYING INDIE/ ROCK N’ROLL/ROCK/BLUES/ SOUL AND FUNK 11pm till 3am 21st DEC ELECTRIC SUNDAY FEATURING CLAIRE CAMPBELL, STEPHANIE MCCLAIN, MAGIC BULLETS & EVENTIDE ODYSSEY 7pm 23rd DEC LATE NIGHT JAZZ WITH GRINGO CHOLO’S TUESDAY NIGHT SWEETHEARTS 10pm 24th DEC WEDNESDAY NIGHT BLUES WITH ACTS TO BE CONFIRMED 10pm 25th DEC SLOUCH UNPLUGGED WITH THE AUTOPILOTS 10pm 26th DEC BADSEED WITH DAN SOUTH (DJ SET) IF YOU’VE GOT A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PROBLEM, WE’VE GOT THE SOLUTION… ROCK N ROLL, BLUES, ROCK, FUNK, SOUL & THE KITCHEN SINK 11-3am 27th DEC SLOUCH PRESENTS RIP THIS JOINT (DJ SET) WITH DJ JOPEZ PLAYING INDIE/ ROCK N’ROLL/ROCK/BLUES/ SOUL AND FUNK 11pm till 3am 28th DEC ELECTRIC SUNDAY FEATURING PATERSANI & MORE ACTS TO BE CONFIRMED 7pm 30th DEC LATE NIGHT JAZZ WITH GRINGO CHOLO’S TUESDAY NIGHT SWEETHEARTS 10pm 31st DEC GREAT BELLS OF FIRE DJ JOPEZ RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A DAZZLING
GIG GUIDE SELECTION OF THE FINEST ROCK & ROLL 11pm
SUBSTANCE DJS 11PM
LAUNCH 7pm
6TH DEC BALKANARAMA
6th DEC THE XCERTS 7pm 7th DEC MAGGIE’S
10:30pm
THE ARCHES 5th DEC DUSKY + TOM TRAGO, FUNKINEVIL, YOUANDEWAN, PALMS TRAX, WARDY & DOM D’SYLVA 10pm 6th DEC DEFECTED IN THE HOUSE, WITH OLIVER $, NOIR, SONNY FODERA, SIMON DUNMORE, RIPPERTON, FLASHMOB, CHRISTOPH AND MORE 10pm 6th DEC PRIDES (SOLD OUT) 7pm 10th DEC TEMPLES (+ SUPPORT TBC) 7pm 12th DEC APOLLONIA + HOLD YOUTH & DJEBALI 10pm 12th DEC THE PHANTOM BAND 7pm 13th DEC MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS 7pm 19th DEC PRESSURE XMAS PARTY: SVEN VÄTH (3HR SET) | SLAM 10pm 20th DEC COLOURS PRESENTS: ARMADA, WITH ANDREW RAYEL, RUBEN DERONDE, BRYAN KEARNEY + MORE TBC 10pm 26th DEC COLOURS WINTERPARTY 2014, WITH ALY & FILA, UMMET OZCAN, QUINTINO, JORDAN SUCKLEY, MIGHTYFOOLS, MICHAEL CALFAN, FERRY TAYLE 9:30pm 31st DEC GBC NYE – WELCOME 2015 9pm
THE ART SCHOOL 3rd DEC NO GLOBE 3RD BIRTHDAY: WERKHA + BLOOD SPORT + LETITIA PLEIADES 11pm 4th DEC OUT OF ORBIT: KHIDJA 11pm 5th DEC PC MUSIC: GFOTY + A.G. COOK + KANE WEST + SPINEE + NU NEW EDITION 11pm 5th DEC SUBSTANCE: SCION + MARK MAXWELL +
10th DEC NIGHT OF THE JAGUAR - XMAS PARTY 11pm 11th DEC INFERNO BALL: TBC 11pm 13th DEC BEATROOT & LACE VINTAGE FAIR 10:30pm 13th DEC MY BABY LIKES TO BOOGALOO - DIVINE BABY DISCO 1pm 13th DEC GODFLESH 7pm 13th DEC FREAKY FREAKY XMAS PARTY 11pm 18th DEC OUT OF ORBIT: BARBEROS 11pm 19th DEC HUNTLEY & PALMERS 7TH BIRTHDAY: TALABOMAN + ANDREW + HIGHLIFE 11pm 20th DEC BEATROOT & LACE VINTAGE FAIR 12pm 20the DEC TOO NICE 11pm 31st DEC OPTIMO HOGMANAY 11pm
THE GARAGE 6th DEC AT THE GATES 7pm 7th DEC ICW: BRUSH YOUR GOOSE 7pm
9th DEC MORBID ANGEL 7pm 10th DEC RUN THE JEWELs 7pm
11th DEC CAST 7pm 12th DEC THE SHERLOCKS
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CHRISTMAS MUSIC WITH CRAIG ARMSTRONG AND FRIENDS 2pm 7th DEC BLACK SNAKE ROOTS 5pm 7th DEC FROM THE JAM 7pm 8th DEC LOVE AND INFORMATION BY CARYL CHURCHILL 7pm 9th DEC LOVE AND INFORMATION BY CARYL CHURCHILL 7pm 10th DEC STEVE CRADOCK 7pm 11th DEC RED SKY JULY 7pm 12th DEC THE BEARDS 7pm 13th DEC CHINA CRISIS 7pm 21st DEC SOUL FI’S CHRISTMAS NIGHT OUT 7pm 22nd DEC ÒRAN MÓR NA NOLLAIG (BIG SONG FOR CHRISTMAS) 5pm 27th DEC THE SILENCERS 7pm 28th DEC THE SILENCERS 7pm 30th DEC SING-A-LONG FROZEN 6:30pm 31st DEC HOGMANAY @ ORAN MOR (MAIN BAR) WITH DJ MARK ROBB 7pm 31st DEC HOGMANAY @ CLUB O (ORAN MOR NIGHTCLUB) WITH DJ BOBBY BLUEBELL 11pm
7pm
13th DEC STANLEY ODD 7pm 15th DEC JOE ELLIOTT’S DOWN N’OUTZ 7pm 19th DEC THE IMPROVISERS 7pm 20th DEC NEW CITY KINGS + CONCEPT 7pm 21st DEC ICW SPACEBAWS EPISODE V BILL MURRAY STRIKES BACK 7pm
WEST END ORAN MOR 4th DEC DAVID FORD 7pm 5th DEC LITTLE FIRE ALBUM
THE BARROWLAND BALLROOM 5th - 7th DEC BIFFY CLYRO 7pm
8th DEC MANIC STREET PREACHERS 7pm
12th DEC THE VATERSAY BOYS 6:30pm 13th DEC SAVIFEST 6pm 13th DEC IAN MCNABB & COLD SHOULDER 6:30pm 14th DEC PARKWAY DRIVE SUPPORT: HEAVEN SHALL BURN + NORTHLANE + CARNIFEX 6:30pm 27th DEC OLD SKOOL DANCE 6pm
Gig Guide...
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
WHAT’S ON
23
COLONEL MUSTARD AND ESPERANZA
AT THE BARROWLANDS “I liked the feeling a lot, it made me realise what I There’s been rumbles about a tangy yet pungent musical should be aiming for in my music, that connection with the revolution gathering steam in Glasgow in recent months, audience through music, dance, comedy, interaction and and by the sounds of things, or taste, people can’t seem to nonsense. This became the blueprint for Colonel Mustard get enough of this pumped up steam train of a movement’s and formed the five elements mustardy flavours. of the Dijon.” Mr. Colman The Dijon 5 have quickly himself would be Laugh until you no longer know what it is to hate, developed a knack for belting proud. release your soul, determine your own fate, lose your out fast paced soul infused Colonel self-consciousness, find anonymous awesomeness, music laden with humour and Mustard and in bottomless thoughtfulness, lose your inhibitions, the sharpest of Scottish wit. the Dijon 5 are forget the distractions, take non-violent direct action, They believe that humour in at first glance a be your own improvement, use your illusion. You are music is all important, that it’s troubadour-ing, never alone, anyone can happen, be the best you, you inviting and engaging, and mustard inspired can be. This is the blueprint, we are the nuisance, the that this style best represents musical concoction fluent union of amusement. The Yellow Movement, the positive change and voice of chaos, with a the evolution revolution, a symbiosis of (un)conscious they are trying to embody. disco ball wearing, and conscience...do join us. “We believe the ridiculous sharp-suited songs you come up with in a Colonel, a full jamming situation generally have more of our personalities spectrum of instruments and performers and energy levels in them and tend to have better grooves and melodies than like a Pikachu on the wildest of speed binges all making well thought out, heartfelt compositions. That sense of up the recipe. But scratch the surface, and you see that humour should be stamped all over the music.” the ethos and energy the band is carrying make Colonel Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 are also part of the Mustard and the Dijon 5 one of the most engaging and Yellow Movement with The Girobabies, Mickey 9’s and a refreshing musical firebrands in the Glasgow music scene. host of other bands “who like to bring the Beginning from just two members, Colonel Mustard party, but with a social conscience.” This himself, known by day as John McAlinden, and his cousin movement is a big sexy musical medley of Mortimer Winthorpe The 3rd Marquis Of Denmark, the some of Glasgow’s best talent and unifies band has morphed into what the Colonel describes as “a 15 the music scene’s attitudes towards social piece unstoppable party machine”. But it’s not all about the change, politics, people, and perhaps most party, although the party is of the utmost importance, as the importantly, music. The wider the Dijon 5 Colonel explains, can spread their ideas, the more people their “We like to have elements of seriousness in the mix, food music and the energy of the band, and of the for thought on politics, religion, some social commentary, Yellow Movement, reaches. whatever, but primarily we aim to entertain people, make The band have come a long way since them smile, laugh and dance. Appeal to the most basic their first gig at The Flying Duck in Glasgow human spirit and the child within.” in 2010 and this month they’re set to Getting the audience involved is a huge part of the headline SAVI Fest at Glasgow’s Barrowlands band’s shows, and this kind of shared performance with the on Saturday 13th December, a dream come crowd is indicative of what the band is trying to achieve. true for the band. SAVI stands for Sexual They want everyone to walk out of their shows smiling ear Assault Victims Initiative and the entire night to ear and feeling part of something good, feeling part of is to raise funds for this often neglected and the band. How did this become such a prevalent component worthwhile cause. of the mustard movement?
