SNACK - Issue 08

ISSUE 08 CHVRCHES BROKEN CHANTER SACRED PAWS ANGUS MACFADYEN SINA GRACE MUSIC FILM FOOD AND DRINK TRAVEL LGBT+ THEATRE VISUAL ARTS WORDS

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CONTENTS WHAT’S ON MUSIC FOOD & DRINK TRAVEL EVENTS | PAGE 09

CHVRCHES, BROKEN CHANTER, SACRED PAWS | PAGE 12

DURTY VEGAN BURGER CLUB . . . | PAGE 30

GIRONA AND VIC | PAGE 36

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Reproduction of this magazine in part or in whole is forbidden without the explicit written consent of the publishers. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content of this magazine but we cannot guarantee it is complete and up to date. Snack Publishing Ltd. is not responsible for your use of the information contained herein.

E: hello@snackpublising.com Editor/Sales: Kenny Lavelle Food and Travel Editors: Emma Mykytyn and Mark Murphy LGBT+ Editor: Jonny Stone Words Editor: Leona Skene Sub Editor: Leona Skene Designer/Illustrator: Fionnlagh Ballantine Spine Quote - Jenny Holzer

LGBT+ FILM VISUAL ARTS WORDS

SINA GRACE, LGBT+ NEWS, SCOTTISH PRIDE | PAGE 40

YESTERDAY, ROBERT THE BRUCE | PAGE 50

THE THEATRE OF ROBERT ANTON | PAGE 56

RUSSIAN SANCTIONS | PAGE 58 MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Hello. Welcome to the eighth edition of Snack.

Since the start, we’ve made a conscious effort not to mention the B word, Brexit; there I did it.

Generally we’ve been of the opinion that there’s enough coverage elsewhere, that there’s been no real need for us to wade into the mire. Consider Snack as a wee bit of escapism, some light relief away from the grimy conflict that has settled on and gradually sunk into the pores of every inch

of everyday life. We’re pretty much planning on keeping it that way, but relented a little as it’s Lorraine Kelly (we’re on her side with this one at least - page 45). And besides, the August edition is our Edinburgh Festivals special, and if I’m thinking of getting through that one without referencing it, I’ll be in for a tough time. We’ll do our best.

As for the rest of this month’s edition, I’m sure you’ll find your way around.

Kenny Lavelle

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WHAT’S ON GUIDE DOUNE THE RABBIT HOLE

Cardross Estate, FK8 3JY – 19th - 21st July You’ve probably already noticed that year’s DTRH line up is a cracker. You might not have noticed that they’ve just added a few top notch last minute additions, including The Vaselines, to the bill. Set in the stunning countryside near Lake of Monteith - the festival site is compact enough that you won’t have far to run to catch all the bands on your hit list. Battles, The Wailers, Kathryn Joseph, Shonen Knife, Lee Scratch Perry, Broken Chanter, BEAK>, Blanck Mass, Sister Sledge… best check out their page for the full lineup. dounetherabbithole.co.uk

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Britannia Panopticon – 19th July The much loved 1986 horror comedy musical is coming to Glasgow’s Britannia Panopticon.

Brought to you by Scotland’s own Denton Deviants, the idea is that the original film plays on the screen, while a live action performance takes place on stage. That means you’re getting to see Seymour, Audrey and her fiendish appetite for flesh twice. You’re not dreaming, and you ain’t in Kansas neither.

Now open Saturday nights, serving a delicious new bistro menu with wine & beer.

Rated #1 in Glasgow by HappyCow Voted Glasgow’s best vegan restaurant, 2019 (GlasgowLive)

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What’s on by Sara McCombe Page 7

PARIS STREET REBELS

SAY AWARDS, LIVE AT THE LONGLIST Queens Hall – 26th July Be there for the announcement of the twenty outstanding albums that will make up this year’s Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award Longlist.

Hosted by Vic Galloway and Nicola Meighan, 2019’s event will see live performances from C Duncan and Kobi Onyame, as well as an exclusive collaboration between Modern Studies and Rod Jones (Idlewild). The event will raise funds for Help Musicians Scotland; The SAY Award’s charity partner for 2019.

13th Note – 19th July The Fife-formed punk rock band will doubtless raise the roof. These boys are anti-establishment, anti-authority, punk poets. They are angry, but it’s a righteous anger. They have a story to tell and they want you to hear it. Check out ‘I Don’t Wanna Die Young’, their strike against the myth of glamourous suicide. Guaranteed to be worth your while.

Support comes from Glasgow bands Eugene and Alpha Signal, and Liverpool band RIVIA.

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SUFI FESTIVAL Tramway & Hidden Gardens – 28th July What a great month this is. Another all-dayer, this time at the Tramway and Hidden Gardens, and dedicated to the exposition of Sufism. Sufism is a form of Islamic mysticism that focuses inwards on a more spiritual and personal experience. The festival will include live music, storytellers, poets, workshops, Sufi art, and a bazaar featuring traditional handicrafts. Welcoming people from all walks of life, they invite you to share with them an authentic experience of esoteric Islamic art and heritage.

STEVE RODGERS Voodoo Rooms – 14 July Steve Rodgers, singer-songwriter and of course son of Paul, has just completed recording his much anticipated first album. Due for release this year, Head Up High is produced by Ken Nelson (Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini) and mixed

by Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Muse). His songs reflect his passion for life’s depth, mystery and wonder, recorded with his band of like-minded musicians. Critics compare his music to a mix of Jack Johnson, Paolo Nutini and Cat Stevens.

Endorsed by rock legend Jimmy Page, he’s definitely one to watch out for. th

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A WOMB OF ONE’S OWN Pleasance Dome – 31st July - 26th August A clever, funny story of a young woman’s journey of self and sexual discovery. Babygirl is 18 and just discovering a world of university life, binge drinking and same-sex experimentation.

Things are good… and then she discovers she is pregnant. Exploring some controversial themes, featuring slight nudity and strong language, the production deals with an unwanted pregnancy and the stigma that follows. Guaranteed to be funny as well as politically challenging.

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What’s on by Sara McCombe Page 9

THE COLD BLUE

THE RONAINS

Dundee Contemporary Arts – 4th July CinEvents presents a tribute to William Wyler, one of the world’s greatest filmmakers, and the heroes who ran mission after suicidal mission in World War II. Digitally restored from the original 1944 documentary footage, the film features interviews with the surviving veterans while they talk through the harrowing events in Germany in the summer of 1943. Directed by Eric Nelson, with a brilliant original orchestral score and sound design by Marvel’s David Hughes, The Cold Blue includes incredible behind the scenes footage and an immersive experience of a remarkable moment in history.

Kilts and Kocktails, Glasgow – 4th July Clydebank’s The Ronains formed in Nov 2015 under the guidance of Gordy Goudie, guitarist and producer for Simple Minds and Echo & The Bunnymen. They were recently asked to record their very own version of House of The Rising Sun for a new documentary coming to Netflix at the end of this year. With 30,000 views of the accompanying video on Facebook in under a week, it’s proving pretty popular. Check it out, it’s actually cracking.

They’ll be well worth checking out live. Support from Mya Brown.

