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YOU CAN BUILD ROCKETS. BUT CAN YOU START FIRES? Find out more now at teachinscotland.scot
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FEBRUARY 2017, ISSUE 29
WIN A PAIR OF WEE DUB FESTIVAL head to www.thestudentadvertiser.co.uk and answer this question correctly to be entered WEEKEND TICKETS When did Wee Dub Festival first launch? a) 2009 b) 2011 c) 2016 th Competition closes on 28 February. Winners will be contacted on 1st March
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COCKTAIL contents Full Be Charlotte interview on page 23
GET INVOLVED: Edinburgh Student Arts Festival 5
THE HIGHLIGHTS: GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL 2017. We’ve put together all the best bits you don’t want to miss at this year’s film festival 6
FRIGHTFEST RETURNS TO GFF 201 The schedule for FrightFest 2017 has been announced – and we have it all right here
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A great society or celebration experience!
LET’S ALL BE CHARLOTTE
We had a chat with the rising star about her year ahead 23
GLASGOW’S MUSICAL HERITAGE. Glasgow is famous for its rich musical heritage, and here’s why!
CLASSES AVAILABLE FROM JUST £20 PER PERSON, INCLUDING SNACKS FOR AFTER YOUR CLASS!
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A CHAT WITH THE STRANGLERS ahead of their Glasgow gig in March 26 NHC PICK OF THE MONTH.
6 BARS TO WATCH THE 6 NATIONS. You may not have been able to bag tickets, but that doesn’t mean you should miss out
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WHAT’S ON IN EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW. All of February’s highlights
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ALTERNATIVE VALENTINES. Do something
Check out who New Hellfire Club have named this months pick! 29
AN INTERVIEW WITH DEAF HAVANA The Alt Rock band discussed their new album and their upcoming gig in Glasgow later this month 28
a bit different this Valentines and try these alternative date nights 12
GIGS OF THE MONTH. All the best gigs in Edinburgh and Glagsow this month 30
NEW RESTAURANTS SET TO MAKE YOUR MOUTH WATER. I know we’re making it difficult
LGBT – THE EMERGENCE OF WOMEN’S ROLLER DERBY 34
to stick to those New Years resololutions – but yummy! 14
LGBT – SCOTTISH LGBT HISTORY MONTH 35
TOP 8 VEGAN HITS IN EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW. Get your vegan grub at these best restaurants 15
LGBT – MEET RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE SEASON 7 WINNER, VIOLET CHACKI
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LGBT – QUEER CINEMA GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL 2017
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THE GREAT FESTIVAL BUCKETLIST.
Check out these upcoming festivals in Edinburgh and Glasgow 16
10 APPS EVERY STUDENT NEEDS. Make
your next term a little easier with these 10 useful apps 17
TOP DESTINATIONS TO VISIT ON YOUR GAP YEAR. Thinking about travelling this year? Check out these destinations 18
PICK OF THE MONTH: FIFTY SHADES DARKER
Our predictions for this month’s Blockbuster 38
THE FOUNDER
Is this the dawn of Trump cinema?
Diversity whilst La La Land dances away with 14 nominations 41
AN INTERVIEW WITH BUSTED
2017 IN SPORT. A look at the year ahead in sport. 46
THE EVOLUTION OF POP MUSIC
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GLASGOW
CALL 0141 3312614 OR EMAIL BOOKINGS-GLASGOW@REVOLUTION-BARS.CO.UK
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THE AVENGERS are assembling in Scotland later this month 41
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EDINBURGH
CALL 0131 2205679 OR EMAIL BOOKINGS-EDINBURGH@REVOLUTION-BARS.CO.UK
THE OSCARS. Moonlight shines through with
EARN MONEY WHILE YOU TRAVEL. Some helpful tips and advice on how to earn some extra money on your travels 19 We had a chat with Charlie Simpson from Busted and discussed the band’s reunion, break up and their new legion of fans
call us to book now!
2017 SCOTTISH RUNS. Run towards those New Year resolutions 46
EDINBURGH / GLASGOW
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FEBRUARY 2017, ISSUE 29
GET INVOLVED! Edinburgh Student Arts Festival Edinburgh Student Arts Festival (ESAF) returns to Edinburgh for its third year this February and March and aims to serve as a platform for creative young people to showcase their talents. Utilising some of the most popular venues in the capital, from the Biscuit Factory to the City Art Centre, the festival will host artists, performers, musicians and exhibitions in a collaborative and open environment from 9 February – 3 March. The team behind ESAF have put on a vast array of events which will run throughout the course of the festival, with theatrical
performances, comedy shows, concerts and student film screenings among the events being held. Visual arts understandably make up a large portion of the ESAF 2017 programme, with five distinct exhibitions held during the festival. Contemporary Mythologies – Narratives of Fantasy and Loss runs from 11 February – 5 March at the Scottish Storytelling Centre and showcases work that “engages with contemporary reinterpretations of classical mythology”. The Trinity Apse hosts the Challenge/
Dispute The Truth Or Validity Of: It Is Possible To Challenges The Report’s Assumptions exhibition, which runs from 11 February – 5 March, and aims to create a surreal experience, leaving those who view it with a sense of wonder. The New Laboratory exhibition, which is running from 23-26 February, will be held across two venues, DOK Artist Space and Custom Lane, and is dedicated to the action of experimenting and the process of creation, with varied works displayed across three micro-exhibitions: the Design Room and Lab Room, both held at Custom Lane; and the Test Room, at DOK Artist Space. Opening on 15 February, the Platform /Contemporary Voices exhibition at the Biscuit Factory offers a space for controversial and contentious ideas to be explored and serves as a platform for those unheard to gain a voice through visual art, bringing to light the questions that shape our society. Genius Loci / The Texture of Longing runs from 25 February – 5 March at City Art Centre Edinburgh and explores the idea of Genius Loci – the spirit of a place – in the context of artists examinations of urban and residential environments. The 2017 film strand programme, which was made in collaboration with the Undependence Film Festival and PopUp Scotland, is about women, made by women and comprises the works of three young female directors: Emmeline Kim, with her film Enigma Of Being Awake; Stephanie
Ward’s short film Colours and Maren Victoria Thingnæs’s documentary Gentle, which is about her late father. There’s plenty of opportunities to get practical, inspired and engaged with the creative community during the many workshops taking place, which include: ‘Behind The Scenes’, a weekly programme that allows audiences a sneak peek inside some of Edinburgh’s top creative establishments; the ‘Creative Breathing Space’ sessions encourage participants to expand their creative intellect; ‘Own Your Own Craft’ events are designed to help fine-tune your creative discipline; and the ‘Questioning Creativity’ strand discusses what it really means to be a creative now. Aside from the many events and workshops taking place, the festival welcomes the return of the stall market, held in the Scottish Storytelling Centre Court. Here you can sample the work of ESAF creatives with illustration, fine art, bookbinding, ceramics and more all available. At the closing party on 3 March, the ESAF awards – which were established to recognise the best artists that embody the core principles and purpose of the festival – will be presented to the three artists (solo or collective) that best reflect the 2017 awards theme ‘Voices of the Future’. The awards consider practice, effort and ideas and considers the artists appreciation of what art means from a social standpoint. by Billal Rahman Bill.rah@outlook.com www.billrah.wordpress.com @billzinyourgaff
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WHAT’S ON
The highlights Glasgow Film Festival 2017 Fancy chilling, quite literally, on the slopes at Snow Factor as you experience John Carpenter’s classic, The Thing? Or shaking your hips at a dance workshop after watching Dirty Dancing at Oran Mor? Perhaps a secret late-night screening of The Lost Boys is more your thing? All that and plenty more are on offer at the 13th annual Glasgow Film Festival when it returns this February. With the full programme now announced, film fanatics are in for a treat as the festival, which takes places from 15-26 February, is bringing exclusive anniversary screenings, nine world and international premieres and old-favourites to Glasgow with 310 events, showcasing 180 films from 38 countries. GFF opens with its first of many European premieres, John Butler’s joyous coming-of-age story Handsome Devil on 15 February and closes on 26 February with the world premiere of David Tennant’s new biopic, Mad To Be Normal, about infamous Scottish psychiatrist RD Laing, which David Tennant and director Robert Mullan will be attending. The story of Benny Lynch, the local hero widely considered as the greatest boxer Scotland has ever produced, will also be shown on the big screen when the world premiere of Benny takes place on 22 February. Other local sporting legends will feature on screen in the international premiere of Canadian actor-filmmaker Jay Baruchel’s documentary, Celtic Soul, which follows his epic trip through Canada, Ireland and Scotland to see his beloved Hoops in action at Celtic Park. Glasgow Film Festival audiences will also be the first to catch European premieres including: the charming road movie Folk Hero & Funny Guy (20 and 21 Feb) starring US indie favourites David Cross and Alex Karpovsky and Steven Ellison’s (aka Flying Lotus) dark and twisted directorial debut Kuso (24 Feb), featuring exclusive new tracks from Aphex Twin and Thundercat.
UK premieres taking place at the festival include Raoul Peck’s I Am Not Your Negro; Terrence Malick’s Voyage Of Time: Life’s Journey; Tim Sutton’s Dark Night and Cate Shortland’s Berlin Syndrome. GFF audiences will also be the first in Scotland to watch some of the most hotly anticipated new movies including Paul Verhoeven’s multi Golden Globe winner Elle; Olivier Assayas supernatural thriller, Personal Shopper, starring Kristen Stewart; Sean Foley’s Mindhorn starring The Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barratt and Lone Scherfig’s story of the creative brains behind Britain’s morale-boosting World War II propaganda, Their Finest starring Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy. Homegrown talent will also be celebrated at the festival with the first Scottish screening of Edinburgh-based filmmaker Hope Dickson Leach’s debut feature The Levelling, Mark Cousins’ a special 20 year anniversary screening of the big screen adaptation of The Slab Boys, introduced by John Byrne; and the Scottish premiere of award-winning thriller Bodkin Ras, which was filmed in the Scottish Highlands and features a cast of non-professional actors from Forres. As always, the festival has plenty of special events planned for its audiences at pop-up cinemas across Glasgow. From a 15th anniversary screening of Secretary at SWg3, held in association with Torture Garden Festish Club on 24 February, to a mystery venue pop-up cinema where audiences will be bussed to on the night for teen vampire chiller, The Lost Boys, there’s an event for all tastes. Other special events include a swashbuckling adventure at Maryhill Burgh Halls with a 30th anniversary screening of family favourite The Princess Bride on 25 February, followed by a treasure hunt suitable for all ages to find hidden treats and live sword fighting in the enchanted forest. Also, 23 February wrap up warm and hit the dark slopes at Snow Factor for a 35th anniversary screening of John Carpenter’s classic horror The Thing.
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FEBRUARY 2017, ISSUE 29
strands celebrating different film genres including The True North: New Canadian Cinema strand, which focuses on re-discovered and emerging voices in Canadian cinema as Canada celebrates the 150th Anniversary of Confederation; the age-appropriate Modern Families strand which keeps youngsters entertained; Nerdvana brings the strange, wonderful and aweinspiring to the festival with a host of interesting films; Crossing The Line features a selection of experimental cinema that pushes the boundaries of conventional film making; Window On The World showcases wonderful cinema from the 38 countries that are represented at this year’s festival and Stranger Than Fiction features a selection of unbelievable true stories, ranging from completely odd to rawly political.
If the soundtrack is the most important element in a film for you, definitely check out Lost In France. It explores the rise of Scotland’s independent music scene in the 90s and explores friendship, creativity and of course music. Make sure you stick around after the screening at the O2 ABC on 21 February for a live performance from Scottish talent including Alex Kapranos, Stuart Braithwaite, RM Hubbert and Emma Pollock, which will be broadcast live to cinemas across the UK. FrightFest is also returning this year from 23-25 February with a record 14 films shown across 13 days, including ten UK premieres.
Kicking off with a special screening of A Cure For Wellness, an intense psychological ride from Gore Verbinski (director of The Ring) and With the Behind The Scenes strand ending with a screening of the daring audiences don’t just get to watch and provocative Raw – about a first films, they can gain an insight into year vegetarian veteran student who the world of film and understand develops an unhealthy taste for meat more about the complexity of – which has been discussed non-stop Someone who developsand meningitis may become filmmaking all events are free in recent weeks, FrightFest sounds as to attend. Sound designers Ronan shiver-inducing as ever. seriously ill very quickly Breslin and Paul Wilson will be deconstructing whatgroup makes a perfect Aside from the many premieres and Meningitis can strike any age film soundtrack; stunt co-ordinator special events held at the festival Abbi Collins, who recently worked on this year, there are also various
Star Wars: Episode VIII, will discuss the evolution of a stunt and Dan Frye, who has worked on Game of Thrones and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will lead an interesting prosthetics workshop. Aside from catering to film fans, the Glasgow Film Festival also presents the Industry Focus strand, which is returning for its second year from 22-24 February and will offer creators, producers and grassroots filmmakers the opportunity to attend masterclasses, networking opportunities and more. The third annual Audience Award, sponsored by ScotRail, will be handed out at the closing gala on 26 February and one of ten emerging filmmakers will be presented with the prestigious award. Eligible films include Alankrita Shrivastava’s story of personal and sexual liberation in modern India Lipstick Under My Burkha, Maysaloun Hamoud’s look at three modern Palestinian women sharing a flat in vibrant Tel Aviv In Meningitis and Septicaemia often occur together Between, Rachel Lambert’s brooding Fever, Stomach cold In The Radiant family drama and cramps City & hands & diarrhoea feet Thomas Q Napper’s British boxing drama Jawbone (25 and 26 Feb). Spots/ see Alankrita, Vomiting Maysaloun andRash Rachel will Glass all be in attendance at theTest festival
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Allison Gardner, Glasgow Film Festival Co-director said “I love the delight that audiences take from our special events. There are some absolutely brilliant experiences this year and I can’t wait to feel the blood chill and the audience shiver as we head to Snow Factor for The Thing or revel in Cajun culture when The Big Easy screens at the Barras Art and Design. I am also thrilled at the way the Modern Families strand has grown within the Festival and this year’s highlights include the outstanding animated features My Life As A Courgette and Rock Dog with Eddie Izzard providing the voice of a Tibetan Mastiff who dreams of pop stardom and our 30th anniversary screening of the swashbuckling The Princess Bride. The 2017 festival is going to be so much fun.”
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WHAT’S ON
Saturday CAGE DIVE (10.00 AM) Saturday morning gets underway with a film about nature’s most terrifying beast: sharks. The story follows a troupe of reality show contestants who go to Australia for some shark cage diving. But it doesn’t turn out the way they planned, leaving them stranded in the water with a posse of hungry sharks looking for a human buffet. This will wake morning punters up more than a Starbucks.
Friday THE WARRIOR’S GATE (1.30 PM)
FrightFest Returns to Glasgow Film Fest with a bang
It’s that time of year again when Glasgow welcomes gore whores, horror hounds and ghouls for a weekend of unrelenting terror and good scary fun. That’s right: FrightFest is back. Featuring a myriad of top notch scare fare bound to send chills down your spine while subsequently creeping into your heart, this year’s lineup is stacked. Whether you like your fantastical cinema terrifying, disturbing, hilarious or just downright weird, there’s something here for all tastes to enjoy, and if you’re a horror fan you owe it to yourself to pop down and spend the weekend with some like-minded sickos.
Thursday
Written and produced by Luc Besson, The Warrior’s Gate is a sci-fi epic starring Guardians of the Galaxy alumni and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista. It tells the story of a video game-addicted teenager who is magically transported to China, where he is forced to apply his gaming skills to the art of Kung-fu. The film has been compared to cult classics The Last Starfighter and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This has fun written all over it, and definitely marks a light start to the day to prepare audience members for the scares to come later.
IT STAINS THE SAND RED (4.00 PM) The latest from Grave Encounters directors The Vicious Brothers (their films are much tamer than their name suggests), It Stains the Sand Red is one for you zombie aficionados. Set amidst a flesh-eating apocalypse, Molly (Brittany Allen) finds herself stranded in the desert with a hungry zombie hot on her high heels. That’s dedication right there, and by the sounds of it the film is quite a unique take on a repetitive sub-genre.
THE TRANSFIGURATION (6.30 PM) A hit at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, The Transfiguration centres around a young boy with an obsession for vampire movies – so obsessed, in fact, that he thinks he is one and goes around drinking stranger’s blood. To be fair, it sounds like just another night in Sugar Cube on a Thursday night. But when he befriends a young girl, his road to redemption begins. This sounds quite similar to Let the Right One In, so fans of that flick should find some harrowing joy in The Transfiguration.
A CURE FOR WELLNESS (9.00 PM)
SHIN GODZILLA (9.00 PM)
Gore Verbinski returns to horror for the first time since his outstanding 2002 remake of The Ring. The film follows a young executive who is sent to retrieve his company’s CEO from a a remote “wellness centre’’ in the Swiss Alps on behalf of his work. It doesn’t take long for him to realise that the spa’s miraculous treatments are not what they seem. When he begins to unravel its terrifying secrets, his sanity is tested, as he finds himself diagnosed with the same curious illness that keeps all the guests there waiting for a cure.
This is my most-anticipated movie of all-time, and for the first time in 13 years, a Toho Godzilla movie will be playing on the big screen in the UK. By now you’ll all be familiar with the Godzilla concept: a big monster crushing a city is the general cusp of it. That said, giant monster movies are full of intelligent socio-political subtext, and with Japan’s recent issues with natural disaster and misguided bureaucratic government, Shin Godzilla sees the monster returning to his roots as a manifestation of contemporary allegorical horror. Plus, we’ll get to see G tear it up.
PHANTASM: REMASTERED (11.20 PM) Freddy? Jason? Myers? While all three of those guys are iconic terrifying villains in some of the genre’s most beloved films, they don’t hold a candle to the Tall Man. Making its European premiere, the original film – which has been digitally remastered with stunning 4k resolution by Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company – looks set to scare audiences all over again, like it did in 1979. Phantasm spawned four generation-spanning sequels, culminating with last year’s Ravager. It’s a bona fide horror classic and you owe it to yourself to see it in its best presentation to-date.
THE HUNTING PARTY (11.20 PM) This just sounds wonderful: Warren is a degenerate drifter. On his way down to Mexico he finds himself stranded in Bedford Flats, a one-horse town deep in the American desert. Unfortunately for him the town’s pastime is rounding up drifters and hunting them as part of an elaborate sporting event. This most dangerous and deadly game and bloody fight for survival is about to begin! Human hunting movies are always a blast; from Most Dangerous Game to Predator to Hard Target, you can always bank on some blood-drenched thrills and a substantial body count.
FASHIONISTA (11.45 AM) Simon Rumley doesn’t make straight horror movies, but his films are as horrific as they come. In 2010 he helmed a dark dramatic thriller called Red, White & Blue, and it’s one of the best – and most disturbing – films you’re ever likely to see. Go seek it out – you’ll never want to have unprotected fun time with a stranger between the sheets for a few weeks afterwards. His latest film, Fashionista, is set in the fashion world and has drawn comparisons to the cinema of Brian DePalma, so expect something stylish, nightmarish and uncompromising.
BLOODLANDS (2.20 PM) Speaking of intense, disturbing movies: if you haven’t seen Australian revenge thriller The Horseman, then find it ASAP but go in with the understanding that it’s not a pleasant experience. Bloodlands is the new film from its director Steven Kastrissios, and it’s a surreal fantasy about warring clans in Albania based on the country’s local mythology.
DETOUR (4.30 PM) Detour is the latest feature film from UK genre director Christopher Smith, who over the course of five films, has proven himself to be a consistent emblem of unpredictable brilliance. Detour sees him enter thriller territory with a Hitchcockian-inspired tale of revenge and mystery. The film has already garnered rave reviews for its unconventional bending of traditional narrative and genre tropes, as well as for its stand-out performance from lead star Tye Sheridan.
RAW (6.55 PM) A coming-of-age tale of growing up and discovering cannibalism, Raw made headlines in 2016 after paramedics were called in to the Toronto International Film Festival when it was playing as it caused audience members to faint. The cynical among us will call that a publicity stunt, but there is no denying that it makes the film, like the human flesh its protagonist consumes, a delicious prospect.
HOUNDS OF LOVE (9.00 PM) Inspired by real life crimes, Hounds of Love revolves around a teenager who gets kidnapped by a couple of serial killers and must find a way to survive by playing them against each other. This doesn’t sound like an enjoyable experience, but it could be enthrallingly disturbing, which is just as good sometimes in a grim way.
THE NIGHT OF THE VIRGIN (11.20 PM) FrightFest 2017 comes to a close with a film about my high school prom… oh wait, never mind. It actually follows a lad who tries to lose his virginity with an older woman. Before he knows what’s happening, he’s whisked to Medea’s filthy apartment where sinister Asian artefacts adorn the shelves, cockroaches crawl the floors and an ancient prophecy rears its head along with the rowdy gay neighbours and a very jealous ex-boyfriend. by Kieran Fisher Twitter:
@HairEverywhere_ k.fisher@tsaglasgow.com
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6 BARS TO WATCH THE 6 NATIONS
This year’s 6 Nations kicked off on February 4th with Scotland meeting Ireland at Murrayfield. If you haven’t managed to bag a ticket to any of the games, or just want to find somewhere you can soak in the atmosphere when you aren’t in the stands, we’ve selected some of the best bars around Edinburgh to catch all the action. HAMILTON’S BAR & KITCHEN, STOCKBRIDGE Some of us are just not built to withstand the taxing conditions of Murrayfield in February, and for those of us there’s Hamilton’s. Their large leather sofas provide all the comfort of home but with the thrill of the crowd. Popular amongst local rugby loving families, Hamilton’s is perfect if you want to bring the kids to the afternoon action. THE BLACKBIRD, TOLLCROSS The wonderful thing about the 6 Nations is it attracts all types of fans. It isn’t all beer, beer, beer all the time. The Blackbird is great for those who want to enjoy the buzz of the game with their favourite tipple. A good wine selection and a creative cocktail list, all served in a laid back boho feel bar. THE JOLLY BOTANIST, WEST END They say that rugby is a gentleman’s game, and The Jolly Botanist caters for gentlemen. This self-styled liquor emporium boasts one of the largest gin selections in the city as well as a gastro style menu. For those who want to enjoy the game with their pinkies aloft.
THE PEARTREE, SOUTHSIDE The Peartree on West Nicholson Street will be showing the games on their huge outdoor screen for the truly hardcore fans. Aisles of benches means there’s plenty of seating and an electric atmosphere. Because rugby simply isn’t the 6 Nations unless you’re freezing your socks off. THE JOKER & THE THIEF, LEITH A cosy wee boozer from the team behind Brass Monkey, The Joker & The Thief boasts a surround sound system on which to broadcast the games. No kids allowed, so perfect for small groups who want to enjoy a few jars and feel as close to the action as possible. OX184, COWGATE The 6 Nations can be an all-day event and the OX184 is open all day and then some! A 3am license means you don’t need to stop when the whistle blows; a wood fired grill for sustenance, over 12 rotational taps to sample and enough whisky to drown the inevitable sorrows.
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WHAT’S ON
EDINBURGH
DRY JANUARY IS OFFICIALLY OVER. IT’S NOW TIME FOR FEELING FAB FEBRUARY – AND WE’VE TAKEN T
HIPPY TRIPPY SHAKEDOWN: A PSYCHEDELIC 60S TRIP Prepare to be transported back to The Summer of Love – where the music and vibes were good, the hugs were free and living and loving was easy. Sounds fantastic right? The Regression Sessions “Hippy Trippy Shakedown” event, at The Liquid Rooms on 18 February, promises to be a ‘psychedelic kaleidoscope’ with DJs and Regression Session residents, Granite State, Mr Bounce, Moucha and Naked Jake, plus all the usual regression fun and games – including an extra large ball pit.
If you’ve experienced a Regression Session event you’ll know about its ethos, if not you need to head down to check it out for one of the best nights you’ll have. The nights have a heavy focus on underground house, techno and DnB – they best describe it as “serious music, for silly people”. It’s always a fun, unpretentious night out and the weird and wonderful themes completely transform some of the best venues in the UK, so embrace the psychedelic 60s and give it a go.
CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME – 25 FEB Based on Mark Haddon’s best-selling 2003 novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, this thrilling production has won rave reviews and awards aplenty. It follows 15-year-old Christopher – who has an extraordinary brain and exceptional maths abilities, along with a distrust of strangers and dislike of being touched – and his journey to discover who murdered the next door neighbour’s dog. Although he has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, his journey soon turns frightening and upturns his world. Catch the show at Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 20-25 February.
WEE DUB FESTIVAL 3 – 5 MARCH The UK’s only metropolitan festival of reggae and dub music, The Wee Dub Festival, returns to Edinburgh for its sixth year this March. From foundation dub and roots through to dancehall and digital reggae to jungle and bass, the festival presents a top quality bill of acts that spans the whole range of Jamaican influenced music in the UK. Headlines for the festival include pioneering producer Mad Professor, the legendary “voice of Reggae” Macka B and the Roots Ragga Band,
CAPITAL SCI-FI CON, MEADOWBANK SPORTS CENTRE, 18 – 19 FEB Edinburgh’s not-for-profit Sci-Fi convention, Capital Sci-Fi Con returns this February for its second year after a very successful debut in 2016, where they raised £37,680 for their chosen charity partner, CHAS (Children’s Hospice Association Scotland) Rachel House Hospice in Kinross. Special guests from the Film and TV industries, including voice actor Mark Silk and actress Hannah Spearritt, are scheduled to appear and sign autographs over the weekend-long event. Comic artists/writers, guest talks, cosplay competitions, movie cars, props and traders of all types will also feature at the event at Meadowbank Sports Centre from 18-19 February.
Glasgow’s soundsystem champions Mungo’s Hi-Fi ft Sn. Wilson and Leeds number one Dub warriors Iration Steppas. Originally planned as a one night event back in 2009, the festival quickly grew and now attracts over 2,000 attendees from across Europe to five ticketed sessions, educational events, film screenings and family social events, all held at various venues across Edinburgh’s Old Town from 3-5 March.
BUSTED AT USHER HALL 25 FEB After releasing their first lot of new material in over a decade last year, Busted are now heading out on an “intimate” UK tour, with a stop at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on 25 February. Last October the band, who originally split back in 2005, announced the tour but noted that although it is the Night Driver tour they’ll be playing old and new songs at some of the most intimate venues they have ever played. They added: “It’s going to be special!” Check out pages 20 and 21 to find out exactly what to expect from the new tour from our interviewee Charlie Simpson.
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WHAT’S HOT IN
GLASGOW
FEBRUARY
THE HARD WORK AWAY AND CAME UP WITH THE BEST EVENTS TO WHET YOUR APPETITIE THIS MONTH
GLASGOW GOES GREEN WEEK FESTIVAL – SWG3 15 FEB All four universities in Glasgow are uniting this February to celebrate Go Green Week, the UK’s largest nationwide week of student climate change, with a festival at SWG3 on 15 February. The festival will showcase the amazing individuals, societies and organisations in the city which promote a healthier planet and lifestyle. Confirmed for the event so far are Glasgow Bike Station, who are bringing a pedal-powered cinema and smoothie machine; Plan Bee – Biodiversity Champions, who will host a workshop and craft brewery; Green Aspirations
Scotland and their wood whittling workshop; Sew Confident’s repurposing workshop and many others. Along with a fully stocked bar, there will also be a few bands to keep everyone entertained on the night with Avocet and DJ Kappa from The I AM project confirmed to perform and others still to be announced. Tickets for the event are free but ticketed – head to the Glasgow Goes Green Week Festival 2017 Facebook event for further information.
EXPOSURE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL QMU 11 FEB Hosted by the University of Glasgow’s QMU, Exposure Short Film Festival is returning for its second year to provide an opportunity for amateur filmmakers to showcase their work to a wider audience, receive feedback from experienced judges and will be handing out a range of awards including Best Picture and a range of other prizes. Multiple short film screenings will be held throughout the day on 11 Feb and aside the chance to show their talents, the festival offers directors, writers, animators and actors a helpful step forward in their future careers.
RUNDEAD ZOMBIE CHASE GLASGOW – 25 FEB Who says you need to wait till Halloween or trek all the way through to the Edinburgh Dungeons for a good scare? If you’re a horror fanatic or just looking for an alternative 5K run through Glasgow, get yourself signed up for the Rundead Zombie Chase on 25 February before tickets sell out. The interactive horror event is the UK’s newest city wide zombie run and survival event and the zombie infection is set to spread
GIN FESTIVAL GLASGOW 3 – 5 MARCH The UK’s biggest and oldest Gin Festival is coming to Glasgow for the first time this March. With over 100 gins (including new exclusive gins), cocktails, new brands and masterclasses from industry experts, this is a ginuinley unmissable event for any gin lovers in town. If you’re new to the tipple and not sure what takes your fancy, chat to the experts who can offer their recommendations. There’s also plenty of live music, entertainment, food and talks on offer at the festival, which runs at The Briggait from 3-5 March.
to Glasgow after it’s done with Manchester. For £28 you’ll be given the classified event start location and all the “vital mission intel” necessary. It’s then up to you on the night to work with the other survivors in your group to complete tasks and challenges, before uncovering clues around the course. Could you survive the night? Or are you likely to become zombie food, sign up to find out.