“It’s really underfunded, which is a disgrace, when you think how complicit the establishment are in sexual abuse. If more people can openly talk about these things and go for help or speak to their families or someone they can trust this will help reduce the incidence of this happening. It’s important people dig deep for this charity, but also that we raise some awareness on keeping kids safe.” Tickets are £10 from the New Hellfire Club, Tickets Scotland or by contacting any of the acts on the bill. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. This is an opportunity to see one of the most captivating, fun and downright mental performances around, all the while supporting a cause in need of funds at one of Glasgow’s most revered venues. Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 are an example of how with just a little support, good direction and a positive energy, you can influence change through the power of music and laughter. They are not what they appear, and they are growing. They are not just a yellowy mesh of musical fusion, shiny hats and musical and cultural diversity, they are the living, breathing, venue shaking embodiment of a movement that wants to use music to give something back. Go see them, support by Cameron Willis the movement, be the @CameronWillis92 6th Dijon of the Dijon 5. c.willis@tsaglasgow.com
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WHAT’S ON
SANTA DASH 2014
DASHING THROUGH
GEORGE SQUARE
On the 7th of December Glasgow City Centre will be taken over by legions of people impersonating the most talked about man at Christmas. Jesus? No, don’t be silly. Sir Santa of the house Clause. The ever popular Santa Dash returns to Glasgow as people run, skip and jump their way to the finish line – beard, hat, mince pies and all. The thing that makes the Santa Dash different from your usual charity fun runs, is that all over the world, from Osaka to Las Vegas, from Galway to Glasgow, people come together to utilise the spirit of Christmas and raise some money that goes to the most worthwhile of local causes within that community. In Glasgow the event begins at 9:30am on Sunday the 7th of December and is just a fun filled run that promises laughs and an abundance of Santas from the outset. Plus, if you’re taking part, “public service” giant First are offering everyone dressed as a Santa and taking part in the run, free travel all day. So, if you’re an unfit mess like me, just dress up as Santa and you’ll get bussed around the city all day, to
go and support the race of course. Of course. The race itself is five kilometres long and starts from George Square, which won’t have seen as much red on its streets since World War Z inspired the undead to come to Glasgow. Actually, the prospect of thousands of Santa’s in the one place sounds just as terrifying. Each year charities are nominated and voted for and the money raised through participation is spread around them. This year the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, the Daily Mail Centenary fund and 17 other worthy causes have been chosen to be supported by the dash. Registration for the race for adults is £15 and it’s £5 for kids under 16. Nothing when you think about the causes the money goes to, the work that they do and the fact you get to run around Glasgow in a Santa suit with your pals and not actually get lifted! Registration for the race is done online, and can be done by visiting the Glasgow City Council website and searching for Santa Dash, or you can just google Glasgow Santa dash.
The 7th is the busy day for Santa Dashes on the calendar, with tributes to big man and the opportunity to raise money for local causes and local people going on from Belfast to Bradford. It’ll be just over two weeks before Christmas when the race starts, and if you’re still being a complete Scrooge by then, then this will be just the ticket to turn you into a Christmas loving Turkey enthusiast, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If even a city full of rampaging Santa’s can’t turn you, then it seems that there’s no by Cameron Willis @CameronWillis92 hope for you left. At c.willis@tsaglasgow.com least try the hat...
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
WHAT’S ON
25
THE ORIGINAL GLASGOW
COMIC & TOY FAIR Where once comics used to be the domain of the socalled geeks of our society, the medium and geek culture has taken off in a big way over the course of the last 15 years. It seems that Hollywood releases several movies every summer featuring some of the comic industry’s biggest superheroes; Spiderman, Batman, Superman, I could go on. Comic shops are popping up everywhere and joining forces with the ones already present to put on fairs for fans to come and buy their products, and Glasgow’s own Comic and Toy Fair will be hosting one in early December. The fair takes place on several different occasions throughout the year but this particular fair allows for a
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Christmas theme, producing a family friendly atmosphere that will feature Christmas songs, face painting, and even a visit from Super Santa for any visitors’ children who aren’t completely engrossed in the comics and toys on offer. Hosting more than 30 tables of Glasgow’s finest comic and toy vendors, visitors can peruse and purchase a variety of products. Lovers of comics can look forward to looking through the collections of BHP Comics, Braw Books, City of Lost Souls and Planet Jimbot, among others. For those of you who are into Japanese anime and manga comics, Anime Attic will also have a table full of comics and merchandise available for you to buy. Of course, comics are not the only thing on offer. Many of the tables will be hosted by some of Glasgow’s finest independent toy collectors and sellers; Hugh Campbell, The Last Outpost, Michael Day and Ross Kirkbride are just a small selection of the people who will be at the fair, and visitors are welcome to bring any toys they may be interested in trading for new ones at the event. Bunny’s Beads and UniqueGeekBoutique will be selling a variety of geeky jewellery and geeky merchandise respectively, for anyone who loves to show just how much they embrace the whole culture. There will even be some independent comic creators and artists there, Steph Ward and Tanya Roberts among them, who will be presenting their own work and give the opportunity to like-minded individuals to bring their own work along and possibly make new contacts in the process. Beyond all this, there will also be a plethora of back issues, graphic novels, DVDs and trading cards on offer for everyone to buy. It’s events like these that can appeal to a huge amount of students in the city as it presents an opportunity to meet new people that you may never have known, as well as being a fun day out for all the family. And with a café, wi-fi, full access for the disabled and free entry to the event to
top it all off, Glasgow Comic and Toy Fair is a day that you should not miss out on. Glasgow Comic and Toy Fair will be held in the Renfield Centre in Bath Street on December 6th between by Aidan Scott @bigaidan 11am and 5pm. a.scott@tsaglasgow.com
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DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
ADVERTORIAL
CHANGE A LIFE WITH
GUIDE
DOGS SCOTLAND “I’m studying Optometry at university and volunteer for Guide Dogs in my spare time. I love volunteering – it’s so rewarding. I decided to volunteer with Guide Dogs because it relates to my course. But I also find it really valuable and worthwhile. There are lots of different roles you can volunteer for and I would definitely recommend giving it a go.” Jill Paterson, Glasgow Caledonian University
Guide Dogs changes the lives of hundreds of blind and partially sighted people across Scotland. We need your help to make an even bigger difference. By volunteering with Guide Dogs, you could meet new people, learn new skills, boost your CV – and help transform the life of someone with sight loss. Are you interested in setting up a Guide Dogs Society to fundraise for our vital work? Do you want to campaign for a world where blind and partially sighted people enjoy the same freedom of movement as everyone else? Would you like to learn sighted guiding skills and help get someone with sight loss back out and about in their community? There are many ways you can be a life changer with Guide Dogs Scotland. To have a chat about getting involved, phone Rubina Shah in our Glasgow Team on 0845 372 7436, or email Rubina.shah@guidedogs. org.uk Find out more about Guide Dogs Scotland by visiting guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Change a life – volunteer for Guide Dogs We are looking for people to volunteer locally as: • Fundraisers • Campaigners • My Guide sighted guides Please contact Rubina rubina.shah@guidedogs.org.uk 0845 37 27 436 guidedogsscotland.org.uk A charity registered in England and Wales (209617) and Scotland (SC038979). 7690 11/14
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WHAT’S ON
COLOURS BOXING DAY
WINTER PARTY IS BACK You wouldn’t normally associate the festive season with all round general trance related madness, but each year The Arches hosts a boxing day bash that tranceheads never forget to put on their Christmas lists. The Colours Winter Party is back, and this year bigger than ever. Since 1989, Colours have been putting on nights all over Scotland and the promoters have built up a steady reputation for innovative and fresh answers to clubbers demands, and the Winter Party is no different. This year sees Egyptian trance titans Aly & Fila headline the event and return to The Arches. The North African pacesetters have gone from strength to strength recently and will look forward to giving the Glasgow crowd exactly what they want: absolute carnage. Regular Beatport chart topper Ummet Ozcan is also playing a set, and the half Turkish, half Dutch maestro brings something else to the table. Dutch DJ Quintino continues this very international celebration of one of dance music’s most established genres with an Arches debut and the ever popular Liverpudlian Jordan Suckley has been signed up to tear the place apart. Dutch duo Mightyfools, French house producer Michael Calfan and Strasbourg born Ferry Tayle are also flying the trance flag for their respective states at one of the biggest, and most important parties of the year. Colours have always been notorious for their love of local Scottish talent and their events always allow for the best new sounds of Scotland to be showcased. The Winter Party