THE PROCLAIMERS Edinburgh Castle – 20t July I would most certainly Walk 500 Miles to see this legendary duo, but it turns out I don’t have to. The Proclaimers are coming to the capital’s Castle as part of their wee Scottish tour. The twins have been genuine icons since the 80s, and are still loved for wildly catchy songs such as Sunshine on Leith, Letter to America, and I’m On My Way. I know where I’m Gonna Be, do you? h

SMA’ SHOT DAY Sma’ Shot Lane – 6th July An annual celebration for the first Saturday in July, when Paisley’s weavers would traditionally take their holidays. With 50 events across 20 different venues in Paisley, this year boasts a parade from Brodie Park to Paisley Arts Centre, music, theatre, poetry around Sma’ Shot Cottages, and the traditional burning of the cork. A spectacular chance to see what life was like for weavers in the 19 th century on what was the industry’s most important day of the year.

THE BIG 2019 NHC FUNDRAISER Ice Box – 29th June New Hellfire Club have moved to a fresh venue in the New Gorbals. Everything’s brand new, except the team, and they’re holding their first fundraiser as an arts and entertainment centre this month. It’ll be an all-dayer with fantastic live music, raffles, auctions, and prizes.

Guaranteed to be an absolute belter, and I’ve saved the best until last…you can sponsor the team to get truly terrible tattoos! And they’ll dae it, cause they’re top lads dedicated to their work.

GREAT WEST YOGA FEST St George’s Cross – 21st July Glasgow Theosophical Society is teaming up with Single Point Yoga to bring us The Great West Yoga Fest. This intimate community yoga festival returns to Queen’s Crescent Park at St George’s Cross, bringing an impressive selection of workshops. Featuring such diverse offerings as chair yoga, Hatha, Scaravelli and Kundalini yoga, yoga inspired by bestselling author Iyengar, and even yoga for the kids. So grab your mats and pray for good weather. Namaste.

REVIEW

DOVES SWG3 Galvanisers Yard - 8th June

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How many long years had it been since Doves last played Scotland? It’d been 9 since they last played Glasgow. So much has changed since then but the band’s ability to rouse a crowd and casually mine emotion from every nook of their songs has not diminished in the slightest.

Man of Moon were the perfect choice of opening act for the evening. They battered through their road honed set; ‘Sign’ and ‘I Run’ were highlights, while ‘Ride The Waves’, from their 2019 Chemicals EP was as menacing as I’ve heard it. They suffered a little from the usual keep the support band volume low scenario, but they gradually built up the intensity, and managed to build a solid connection with the gradually filling crowd. They’re a band probably best heard in compact and dingy basements but their sound is at the same time expansive and focused enough to work on the bigger stages - they’ve had plenty of practice recently, supporting Django Django on their 2018 european tour.

As for Doves, they start with a floaty run through of Lost Souls’ instrumental opener ‘Firesuite’, giving the crowd a chance to gather their attention before kicking it into gear with a sharp rendition of ‘Snowden’. Eleven more songs pass in an instant and Jimi Goodwin urges the crowd to be present in the moment ‘Look around you, it’s all happening’. Before you know it they’re onto their encore, ending with crowd pleasers ‘The Cedar Room’ and ‘There Goes the Fear’; the latter beginning with an emotional crowd led singalong. There were no new tracks, and there was no hint that there might be anything new in the works. Fingers crossed that this comeback tour renews their collective creative interest and opens the gates to new music from them soon.

Review by Kenny Lavelle Page 11

CHVRCHES Edinburgh in August has something for everyone, and the more traditional elements of the Fringe have been bolstered by stellar music events in recent years. In 2019, one of the biggest acts appearing is a homegrown Scottish band.

We caught up with Lauren Mayberry from Chvrches to discuss the Summer Sessions gig, touring, Girls Rock and the importance of feeling like you belong. And Josie & The Pussycats got a mention, which is always great news.

You’re headlining a night at the Edinburgh Summer Sessions – what should fans expect?

By that time we’ll be over a year into touring this record. Anyone who has seen us before will know what it’s about, but for us, live shows are about a live experience. It needs to be a proper live gig. Even before we had a live drummer, we were conscious that we didn’t want a lot of things to be on a track.

I think that’s down to the bands we were in before. We were in indie rock, post-rock alternative bands, and we still have that attitude.

Depending on the weather, the Edinburgh gig may start in daylight. Will this affect your show?

At this point, we’ve played so many kinds of shows in so many different conditions that we have a version of the show that can work at all different times. For us, when we have lighting and production, it’s important that it’s backing up a show, so it helps us in communicating a message as opposed to being something we rely on as a crutch.

We don’t mind what time of day we play; we can figure out a way to communicate what we do

MUSIC

Music by Andy Reilly, photo: Danny Clinch Page 13

in that setting. No day is ever the same! We’ve been on the road since last March and even if the setlist is the same, each day and show is different for many reasons.

While it’s under a festival name, it’s your own gig – does that make it different from standard festival shows?

I think we’re lucky enough at our festival shows that most people who come and see the band know us and our music. It can be an advantage if you’ve not had a giant single. It helps us to not be a one-single band, because people who come along know more than one song; they know the records and they know what we stand for and what we’re about.

This one will have a festival vibe, but it is our show and I’m sure it’ll be fun.

Support comes from We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Ninth Wave – are you looking forward to playing with them?

The Ninth Wave supported us at The Hydro.

We really rate them, and it’s exciting to see different stuff come out of the city. Sometimes, when I was growing up, it felt like new bands in Scotland came in waves and trends. I don’t feel like that now, and that’s really positive.

Also, Martin has known the Jetpack guys for years; he toured with them when he was with Twilight Sad. It’ll be nice to get the old gang back together.

We’re now more than one year on from Photo-above: Danny Clinch, right: Joost Vanderbrug

the release of Love Is Dead – how has the past year been?

It’s funny to look back on it, because it seems as though it has just been released, but equally, it’s like it’s been around forever. That’s just the nature of being in a touring band; time passes in a weird way. We’ve had a really good time. I think this is the most confident we’ve been with respect to touring.

It’s the first time we’ve had a live drummer, and it’s been the iteration of the band we’ve wanted for a long time. We needed to make sure that it made sense to do it. There are so many live drums on this record that we really wanted to play it live.

People really invest in this band, and you don’t always get that. You might get people who have a relationship with one song they hear on the radio, or people who liked a band 10 years ago, but don’t know them now. We’ve been really lucky; we’ve got some diehard people who follow us around from place to place.

To me, that’s what makes stuff sustainable for a band like us, rather than trying to get on the radio or try and push ourselves into a box that doesn’t fit.

How is life on the road?

It’s really put under a microscope that if you had an ordinary job, you could go home and ignore things. Here, you can’t do that. You can’t let stuff brew. If someone is annoyed, you need to talk about it. Because if you don’t, in a year’s time, that’s what gets shouted at someone in a bar at 1 in the morning.

It’s a pressure cooker situation. It’s kind of like a marriage where you didn’t necessarily choose the other person! It works for us. We’ve figured out how to be deconstructive about it, and that’s why we’re still here.

You’re jet-setting for what seems like the rest of the year. Is it still exciting?

For us, it’s important to remind ourselves that this is fucking mental. This wasn’t meant to happen. If you look at our band on paper, we’re not the sort to get picked up by a label. At the end of the day, it was a combination of good songs, being in the right place at the right time, and some dumb luck.

It doesn’t happen for many people, full-stop, especially not people who come from where we come from. That’s a helpful thought to kick you up the ass when you’re being a dickhead because your bag got lost, and you don’t have any underwear. Just buy a packet of underwear and you’ll be alright!

Earlier this year, you played the Hydro, your biggest hometown gig – how was that?