PULP FICTION AT BUFF CLUB 5 MARCH Starting with Pulp Fiction on 5 March, Buff Club will now be showing films on the first Sunday of every month – perfect for chilling with a few drinks to ease yourself back into the working week. It’s free entry, who doesn’t love a freebie, and they’ll have plenty of couches and bean bags for viewers to chill on. Also, we’d highly recommend heading next-door to The Butterfly and The Pig for some superb Sunday dinner before catching the film in Buff Club at 7pm – what a brilliant sounding Sunday.
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LIFESTYLE
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ALTERNATIVE DATE NIGHTS
IN EDINBURGH & GLASGOW
EDINBURGH TURKISH BATHS A bit of rest and relaxation is always welcomed, so enjoy a very chilled out date at one of the last remaining operational Turkish baths in Scotland – there’s only three operational Turkish Baths remaining across the country now, feel free to use that fun fact to impress your date. The Edinburgh baths are hidden away inside Portobello Swim Centre and are a perfect way to relax after a hard workout (obviously working out is an optional part of the date) or just to de-stress from the pressures of life and to escape from work, study or home-life stresses. You can work your way around from the steam room, which opens pores and eases tense muscles, before taking a dip in the various pools, which vary in temperature, before cooling down in the frigidarium.
SECRET BARS Granted there’s nothing overly exciting about heading to a cocktail bar or two for date night. However, we have a soft spot for the strangely romanticised concept of “speakeasy” bars – the secret drinking spots hidden away across the city. They are usually quite dark, sultry and intimate. So in other words, a perfect spot for a romantic date. We suggest heading to Panda & Sons on Queen Street, which looks deceptively like a barber’s owned by a sweet family of Pandas or Heads & Tales, which is nestled within Rutland Place and features the two Edinburgh Gin stills, Flora and Caledonia. Oh and it’s totally fine by us if you want to pretend your friend owns the place and that’s how you know about the secret bookcase entrance, your date never needs to know it’s a legit speakeasy.
READING TOUR If you’ve done your research and know that your date is a massive JK Rowling, Irvine Welsh, Ian Rankin or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fan, score some major points by organising a trip around the city to take in some impressive literary landmarks. You could visit The Elephant Café where JK Rowling wrote early drafts of Harry Potter or The Surgeons Hall Museum, where Conan Doyle first met Dr Joseph Bell, who’s best known as an inspiration for the character of Sherlock Holmes. The city is full of interesting locations that will delight the bookworm in your life.
WILD SWIMMING If you’re looking for something really different, why not suggest wild swimming? You could head to the Musselburgh Lagoons, Portobello Beach or the reservoirs at Threipmuir near Balerno and take the plunge into the freezing Scottish waters. Think less leisurely afternoon swim and more quick (safe) dip to prove your bravado and follow it up with a cosy brunch and plenty of hot choc. If you can convince someone to try this for a first date, hats off to you both, what a way to get to know each other. Visit www.wildswimming.co.uk for safety info.
DOMINION CINEMA The big chain cinemas are fine for casual dates but if you’re looking to push the boat out a bit and want to plan a special night out, check out the Dominion Cinema. This family run business offers a night at the cinema like no other. Say goodbye to horrendously uncomfortable standard cinema seats and annoying rude folk putting their feet up by your head and hello to their new first class screen. With huge reclining armchairs, gourmet hot dogs, crystal glasses as standard, table service and nachos in real bowls (no annoying plastic rustling, hallelujah!) it’ll certainly be a film you won’t forget. They’re also opening a new gin and wine bar early this year, so there’s pretty much everything you could need for a dream date/mate night out.
MAISON DE MOGGY Before you head anywhere near Maison De Moggy, check if your date is a cat or dog person. If they have a huge aversion to cats they’ll probably not be keen on this delightful café in West Port. However, if you’re dating a feline lover, head along for a cuppa and enjoy the therapeutic qualities cats can offer. This “custom built paradise” for cats lets you cuddle and play with their ‘Moggy Stars’ and also offers plenty of cake, what more could you need for a chilled afternoon date?
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A Different Kind Of Date First dates are tough but honestly so are 57th dates. No matter what stage you are at in your relationship it’s always difficult to think of something a bit different for an exciting date. You don’t want to go too extravagant and book a tandem bungee-jump, only to discover your date’s previously unmentioned crippling fear of heights. However, you also don’t want to play it too safe and
GLASGOW DRAG BINGO Deep down everyone loves bingo. Even if you’ve never played in your life, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll love it. However, the bingo night that takes place at Hillhead Book Club on the fourth Wednesday of the month is definitely raunchier than your local, old-ladyloving bingo hall. The lovely Misses Bee Fiarse and Acid Taint are in charge of Drag Bingo at Hillhead Book Club and along with providing plenty of laughs for your date night, you’ll also be playing for a £500 cash prize. Imagine heading home £250 better off (assuming you’re both polite and split the prize), it doesn’t matter how bad their chat was you couldn’t call that a bad date.
WAKEBOARDING If you and your date are the ‘outdoorsy’ sort, then wakeboarding will be right up your street – or if you’re not it’ll allow you both to leave your comfort zones and have a good laugh. Luckily you won’t need to travel far to indulge in a spot of wakeboarding because Glasgow is home to Scotland’s first ‘urban wakepark’. The park is based at Pinkston Watersports Centre at the Port Dundas Canal – just a five 5 minute walk from Cowcaddens underground station – and offers a ‘Learn To Ride’ package to help ease beginners into the sport, you never know it could be a great bonding experience and become your new “thing”.
DREAD GLASGOW Ideally your date should be the one to make your heart race on a date but if not the zombies at Dread Glasgow should do the trick. This fairly new interactive horror attraction has received rave reviews for its ability to terrify the s**t out of pretty much anyone who dares enter, so maybe not the best idea if you’re still early in the relationship and not willing to show off your high-pitched shriek yet.
BONUS DATE
However, if you’re both up for a laugh it’ll be a fun date and you’ll definitely spend lots of time clutching each other as you run from the undead, what could be more romantic?
find yourself out-yawning each other over a pizza before heading to the cinema. So with Valentine’s day just around the corner and the pressure mounting to provide an excellent date night, we’ve pulled together some of our favourite alternative date ideas, some might seem a bit odd but that’s part of the fun, it’ll be a guaranteed conversation starter.
GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL The team over at the Glasgow Film Festival always manage to outdo themselves with the brilliant special film events they put on each year and 2017 looks set to be no different. A trip to the local cinema is all well and fine for a bog-standard date night but ask yourself this, how many times can your date claim to have watched a special 30th anniversary screening of The Lost Boys, at a secret location in the company of a real Transylvanian vampire? Also, when was the last time your film screening was followed by an after-party hosted in association with London’s leading fetish club? If that’s your kind of thing, take your date to the 15th anniversary release of Secretary, dubbed the “sweetest BDSM film ever made”, at SWG3 on 24 February and definitely stick around for the events that follow, Torture Garden performers, dancers and a specially curated playlist will make this a very sexy date night.
SHARMANKA KINETIC THEATRE “Hundreds of carved figures and pieces of old scrap perform an incredible choreography to haunting music and synchronised light, telling the funny and tragic stories of the human spirit as it struggles against the relentless circles of life and death.” Sounds cheery doesn’t it? Despite the macabre sounding description, the reviews for this strange show in Trongate rave about it: “Very gripping theatre”, “Unforgettable experience” and “International Genius” are just a few of the high praises it has received and as one redditor put it: “Definitely unlike anything else I’ve ever done on a date and if neither of you like it, it’s not terribly long either and it’s an instant conversation starter.
ESCAPE ROOMS If you’ve ever survived the frustration that ensues from building furniture together, you can survive a date night at one of Glasgow’s many Escape Rooms. These games have been sweeping across the city in recent years and there’s now plenty to choose from for your date night but they all follow the same kind of idea – you must work together as a team to recognise hints and clues hidden throughout the room before deciphering them, finding the key and setting yourselves free, all within the allotted 60 minutes. Team sizes of 2-5 are usually recommended and speaking from experience, it’s pretty difficult in a group never mind as a couple, so this might be a good shout for a double-date. Also, if there’s more people there, it’ll distract you if the date’s going terribly.
Remember earlier when I said some of these date ideas might seem a bit odd? Well this one is by far the strangest. Hidden away in an unassuming church in The Gorbals lies the bones of St Valentine, the 3rd century Italian martyr known as the patron Saint of love. In 1886 a wealthy French family asked the Franciscan Friars of St Francis Church to take responsibility of the remains of St Valentine’s, they accepted and for more than a century the remains lay untouched. However, in 1999 when the friars moved to the Blessed John Duns Scotus Friary in Ballater Street, the 3ft chest containing the ancient remains were rediscovered and now they have a prominent position at the front of the church.
Although the real identity of who the remains belong to has been disputed – there are three people that historians have claimed as the original Valentine and 10 different places around the world all claim to house Saint Valentine’s remains – romantics still flock to the church around Valentine’s Day. In the week leading up to February 14th a statue of the Saint is placed beside the remains and the chest is decorated with flowers and some have proposed at the church. Special services are also held for those in love, while prayers are said for those seeking it, so no matter what your relationship circumstances around this loved up day, it may be worth a visit.
by Courtney Hendry Online Editor
@courtneysarahx
c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
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LIFESTYLE
EATING OUT NEW RESTAURANTS IN EDINBURGH & GLASGOW
SET TO MAKE YOUR
MOUTH WATER
Apologies if you’re still going strong with the healthy eating resolution because this list of ten new restaurants to try in Glasgow and Edinburgh is really not going to help you at all – everything sounds delicious and we can’t wait to try the lot. You’re also probably going to want to try them all, so I guess that’s the ‘don’t throw money away on food’ resolution out the window now too, sorry again.
EDINBURGH
GLASGOW
TAISTEAL
TUK TUK
Opening on 11 January, new restaurant Taisteal – which is Gaelic for travel or journey – certainly lives up to its name as the eclectic menu takes influence from all over the world, while using only the best local Scottish ingredients. Inspired by the travels of head chef, Gordon Craig, the talented chef plans to incorporate recipes from around the world along with exciting flavours and techniques discovered during his travels to the menu of his new Stockbridge restaurant. Craig, is no stranger to creating delicious meals, having worked at the Waterside Inn, The Peat Inn and the Plumed Horse, however he now wishes to bring his concept of fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere to Edinburgh and frankly we can’t wait.
DISHOOM
Indian food is well and truly booming in Scotland. Aside from the aforementioned second branch of Tuk Tuk opening, Dishoom recently opened its first branch outwith London and Edinburgh foodies have not been left disappointed. We were warned about those bacon naan rolls but cannot in all honesty explain how delightful they are. Obviously the rest of the menu is also wonderful and we adore the story inspired by Sir Patrick Geddes, who was a Botanist, ecologist and social reformer who spent much time in both Edinburgh and Bombay, but seriously those rolls, definitely stop by for breakfast. The restaurant takes inspiration from the Irani cafés that were once an integral part of Bombay life. These informal cafés were open to everyone, no matter what class or creed and were said to bring people together. Head along with a big bunch of friends and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and vast menu.
BUSABA EATHAI
There’s no word on exactly when Busaba Eathai will be opening it’s doors at St Andrew Square, however we do know the modern Thai restaurant chain is coming to Edinburgh at some point in the not-to-distant future. Since opening in 1999, the casual restaurants have offered simple, seasonal and flavoursome menus which include a range of soups, salads, stir fries and noodle dishes, along with small sharing plates, curries and char-grilled dishes.
by Courtney Hendry Online Editor
@courtneysarahx
c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
The relaxed take on Thai food is something you don’t find much of in Edinburgh, so whenever Busaba Eathai decides to open we’re sure it will receive a very warm welcome from Edinburgh foodies.
Edinburgh foodies wheesht, we know you’re already mega fans of Tuk Tuk but thankfully our Glasgow readers can now enjoy the colours, sounds and smells reminiscent of modern India that this unique restaurant brings to the table. Now open on Sauchiehall Street, the BYOB restaurant has revamped its menu for the Glasgow launch and now offers Puri yoghurt bombs and popular Indian drinks including Mint mambo and Lassis in mango, coconut, lychee and sweet or salted. However, much loved favourites including the Bhel puri, Biryani and Daal Makhni from the Edinburgh branch will still feature on the menu. Foodies will also be delighted to know Tuk Tuk offers a takeaway and delivery service.
THE SPANISH BUTCHER
When a restaurant has 2,500 bookings made within 14 days of opening, it seems a fairly safe bet that there’s something tasty cooking and a quick glance at the Spanish Butcher’s menu confirms our suspicions. Grilled Spanish octopus, chorizo, caperberries, new potatoes, pan seared hake, cauliflower croquette, seasonal mushrooms, broad beans, jamon, peas and whole charred monkfish on the bone in chorizo and caper brown butter sauce, sound particularly mouth-watering and the knowledge that The Spanish Butcher comes from the same team behind The Butchershop and Hutchensons is enough to guarantee we will be popping by as soon as possible.
PAESANO
You can get pizza pretty much anywhere in Glasgow and Edinburgh, however you can only get great pizza in a handful of restaurants. Which is why we are happy to report Paesano, who are famous for their woodfired, artisan pizzas, are making Glasgow pizza lovers lives a little easier by opening a second branch, this time out in the West End. There’s no word on an official opening date yet but work has begun on renovating the new premises in Kelvinbridge and an announcement on the restaurant’s Facebook account revealed they hope to kick off their launch parties towards the end of March. Heard of another new restaurant we should feature? Email us at info@ thestudentadvertiser.co.uk
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Ideal for getting some stodge on before seriously hitting the pints Mono’s Pizza Crunch Supper tastes exactly how you’d want it to. Deep fried pizza as only Glasgow can.
PICNIC, Ingram St, Glasgow New kid on the block, just opened at the tail end of 2016, Picnic is Merchant City’s very first all vegan cafe. The ‘No Egg Mayo Roll’ is an instant classic. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.
SOY DIVISION, Kilmarnock Rd, Glasgow Comfort Food Heroes. Whether it’s their deliciously greedy cakes or comforting breakfasts (their beans are famously good), Soy Division always hits the spot. For the purposes of this list it’s the sublimely flakey sausageless rolls that win the day.
BLOC, Bath St, Glasgow The £4 Friday falafel dog is decent but the real star is the Veganoid – made with nuts, lentils, sweet potato, butternut squash & chickpeas, topped with homemade Red Leg Spiced Rum apricot jam & jalapeno purée! Messy, fun and tasty to boot.
LA FAVORITA, Leith Walk, Edinburgh, Gibson St, Glasgow Best vegan cheese on a pizza ever – gorgeous wood fired floury bases and a wee bag for your rocket. Class! Glasgow’s Gibson Street La Fav is now Pizza Boom (run by one of La Fav’s founders) - can they live up to the site’s reputation?
HENDERSON’S, 25 Thistle St, Edinburgh They’ve been at it a while so they know their stuff and it shows. Their stand out hit is the Haggis, none of yer awful tubes and grit of the ‘real thing’, just oatmeal, marge, carefully balanced spice and gravy so magic I swear it’s made by magic pixie people.
13TH NOTE, King St, Glasgow One of Glasgow’s original vegan innovators and still the same after all these years, it just ain’t broke so they don’t fix it. As always the homemade soup and veggie burgers are perfect for a quick lunch time snack and the light but filling Katsu Curry is especially great for pre gig eats.
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CK DU
IN EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW
MONO, King St, Glasgow
CK DU
VEGAN HITS
Their Big Kahuna burger is one of the best in the country, no questions. Inspired by the infamous Pulp Fiction classic complete with pineapple and facon it is indeed one tasty burger.
CK DU
TOP 8
THE FLYING DUCK, Renfield St, Glasgow
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C T N A H C R E M IN
It’s the first vegan cafe in the Merchant City, why has it taken so long? While there’s a few famous vegan bars about there’s nothing quite like studying in a bright airy cafe with the smells and sounds of coffee to keep you ticking along. The focus is squarely on the food flavours and the coffee, it may be vegan but not in your face so. I’ve been to plenty of vegan cafes shouting about their hippy or buddhist philosophy and it’s nice to be able to just enjoy the food without the mind clutter. The first thing I had to get stuck into was the ‘No Egg Mayo Roll’. I’d not had anything remotely eggy for years (my own attempt at scrambled tofu doesn’t count) and it had me intrigued. Complete with fresh spinach and tomato on a tasty rustic roll sturdy enough to hold the tofu but not so sturdy that it squeezed the contents out the sides, it didn’t disappoint.
On my last visit I’d the Spicy Bean Wrap, a million miles away from the stodge this idea usually ends up as – it tasted fresh, zingy and well, healthy. Filled with tasty beans, salsa, spinach and excellent vegan cheese, it’s their signature dish and rightly so. Pair with the Hi-Energy smoothie and it’s just the trick for a mid-study session pick me up. On to the excellent coffee which at £2.50 a cappuccino is well on the right side of the going rate locally. With not only soya but also oat or almond milk available there’s varieties to everyone’s taste. There’s still loads I’ve to try from what is a decent sized menu; they’ve new fresh home made curries and soups every day and loads more varieties of delicious looking smoothies to look forward to. Overall it’s a more than welcome addition to Glasgow’s vegan riches, with it’s friendly airy atmosphere and tasty healthy treats it’s already earned it’s place.
THE GREAT FESTIVAL BUCKETLIST TOP 10 FESTIVALS IN EDINBURH AND GLASGOW THIS YEAR
GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL
18TH – 26TH FEBRUARY
Glasgow’s own film festival is one of the top three festivals in the UK, showcasing new local and international film talent non-stop over the course of two weeks. Various filmmakers will be making guest appearances during interactive workshops and discussion panels. And, with student prices available, this is the optimum opportunity for novice film lovers to start a new obsession.
AYE WRITE! BOOK FESTIVAL, GLASGOW
9TH – 19TH MARCH
Glasgow’s international book festival Aye Write! will be returning to the Mitchell Library in March 2017. This year the festival will be expanding, with events also taking place in the coveted Royal Glasgow Concert Hall as well as the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) on Sauchiehall Street. Over 200 authors from Russia, Syria, Scandinavia, Nigeria and the USA will be taking part to discuss their work and champion workshops for all ages, all to celebrate the challenging and ever-changing times we are living in.
GLASGOW LIVE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL
9TH – 26TH MARCH
Why not visit Europe’s largest comedy festival
while it’s still right on your doorstep? Now in it’s 15th year, the Glasgow Live International Comedy Festival will be hosting events in local pubs and theatres across the city for the duration of two weeks, most of which offer student-friendly prices. Russell Howard and Al Murray among others have cropped up in the past and 2017 promises even more amazing local and international talent.
GLASGOW ZINE FESTIVAL
29TH – 30TH APRIL
This self-publishing festival is all about zines – small, handmade pieces of writing ranging from fiction to non-fiction, comics and writer’s personal research. This festival, housed in the CCA, is an accessible DIY outlet for art and ideas. It is ideal for people wanting to learn more about this unique, creative art form and purchase some items from local talent.
STEREOFUNK FESTIVAL, STRATHCLYDE PARK 30TH APRIL Hailed as being the official beginning of the Scottish Summer, this unique boutique of club music showcases Scotland’s best talent with approximately 80 DJs and 10 bands in attendance across six arenas. The festival takes places against the picturesque
background of Strathclyde Country Park which, weather permitting, will also make for an excellent sunbathing location.
MEADOWS FESTIVAL, EDINBURGH
3RD – 4TH JUNE
This quaint Edinburgh-based festival will showcase local bands and dance groups, and even has a dog show! It boasts the biggest indoor market in Edinburgh and is chock-ablock full of workshops to get you involved in crafts. Suitable for you, your mates and all of the family. Dig in!
GLASGOW SCIENCE FESTIVAL
8TH – 18TH JUNE
There really is something for everyone in Glasgow and the Glasgow Science Festival proves that. This 10-day event is designed to showcase outstanding contribution Glasgowbased researches make to the worlds of science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine. A light-hearted tone with a serious purpose.
GLASGOW COMIC CON – 1ST JULY Most people will already be aware of this multi-genre entertainment and comic convention that originated in San Diego. It has now made its way to Scotland’s SECC, showcasing primarily comic books and
science fiction/fantasy related film, television, and similar popular arts. Now, the convention includes an enormous range of pop culture and entertainment elements across virtually all genres, such as horror, animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible card games, video games and fantasy novels. Dress up. You won’t regret it!
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
4TH – 28TH AUGUST
This is an unparalleled celebration of the performing arts in the heart of Edinburgh – the parents of the Edinburgh Fringe. This month-long party will rejoice in the movement of the world’s best opera, music, theatre and dance – truly an event not to be missed. Edinburgh buzzes with life during festival season.
EDINBURGH TATTOO 4TH – 26TH AUGUST With performers from 48 countries, the Edinburgh Tattoo brings over 220,000 spectators together every year in the courtyard of Edinburgh Castle. A night of pipes, drums and highland dancing underneath the Scottish sky will leave you feeling more patriotic than you thought imaginable. by Rachael Procter @rrretro___ r.procter@tsaglasgow.com
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TOP Apps Every Student Should Download
“I’m definitely going to study harder this year.” Sound familiar? Most students are guilty of uttering this phrase when the New Year rolls around and equally guilty of falling into the same old last-minute study session habits by February. With that in mind, here’s some essential apps you should download to help get your studies back on track. You’ll have that 2:1 in no time.
TIMETABLE Forget messaging your uni group chat asking where class is for the 40th time, with Timetable you’ll be able to save all your classes (and the rooms they’re in) to the app. It also saves all your deadlines for tasks/essays, exam dates and it’ll even automatically mute your phone during lessons so no-one will ever need to hear your embarrassing choice of ringtone again, how handy.
REFME Pretty much the ultimate app for referencing, RefMe should be mandatory for new students to download. It’s so simple to use and majorly helps take the stress out of referencing. Scan a book or journal barcode using the IOS or Android app and then you can easily manage and organise your references – the app supports over 7,500 reference styles. You can also share lists and projects with team members, so you can collaborate on research and references and you can even use your phone camera to turn printed text into digital text, which you can save as a quote.
CLEARLOCK It’s 9.20pm, you’ve got an assignment due at midnight, you’ve not even hit half the word count but somehow you’ve found time to re-watch SuBo’s Britain’s Got Talent audition because you’re a bit emotional about the impending deadline, lack of progress and just
need to feel all misty eyed – haven’t we all been there? If you need a bit of extra help to avoid YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or any of the other highly-addictive apps, download ClearLock. The productivity app allows you to block all distracting apps on your phone so you can focus on the important stuff, like making that midnight deadline.
ALARMY (SLEEP IF YOU CAN) When your morning alarm goes off, forget about just hitting the snooze button and rolling over. Alarmy, fittingly dubbed “the world’s most annoying alarm”, requires users to complete tasks to make the alarm stop. Tasks range from “photo mode”, which requires you to leave bed and take a picture of a pre-registered room/object to end the alarm, shake mode, which would you believe requires a certain amount of vigorous shaking to turn off the alarm and math problem mode.
SOUND NOTE Now we’re not saying you should go to sleep during lectures but if you are partial to a mid-lecture snooze, make sure you turn on Sound Note before you head to sleepy town. It will record your whole lecture for you whilst you sleep, which you can then listen back to again and again at a convenient time. Or for those who are taking this whole uni thing seriously, it allows you to make notes along with recording and can track which notes
were written down at each point in that lecture, so you can easily review notes and listen back to specific parts of the lecture.
STUDYBLUE If flashcards are your go-to study method, StudyBlue is the app you need. You can create visual flashcards and customise them with images, text and even audio – you can’t do that on the scrap bits of card you find lying around your flat. The app also allows you share your flashcards with other students and you can check their notes out too, so you can see how others are studying specific content. It’ll also send you study reminders and progress checks to make sure you’re staying on track.
DROPBOX Is there a more gut-wrenching feeling than arriving at uni on time and feeling prepared for your presentation, only to realise you’ve left your USB stick with the full thing on it at home? Or worse, you’ve left it on the bus. Forget about those daft moments and save a backup of everything to Dropbox. This way all your documents are safely stored in “the cloud” and you can access them whenever you need them. You can also view all your documents when you’re out and about, perfect for those who always rely on very lastminute revision sessions.
POMODORO KEEPER Everyone’s got a story about pulling
an all-nighter in the run up to an important deadline or exam and I’m sure most would agree eventually your brain can’t take in any more information, it’s pointless to keep going and you’d actually be better getting some sleep. With the Pomodoro Method you spend just 25 minutes completely focusing on one task, such as revising or finishing that essay before deadline and don’t allow for any distractions. You’re then allowed a five-minute break to keep your mind feeling fresh and after four Pomodoro blocks, you can take a larger break of 30 minutes. The focused time blocks are said to help encourage you to complete tasks quicker.
VOUCHERCODES When you’re a fully-fledged extraordinary student with top marks thanks to all these handy apps, it’s time to remember that studying isn’t everything. You’ve only got a few years of blowing your SAAS on rubbish and going out every other night before you have to grow up and join the working world. With that in mind, our last recommendation has absolutely zilch to do with studying but it will save you a few quid here and there which can be much better spent on the essentials, like £3 cocktails. VoucherCodes works by using your location to show the discounts offered by nearby shops, restaurants and bars, along with offering online discounts for hundreds of websites online, happy shopping! by Courtney Hendry Online Editor
@courtneysarahx
c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
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LIFESTYLE
NEW ZEALAND
VIETNAM
CROATIA
AUSTRALIA
by Keira McLean Twitter:
@KeiraMclean_xo
k.mclean@tsaglasgow.com
TOP DESTINATIONS TO VISIT DURING YOUR
GAP YEAR Thinking about taking a gap year but not sure where to travel to? Here are a few destinations that are perfect for students looking to travel during their year out.
IBIZA This well-known classic destination still maintains its wild clubbing reputation for those seeking hard nights with days spent on soft sandy beaches. Ibiza has nightlife second to none with streets full of clubs to have a wild time. As well as beautiful beaches surrounded by the warm Mediterranean Sea, it is perfect for washing away those hangovers. On those days where you want a break away from your break, there are plenty of gorgeous picturesque beaches and quiet spots outside the party resorts. This destination is great for students to end their student life with their friends with a bang. Also check out Zante, Crete and Tenerife for those summer clubbing vibes!
MOROCCO With scorching temperatures, snake charmers and Soukhs, Morocco offers a cultural explosion like no other for those looking to experience something different. The North African country attracts lots of students who want to mix their summer holiday sun-lounging with memories that will last a life time. Hotel pools provide a calming and much needed relief from a busy day of shopping at the markets, and day trips to the beautiful nearby sights Morocco has to offer. You’ll have plenty of new memories to take home with you and share your experiences.
AUSTRALIA With its wild open spaces, breathtaking
scenery, amazing wildlife, and epic party scene, Australia is pretty high up on most people’s bucket lists. Its endless sunshine and no language barrier makes it a first choice for most students looking to take a year out for travels. Travelling around the great southern land feels like exploring, so adventure travel is one of Australia’s strengths. Head for the Outback to feel the true meaning of ‘remote’ or dive off the Great Barrier Reef for an action packed time. There’s also plenty of jobs in Australia to choose from if you’re backpacking or travelling long term, by applying for a working holiday visa, you can live and work in Australia for up to a year. Choose from fruit picking on a farm, being a jackaroo on a ranch, becoming a diving instructor or mining in Broome, the opportunities to earn some cash are endless.
NEW ZEALAND New Zealand is well known as one of the world’s most friendliest places, and for backpackers they make no exception, making travelling a breeze for students. With its vibrant cities, open vistas and friendly locals – there are many reasons to spend your gap year in New Zealand. Its low cost living, and English-speaking population make it a popular choice amongst students. Also, similar to Australia, looking for jobs in New Zealand to fund your travels couldn’t be easier, with most visas offering you the ease of applying online, particularly the Working
Holiday Scheme Visa which allows you to stay in New Zealand for up to 23 months, working for a maximum of 12 months. You can even enroll in a training or study course for up to 6 months if you feel you need to brush up on your professional skills.
THAILAND Even though it is slightly further afield but not exclusively for those with cash, Thailand is really an accessible country of variety. While the flights may cost you £500, you can travel the country by staying in hostels and sticking to street foods instead of dining out at fancy restaurants. The South Islands offer some of the best and most beautiful beaches in the world and the North side is full of mountains with exotic jungle landscapes. However, no trip to Thailand is complete without a visit to the temples, market beaches and of course the elephant and tiger sanctuaries throughout the country.
VIETNAM Most students when visiting South East Asia will take a trip down the coast of Vietnam, stopping at picturesque towns such as Hue and Hoi An, both of which are infused with Chinese architecture and landmarks. Vietnam has a rich historical background with a visit to the former city of Saigon high on anyone’s list. There is a great variety of nightlife and the street food is phenomenal – perfect for any student on a budget. Transport is convenient with fantastic rail networks offering you routes up and down the country. Vietnam is an amazing place to visit for those who love culture and are looking for something a bit more exciting than just lying by the beach every days.