is an opportunity for these local acts to tear the roof off the place and smash a packed Arches to pieces. Calvin Logue will be playing a set to top off what’s been a fantastic year for the young Glaswegian wherein he played all over Ibiza including opening the main room at the famous Amnesia. Colours resident Lewis M will also be playing to round off a great year for him too that saw him play alongside the likes of Steve Angello at Size in the Park. Bishopbriggs born David McKnight will continue his steady stream of Arches sets on the night too, and Gareth Hunt will travel up from Birmingham to make an appearance. Dundonian Hannah Laing will also get the chance to melt some faces in what promises to be one of the best trance nights of the year. There are still tickets available at £25 (plus booking fee) but these are limited so get in quick to steal yourself a spot. When they’re gone, there are still a few £30 (plus booking fee) tickets left, which is a steal with the type of talent on show, the crowd and the inventiveness of a Colours’ night. Get your jingle bells on, and dance your way down to the Arches for a boxing day that promises not to dissapoint. You never know, maybe if you ask Santa he’ll be good enough to leave one in your stocking too, if not, if you’re that way inclined, I’m sure the prospect of some banging boxing day trance will be enough to tempt you. by Cameron Willis @CameronWillis92 c.willis@tsaglasgow.com
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
WHAT’S ON
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SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER COMES TO GLASGOW FOR LONGEST LEG OF IT’S UK TOUR Its time to dig out the flared jeans, the retro print shirt, the gold chains and a pair of high-heeled wedge shoes because Saturday Night Fever is coming to Glasgow! This Christmas you will be dancing with Saturday Night Fever at the Theatre Royal. The cast are bringing the production to Glasgow from Tuesday, 16 December until Saturday 3, January 2015 in the longest leg of their tour. Unleash your disco diva with the iconic musical Saturday Night Fever produced by Theatre Royal Bath Productions in association with the Robert Stigwood Organisation. Featuring a twenty-strong cast of hugely talented actors and musicians, bringing to life one of the most loved dance stories of all time. Have no fear, this spectacular new staging of Saturday Night Fever is packed with all the legendary hits from the Bee Gees including the classics Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever, Jive Talking, How Deep is Your Love? and You Should Be Dancing. So make sure you have your singing voice prepared ahead of the show. Just to set the scene for those that may need a small reminder, the date is 1976 and in New York Tony Manero, a young man from a tough Brooklyn neighbourhood with a dead-end job and an extraordinary ability to dance, has only one ambition in life – to become the disco king. Every Saturday night Tony dons his flares and hits the dance floor creating a stir as he wows the crowds with his phenomenal moves and routines. When he meets Stephanie, who also dreams of a world beyond Brooklyn,
they decide to train together for a dance competition and their lives begin to change forever. The smash hit 1977 film of Saturday Night Fever starring Oscar-nominee John Travolta inspired the definitive soundtrack by the Bee Gees and popularised disco around the world. The multi Grammy Award-winning music behind the film, combined with its gripping storyline captured the imagination of millions. Saturday Night Fever is famed for its encapsulation of ‘70s disco culture, but the heart of this film is its sympathetic portrayal of the need to escape one’s background. There is a huge bundle of talent within the cast of the production. The role of Tony Manero is played by Danny Bayne, who made his West End debut as Danny Zuko in the musical Grease at London’s Piccadilly Theatre, after winning ITV’s Grease is the Word. He returns to his role as Tony Manero after touring the US in Saturday Night Fever. Not only is he a great actor, but a talented dancer, achieving the status of British Champion in Freestyle, Hip Hop, Latin American and Rock ‘n’ Roll. As for the female lead, Naomi Slights plays the role of Stephanie. Her credits include Mamma Mia! in the West End, 20th Century Boy on UK Tour, Thank You For The Music at Hyde Park, and she returns to the role of Stephanie after starring in Saturday Night Fever at Frankfurt’s English Theatre.
Be sure to have your dancing shoes ready! Choreography comes from Andrew Wright, who won Best Choreographer at the What’s On Stage Awards in 2013 for his choreography of the West End Production of Singin’ in the Rain. Expect a full packed production of fun. It’s one not to miss! Saturday Night Live Fever comes to Theatre Royal Glasgow from 16th Decmeber – 3rd January. Tickets available at www.atgtickets.com/glasgow or at the box office 08448 717 647.
by Emylie Howie @EmylieHowie e.howie@tsaglasgow.com
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WHAT’S ON
WHO’S
TOURING
2014 has been a spectacular year for Glasgow. We hosted the Commonwealth Games, MTV EMA’s, Radio 1’s Big Weekend but now the year is coming to an end it is time to start looking to the future, and I don’t mean planning new year’s resolutions such as stop biting your fingernails or start saving money. In 2015 we are going to greet hundreds of celebrities wanting to experience the good old Glasgow spirit. They will be travelling from all over the UK and from across the pond to entertain all you lovely people. So what’s on? The year isn’t even over yet so you may not know who will be playing where and how to get tickets, but no worries – we are your go-to guide! There are a huge number of musicians, athletes, comedians and even magicians who will be taking the stage and we wanted to let you know some of our top picks! For those looking for a Christmas present which will make you the favourite child in the house, head over to TicketMaster.com and get a couple of Lionel Ritchie tickets for your parents. Good old Lionel will be one of many artists playing the SSE Hydro next year, others include ex Oasis guitarist and vocalist Noel Gallagher with his current band
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, everybody’s guilty pleasure, McBusted and you can also expect superstars Fleetwood Mac. Oh, but that’s not all! Since the Hydro opened just over a year ago, celebrities have been in and out constantly. Last year we got rockers such as Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys as well as The Who (30/11), but this year you can expect a 90’s throwback. Take That will be performing for the first time since Jason Orange left the group, and unless you have been living under a rock for the past month, you will have seen S Club 7 reunite for Children In Need 2014, but they will also be performing to thousands more on their UK tour next year. Since ‘Shake It Off’ topped the charts this year, you can expect Taylor
IN 2015
Swift to be performing to a sell out crowd at the Hydro next Summer too. Paolo Nutini will be taking to the stage at
the start of the year which is a postponed gig from October this year, so everybody who has tickets, make sure you keep the date in your diary as there is nothing better than the atmosphere at a sell out gig in an artists home town! The American duo, The Black Keys will also be returning to Glasgow after a phenomenal gig back in 2012 at the SECC, but now that a bigger, badder venue is in town, they want to give that a try too. Young girls everywhere (and maybe some older ones who love them but don’t want to admit it such as myself) will be squealing with excitement in September when One Direction take stage at the SSE Hydro to perform all your favourite hits. The year will also feature Nickelback’s return, Scottish Rockers The View and newcomer Sam Smith. If you’re a huge comedy fan, 2015 is your year! Kevin Bridges is doing an unbelievable 11 nights at the Hydro next October – yes, you read that right, 11 nights!! Michael McIntyre will also be doing a 3 day stunt at the Hydro straight after Kevin Bridges and you can also catch illusionist Dynamo at the Clyde Auditorium probably walking on water or floating in air or something… It is also a big year in sports in Glasgow. We are hosting the
2015 World Gymnastics Championship as well as the Swimming Championships. You will also see The Kiltwalk marching through Glasgow as well as all other Scottish cities in April 2015. The Kiltwalk is a unique Scottish charity that brings together some of the nation’s most loved children’s charities to raise donations and awareness.
Tickets to all events can be purchased through ticketmaster.com, and you can see dates and prices below: Lionel Ritchie - 6/3/15 -The SSE Hydro - £22-72.80 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - 7/3/15 The SSE Hydro - £39.20 - £78.40 McBusted - 12/3/15 - The SSE Hydro - £37.50 - £110 Fleetwood Mac - 16/6/15 - The SSE Hydro - £50 - £125 Take That - 27/4/15 - 1/5/2015 (4 Shows) The SSE Hydro - £55-£85 S Club 7 - 20/5/2015 - The SSE Hydro - £35-£45 Taylor Swift - 23/06/2015 - The SSE Hydro - £55-£75 Paolo Nutini - 9/1/15-10/1/15 - The SSE Hydro - £35-45 The Black Keys - 1/3/15 - The SSE Hydro - £27.50 - £75 One Direction - 8/10/15 - The SSE Hydro - £TBC The View - 27/3/15 - The Barrowlands - £17.50 Sam Smith - 16/3/15-17/3/15 - O2 Academy - £27.50 Kevin Bridges - 21/9/15-26/9/15 / 1/10/15-6/10/15 The SSE Hydro - £30 Michael McIntyre - 19/11/15-21/11/15 The SSE Hydro - £35-£50 Dynamo - 20/11/15 The Clyde Auditorium - £32.50-£39.50 by Joanna Mullan @joannamullan j.mullan@tsaglasgow.com
OUR PICK DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
FEATURE
31
OF THE MONTH
It’s no great secret that Scotland’s music scene is a thing to be proud of. So here at TSA, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to present you with our monthly pick of who we think are doing epically well in Scotland right now. Keep your eyes out for these up and coming bands. This is TSA’s ‘Pick of the Month’.