Glasgow is where we have the most guestlist stress in the world, but my dad still prefers to buy his ticket. He only ever asks if he has been unable to procure one. I think my guestlist is simple; we have the laminates for after, we have the passes, and then my dad has his own ticket!

There is a lot more pressure with a hometown show. We know what it’s like day in and day out, and we know we don’t have ideas above our station. But if people only see you on the internet or read about you in interviews, it may be interpreted in other ways. So when you come home, you feel a responsibility to put on a great

show. Playing music in Glasgow is what got us to where we’re at.

We’re also conscious that we have to not half-ass it. Glasgow is the friendliest place in the world, but they don’t take any shit. If it looks like you have ideas above yourself, they’ll be the first to take you down. I like that – I think there’s a genuine honesty to Glasgow that you don’t get in many other places.

Do you think being a Scottish band has helped you develop an audience around the world?

Not coming from America or London has been a disadvantage in some ways, in who you know, but we were really lucky. We got signed out of Glasgow without having to hustle or make it in big cities. That happened because of the internet, like being on Soundcloud. It also helped having a friend who acted as our manager, who’s been amazing, and knew about the hustle.

The band sponsors Girls Rock Glasgow – how did you get involved in that?

Music by Andy Reilly Page 15

I’ve known about the Rock Camp for a few years, and I saw they had problems with their funding last year. We got in touch with them to see what they were looking for. The women who run it are incredible, and they have so many amazing volunteers. We wanted to help.

Now, when we play headline shows, we give a dollar or a pound from each ticket to the local Girls Rock Camp.

I feel it’s about responsibility; we’re lucky to have what we have. If we can play any part in shaping what the local scene looks like, then that’s really positive and powerful. I grew up playing in bands and now, 90% of the time I’m the only female on the bill. But when I was a teenager, it was near enough 100% of the time.

I don’t know the reasoning behind how funding is given out or denied, but I think it’s a very valuable thing. We all complain about festival line-ups, but change needs to come from the top down and the bottom up. It’s really about empowering young women and telling them they are allowed to be in those spaces.

That was the overwhelming feeling I had, but I didn’t think anything of it until I was 17 and trying to play in venues. It was made incredibly clear to me by men who work in those venues, or men in other bands, or men who write about bands, that it wasn’t the norm for you to do the things a guy would normally do.

And this band won’t last forever — if we get to do something useful while we have the platform, then we should.

I don’t know if we have a proper perspective on it, being on the inside of it. But we’ve always been conscious that whatever the decision is, we need to know we can stand by it. Without being crass, there have been times we’ve taken way more shit than our contemporaries, made less money, or turned down what could have been a great opportunity because it didn’t match up with what we believe in.

That doesn’t mean we’re perfect, not by any stretch, but I don’t subscribe to the idea that

once you are in ‘mainstream music’ you can’t be interesting or you can’t be ethical. You can take the ethos you had when you were a DIY band and apply that to what you do. Just because your band gets larger, doesn’t mean that you get to not have a conscience.

It makes us killjoys to some people, but for us, it’s about being able to sleep at night. I think, hopefully, I’ll sleep quite well!

The industry has changed so much, even in the time we’ve been in it, and it’s fucking hard to make a living out of making music. It’s not like it was 10 or 20 years ago. I guess it’s about navigating how you can afford to make music, but making sure the choices you make aren’t negatively impacting anybody, or are selfish.

We have a good system: if we’re undecided about something, it means we say no. If you don’t feel good about it in your gut, and it goes well, you won’t be able to own that decision. And if it goes badly, you’ll regret it. You have to listen to your conscience and see where you end up.

Were the boys fully behind the band’s eyeliner range?

It’s glitter-based and I use it for shows. The really nice thing about it is that kids come to our show and they’ve made their own version of it. For me, that’s cool, because you’re not necessarily trying to sell somebody something. It’s about a community and helping people to feel as though they belong somewhere.

I also think of it like a Josie & The Pussycats thing, at the end of the show with all the girls with cat ears on. It’s nice to feel like you belong somewhere for five minutes, or an hour and a half! It encourages expression and creativity, and that’s never a bad thing.

In 2018, you played Primavera and TRNSMT. This year, both these festivals have placed more focus on female artists – do you have any thoughts about how this was achieved?

I haven’t been on the ground floor of any discussions. I know a lot of festivals are signing

They weren’t booking us because we had a woman in the band, they were booking us despite having a woman in the band. We brought people to the show, so when that’s used as a way to cover their back, that fucks me off. It makes it seem like we didn’t earn our spot by the old rules. But we did earn it by the old rules!

It’ll be interesting to see what festivals will look like next year, especially as more people sign up for the Keychange agreement.

Any thoughts on the next musical step for the band?

We’re going to get through the summer, and then have a think about it. This album and tour cycle has been so long, we’ll want to go home for a bit and remember what our families look like. Beyond that, we’ve had vague conversations about music, but nothing too specific.

Chvrches play Edinburgh Summer Sessions on Sunday August 11th. smmrsessions.com

HVRCHE

up to the Keychange agreement, to ensure there’s better representation. I feel it’s difficult for people, predominantly the men who are organising these festivals, to know what to do about it. The results are quite wide-ranging. In theory, the concept of adding more women to a stage at TRNSMT is great. Whether that was an idea that they had initially, or if it’s down to public pressure, is something we probably won’t get to know. I also don’t know if it’s the best idea to ghettoise female acts into one location.

It’s a conflicting issue, and as with anything of this nature, the answer isn’t going to reveal itself.

It’ll take years and years to unpick the pretty disturbing behaviour in these industries. And in society. It’s good to ask yourself, who does this serve? Does it serve the bands, the promoters, who does it make a difference for in the short-term and the long-term?

Sometimes I see sense in it (the addition of more women) but perhaps it was a nice gesture with bad execution. We all want something to be either good or bad, and that’s a negative part of cancel culture. Things like this can represent positive steps, but in other ways, it is further ghettoising female performers. I don’t want a consolation prize of my own headline slot on a separate stage, as there’s no guarantee people will go and watch.

People said to us when we were lucky enough to get to play main stages, “that’s incredible, you’re the only woman on that stage all day”, but I don’t want to be the only woman. I want, when you look at a stage, for it to look like what society looks like. That’s going to take years and years, and who knows if it’ll happen or not.

It’s a conflicting issue; we’ll see over the course of time. I’ll say one thing that does fuck me off, it’s when people use us as an example of their diversity.

You don’t really get a medal for booking a straight white woman in this moment in time; also, that makes it sound like we’ve been booked as a favour.

Whereas we were being booked for festivals in 2013, 2014 because we had good tickets.

CHANTER As a Snack reader, it’s likely you have a favourite Scottish indie band: one you feel should have achieved fame, money and festival headline status around the world by now. Kid Canaveral still hold that position for many people, even though the band has come to be much loved and well respected.

Now that principal songwriter David MacGregor is going solo under the moniker of Broken Chanter, we thought we’d catch up with him to discuss the album, desolate winters, and if it’s possible to remain hopeful in a hopeless time.

Broken Chanter – who and why?

In principle it’s just me. It’s a pseudonym to make solo music under, but with others. I recorded the record with some brilliant people I’ve met and admired for many years, and other people I’ve worked with for the first time.

Did you have a hit list of people you wanted to work with?

I did. I had played gigs with Audrey Tait in the past, and she filled in for Kid Canaveral at a festival in Norway. After that she was number one on my list to work with. With Gav, I’ve always admired him as a songwriter, so I approached him and asked if he wanted to work with me.