EUROPE Still not too sure what country to pick for your summer away? What about Europe? The UK’s – often forgotten about – back garden is still high on the student travel list and is home to some of the best cities in the world. Paris, Rome, Prague, Amsterdam are just a few cities to name. You can hop on a train with your student card and secure some
great discounts like free entry to plenty of sights. Why not book a group holiday on sites like Topdeck or Kontiki that offer a range of packages to suit every traveller’s needs from camping to hostel and hotels, meaning you have nothing more to do than relax and enjoy yourself, making new memories as you travel through Europe.
THE BALEARIC ISLANDS It’s not unsurprisingly difficult to find beautiful desert island like beaches on a student budget, and the Balearic Islands offer you just that. Located close to Ibiza is Formentera, a gorgeous island that couldn’t be more different from its party-loving other half. Laid-back and carefree, it is perfect for those looking for a relaxing holiday away from all the hassle of home. If you’re looking for unspoilt beaches and a chance to unwind, soak up some sun and enjoy some relaxation time with friends after exams, then Formentera is the perfect paradise just a short flight away. If you are thinking about prolonging your stay, you could always island hop between the Balearic Islands – visit Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera for the ultimate beach extravanganza!
CROATIA In recent years Croatia has frequently been labelled ‘Europe’s best kep secret’, establishing itself as one of the countries to visit in Europe. With beautiful beaches, Mediterranean weather, and some simply stunning sights, Croatia has a ton to offer backpackers and travellers. Known for its many music festivals, which attract thousands of party goers each year, you’re always guaranteed some epic nightlife wherever you are in the country. For those looking for a city break with a difference then Dubrovnik, Croatia’s second city is sure to satisfy your needs. Situated by the Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik offers a great Mediterranean break on a student budget. You can experience walking the famous city walls for breathtaking sights, or get lost amongst the old towns beauty.
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HOW TO MAKE MONEY WHILE YOU TRAVEL THE WORLD One of the most underappreciated luxuries for humanity is the ability to travel to exotic locations any time of year, that is as long as you can afford It. Even if you have a slightly unstable financial situation then perhaps you will consider working abroad to fund yourself. Don’t you ever stare aimlessly into space, pondering the opportunity to rid yourself of this place and travel abroad. If you are eager enough to consider your holiday options then you have probably went over your fiscal situation multiple times. If you are struggling to come up with a sustainable solution that
resolves your conundrum then maybe you need a new job. Maybe you need a job abroad. We enjoy helping people follow their delusional dreams regardless of how realistic or unrealistic it may be. However this is a fairly realistic goal to achieve, all you need is a dash of inspiration. That is why we’ve discovered some exceptional methods of making money while you travel. No need to thank us, but make sure to send some bank notes our way when you’re in the Caribbean, America or wherever the hell else is sunny and pays well.
GO FUND ! F L E S R U YO BECOME A FREELANCE WORKER This will allow journalists, photographers and creative artists the chance to travel to profoundly beautiful places and cover major events. One of the biggest advantages of taking this route is the fact you are essentially self employed. You won’t need to answer to anyone, apart from the law, try not to forget your legal boundaries as it is a major obstacle for freelance employees. Freelance workers have a harder time gaining access to crucial events. You don’t want to spend your hard earned freelance funds on foreign fines. Be sure to arrange access to events and exhibitions beforehand as it will save you from potential trouble. Freelance workers have the chance to travel to Europe, the Middle East and America.
£30
Fancy an Adventure? WE CAN HELP YOU BOOK A TRIP OF A LIFETIME ADVENTURE TOURS • ROUND THE WORLD TRIPS CITY BREAKS • FESTIVALS • RAIL & BUS PASSES TRAVEL INSURANCE • £49 FLIGHT DEPOSIT* PRICE BEAT GUARANTEE*
Make an appointment at your nearest store: ABERDEEN 01224 478699 DUNDEE 01382 698199 EDINBURGH 0131 261 5771 / 0131 261 5751 GLASGOW 0141 387 9696 / 0141 387 9697
*Terms and conditions apply. £30 voucher is given once you have booked your flight, and can be redeemed against a minimum spend of £250 on hotels or tours or multi-stop flight (with four non-UK stopovers with a minimum of an overnight stay on each stopover). One discount per booking. Offer must be mentioned at the start of the consultation and can be withdrawn at any time. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions and has no cash value. Travel Expert please use DMK VR1.
BECOME A TRANSLATOR
English is the 3rd most spoken language in the world with approximately 335,000,000 speakers scattered across the globe. This creates the opportunity to travel to underdeveloped countries and spread the English language to potentially hundreds of eager students, many of whom will greatly benefit from someone teaching them English, opening up a myriad of possibilities for individuals who live in underdeveloped countries.
If you have the brain capacity to be bilingual or if you have perfected a particular language then travelling as a translator is the perfect role for you to fill. If you are a self proclaimed expert at a specific language then your options are not limited to the country’s native language. This isn’t the worst thing as some languages are excruciatingly difficult to fully understand and learn. If you focus on one then a few years of seasoning will ensure you will be able to master the language. The ability to understand, translate and transcribe multiple languages is a gift. There will always be a market place for translators for tourist destinations, intelligence agencies and foreign embassies. This is one of the most intriguing concepts and serves as motivation to enforce the idea that working and travelling presents exciting experiences. It may give you the idea to independently teach yourself a language so you can explore this path.
BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR
GET A HOLIDAY WORKING VISA
Disregarding your current career in favour of attempting to launch your own business is a risky yet appealing prospect. The high risk/high reward that shrouds this decision will give you sleepless nights when developing your business idea. It can’t just be any old idea. It needs to be innovative, impactful and incisive. Creating an original idea and travelling abroad to sell your product is a curious concept. You must ensure there is a market place for the product. Furthermore you must be prepared to understand the economic climate of the location you have selected. If there is minimum resistance in terms of competition and you have already managed to sell your product in your hometown then you have our unholy blessing to become an entrepreneur.
All you need to do is be a legal citizen and have access to a printer. Don’t have a printer? Tragically unfortunate but that shouldn’t stop you. Get down to your nearest library, cough up a couple pennies and print a holiday working visa form. Once you have sent that away and received a confirmation letter that highlights your eligibility then you should begin scouting for jobs. You can extend your current career and look for a job within your specialised sector. Or you could take a slightly alternative approach and try and gain a job in an industry you have no experience working in. If the Visa process didn’t pick up any red flags it is unlikely that potential employers will discover any of your demons. Various beautiful countries accept this visa for example Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, France and Ireland.
BECOME AN ENGLISH TEACHER
When you book an appointment at STA Travel SCOTLAND
There are many ways you can earn a bit of extra cash online to fund your travels. Look into online transcriber roles, social media management, or even completing online surveys – you won’t become rich, but it’s a great way to earn a bit of extra cash along the way.
If you don’t want to be tied down to one location and want the freedom to travel the globe, then look into setting up an online business. All you need is your laptop and a wifi connection – and a great idea of course.
Embrace the unknown. Discover an entirely new world and consider travelling by Billal Rahman abroad. Bill.rah@outlook.com www.billrah.wordpress.com @billzinyourgaff
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MUSIC
you’ve been
In 2005, at the tender age of 10, my young heart was broken by Charlie Simpson. In fact, Charlie broke thousands of hearts when he announced his shocking departure from Busted, the band behind the early-noughties classics such as “Year 3000” and “What I Go To School For”. When I’m asked to interview Charlie, flashbacks of ripping Busted posters off my bedroom walls suddenly hit me but time is a great healer and I’m prepared to forgive and forget and it seems many others are feeling the same: “Yeah, it’s all been forgiven I think,” Charlie says with a laugh when I remind him of the fury he caused years ago. “People do come up to me from time to time and say I hated you ten years ago but now it’s fine because you’re getting back together,” he adds. The 2015 Busted reunion came as a huge surprise to fans, with Charlie himself even admitting he never seen it coming. For years he repeatedly told journalists the reunion would never happen. “I honestly think I’ve lost count of how many times I said I would never do this again and I genuinely meant that. There was a time where I said I couldn’t do this again and I wholeheartedly believed that,” said Charlie at a press conference in November 2015, announcing the reunion. So what changed for the man who left the band due to musical differences? According to Charlie, it was all down to time. “When I left the band James, Matt and I were very, very different creatively. We were so far apart and I think we could not have made an album that all of us were happy with so I felt like the only way was for me to leave because we would have ended up driving our friendship into the ground which would have been awful. “But we preserved our friendship which allowed us to come back now and I think the time in between has just changed us and evolved us as musicians and now we very much are on the same page – it’s like we had to go away to come back.” When Busted first burst onto the scene back in 2002, their pop-punk sound made the band a hit with their predominantly teenage girl fanbase, many of whom – including myself – are now older but still delighted that they have managed to come back together and the returning fanbase is something Charlie now notices at gigs. “It’s been funny to see the wide span of ages because now there are 15 year old’s that were Busted fans, I mean they must have been about five years old. And also, you’ve got people who are like 35, so we’ve crossed a huge demographic and it’s amazing to see the difference, it’s nice to see.”
“I FIND GLASGOW TO BE ONE OF THE BEST CITIES TO PLAY IN BECAUSE OF THE CROWDS – YOU JUST DON’T GET CROWDS SINGING LOUDER THAN A GLASGOW CROWD”
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However, Busted’s new sound – which Charlie describes as “just good pop music” – has attracted a new legion of fans. “I think that because it is quite a big departure in sound there are people who might not have been into Busted first time around but they’d listen to this record and be into it so that’s something that is really exciting for us,” said Charlie. Although they’re no longer writing songs about school teachers or air hostesses, with Charlie noting that the new album is very different to back in their early days and features “introspective tracks looking at the way this whole thing happened”, fans can rest easy because their classics will still be featured in the new tour. Charlie said of the Night Driver tour, which is coming to Usher Hall in Edinburgh on 25 February and Glasgow’s O2 Academy on 26 February, that there will be a good mix of new and old, adding: “It’s going to be amazing. I think this will be the best tour we’ve ever done because there’s just a freshness and an enthusiasm to go out and play these new songs which I don’t think we’ve had before playing Busted shows and some of these venues are much more intimate so I think it’ll be such a fun night, we’re really excited for this new tour.” It seems Glasgow will be a particular highlight on the tour for Charlie, as he added: “Honestly Glasgow’s one of my favourite places to play – I’ve played a bunch of times in Scotland with my band Fightstar and every time I come I find Glasgow to be one of the best cities to play in because of the crowds – you just don’t get crowds singing louder than a Glasgow crowd. “And they are so passionate, there’s so much great music that has come out of Scotland over the years and you can just sense how passionate the crowds are about music when you play there.” Discussing tour life now that all of the band members are in settled stages of their lives – Charlie is married with a young son, Matt’s married with three young children and James is in a long-term relationship – Charlie admits that all of their priorities have now changed but he wouldn’t change it. “Ten years ago we would have been like ‘Yeah fine, send us anywhere for any amount of time’ but now we can’t just go off for months on end because we need to come back and see our families so you just have things that you consider more than you did ten years ago. “But I think in general I prefer it now than I did back then. I think now we are old enough to really appreciate it and I know so much more about the industry that I’m in and I’ve had a lot of experience now, doing different things, so I feel like this is so much better now this time around than it was last time.” Although I was fully obbsessed with Busted way back at the beginning and I’m still partial to belting out “What I Go To School For” now and again, I think I’ll have to agree with Charlie. With their new grown up sound, Busted are definitely so much better this time around.
by Courtney Hendry Online Editor
@courtneysarahx
c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
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MUSIC
the EVOLUTION of pop music
From Busted to Be Charlotte: A decade of popular music LOVE MUSIC HELP MUSICIANS Help Musicians UK is the leading UK charity for musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. They help at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people that extra bit of support they need at a crucial stage that could make or break their career.
A Study published by the University of Westminster found that almost 71% of musicians have suffered from anxiety and/or panic attacks and 69% have suffered from depression. A musicians’ profession is uniquely stressful with the high and lows of performing, financial insecurity and anti-social working hours. If the strains of making music become too much, there is no dedicated service for musicians to turn to. General primary health services often do not meet the needs of musicians or understand the particular pressures of the profession/ touring. A controversial name was chosen for the campaign launch (M.A.D.) to help tackle the pervading stigma around mental health within the music industry and start conversations for the first time. As a result the issue is getting significant profile across the industry, national media and beyond. Following the success of the launch we are looking beyond the headlines to find solutions to the issue through commissioning University of Westminster / MusicTank to conduct the first academic study on the incidence of mental health and musicians – ‘Can Music Make You Sick?’ We hope this will lead to the launch of a nationwide service in early 2017 which will be shaped and defined by listening to musicians and those working in music.
Find out more here musicanddepression.com
We are also creating a Mental Health Music Industry Taskforce to examine the study’s findings and to make recommendations for a series of pledges to establish a duty of care in the industry for the first time.
You’ll have noticed that this month we’ve returning noughties heroes Busted and Dundee’s own pop experimentalist Be Charlotte as our split cover stars. Remember back in the day when Busted were presented as innovative just because they played their own instruments, wrote their own songs? It showed us how far backwards we’d regressed. Sure they were fun but ultimately it was decent pop punk for the 8-14 year old masses and there’s nothing wrong with that. Now they’re back with their 3rd album and once again they’re asking us to take them seriously. Be Charlotte have nothing of this problem, innovation from the ground up is what they’re about – the credibility comes as a matter of course. Scotland’s long had a way with pop without the ‘Sell out’ – Orange Juice, Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, Camera Obscura, Honeyblood and Chvrches all come readily to mind. With breezy singy song vocals, conversational rapping, clever wordplay, beatboxing and cheeky loops Be Charlotte have won over the Scottish indie scene and are aiming to take it to a much wider audience. It’s unashamedly pop (who’s ashamed of pop?) and with a decent haul of awards already at their chests plus gearing up for yet another SXSW they seem to have the building blocks of a sparkling and diverse career. The new Busted album, Night Driver, is a long way from the high energy hits of their heyday, thick and cloying synths and ponderous vocals mostly replacing the sharp Green Day lite nimbleness and energy of their earlier albums. It’s Charlie Simpson’s artistic frustrations and the pressure of making the hit writ large again. We’re already well past the point of asking if pop has to mean something but they’ve never been a band who seemed to have a cohesive idea of who they wanted to be and it shows.
It’s easier and easier to make and record great music at home, the tools are more reliable, cheaper and simpler to use than ever before. All you need is a laptop, a copy of Ableton Live, a couple of good mics, a vision, a smattering of talent and you’re off. Lots has been written about the democratisation of music - write and record a song in the morning and bang it out on Soundcloud and Bandcamp in the afternoon - the future belongs to the quick and the innovative, as it always has but more so now than ever. It’s this freedom that’s important, Be Charlotte are a great example of what’s great about having the freedom to do what you want, to say what you want to say without the pressure of having to please a boardroom full of accountants. Busted had a Smash Hits cover before they’d even released a single. Where’s the chance to build an audience, find and lose and find your voice again, rip it up and start again if all that matters is the pennies? By all accounts Busted are doing pretty well for themselves, packing out big halls all over the place with screaming fans and they probably deserve the success. Although it’s guaranteed they’ll be playing “Year 3000” for the rest of their career they self-funded their first sessions back together in an attempt to make a new sound that they’re proud of. But it’s groups like Be Charlotte, last year seen tiptoeing round electrical cables in the pouring rain at Kelvingrove Bandstand, who’ve the chance to take risks, innovate, grow with their audience and ultimately shape the future of this thing we call pop. This innovation and risk taking needs our support, it’s up to us to have a dig through the listings, find a band we’ve never heard of and give them a couple of hours of our time.
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LET’S ALL
BE CHARLOTTE Acclaimed Scottish three piece Be Charlotte continue to develop their innovative, unique sound on their latest single One Drop which was released at the end of last month.
Fronted by teenager Charlotte Brimner who is already regarded as one of the most prestigious and cutting edge songwriters on the Scottish music scene, illustrates a rare ability to transcend genres with ease; incorporating pop, hip-hop, beatboxing, electro and indie pop, crafting unmistakable soundscapes that are as playful as they are poignant. Her unorthodox approach has picked up a well of support; and have already charted in the viral Top 50 on Spotify, been playlisted on Radio X’s evening playlist and accrued support at BBC Radio 1. We caugh up with Charlotte ahead of her Glasgow Garage and Electric Circus date on 17 and 18 February, and had a chat about her success so far.
Hey Charlotte – thaks for chatting with us today. So we’ve read that you started writing music when you were 14. Who would you say have been your biggest musical influences over the years? I like a lot of different styles of music and I’m most inspired with songs that just sound or say something a bit different. I really love Milky Chance, Kendrick Lamar, Lianne La Havas and Tracy Chapman.
The new single is called “One Drop” (which we absolutely adore), can you tell us a bit about what inspired it? One Drop started off as vocal and beatbox loops that I wrote on my loop pedal. At first I wasn’t really to sure what to do with it or exactly what it was. I liked the feel of it though and added in the spoken word part as a hook. I wrote the lyrics for One Drop to try and find a way to describe how I was feeling, a mixture of frustration and confusion, I think that comes across in the song.
You played Eurosonic in The Netherlands at the end of last month, how was that? Will we be seeing you on the festival circuit again this year? I loved Eurosonic so much, its such a great festival and everyone was so friendly! Definitely one of my favourite festivals I’ve been too. Our show was really great and I loved doing live sessions for radio and online blogs!
Your second single “Machines That Breathe” went straight into the Spotify Viral Top 50. Can you tell us what that was like? Very surreal!!! It’s always quite nervewracking releasing new music so it was a very lovely surprise to see it going into the Viral 50.
BBC Radio 1 dubbed you “The most exciting emerging artist in ages” – which is quite a statement. You were also picked by BBC Introducing, how has been receiving such massive support? The support from Radio 1 and BBC
introducing has been so amazing. It’s very surreal to hear my songs on the radio and I’m so grateful to those who have been supporting it.
You were invited to play at Hogmanay Celebrations in Edinburgh at the end of 2016, alongside Paolo Nutini, Frightened Rabbit and The Charlatans. What was that like? It was an amazing way to end a very exciting year. Quite scary walking out onto the stage in front of so many people but just felt so good to play all our songs to them.
2016 was such a massive year for you, and it looks like 2017 is set to be even bigger. Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming year and where we can see you? We are going on our first Scottish tour next week playing in Inverness, Dunfermline, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. It’s just been announced that we’re playing Live at Leeds, Liverpool Sound City, The Secret Garden Party and Iceland Airwaves. by Katie Jones Editor katie@ thestudentadvertiser.co.uk
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Glasgow’s Musical Heritage
In 2008, Glasgow became the first city in the UK to be designated a UNESCO City of Music for “the vibrancy of its music scene and its role as a world player in music”. With its legions of rock, indie and folk musicians spawning an estimated 130 live music events every week, Glasgow deserves the accolade, but the city’s rich music heritage is another reason why it was honoured. Let’s take a look back:
That time Neil Young busked outside Central Station If you’ve not seen the footage, then you’ve definitely heard the story. Neil Young sitting on the floor outside Central Station on Gordon Street, in 1976 singing “Old Laughing Lady” and playing his banjo is definitely an iconic moment in Glasgow’s musical heritage. It has been suggested that Young sang that particular song due to the date, which was April Fools Day, as a practical joke on passers by, who had little clue to who the longhaired hippie on the floor was, but who really knows – it’s still a bloomin cool story. Later that night Young proceeded to headline the legendary Glasgow Apollo with Crazy Horse, opening the show with “The Laughing Lady”.
Bon Jovi played out a window on Argyle street During their 1995 These Days Tour which saw American rockers, Bon Jovi play 52 shows across Europe, the lads stopped off for an impromptu gig on Glasgow’s very own Argyle Street. With a gig in Scotland nowhere to be seen, as a thank you to their Scottish fans, the band spent their only day off travelling to Glasgow for an impromptu busking session. It has been reported that The Sun, who were a bit pissed about not getting an exclusive, tipped off the authorities about the band’s intended ‘illegal’ outdoor gig, and plans were halted. Thankfully, Tower Records on Argyle Street offered their services and the gig was back on for a 30 minute set in front of 5,000 revellers.
That time The Clash busked their way through Glasgow The Clash legendary ‘Busking Tour’ of 1985 started off in Nottingham, working their way up the country, playing sessions in small pubs and student unions, and on street corners. When they arrived in Glasgow it was no different, and before long they arrived at Duke’s Bar on Old Dumbarton Road.
by Katie Jones Editor katie@ thestudentadvertiser.co.uk
The story goes that they were supposed to play at Glasgow Uni, but the police put a stop to it due to fear of overcrowding, which led to Allan Fullegar, owner of Duke’s, offering to pay their taxi to Old Dumbarton Road if they would play. Obviously they accepted, with Duke’s now proudly
sporting a plaque to commemorate the moment in Glasgow’s music history. The band ended up playing a 45 minute set at the small corner pub before moving onto Glasgow School of Art the next day. Their Busking Tour ended in Glasgow, and the band split the following year – a bittersweet ending, but another proud notch on Glasgow’s belt.
Pink Floyd supporting Jimi Hendrix at Green’s Playhouse in 1967 – now that’s a gig! In 1967, arguably the greatest guitar player who ever lived, Jimi Hendrix dropped the jaws of millions of Beatles fans across the world. It was not only for his stupendous guitar playing, but for his bluesy cover of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, which he played that night in Green’s Playhouse. With support from The Move and Pink Floyd, the gig was reportedly a shambles. It started with Pink Floyd being booed off the stage because they weren’t playing their hits, and ended with the venue’s curtains closing on Hendrix because staff thought he was doing rude actions with his guitar, which almost concluded with staff members trying to pull him off stage. We still would never have missed it for the world!
When Prince performed a secret gig in The Garage In 1995 the superstar that is Prince was on the UK leg of his tour. It was during a time Prince was doing smaller more intimate gigs, alongside his huge arena shows, to try out new material while on tour. It’s now twenty-one years ago the music legend performed a secret gig at Glasgow’s very own Garage. Following his show at the SECC, the ‘wee purple guy’ hopped on over to the Garage where he performed a set to a select guest list of fans. Around 800 fans got to see their idol – but hundreds more missed out as queues stretched down Sauchiehall Street. Owner Donald MacLeod had just opened the Garage at the time when Prince had offered to perform there. Thinking it was a wind-up by ex Wet Wet Wet manager Elliot Davis, McLeod almost knocked back the gig. When Prince returned to Glasgow in 2014, 20 years after the Garage first opened it’s doors, a petition was launched to get Prince back to the iconic venue.
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We also caught up with Glasgow Music City Tours, who run walking tours around the key music sites of the city centre, where guests can get a flavour of some of Glasgow’s best loved venues past and present, and hear stories of some of the talented musicians who have played, stayed and slayed in this vibrant music city. They have shared some of their favourite tall tales and urban legends: Glasgow is home to the world’s oldest surviving music hall. The Britannia Panopticon Music Hall dates from 1857, and is one of the city’s greatest hidden gems, situated up an alleyway off Trongate. Where other music halls of the time burned down years ago, the Panopticon was saved and preserved thanks to the delightful habit of its many male patrons who, rather than push through the crowds to find an outside toilet, would simply pee where they stood, saturating the wood so that it never caught fire.
One of Glasgow’s main claims to fame is that Oasis were first discovered at King Tut’s one night in May 1993 when they turned up without a booking but were squeezed on the bottom of the bill. Creation Records boss Alan McGee was in the crowd – if 69 paying customers makes a crowd – to see another band on the bill but was so blown away by Oasis that he offered to sign them on the spot. For years, the urinal in the men’s toilet was called the Wonderwall in honour of this momentous occasion.
Paolo Nutini is another artist who played some of his earliest gigs at King Tut’s but years later, as an established artist, he was nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year Award. After the ceremony, and well into the wee small hours, Paolo was spotted drinking in The Box on Sauchiehall Street, where he jumped up on stage and led the resident band through a couple of Prince covers.
David Bowie played in Glasgow on numerous occasions over the years. When the Ziggy Stardust tour came to the late, lamented Apollo, there were reports of couples making very enthusiastic use of the golden divans – or “the dive-ons” as they were known to the locals – during the show. Fittingly, the support band were called Fumble. The documentary Lost In France premieres at the Glasgow Film Festival later this month, looking back at the early days of the city’s most acclaimed indie label, Chemikal Underground Records, and the scene around The 13th Note bar in the mid-1990s, which birthed the likes of Mogwai, Bis and The Delgados. The band booker at the Note back in those days was a young musician called Alex Huntley – these days he is better known as Alex Kapranos, frontman of Franz Ferdinand.
Years later, Bowie played Barrowlands with his band Tin Machine and a story circulated that one of the stars from the venue’s ceiling fell on to the Starman during soundcheck. In fact, one of the technical crew helped to dislodge it and presented it to Bowie, who displayed the trophy in the bathroom of his Paris apartment.
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The Stranglers: From the 70’s to 2017 AHEAD OF THEIR GLASGOW 02 ACADEMY GIG IN MARCH, WE HAD A CHAT WITH THE LEGENDARY GUILDFORD GROUP ABOUT THEIR PAST AND THEIR FUTURE Always ones to make a memorable night, the Stranglers will be playing Glasgow’s O2 Academy this March. It’s exciting times – these guys are basically the founding fathers of the UK punk scene. Originally called the Guildford Stranglers, this band has never been dull or even ordinary over their 42 years of activity – they’ve battled bouncers, fought with fellow musicians, kidnapped a journalist and made the “artistic decision” to take heroin for a year. Through all of this, however, they have always been an active band, producing classics like Golden Brown and No More Heroes. Thinking about them having kidnapped a journalist (or more accurately, gaffer-taping a reporter from the Eiffel Tower, 400 feet above the ground), I was feeling new levels of preinterview nerves. I had no idea what to expect from my interview with bassist Jean-Jaques Burnel, but I had some pretty clear pictures in my head: what if I said the wrong thing, pissed him off and found myself in a ditch somewhere, watching the Stranglers shovel dirt onto me? When I was connected through to Burnel, I went balls out: I asked him if I had anything to be worried about, knowing his reputations with writers like me. He laughed. Burnel told me that he and his group “gave as good as they got when it came to journalists.” But now things are different – he went on to tell me that, “the new young journalists now actually like us. There’s not really a confrontational situation anymore. Because they used to all wind us up. With the new generation, they seem to think all the naughty things we did to fellow journalists are badges of honour now!” He added that all the journalists from his generation are all retired or dead anyway. Speaking of this generation’s journalists, he said that this generation’s new artists “try to be either squeaky clean or pretend to be naughty.” With my fears of being kidnapped by the legendary bassist behind me, we went onto have a laugh and chat, in which he asked me if my mum, who was a big fan of the Stranglers back in the day, liked to misbehave. I laughed, and later he told me that I’ve to tell me mum to “let her hair down and send him a wink.” So we got into it: we started talking about their visit to Glasgow this year. He was excited, he and his band had spent many a memorable night in Glasgow, after playing at
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the Barrowlands and the Apollo – the latter opened in 1973 and was sadly demolished in 1987, but Burnel’s memories of the incredible gigs they played there will live on. He said, “The whole place used to shake; the building used to shake with thousands of very loud people in there. The stage was absolutely high – really high stage – and somehow people used to mange to jump down from the balconies surrounding the stage or jump up – no, I don’t know how.” Of course, in typical Stranglers fashion, it was never going to be a peaceful night. “We had a few run ins with the police and the bouncers there because the bouncers were not very happy about us telling to lay off the audience. And they pushed one of our fans down the stairs and we had to be escorted out by the police. The bouncers wanted to kill us! And they were old school Glasgow bouncers!” He also warned me, that I do not want to spend a Saturday night in Strathclyde jail as they once did. Needless to say, he and the Stranglers are very excited to play Glasgow once again this March, along with the Ruts DC. It wasn’t always the Apollo and worldwide tours, though. Back in 1974 when the Guildford Stranglers first came to be, they were playing pubs. I wondered, could a group of young men playing their local even dream of playing all around the world, several times? Burne’s answer was no, of course not. You don’t think in those terms. 40 years ago, there weren’t any rockers who had been around for 40 years! So we didn’t know that by being in a rock band, you would last so long! It just didn’t enter your thinking.” As I said earlier, they essentially created punk music as well. There’s dreaming of being a world renowned rock star, and then there’s dreaming of creating a whole new genre of music. But Burnel described it something of a synchronicity. “Things were happening to quite a few bands at roughly the same time. You know, we all have the same kind of attitude but the music from all the different bands at that time collectively were called punk or new wave, but a lot of it is actually quite different from the other. We were just kicking against what was the status quo at the time.” Enough about the past then: what’s happening now? The Strangler’s UK tour will end on the first of April, in Manchester’s O2 Apollo. After that, they’ll be taking a break, and new music will be in the works. Burnel has addressed that he and his band are so in demand right now, that he’s barely had time to sit down and write. Their last album, Giants, came out in 2012, but Burnel isn’t short of ideas for what they’ll be doing next. He says he has about 150 ideas, but if he ends up with four or five great songs he’ll be happy. “There’s so much to write about, isn’t there, in the world,” he remarked. by Holly Fleming Twitter:
@hol7ly
h.fleming@tsaglasgow.com
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QUICK FIRE ROUND How competitive are the Veck-Gilodi brothers? Not at all really!