DARKSOUL
Finding their beginnings in Edinburgh’s Old Town, DarkSoul have become one of the most exciting acts in the city’s hip hop scene. DarkSoul’s contemporary soul sound comes with an infusion of styles from established hip-hop producer Nasty P and alternative-soul singer-songwriter Naledi. Both strong acts in their own right, DarkSoul began working together two years ago and despite their different musical backgrounds, the duo have received wide praise for their performances at laid back summer festivals such as the Kelburn Garden Party, AudioSoup and Linkylea. Whilst Nasty P began DJing at 16 and has gone on to become one of the most recognisable names on the Edinburgh hip hop scene through his weekly I Love Hip Hop club nights and working with artists such as Jurassic 5’s Akil and Skinnyman, Naledi began her musical journey with more classical beginnings. “I’ve done music all my life,” she explains. “From the age of four, I was playing piano and a lot of it was influenced by my dad because he was a jazz musician. When it started, it was more classical but I still appreciated having that kind of teaching. “I used to go the RSAMD in Glasgow on a Saturday to play
piano and clarinet and be in the choir. I always loved the choir side of it because all I wanted to do was sing but they told me I was too young and that my voice wasn’t mature enough yet. “That was from when I was eight till about fourteen. I think that’s a big reason why I kind of gave up on it. I stopped playing the piano and the clarinet and it took me a while before I came back to it later.” When Naledi did come back to it, it didn’t take long for people to take notice. Nasty’s manager came across one of her tracks online and was the first to suggest that the pair should work together. “After I had my daughter, I thought: ‘Well, I want to be a singer and I always have,” says Naledi. “So I got a piano and I started writing. Nasty’s manager at the time, Bobby, he came across my track Forever in the Rain on YouTube and it all started from there.” Nasty agrees. “Yeah, I was really just working and doing my own stuff at the time,” he says. “Bobby had heard Naledi and he asked me what I thought. The vocals were really amazing but I thought the production behind it could do with an extra something. “At that time, I really wanted to get my teeth into working
with an artist and doing some collaborations. As soon as we started doing stuff together, there just seemed to be a real chemistry there.” That chemistry led to the release of a nine-track EP in 2013 that only served to further the duo’s reputation, with strong tracks like Got Me Goin’ and Regrets gaining them new followers. With both members having their own projects, things seemed to slow down for DarkSoul in first half of 2014, with not much word on gigs or new material. According to Nasty, the break away allowed the duo to take some time and take a fresh look at their material. “The cool thing is we both have our own things going on,” he explains. “I DJ and I have my own artists that I work with. I spent some time working on my own stuff and Naledi was doing the same. By the time we met back, because we’d had that time off, we were able to hear it fresh without over analysing it and we just thought: ‘Wow, this sounds really good. We could have something here.’” So now the group are looking to release a full 11-track album at the beginning of next year, with the majority of the new singles already in place. Whilst the EP gained the group a lot of praise, Nasty thinks the new album will go even further, with the group having saved some of their best material for a full release. “From the very start there’s been certain tracks that we’ve just pulled to one side because we think they’re probably too good to just go out on an EP, he says. “Now we’ve got this full list of sort of album-worthy stuff and it’s all ready to go. It just needs to be tied up.” Naledi agrees. “Some of it we’re just so precious about because we’ve been sitting on it for almost two years,” she says. Some of it we haven’t even performed yet. We are quite protective of it but I think it’s time to just let them go and get them out there. “There are a few to look out for but the one I really want people to hear is Red Light. We’ve performed it a little bit and everyone seems to have really loved it so far. I think that’s going to be the one that really hits home for people.” Nasty’s favourite is a track called Pretty Girls because in his mind it encapsulates the sound that DarkSoul are searching for, an exciting fusion of different musical styles. “I think when people hear it, they’ll realise what we’re all about,” he says. “Its got a bit of a futuristic sound to it but you’ll still hear those big soul influences on there too.” “The album, overall, is going to be different from some of the stuff that people have heard from us before but it’s still going to be my beats and Naledi’s voice. Its still got those elements there but now it’s starting to grow into DarkSoul. It’s starting to become its own entity.” DarkSoul’s new album is set for release early next year. For more information, visit facebook.com/darksoulofficial Essential listening: On Again, Got Me Goin’, The Village
by Derek Healey @Healey26 d.healey@tsaglasgow.com
32
ENTERTAINMENT MOCKINGJAY PART 1 - Slightly Disappointing
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
Mockingjay Part 1 can be described as an extremely slow paced two hour prequel to the final movie. Although it has its pitfalls, it sets viewers up nicely for the final installment.
HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 - A Lackluster Sequel
A broken attempt at trying to ease out any storyline that the previous “Horrible Bosses” had. The storyline was vague and relied heavily on characters established in the prequel, rather then focusing on new ones.
PADDINGTON - An instant Classic
Along with the summer months, December brings around some of the biggest blockbuster films of the year. In previous Decembers, we’ve had the Harry Potter films and the Lord of the Rings franchise to look forward to. This year, the biggest film almost undisputedly is The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the concluding chapter of the three-part Hobbit saga. Peter Jackson is taking the reins again and has been clear about his feelings towards Battle of the Five Armies, describing it as his “favourite” of the Hobbit trilogy and also the “most emotional and most tense”. At the San Diego Comic-Con, Warner Bros. made a point of giving a big send off to the film they’ve
billed as a “defining chapter” and since the trailer had its first airing during the film’s Comic-Con panel, anticipation has been steadily building. The trailer itself is almost a promise that huge things are still coming in the Hobbit story – and those familiar with Tolkien’s original book version will know that’s not a promise that’s about to go unfulfilled. Essentially, the trailer works as a preview of the final epic battle at the heart of the Middle Earth saga – one which from the looks of it, could even rival the Battle at Helm’s Deep, as depicted in The Two Towers. But this final Hobbit film has the potential to be far more than that. Whilst the sheer size and scope of the final battle scene looks like one not to be missed, Battle of the Five Armies looks to offer a more poignant tone, one more fitting along the lines of the big fight melodrama seen in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It’s a departure from some of the more relaxed – and perhaps even goofy – scenes seen in the first two Hobbit instalments but with two full films of establishing story lines left to be resolved, Battle of Five Armies should make for satisfying viewing if nothing else. “As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honour in his search for the legendary Arkenstone,” the official synopsis reads. “Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice, not knowing that even greater perils lie ahead.” This should be one not to miss. It stars Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lily and Orlando Bloom among a huge ensemble cast of stars. Peter Jackson directs and Guillermo del Toro writes alongside Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens at theatres across the UK by Derek Healey on December 12 and @Healey26 tickets are already on d.healey@tsaglasgow.com sale.
This is a wonderful adaptation drawn from the characters created in the books. Heart-warming and humorous without being over-sentimental. This film is a major success.
I AM ALI - A priceless insight into a true legend
A well made documentary. At times very moving, funny, and always informative with rare unseen footage of Ali.
VARIOUS ARTISTS – SHADY XV Feels More Tired Than Ever
TAKE THAT 111 – Fun and to the point
AC/DC – ROCK OR BUST A worthy addition
It seems like Eminem has opted for quantity over quality. Gone are 50 Cent, G-Unit, Obie Trice, Stat Quo, and Cashis. In their place are Yelawolf, Skylar Grey and Slaughterhouse.
Take That’s seventh album, aptly named III, has the purpose to entertain, make fans happy and keep the show on the road, which it delivers on all counts.
Never straying far from their roots, Rock or Bust offers fans a straightforward, timeless compilation with plenty of hooks.
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
33
DUMB AND DUMBER TO UK PREMIERE – IN CINEMAS FRIDAY 19TH DECEMBER
TV AND FILM IN DECEMBER THE LIBRARIANS SEASON 1
UK PREMIERE – MONDAY 8TH DECEMBER – SYFY
On the 8th December, get yourself over to the SyFy channel for the UK premiere of The Librarians. The show centres on an ancient organisation hidden beneath Gotham’s Metropolitan Public Library, dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from the secret, magical reality hidden around them. Based on the TV movie ‘The Librarian’, we’ll see actor Noah Wyle reprising his role as Flynn Carson the academically brilliant, socially awkward New york intellectual. Wyle will star alongside Rebecca Romijn (X-Men) and a cast that includes Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin – who appeared in the original series – as well as John Larroquette, Christian Kane, Lindy Booth and Matt Frewer. “An action-adventure drama, driven by a group of both daring and quirky characters, ‘The Librarians’ is an exciting addition to Universal Channel’s programming line-up around the world,” UNI exec VP of programming Steve Patscheck said in a statement. “We are pleased to be a part of this brand new series that will be timed to air within 24 hours of the U.S. debut, giving international viewers immediate access to all the action.” If you are a fan of Warehouse 13, then this show is right up your street! Catch it on SyFy on Monday 8th December – 24 hours after US.
EXODUS: GODS & KINGS IN CINEMAS FRIDAY 26TH DECEMBER
Directed by Ridley Scott and written by Bill Collage, Adam Cooper, Steven Zaillian and Jeffrey Caine, Exodus: Gods and Kings is an upcoming Biblically-inspired blockbuster.
MARCO POLO SEASON 1
UK PREMIERE – FRIDAY 12TH DECEMBER – NETFLIX
Following the critical acclaim of Netflix original series such as House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black, could Netflix pull it off again? Marco Polo is set to premiere on Netflix on December 12th, and the expectation is high. The series will centre around Marco Polo’s adventures in 13th Century China and focuses on his time at the court of the Kublai Kahn. Early reviews have been quite positive, already being compared to HBO’s Game Of Thrones (really?), with claims that Marco Polo is Netflix’s answer to GOT by bringing just as much nudity and violence. Allegedly costing $90 million to produce, Netflix’s 10 episode drama stars Italian newcomer Lorenzo Richelmy as the rugged explorer. Marco Polo is the latest in a number of major forthcoming projects coming to us from Netflix, which last month announced its first original movie, a sequel to Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as well as an exclusive four film deal with Adam Sandler. It is co-produced by the Weinstein Company and Game of Thrones director Daniel Minahan. Supporting cast include Cloud Atlas star Zhu Zhu as Polo’s love interest and Arrow’s Chin Han.This is one not to miss!