There are two songs on the album that we wrote together.

Emma Kupa is one of my favourite songwriters, and I was really chuffed she came up from down

south to work on the record. I’ve been mates with Hannah Shepherd for years, and I was keen to get her involved with her skills on the cello. Gal recorded the album and had worked on Kid Canaveral records in the past. I wanted to use him, as I trust his opinion and judgement completely. He’s an extremely talented engineer and musician, and he has got the best out of me in tight situations before.

All these people brought their own thing to the songs I had written, and helped shape them into something quite different from Kid Canaveral’s output. I set out to make something distinct from a Kid Canaveral record.

I hadn’t worked with Jill O’Sullivan before, but I was delighted when she agreed to play violin and add vocals. Her contributions really lift the songs she’s on. She does live shows with us as well, which has been good.

We came back from recording the first part of the record, and I decided to make things difficult for myself by writing a song, ‘Mionagadanan’, in Gaelic. I asked Kim Carnie to sing it, and she was very kind in saying yes to a complete stranger.

Are you a Gaelic speaker?

I’m a student. My hectic lifestyle and making this record has put that on the backburner, but yes, I’m learning.

Was there a freedom or added pressure in singing in a different language?

I felt pressure, as I didn’t want to disrespect anyone who was a fluent speaker. As someone who’s trying to learn, I wanted to write a

“I WANTED TO WRITE A CONTEMPORARY PIECE OF MUSIC WITH A GAELIC LYRIC, AND TREAT IT AS THE LIVING LANGUAGE IT IS.”

Music by Andy Reilly, photos: Stephanie Gibson Page 19

contemporary piece of music with a Gaelic lyric, and treat it as the living language it is.

I got Kim and my sister-in-law to check my Gaelic for stupidity. The last thing I wanted anyone to think it was that it was just a novelty, or that I was using the language and culture as a bauble for the record.

How did Broken Chanter come about?

At the end of the last touring cycle with Kid Canaveral, Kate (Lazda, founding band member) wanted to take a break and do a couple of different things, so she encouraged me to work with different people. I had nothing, so I started writing in August 2017 and had a busy winter period trying to create an album’s worth of songs.

I was going to start recording on the last day of January, whether I had songs or not.

If I didn’t have that time constraint, most of the songs wouldn’t exist, or would be very different.

How was the recording process?

Creative Scotland provided support for the record, so Gal, Audrey and I went to a remote part of Donegal and set up a studio.

It was the middle of winter. It was beautiful, but the weather was wild. However, the freedom I had in those 10-11 days was unparalleled. My only focus was to finish writing and record an album. It was one of the most satisfying creative periods of what I would flinchingly call my career.

I felt pressured, because you woke up, rolled downstairs and started recording straightaway.

However, the pressure evaporated thanks to the talented people I was working with. It went so well.

The only instruction I gave Gal was that anything which sounds like Kid Canaveral, you need to shelve. This isn’t a

Kid Canaveral record, and it’s not a continuation.

That’s exactly what David Holmes said to Noel Gallagher…don’t sound like Kid Canaveral! You must feel as though you need to do something different. Did you actively try new things?

Yes. Gaelic breakbeat was a way out of that!

I wanted a real break, music-wise. It was also about making myself a better songwriter and musician, more fluid in electric and acoustic guitar, and more relaxed about writing songs. I wanted something more atmospheric, and not to sound like a wank, but I wanted to try different instrumentations and create sound textures.

We had nights messing about with synthesisers through guitar effects pedals… I had to drag myself back from sounding like Dave Stewart post-Eurythmics.

We experimented with different layers and sounds; the album opens with a six-minute instrumental. That wasn’t to deliberately confound people, as I think it’s a great song deserving of

BROK its place on the album, but it was a conscious decision, to say ‘this isn’t a Kid Canaveral record.’

Did the surroundings seep into the record?

Would it be a different record if you created it in Ibiza?

Oh aye, it would be a lot cheerier with all that sunshine! I wrote and recorded some demos in Ardnamurchan, and in a snow-bound cottage in Skye. The landscapes are stunning up there, in the few hours of sunlight you get, but it can sometimes feel desolate in winter. There is a brittleness to some parts of the record, but there’s also an openness which is influenced by the expansive surroundings in which it was recorded.

We went for ambience and then steered it back to more conventional songs, keeping that element of ambience underneath it all. I didn’t want it to be self-indulgent; I still wanted to make pop music.

It is a pop record, but gentler in places, and also more abrasive in places, than Kid Canaveral. It spans a fair few genres.

I was trying to be more hopeful on this record.

I tried to write a love song, like a hopeless sceptic trying to become a hopeless romantic. It’s not an entirely personal record; it is in part a reflection on the terrifying situations in which we find ourselves.

A lot of the times you write stuff and you don’t know what it’s about. It’s only when you reflect that you realise what thread you were picking at.

I sent it to an old friend and she replied, ‘So you’re writing about getting older and existential worries?’ I didn’t think so, but I see why she thought that. I set out to make an optimistic record, but there is apprehension and reflections on ageing, seeing others around you becoming frail, alarm at the normalisation of hate in mainstream media and political discourse.

You’re playing Doune The Rabbit Hole – do you approach these festivals differently from your own show?

Aye. A few folk have a joke at my expense because I ramble a bit on stage, so I’ll cut that out for the festival show. The way I’ll approach that is to shut my gob and entertain people. It’s a full

“THE SONGS MAY HAVE BEEN WRITTEN IN WINTER, BUT THERE’S A VIBRANCY TO THEM THAT I THINK WILL WORK IN ANY SEASON”

band show and we’ll kick the arse out of it.

Do you have a preference for solo guitar shows or full-band line-ups?

At the end of last year, and start of this year, I was doing some ‘hey, look at me, this is new’ gigs and that was just me on acoustic guitar and Jill on violin and vocals. They were really enjoyable and intimate; it could have exposed any frailties in the songs. But the reaction we got was great, and it gave us the confidence to head out with a full band. If you can strip a song to the bare bones and it works, it’s great.

I love the full band stuff though. Audrey is one of the best drummers going, and Gav is a fantastic guitarist. And when Jill’s violin is going through guitar pedals, with her vocals, it’s a force to be reckoned with. I’ve really enjoyed it, and the added edge of live music has carried the songs to people who haven’t heard the music before.

The rhythm section has some force, so the songs will work at festivals. The songs may have been written in winter, but there’s a vibrancy to them that I think will work in any season.

Broken Chanter release their debut record in September on Last Night From Glasgow/Olive Grove Records and will tour extensively this autumn.

Music by Andy Reilly Page 21

WIDOW’S WEEDS Silversun Pickups – Track by track.

The first two Silversun Pickups albums were a prolonged answer to the question, “What would Smashing Pumpkins sound like if Billy Corgan had a sunnier disposition and actually let other members of the band play?” As both were released over a decade ago now, the much-used angle of ‘Shoegaze Pumpkins’ when discussing Silversun Pickups seems long out of date.

Music is, of course, a subjective medium, and opinion does not constitute fact. That being said, Carnavas and Swoon were objectively among

the best albums of the decade and anyone arguing otherwise has to go sit in the wrong corner, wearing their wrong hat, to mull over the negative effects their wrongness has on others.

Two albums since, 2012’s Neck of the Woods and 2015’s Better Nature, both kept the soaring, effects-soaked guitar lines while exploring more electronic elements and maintaining a restrained tempo. Brian Aubert’s fuzzy, inventive guitar alongside Nikki Monninger’s assertive basslines have remained the band’s sonic anchors.