HAVANA
Would you rather eat dinner with Theresa May or Donald Trump? Neither, both are horrible. What’s the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you? I have too many to count, almost always involving falling over and/or passing out! Do you use Tinder? Can you spill the beans on your bio? Never used Tinder. Would you rather have no hands or no vocal cords? No vocal chords! I need to play guitar! Best movie ever? Se7en
by Billal Rahman Bill.rah@outlook.com www.billrah.wordpress.com @billzinyourgaff
Deaf Havana have been making waves across the alternative rock spectrum since back in 2013, when their hugely successful album Old Souls catapulted the band into the UK rock big league. Guitarist Matthew Veck-Gilodi recently took time out to discuss life, music and the band’s highly-praised fourth album, All These Countless Nights, ahead of their gig at Glasgow’s O2 ABC on 18 February. A lot of you went to college together, and some high school, what was it like growing up with each other? Did you always want to be in a band together? More than wanting to be in a band together we just fell into it cause there wasn’t much else to do growing up in Norfolk! But yeah it was cool mostly growing up together. Can you tell us when you first realised the band would be a success? Do you remember what that turning point was? It was probably somewhere around 2010 when we released Fools & Worthless Liars and our music really started to connect with people and we started playing big shows and people started turning up to shows more and more. What it was like supporting music legends like Bruce Springsteen and Muse? It was awesome but very surreal. It’s mad playing shows that large anyway but with Springsteen especially, who is an all time favourite of ours was insane! Is there anyone on your bucketlist you would love to share a stage with? We’d love to play with Kings of Leon or something like that. As a veteran band how often do you come across up and coming bands asking for advice? Not too often really, they’re normally asking how we managed to stay together through everything!
Is there any one we should be keeping an eye on? I’m not too sure really, there’s a pretty small American band called Pinegrove that everyone needs to check out! What has been the best city in the UK you have played in? Excluding hometown crowds Leeds is always great to be honest, always up for a laugh! You’re coming to Glasgow on 18th February. What experiences do you have of playing in Glasgow before? Any stories? Normally getting very very drunk in Nice n Sleazys! We always have an absolute riot in Glasgow. What inspired the new album title All These Countless Nights? Well it’s taken from a line in the song “Happiness”, but it ended up being quite fitting as all the songs are about experiences we’ve had over so many nights. What message do you want to send fans from the new album? I’m not too sure really, maybe that even though most of the songs are very sad, there is some hope and optimism in there. What’s your plans for 2017 after the tour? Well we’re touring Europe in March/ April and then after that we’ll be hitting a few festivals. Our plans are just to play in front of as many people as is possible this year.
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February PICK OF THE MONTH It’s no great secret that Scotland’s music scene is a thing to be proud of. So we here at TSA have teamed up with Scotland’s very own New Hellfire Club to bring you a monthly pick of who we think are doing epically well right now. Keep your eyes out for these up and coming bands. This is TSA and New Hellfire Club’s ‘Pick of the Month’.
THE STUMBLERS Hello Stumblers! Great to have you guys on as our first NHC / TSA POTM in 2017, and I have to say, you have already been very busy recently. You have a video out, a new album, some cracking gigs lined up, and there is some festival chat too, but let’s leave that stuff to later though, and first you can open us up by throwing ourselves right into the common ‘why the name’ question now as The Stumblers seems to be a bit of an unusual
choice. Was it a late night in a bar somewhere discussion that led to it, or something a bit deeper? From what we gather, the name popped up in conversation between Stevie and Niall somewhere shortly before the inception of the band. It has a tinge of humour around it and thematically fits the music and general presentation of the band.
What about the title of the album? Whose idea was that, and what was the thinking behind it? Once again, this was a spontaneous title that popped up in mid-conversation and was instantly picked up on as being aurally pleasing, but also an apt metaphor for us as people and wider society in general. No matter how many layers, experiences and thoughts we have, we’re still Remarkably Simple For Complex Individuals. You recently released a cracking music video to go with your song City Rats (my particular favourite of the new album if I do say so!), talk us through that a bit, how did you work out exactly what you were going to have in the video, and why the particular setting? The video treatment came from our working relationship with Gregor “G-Man” McPhie and his capacity as our album producer at The HQ in Glasgow. He has recently started producing videos as Intoxic 8 Media and we knew the chemistry, ideas and outcome were going to be top notch. He had scouted the location (Dunmore House, Airth) and had some concept of what we’d be doing, but the entire thing just ended up being a hoot and a half. We filmed a good few hours of antics but the best of them have made the final cut for sure. It’s a very fun video, and making people smile is one of our biggest kicks as a band.
E S, C I G A R S, P I P E S WHISKI & P I P E TO B A C C O PREMIUM WHISKY AND CIGAR MERCHANT MULTI AWARD-WINNING INDEPENDENT BOTTLER FOUNDED 1874
Is that the stand alone track from the album or will there be another given the video treatment? We’ll definitely be doing another video in the coming months. We won’t say which song, but we’ve spoken about the video treatment and broad details and have something very exciting in store. No doubt it’ll have all the key
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ingredients the last one did, but possibly with more of a theme relating to the album art/ lyrics. Stay tuned. You have had a few line up changes over the years, a bit Spinal Tap in that respect. With the album out and a new drummer is there a sense that this is the point that you have all been working towards? Solidifying the line-up has been imperative to us. In the three years we’ve been operational, we’ve luckily not lost any momentum and always had a complete line-up. Recently we changed drummers again (the previous one died in a bizarre gardening accident, and he himself was replacing someone who spontaneously combusted onstage, obviously) and our new guy Ruaraidh had the intimidating task of learning a freshly recorded album, but he has risen to the challenge and worked hard, so we’ve already cultivated some solid cohesion, both in the studio and on stage. Whenever a band is asked if this is their year they obviously say that it is, but why is 2017 your year? We’ve got our album under our belts, festivals to tackle throughout the year, new material already being written and lots of other exciting things ahead. Perhaps describing 2017 as “our year” maybe a bit bold, seeing as the 12 Month Roman Calendar is only an arbitrary man-made quantification of time, but we’ll certainly try! Let’s leave it to others to decide though, they can check out our music via Facebook, Bandcamp, Spotify, ITunes, and everywhere else that does great music online!
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GIGS OF THE MONTH Previews A PREVIEW OF THE TOP GIGS GLASGOW & EDINBURGH HAVE TO OFFER IN FEBRUARY/MARCH
THE VIEW KING TUTS 19/02/17 – 24/02/17 The View have set an extortionary record by selling out six gigs in a row in 20 minutes. The Scottish indie rock band have been delivering exceptional performances for a decade. The sensational collection of talent have sold out a record breaking six nights in a row at King Tuts because rabid fans appreciate their music. This has immortalized them as royalty within the establishment. The View will celebrating their 10 year anniversary as a highly talented musical
THE CHAINSMOKERS
CORN EXCHANGE, EDINBURGH 15/02/17 Grammy nominated dynamic DJ duo Chainsmokers will be performing in the capital in mid February. The American double act made a major breakthrough in 2016 with an impressive repertoire of diverse music. The twosome consists of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart. Taggart has Scottish origins and was raised in New England. Pall grew up in New York. They have been nominated for three Grammy awards but have been unable to capture the prestigious honour.
DUSKY AT SWG3 17/02/17 The London duo will be gracing the epic SWG3 stage this month. The techno tandem have been producing serene sounds since 2011. Their brand of techno is infused with jazz, classical and soul. A truly magnificent musical mix. In 2013 they were voted as DJ magazines Best British Producer. Since then they have aged like fine wine and have only improved with experience. This duo are right in the tick of their musical prime. Enjoy it while you can as the duo seldom visit Glasgow.
BASEMENT JAXX SWG3 24/02/17
The legendary electronic dance duo, Basement Jaxx, who first rose to populatity back in the early 90s, will play their first DJ set in Glasgow in over a decade at SWG3 on 24 February. Their hit albums, which include Remedy, The Singles and 2014’s Junto, have generated over three million album sales with more than a few classic tracks under their belts, including “Red Alert”, “Do Your Thing” and “Where’s Your Head At”, the duo from Brixton are sure to receive a very warm welcome from the Glasgow crowd. Tickets start at £24.50, plus booking fee.
GALACTIC EMPIRE
collective. For ten years they have provided Scotland with some of the best indie rock in recent memory. The band have always performed a record breaking eight times at T In The Park. This makes it highly likely that they will agree to perform at the upcoming Glasgow music festival TRNSMT. They do not have anything scheduled so they have the perfect opportunity to perform for anyone that misses the highly anticipated gig.
. THE MASH HOUSE, EDINBURGH 11/02/17. GLASGOW O2 ABC 12/02/17 A long time ago in a nerd’s basement far, far away, a group of enthusiastic sci-fi rock fans created a Star Wars tribute band. This is the culmination of years of cosplay and die hard love for the franchise. The band performs a heavy metal rendition of the soundtrack conducted by John Williams. This is something that is very obscure and remains on the fringes of music, however it cannot be denied it is very intriguing.
SLOTH METROPOLIS THE HUG AND PINT 17/02/17
Described as an “ongoing sloth-themed rock opera told in prog, psych, folk and Papier-mâché”, it’s safe to say it’ll probably be one of the more unusual gigs you’ve ever been to but we would definitely recommend heading along when Sloth Metropolis play at the Hug & Pint on 17 February – where they’ll be supported by Chrissy Barnacle and Big Hogg. The band mix everyday life with the strange and supernatural and are so entertaining live, plus tickets are only £5 so it’ll be a cheap and cheerful night out.
LUKAS GRAHAM 02 ACADEMY 28/02/17
The Danish pop and soul band are travelling to the second city of Scotland to perform their self titled album. Many people are unaware that the group is a band named after their lead singer, which is unusual to say the least. However putting the sheer arrogance aside, the group perform beautiful music. The lead singer Lukas Graham Forchhammer is highly skilled at writing passionate music that conveys true emotion.
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TSA
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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
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Gig Guide: Music & Clubbing
Edinburgh TUE, 14 FEB
SOTO (Featuring Jeff Scott Soto) + Bigfoot + Valadine Jeff Scott Soto brings his full band for the only Scottish date on their current UK run. Having been the voice of many great acts, Journey, Talisman etc and was the voice of Steel Dragon Bannermans: 7:30 pm £15.00
WED, 15 FEB MENACE BEACH Supported by the awesome The Ninth Wave. Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 £7.50 LOCO KAMANCHI: DJ MARKY Loco Kamanchi AND Bass Belly, two of Edinburgh’s freshest underground music nights, are joining forces to bring you arguably the most talented drum and bass DJ & Producer in the World….. all the way from Rio, Brazil its DJ MARKY The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £10.00
THU, 16 FEB Dodgy The staying out for the summer indie rockers make a welcome return to Edinburgh. Bannermans: 7:30 pm £15.00 RITUAL Ritual returns with another midweek night of the best disco, deep and soulful house music. The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £5.00
FRI, 17 FEB Jambouree’s Jampot A special potion of crossover and experimental grooves from across the Central Belt, specially handpicked by Jambouree for a night of delicious and heartfelt music. La Belle Angele: 7:00 pm tbc Tyla’s Dogs D’amour + Warrior Soul + The Wankers + Lowdrive +PBR Special one off event featuring 2 of rock n’ rolls great frontmen on the same bill for the first time. Bannermans: 7:00 pm £10.00 Athens Of The North Deep soulful funk & disco, rare Brazilian, fucked up 80’s boogie, with a sprinkle of house music. Sneaky Pete’s: 23:00:00 £5.00 November Lights, plus The Carvelles and tinylittlerobots Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 £5.00
SAT, 18 FEB Rab Howat Band Join Rab, Roy, Ali and Lawrie, plus special guests, every Saturday for some old-skool rock. Bannermans: 6:00 pm Free Julian Cope Julian Cope is an English rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator. This is his Winter 2017 tour. La Belle Angele: 7:00 pm £26.25 Wasabi Disco: Telephones (Runnning Back / Sex Tags UFO) Telephones has releases on Sex Tags, Running Back and Full Pupp. Expect a tutti-fruiti mix of cosmic house, outer disco and percussion wig outs! Sneaky Pete’s: 23:00:00 £7.00 MESSENGER: BOB MARLEY’S BIRTHDAY Celebrates the life and works of the undisputed King of Reggae – the great Robert Nesta Marley The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £7.00 Love Eyed Faces Plus Love Eyed Faces, Mooji Band, Fat Like Buddah, Alex Maxwell Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 tba
Indigo Sixteen, Easy, Gracefell West Lothian four-piece Indigo Sixteen -sparky mix of cranked-up indie rock that comes over like a high-octane mix of Joy Division, Miles Kane and Blondie at their sharpest. Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 £5.00 Patersani Lost In Vancouver + WYLDE La Belle Angele: 7:00 pm
£5.00
MON, 20 FEB Scott Sorry (The Wildhearts Sorry & The Sinatras) + Role Models + Billy Liar After a 5 year break from a turbulent 15 year career of music and mayhem, Scott Sorry has released his very first solo album “When We Were Kings” Bannermans: 7:30 pm £8.00 Redfaces Newly signed to RCA and with a debut single – the incendiary ‘Kerosene’ – due on February 3, 2017, RedFaces are Harry Lyon, Isaac White, Charlie Yapp and Ryan Laycock. Four lads from Sheffield treading what was once a well-worn path, these days the road l Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 £5.00
TUE, 21 FEB Tuesday Karaoke Tuesday Karaoke Bannermans: 10:00 pm
Free
The Derellas + The No Things + Reaction Glam tinged sleazy punk’n’roll. Bannermans: 7:30 pm £6.00 LOCO KAMANCHI Loco Kamanchi brings you the best in Bass over Room 1 and House & Techno in Room 2. The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £5.00
THU, 23 FEB Courtesans + Painting Rockets Courtesans are back to rip the roof off, with great local support Painting Rockets In a world full of bankers, hipsters, fanatics, politicians and keyboard warriors Bannermans: 7:30 pm £8.00 Youandewan (!K7 Records) at Juice Make rooms shake Sneaky Pete’s: 23:00:00 £5.00 £5.00
FRI, 24 FEB Maiden Scotland Maiden Scotland Bannermans: 8:00 pm
tbc
Melting Pot Bringing their vintage UREi mixer and other assorted hi-fi trickery to make Sneak’s d&b soundsystem sing! Sneaky Pete’s: 23:00:00 £5.00 ELECTRIKAL RECORDS LABEL LAUNCH: ADDISON GROOVE Stripped down drum machine beats, acid basslines and hip-hop / booty-leaning vocals. The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £10.00 Choose Rude #2: The Begbies, Moonlight Zoo, The Palmiros Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 £5.00 Oi Polloi Punk was only meant to last a couple of years but here is yet more proof of it’s lasting power. La Belle Angele: 7:00 pm £5.00
SAT, 25 FEB
SUN, 19 FEB Open Mic Sunday Session Open Mic Sunday Session Bannermans: 3:00 pm Free
Wille & The Bandits Wille and the Bandits is a classic blues rock three piece much in the vain of Cream or The Jimi Hendrix experience. But in a similar way to how these bands pushed the genre in their time, Wille and the Bandits try to take their sound beyond what is expect Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 £10.00
Just Blaze at Coalition with special guest Cunnie He’s back, one of the all time greatest hip hop producers, the man behind tracks like Jay Z’s ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’, Camron’s ‘Oh Boy’, Kanye West’s ‘Touch The Sky’, Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Compton’ and most recently Beyonce’s latest single ‘Freedom’ Sneaky Pete’s: 23:00:00 Postponed SUBSTANCE: 10 YRS OF ILIAN TAPE - ZENKER BROTHERS & SKEE MASK The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £10.00
Open Mic Sunday Session Open Mic Sunday Session Bannermans: 3:00 pm Free
MON, 27 FEB Tragedy ( A Metal Tribute To The Bee Gees & Beyond) + Black Market Tyrants Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees and Beyond, has changed the face of music forever. Bannermans: 7:00 pm £12.00
TUE, 28 FEB Pinact, Tongue Trap, Shredd Pinact warm-up to appearing at this year’s South By Southwest Festival Sneaky Pete’s: 19:00:00 £5.00
Free
Vince Ripper & The Rodent Show + Your Reptilian Masters LIVE ROCK N ROLL SHOW!!!!. 3D Visuals and a Hammer Horror groove a rama!!!Get ya glasses on. The show in its entirety is dead-icated to the life and music of Lux Interior, Bannermans: 8:00 pm £7.00 MUMBO JUMBO A melting pot of classic dance music: soul, funk, disco, hip hop, house and electronic beats are all dropped in the mix The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £7.00
Free
WED, 01 MAR LOCO KAMANCHI Best in Bass over Room 1 and House & Techno in Room 2 The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £5.00
THU, 02 MAR Erin Bennett Band Erin Bennett Band Bannermans: 8:00 pm
£5.00
FRI, 03 MAR Bonfire Nights plus DTHPDL and Fotzepolitic Combining raw, abrasive guitars, layered drones and hypnotic beats Sneaky Pete’s: 7:00 pm £6.50 Minival Edinburgh with Call Super Electronic Carnival For Freaks Sneaky Pete’s: 11:00 pm £10.00 JACKHAMMER: RADIOACTIVE MAN (LIVE) x NEIL LANDSTRUMM (LIVE) Main Room: Neil Landstrumm Live x Radioactive Man Live. Support upstairs from Wolfjazz and Keyte (Stepback). The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £10.00
SAT, 04 MAR Rab Howat Band old-skool rock. Bannermans: 6:00 pm
Rab Howat Band old-skool rock. Bannermans: 6:00 pm
Kossoff : The Band Plays On Forty years on since Paul Kossoff one of Britain’s finest guitarists tragically passed away at the tender age of 25 in 1976. Bannermans: 7:30 pm £15.00
SUN, 26 FEB
Tuesday Karaoke Tuesday Karaoke Bannermans: 10:00 pm
WED, 22 FEB
Start Static Start Static La Belle Angele: 7:00 pm
McFalls with Dominic Waxing Lyrical and Aberfeldy Cult rock - Mr McFall’s Chamber, with guests Peter Whelan, Alec Frank-Gemmill and Graeme McNaught, play with cult rock bands Aberfeldy and Dominic Waxing Lyrical. Programme opened by duo, La Belle Angele: 7:00 pm £10.00
Tuesday Karaoke Tuesday Karaoke Bannermans: 10:00 pm
Free
Glasgow MON, 06 FEB
BLOCHESTRA An ever evolving orchestra of sorts. Musicians from all skill levels and all professions come together to perform covers and original tracks. Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
TUE, 07 FEB THE MARVELS Coming across the new punk rock scene with a modern touch of pop and electronics Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
WED, 08 FEB EDMUND LUNAR + GUESTS EDMUND LUNAR + GUESTS Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
THU, 09 FEB VEGAN CONNECTIONS PRESENTS VC are back for 2017 with this smashing night of music and vegan food. With Codist, Joyce Delaney and Marble Gods Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
FRI, 10 FEB DEATHKILL4000 Deathkill4000 has been running since 2003, it is wholeheartedly antiestablishment and features a wide range of alternative music whilst eschewing irony in all its despicable musical forms… Bloc: 23:00:00 Free
SAT, 11 FEB MON$TER HO$PITAL Last month they played the ferocious two-hander of Duality by Slipknot into Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield. It’s alot to live up to but ya bois will do our best. Bloc: 23:00:00 Free
SUN, 12 FEB BLOC+JAM OPEN MIC Consistently high quality open mic night, with Louis Abbott, Jamie Sturt Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
MON, 13 FEB Free
Bottle Note, Cassia, The Carvelles, The Take Home Bottle Note, Cassia, The Carvelles, The Take Home Sneaky Pete’s: 7:00 pm £6.00 BIG N BASHY: RAPTURE 4D & POLONIS Glasgow grime poster boys Rapture 4D & Polonis make their Big n Bashy debut at Bongo Club. The Bongo Club: 11:00 pm £6.00 Somaesthesia Edinburgh-based metal/ post-rock band, whose role in this Universe is to explore crushing riffs and rhythms with powerful vocals. La Belle Angele: 7:00 pm £5.00
SUN, 05 MAR Open Mic Sunday Session Open Mic Sunday Session Bannermans: 3:00 pm Free Laurel An exciting proposition in this alternative pop star predicted to reach success and inspire. Sneaky Pete’s: 7:00 pm £10.00 WEE DUB FESTIVAL: MAD PROFESSOR, MESSENGER & AFRIKAN SIMBA The Wee Dub Festival hosts its closing party The Bongo Club: 9:00 pm £13.00
MON, 06 MAR Caitlin Koch + Kris Barras Band Caitlin Koch (“cook”) is a singer/songwriter best known as the singing Rugby coach on The X Factor USA Season 1 Bannermans: 6:30 pm £9.00
WED, 08 MAR Jizzy Pearl/Love/Hate + Knock Out Kaine + Emperors Of Wasteland The year was 1992—not so long ago? Actually it was 25 years ago, before kids and car payments, before growing up, it was still long hair and staying up all night Bannermans: 7:30 pm £13.00
YOUNG LEGIONNAIRE & NARCS + Bridal Shower Broadcast: 19:00:00 £9.00 Mega Bog + iji + Misc. Meat Mega Bog is the moniker of song-dribbler Erin Birgy, a Pacific Northwest rodeo child with an unmistakable laugh who was allegedly cursed upon conception. Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £7.00 THE BLAS COLLECTIVE (CELTIC CONNECTIONS GLITTERATI) From Glasgow’s folk music hive of activity, the Blas Collective emerged in 2009 as a jam with a few friends. Since then it has become an eclectic evening of folk, jazz, country, blues and some pop covers too. Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
TUE, 14 FEB LOVE WILL TEAR YOU APART : BLIND DATE + SPEED DATING W/ GERRY LYONS Nice n Sleazy: 6:30 pm Free Matoma Norwegian electronic music star Matoma returns for his biggest headline tour to date. O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £13.00 Taking Back Sunday Frank Iero and the Patience O2 ABC: 19:00:00 £20.00 MENACE BEACH Five-piece indie rock Broadcast: 19:00:00 £7.50
Start to End presents... Daft Punk | Discovery + Gianluca Bernacchi (The Vegan Leather) A live band’s interpretation of Daft Punk’s sophomore 2001 album ‘Discovery’, played in full from Start to End. Hug and Pint: 20:00:00 SOLD OUT PCL PRESENTS : SLOTFACE + GUESTS PCL PRESENTS : SLOTFACE + GUESTS Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £6.00 GOLDMOLD PRESENTS: ALANSMITHEE + LONG LIMBS Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
THU, 16 FEB MiC LOWRY Having amassed 50 million streams thanks to an incredibly loyal fan base, the group have received major support from BBC Radio 1 Xtra, dubbing them ‘the next big thing to come out of the UK’. O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £15.00 L.A. WITCH / SWEATY PALMS / UVA URSA 60’s, garage, fuzz, rock n roll. Broadcast: 19:00:00 £7.00 The Wooden Sky + Steve Grozier Swaggering guitars, rolling drums and melodies that sweep their way toward openarmed choruses Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £7.00 Atlas : Empire + Where Fires Are + Guests Atlas : Empire + Where Fires Are + Guests Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £5.00 REPEATER PRESENTS: SAVAGE MANSION + GRAND PRICKS Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
FRI, 17 FEB Tegan and Sara Indie pop sensations Tegan and Sara return to the UK for a new string of dates in support of their latest album, Love You To Death. The follow-up to Tegan and Sara’s pop breakthrough album, Heartthrob, Love You To Death was recorded in Los Angeles with pr O2 ABC: 19:00:00 £23.00 Elisa Italian singer-songwriter Elisa returns to the UK in support of her latest album, ON. An album with an international pop feel that once again highlights Elisa’s growth as an artist able to reinvent herself over the years, ON features eleven songs in Engli O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £15.00 CSC PRESENTS: THE NEW FABIAN SOCIETY EP ‘CHOKE’ LAUNCH NIGHT Broadcast: 19:00:00 £5.00 Sloth Metropolis + Chrissy Barnacle + Big Hogg Album Launch!!! Sloth Metropolis will be bringing the story of ‘Origins’ to life with their usual mix of props, sloths and paper mache magick. Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £5.00 DF Concerts Presents : Fufanu + Guests DF Concerts Presents : Fufanu + Guests Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £8.00 ENJOYABLE MOMENT *CLUB NIGHT* DJ ADIDADIS & THEE VOKAL DESTROYER bring you the wettest hits from the depths of your sub-conscious. Remember that song you always heard on the radio on your way to primary school well here it is again at a very loud volume and now you have a tequila in y Bloc: 23:00:00 Free
SAT, 18 FEB Deaf Havana Deaf Havana combine all their traditional qualities - soaring melodies, witty lyrics, an uncanny ability to make an emotional connection with rock’s heartland audience – together for their fourth album, All These Countless Nights. O2 ABC: 18:00:00 £16.00 Fools On The Frontline Gazing, The Allies, Josef Lawrence & the Hypocrites O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £8.00
WED, 15 FEB
Bloodlines With support from The 21st State and Crystal. Stereo: 19:00:00 £5 STBF
Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £15.00
THE TREND / CAULDER / THE LABEL THE TREND / CAULDER / THE LABEL Broadcast: 19:00:00 £6.00
LOUD POETS: I WANT TO BREAK THREE Loud Poets are a collective of musicians, poets, writers and artists based in Edinburgh known for tightly crafted events in Edinburgh and Glasgow where music, poignany and comedy hit the stage to prove poetry can be enjoyed by the masses. Broadcast: 19:00:00 £4.00
Ayakara + Atlas Run + The Pacific Blues + Strangeways Energetic, crowd bouncing live show Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £6.00 Jersey Budd + The Hollows + Scott Peden + The Ragman Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £6.00
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DECEMBER 2016, ISSUE 28
BAKESALE PRESENTS… Night of left-field, experimental and classic Hip-Hop which veers from the bouncing and joyous to the outrageously aggressive and challenging. Bloc: 23:00:00 Free Remake Remodel 2 Expect visuals/ rock n roll inspired art installations & photo booths. Stereo: 23:00:00 tbc
SUN, 19 FEB REDFACES + The Dunts Healthy dose of organised chaos Broadcast: 19:00:00
Hand Picked Cassettes presents : MANTRA : Cassette Release Party w/ Arm Watches Fingers + Lourd Semajj [ DJ ] + Vis [ VJ ] Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £5.00 BLOC+JAM OPEN MIC Consistently high quality open mic night, with Louis Abbott, Jamie Sturt Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
MON, 20 FEB £14 STBF
YOU KNOW THE DRILL + JUNIOR Know The Drill are back in Glasgow to strut their pop-punk stuff. Broadcast: 19:00:00 £5.00 Christy Scott Christy Scott Hug and Pint: 19:30:00
STRETCHED PRESENTS: COSTELLO & MCCREADIE DUO The secret meeting place of contemporary jazz-enthused savants, with some of the most astonishing live musicianship your eyes might ever behold. Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
FRI, 24 FEB £5.00
POLO + APACHE DARLING Formed of vocalist Kat Mchugh, synth man Luke Lount and drummer Dan Edgell - might hail from Leeds, but the group’s glacial atmospherics and lush, r’n’b tinged pop are an ethereal world away from the spit’n’sawdust DIY scene that the city’s best known for Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £6.00
Touché Amore Touché Amore Stereo: 19:00:00
Struck Dum Promotions presents Watchfires + Ghost Writer + Howling Home Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £5.00
£5.00
BLOCHESTRA An ever evolving orchestra of sorts. Musicians from all skill levels and all professions come together to perform covers and original tracks. Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
TUE, 21 FEB Electric Honey: The Bar Dogs + Sunshine Social + Calum Frame Electric Honey: The Bar Dogs + Sunshine Social + Calum Frame Hug and Pint: 19:00:00 £6 adv // £7 otd // £10 bundle WOODWIFE + TRONGATE RUM RIOTS + CALUM INGRAM After a couple of months off Woodwife are back in 2017 with a free show at the amazing Bloc+. Support will come from the spectacular Trongate Rum Riots and the wonderful Calum Ingram. Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
WED, 22 FEB Big Tobz It’s Big Tobz, what else do ya want? O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £10.00 Electric Honey: Schnarff Schnarff + Veto. + Flakes Electric Honey: Schnarff Schnarff + Veto. + Flakes Hug and Pint: 19:00:00 £6 adv // £7 otd // £10 bundle THE SANDINISTAS + THE MIRROR TRAP + SAHARA Heady young mix of Punk and New Wave Rock and Roll Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £6.00 CUT (ITA) + ROCKET REDUCER + SHREDD CUT //Two guitars, one drum, Full throttle attack, think Jon Spencer jamming early Wire songs, but this is no post punk snooze fest. MAXIMUM GARAGE ROCK Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
THU, 23 FEB Grant-Lee Phillips For practically all of his time on Earth, songwriter Grant-Lee Phillips has reconciled widescreen mystery and wonder with his own experiences. His latest album, The Narrows, embodies tensions between past and present, foundations and freedom, while showca O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £16.00 BEN MONTEITH / CASEY LOWRY Rising to fame after his busking videos reached millions across the internet. Ben had become a viral sensation with no major label or agency. He released his track this year to almost a million people on all platforms. Broadcast: 19:00:00 £10.00 Ryan Hamilton + Chrissy Barnacle Ryan Hamilton + Chrissy Barnacle Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £10.00 Moo’ve n Groove w/ James Aspey Fundraiser for Lotus Animal Sanctuary Music from Strangeways DJs Robert, Hugh & Carlo . Stereo: 20:00:00 £8 STBF