The plot follows the story of Moses’ rise against the Egyptian Pharaoh Rhamses, setting 600,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues. The story is an interpretation of writing from the Old Testament Book of Exodus. Christian Bale takes up the role of Moses, starring alongside Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby) as Rhamses and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). Already controversy has arisen surrounding the film, over statements such as, Christian Bale, calling Moses schizophrenic and barbaric, “I think the man was likely schizophrenic and was one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life” which has resulted in some concern that the film will not be biblically correct. Exodus: Gods & Kings hit’s UK Cinemas on 26th December.
Twenty years after the events of the first film, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels return as lovable fools Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne. Lloyd has been committed at a mental institute where he has been for the past twenty years, upon a recent visit, Harry realises that Lloyd has been pranking him the whole time, and so begins their hilarious journey together once again, where they hit the road in search of Harry’s long lost daughter. Having already been released in the US, the film has received mixed to negative reviews from critics, whilst an overaly positive reaction from the public. The general consensus from critics states, “Dumb and Dumber To does have its moments, but not enough of them – and the Farrelly brothers’ brand of humour is nowhere near as refreshingly transgressive as it once seemed.” Whilst J.R. Jones of Chicago Reader gave the film a positive review saying “Seeing the two fiftysomething stars in their idiot haircuts again is a little disconcerting, like watching your favorite old band on a desperate reunion tour, but this sequel to Dumb & Dumber maintains a respectable laugh quotient.” Older, but definetely none the wiser: you can see the comedy duo return in a long-awaited sequel to the comedy classic, hitting UK cinema screens on Friday 12th December.
INTO THE WOODS
IN CINEMAS FRIDAY 9TH JANUARY
Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp star in a film version of the hit Broadway musical that intertwines several Grimm fairytale classics. A childless baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) venture into the woods to confront the witch (Meryl Streep) who placed a curse on their family. On their colourful journey, they encounter the likes of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy) and the big bad wolf (Johnny Depp)! What begins as a lively irreverent fantasy musical eventually becomes a meaningful tale about responsibility, the problems that come from wishes, and the legacy that we leave our children. Disney’s adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s much-loved Broadway musical puts a new spin on these timeless characters. Into The Woods comes to UK cinemas in the New Year on 9th January,
WAR ON CHRIST MAS
AN ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS SHOW BY GARY McNAIR
THE ARCHES
THU 11 - SUN 28 DECEMBER £10 / £8 18+
ARCHES THE
0141 565 1000 | WWW.THEARCHES.CO.UK 253 ARGYLE STREET GLASGOW G2 8DL
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4 dsfsdfsdf
Manic Street Preachers
GIG GUIDE DEC 8
Venue: Glasgow Barrowland
Venue: The Classic Grand
DEC 9
DEC 11
The Sherlocks
Venue: Oran Mor
Venue: The Garage
Time: 7pm
Time: 7pm
Face Value:
Face Value:
From £13.50
From £7
Venue: The Arches
DEC 10
Face Value: From £12
Face Value: From £11
Face Value: From £52.27
Temples
Time: 7pm
Time: 7:30pm
Time: 7pm
Red Sky July
Janet Devlin
35
DEC 12
Taking Back Sunday
DEC 13
Venue: 02 ABC Time: 7pm Face Value: From £21.35
Heffron Drive
DEC 15
The Game
DEC 16
Vigo Thieves
Venue: King Tut’s
Venue: 02 ABC
Venue: 02 ABC
Time: 8:30pm
Time: 7pm
Time: 7pm
Face Value:
Face Value:
Face Value:
From £18.50
From £32.20
From £12
Subculture: Jackmaster
DEC 20
The Xmas Extravaganza
DEC 20
Glasvegas
Venue: Sub Club
Venue: 02 Abc
Venue: Old Fruitmarket
Time: 11pm
Time: 7pm
Time: 7:30pm
Face Value:
Face Value:
Face Value:
From £10
From £15
From £18.50
Olympic Swimmers
DEC 21
Joe Strummer Tribute Night
Venue: Nice ‘N’ Sleazy
Venue: King Tut’s
Time: 8pm
Time: 8pm
Face Value:
Face Value:
DEC 22
Bars & Melody
DEC 20
DEC 21
DEC 27
Venue: 02 ABC Time: 6:30pm Face Value: From £25
From £9
The Sound of Musicals Venue: Royal Concert Hall Time: 7:30pm Face Value: From £31.50
DEC 27
Bad Manners Venue: Audio Face Value: From £22
JAN 1
Paul Carrack Venue: Royal Concert Hall Time: 7pm Face Value: From £28.50
JAN 9
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PREVIEWS
GIGS OF THE MONTH
A PREVIEW OF THE TOP GIGS GLASGOW HAS TO OFFER IN DECEMBER & JANUARY
TOP HAT – THEATRE ROYAL GLASGOW SHOW – 2ND - 13TH DECEMBER Top Hat – winner of three Olivier Awards, for ‘Best New Musical’, ‘Best Choreography’, ‘Best Costume Design’ from its seven nominations – is enjoying an epic 47-week UK tour, visiting 24 theatres nationwide. From Tuesday 2 December Top Hat will be Puttin’ on the Ritz at the Theatre Royal Glasgow. Stepping in to the lead roles of Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont, are Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch, who both return to Top Hat having previously performed these roles in the West End. They are joined by Clive Hayward who returns as Horace Hardwick, Rebecca Thornhill as Madge Hardwick, Sebastien Torkia as Alberto Beddini and John Conroy as Horace’s valet Bates. Performed by a cast of 29 and accompanied by 11 live musicians, this multi award-winning musical comedy includes Irving Berlin classics from the movie such as Cheek to Cheek, Isn’t It a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain and Top Hat, White Tie and Tails. In addition, from Berlin’s 1200 strong back catalogue, a further ten numbers have been interpolated including well-loved favourites Let’s Face the Music and Dance and Puttin’ On the Ritz.
THE ENEMY + THE TWANG GLASGOW SHOW – 15TH DECEMBER - 02 ABC
P r ev i e w s APOLLONIA – THE ARCHES
GLASGOW SHOW – 12TH DECEMBER
Fresh from their performances at London’s British Summer Time in Hyde Park, The Enemy and The Twang are set to team up to rock Glasgow’s O2 ABC this December 15th and 17th as part of their 12 date UK Christmas Tour. The Enemy’s Tom Clarke says the Christmas tour “is the perfect way to round off a great year of touring and a good opportunity for us to prepare for the next chapter of music next year” Whilst Phil Etheridge from The Twang reckons “it’s gonna be chaos…organised chaos!” The two Midlands bands began their tour at the 02 Academy in Bristol on December 4 and will continue until December 20 where they will conclude the listings in the Twang’s home town of Birmingham. The Enemy are currently recording their fourth studio album, the follow of to 2012’s Streets in the Sky. Earlier this year they released Dancing All Night, a collection of the entire band’s singles along with B-sides, rare and live tracks. The Twang, meanwhile, released their latest album N E O N T W A N G in March of this year. Tickets are on sale now and available at by Derek Healey 02abcglasgow.co.uk @Healey26
On the 12th December The Arches present a night with recent Mixmag cover stars Apollonia – one of this year’s Ibiza phenomena, and one of the most exciting DJ outfits on the circuit. Celebrated DJs and producers in their own right, the dynamic trio of Dan Ghenacia, Dyed Soundorom and Shonky formed Apollonia in the Parisian underground, launching as a label and DJ collective in 2012. Presenting a back-to-back-to-back spectacular. Apollonia often DJ together for extended sets of five hours or more, following a strict one-record-each concept for the full duration of the show. The Apollonia label has released tracks by the individual members, as well as their collaborations, and tracks by the likes of Jovonn, Callisto and Kerri Chandler. They have travelled across the globe in the past two years, bringing their upfront mix of house, techno and deep electronic sounds to the world’s most exclusive clubs and dancefloors. To date the trio have put out their debut EP on the label, but the anticipation for 2014 undoubtedly centres around their first album, Tour à Tour. Coming in Autumn, the forthcoming release is sure to be the highlight of the year and Apollonia’s career to date. In December, Apollonia bring their inimitable threeman mixing skills to Glasgow for what promises to be an unmissable night. Support comes from their fellow French label/DJ team Hold Youth, aka Seuil & Le Loup, and Parisian DJ and producer Djebali.
d.healey@tsaglasgow.com
DEFECTED IN THE HOUSE 2MANYDJS – 02 ACADEMY
GLASGOW SHOW – 6TH DECEMBER - THE ARCHES
According to Resident Advisor, since the label’s founding in 1999, Defected “have been releasing tunes that have defined the scene and are now unquestionably the global authority within the genre.” If you’ve ever been to a club, bar or house party where the DJ was playing house music, it’s likely that at least one of the records you heard came from Defected. In December, the label brings a world-class lineup to The Arches, with sets from Oliver Dollar, Noir, Sonny Fodera and label-founder Simon Dunmore, and a second room showcasing sister-label DFTD, with sets
from Ripperton, Flashmob and Christoph. Heading up the stellar lineup on 6th December is Berlin’s Oliver Dollar, an increasingly talked-about DJ and producer, unleashing tracks on Play It Down, Pete Tong’s FFRR and Green Velvet’s Cajual Records, each time smashing the Beatport charts. His last release on Defected, with Jimi Jules, stayed at #1 on Beatport for over 4 weeks he also has a debut solo album for the label in the works. Joining him is Danish house music pioneer Noir, Ibiza favourite Sonny Fodera, and of course Simon Dunmore, the world-renowned founder of Defected. With the soulful tech house of Ripperton, in-demand Italian producers/ remixers Flashmob, and Newcastle techno prodigy Christoph in Room 2, plus local heroes The Shimmy (Vilmos & Andy Raeside) offering top-notch local support in Room 3, it is sure to be one of the nights of the year for fans of premium-quality dance music.