This fifth album, produced by Butch Vig, gives

fans of SSPU (it’s not a proper acronym, but the band use it so what the hey) a perfect fit of band and producer, bringing Vig’s trademark clarity and atmosphere to the band’s dense sound.

The opening track, ‘Neon Wound’, kicks off with a sparkly arpeggio guitar. It’s soon joined by a squelching bassline, before the drums drive an awkward start/stop build-up. To be honest, the first time I heard it, I noticed similarities with another epic opening album track: ‘Moonchild’

by Iron Maiden. Now I can’t hear one without thinking about the other. Even Aubert’s fingerpicked guitar solo sounds like the synths on ‘Moonchild’.

Lead single ‘It Doesn’t Matter Why’ is a corker.

A four-note acoustic riff gives way to a thumping bass-driven groove that could fit virtually any dance. The middle 8 takes the song elsewhere, as all middle 8s should. The lead guitar over the last minute is all harmonic delays used as rhythm tracks (a trick SSPU have employed since their first album, using Brian’s DD3 pedal) and it produces a soundscape to willingly get lost in.

‘Freakazoid’ is a downbeat, acoustic-led song saved from Eagles territory by the unexpectedly busy bassline and the keyboard notes picking out aural space beautifully. The song matures and grows as a suddenly distorted bass gives way to a shiny, delicate solo, filled out by that delay pedal.

Underlying themes throughout the album are hard to pin down – there’s a sense of menace in some of the arrangements and a lot of lyrical obsession with death and renewal, without the record ever truly relaying any depressive vibe.

‘Don’t Know Yet’ is a song that will grow on you – a clicking drum machine and lounge-y organ intro ushers in the first verse. The chorus is unexpectedly Eighties-tastic, but it’s not so over the top that you could imagine it being used in some terrible forced nostalgia TV show. The opening line, ‘I need a fresh start now, reboot the machine’ is deceptively simple, yet taps into a universal modern anxiety that will have you singing along by the third listen.

‘Straw Man’ is the beginning of a 3-song lull in the middle of the album. It’s the shortest track here, but still manages to move from a string quartet intro to buzzing staccato guitars. It’s a terrible title, though, one of those phrases uninteresting people use in arguments in an attempt to seem well read. If it’s released as a single, the B-side should be called ‘Ad Hominem’.

‘Bag of Bones’ wears its Eighties influence to an almost vulgar degree. The processed bass and languid tempo are surrounded by a lot of layered, mandolin-like string tracks, but the song outstays its welcome slightly by being uncharacteristically repetitive.

Title track ‘Widow’s Weeds’ feels like an optimistic look at life on the road; the futility of endless travel married with the love shared by the people on the journey. It gets a bit noisier exactly when you want it to and quietens again at just the right time.

The last three tracks pretty much work as a suite.

‘Songbirds’ is a tour de force, ticking off all the things SSPU do best – a blistering, idiosyncratic lead line, dynamic shifts and a scene-stealing bassline. ‘Simpatico’ is a daydream-inducing swirl of reverse strings and rich, clean guitars, and ‘We Are Chameleons’ is a fitting final track – so much so that it feels like a manifesto. Throbbing sexy rhythms are mixed with plenty of na-na-nahs, confused imagery and clever breakdown sections.

Despite the middle of the record losing some of its intensity, this is 48 minutes of the best and most skilfully textured music I’m likely to hear this year. The tragedy is that diehard fans of the band are more likely to overlook Widow’s Weeds in preference for the rest of SSPU’s discography.

“IT GETS A BIT NOISIER EXACTLY WHEN YOU WANT IT TO AND QUIETENS AGAIN AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.” Music by Stephen McColgan Page 23

SACREDPAWS

When I first attempt to speak to Rachel Aggs, one half of the effervescent Sacred Paws, I’m on a train from London to Glasgow. The line was crackly and I went through three tunnels in quick succession, each break-up happening straight after saying ‘hey’.

I’m talking about the boring logistics of my travel because it’s what Rachel and Eilidh did for six years. Whilst I struggled to hold a conversation, they managed to make an album between the two cities. I think that puts things into perspective.

Their debut album, Strike A Match, was recorded whilst Rachel lived in South London and Eilidh lived in Glasgow. “I mean, it was always a bit silly, but we managed” Rachel tells me. They did more than manage, they won the 2017 Scottish Album of the Year award for it, no small feat when up against releases by the likes of Mogwai, Meursault and C Duncan.

Rachel has since made the big move, a year past, to settle in Glasgow. “I had come to the natural end of wanting to be in London; I was ready” she tells me. “Eilidh didn’t like it as much and I felt bad making her visit. I really love London, but it can be such a hard place to live.”

And so, how does Glasgow compare?

“I’ve never really lived in close proximity to people I know. I think that’s different. Also I just think the way the music scene or community works is really unique in that you just bump into people, be it a member of Belle & Sebastian or Stuart [Braithwaite, from Mogwai]. No one has an air or something, it’s just really normal.

“It feels kinda effortless, in Glasgow. People can be really modest and self-deprecating but they still get loads done, somehow, and I think that’s really great.”

You can definitely count Sacred Paws amongst the ranks of people getting things done. Their follow up album, Run Around the Sun was released on May 31st via Mogwai’s Rock Action to solid critical acclaim. And, fundamentally, it was made on more stable ground than its predecessor.

“It was much better to not be sleeping on floors or being stressed out”, Rachel tells me when I ask if stability changed the sound. “It was more relaxed, getting up in the mornings and going to work. There were a few songs I could work on more, back at home. In London I didn’t have that – there was hardly any space.”

It’s probably reductive of me to argue that the closing of physical distance was the only influential factor on the album. Yes, moving away from the musically-nomadic life has to have had a huge impact, but so did the place that they have settled in. Eilidh has been entrenched in the Glasgow music scene for years, working in Monorail.

“I don’t think its unique – every city has its community, and musicians have a way of making a community for themselves’’ Rachel explains.

“I do think there is something about Glasgow, though, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. The independent record scene helps, but I think it’s more the attitude of musicians who live here.

They are very together.”

Winning the SAY award helped, too.

“We definitely felt more confident in the studio.

We felt like we knew what we were doing, and we sonically had ideas about different parts of songs before we went into the studio. It felt like, what could we do with the songs to make them more exciting?”

‘The Conversation’ opens the album and, fittingly, sounds the dialogue between Rachel and Eilidh, which for many years had been punctuated by train lines going between two major music cities.

“We get shy talking about what things are about, and we sing over the top of each other to see what comes out of it”, Rachel tells

me. “Sometimes it’s poetic. It’s two voices, a conversation. It’s also two people having parallel experiences, but that’s life. We communicate in music.”

The connection between Rachel and Eilidh seems a strong and impenetrable thing, and I think this is one of the most endearing things about Sacred Paws. Beneath the Tropicana vibes, the jutting guitars and drums; it sounds like two women making their voices and experiences heard in an industry that hasn’t always had the time or inclination to listen to women. It’s really quite something.

Music by Carla Jenkins Page 25

THE

SPREE Way back in 2012, when someone said, “let’s hold a massive four-day music and art festival smack bang in the middle of Paisley”, I imagine there were a few raised eyebrows.

And when the Spiegeltent was built in the middle of County Square, it did garner a few curious glances. But from that first acorn a mighty tree has grown, and seven years later, The Spree Festival encompasses a massive ten days filled with events for the whole family.