Pinegrove Captivating blend of indie rock, pop and country elements Stereo: 19:00:00 £9.50 advance STBF THE LUCI BAINES BAND Flushed with the success of a Christmas number 1 single in the UK vinyl 7” chart The Luci Baines band play their first live show of 2017. Broadcast: 19:00:00 £8.00 UNDO - Album Launch + Codist + Terrafraid + Kapil Seshasayee UNDO are a four piece Indie/Punk band from Glasgow, Scotland. Supported the likes of Nothing, Metz, Tigers Jaw, The Dismemberment Plan, Ice Age, Mazes. Hug and Pint: 19:00:00 £5.00 Home$lice EP Launch + Shredd + The Ediots Launch night for their “Young Creatives EP” Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £5.00 SHAKE APPEAL *CLUB NIGHT* Tigermask, Amigo Insano and Electric Rich welcome you all to gather at the House of Bloc, for the finest in rock n’ roll, rockabilly, punk, garage, punk n’ roll, blues, sleaze rock, beard riffs, wham bam glam & 60’s girl group sounds Bloc: 23:00:00 Free
THE BLAS COLLECTIVE (CELTIC CONNECTIONS GLITTERATI) From Glasgow’s folk music hive of activity, the Blas Collective emerged in 2009 as a jam with a few friends. Since then it has become an eclectic evening of folk, jazz, country, blues and some pop covers too. Bloc: 21:00:00
Free
TUE, 28 FEB JOSEFIN ÖHRN + THE LIBERATION Genuinely fixated on creating alternate realities for the listener. Broadcast: 19:00:00
£7.00
NOVELLA A controlled blast of mainlined electricity, a tempest of relentless groove and crystalline vocals that is at once the vicious edge and the calm eye of the storm. Hug and Pint: 19:30:00
£8.50
THE RAIN EXPERIMENT + ST PROVIDENCE + CHRIS MAC The Rain Experiment + St Providence + Chris Mac Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm
£5.00
GOOD GRIEF PRESENTS: TAUPE + BLOKE MUSIC Bloc: 21:00:00
Free
The Orwells The Orwells Stereo: 19:00:00
£10 STBF
Grails + Majeure American instrumental experimental rock band. Stereo: 20:00:00 £12 STBF
Broadcast: 19:00:00
WED, 08 MAR
tbc
The Night With... Red Note Ensemble Red Note Ensemble perform music for flute, cello, percussion and electronics featuring Michael Gordon’s XY, David Fennessy’s The Room is the Resonator, Kaija Saariaho’s NohNoh, Panayiotis Kokoras’ Morphallaxis Hug and Pint: 19:30:00
£10/£8
CRP Presents : NU-LUKE + STEVO + PHOTOSHOP Made to take you back and make you dance with nostalgic atmosphere and soul shifting music
SAT, 25 FEB
Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm
Cabbage Cabbage Stereo: 19:00:00
£10 STBF
THE DEAD SETTLERS / ST DUKES THE DEAD SETTLERS / ST DUKES Broadcast: 19:00:00 £7.00 The Songwriters Club Katie Doyle + Billy Mitchell + Carly Connor + Brownbear Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £8.00 GONZO (INDIE DISCO) *CLUB NIGHT* Epic nostalgia back in the form of all things MTV2 (pre-trash) and 120 Minutes continues. Bloc: 23:00:00 Free Fomo: Ryan Martin (All Caps), Leatherette, Sordid Sound System A sensory overload of sight and sound. Stereo: 23:00:00 tbc
£5.00
THU, 02 MAR BONFIRE NIGHTS Swirling moody psych-pop: a clash of surf and synth, shoegaze with purple haze, Virginia Plain meets Jesus & Mary Chain. Broadcast: 19:00:00
£6.50
Wille and the Bandits Wille and the Bandits is a classic blues rock three piece much in the vain of Cream or The Jimi Hendrix experience. But in a similar way to how these bands pushed the genre in their time, Wille and the Bandits try to take their sound beyond what is expect Hug and Pint: 19:30:00
£10.00
BOB DRAKE + BLOKE MUSIC + HERBERT POWELL + LUMINOUS MONSTERS Bob Drake will perform songs from his solo albums about anthropomorphic animals, haunted farmhouses, mystical reveries and inexplicable phenomena, all by himself with just a guitar. Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm
£5.00
FRI, 03 MAR Alice Jemima Alice Jemima merges sultry sweet vocals with contemporary electronic production, creating catchy yet intelligent pop that speaks of universal emotions. Hug and Pint: 19:30:00
£6.00
SUN, 26 FEB
Scruff of the Neck Presents: Cassia + Brothers + False Friends Cassia + Brothers + False Friends
DANIEL CAMPBELL: PARK BENCH RHYTHMS ALBUM LAUNCH 30-track album Broadcast: 19:00:00 £6.00
SAT, 04 MAR
SUNNY SENSE + JIM ORTON + PAUL CORR Bringing together influences from krautrock to classical to experimental jazz, with perhaps a little bit of pop. Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £4.00 BLOC+JAM OPEN MIC Consistently high quality open mic night, with Louis Abbott, Jamie Sturt Bloc: 21:00:00 Free
MON, 27 FEB Drive-By Truckers Drive-By Truckers celebrate over 20 years together with the release of American Band, their most political album yet. O2 ABC: 19:00:00 £23.00 Toothless Toothless Stereo: 19:00:00
£8 STBF
SO BELOW New Zealand’s reigning queen of goth pop Broadcast: 19:00:00 £6.00
TUE, 07 MAR
TRAMPOLENE Garage rock, kitchen-sink poetry and acoustic heartbreakers, release a new fivetrack-mini-album, ‘Pocket Album Five
Too Nice - DRAKE NIGHT May your neighbours respect you, trouble neglect you, angels protect you and heaven accept you’ Stereo: 23:00:00
Nearly Noel Gallagher’s High Flyin’ Birdz Nearly Noel Gallagher’s High Flyin’ Birdz are the UK’s leading tribute to Noel Gallagher, passionately celebrating both his solo work and the best of Oasis. Experienced musicians in their own right, the band have played to audiences up and down the countr O2 ABC 2: 19:00:00 £10.00
Be Charlotte at Glasgow Garage and Electric Circus on 17 and 18 February
WED, 01 MAR
Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm
£6.00
Dub Pistols A kinda 21st century equivalent of 2-Tone acts The Specials or The Beat Stereo: 19:00:00
£10 STBF
UBRE BLANCA + MAI MAI MAI ( ITALY , NOT NOT FUN , BORING MACHINES) + HAUSFRAU Dand made up of ex members of Divorce, Shit Disco and Remember Remember call to mind Dario Argento and John Carpenter soundtracks but mainly the spooky ones. Future music for future people. Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm
£5.00
SUN, 05 MAR The Pigeon Detectives The Pigeon Detectives Stereo: 19:00:00
£15 STBF
Mia and the moon + NORTHERN CENTRAL + SAPPHIRE NOTION + THE GRACIOUS ATTEMPT Hug and Pint: 19:30:00
£5 adv // £7 otd
The Snuts + Seaside Sons + Up in Smoke The Snuts are a 4 piece indie-rock band from Glasgow. They finished 3rd in Capital FMs Ones To Watch 2016. Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £7.00F
HD Music Presents : SleepTalking + Guests SleepTalking are a young Bristol based 5 piece: Fred Hickey (guitar), Dan O’Connell (Bass), Rhys Friery (Keys) Jack Hamilton (drums), fronted by the mercurial and dynamic vocalist Tom Nozek. Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £6.00
THU, 09 MAR Frontier Ruckus Fiverse influences of 60s folk rock and 90s power pop into a truly poignant, accessible tonic of sadness and sweetness. Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £8.00 COG PROMOTIONS PRESENTS : FVNERALS + SUNWOLF + GUESTS Nice n Sleazy: 9:30 pm £6.00
FRI, 10 MAR The Reason (Single Launch) With The Double Standards | Whitehill Grove | The Vistas Stereo: 19:00:00 Price: £6 Adv / £7 Doors
The Little Kicks - “Shake Off Your Troubles” Album Launch Celebrating the release of their brand new album “Shake Off Your Troubles” Hug and Pint: 19:30:00 £10.00
SUN, 12 MAR Us the Duo American folk pop duo consisting of husband-and-wife Michael and Carissa Alvarado. Stereo: 19:00:00 £12 STBF
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NHC LIST OF TRUSTED PROMOTERS NHC MUSIC’s main remit in this musical world is to make life that much easier for the musicians and artists striving to make great music within it. That’s why we feel this list could help you. It’s a regularly updated list of ethically minded venues, promoters and bookers working throughout Scotland. These are people we would work with ourselves, and we guarantee you there will be no scammers, pay to play, or unethical business practices with the people and businesses on the list. So now you know who to safely work with, with your new college band in Glasgow and beyond! More names will be added monthly.
PROMOTER AREA GENRES NHC MUSIC Glasgow All genres Promise The Moon Ayrshire All genres STG Promotions Glasgow All genres EVO4Promotions Glasgow All genres/acoustic Daily Dischord Aberdeen All genres Shock City Promotions Glasgow All genres Fortune Promotions Edinburgh All genres Alternative Promotions Glasgow Rock/Metal The Littlest Hobo Scotland Wide All genres Cadaver Concerts North Ayrshire Metal Cadaver Concerts Glasgow Alt rock Rip It Up Promotions Glasgow All genres Red Door Records Glasgow Americana/Roots/Blues Vagabond Social Club Glasgow Americana/Folk The Fallen Angels Club Glasgow All genres Sound And Vision Glasgow All genres Events For Charities Glasgow All genres Dundee Disco Dancer Dundee All genres Dave Ritchie Scotland Wide Metal/Rock Good Grief Glasgow Progressive/Math Rock Noizy Indie Social Club Cumbernauld All genres Hashtag Management East Kilbride All genres Rusty Hip Collective Dundee All genres Cut Loose Promotions Glasgow All genres Critical Events Scotland Wide Metal/Hard Rock NDC Promotions / Events North Ayrshire All genres Scottish Tour Collective Scotland Wide All genres Black Reach Promotions Glasgow Metal/Hard Rock Traffic Cone Records Glasgow All genres Kstar Promotions Glasgow All genres Punk Rock Rammy Edinburgh/ Glasgow Punk
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WHAT’S ON LGBTI
THE EMERGENCE OF
ROLLER DERBY Roller derby has emerged as a subcultural phenomenon blending DIY attitude, the promotion of equality and a wild and exciting sport. A contact sport that challenges one jammer from each team to lap the opposing team, with each side playing both offence and defence simultaneously. While it all began in Austin, Texas, Glasgow boasts its own array of roller derby teams, such as Resistance Roller Derby Glasgow, committed to supporting and celebrating young queer and trans people. They practice inclusive, constructive roller derby in a safe and supportive environment and “aim to enhance our lives through sweat, solidarity, endorphins, contribution, community and glitter.” If you love gender and sexual equality, fancy a physical challenge and – like me – harbour an undying love of roller skating, Resistance may be the team for you. TSA sat down with Fever and Killjoy to talk rules, ritual names and all things Roller derby.
What was the inception of Resistance, how did the team come about? Fever: We founded Resistance as an act of defiance against the systemic oppressions and inequalities being faced by queer and transgender young people, and as an act of love for and solidarity with this community. As queer and trans adults we have found family, strength, and kindness within the sport of roller derby, and we believe in the potential for these things to exist even more strongly within more radical and inclusively structured clubs – we wanted to make a space in which these feelings are the priority, and through which the younger members of our community can find them too. We started in response to interest from a lot of young people Killjoy has met through their work with LEAP Sports Scotland providing access and opportunities for LGBTQI+ young people to participate in and excel in sport. There are no other junior roller derby leagues in Glasgow, and no other junior roller derby league in the world is explicitly designed with access for queer and trans youth as its top priority and founding principle.
Why do you think it is so crucial for the team to be as inclusive as you are? Especially in regards to young people. Killjoy: Queer and trans young people have lower rates of participation in sport and are more likely to be dealing with barriers such as mental ill health, homelessness and abuse than other young people. Building
a positive community around physical activity has the potential to break down these barriers and help create healthy habits in a population that faces glaring health inequalities.
For the unfamiliar, what are the basic rules and principles of roller derby? K: Roller derby is a full contact sport played on quad roller skates. The game of Flat Track Roller Derby is played on a flat, oval track. Play is broken up into two 30-minute periods, and within those periods, into units of play called “Jams,” which last up to two minutes. There are 30 seconds between each Jam. During a Jam, each team fields up to five Skaters. Four of these Skaters are called “Blockers” (together, the Blockers are called the “Pack”), and one is called a “Jammer.” The Jammer wears a helmet cover with a star on it. The two Jammers start each Jam behind the Pack, and score a point for every opponent they lap, each lap. Because they start behind the Pack, they must get through the Pack, then all the way around the track to be ready to score points on opposing Blockers. Roller derby is a full-contact sport; however, Skaters cannot use their heads, elbows, forearms, hands, knees, lower legs, or feet to make contact to opponents. Skaters cannot make contact to opponents’ heads, backs, knees, lower legs, or feet. Play that is unsafe or illegal may result in a Skater being assessed a penalty, which is served by sitting in the Penalty Box for 30 seconds of Jam time. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
How important do you believe it is to have provided a safe space for women and queer and trans people in this particular setting (sports-based, as opposed to a club or pub)? F: We are aiming to develop
a community that is generative and active and that champions physical and emotional development. Pub and club environments can often be very escapist, and while there is absolutely a need for ways to remove ourselves from the pain and insecurity of the wider world sometimes, it is important to us that there are also spaces in which we can safely confront those barriers. We are not standing still while the world gets more dangerous and more toxic all around us. Additionally, we want to challenge the idea that you can only be a member of the queer community once you hit 18 and can go out to bars and be on the scene, and a social space that isn’t a pub or club venue is particularly valuable for people who have anxiety or similar mental illness.
Could you explain why every player has a different name when they compete, and how the names are chosen? Where did your names come from? F: Part of the joy of roller derby for a lot of (especially feminine-identified) people is the opportunity to shed societal strictures and become a bigger, stronger, more badass version of yourself, which then carries back over into ‘real’ life. As with many delineated spaces, there’s a ritual name change associated with the transformation. Roller derby nicknames originally tended to be a traditionally ‘female’ name + an intense or aggressive characteristic – Mistress Malicious and Trixie Toxin, who founded Glasgow Roller Derby, for example. There is also a strong tradition of puns and wordplay like The Very Hungry Splatterkiller. My name was originally Charlotte Fever – traditionally female name + medical fun, what more could you ask? Then it turned out of all the leagues in the world there was a Sharlotte Fever in Auld Reekie Roller Girls (Edinburgh), so I dropped it to just Fever. Occasionally it is Fever Glasvegas because I enjoy that a great deal.
I think for many queer and trans people there is immense power in being able to choose and claim and own your own name and labels, and so the tradition of roller derby nicknames has a lot to offer in that respect. It is a reminder that roller derby originated as a subculture, not just a sport, and that its potential for subversion and revolution is a crucial part of it – which is a lot of what we’re trying to do in Resistance.
Over the past few months you’ve been running a Crowdfund campaign; what are some of the provisions you need to allow the team to expand even further? F: The response to the crowdfund was amazing, and we were also thrilled to receive a small grant from Awesome Without Borders and The Harnisch Foundation in December. This initial fundraising is enough to cover our initial costs and we will be able to get started very soon, once a few more administrative things have been taken care of. Currently our biggest challenge is finding an appropriate venue – somewhere that is big enough for a full track and that has a weekday evening available for us to train. Once we have a time and place nailed down for our sessions we will be able to move forward with recruitment.
How can people become involved in RDG, and is there any experience or skill set people require to join? K: There is absolutely no skillset or prior experience required for people to get involved – just a shared commitment to what we stand for. For skaters, skating skills are taught from an absolute beginner level, you do not even need to be able to stand up on your wheels – we will teach you! There are also lots of roles within the roller derby community that don’t involve skating at all, and we encourage anyone who wants to get involved with Resistance in any way to get in touch with us via email or social media – If you have read about what we are and are thinking “I want to be a part of that” there is a space for you here.
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FEBRUARY 2017, ISSUE 29
SCOTLAND’S
LGBT History Month Scotland’s LGBT History Month runs every February and enables people to celebrate queer culture and awareness in many different capacities. Whether it’s hosting a queer cinema night, leading a panel on issues facing the LGBT community or throwing a raging party, there are many platforms to push gay culture to the forefront. The festival allows us to celebrate queer lives by exploring our own and presenting these lives in a historical context. Created and delivered by the vital LGBT Youth Scotland, the festival is also an “opportunity for learning, discussion and debate around the continued fight for LGBT liberation,” and in the volatile political landscape of 2017, there has never been a better time in recent years to protect our civil and social status. The overall aim of LGBT History month is to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of the public. The events below are far from exhaustive: there are countless experiences going on in Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as cities and towns across the country. For all information about the events and LGBT History Month, visit www.lgbthistory.org.uk. And don’t forget that the last Friday of LGBT History Month is Purple Friday: so on Fri 24 Feb, it is your duty to wear purple to stand up against sexual and gender discrimination and support our community. Maybe even make your own and encourage others to make a small donation to LGBT Youth Scotland to take part.
by Jonny Stone @jonny_stone_ j.stone@tsaglasgow.com
GLASGOW:
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: LGBT MIGRANTS IN SCOTLAND This exhibition at Hillhead Library collects photographs by LGBT migrants from Central Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union living in Scotland. LGBT migrants were invited to produce a photo diary on the theme of home. Their photographs and their written thoughts about what home means to them will be on display at Hillhead Library from 14 to 27 February 2017 as part of LGBT History Month Scotland. The exhibition is linked to the research project Intimate Migrations carried out by the University of Glasgow and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. (Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Mon – Thu: 10am-8pm; Fri – Sat: 10am-5pm; Sun: 12noon – 5pm)
LGBT HISTORY MONTH CABARET PRESENTED BY DIVE, LUMINATE AND LGBT AGE On Thu 16 Feb at the Tron Theatre Bar, join Dive, Luminate and LGBT Age for an extra special dollop of proper entertainment as we celebrate our rich and diverse cultural history in the sumptuous surroundings of the Vic Bar. After only 12 weeks of working together ten emerging older artists present a blossoming bouquet of performance created especially for LGBT History Month. The talented bunch worked together with the help of Dive’s Miss Annabel Sings and Philippa Clark to devise creative ways to tell personal and historical stories and create a cabaret show in the process. This is a very special event with only limited spaces so get your tickets quick!
CRUISING THE 1970S – BETWEEN THE SHEETS: RADICAL PRINT CULTURES BEFORE THE QUEER BOOKSHOP The 1970s was a crucial time for feminist and LGBTQ activism and community-building. Between the Sheets at CCA on Thu 23 and Fri 24 Feb explores how and why reading and writing acquired such prominence and power in queer communities in Britain in this important decade, engaging with the pleasure and politics of print before the establishment of important queer bookshops like Lavender Menace and Gay’s the Word in the late 1970s and early 1980s. With contributions from artists, activists, writers, and academics, it will stop to consider tactile encounters with the printed word, reflect on collective interactions with print in reading groups and consciousnessraising sessions, and think about the development of spaces for sharing and selling books, magazines, and pamphlets in the 1970s, from women’s centres to nightclubs. These discussions will be punctuated by performances and screenings. Looking at reading and sharing the written word as a call to action, Between the Sheets asks what the role of print was for queer communities in the 1970s and what the significance of these radical queer print cultures is for LGBTQ activists today.
LGBTQI ROLLER DISCO Join LGBT History Month for its first ever Glasgow roller disco! All are welcome for a fun filled afternoon in an inclusive family friendly space of excitement and laughs. Experienced instructors will be on hand to help out, so even if you’ve never skated before this will be a great place to try. Skates, protective equipment and refreshments will be provided. This takes place at ARC (Glasgow Caledonian University) on Sat 4 March at 13.00.
EDINBURGH:
GAY, BI AND TRANS MENS’ ANTI-VALENTINES MOVIE: PINK FLAMINGOS. I categorically adore this movie. A Valentine’s datenight for gay, bi and trans men (inclusive of nonbinary people) with a difference: you don’t have to be in a relationship to attend and there won’t be any mention of hearts or roses! Join LGBT History Month for coffee and games at 7pm followed by a screening of the queer trashy and thoroughly disgusting 1972 John Waters classic Pink Flamingos at 8pm (featuring pioneering drag/filth icon Divine). There’ll be nothing soppy about it! Optional local drinks afterwards. (Thu 16 Feb)
PROUD CITY: LGBTQI EDINBURGH Proud City marks 10 years since the exhibition Rainbow City: Stories from Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Edinburgh opened at the City Art Centre. The exhibition provides an insight into LGBTQIA+ history and explores the lives of people living in Edinburgh today. Proud City showcases museum collections items loaned and donated by the LGBTQIA+ community as well as a specially commissioned film exploring life in Edinburgh in 2016. The exhibition has grown from an outreach project with LGBTQIA+ communities in Edinburgh with support from LGBT Health and Wellbeing. The project and exhibition has been funded by the Museums Association’s Transformers scheme (supported in Scotland by Museums Galleries Scotland). Sunday 26 Feb, Wednesday – Saturday – 10am – 5pm; Sunday – 12pm – 5pm.
WOMEN’S WELL-BEING EVENTS: COMING OUT AUDACIOUSLY This great workshop takes place on Sat 25 Feb between 13.00 and 16.00 at City Art Centre. As part of the Audacious Women Festival, a coming out workshop for any women wanting to explore coming out, no matter what your stage, age or confidence.
ART THERAPY WEEKEND: MOVING THROUGH BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS Facilitated by Art Therapists, join LGBT History Month for this in-depth whole weekend workshop where you will be guided to use art materials and gentle movement as a means of exploring the significance of beginnings and endings in our lives. No experience or skill with art required. This takes place between Sat 12 and Sun 13 Feb at 9 Howe Street. LGBT History Month has an exhaustive list of events designed to celebrate the diversity, community and fun of queer identity in Scotland. The festival serves as the perfect platform to do so, and there is guaranteed to be something for everyone to enjoy. It’s crucial to know where we’ve been to know where we’re going, and in a precarious period for LGBT+ citizens across the globe, embracing the often challenging past of queer history allows us to celebrate how far we’ve come and reminds us of the work we’ve still got left to take care of.
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WHAT’S ON LGBTI
MEET RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE SEASON 7 WINNER
Violet Chachki
Not many can claim to be the future of drag, but RuPaul’s Drag Race season 7 winner Violet Chachki is changing the game one sickening look at a time. Inspired by early 20th century fashion, inimitable silhouettes, fetish and her own inner fantasies, Violet is a leader in the latest generation of progressive performers. As a sex-positive, gender non-conforming burlesque and drag performer in Trump’s America, her platform as a role model and embodiment of queer counter culture has never been more vital. TSA had the privilege of meeting the beautiful Violet Chachki – in a neon yellow wig, corseted beyond belief in a cartoon-inspired gown – ahead of her performance at AXM Glasgow, home to the best drag performers in the city.
THIS ISN’T YOUR FIRST TIME IN GLASGOW, VIOLET.
HOW DID RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE AFFECT YOUR AESTHETIC AND PERSONA?
No, it’s my second time here actually; we came here in March for the RuPaul Drag Race: Battle of the Seasons.
Honestly, it just gave me a killer budget! I know exactly what I want and how to execute it, I just needed a sponsor and RuPaul has been that sponsor.
THAT WAS AMAZING! WE LOVED YOUR AERIAL PERFORMANCE, HOW DID YOU GET INTO THAT? I had a really good friend who does circus performance, so I was thinking it would be smart to incorporate that. What you saw at BOTS was my first aerial hoop performance, I’ve gotten a lot better since then!
IT WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO ANYTHING THE OTHER QUEENS WERE DOING, WAS THAT A CONSCIOUS DECISION? Yeah, that’s kind of what my drag character is about: being a little different. I’m not super glamour, I’m not super punk, I’m somewhere in the middle.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC AND PERSONA TO ANYONE UNFAMILIAR WITH YOUR WORK? Take my name: “chachki” is a Yiddish word that means knick-knack or a trinket., and it ties in perfectly with what I’m all about. I like aesthetics and clothing and attention to detail: I want to be as visually appealing as possible. That can sometimes come across as conceited, but I really take pride in detail and being the ultimate drag fantasy. I really sense glamour, fetish, and extreme beauty – extreme silhouettes, corsets – and I try to elevate the game constantly.
WHAT IS NOTABLE ABOUT YOU IS YOUR COMMITMENT AND REFERENCE TO THE PAST; WHY SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO EMULATE AND PRESERVE WHAT CAME BEFORE US? I think now more than ever, with social media and technology everything is over so quick, trends fade and are no big deal. There’s something special about classic imagery and it’s timeless. I think in the 40’s and 50’s, things were built to last back then and there’s something special
I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW, WITH SUCH A YOUNG FAN BASE, YOU INCORPORATE SO MUCH LGBT+ HISTORY INTO YOUR WORK. I love being queer. Living in Trump’s America, I don’t want to just live in our little gay bubble and think it’s important to pay tribute to those who came before me, acknowledging all those icons and how underrated they are.
WELL YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE ICONS NOW; YOU’RE THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THAT. I know, which is scary, because young fans will know who I am but not know who I’m referencing. It’s almost problematic because there are so many important unsung heroes I’m referencing and I try to make that really clear to give credit where it’s due. Not even that long ago either, like the 80’s and 90’s, people like Leigh Bowery….
UGH I LOVE LEIGH BOWERY Right? Gay icons who have a huge cult following but don’t get the recognition.
I THINK YOU’RE ALSO A POSITIVE FORCE IN PRESENTING SEXUAL AND GENDER EXPRESSION; WITH YOUR PLATFORM, DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO DEMONSTRATE SEXUAL AND GENDER FLUIDITY? There is a lack of representation; when I started doing drag I looked around and said “I don’t like any of these drag queens, they aren’t bringing what I want to see.” I give what I feel is missing and want to be the kind of drag queen I would want to see: a sex positive, queer gender–fluid role model for people who see me succeed and say “I identify with them!” I didn’t have that.
OF COURSE IN DECEMBER WE LOST GEORGE MICHAEL: HE WAS PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY QUEER, SEX – POSITIVE POP STAR THAT MANAGED TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL, EVEN WHEN HE WAS SLAMMED FOR HIS SEX LIFE. There was so much hate, especially following the AIDS era. I mean, I didn’t know what AIDS was until I was thirteen, fourteen: my generation missed that whole crisis. That part of queer history is crucial and I want to be sex—positive to break down the stigma of queer sex.
DON’T YOU THINK THERE IS SO MUCH INHERENT MISOGYNY WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY? WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE WORST THINGS AND THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS? Personally I think it is frustrating living as a drag queen and gender non—conforming person. Sex and love should be easy, and being a feminine or femme—presenting person should be a part of that. There is a lot of masculinity in what I do: I am a boss ass bitch, running my own business, I do what I want when I want and I am in control of my life. That is a typically “masculine” quality, so when I’m perceived as a “feminine” person, it’s conflicting and offensive to connect femininity and weakness.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SO INFLUENTIAL WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY? My character is strictly visual, so if someone
is inspired by that, that’s amazing. But to be anything more than a visual artist has been a great evolution, becoming an advocate for queer and women’s rights. For me, it’s all about creating visuals that make you think and advocacy ties in with that completely.
EVEN IN THE DRAG COMMUNITY, GIRLS WEARING LEATHER AND BONDAGE TO THE CLUB? THAT WASN’T AS POPULAR A THING BEFORE YOU WERE ON DRAG RACE. The show has changed the scope of drag forever. There are pros and cons to the show: I think it’s becoming more mainstream, but the thing with straight culture is it’s always five years behind. I’m always asking myself “What’s next?” And for the straight audiences, they’re just now picking up on us, giving us airtime. It’s like, you guys are late!
DO YOU THINK THE FANS HAVE BECOME TOO INTENSE? Yeah, but that’s what it’s there for! Drag Race is supposed to be a fantasy while taken seriously. It’s up to the girls themselves to decide how they navigate it: some do it well, some don’t. It’s not like they give you a guide book when you get on the show. Once you’re off the show, you’re on your own. I’ve had ups and downs, which people don’t see, but that’s the journey. As a winner, there is constant criticism, which is so stupid! I did a TV show, let’s move on. I didn’t curate this to be for everyone, so I don’t give a f**k about your criticism.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2017? Without jinxing them, I got a few music projects coming up and touring with some fun people as a burlesque artist. I’m branching out; the drag circuit can be so narrow and sometimes it’s hard to create meaningful work and interactions with people when you’re being put through the ringer and it’s all about money. So that’s what 2017 is about for me, working to my own schedule and creating work that means something.