DRUM OF DEATH GLASGOW SHOW – 5TH DECEMBER Belgian electro gods, 2ManyDJs are Stephen and David Dewaele. Their sound can only be described as a distinctive mash up of all the things that make you want to dance. As well as being top producers, they
tour the world as both band and DJs. The alternative rock/electronic band will be gracing Glasgow witht their presence on the 5th December at 02 Academy. Tickets are on sale now for £17.
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
BLITZ KIDS – 02 ABC GLASGOW SHOW – 13TH DECEMBER Blitz Kids will be joining Taking Back Sunday on their December UK and European tour and will be coming to Glasgow ABC on Saturday 13th December. The band has had a great 2014, starting with the release of 3rd album ‘The Good
PREVIEWS Youth’ back in January and saw them play British Summer Time in Hyde Park with Black Sabbath, complete a headline tour of the UK and sell out the prestigious Garage in Islington. From front man Joe: “It’s an honour to be asked to tour alongside a band who basically soundtracked the majority of my teenage years. Taking Back Sunday have been a huge influence on us as musicians and ‘Louder Now’ will always be one of my favourite albums. It’s the perfect end to what has been an incredible year for our band. We also get to hang with our besties Marmozets which is going to be dangerous to say the least. Plus we’ve been writing some new material since our last headline tour so there could be a few surprises in the set!”
CHRISTMAS MAGIC - QMU
QUEEN MARGARET UNION – 19TH DECEMBER
The QMU always guarantees an outrageously cheap and entertaining night, and this year sees the inaugural holiday festivities of Magic, the union’s revamped club night, on Friday 19th December. Celebrating the Yuletide season at Magic Christmas is Glaswegian DJ act ThatDrummerThatDJ. The duo creates high energy performances with DJ Big Al on decks backed up by Ryan Hassan on drums. They have shared the stage with the likes of Professor Green, Feeder and McFly, and according to their website, “The duo’s wide musical knowledge means you can expect to hear reinterpretations of your favourite records across every music genre.” So expect the unexpected. There’s also a set from former Radio 1 DJ Ally McCrae; Ally’s a busy man, what with managing Scotland’s biggest upcoming band Prides, hunting down the best in untapped Scottish talent and being a radio DJ and presenter. He finds the time, however, to ensure the QMU puts on the most entertaining start to your festive season. A set from Ally McCrae will be something you won’t want to miss. And of course there are a host of festive activities away from the dance floor to get you in the Christmas spirit. It wouldn’t be a QMU Christmas without the extremely dirty, not-so-family-friendly pantomime; starring some of the union’s most darling/daring members, this year’s performance is The Wizard of Oz. Expect gratuitous language and Academy Award-worthy performances. But there are tonnes of other goodies, including free mulled wine and mince pies for the first 100 entrants, and a random £100 cash prize, just in time to get something to spoil your mum/self. For an unforgettable night full to the brim with festive cheer, excess mulled wine and scattered Munchkin stage props, Magic Christmas is the only choice. £5 members, £6 non-members, £7 non-students. by Jonny Stone @jonny_stone_ j.stone@tsaglasgow.com
CONTINENTAL CIRCUS ON ICE GLASGOW SHOW – 8TH JANUARY – INTU BRAEHEAD
The popularity of Circus in the United Kingdom and equally the popularity of Ice shows has substantially increased in recent years.
XMAS BURLESQUE BALL CLASSIC GRAND – 20TH DECEMBER People of Glasgow, prepare yourself for one of the most glamorous events of 2014, The Burlesque Ball at The Classic Grand. The burlesque event is a project of Chaz Royal, the producer of the world’s largest burlesque events such as ‘London’s Burlesque Festival’, ‘World Burlesque Games’ and if you were in Edinburgh this year for the Fringe Festival, you may be familiar with their ‘Best of Burlesque’ show. The Burlesque Ball launches just in time for christmas where familiar burlesque fans can show what they’ve got and where curious newcomers can attend and see whether it is for them, and with all the glamorous feathers and corsets, I’m sure it will be. For this event it is essential to dress to impress, so why not go all out – whether its your work’s Christmas night out, or something you have always wanted to do with friends. The ball is taking over The Classic Grand on the 20th December for some pre-christmas festivities and also on the 31st of December for a huge hogmanay blow out. Tickets to the event are available on www.ticketweb. com and cost £27, but if you are fast, you can get 50% off tickets (bringing them to £13.50) by using the promotional code ‘SANTA’ which is for a limited time only. The event is 18+ and the doors open at 8pm, with a full night of fun by Joanna Mullan @joannamullan and feathers ahead. j.mullan@tsaglasgow.com
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Cirque Du Soleil and Dancing on Ice have definitely raised the bar and has inspired Britain’s leading Circus company to bring over to our shores a spectacular winter wonderland that encompasses both art forms. Entitled Continental Circus Berlin on Ice and combining amazing feats of ice artistry with Jaw dropping Circus skills, Illusions and hilarious comedy are bound to make this new show a huge hit for the festive season. If there is one show you see over the Festive Season – This must be it. Continental Circus Berlin on Ice comes to Glasgow from 8th January to the 18th at INTU Braehead. Prices range from £7 to £32.
THE NUTCRACKER: SCOTTISH BALLET GLASGOW SHOW – 7TH JANUARY – THEATRE ROYAL
It’s been forty-one years since the late legendary dance choreographer, Peter Darrell, first premiered his take on The Nutcracker and now a reimagined version is set to tour Scotland this winter. The production takes audiences on a dreamy adventure with young Clara who falls asleep after a fun-filled Christmas party and dreams that she meets and assists the Nutcracker Prince in defeating an army of giant mice. You’ll then be amazed by Clara’s journey to the Land of Ice and Snow, where sparkling snowflakes come to life and the imaginative Kingdom of Sweets, the enchanted realm of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Scottish Ballet’s Artistic Director, Christopher Hampson, is bringing back the much loved classic with a fresh perspective, however he has said that he will be maintaining much of the original choreography: “This production will be as close to Peter’s original as possible – the point of bringing the production back is to see his beautiful, intricate choreography”. However, that’s not to say there won’t be a few surprises to entertain those who may have seen the performance years ago and a new generation of viewers. Hampson said: “The essence of this being a family production is the key element – and we’ve looked to gently incorporate some new ideas for a new audience.” He added that Olivier Award winning designer, Lez Brotherston, is responsible for reimagining the ‘magical world’ of The Nutcracker and that he would be taking inspiration from the original designs, whilst still maintaining a sense of the original production. Experience The Nutcracker at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal from 7-10 January 2015. General tickets to the show range from £9.50-£33.50 (excluding booking fee), however full-time students can save £3 with a valid student card during Monday-Thursday by Courtney Hendry showings. @courtneysarahx
c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
FAMILY FESTIVE FUN DAY Christmas Parties still available
adults finish off their own meals. Not to leave the adults out, this will also provide ample opportunity to exchange presents with your friends and family. Victoria & Regent Suite TheLunches fun day will end with Grand Central Hotel’s per music person Friday 5th December - £27.50 resident DJ playing for everyone to dance to Three Course Christmas Lunch and DJ entertainment until 4pm. As Christmas approaches, the already fervent from 12 noon until 4pm Karyn Stewart works at the hotel and has nightlife for Glasgow’s students will be growing even organised the inaugural fun day. Speaking about why bigger and better to celebrate the most wonderful & Regentthe Suite hotelParty decidedNights to host the event, she said: “Quite time of the year – and the end of theVictoria semester of Thursday 4th December £37.50 a lot of our- staff in the hotel and some of our clients course. Not all students are able to take advantage of Three Course Christmashave Dinner, baconand rollswith at midnight children, having my own daughter, I this however. and DJ entertainment from 7pm until 1am usually gather round with my friends for Christmas. Many of the mature students in the city have their “We get all our kids together as well and own families and so they have to find other ways to Grand Ballroom Party Lunches exchange gifts with each other, and so we just celebrate this time with their friends. It is great news Friday 12th December £35.00 thought; why don’tper we person make our hotel the venue for then that the city centre’s Grand Central Hotel will be Three Course Christmas Lunch and DJ entertainment that to happen? So it’s just somewhere for everyone hosting a Christmas family fun day in the run-up to from 12 noon until 4pm to go just before Christmas and have a nice wee day Christmas Day. with their family.” The hotel is opening up their grand ballroom to While the hotel will have to gauge the success mature students and their families, asGrand well as anyone Ballroom Party Nights of the event making any decision on future else in the city and beyond who wants to take part Thursday 11th December -before £55.00 per person fun days at the venue, Karyn is more than happy to in the day’s festivities. They will be providing a three Thursday 18th December - £55.00 per person organise more, saying: “We would course Christmas lunch that will alsoThree include a special Course Christmas Dinner, bacon rolls at midnight, livedefinitely love to bandacquired entertainment DJ entertainment until 1am a day like thisfrom every7pm year.” menu for those kids who have not quite the andhave Grand Central Hotel’s Christmas family fun day taste for those finer dishes just yet. promises to be a great day out in the city and for During the lunch, the children will also be able £30 per adult and £15 per child, you can enjoy a to enjoy a party that will feature face painting and great time with your family in one of Glasgow’s finest a balloon artist who can keep them busy while you venues. tuck into your food and have a good time with your The event will 240 take 3725 place on December 21st friends. Contact Christmas Co-ordinator on 0141 between 12pm and And of course, what would a Christmas party be email grandcentralchristmas@prinicipal-hayley.com 4pm. Grand Central without a visit from Santa? Once they have finished by Aidan Scott @bigaidan Hotel is located at eating their food and had their faces painted, Santa a.scott@tsaglasgow.com 99 Gordon Street. will arrive with a gift for every child while all the
WHAT’S ON
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Sunday Funday with Santa Sunday 21st December 2014 Grand Ballroom Join us in the Grand Ballroom for our first ever Sunday Festive Funday. Celebrate with your friends and family as we treat you to a three course festive lunch and a special menu for the kids. Let us entertain the little ones with our face painter and balloon artist before Santa arrives with a gift for every child! After lunch, enjoy our resident DJ until 4pm. Relax with your friends and family, exchange gifts, drink, dance and be merry!