There’s loads going on all around town, with the Spiegeltent and Paisley Arts Centre hosting most of the big events. Here are a few of our picks from the Spiegeltent lineup.

GERRY RAFFERTY SONGBOOK 11th October What can be said about the late, great Gerry Rafferty that hasn’t already been said? He’s one of Paisley’s proudest sons and his music is known all over the world. Listening to Gerry’s music played live in the Spiegeltent, among the streets he used to walk, is sure to raise goosebumps.

Rafferty’s long-time friend and collaborator, Rab Noakes, will be joined on stage by Emma Pollock and Roddy Hart. You can’t really ask for much more than that.

HUE AND CRY 14th October Hits from your dad’s record collection - don’t pretend you don’t love it. Band of brothers Pat The Spree Supported by Peter Greenwood

and Greg Kane first broke through with their 1987 single ‘Labour of Love’. Reforming in 2005, the band has been delighting audiences up and down the country. It’s sure to be a massive party when the boys hit the tent! Build your hype on the night by singing ‘Looking For Linda’ on the train to Paisley. How apt.

P.P. ARNOLD 17th October LA’s P.P. Arnold, born into a family of gospel singers, started performing in the 60s with Ike & Tina Turner, before Mick Jagger encouraged her to go solo. It’s not often the term ‘overlooked legend’ is appropriate, but Arnold is the textbook definition. Even if you’re not familiar with her solo work, you’ll have heard her tones all over loads of songs you know and love - she has worked with Dr. John, Nick Drake and The KLF to name a few. Her 2019 album The New Adventures of PP Arnold was recorded and produced by life-long P.P. enthusiast, OCS star and Paul Weller band guitarist Steve Cradock, at his Kundalini Studio in Devon.

JERRY SADOWITZ, MAKE COMEDY GRATE AGAIN 19th October Closing out the festival is one of my comedy heroes. I’ve been watching Jerry’s performances for as long as I can remember. Often controversial, always hilarious, Sadowitz is sure to be a massive draw at this year’s festival. If you get a chance, be sure to ask him about getting knocked out in Canada; I’m sure he’d love that…(don’t).

EDINBURGH

With such a diverse programme there should be something to capture the interest of everyone, but let’s break down some of the highlights.

INTERNATIONAL

CHRIS MCQUEER

FESTIVAL

BEERJACKET

BOOK Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) will return to Charlotte Square in August. In ‘an era of contradiction and division’, the festival is calling for both writers and audiences to discover and share stories that matter under this year’s theme of ‘We Need New Stories’.

Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, says “Stories are devices that help humans make sense of a complex world. At a time of uncertainty, simple narratives such as ‘Make America Great Again’ or ‘Take Back Control’ may be enticing to some, but do they tell us what’s truly achievable? The 2019 Book Festival looks at seismic changes in 21st-century society, including the impact of technology, the collapse of trust in who’s telling the truth, and the increasing dominance of certain languages at the expense of others. These have long been the terrain of science fiction, but this Festival’s theme is not only focusing on fiction. Whether we’re listening to scientists and politicians or mythmakers and poets, to understand the world around us we need new stories.”

This year’s edition is set to be the most international in Festival’s history, with over 900 writers from Scotland and 60 other countries set to feature in conversations, debates, workshops, and performances. Each have their own complex and unique stories to share.

Glaswegian Chris McQueer, the author of Hings and HWFG, writes his darkly comical tales in his native Scottish tongue. Described by actor Martin Compston as ‘Charlie Brooker on Buckfast’, the rising star has drawn comparisons to Scottish talents such as Limmy and Irvine Welsh.

Chris McQueer won’t be the only Glaswegian talent in the line-up; alt-folk singer-songwriter Peter Kelly, AKA Beerjacket, is also on the programme. After an extended stint playing with established names such as Kristin Hersh and Frightened Rabbit, his first album in five years is an album/book combination entitled Silver Cords. Each song is accompanied by a short story inspired by the lyrics; the musician has described the project as a ‘daydream that lasted 3 years’.

PETE ETCHELLS

Many people still subscribe to the notion that video games have a negative impact on our mental and physical health. Psychology lecturer Pete Etchells believes otherwise. His first book, entitled Lost in a Good Game, explores why we play video games, the effect they have on us, and why we should ignore the negative press surrounding them.

The book was inspired by the positive effect video games had on him following the death of his father.

SOFIE HAGEN

Danish comedian and fat acceptance campaigner Sofie Hagen won the Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2015. Her latest book, Happy Fat, explores body image, ‘concern trolls’, and society’s entrenched view that being fat is wrong. In the past, Sofie has called for people to stop dieting, calling it ‘boring, triggering and neither feminist nor healthy.’

Edinburgh International Book Festival by Danielle McAdam Page 27

THE Finnieston has always had a very real, very strong sense of community. It is the heart that connects the bustling city centre to the vibrant west end, and the neighbourhood behind the city’s most iconic music venue. While trendy bars and restaurants have largely taken over the main stretch there remains a part, reserved and off the beaten track, where community is still rife with life.

Accessible only through a gap in the tenement buildings, The Hidden Lane has managed to maintain it’s quirkiness and charm despite the gentrification of most of Glasgow’s “Finnieston Strip”. For the best part of the last decade you would only saunter down it’s cobbled path to visit “The Hidden Lane Tearoom”, and for far too many people that appears to still be the case.

There are over 100 businesses tucked away down the lane, and I caught up with social enterprise owner Lynne McNicol to see what they’re all up to in their various studios, workshops, and galleries. I met an assortment of artists, designers, collectors, health practitioners, instructors, and of course, still, the team in the hidden café.

I was surprised to find such an eclectic range of products and services available. Where else can you buy art, do yoga, purchase upcycled art supplies, and drink coffee in the same place? In The Hidden Lane you can not only buy handmade

jewellery but learn to make it too. You can get inked, while your dog is at it’s suit/dress fitting, have a cupcake, then hit up a pain/coaching clinic. Suffice to say it has become quite the shopping oasis.

Each shop is filled with wonderful interesting items carefully curated by the local business owners who know exactly where it came from, how it was made, and who made it (if they didn’t themselves). This already makes for a standard of authenticity you wouldn’t find in homogenised high street stores.

They make the effort to talk to you, get to know you, and build a relationship with you making for a more enriching and satisfactory experience. The driving force here isn’t money, it’s passion, and the economic and social bonds they have made is a testament to the communities’ character, adding a touch of warmth to it all.

In instances like this, of course shopping locally will always yield a higher quality of product than mass produced rubbish that is based on a national sales plan. Supporting these businesses is far better for the local economy which, if it flourishes, we all do too. By promoting these enterprises we’re building a stronger community and maintaining an identity. No city wants its visitors seeing the same old shops they see in every other city around the world. And neither should we.

So next time you’re in the neighbourhood, pop in and say hi, and spend money, support the locals, and discover the many wonders The Hidden Lane has to offer.

For more information visit their website: thehiddenlaneglasgow.com and don’t forget to use #IfoundtheHiddenLane on social media when you visit.

The Hidden Lane, Sara McCombe, Supported Page 29

Durty VEGAN BURGER CLUB

Danny McLaren, formerly of Bloc on Bath Street and star of Vice.com’s ‘Munchies Guide to Scotland’, has cleaned up his act. Also known as The Mad Chef, McLaren’s name has in years past been associated with such delicious and sadly lethal Scottish stalwarts as Buckfast, and Mad Dog. Now it appears he’s binned the hyper-caffeinated wine, or at least banished it to the back of the cupboard.