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FEBRUARY 2017, ISSUE 29
by Jonny Stone @jonny_stone_
LGBTI NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Excellent news for LGBT+ themed cinema as Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight scooped the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama at the 2017 Golden Globes. Being black in America and specifically being a gay black man in America were themes chosen very specifically by Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, who wrote the play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, from which the film was adapted and follows Chiron, a black gay man growing up in
Miami. Following the awards, Jenkins highlighted the importance of telling diverse stories on screen, stating “We have to keep telling these stories very truthfully and honestly. And we have to give people things not to escape to — there’s room for escapism — but things they can run to to reaffirm that … if you’re feeling something and you wanna speak it…someone will be there to hear your truth. I think that’s what the spirit of Moonlight is about.”
Actress and singer Jennifer Holliday has apologised to the LGBT+ community and withdrawn her acceptance to perform at Trump’s inauguration ceremony. Holliday, who won a Tony and Grammy Award for her performance in Dreamgirls and is an LGBT+ rights advocate, reiterates that she made a lapse in judgement in accepting the invitation, one that many artists are declining. At the time of print, there are only two confirmed performers at the ceremony. Holliday wrote in a statement: “My only choice must now be to stand
with the LGBT Community and to state unequivocally that I will not perform for the welcome concert or for any of the inauguration festivities…Please know that I hear you and I feel your pain. The LGBT Community was mostly responsible for birthing my career and I am deeply indebted to you,” she added. “You have loved me faithfully and unconditionally and for so many years you provided me with work even though my star had long since faded.”
It has been a great year for trailblazing transgender artist Anohni, who has been nominated for a Best British Female at the BRIT Awards for her album Hopelessness, also nominated for the Mercury Prize. This makes her the first transgender artist to be nominated at the BRITs and the first to have been nominated in both male and female categories throughout their career. More electronic and synth-pop driven than her previous work, Hopelessness was one of last year’s most critically-
acclaimed albums and addresses issues such as surveillance, drone warfare, capital punishment and environmental crises. Last year, Anohni was nominated for an Oscar for the song Manta Ray which was written for the ecology documentary Racing Extinction, becoming the second transgender person to be nominated for an Oscar, and won the Mercury Prize as part of Antony and the Johnstons for the incredible I Am A Bird Now in 2005.
Ireland has softened its laws preventing men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood, lifting a lifetime ban against gay and bisexual men. This brings the law in line with countries like the UK and Canada which permit MSM giving blood but only after abstaining from sex for a year. However, this discriminatory act still falls short of standards implemented in some other countries like Italy and Spain, where donors are screened based on individual risk, and people are not
excluded if they are in a monogamous same-sex relationship. Irish Health Minister Simon Harris said “The IBTS provides a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system and has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both donors and recipients of blood and blood products. Furthermore, the IBTS will continue to keep all deferral policies under active review in the light of scientific evidence, emerging infections and international experience.”
In one of his final act before the end of his presidency, President Obama commuted the sentence of transgender whistleblower Chelsea Manning, who has been imprisoned in Fort Leavenworth military prison since 2010 after leaking details of classified government documents concerning alleged war crimes and rights abuses via WikiLeaks. President Obama stated that Manning’s original 35-year prison sentence was “very disproportionate relative to what other leakers have received” and that “it makes
sense to commute—and not pardon—her sentence.” Private Manning disclosing to WikiLeaks nearly three-quarters of a million classified or unclassified but sensitive military and diplomatic documents. She previously sued the US army for refusing to facilitate her transition, as well as holding hunger strikes and attempting suicide. While her transition treatment has now been authorised by the military, official court documents suggest the US army refuses to acknowledge her gender identity and transition.
j.stone@tsaglasgow.com
Queer Cinema Glasgow Film Festival 2017
The Glasgow Film Festival returns for its thirteenth year with another exciting programme announced. With the audience at the heart of GFF ethos, the Festival is a result of like-minded people meeting to share ideas, always with the audience experience and response at the centre of the creative process, and has consistently proved to be a proponent of challenging and entertaining queer cinema. Following on from last year’s highlights like Wildness, Summertime and Eisenstein in Guanajuato, this year’s programme showcases the very best in 2017’s queer cinema. The more we go see diverse and challenging queer cinema, the more successful these films become, and in turn more stories from within our community can be shared with the world. So do your part and support queer cinema! The Glasgow Film Festival takes place between 15 – 26 February. REMEMBERING THE MAN ***UK PREMIERE*** (FRI 24 – SAT 25 FEB, CCA) A documentary exploring the 16-year romance between Tim Conigrave and John Caleo set against a backdrop of anti-gay sentiment in 1980s Australia. At a prestigious Catholic boys school in Melbourne in the seventies, Tim Conigrave and John Caleo fell madly in love. Their passionate, tempestuous, operatic romance lasted for sixteen years, facing disapproval, temptation, separation, and the looming shadow of the Grim Reaper. Their star crossed relationship was immortalized in Timothy Conigrave’s memoir Holding the Man, and has been adapted for stage and screen. This is the true story of how Romeo met Romeo and what happened ever after.
about his sexuality. Everything changes with the arrival of his new roommate Conor, a star player in the rugby team, and inspirational English teacher Dan Sherry. A breezy, often hilarious tale that gains emotional depth as it delivers an irresistible message: everyone, straight or gay, has the power to make the world a better place by simply being true to themselves.
MULTIPLE MANIACS (THU 16 FEB, 21.00, GFT)
WEIRDOS ***UK PREMIERE*** (THU 16 – FRI 17 FEB, GFT) Nova Scotia. 1976. It’s the weekend of the American Bicentennial and 15-year-old Kit is running away from home. Enlisting the help of his platonic girlfriend Alice, Kit hitchhikes through the stunning maritime landscape towards a new home with his glamorous, artistic mother Laura. However, as Kit and Alice near their final destination they find their relationship tested as Kit approaches a realisation that will change his life forever
HANDSOME DEVIL ***UK PREMIERE, OPENING GALA*** (THU 16 FEB, 13.00, GFT) A terrific coming-of-age, coming-out charmer, 16 year-old Ned is a bright artistic lad who faces his own hell on earth when he is sent to an all-boys Irish boarding school where the manly pursuit of rugby is virtually a religion. He steels himself for the loneliness, ridicule and constant insinuations
Hailed as a “demented comic opera of rage” by Variety, John Waters’ grotesque, thrillingly vicious shoestring second feature has rarely been seen since its release in 1970. Now, it has been restored to all its depraved, boundary-testing glory and is screening here in an uncut version for the very first time in the UK. Dare you enter Divine’s Cavalcade of Perversion? Will you be able to look at seafood in quite the same way again? Are the satirical stabs at America’s appetite for violence and disdain for the outsider just as shocking and relevant 50 years on? Not for the easily offended.
MY PERSONAL PICK: CHECK IT ***SCOTTISH PREMIERE*** (FRI 24 FEB, 18.15, CCA) “I never show someone my weak side, because if you show someone your weak side they use it against you.” Check It follows the only recorded black gay and trans gang in the US as they rally against oppression. It is an intimate portrait of 5 childhood friends as they claw themselves out of gang life through an unlikely avenue – fashion. Fed up with bullying, rape and abuse, the Check It gang thrive through adversity in Washington, DC in this empowering documentary.
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MOVIES
STILL SHOWING IN CINEMAS LA LA LAND
Aside from the gushy, funny, heartfelt romanticism of this musical, deemed a “love letter to Old Hollywood”, the chemistry of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling alone is enough to sell this sure-fire Oscar winner.
PASSENGERS
The production design is spectacular and in general the plot is interesting enough to keep us intrigued but the second half of the film falls prey to the lure of big budget action, instead of focusing on the best aspect of the film, the love story.
LIVE BY NIGHT
PICK OF THE MONTH
FIFTY SHADES DARKER
What started off as kinky Twilight fanfiction became a worldwide bestseller that rocked the world. From E.L. James’ debut novel Fifty Shades of Grey spawned two more books and a film franchise about the brooding, mysterious and kinky millionaire Christian Grey, who has set his eyes upon the young, naïve and innocent Anastasia Steele, and wants her to be his next play thing. Ana’s adventure into the world of sex and BDSM has sparked controversy among readers, raising questions of stalking and abuse, of sexual and emotional natures. So what will the sequel to 2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker bring to the table? Online film and television critic community Rotten Tomatoes gave Fifty Shades of Grey a poor 25%. Directed by Sam TaylorJohnson (also known for Death Valley and Love You More), the movie is awkward throughout. Dakota Johnson, who plays the leading lady, Anastasia, is flat throughout, and to boot, her “sexy” lip-biting was cringe inducing. James Foley (At Close Range, Perfect Stranger) has directed its sequel, and is set to direct the third and final instalment of the franchise, Fifty Shades Freed. Perhaps he’ll pull the cast together and make it a less weird experience to watch. The story is the grown-up Twilight’s fans’ wet dream. The story is basically the same, but instead of hiding the fact that he’s a vampire, our leading man is hiding the fact that he’s kinky. In today’s sex positive and adventurous society, being totally vanilla is a bit more obscure, no? Regardless of that, Christian (Jamie Dornan) has about a million non-disclosures and contracts for Anastasia to sign before he can even bump into her by accident. These contracts are used as an obstacle – if Anastasia doesn’t sign them, then Christian will not have sex with her, and she is unsure about this whole new world of fetish and kink. Regardless, they bang a lot anyway. But that’s essentially the whole plot. A back and forth between Christian and Ana about signing contracts (and people are calling this the sexiest story to ever play out) that ends with him spanking her too hard and her getting pissed and leaving him. End of, right? Nope. On February 10th, we will see Christian beg for Anastasia to come back to him, and she does. Through trailers we see them become more like partners – before they were dominant and submissive, that’s it. This aspect gives the film a bit more merit, as now we will be
watching two characters who can work together against new obstacles, rather than be the obstacle. The obstacles, it seems, in Fifty Shades Darker will be, primarily, Christian’s past lovers; his first ever taught him the ways of the BDSM, and another lover, who appears to be viciously jealous of Anastasia. Trailers have shown glimpses of the fun Anastasia and Christian together, exploring elevator foreplay, shower sex, trusting each other and an equal amount of helicopter rides to the first movie. We see Anastasia in lingerie, with Christian “gawking” (her words. In the trailer he’s stood there staring blankly at her). It all looks good, visually most movie franchises have the characters looking progressively better as the films go on, and this one is no different. It looks well shot as well – it definitely won’t be sore on the eyes. Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik have come together for a song for the movie as well – “I Don’t Want to Live Forever” has been on radios often these past few weeks. One thing the first movie was strong in was a great soundtrack, and it looks like the next one will have the same, with songs written specifically for the feature. Halsey has also produced a song for the movie called “Not Afraid Anymore”. Controversy from the first movie/book series sprung up when some readers and viewers were concerned about the movie normalising stalking and emotional abuse. Several times in Fifty Shades of Grey, we see Christian popping up out of nowhere to see Anastasia. He comes to her place of work (we are not shown her telling him where she works), he tracks down which bar she’s at after speaking to her on the phone, and he even flies to a different state to talk to Anastasia while she’s trying to see her mum, and after she’s expressed frustration with Christian. The guys behind YouTube channel The Film Theorists perfectly describe how Christian drew Anastasia to him the same way cults recruit new members – he manipulates her and coerces her through the movie. Anastasia is also a virgin at the start of the movie, and although she consents to every sex act Christian does to her, fans still claim there is sexual abuse in the series. Maybe it takes precedents in the book. I personally didn’t finish the book because it’s the most boring porn I’ve ever come across. Regardless, the number of people who claim that the franchise glorifies abusive relationships is great, and a bunch of people in the BDSM community even protested the movie after its first release. But maybe Anastasia Steele will be stronger this time around, and show Christian, and the audience, that she is not a play thing to be manipulated and mistreated – maybe she’ll make for a strong character that fans can actually like and root for. Maybe Dakota Johnson won’t be as awkward to watch. Maybe, despite low expectations, this movie will be an award winning hit? Maybe not, but at least we’ll still have the cool soundtrack. Fifty Shades by Holly Fleming Darker is in UK cinemas 10 Twitter: @hol7ly February. h.fleming@tsaglasgow.com
Book Corner It’s never going to earn classic gangster status but Ben Affleck’s, Live By Night, which he wrote, produced, starred in and directed, wasn’t terrible. With an impressive cast and impressive production design, it’s worth a watch despite the oversentimental dialogue.
HUMAN ACTS
SWIMMING LESSONS
2016 Man Booker International Prize winner, Han Kang, who won the accolade for her best-selling novel The Vegetarian, brought us another amazing novel, Human Acts, in January. Set in South Korea, during the aftermath of a violent student uprising, the book is both grim but important as it explores trauma and grief.
For one of those “keeps-you-guessinguntil-the-last-page” novels, look no further than the latest offering from award-winning author Claire Fuller, Swimming Lessons. Delving into the fragility of marriage but with a wellhidden twist, this scandalous and superbly-smart novel is our pick for 2017 word-of-mouth craze.
ALL THAT’S LEFT TO TELL When American hostage Marc Laurent is visited nightly in his cell in Pakistan by a mysterious woman he knows as Josephine, a comforting ritual soon begins – they both create stories, in which his murdered daughter is still alive and thriving. This compelling and gripping debut novel by Daniel Lowe, All That’s Left to Tell, explores the power of storytelling and the “deeply human need for it”.
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THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE Lego Batman must learn to be a team player to defeat The Joker in this brilliantly funny Lego Movie spin-off. Self-regarding, gravel-voiced Bruce Wayne (Will Arnett) – aka Batman – remains the toast of Gotham City. But each night, he returns to the Batcave alone. His faithful manservant Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) suggests that this illustrious master builder and crimefighter’s greatest fear is of being part of a family once more. The solution is to raise the orphan he adopted, Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), to become his superhero sidekick Robin. But the over-excited boy wonder proves quite a handful. Meanwhile, police commisioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson) wants Batman to join her law enforcement team just as highly-strung, self-styled greatest foe The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) rears his cackling head. Will Arnett reprises his wonderful voice performance from the hit Lego Movie for this witty animated comedy that places Batman centre stage – where he feels he belongs! The Lego Batman Movie is in UK cinemas 10 February.
MOVIES OF THE
MONTH
RINGS
THE FOUNDER
JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2
THE GREAT WALL
The possessed videotape returns to terrify a new cast in the third spine-chilling Ring movie. Thirteen years after the events of The Ring back in 2002, the sinister cursed videotape is back in circulation! This third American film in one of the most bloodcurdling horror franchises ever created continues the tale of the tape that leaves a trail of death in its wake. Anyone who watches it has just seven days to live. The only way to survive is to make a copy, allowing it to spread like a virus. Plot details are under wraps, but this latest instalment revitalises the series with fresh new talent. Behind the camera is Spanish director F. Javier Gutierrez, who made quite a splash with his award-winning sci-fi film Before the Fall. Continuing the franchise’s tradition of strong female leads, Italian actress Matilda Lutz stars alongside Brit Alex Roe and Johnny Galecki of The Big Bang Theory fame. Rings is in UK cinemas 3 February.
Ray Kroc was a 52-year-old milkshake machine salesman, down on his luck and struggling financially. He became The Founder of the biggest fast food company in the world – McDonald’s. When the McDonald brothers placed an order with him, he decided to check out their restaurant, where food was served in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes. It was revolutionary, and Ray wanted in. Muscling his way in, he turned this small family business into the biggest, most successful fast food company in the world. Michael Keaton stars as The Founder of McDonald’s, a ruthless entrepreneur who built an empire out of a simple burger restaurant. The Founder is in UK cinemas 10 February.
Keanu Reeves’ legendary hitman takes on the world’s deadliest killers in this thrill-packed sequel. John Wick (Keanu Reeves) isn’t having much luck staying retired. Now a former associate of the unstoppable hitman is planning to take over the shadowy international assassins’ guild. John is bound by a blood oath to assist him and reluctantly travels to Rome to fulfil this obligation. Matters are complicated by the fact that someone has ‘opened an account’ on John himself, which means that every badass on the planet is now closing in! It’s not long before the bullets start flying in this explosive sequel to the 2014 hit that reignited Keanu Reeves’ action career with the biggest bang imaginable. John Wick Chapter 2 is in UK cinemas 17 February.
‘The Great Wall’ of China took 1,700 years to build and is 5,500 miles long. But what exactly were the builders trying to keep out? An unstoppable horde of monsters approaches the wall, and they want only one thing – to feed on its defenders, and on everyone beyond it. The wall is humanity’s last line of defence, and an elite group of warriors will give everything in the war for it. Join the battle to protect The Great Wall, from the director of Hero and House Of Flying Daggers, and starring Matt Damon and Willem Dafoe. The Great Wall is in UK cinemas from 17 February.
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MOVIES
THE FOUNDER: THE DAWN OF TRUMP CINEMA?
by Daniel Smith Twitter:
@dannysmith1996
Sigmund Freud once characterised escapism as a “necessary element in the life of humans “Life, as we find it, is too hard for us; it brings us too many pains, disappointments and impossible tasks “(Human beings) cannot subsist on the scanty satisfaction which they can extort from reality” he writes in Civilisation and its Discontents 1930. 97 years later and the world is a considerably different place; virtually unrecognisable to the environment that allowed Freud’s staunch pessimism to fester. Alas, we still find ourselves dependant on the fantasy worlds we so often create for ourselves, desperate to elude the abject horror of the modern world. One of the most effective mediums of escapism available to us are films. Boasting a near infinite array of genres, tastes and styles, they cater to every faction of society. Bolstered by the immeasurable technological advances of the 21st century, viewers can truly immerse themselves in any reality they so desire. Even the most low-brow, low-budget flicks can offer us a preferable alternative to the monotony of everyday life. However, is this form of escapism, so vital to so many, potentially at risk? The 20th of January 2017 saw the inauguration of President Elect Donald Trump. Unsavoury and utterly reprehensible, he is a walking personification of the insidious element of the American dream: hyper capitalism, neoliberalism, typically amoral. Where this becomes concerning in terms of the arts is a long-established link between Hollywood and The Presidency. During his tenure as American President, former actor come politician Ronald Reagan oversaw an era of film now remembered as Reaganite cinema. Canadian film critic Robin Wood defined the key characteristics of Reaganite cinema as such: “A reassuring nostalgia for the 50’s… white working class hero Rocky Balboa overcoming affirmative action and other liberal projects to achieve upward social mobility and achieving the American dream… “Reassurance over nuclear anxiety… Reaganite films feature plots about good guys winning possession of the Armageddon weapon (STII, Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Force in Star Wars). “The reassuring restoration of the great white father… Reaganite films undermine the liberated woman. The films feature the return of women to traditional gender roles, or feature their complete elimination. For example, in Kramer vs. Kramer, men make the best mothers. Or, in Ordinary People, the mother is banished from the narrative”. Whilst the ardently liberal veneer of Hollywood may render these links slightly tenuous if not obsolete, it’s worth considering peeking behind that veneer and examining the political agendas of those bankrolling the films. Enter Steven
Mnuchin: co-founder of RatPac-Dune entertainment, who’s many notable credits include American Sniper, an abhorrent propaganda movie depicting just how sad it made the American heroes of Iraq as they slaughtered the savage Iraqi natives. Mr Mnuchin now finds himself as the Secretary for the Treasury for Mr Donald Trump. We also have Donald Trump’s chief strategist and senior counsellor Steve Bannon; notably of alt-right news outlet Breitbart news. However, it has recently been revealed the seemingly liberal firm Freemark Financial, responsible for managing the careers of some of the wealthiest Hollywood TV stars also answers to Steve Bannon. The cast of Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, and Star Wars were all represented by Freemark Financial, who are now evidently represented by Steve Bannon. It’s becoming fast apparent that Trump’s potential influence over Hollywood and its creative direction can’t be ignored… But just what will cinema look like under the guise of Trump if the link between the presidency and cinema is to be believed? Just last month, John Lee Hancock’s The Founder premiered in cinemas across the United States. The film depicts traveling salesman Ray Kroc’s discovery of a hamburger restaurant in California owned by Maurice and Richard McDonald. Kroc persuades the two brothers to franchise, and expand their business across the country. Reluctantly, they agree and the McDonalds franchise is born. As the film plays out, Kroc’s sole concern for profit leads to a sharp decline in the quality of the restaurants. The two brothers confront Kroc about their concerns, triggering the salesman to start up a real estate company, buying the land from McDonalds, dictating total direction of the company and eventually gaining a stranglehold of the franchise entirely. Kroc even manages to obtain possession of the two brothers surname, leaving them pot-less. It is an unapologetic homage to capitalism and the American dream. The ruthless, shrewd businessman making millions whilst the little guys on the bottom of the pyramid get nothing. It’s a narrative so familiar, on film and in real life that it borders on cliché. The films premier coinciding with Trump’s inauguration seems grotesquely apt; two unscrupulous, immoral business moguls cementing their place as some of most powerful men on earth. It’s becoming frightfully clear that Trump will indeed possess an alarming air of influence over Hollywood and its creative direction. It’s actors, fearful of the financial reprisals dissent will bring, seem all too happy to uphold the status quo, and will remain silent. However, if there is one silver lining to be drawn from this horrible state of affairs is that limitations have a glorious history of breeding creativity, meaning that ever so faithful means of escapism will never be truly be shut to us, especially during a presidency when we will most definitely need it…
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OSCARS 2017
MOONLIGHT SHINES THROUGH WITH DIVERSITY WHILST LA LA LAND DANCES AWAY WITH 14 NOMINATIONS
After facing an #OscarsSoWhite controversy for the past two years, the annual awards ceremony has broken its infamous trend with a shaken up list of nominations. In June 2016, the Academy invited almost 700 new members to join, with a focus on women and ethnic minorities. Having made sure to include far more members of different ethnicities on the voting panel, the Denzel Washington lead Fences has lead the wave of diversity with acting nominations for both Washington as well as Viola Davis for best supporting actress. The film, based on August Wilson’s play of the same name, has Washington struggle to support his family as a sanitation worker in 1950’s America amidst the backdrop of racial tensions. While some expect Washington to grab an award, Moonlight is a hot favourite amongst many with its beautiful cinematography and story that focuses on a gay African-American man coming to terms with his sexuality over the course of his life. Barry Jenkins, the director, is only the fourth African American director to be nominated in the category in Oscar history. Jenkins has told the BBC his film was not a response to the #OscarsSoWhite criticism, having conceived the project “at least three-and-a-half years ago”. The real talking point of the nomination announcement, though, was Damien Chazelle’s musical epic La La Land that achieved a record-equalling total of 14 nominations including ones for best
THE AVENGERS ARE
ASSEMBLING IN SCOTLAND THIS MONTH
Disney have announced that filming for the highly anticipated Avengers: Infinity War will commence this February in Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands. The epic superhero film series has a budget of £400 million and is expected to boost the Scottish economy by £10 million. This will have a major impact on the Scottish film industry and present opportunities for upcoming actors and crew members. Filming officially begins on February 28th and will allow creative people across Scotland to contribute to the success of Marvel’s film venture. This is the largest movie to ever be filmed in Scotland and will take around six months, trumping World War Z which was filmed in Glasgow in 2011 and reportedly brought £3 million to the local economy from its 17 days of filming. However, this isn’t the first time that the region has been used by Disney – Marvel’s 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger was filmed partially in Fife. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most popular film franchise in terms of profit. This is due to the fact that Disney has so far released 14 films within the universe, although this total will rise to 19 by the time Infinity War is released. The cinematic universe is currently working on Guardians of The Galaxy 2, Spiderman: Homecoming, Thor 2 and Black Panther. The four films will precede the upcoming Avengers film.
director for Chazelle and the coveted best picture award which the film is set to trot away with. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are both nominated for best actor and actress respectively though the real star of the film is the incredible soundtrack which takes up two places in the Best Original Song category. Much like any year though, there was some infamous snubs. Martin Scorsese of Taxi Driver and Wolf of Wall Street fame was set to receive his ninth nomination for best director with Silence though the film, which released around the time many critics call “Oscar season”, was only picked for cinematography. Amy Adams, who was expected to receive a Best Actress nomination for her pivotal role in Arrival, was also snubbed with Adams trending on Twitter with disappointed fans reacting to the news. In addition, many thought that Deadpool, starring wise cracking Ryan Reynolds, was set to make history by becoming the first comic book film to be nominated for best picture due to building up momentum with golden globe nods and each of the industry guilds. In the end though, the film ended up being snubbed altogether, not even being chosen for best make up. The Oscars is set to take place on the 26th of February with Jimmy Kimmel hosting the show, the first time the talk show star has ever presented by Liam Menzies at the academy Twitter: @blinkclyro awards. www.blinkclyro.com
With so many films, executives have become more creative with scouting locations. This led them to selecting Scotland, partially because it is cheaper to film in the UK. Also locations in the Highlands are considered among the most spectacular places in the world and Disney clearly intends to display the country’s visually impressive scenery. This is an exciting opportunity for die-hard comic book fans to meet some of the biggest names in the superhero film industry. Robert Downey Jr, Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth will reportedly be in Scotland for filming. In addition to this, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlet Johansson and Benedict Cumberbatch will be joining the headline heroes and the starstudded cast will also include legendary actor Samuel L Jackson. Inverness-born star Karen Gillian, who starred in Doctor Who, is set to return to the franchise after making her debut portraying Nebula, adopted daughter of the film’s primary villain Thanos, in Guardians of the Galaxy. Her appearance in the film indicates that the Guardians will have a role, albeit a minor one in the upcoming film. Overall it is certain that the film will experience tremendous pressure to live up to expectations but it has infinite potential to be one of the greatest superhero films of all time.
by Billal Rahman
Bill.rah@outlook.com www.billrah.wordpress.com @billzinyourgaff
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EMPLOYMENT
FULL TIME CUSTOMER SERVICES - GERMAN SPEAKING
THE STUDENT ADVERTISER
TO APPLY FOR ANY OF THESE VACANCIES, PLEASE VISIT
www.s1jobs.com/recruiterprofiles/tsa s1jobs.com have been at the heart of the jobs marketplace in Scotland for over 14 years and are very proud to partner with The Student Advertiser here to bring exclusive and relevant job vacancies to the readership. If you’re keen to apply for any particular vacancy, you must follow the established application route through the s1jobs.com website. As there’s usually over 4,000 live job vacancies on the site each week, we’ve collated all the vacancies noted here under a single online address, especially created for the readers of The Student Advertiser. Simply enter the address noted below into your web browser, it doesn’t matter if you’re using a mobile device or a static PC, the s1jobs.com website is fully mobile optimised ensuring you get the best experience possible. If you require any assistance, the customer service team at s1jobs will be keen to help on 0141 302 7510.
Salary: £17000 per annum + plus shift bonus Agent: Total Recruitment Skills: Customer Services Location: Glasgow Based within their modern, state of the art, well equipped Glasgow offices (with parking, coffee shop, internet cafe and lunch venues on site), you would join a fun, friendly and very outgoing team environment. Handling all manner of customer inquiries, over the phone and via email, you will have first class communication skills, both verbal and written (GERMAN AND ENGLISH). This is NOT a call centre environment, but much more of an open plan, friendly, large office environment. SHIFTS 3PM - MIDNIGHT, Wednesday to Sunday, £17,000 PLUS 10% shift allowance. INITIALLY 12-15 weeks TEMPORARY BUT WILL LEAD TO A PERMANENT CONTRACT FOR THE RIGHT PERSON. APPLY WITHOUT DELAY - RECRUITING RIGHT NOW!!!!
JUNIOR LAND SURVEYOR Salary: £13-16/h Agent: Hudson Construction & Property Skills: Construction/Trades/Property Location: Glasgow My Client is an English contractor that is expanding to the Central Belt of Scotland and building its team. There is lots of work lined up and already underway with the leadership of a good core team that we have built up in recent months. We are now seeking a Junior Land Surveyor to join the team and assist in levelling, target shooting etc. on multiple contracts including rail road, and water projects. Any experience is helpful, but there is significant opportunity for training and development. This will be on a contract basis to start Please note you will receive an automated response advising you that we have received your CV. Hudson is a leading provider of permanent recruitment, contract professionals and talent management solutions worldwide.
CHEF DE PARTIE
Salary: £21,500 Agent: Anderson Knight Skills: Financial Services/Investment Location: Glasgow Anderson Knight is looking for a Telephone Account Manager to work permanently in Glasgow. This will be working with a well established financial services company. Main responsibilities: - Account management - Hitting realistic sales targets - Conducting outgoing sales calls - Maintaining and strengthen relationships Developing a team of advisors The ideal candidate must be a polished individual with a professional approach and a background in financial services. Please apply for further details.