Price per person
£30 Adults £15
12yrs & under
(v) s plea
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
LIFESTYLE This Topshop jumper is the priciest of the bunch at £46, however the sequins add a bit of glam meaning it’s perfect for the pre-Christmas pub outing, it might even help bag a kiss under the mistletoe. Whilst this oversized, reclaimed vintage Christmas jumper from ASOS (£30) might not look like anything special, it really is! It has felt, stick-on, countdown days meaning pretty much unlimited wear before Christmas, just imagine the Instagram possibilities.
That friend who always has to be ironic would look perfect in this £30 River Island jumper which aims to avoid the usual ‘festive clichés’, they’ll be the one avoiding the mistletoe and mumbling ‘bah-humbug’.
We’ve also become totally obsessed with John Lewis’ heartwarming Christmas advert and this £24.99, New Look jumper just screams ‘Monty and Mabel’.
Cute snowman, check. 3-D snow effect pompoms, check. Cheap price, check. What more could you possibly want from this £15 Matalan jumper?
For those loved up couples who can’t bear the thought of being separated during the festive season here’s some great news, you don’t have to be! This £20 ‘Kissmass Jum-Pair’ from The Original Factory Shop is designed to be worn by two people and ‘guarantees a fun time for anyone involved’. However, we’re pretty sure it’ll cause more fights than fun, after all who wants to eat Christmas dinner one handed?
TOP CHRISTMAS JUMPERS Aside from creating lovely family memories, opening thoughtful presents and eating delicious home-cooked meals, surely one of the best things about Christmas is wearing novelty jumpers? Whether you keep yours on for the full month of December or it’s only thrown on for an obligatory family pic, there are plenty of choices for all you guys and gals. You can even raise money for charity simply by chucking on a woolly knit! You could choose from our top choices below or dig out last year’s to wear on December 12 and donate to Save the Children to help support their annual Christmas jumper day. The government matches every pound they raise and the money is used to save the lives of children in 120 countries. So, if you’re in need of a bit of Christmas jumper inspiration, check out these top eleven.
This £20 Boohoo jumper makes our top five men’s list because honestly, who doesn’t love a cheesy pun?
This is pretty much the ultimate, in your face, Christmas jumper. Seriously though, it lights up! And to make it even more appealing, it’s just £18 from Primark.
Go all out with this £14 Asda George, hooded, Santa jumper. You can ho-ho-ho ‘till your heart’s content and there’s also the added bonus that a percentage of the money raised from the sale of Asda’s Christmas jumpers goes directly to Save the Children.
If you want to get on board this Dec 12 and raise some money but wouldn’t be caught dead in a light up Rudolph jumper, this £28 Next jumper is for you! It’s simple, stylish and not too in your face, perfect for a “cool” guy like you (aka a total Grinch). Throw this £25 River Island on and immediately start screaming “SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA’S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!” It’ll never get old, trust us.
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DO IT YOURSELF 42
LIFESTYLE
No matter how much money I spend on fancy Christmas presents for friends and family, it always seems to be the ones with a personal touch that leave a lasting impression and luckily enough for a skint student like me, these are also generally the cheapest gifts. I’ve put together a list of ideas for easy to do, home-made Christmas presents too hopefully help save you a bit of money during this festive season:
Hand Crafted Cards PERSONALISED PRINT Aside from the Beyoncé tickets my mum received from her partner last year (so much jealousy), she said her favourite present was the personalised canvas I made her. This was so easy, all you have to do is visit www.tagxedo.com, choose ‘start now’ and you’ll find that the screen is relatively easy to follow and offers a huge variety of shapes to choose from, from a heart like I chose, to birds, celebrities and hundreds more. One main point to remember is that the more times you enter a word, the larger and more pronounced it’ll appear in the print.
Once you’ve selected your theme, colour, font and orientation (all located on the left hand side toolbar), save the image to your computer and then open it. You’ll notice that there will be a frame around the image with text at the bottom, crop this out using any editing software and save again. Using your newly saved image, you can either choose to print on a canvas like I did, which is slightly more expensive but you can generally get cheap printing deals online via websites like Groupon. Or you can simply print the image (ensuring the printer will print in colour), pick up a frame that will fit your image, you can usually get them for under £5 and you’ll have a very thoughtful, cheap, personal Christmas gift.
Homemade Decorations BOTTLECAP SNOWMEN These bottlecap snowmen ornaments for the christmas tree are so unbelievably cute, and you’re always guaranteed to have some bottlecaps lying aound. Perfect for some DIY christmas decorations. What you will need: • White, black, orange and red paint. • Ribbon • Glue • Buttons
CHRISTMAS TREE OF BOOKS Really want a tree this year, but can’t afford the price tag? Have no worry...introducing the book tree! Treebook? This is perfect for making use of all those textbooks and course material lying around over the Christmas period, and it looks quite pretty too. Top tip: If you’re studying over the Christmas break, please remember to put the books you need at the TOP of the tree, that’s just a giant game of jenga waiting to happen. What you will need: • • • •
Books (of course). About 80. Large bulb LED lights Tree topper (either purchased or improvised as opposite) Add some tinsel for extra sparkle
Begin by laying out the books in a flat circle. Start with a 48” round area and place the books like the spokes of a wheel. Don’t forget to put some books in the middle, as this will be the supporting base. Don’t worry if they are not perfectly level. The weight of the books keeps it rather sturdy. Keep stacking and turning the books so that you get nice layered, mixed depth edges. Start each layer in the middle. Put the heavier and larger books at the bottom, you will need some thinner and smaller books to help even out your layers and provide support on the edges. The closer you can keep the books to each other in your layers, the sturdier the book tree will be. And there you have it! Happy reading.
Begin by painting the inside of the caps white, glue three caps to a piece of ribbon, and form a loop at the top of the ribbon. Paint your snowman face on the top cap, wrap some ribbon between the top and middle caps for a scarf, and stick together with a button. Simples!
THIS CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
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Homemade Presents GLITTERY BOTTLES Assuming there’s someone on your list who’d appreciate a bottle of their favourite tipple, you could give it a fun twist and make it seem like you’ve put a lot more thought into it, instead of just grabbing it in Morrisons on Christmas Eve. First step is to choose the bottle, then head to a craft store, or order online for extreme laziness purposes and buy your preferred colour of glitter, craft glue such as Mod Podge and if you think your recipient will appreciate some bling, pick up some cheap rhinestones. Begin by removing the back label, if you want to cover up buying a cheap bottle of drink go
ahead and peel all the labels off. If you’re sticking with the front label, stick rhinestones around the edges of the label to form a barrier (this step is optional). Now take your craft glue and some of the glitter to make a paste and apply this with a brush to every inch of your bottle that you wish to be covered in glitter. Then head outside, or lay down some newspaper and sprinkle your glitter all over the bottle. Allow this to dry for at least a day and repeat if necessary until you have the desired glitter thickness. Quick, simple and cheap, what more could you want? This can also be varied in so many ways using multiple colours or designs, go mad!
A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE A very cute homemade present for your folks, that is again super-cheap, is recreating an old favourite photograph with your siblings or cousins, like these brothers who I found on Pinterest. It’ll cost next to nothing to get a frame that’ll accommodate two pictures and whilst you might need to be creative in recreating the environment the photo was taken in years and years ago, this idea will definitely cause some laughs and hopefully big thankful hugs. Maybe your parents won’t even realise or care that you spent under a tenner on their present, since it’s so cute.
HOMEMADE SCRUBS For the beauty lover in your life, mix up a super simple lemon scrub and present it in a home decorated mason jar. You’ll need to source 2 cups of granulated or white sugar, a quarter cup of almond or coconut oil, a lemon or lemon essential oils. Pop your sugar into a large mixing bowl, put your quarter cup of coconut oil in a bowl that’s safe for use in a microwave, heat for 30 seconds until the oil has melted and combine the oil and sugar, then mix until light and fluffy. Add up to 15 drops of your lemon essential oils or zest your lemon, juice, remove any seeds then add the juice and zest to your mixture. For your jar follow the same idea as described with the wine bottle, paint on the letters of their name with the craft glue, and sprinkle glitter over. Or you could make a cute label online, print and glue. You could then pop a bright ribbon around the lid, yellow would obviously be the preferred colour here. This recipe is so easy to adapt, you could add peppermint extract and mint green colouring for a DIY mint scrub or squeeze two mandarins over your sugar and coconut oil for a tangy, delicious smell, the possibilities here are endless.