Danny’s new mission is to dispel the notion that

fast food can’t be healthy and ethical, from his new and hopefully permanent location for the Durty Vegan Burger Club, Glasgow’s first dedicated vegan burger restaurant.

The residency takes over The Cran, a vegetarian/vegan cafe and events space on Argyle St in Finnieston, Thursday to Sunday evenings. It’s a funny little building, at one point a hardware store, but now with more of a brica-brac feel. There’s exposed brickwork, various

items suspended from the ceiling, and an eclectic mix of seating.

The restaurant is definitely a work in progress, especially if you need to use the loo; you’ll see what I mean if you visit. The menu is also being worked on, so expect to see lots of experimentation, with new dishes appearing as time goes by. During our visit, for instance, there were just three items on the menu… but all of these were immense.

The Lowjack Burger- BBQ jackfruit, pickles, caramel apple reduction and shredded slaw in a toasted bun. Oozing pulled jackfruit and sauce, it was a messy affair. Crisp gherkins and a fruity yet savoury mix of other ingredients made for happy scoffing. It clearly wasn’t meat, but had lots of flavour and texture.

The Ringer - a vegan replica of a particular KFC burger (nope, never heard of it either!) featuring spicy mayo, iceberg lettuce, pickles, and relish in a toasted bun. The bun held up well to the assortment of toppings and dribbly sauces, and not many meat eaters would know this wasn’t chicken if they hadn’t been told beforehand.

Although we were primarily here for the burgers, special mention must go to the durty fries; skin on fries with vegan mac sauce, chives, shredded slaw and the secret weapon - ‘nootch’, an umami-heavy nutritional yeast which is also full of vitamin B12. Sprinkle some of this on and the fries become highly addictive…the closest thing to legalised crack you’re likely to get your hands on!

And you will want to get your hands on those fries. The Cran is fairly small, though, so what if you can’t get a seat? Well you can take food out, too, and the price is the same regardless. And all takeaway food comes in compostable vegware

‘…THE FRIES BECOME HIGHLY ADDICTIVE… THE CLOSEST THING TO LEGALISED CRACK YOU’RE LIKELY TO GET YOUR HANDS ON!’ containers made from plants.

On our visit, Danny was assisted by a couple of sidekicks and a DJ (of course). If you close your eyes or squint funny, you could imagine you were in Kreuzberg or Prenzlauer Berg - if you’ve been to some of the dive bars around there then you’ll know what we mean - but plans are afoot for more than just vegan and vinyl. Think live music, yoga classes, meditation and more.

You see, Durty Vegan Burger Club is as much about promoting positive mental health as it is about ethical scran. There’s no alcohol for sale, so instead look out for low-sugar sodas.

Many you won’t easily find elsewhere, including ethical green cola, CBD soda (with cannabis extract), root beer, cream soda and plenty of fruity drinks.

The Durty Vegan Burger Club The Cran, 994 Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8LU Friday – Sunday 5pm – 10pm (or until sold out)

IN BRIEF

Chilled out, quirky space Dirty fries are like crack Free hugs!

Food and Drink by Mark & Emma, foodieexplorers.co.uk Page 31

VEGAN START UP If you believe the headlines, then setting up a vegan business is the entrepreneurial dream for 2019. CB Insights reports that at least seven of the 15 highest global funded food and beverage start-ups are plant-based. Vegan cheese is estimated to be worth a whopping £3.2 billion globally by 2024*, and vegan meat sales are predicted to reach £4.2 billion by 2020. How the markets reacted to the Beyond Meat IPO, with its record breaking 163% growth, shows it’s not just vegans paying attention; vegan businesses appear to be the golden ticket.

There are over 100 vegan businesses in Scotland now. But what is it actually like to set up your own plant-based business here? I chatted to two of my favourite Edinburgh entrepreneurs, Claire from Considerit and Lucy from Lucky Cloud Skincare, to find out.

What first inspired you to set up your business?

LC: Ugh, my skin. Skin that was eczema prone, itchy, dry, sore, red and sometimes bleeding. I was constantly reliant on steroid ointments and fighting with flare-ups from synthetic moisturisers and fragrances.

C: I’d always wanted to have my own business.

Both my parents are chefs and I was interested in food. After school I considered going into the food industry, but knowing how difficult it was, my parents discouraged me (in the nicest way). As well as food, I was in love with sport, so I decided to study that at university. Unfortunately, in my 3rd year of study I hurt my knee - a nasty injury which would require numerous operations and a lot of recovery time.

I graduated and went back to working at

Henderson’s of Edinburgh, but it became quite clear I wouldn’t be able to do 8-hour shifts, 5 days a week. I realised if I had my own business, I would be able to decide how long I worked for, and take time off for my operations. I guess you could say it was a bit of both necessity and me being passionate about food.

When did you first set up? What were you doing before?

LC: I officially launched the brand in 2015 after years of research and development.

At the time I was working for an events company. I stayed in that job for the first year after launching, and then in 2016, I was made redundant.

C: I started the business in 2012. It was just me at the beginning, and initially I focussed solely on chocolate. Our first name was Considerit Chocolate.

How did you go about starting up?

LC: It was a slow process, and to be honest, I wasn’t planning on setting up a business. It grew organically from my kitchen. It was really just me mucking about with basic recipes, which then sparked a passion. I started to educate myself and undertake short courses. After a while it dawned on me that I was in the early stages of starting a skincare company!

“AFTER A WHILE IT DAWNED ON ME THAT I WAS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF STARTING A SKINCARE COMPANY!”

“SOMETIMES I HAVE TO PINCH MYSELF, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY GET TO DO THIS FOR A LIVING!”

C: Although I had worked at a restaurant, I had absolutely no idea about chocolate. I began reading books and watching tutorials on YouTube.

I started out in a tiny utility room at my mum’s house; it was literally no more than 2m x 2m. At first, I was only selling to friends and family. I used my wages to buy some second-hand equipment and moulds, and then I started trading at markets.

L: Any achievements or moments that you are proud of?

LC: Sometimes I have to pinch myself, because I actually get to do this for a living! That still feels like a massive achievement. But to be honest, any time I get wonderful feedback from strangers who tell me my products are helping their skin, or just how much they love a particular product, my heart swells.

C: I think getting the place where we are now open is a massive achievement. It was an old fish and chip shop, so it needed completely gutting.

Also, my dad joining me as an equal partner has been the best thing for the business. He has so much experience in the catering industry, so between us it really works. I feel I’m very lucky to get to work alongside him.

L: Did you get funding when you started?

LC: Nope, no funding. I used my salary and savings to put back into the business. Perhaps I could grow faster if I was to look into funding? *adds to to-do-list* C: At the beginning I went to some meetings with the Princes Trust business programme. They had some helpful workshops, and I managed to get a ‘test the market’ grant which helped towards buying equipment. Other than that, we’ve pretty much done it all on our own with the help of family. We’re going to get in touch with Business Gateway to get some advice on what our next steps might be. There are grants and support out there to help businesses, but I’ve found that not all the information is easy to access.

L: Did you face any barriers to setting up a Vegan by Laura Woodland Page 33

vegan company?

LC: No barriers. While there can be a lot of animal derived ingredients in cosmetics, I don’t think people are aware of it as much as they are with food. So while some customers are seeking out vegan specific skincare, others might just be looking for a more natural alternative.