Salary: £Competative Agent: Halo Hotels (Crowwood) Skills: Hospitality/Catering/Tourism Location: Glasgow An opportunity has arisen to join the team as a chef de partie at one of our hotels, with a busy guest restaurant and banqueting for 140, we are looking for someone who has at least 3 years experience in the kitchen and holds the relative food safety, and training documentation appropriate to the position. The position is available immediately with a competitive salary offered commensurate with experience, the position is permanent and full time. In the first instance send your cv, and you will be contacted in order to arrange an interview
SERVICE ENGINEER
BOOKKEEPER ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT
Salary: £Negotiable Agent: PTM Security Solutions Ltd Skills: Engineering/Technical Location: Glasgow Field Service Engineer required to carry out Service, Repair and Installation of Door Entry Systems and carry out routine PMV inspections to Fire Alarms and Smoke Extraction Systems. You must have relevant experience and qualifications and hold a Full Driving Licence. Any and all endorsements must be disclosed. The post is Full Time and carried a probationary period of 6 months. You must rotate 1 week "On Call" with the other engineers (following probationary period). A Company vehicle is provided and company branded clothing is also provided.
Salary: £DEO Agent: Stafffinders Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow Stafffinders are currently recruiting for a permanent full time experienced Bookkeeperfor our Glasgow client. Must have experience in the following: Maintaining Sales and Purchase Ledger. Bank Reconciliation. Preparation of VAT and PAYE Returns. Processing of timesheets, credit control,supplier payments. Preparation and submission of invoices. Sage line 50. Sage Payroll. Sage Job Coasting. All Microsoft packages. To apply please email CV to Karen.auchincloss@ stafffindes.co.uk
Salary: £8.00 - £9 per hour Agent: Allstaff Skills: Retail Location: Glasgow AllStaff Paisley require a Permanent experienced Part Time Cashier for our client based in Hillington. The location of the client can offer parking facilities & good public transport links. Hours required to be worked WILL be Thursday 1-7pm include a Saturday between 7am to 12noon. Candidates will be required to cover F/T hours during periods of annual leave. Duties will include: Inputting data from tills onto system and balancing cash. Checking invoices and matching. Answering customer calls and queries. Uplifting cash from tills and checking cash into the safe. Inputting details onto the system. Filing, faxing, photocopying. Updating excel spreadsheets. General office duties. Allstaff is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy
PRODUCTION OPERATIVES Salary: £7.65ph Agent: Topstaff Skills: Production/Manufacturing Location: Glasgow Position: Experienced production operatives urgently required for part time assignments in the Glasgow/ Hillington area. This position will be ongoing temporary assignments with the possibility of going permanent for the right candidates. Requirements: Applicants must have a good work ethic, should be dexterous and have good attention to detail. This position involved small parts on a production line so nimble fingers and experience are essential. Working hours: Hours of work will be 22 hours per week Monday to Wednesday 16.30 until 21.25 and Thursday 16.30 - 22.25 For immediate interview please call Topstaff Employment on 0141 427 7070 or email your CV to warehouse@ topstaffemployment.com.
ALARM ENGINEER
Salary: £17,500 - £19,000 Agent: Anderson Knight Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow Anderson Knight are currently seeking a temporary Credit Control Clerk to work for a well known client based in Glasgow on a ongoing temporary contract with the chance to go permanent. Main Duties: Cash Collection by telephone, letter and email. Opening new accounts . Maintaining accounts and putting accounts on stop. Cash Allocation. Review ledger . Produce monthly KPI’s. Adhoc finance reports when required . Deal with all customer enquires . Adhoc duties as required . In return my client is offering a competitive salary with fantastic working hours, with great development opportunities. Interested please apply now to patricia@ andersonknight.co.uk or call me on 0141 348 7754 for more information.
Salary: £25000 + overtime and call allowance Agent: APS Protection Systems Skills: Engineering/Technical Location: Glasgow APS Protection Systems Ltd require time served Installation/Service Engineers. This is a permanent position and the role consists of carrying out service, installation, testing and commissioning of electronic fire and security systems. Applicants should have a high level of experience and knowledge of electronic fire and security systems. The successful candidate should be highly motivated with the ability to work responsibly on their own or as part of a team, have excellent skills in communication and problem solving and have an enthusiastic and helpful manner. 40 hours per week,. 28 days holiday including 8 statutory days. Basic salary 25k per annum depending on experience, overtime and call allowance will be paid in addition. Company vehicle. Mobile Phone. APS Protection Systems Ltd is an independent company based in Larkhall, Scotland, hold NSI accreditation and provides security services to both domestic and commercial clients.
ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT
PRODUCTION OPERATIVE
Salary: £DOE Agent: Independent Accountants in Scotland Limited Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow IAIS have an excellent opportunity for an Accounts Assistant to join them on a permanent basis. Our team provide high quality advice and assistance in every aspect of our clients’ financial and accounting requirements. You will be required to assist in the preparation of Accounts, Tax Computations, Management Accounts and VAT returns with the addition of other ad-hoc duties within the office as and when required. Ideally having worked in a practice setting you will be comfortable in preparing accounts with minimal supervision although working in a team and be comfortable using Sage to Trial Balance and a working knowledge of Iris would also be beneficial. As you will be the first point of contact for many clients an excellent telephone manner along with strong communication skills are required.
Salary: £7.20 to £7.90ph Agent: Uin Foods limited Skills: Production/Manufacturing Location: Glasgow Food Production Operatives Location: Cambuslang, Glasgow We are recruiting for Food Production Operatives for different departments. These roles initially are on fixed term contracts potentially leading to permanent employment; depending on performance and Company requirements. We are looking for candidates with recent experience of working within manufacturing workplace. Successful candidates will be expected to follow food hygiene procedures and be able to work accurately under pressure in a fast paced environment. Available shifts: Bakery 8am to 4:30pm Monday-Friday Bakery 8am to 4:30pm Saturday-Sunday Production 7:15am to 7:00pm (Monday Tuesday Saturday Sunday one week; Wednesday Thursday Friday second week) Hygiene 7:00pm to 6:45am (Monday Tuesday Saturday Sunday one week; Wednesday Thursday Friday second week) Rates of pay Dayshift £7.20ph Nightshift £7.90ph
CREDIT CONTROL CLERK (TEMP TO PERM)
TELEPHONE ACCOUNT MANAGER
PART TIME CASHIER
RECEPTIONIST / ADMINISTRATOR Salary: Agent:
£ Commensurate with experience The Centre of Therapy and Counselling Studies Skills: Admin/Secretarial/PA Location: Glasgow An opportunity has arisen within our expanding organisation for someone to take charge of the reception area while sharing some of the duties carried out by our administration team. This is a full-time post working from Monday to Friday within a busy academic and clinical environment. Duties will include: Managing a busy reception desk as first point of contact with visitors, students, clients, therapists and trainers. Answering incoming telephone calls. Carrying out specific administration tasks and operating systems. Essential Qualities: Warm and friendly manner Mature and professional attitude Good communication skills Good organisational skills Ability to work on own initiative as well as within a team Reliability and punctuality
TRAINEE ADMINISTRATOR Salary:
£16,380 to £17,000 depending on qualifications and experience Agent: The Presbytery of Glasgow Skills: Admin/Secretarial/PA Location: Glasgow The Presbytery of Glasgow has a vacancy for a fulltime Trainee Administrator to work within a small team providing administrative/secretarial support to our two Presbytery Clerks and other staff members/ committee conveners. Based in Glasgow city centre, the successful applicant will have some administrative experience and/or appropriate qualifications, including a working knowledge of MS Office, and will be able to demonstrate a willingness to learn. Hours of work Monday - Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm Friday 8.30am to 4pm Further details A full job description is available by email from the Office Manager, Ms Karen Lafferty (klafferty@presbyteryofglasgow.org.uk). Applications, by cv and covering letter, may be sent to this email
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FEBRUARY 2017, ISSUE 29
address or made via S1 jobs. (If applying directly, please use the job title as the subject of your email.) n.b. Some flexibility in start date may be possible for applicants completing training courses within the next few months.
PHP SQL DEVELOPER Salary: Up to £40,000 DOE Agent: RHA Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow RHA is a specialist audio company based in Glasgow. We develop, manufacture and market innovative audio products with sales channels in over twenty countries. We are seeking a full time Developer to develop and support our internal ERP system. Development includes all aspects of the lifecycle, including design, development, deployment, training and maintenance. The ideal candidate is creative, and passionate about developing quality software, using good programming practices. Candidates should also have a strong willingness and aptitude to learn the latest web development technologies. Required Skills & Experience Strong knowledge of system architecture, data structures, design and integration. Object-oriented PHP, JavaScript, CSS3, and HTML. SQL, database design & normalization. Problem solving attention to detail Selfsufficient, can take user requirements, debug code and solve problems with minimal guidance This is a great career opportunity within a truly innovative company
HVAC SERVICE ENGINEER Salary: £15 per hour + Company Benifits Agent: Search Consultancy Skills: Construction/Trades/Property Location: Glasgow Search Facilities Management are actively searching for Mechanical Maintenance Engineer to carrying out service and maintenance duties within a mobile contract in the Glasgow. This is a permanent role, working 40 hours per week and will offer the opportunity to up skill within a great team. Duties include Carrying out all planned and reactive mechanical tasks tasks on a daily basis. All plumbing duties, as well as basic heating and boiler maintenance. Fault finding. Working alongside the maintenance team, you will assist in any ad hoc maintenance duties as required. You will also be expected to pick up and basic mechanical or fabric tasks when necessary. Candidates will ideally possess HVAC or Commercial Gas qualification. Fgas. Facilities Management/ Commercial Maintenance experience. If you are interested in finding out more about this opportunity, and have the skills and experience, please contact Kerry McFarlane on 01412727725 or send your CV to kerry.mcfarlane@search.co.uk
PART TIME UNDERWRITER Salary: £25000 per annum Agent: Hudson Contact Centre Skills: Financial Services/Investment Location: Glasgow Hudson have partnered with growing financial services business to appoint a part time Underwriting assistant. This is a fantastic opportunity to join an innovative business who are invested in developing and training team members. Hours 10am-2pm Monday to Friday (overtime available) Underwriting experience would beneficial however not essential: Strong experience working within a financial services environment. Working in a detail orientated environment. Experience looking at credit files. Ability to manage a busy workload. A team player with a flexible attitude. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Strong Excell skills. Proactive approach. To find out more about this role then please get in touch on 0141 227 9134 or Kirsty.burke@hudson.com Please note you will receive an automated response advising you that we have received your CV. Hudson is a leading provider of permanent recruitment, contract professionals and talent management solutions worldwide.
CREDIT CONTROLLER Salary: Competitive Agent: PRG Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow I am currently assisting my City Centre based client in recruiting a Credit Controller for their highly successful organisation. This is a permanent role and would be a fantastic opportunity for an individual with strong communication skills, and who has previous experience of working in a high volume credit control role. Duties include: Effectively manage portfolio of clients. Ensure individual and team KPIs are met. Maintenance of records. Timely collection of outstanding amounts. Resolving disputed queries. Reporting to internal and external reports. Customer reconciliations. Ensure strict time deadlines are met. This position offers: Attractive market rate remuneration provided. Bonus incentive rewarding strong performance. Modern work environment. Attractive company benefits. If you are interested in hearing more about this role please send your CV to Paul Lyons stating your current salary and notice period. Please note that only CVs with a strong credit control background will be considered.
MANAGER Salary: £17000-22000 per annum Agent: Brown Opticians Skills: Retail Location: Glasgow
Our business is expanding so a fantastic opportunity has arisen for a full time Practice manager and Assistant Manager Management experience is essential for this role, as it requires someone with a proven track record to really drive the practice to the next level. If you have previous optics experience, with the ability to dispense as a minimum requirement and a proven managerial background then this will be the ideal role for you. Reporting to the Managing Director, you will be responsible for monitoring performance, driving sales and maintaining excellence in customer service. Other duties will include staff performance, dispensing, managing the appointment diary, preparing and keeping all Practice paperwork up to date, handling cash and general housekeeping duties. A competitive salary will depend on your experience, will be provided. As well as further training and career development within the Optical industry. Please send a CV summarising your experience to date with a cover letter detailing your strengths, your aspirations and why you believe that you should be considered for this opportunity.
ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE ENGINEER Salary: £DOE Agent: Brightwork Specialist Recruitment Skills: Engineering/Technical Location: Glasgow This is a fantastic opportunity for a Maintenance Engineer (Electrical Bias) to join our client’s well established and successful FMCG manufacturing organisation. The ideal candidate will have electrical and some mechanical experience. The main responsibilities are: - Carry out planned and preventative maintenance tasks when required. - Prioritise and plan workload, ensuring an effective maintenance service. - Involved in projects relating to the installation and commissioning of new equipment. The successful candidate should have relevant engineering experience and be able to work using their own initiative within a maintenance based environment. Ideally you will have a recognised apprenticeship or trade qualification to HNC Level or higher. There will be an on call rota every 3 week paid for too. To apply please send your CV and salary requirements to Daniel Cairney of BWSR - Brightwork Specialist Recruitment at daniel.cairney@bwsr.co.uk or call 0141 272 8129 to discuss further. Brightwork Specialist Recruitment offers the services of an employment agency for permanent roles and an employment business for temporary roles.
TELEPHONE ACCOUNT MANAGER Salary:
To £27,000 plus benefits and bonus (OTE £40K) Agent: JohnstonGreer Ltd Skills: Financial Services/Investment Location: Glasgow
Telephone Account Manager To £27,000 plus benefits and bonus (OTE £40K) Account Manager required by this Life & Pensions firm to promote the company’s products to top-end wealth management firms within the IFA distribution channel. The company is very well known within its niche markets and has recently re-invested substantially into new products and infrastructure. As the Account Manager you will be responsible for building close relationships with your existing portfolio of IFA accounts in order to maximise product awareness and increase sales, whilst also sourcing and cultivating new connections. You will receive a salary of up to £27,000 plus bonus and you will also qualify for the wide range of benefits including pension. Please call Chris Johnston on 0131 292 0778 or email chris.johnston@ johnstongreer.co.uk. JohnstonGreer is a recruitment agency covering Scotland & N.Ireland that specialises in the Actuarial, Life & Pension and Investment sectors. JohnstonGreer operates as an Employment Agency in providing permanent job seeking services.
CREDIT CONTROLLER Salary: £19,000-£20,000 Agent: PRG Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow I am currently assisting my City Centre based client in recruiting a Credit Controller for their highly successful organisation. This is a permanent role and would be a fantastic opportunity for an individual with strong communication skills, and who has previous experience of working in a high volume credit control role. Duties include: Effectively manage portfolio of clients. Ensure individual and team KPIs are met. Maintenance of records. Timely collection of outstanding amounts. Resolving disputed queries. Reporting to internal and external reports. Customer reconciliations. Ensure strict time deadlines are met. This position offers: Attractive market rate remuneration provided. Bonus incentive rewarding strong performance. Modern work environment. Attractive company benefits. If you are interested in hearing more about this role please send your CV to Paul Lyons stating your current salary and notice period. Please note that only CVs with a strong credit control background will be considered.
PART TIME BOOK KEEPER Agent: Eden Scott Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow Eden Scott’s client based in Glasgow is looking for a Book Keeper to join their business on a part time basis. As a Book Keeper, your duties will include: Payroll. Preparing Accounts. Processing Invoices. General Admin. Implementation of the Zero system. The successful candidate will be an experienced Book Keeper with good people skills. Previous experience of the Zero system will be highly advantageous. This is a part time position working approximately 25 hours per week over 5 days. In return you will be rewarded with a competitive salary and be part of an exciting company.
PART-TIME ADMINISTRATOR Salary: Agent:
£Commensurate with experience The Centre of Therapy and Counselling Studies Skills: Admin/Secretarial/PA Location: Glasgow An opportunity has arisen within our expanding organisation for two people on a part-time basis to join our administration team carrying out duties in varied aspects of our operations. These are part-time posts working from Monday to Friday with actual hours to be agreed. Duties will include: Carrying out various administration tasks, procedures and operating systems within a busy academic and clinical environment. Essential Qualities: Warm and friendly manner Mature and professional attitude Good communication skills Good organisational skill Ability to work on own initiative as well as within a team Reliability and punctuality
PART TIME CASHIER Salary: £8.00 - £9 per hour Agent: Allstaff Skills: Retail Location: Glasgow AllStaff Paisley require a Permanent experienced Part Time Cashier for our client based in Hillington. The location of the client can offer parking facilities & good public transport links. Hours required to be worked WILL be Thursday 1-7pm include a Saturday between 7am to
12noon. Candidates will be required to cover F/T hours during periods of annual leave. Duties will include: Inputting data from tills onto system and balancing cash. Checking invoices and matching. Answering customer calls and queries. Uplifting cash from tills and checking cash into the safe. Inputting details onto the system. Filing, faxing, photocopying. Updating excel spreadsheets. General office duties. Allstaff is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy
PRODUCTION OPERATIVES Salary: £7.65ph Agent: Topstaff Skills: Production/Manufacturing Location: Glasgow Position: Experienced production operatives urgently required for part time assignments in the Glasgow/ Hillington area. This position will be ongoing temporary assignments with the possibility of going permanent for the right candidates. Requirements: Applicants must have a good work ethic, should be dexterous and have good attention to detail. This position involved small parts on a production line so nimble fingers and experience are essential. Working hours: Hours of work will be 22 hours per week Monday to Wednesday 16.30 until 21.25 and Thursday 16.30 - 22.25 For immediate interview please call Topstaff Employment on 0141 427 7070 or email your CV to warehouse@ topstaffemployment.com.
PART-TIME RECEPTIONIST Salary: £18,000 pro rata Agent: PRG Skills: Admin/Secretarial/PA Location: Glasgow PRG Business Support are recruiting for our client exclusively for a front of house professional to join them on a part time basis working Thursdays and Fridays in the centre of Glasgow. Based front of house for our established client we are looking to speak with individuals who have a proven track record within reception coupled with good administrative skills. Duties: Meeting and greeting clients and external partners. Answering telephone and relaying messages. Basic admin duties and housekeeping. Dealing with incoming and outgoing mail. Please send your CV to Emma Cameron to be considered for this
vacancy coupled with your current salary, availability and holidays pre-booked in the next 6 months. To be considered for this role please send your CV to supportroles@prgrecruitment.com confirming your notice period.
PART TIME UNDERWRITER Salary: £25000 per annum Agent: Hudson Contact Centre Skills: Financial Services/Investment Location: Glasgow Hudson have partnered with growing financial services business to appoint a part time Underwriting assistant. This is a fantastic opportunity to join an innovative business who are invested in developing and training team members. Hours 10am-2pm Monday to Friday (overtime available) Underwriting experience would beneficial however not essential: Strong experience working within a financial services environment. Working in a detail orientated environment. Experience looking at credit files. Ability to manage a busy workload. A team player with a flexible attitude. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Strong Excell skills. Proactive approach. To find out more about this role then please get in touch on 0141 227 9134 or Kirsty.burke@hudson.com Please note you will receive an automated response advising you that we have received your CV. Hudson is a leading provider of permanent recruitment, contract professionals and talent management solutions worldwide.
OUTBOUND SALES ADVISOR Salary: £8ph plus bonus Agent: AMH Marketing Ltd Skills: Sales Location: Glasgow We are currently recruiting for Outbound Sales Advisors to join our growing business within the financial services industry. We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who enjoy working in a fast paced, target driven atmosphere. If you have a proven track record in outbound sales, are a confident and persuasive individual with a positive can do attitude then apply today. Immediate start available Responsibilities •Making outbound calls providing a range of financial solutions to individuals across the UK. •Working within a fast paced and friendly telephone environment •Working to meet and
exceed sales targets Experience Required • Previous experience within insolvency would be highly desirable •Min 1 year outbound telesales experience essential •Hunger to earn money •Hard working and reliable Excellent basic monthly salary Bonus is paid weekly Full time: Mon-Thu: 12pm-8pm Fri 10am-2pm and 2 Sat per month 10am – 2pm Part time: Mon-Thu 4.45pm-8pm and 2 Sat per month 10am – 2pm Please state which shift pattern you would like to apply for OTE £21K+
RESEARCH FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR Salary: £20,989 - £25,023 Agent: University of Glasgow Skills: Admin/Secretarial/PA Location: Glasgow University of Glasgow University Services Finance Office Research Financial Administrator Ref : 013160 Salary : Grade 5, £20,989 - £25,023 per annum, pro rata. The University of Glasgow is looking to recruit a Research Financial Administrator within the Research Support Office. This post is part time (17.5 hours) and open ended. Duties are Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday. You will provide high quality post-award research financial administration support to College research support offices and academic research staff, and ensure accurate financial reporting and invoicing to funders, based on detailed knowledge of their terms and conditions. You will maintain accurate data within the core systems to enable production of information in support of Research Support Office objectives, and University and funder reporting requirements. Apply online at www.glasgow.ac.uk/jobs Closing date: 11 May 2016 The University has been awarded the Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award The University is committed to equality of opportunity in employment. The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401
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EMPLOYMENT
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE TEAM MEMBER PART TIME
SALES ASSISTANT / RETAIL ADVISOR
Salary: £18,000 ñ 21,000 Agent: Hudson Accounting & Finance Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow Hudson Accountancy and Finance client are looking to add an Accounts Payable Team Member to the current team on a part time basis. This is a outstanding opportunity to join a prestigious organisation based on the outskirts of Glasgow. Key duties of the role include; Maintain the integrity of the financial ledger. Receive and check purchase invoice from suppliers and internal departments. Complete journals and adjustments as required. Process data accurately in accordance with deadlines. Reconcile transactions for specific suppliers. Creation of excel spreadsheets collating charges on a monthly basis. Provide a fast efficient service to internal and external customers. Experience required; Knowledge of financial and accounting procedures. Strong Accounts Payable knowledge. Supplier statement reconciliation experience. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work to tight month end deadlines. If you are interested in this vacancy please contact Greg McDermott or Pamela McCulloch in our Glasgow office on 0141 240 2444 or greg.mcdermott@jobs.hudson.com Please note you will receive an automated response advising you that we have received your CV.
Salary: £250 - £400 Weekly Agent: The Interactive Team Skills: Sales Location: Glasgow Sales Assistant / Retail Advisor Are you looking for a career within sales and working with customers face to face? Are you looking for something different from the usual 9-5? Are you interested in a sales assistant role that offers real career progression and does what it says on the tin? At A4 interactive, we know inspiring leaders comes from every sort of back round. What matters most is your ability to connect, provide innovative solutions, and create an environment where all can succeed! Looking for a sales position that combines you brilliant people skills with your enthusiasm with customer service? We are uniquely focused on delivering amazing customer service experiences and were looking for incredible individuals to work within our interactive team and strive for greatness!!! Customer service and sales requirements are: Ability to strike up conversation?. Fun, bubbly, positive personality. hunger to learn and develop. What we can offer is: Full training professional development programme. fun and inspiring work environment. weekly pay. Travel opportunities. Experience in leadership. Full time/ part time positions. Immediate start. If this sounds like you please apply now and start tomorrow!!!
BDC SALES ADVISOR Salary: £Highly Competitive + Bonus!! Agent: Peter Vardy Ltd Skills: Call/Contact Centres Location: Glasgow BDC SALES ADVISOR - PART TIME - WEEKEND & WEEK NIGHT HOURS Peter Vardy is the fastest growing motor retailer in its sector and has ambitious plans for the future. Our vision is to create the world’s best motor retail operation as measured by our colleagues, customers and investors. The company has won Sunday Times Awards for being a Top 100 Company to work for and has a real commitment to gaining success through colleague satisfaction. Due to the continued growth and success of the contact centre, we have an amazing opportunity for a sales driven person with a desire to succeed. This role will see you utilising your passion for customer service, while offering your expert knowledge to provide solutions. As a BDC Sales Advisor, you will be required to deal with customers on a one on one basis delivering a first class service every time. Person Specification: Skills/Attributes Required Confident and positive ‘can do’ attitude. Excellent communication and influencing skills. Good learner with willingness to develop further. Strong team player. Well organised and good time management. Flexible. Ability to thrive under pressure. Competent with PC and internet. Apply today to get your career started at PV!
SUPPORT OFFICER Salary: £12.15 per hour Agent: Pertemps Scotland Skills: Admin/Secretarial/PA Location: Glasgow Our client, who is based in the Public Sector, has a requirement for a Support Officer. This is a temporary part-time role (either 5 half days or 3 full days per week), and is in Glasgow City Centre. This role attracts a pay rate of £12.15. This role requires a current Disclosure Scotland issued within the last 12 months. MAIN DUTIES/ RESPONSIBILITIES o Analysing complex letters and emails, identifying key issues o Using In-house systems to draft responses, including Ministerial responses and diary cases. o Responding to correspondence, addressing key concerns and ensuring that letters are drafted using appropriate language and tone o Engaging with internal colleagues across several policy areas to obtain contributions for responses o Managing correspondence workload effectively, and meeting corporate deadlines. o Providing briefing and correspondence contributions on migration related issues o Supporting the team with some event and meeting management, and ad hoc duties Key Skills o Calm and logical - able to handle reading and dealing with difficult messages from members of the public o Excellent communication skills verbal and written o Experience of using Microsoft Outlook and Excel o Ability to make decisions based on
known documented processes If you have the necessary experience and skill set for this role, please submit your CV to contract.glasgow@pertemps.co.uk
INCOME OFFICER (PART TIME) Salary: £30,714 - £33,726 pro rata per annum Agent: West of Scotland Housing Association Skills: Social Services/Housing/Childcare Location: Glasgow Income Officer (part time) Working Wednesdays Base - Glasgow East Office £30,714 - £33,726 pro rata per annum Defined Benefits Pension Scheme West of Scotland Housing Association is a dynamic social housing provider with a unique history and vision for the future. We are passionate about delivering exceptional services to our tenants. We also want to help make a positive contribution to the lives of those people living in the communities. Are you an experienced housing professional who is willing to take responsibility and make decisions? Can you convince us that you are a creative problem solver who is committed to improving service delivery and meeting demanding deadlines? Do you have a proven track record of forming effective working relationships with others because of your excellent communication and interpersonal skills? Most importantly, we are looking for someone who is confident and assertive; a team player who will adopt a flexible and methodical approach to organising and prioritising a busy workload. You should have good knowledge of current housing policy and practice related to social housing income maximisation. If you are interested in an exciting opportunity to work in a progressive environment which strives for continuous improvement, please visit the recruitment page of our website www.westscot.co.uk to download an application pack, email vacancies@westscot.co.uk or telephone 0141 550 5650 to request a pack. Completed applications must be returned by 12noon on Wednesday 4th May 2016.
DEBT ADVISOR Salary: FTE circa £19,000 - £20,000 Agent: Campbell Dallas Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow Don’t Fret About Debt is part of Campbell Dallas LLP, and offers Debt Solutions to our clients. We are now recruiting for a part time Debt Advisor to join our team. Hours of work will be Tuesday to Friday, either morning or afternoon to include early evening – 20 hours per week over 4 days. Campbell Dallas LLP is one of the most dynamic and progressive firms of chartered accountants in Scotland with offices across 4 locations and international links. The firm scooped Accountancy Firm of the Year and Training Team of the Year at the Scottish Accountancy and Finance Awards 2015. By joining us you will help to contribute to our success, whilst being supported and encouraged to maximise your own potential. Working in a fast paced environment your role will primarily be to firstly
identify and thereafter to provide advice on consumer debt solutions available to individuals who have been referred to the Personal Insolvency Department for assistance. You will communicate to management and external sources on case progression whilst ensuring all deadlines are met. It therefore goes to say that we are looking for strong communicators who have a confident and polite telephone manner and who can engage at all levels. You should have previous debt advice experience, or have worked within personal insolvency. We are looking for IT literate candidates. You will work as part of a team, however should be able to work well with minimal supervision. We are looking for a focussed individual who has a high level of attention to detail and can effectively plan and organise their workload. If this role is of interest then we would love to hear from you, please send your CV and covering letter.
TAX ASSISTANT MANAGER Salary: Up to £40k DOE Agent: Hudson Accounting & Finance Skills: Accountancy Location: Glasgow Hudson Professional Services are currently working with a Big 4 Accountancy firm to recruit a Tax Assistant Manager with experience in personal or expatriate tax compliance to add to their already successful Tax team working on a diverse range of clients and projects. This is an excellent role offering a competitive benefits package with the option of an annualised hours contract (spring off) and part-time hours for relevant experienced candidates. Whilst this role is based in Glasgow candidates who have the relevant experience in expatriate tax will also have the option to work from home and as such can be based in any part of the UK. Candidates with Private Client tax experience who are looking to transition over to expat / international tax will be considered as full onsite training will be given. Key responsibilities include; Maintaining and developing client relationships and keeping them up to date with relevant tax developments. Review of UK Tax Returns for a broad range of international assignees. Preparation and review of tax equalization calculations. Day to day contact with HMRC. Management of compliance processes for international assignees. Advising and mitigating client risk issues. Project management. Delegation of work and training of junior staff. Skills required; Qualified CTA or relevant experience. Demonstrable Tax experience within practice preferred. High level of analytical skills and commercial approach. Strong interpersonal skills. If you are interested in this vacancy please contact Yvonne Muldoon in our Glasgow office on 0141 240 2440 or email your CV to yvonne. muldoon@jobs.hudson.com. Please note you will receive an automated response advising you that we have received your CV.