I.O.U If you’ve not already used up all your old mason jars making sugar scrubs, keep one aside for this ridiculously cheap gift idea. You could decorate it in the way I mentioned above or go to town with the arts and crafts and bling it up as much as possible, I find it hard to go overboard with gems. Then you can use good old fashioned Microsoft Word (or choose from hundreds of available templates online) to make some lovely ‘I Owe You’ coupons for you parents detailing household tasks they can make you do at any time. Or
you could present your other half with coupons for things like a half hour massage whenever they want. Place your coupons in the gorgeously decorated jar and assuming you have access to a printer and some very basic arts and crafts supplies, it’ll cost you absolutely nothing. Yes, it might be annoying when it comes to actually carrying out the tasks but it’ll save you some pennies for all the New Year fun you’re going to have. by Courtney Hendry @courtneysarahx c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
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DECEMBER 2014, ISSUE 4
LIFESTYLE
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TEN
CHRISTMAS
SONGS THAT NEVER
GET OLD 10. Little Drummer Boy Little Drummer Boy is a song that is probably the favourite Christmas song to feature on top US comedy shows, from it being Angela’s favourite song (not even Christmas song, just in general) in the Office U.S to Peter’s remixed (or ruder) version on Fox’s Family Guy. But with these versions on the TV, it is almost impossible to compare to this version, with David Bowies incredible vocals and Bing Crosby too, this is an eternal favourite Christmas song.
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas This song basically just gives us all the feels. Since the song was first heard in 1944, nobody has ever complained about it (not a fact, but I hope it is true). With the lyrics, and Judy Garland’s beautiful voice, it is something to be grateful for this Christmas, and the Christmas after that, and after that, and pretty much forever after that. This song has had a lot of covers, our favourite cover is everybodys favourite girl next door ‘Zooey Deschanel’ which featured on the Christmas special of her show ‘New Girl’.
8. Winter Wonderland This song is one all should be familiar with. It has been around for 80 years and musicians love it so much it has been covered by over 200 artists, the most recognisable being Michael Buble, because why not? The second you hear the knock on your door to be greeted by Christmas carollers screaming ‘sleighbells ring, are you listening?’ you know Christmas is fast approaching. Why else would you actually listen to kids singing songs about snow? And look, It’s Bing Crosby again. He must love Christmas time.
7. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Probably one of the most well known Christmas songs meaning nobody has an excuse not to sing along. Like most Christmas songs, it was written way back in the 30’s and
you probably learned it in school, but it never really came to life until Bruce Springsteen did a cover. Just remember, he knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake….
6. Last Christmas Now going to the 80’s. Wham! released Last Christmas in 83’ which topped the charts. Since then it has been covered by artists such as Jimmy Eats World and everybody’s favourite – The Crazy Frog! Just make sure you listen to the original version and not The Crazy Frog’s, because in that case, it definitely will get old...very fast. One thing we can’t wrap our heads round – who would want to give away poor George Michael’s heart? Sad.
5. Driving Home For Christmas Another throwback to the 80’s. This is a song we feel should have been a chart topper, but only peaking at #53 in the charts, Chris Rea’s ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ is one of the more understated favourites. Everyone should know it, and if you don’t, please listen. When you start listening, you are not thrown off your seat by an overexaggarated intro with bells chiming, etc - instead it is a very easy listening song with a smooth piano and very raspy voice, mmmm. Some call him Christmas Rea…. they don’t really, I just made that up.
4. White Christmas According to the Guinness World Records, Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ is the best-selling single of all time. With a phenomenal 50 million sales worldwide from Bing Crosby alone, and over 100 million copies of the song in total. Other versions of the song include Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Smokey Robinson, Doris Day, Otis Redding, Bob Marley...the list goes on, but you get the jist, its a pretty famous song.
3. Merry Christmas Everyone This song topped the charts in the UK in 1984 and was written by welsh band ‘The Shakin’ Stevens’. This is one of those feel good Christmas songs which you will listen to while getting kind of drunk on mulled wine and eggnog and stuffing your face with mince pies.
2. All I Want For Christmas Is You It may not be everybody’s favourite Christmas song, but it is definitely one of the most famous. Mariah Carey’s hit from 1994 is a classic Christmas hit which is played probably five times a day on the radio on the lead up to Christmas to excite you all. The song is loved by all, including celebrities who can’t stop singing it, like Shania Twain, Michael Buble, Miley Cyrus and Cee Lo Green, to name a few.
1. Fairytale of New York This is by far our favourite Christmas song which is a must hear at Christmas time. The Irish folk-style ballad makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside when the song kicks in. The lyrics are moving, humorous and sometimes quite offensive, but it’s okay – we’ll let them away with it. Still selling out gigs, this is by far The Pogues’ most successful single by Joanna Mullan @joannamullan peaking at #1 in Ireland and j.mullan@tsaglasgow.com #2 in the UK.
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LIFESTYLE
ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS FILMS
Christmas films can fill you full of the festive spirit in a way that no amount of gingerbread lattes or reindeer jumpers ever could. They’re an essential part of any Christmas experience and it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen them, there’s still no topping your old favourites! So with that said, here’s our list of the top 10 Christmas films of all time… 10. The Grinch “Did you know the wee girl in the Grinch is the lassie from the Pretty Reckless?” That’s how every discussion on the Grinch should begin. Seriously, it’s really weird. Apart from that bizarre fact though, the Grinch (or Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas) is a modern classic. Jim Carrey plays the lead character brilliantly and director Ron Howard does a great job of creating Seuss’ strange world of Whoville – which can’t be an easy task. It’s the second highest grossing holiday film of all time and won an Academy Award for Best Makeup – and it takes Number 10 on our list of the top Christmas films of all time. 9. Love Actually “If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaking feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around” There are so many lines I could have quoted from this film. The entire opening monologue deserves to be quoted on its own as an example of top tier Christmas film making. Love Actually is Richard Curtis on top form and a perfect example that when it comes to romantic comedies, us Brits are not easily outdone. The final act makes it a perfect choice if you’re looking for some soppy romance this festive period. 8. Elf “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favourite colour?” From love and heartbreak to sheer joy. The first time I watched Elf, I laughed so hard at that line, I had to rewind the DVD. When Will Ferrell gets it right, he really gets it right. I think Elf is one that probably took most people by surprise and since its release in 2003, it’s gone on to become one of our most loved Christmas films. 7. Nightmare Before Christmas “What’s this?” Tim Burton’s stop motion musical fantasy took the most unorthodox of stories and turned it into a classic Christmas tale. A dejected Jack Skeleton, the Pumpkin King and mayor of Halloween Town stumbles upon Christmas Town and decides to take the whole holiday for his own. It doesn’t exactly read like a classic Christmas film, does it?
Somehow it just works. The animation is visually stunning and the soundtrack is as good as any Danny Elfman has ever produced. Throughout the film Jack – and by extension the audience – discover what Christmas is really about. There’s really no greater achievement than that for a classic Christmas film. 6. Home Alone “Keep the change, ya filthy animal!” The epitome of a Christmas-day family movie. Eight-year old Kevin McCallister (Macauley Culkin) is left behind when his family rushes off for a Christmas vacation and whilst dealing with bumbling crooks and the perils of aftershave, he learns the real importance of family. There’s often a fair bit of dispute here about which film in the Home Alone franchise is best. I would probably stick my neck out for the first one because let’s face it; the original is almost always better than the sequels – although many would probably disagree and go for Home Alone 2. Obviously we ignore any beyond Home Alone 3. 5. Jingle All The Way “Where’s your Christmas spirit?” What top 10 movie list would be complete without an Arnie film? I think it probably helps that I legitimately really wanted a Turbo Man action figure the year this came out and ironically, they were actually pretty tough to get due to the popularity of the film. To carry on our theme of horrendous sequels, apparently WWE Studios have produced a Jingle All the Way 2 starring Larry the Cable Guy and wrestler Santino Marella. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it’s probably not a patch on the original! 4. Scrooged “You are going to be visited by three ghosts…” The beauty of Scrooged is that it’s one of those films where you can take something different away from it each time you watch it. Bill Murray plays a curmudgeonly television executive in a modernisation of Dickens’ classic novel. It’s not the first film to put a spin on A Christmas Carol, but as far as I’m aware it is the only one to do it with Bill Murray in the role of Scrooge – a role which clearly he was destined to play.
3. The Muppet Christmas Carol “I will honour Christmas, and try to keep it all the year!” Another take on the classic Dickens tale but this time with puppets. And Michael Caine. There are moments though when you could easily forget that you’re watching the Muppets or even a children’s film at all. It’s a wonderful festive story, beautifully told and in the true spirit of the original text. A must watch. 2. Miracle of 34th Street “I believe. I believe. It’s silly, but I believe” I’ve got to be honest and say I have a real soft spot for the 1994 version – probably because that’s the first version I ever watched. However, whilst seven year old me may not have been a fan of black and white films from the ‘40s, adult me knows a good thing when I see it. The original Miracle tells the story of a kindly man who calls himself Kris Kringle. He’s brought in at the last minute to replace an inebriated Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and after convincing the shop’s young customers, he’s soon out to prove that he’s the real Santa in front of the New York Judicial system. Miracle on 34th Street is widely regarded as one of the greatest Christmas films ever made and it forced adults and children alike to answer the question: do you believe in Santa? 1. It’s a Wonderful Life “That a boy, Clarence” As the original trailer puts it, it’s about wonderful people in a wonderful picture. It’s also the quintessential Christmas film and number one on our list. Frank Capra’s ultimate feel-good movie stars James Stewart and Donna Reed and has been a favourite for generations. If you haven’t seen it (and if you haven’t you really should!), you’ve probably seen nods to it in a lot of your favourite films or TV shows. It follows the story of an angel who shows a frustrated businessman what life would be like if he never existed. It regularly tops the polls as people’s favourite holiday film and the final scene is just about everything you could by Derek Healey @Healey26 ever hope for in a Christmas d.healey@tsaglasgow.com movie. Truly a classic.