GRADUATE SETTING-OUT ENGINEERS Salary:
£26000 - £36000 per annum + Pension, Car, Bonus Agent: First People Solutions Skills: Construction/Trades/Property Location: Glasgow First People Solutions are working with a market leading earth’s contractor within the construction industry. Due to continued success the client has a number of vacancies for Setting-out Engineers based around Scotland. The Candidate You will ideally be from a main contractor background with at least 2-3 years post graduate experience. Experience with Trimble software. One man robotic. LSS advantageous. Autocad advantageous . Remuneration £26-£36k depending on experience. Car. Final salary pension. Bonus. Living away allowance £40 a night plus digs.
APPLICATION DEVELOPER GRADUATE ROLE Salary: Competitive Agent: Contact Advantage Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow As a Application Developer you will work as part of our development team to design, develop, and test products to ensure they meet set standards. You will be responsible for delivering projects on time and to set specifications. In addition you will provide assistance to our dedicated support team and interact with 3rd parties as needed. If you are looking for an opportunity develop your skills and grow within a technology company, apply today. EXPERIENCE: Degree in the area of Computer Science; or, equivalent work experience. High attention to detail on projects completed. Selfmotivated with initiative to accomplish tasks. Familiarity with .NET Development (C#, VB.NET, ASP) and MS SQL Server. Mobile application development experience a plus .
TRAINEE RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT Salary:
£16000 - £18000 per annum + DOE + Benefits, Bonus etc Agent: Eden Scott Skills: Marketing/PR Location: Glasgow Trainee Recruitment Consultant - Sales Division Glasgow £16k - £18k DOE Plus Benefits Want to take your career to the next level? Frustrated or feeling stuck in your current role? Following a transformational and record
breaking year, Eden Scott has an opportunity for a trainee to join our growing sales division in Glasgow. As Scotland’s leading independent recruitment consultancy, we want to further our success by continuing to hire the highest calibre of consultants. Ideally you will be a recent graduate in a marketing or similar discipline with some level of sales experience. This is a great opportunity for the right candidate to start their recruitment career in a supportive and dynamic environment. If you would like to find out more or have a confidential chat then please contact Simon Stratford on 0141 410 1014 / 07780 443239 or email on simon. stratford@edenscott.com
MANAGER Salary: £24,416 - £26,190 Agent: Indigo Childcare Group Skills: Education Location: Glasgow The Indigo Childcare Group are recruiting a Manager for our Garrowhill Early Learning Centre to cover maternity leave. Reporting to and directly supporting the Director of Services, you will be an exceptionally wellorganised person, with a pro-active approach, skilled in collaborative working, recognising the importance and commitment required in this mid-management role. You must be an excellent communicator at all levels, demonstrate diplomacy and tact, with the ability to establish clarity. Candidates must hold or be working towards a BA in Childhood Practice / Postgraduate Diploma in Childhood Practice / SQA Professional Development Award Childhood Practice (360 credits at SCQF Level 9). If not working towards this minimum qualification, applicants must have an SVQ 4 or equivalent and be willing to undertake the BA. Candidates should also have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in a senior role. CV’s are not accepted please click on the ’Apply’ button to show your interest. Minimum qualifications apply.
IT BUSINESS SUPPORT Salary: £18,000 - £20,000 Agent: Nine Twenty Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow Nine Twenty Technology are working with their client recruiting for an IT Compliance Executive and project support opportunity. Working for a growing business in their state of art offices on the outskirts of Glasgow towards Paisley. This role would suit a bright, switched on graduate or someone with similar experience who are looking to take on an exciting new opportunity within the IT sector. This is an exciting opportunity
to work in a new role and take ownership of duties which include: Ownership of compliance certification associated with technical designs to clients. Management of quality system. Company vehicle management, overseeing fleet administration. Project Coordination. Other general support duties. Candidates would need the following attributes: Strong attention to detail. Take ownership for projects. Strong communication skills. Team Player. In return you will be rewarded with fantastic professional office environment, friendly team atmosphere, competitive salary and benefits. For more information and to apply please submit your CV or call Joanne Steggell on 07881 300 527.
ASSISTANT BUYER Salary: Competitive plus benefits Agent: Arnold Clark Skills: Procurement Location: Glasgow This role would be ideally suited to a new graduate looking to make a career move into Procurement. Your main duties will include the management of multifunctional teams concentrating on cost, negotiation, sourcing and product change within a complex supplier package. You will also be responsible for the development of partnership relationships with supplier along with being able to identify and project manage individual cost reduction projects. The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal, negotiating and influencing skills, good commercial awareness and IT literate. You will be educated to degree level and have CIPS qualification/membership (or working towards this). Candidates must have held a full UK Drivers Licence for a minimum of 1 year. We are currently recruiting at our Autoparts, Glasgow . With a turnover in excess of £3 billion, over 160 branches nationwide and an ever expanding portfolio, Arnold Clark is proud to be Europe’s largest independent motor dealer. The successful candidate will benefit from excellent working conditions, extensive training, life assurance and private health care, making our package one of the best in the industry. EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE ARNOLD CLARK GROUP IS OFFERED SUBJECT TO SATISFACTORY REFERENCE AND DISCLOSURE CHECK. Only successful candidates will be contacted for interview. Please email your CV via the apply link.
ASSISTANT MANAGER Salary: £12.00 - £13.00 per hour Agent: HAYS Skills: Admin/Secretarial/PA Location: Glasgow
Assistant Manager RHI Scheme 22k pro rata Glasgow city Centre My client, based in Glasgow city centre, is currently looking to expand their existing team by adding an additional 4 Assistant Managers on a temporary basis. You will be a recent graduate who has preferably gained their degree in Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Geography or Physics. You must be able to demonstrate experience of working in a team, have excellent both written and verbal communication skills and strong numerical and analytical skills. IT literacy and experience with using Microsoft Office is essential. As Assistant Manager your key duties and responsibilities will be: Check and verify the accuracy of supplied information. Register calculation on IT system. Ensure applications re dealt with in an efficient manner. Assess eligibility of applications. Dealing with queries from current and new applicants. Raise IT issues. Providing support in and ad-hoc basis to other teams. Due to the nature of this vacancy you must be available for interview at short notice. Successful candidate will start after a disclosure has been returned. An excellent opportunity, not to be missed, applications are being considered immediately. Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C’s, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk
C# SOFTWARE DEVELOPER MULTIPLE ROLES Salary:
£25000 - £50000 per annum + Excellent banking benefits Agent: Eden Scott Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow Eden Scott’s client is a fast growing and highly innovate Agritech start-up using the latest cloud and IoT technology to drive innovation on the farm. As a result of sustained business growth they are creating an Research & Development centre in Glasgow and are looking to hire a team of developers that are up to the challenge of creating the next generation of farming software. They are seeking Software Developers from graduate level through to experienced ( 4 years + experience) to work in a fast packed, agile development environment. The ideal candidate should have strong analytical skills and a great problem solver that can
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FEBRUARY 2017, ISSUE 29 work issues on their own initiative. The candidate will be working on the their platform developed using the latest Microsoft technology and should be willing to take a lead in architectural decisions Skills required: C# MVC Framework 4.0.4,5. Fluent NHibernate. Jquery/ Javascript, Bootstrap, Knockout. Knowledge of Knockout and CQRS design patterns. SQL Server 2008 +. Experience with API’s, WCF and/or RESTful web services. UX/UI experience desirable. Microsoft Azure. Agile/Scrum. The company: A Microsoft’s Accelerator Company Winner of the most innovate start-up in agriculture Benefits: 25 day’s holiday. Training on the latest Microsoft technology. Access to labs, and experiment with the latest farm gadgets. Social events. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the growth of a tech start up. For more information get in touch: niall.bree@ edenscott.com or 0141 410 1008
PARA-PLANNER & GRADUATES Salary: £35,000 + bonuses to £45,000 Agent: IFA Consultancy Centre Ltd Skills: Financial Services/Investment Location: Glasgow An excellent opportunity has now arisen with the I.F.A Consultancy Centre Ltd for a Dip PFS level 4 qualified Para-planner to join a prestigious organisation based in the Southside of Glasgow. We offer excellent long term career prospects in a very busy I.F.A. office working with experienced and technical Consultants. In addition, we are also looking for Graduates who are studying for the same level of qualifications and want on the job experience to develop their careers in the financial services industry as Para-planners. Salary negotiable subject to criteria. Role offered : Working alongside highly qualified successful Consultants, you will be required to provide client research & analysis supporting the Consultants in their role with both new and existing clients and proactively managing their tasks to support the provision of regulated advice through annual reviews. We would ideally prefer an experienced individual who has knowledge working with “Inteleflow” the Intelligent back office systems but not exclusively. Salary £35,000 + bonuses to £45,000 + exam support + career progression There is a genuine career opportunity to become a Chartered Financial Planner with this organisation if this is your long term goal, there are excellent career choices available as a technical Para-planner in relation to Investments, final salary and pension drawdown research. The salary and benefits package is negotiable for the right graduate candidate so please contact me by email, in confidence, to discuss the details. Please apply by e mail, enclosing CV via the apply now button.
GRADUATE/JUNIOR DEVELOPER (.NET) Salary: £22000 - £30000 per annum Agent: Cathcart Associates Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow .NET Developer - great career progression on offer - gain valuable certifications and work in a friendly environment Technology consultancy in Glasgow City Centre seeking a .NET Developer to join them in their base in Glasgow City Centre. The company were established in the early 2000s and have since gained an excellent reputation for providing bespoke solutions to their customers - their software helps their customers to automate workflows and improve efficiency and save time and money. They are a value-led organisation who are committed to providing a high level of service to their customers - and this has played a key role in their success with a huge amount of their business driven by repeat custom from happy clients! My client offer a relaxed and friendly working environment and are committed to helping you grow your technical and non-technical skills - this is truly a role you will enjoy and there are real development opportunities for driven Developers. They have a strong history of hiring Developers in the early stages of their careers and can offer strong training and mentorship. The company are based in Glasgow City Centre but have a global client base and you will have opportunities to travel Internationally for work. Your skills: *Experience with C# .NET. *Good SQL Server skills and ideally, T-SQL. *Web technology skills; HTML, CSS, JavaScript. * Agile/Scrum knowledge and experience. * Good problem solving and communication skills. If you’re interested in this role and keen to find out more, please apply online and/or call Rhona Kennedy on 0131 510 1500.
JUNIOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS Salary:
£18000 - £25000 per annum + Excellent Benefits Agent: Harvey Nash Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow Harvey Nash’s client, an exciting technology consultancy start up, based in a premium office location in Central Glasgow has an opportunity for Junior Developers to join their expanding team. This is an excellent opportunity for passionate and ambitious developers to work with hot, new technologies and liaise directly with a diverse range of clients. Whether you are a fresh graduate or perhaps want a fresh challenge this could be the role for you! About the Role: You will be working in an exciting, fast paced and varied environment where your input and ideas will be welcomed from day one. It is a tight knit team and you will be expected to deliver high quality software both individually and as part of a team. You will be creating smart process applications using the latest Microsoft development tools (.Net, C#, SQL) and working in a client facing environment so excellent communication/interpersonal skills are essential. You will have the opportunity for international travel and the chance to dramatically enhance your professional development. About You: Ideally you will come from a Computer Science or Software Engineering background or possess the relevant professional experience. Strong problem solving
skills and a positive attitude are required. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate knowledge of: Visual Studio, C#/.Net T-SQL abs QL Server Familiarity of Agile methodologies Web development skills, including JavaScript/JQuery, HTML and CSS would be desirable. Knowledge of the Kofax TotalAgility suite would be a plus but by no means essential as excellent training will be provided. In Return: In return for your hard work you will be rewarded with a competitive salary and a generous benefits package. To apply for this role please submit an up to date CV as soon as possible.
GRADUATE RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT. Salary: £18,000 plus uncapped bonus Agent: Titan Global Resourcing Skills: HR/Training/Recruitment Location: Glasgow As part of our continued growth plan, we are currently looking to hire a Graduate Recruitment Consultant to join our team at our offices in Glasgow city centre This opportunity is perfect for recent graduates who are looking to pursue a career in recruitment and who feel passionately about working in a progressive company with development opportunities. If successful in your application, you will benefit from our comprehensive initial training programme, which is split between training room work and real time on the job training and support. This is followed by full ongoing training and support on all aspects of being a successful Recruitment Consultant. With our full support, and following our specific operating procedures and systems, you will be given a fantastic platform to develop successful business relationships with clients in one of our various industry sectors. Graduate applicants do not require any experience of working in any form of recruitment, what we do look for is the following personal attributes that we believe are required to become a successful Recruitment Consultant. Excellent listening skills and effective communications skills. Determined and hungry to succeed. Able to work to targets. Organised and able to work at pace simultaneously on a variety of different tasks . Proficient in IT skills, using Microsoft packages . Able to follow specific direction and working procedures . Positive, professional attitude and a personal pride in delivering good quality work. If you have these attributes, and you are keen to pursue a career in recruitment, you can apply for this graduate position by sending your CV to Jim Gallagher or calling 0141 378 0180 for further details
JUNIOR-MID LEVEL SOFTWARE ENGINEER (SCIENTIFIC R&D) Salary: £22000 - £35000 per annum + bonus Agent: Cathcart Associates Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow Junior to Mid-level Software Engineer required for a Scientific Research and Development company in Central Glasgow. My client are a global organisation who manufacture equipment for scientific research and development. They have over 5,000 staff across several continents. Their Glasgow base is a small, close-knit team with varied technical skills, who work collaboratively on technically challenging projects. You will benefit from joining a large, stable organisation, but will work in a small team. High calibre Graduates and junior-mid level Software Engineers are required to join this small, friendly team. You will hold a degree in a relevant discipline (Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering, Computer Science etc), and ideally, will have had some experience developing software in a commercial environment (whether this is a permanent job, or internship/placement through University). You’ll work with varied technologies - mainly C# and related .NET technologies, but also embedded software systems and C/C++. You will have: *A Degree in a relevant discipline (Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering, Computer Science etc). *Ideally, some exposure to C# or an interest in learning .NET. *Exposure to any other programming languages a bonus; C, C++, Java. Bonus skills: *A background in a scientific discipline; Maths, Physics, Engineering etc. You will benefit from: *Contributory pension, BUPA healthcare and Life Assurance. *Annual bonus scheme. *On-site gym. *Convenient location good public transport links and parking available. This is a really great opportunity to really progress their career. If you are interested, please apply and/or call Rhona on 0131 510 1500 to discuss the opportunity in more detail.
BRAND EXECUTIVE Salary: Competitive Agent: Whyte & MacKay Skills: Marketing/PR Location: Glasgow BRAND EXECUTIVE LOCATION: GLASGOW (CITY CENTRE) SALARY: COMPETITIVE Whyte and Mackay Ltd, is a global spirits company with an outstanding portfolio of brands, including The Dalmore and Jura single malt whiskies, Whyte and Mackay blended Scotch whisky, Vladivar Vodka and Glayva liqueur. We are also proud to be the UK distributor for Flor de Caña rum, Ungava gin, Camus Cognac, Cockspur Rum and Rumchata and are a principal supplier within the UK Private Label whisky sector. Based in Glasgow we have this exciting opportunity for a Brand Executive to work on the The Dalmore brand. Reporting to the Brand Manager and part of a small and effective team, you will work closely with our UK & International sales team and distributors to ensure a coordinated approach, the role will involve working on projects to drive brand growth and build distribution and visibility in flagship markets. This will include contributing to and shaping channel and regional marketing plans/strategies as well as day to day implementation of current brand and market plans/strategies and project managing campaigns and sales initiatives across the full range of channels and territories. Of graduate calibre, with preferably a marketing/business qualification, you will have at least 6 months demonstrable experience in a marketing/brand/
PR role within an fmcg or luxury brand environment. You will have the ability to focus and drive multiple projects through to completion and demonstrate a flair for developing creative marketing ideas across digital and mainstream media. As a member of the sales and marketing team you will be able to communicate effectively and not only sell your ideas to internal senior members of the team but deliver them at pace into the marketplace. Please apply by sending a full CV and details of your current salary.
.NET DEVELOPERS | ALL LEVELS | FLEXIBLE WORKING Salary:
£30000 - £50000 per annum + great benefits Agent: Net Talent Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow Role: Software Developer/ Senior Software Developer Location: Glasgow Salary: 30,000 - 50,000 + great benefits, flexible working and super office environment Who we are looking for: We are looking for solid .net developers of all levels - from graduate to senior. You’ll come from a good educational background and have a solid understanding of the latest Microsoft tech stack. Key Skills/ Experience: Experience working for a software company with web-based applications using Microsoft technologies (or a solid degree in Computer Science - or similar). An extensive technical knowledge and strong background. Knowledge of C# or VB.net, ASP.NET and web technologies such as Web API, WCF, JavaScript, CSS, HTML and Ajax. OO knowledge and practical experience of design patterns etc. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work well in a team and independently. Knowledge of Oracle, SQL Server or MySQL. Nice to have: Agile software methodology experience. A passion for technology. Xamarin. .net 4.0/4.5 techniques a plus. The Company: One of North America’s most successful software houses, whos product is making an ethical contribution to technology. Why people work there: They are a fully agile, software centric company. The developers go to work in a relaxed atmosphere that is free from politics and overriding hierarchy. They have the chance to work in very interesting and cutting edge .NET projects. They also have access to full training and the chance to work with mobile development. If this sounds like it could be of interest and you’d like to know more, please apply ASAP or contact Darren on 0131 270 6631 for more details
SENIOR MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEER Salary: £42k - £50k per annum Agent: Contract Scotland Skills: Engineering/Technical Location: Glasgow Do you want to be a part of a growing multi-national organisation who currently have a very strong foothold in the Scottish Building Services Design industry which has a strong track record in promoting its staff and talent for strong personal and business performance? A market leading, national M&E Building Services Design Consultancy who specialise in M&E Building Services is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to further develop and lead their mechanical design function with an already well established team based from their Glasgow office. This role will involve undertaking the design of various Mechanical aspects of Building Services, including Heating, Ventilation/Ducting and Air Conditioning systems. This will involve using HEVACOMP and IES software where you shall have the opportunity to work on the largest Building Services design projects in Scotland The role could suite either an intermediate level mechanical design engineer who is looking to make the next step in their career, or for an already established senior mechanical design engineer who is looking to further their career with a market leading organisation. Perhaps you are already working for a M&E Building Services Consultancy and have aspiration of becoming a Chartered member of CIBSE. Within this role you will have the opportunity to develop and train junior and graduate members of an established team and be responsible for the development of their skills and careers. This specialist M&E consultancy are happy to offer training where required although experience in Building Services design is essential. An annual salary of up to £50k per annum is available for the successful candidate, with a car allowance, pension contribution package and private healthcare available for this position. Contract Scotland is committed to equal opportunities and diversity for its employees, temporary workers and work seekers. Individuals are only assessed on their individual merits and suitability to a position irrespective of race, gender, disability, age, faith or sexual orientation.
SENIOR MARKETING EXECUTIVE Salary: up to £26,000 with benefits Agent: Nine Twenty Sales & Marketing Skills: Marketing/PR Location: Glasgow Nine Twenty are delighted to be working with our client, a market leading provider of Marketing Technology via Smartphones, to recruit a Senior Marketing Executive. With an enviable client list which includes many of the biggest Betting Companies, Car Retailer, Restaurant Chains and more this a terrific opportunity for a Marketing professional to be working directly with some of the World’s real Superbrands. What can you expect as a Senior Marketing Executive? Based in Glasgow with some travel to both the London Office and to see Clients, this is a fast paced and exciting role, in reality, a big feel of Marketing Agency type work. Working closely with clients to ensure that where their Brand is represented in our Marketing Technology that the integrity of that Brand’s ’Tone of Voice’ and Corporate Images are maintained. Attention to detail is therefore a key personality trait. Our client possesses and continues to develop Technology that not only leads this Market but in many respects has entirely
changed the marketplace. You will reflect the values of the business and the existing tight-knit, polished & hard working team. You will be joining a hard playing team where morale is extremely high. Current employees are very well looked after by the business, reflective of the exceptional performance of the company and its employees. Ideally you will be degree educated with at least a couple of years postgraduate experience in a Marketing role. A passion for technology and for pushing boundaries to constantly improve are important attributes too. What can you expect? Basic Salary generally in the region of £24,000 to £26,000. Excellent benefits package. Development Opportunities. If you have the skill set we are looking for then don’t hesitate to get in touch now for a confidential conversation. Contact Stuart McRobbie by either submitting your CV for immediate consideration or email smcrobbie@ weareninetwenty.com.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Salary: £25-50,000 Agent: Farmflo Skills: IT/Telecommunications Location: Glasgow Software Developer: Graduate - Senior Level Eden Scott is delighted to be recruiting on an exclusive basis for Farmflo who are a fast growing and highly innovate Agritech start-up that is using the latest cloud and IoT technology to drive innovation on the farm. As a result of sustained business growth they are creating a Research & Development centre in Glasgow and are looking to hire a team of developers that are up to the challenge of creating the next generation of farming software. Farmflo are seeking Software Developers from graduate level through to experienced ( 4 years + experience) to work in a fast packed, agile development environment. The ideal candidate should have strong analytical skills and a great problem solver that can work issues on their own initiative. The candidate will be working on the Farmflo platform developed using the latest Microsoft technology and should be willing to take a lead in architectural decisions Skills required: C# MVC Framework 4.0.4,5. Fluent NHibernate. Jquery/Javascript, Bootstrap, Knockout. Knowledge of Knockout and CQRS design patterns. SQL Server 2008 +. Experience with API’s, WCF and/or RESTful web services. UX/UI experience desirable. Microsoft Azure. Agile/ Scrum. Other info about Farmflo: Awards A Microsoft’s Accelerator Company Winner of the most innovate startup in agriculture Benefits: 25 day’s holiday . For more information get in touch: niall.bree@edenscott.com or 0141 410 1008 Please note all third party enquires and direct applicants will forwarded to Eden Scott for response.
CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISOR FOR SUNGLASS WEBSITE 20K PA Salary: £20000 Agent: Pretavoir Skills: Retail Location: Glasgow Customer Service Advisor required by Sunglasses Website Pretavoir. £20000 pa Full Time Pretavoir is one of the UK’s leading online eyewear retailers. New Team Member required. As part of Glasgow based i2i Optometrists, Pretavoir is now in its sixth year still enjoys significant growth. Therefore, we are now looking for a new team member. The role will be in our customer service department working alongside five existing customer service advisors. You will be a friendly, enthusiastic and diligent individual. You will relish the challenge of adapting to a new environment and integrating into a friendly and close team. You will have excellent telephone manner, fast typing speed and the ability to acquire new skills. The fast paced and high energy style of an online business will ensure your days are varied and rewarding. The continued growth will give you the opportunity to develop and become involved in areas such as Social Media, Google Analytics, Fashion buying, Stock management and more. Pretavoir holds accounts with the world’s finest eyewear manufacturers including Chanel, DITA, Cartier, Tag Heuer, Ray Ban, Dior and many more. If you enjoy the latest trends in fashion then you will love the opportunity to be the first to market with new collections. Sales outside of the UK account for a large proportion of sales, including USA, Australia, China and far flung locations such as Ecuador, Brazil, South Korea and more. Our customers include affluent connoisseurs who purchase a number of sunglasses each year, expecting and deserving the very best customer service. Equally a new customer taking advantage of our sale selection deserves the same attention to detail and service which will make them a Pretavoir devotee for years to come. Salary is 20k pa with opportunity for career development. This position may suit those with customer service experience or a graduate with potential to excel in looking after our customers. Office is located at 153 Howard St, G1 4HF just 2 minutes from St Enoch’s Square.
TO APPLY FOR ANY OF THESE VACANCIES, PLEASE VISIT WWW.S1JOBS.COM/RECRUITERPROFILES/TSA
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SPORTS
2017
persuasion – 2017 is not one of them, as if early indications are anything to go by, Rafael Nadal may very well be about to make an unlikely return to the top of the sport of which he was once king. The Spaniard, it seems, spent 2016 recuperating in the glorious shadow of Murray Mania, and opened 2017 with his most impressive showing in a long time, making it all the way to the final of the Australian open before being denied over five sets by an on-form Roger Federer. Of course, we will see how Murray bounces back from his quarter final exit, and the ongoing narrative between Venus and Serena Williams – the latest chapter in which saw the latter get the better of her sister in the women’s leg of the Australian Open – will continue to unfold. It promises to be yet another enthralling year for the sport.
IN SPORT A Look At The Sporting Year Ahead 2016 was a heavy one as far as British sport goes. Andy Murray won Wimbledon, and then won Gold at the Olympics. Leicester City won the Premier League. British teams did well at the Euros. It’s left us all with quite the hangover. If 2016’s sporting calendar was the mother of all nights out, then, we can imagine 2017 will either serve as the come down that leaves us with motion sickness and mild withdrawal symptoms, or a chilled out after party. At any rate, whatever your poison, there should be something this year that piques your interest. As far as football goes, we should realise that the major football story to come out of last year – when Leicester City played David (if David was half the size and no use with a sling shot) against the Goliath of the Premier League – was one that none of us would have called in our most head-scratching dreams. As such, it’s hard to predict any such mental obscurities that 2017 might have to offer. So what forecasts can we offer? Of course there’s the usuals – the Champions League resumes service in February, and Scotland will disappoint us all over again when international football returns in March –
but if we’re looking at what this year has to offer that others will not, then attention turns to the Confederations Cup, starting in June. It’s no European Championships, and it’s definitely no World Cup, but the sacrifice of the spectacle and the spotlight boasted by the other major international football tournaments often leads to some very memorable and extremely entertaining matches being overlooked. Who can forget the absolute scenes when Tahiti, a team made up entirely of amateur players, 3-0 down against Nigeria in 2013, scored their first ever goal at an international tournament, and sent Twitter, and the entire nation of Tahiti, into a frenzied meltdown? They went on to lose 6-1, granted, but nonetheless, it was truly, unironically historic. And a good laugh. We also have the Women’s European Championships in the Netherlands a month later, for which the promising Scotland team have qualified for the first time in their history. Not all sports run on four year calendars like international football does, though. As such, with others it can be hard to find something fresh and exciting to look forward to on a yearly basis. Fortunately for tennis fans – particularly of the Spanish
Elsewhere, for those craving some track and field, as so many often are in the months following the Olympics, there will be a plethora of qualifying events throughout the year, culminating in the London Anniversary Games in July, and then the Athletics World Championships in August – both televised on the BBC, and both offering the same range of stars we saw in Rio – including Olympic hero Mo Farah. Also, the NFL will continue its overseas expansion into the UK, bringing a record four matches to UK fans over September and October, and there are already two major heavyweight boxing bouts booked for the coming months; David Haye vs Tony Bellew in March, and then the much anticipated Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko World Title fight the following month. So, while we’ve probably neglected to mention the sport you care most about, the point remains. While 2016 was a sporting year we’ll never forget for the vastest multitude of reasons, there is plenty to look out for over the coming months, whatever you’re into. And who knows what might unfold. by Robbie Copeland Twitter:
@MeteoraRo.
amarillobound.wordpress.com
RUN TOWARDS THOSE NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
If like many of us, your New Year resolution was to dust off those old trainers and complete a 5K this year, you’re in luck – there are hundreds of 5K events taking place across Scotland and we’ve rounded up a few.
3K On The Green Ease yourself in nice and gently with the 3K on the Green event which takes place on the last Friday of each month in Glasgow Green. The event, which costs just £2 with proceeds going to charity, starts at the McLennan Arch and follows the Clyde upstream for just over 1.5km before a quick turn takes runners back along the same path going downstream towards the boat house. Everyone is welcome at the event with experienced club runners and recreational joggers regularly taking part.
Resolution Run Now that you’ve had your first taste of a timed run, it’s time to step things up a notch with a proper 5K. Head back to the familiar territory of Glasgow Green for the Resolution Run on 19 March to start working on your personal goals, whatever they may be. Also, let friends and family know about the event and try to raise some sponsorship money to raise awareness and support for those affected by strokes.
Edinburgh’s Toughest Feeling ready for a challenge? On 8 April push yourself to try one of the toughest events in Edinburgh with this race up Arthur’s Seat. There are two options available: the long route of 5.7km with a 1091ft climb or the short route of 4.2km with a 731ft climb. Tickets range from £22 – £25.
Gung Ho!
Throwback to Leicester City winning the Premier League in 2016
Now that you’re confident in your 5K abilities, it’s time to have some fun with the events. Head to The Meadows on 13 May for the Gung Ho! 5K which features ten huge inflatable obstacles, including the biggest inflatable slide in Europe. Round up a few friends and have a fun day out whilst getting all the health benefits of by Courtney Hendry running, it’s a Online Editor @courtneysarahx win-win.
c.hendry@tsaglasgow.com
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