C: People couldn’t understand why I’d chosen to make everything vegan. That was back in 2012, so veganism certainly wasn’t what it is now.

Quite a lot of people thought it wouldn’t work. To be honest, I think we started just at the right time.

You have both been in business a few years now. Have you noticed any changes in perceptions?

C: Things are definitely changing. Veganism is huge news these days - all the mainstream restaurants and supermarkets are making a big effort to make vegan products. But there are still some people who refuse to try anything vegan.

They automatically think it won’t taste nice, and they don’t understand how it’s possible to make

things like doughnuts and ice cream without milk, eggs, and butter. We find it hard to balance letting people know we are a totally plant-based business without putting the less open-minded people off. We don’t serve any dairy milk in our café, and I’d say in the last year and a half there’s only been a handful of people who have walked out because they couldn’t have dairy milk. Quite a few of our customers aren’t vegan; they just like our products.

How is the global shift towards veganism affecting you?

LC: Positively, for sure! There’s so much more interest and awareness in not just vegan skincare, but natural skincare across the board. There are so many incredible plant-based alternatives that really, really work, so why not harness them? The smells, the colours, the therapeutic benefits, the list goes on. Gone are the days that ‘natural’ or ‘vegan’ meant homemade products which only last a few days or come in naff packaging.

What’s your favourite thing about having

a vegan business?

C: I love the fact that we can make everything we do without causing animals harm. We also like the challenge; we get people coming in asking if we can make non-vegan items vegan - things like Creme Eggs.

I had wanted to make macarons for ages, but even the non-vegan ones can be difficult. Vegan macarons are one of the most temperamental things I have ever made - it was a challenge, but I like that. You have to think outside the box sometimes and do a lot of research, but when it works it’s great.

Would you have any advice for future vegan entrepreneurs?

C: Do your research - be as unique as you can.

Social media - it really makes a difference.

It’s not my favourite thing to do and I need to get better at it, but it’s crazy how many people come into our shop from all over the world and tell us they follow our social media pages.

Get friends and family to help - even if it’s just with moral support, or trying your products and giving feedback.

LC: Determination – starting any business takes hard work, so you’ve got to be determined.

Positivity – there are going to be ups and downs. Remain positive as much as you can, while also allowing yourself to rest when things feel overwhelming.

Patience – things don’t happen overnight, especially when it comes to skincare formulation.

But if you keep working and celebrate your wins, you’ll get there!

Check out Considerit in person in Edinburgh or online at consideritchocolate.com Follow them on Instagram @considerate_chocolate

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Vegan by Laura Woodland Page 35

GIRONA Get away from the crowded beaches and general bustle of more popular Spanish cities with a visit to historic Girona and Vic. With its compact airport and direct flights from Scotland, Girona is an excellent base for a holiday, and it shouldn’t be dismissed as just a cheap route into Barcelona. Girona is a walkable, historic city with markets, museums and more, as is the lesser-known city of Vic in nearby Osona county. Foodie Explorers journeyed to Catalonia to find out more.

AND

VIC

HISTORY

Girona is a city in Spain’s Catalonia region (‘Girona’ is Catalan while the Spanish call it ‘Gerona’). Located between the Rivers Ter and Onyar, Girona has superb medieval architecture; search out the Game of Thrones sites, as well as its walled Old Quarter (Barri Vell) and the Roman remains of the Força Vella fortress. Wander along the Passeig Arqueològic, which is a walkway following the city walls, for stunning views.

TRAVEL

SHOP

With its rabbit warren of an old town, boutique shops hold firm here. Delicada Greta (Carrer de la Cort Reial) is a ladies’ boutique filled with bright and stylish offerings. Plastic Store (Plaça del Vi) sells a mixture of fashion, gifts and all things vintage, including original 60s items. Need to find some unusual jazz or update your manga collection? Then Moby Disk Records (Rambla de la Llibertat) is the place you need. Here you’ll not only find vinyl, but DVDs, posters, board games... everything for your inner geek muso needs. If bartering is your thing, then the twice-weekly market within Devesa Park is for you. There are over 200 stalls, with everything from local food to clothes.

DRINK

One thing we grew fond of in the course of our Catalonia stay is vermouth, or ‘vermut’ as it’s called there. Typically of the bittersweet and red variety, it goes down well with the evening sun, so head to El Vermutet de Can Gombau (Carrer Bonaventura Carreras) to sample some. If beer is more your tipple, try Dolce Salato (Rambla de la Llibertat) for a Whym; it’s a local brand. The area around the colonnaded Plaça de la Independència is also lined with bars and restaurants; good to start the evening off, or for a quick nightcap.

EAT

Holding three Michelin Stars and twice voted the best restaurant in the world, El Celler de Can Roca (Calle Can Sunyer) is owned by Roca brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi. There’s a 12-month waiting list to get a table, but if you really want to go, ask to be added to the list in case of cancellations. Like us, you might be lucky enough to secure a last-minute table. It definitely isn’t a cheap option, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Divinum (Carrer Albereda) is a more budget-friendly venue for a splash-out meal.

The directors here studied under Joan Roca, so the standard of cooking is high. Girona isn’t just about fine dining, though; some of the best Pintxos (the Basque take on tapas) bars anywhere can be found throughout the city. Our favourite was Txalaka (Carrer Bonastruc de Porta), not the most traditional-looking establishment, but filled with goodies. Fill up on everything from Manchego cheese to croquettes, cured ham, and anchovies, washed down with a glass of sparkling wine. End your evening with ice cream from Rocambolesc (Carrer de Santa Clara), also owned by Jordi Roca.

Travel by Mark & Emma, foodieexplorers.co.uk Page 37

SLEEP

From 4-star hotels to hostels, there is something for every budget. Hotel Gran Ultonia (Gran via Jaume) was where we rested our heads. Just outside the old town but near enough to the action, it has everything you need in a hotel. They also have an excellent rooftop bar. For something lighter on the wallet, Can Cocollona (Carrer Mare de Déu del Remei) is a hostel located near to Girona Railway & Bus Station. Note, though, that the hostel features dorms only, with no private rooms.

CULTURE

There is so much to see in Girona, and it’s all within walking distance. Or take the dinky tourist train if you want to rest your feet. The first stop has to be the Eiffel Bridge, designed by yes, that same Gustave Eiffel. Here he showcases his ironwork skills with this striking red bridge. Stop here to take in the famous view of the colourful houses perched above the River Onyar. From here the medieval quarter (Barri Vell) is on the Eastern side, and the 18th Century buildings are on the Western side.

Girona Cathedral has 91 steps to conquer, but conquer it you should. Inside, the cathedral features the widest Gothic nave in the world. If you don’t want to spend the 7 euros to get in, at least stand and imagine yourself at the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor. In case the weather isn’t so good, there is also an Art Museum at the rear of the cathedral.

“WE TOOK TO THE SKIES ON OUR FIRST EVER HOT AIR EXCURSION. WE WON’T LIE, IT WAS SLIGHTLY TERRIFYING”

The Museum of Jewish History (Carrer de la Forca) tells the story of the Jewish community who lived in the area until they were expelled in 1492. After this, get some fresh air with a walk around the city walls. Head down the path towards the Arab Baths for some respite from the sun. Originally built in 1149, the baths eventually became part of a convent. Lucky nuns! From here, you can walk down towards the river and pay a visit to La Lleona, a stone carving of a lioness climbing a pillar. Superstition dictates that you’ll return to the city if you climb the metal steps and plant a kiss on the lioness’s stone bum!

VIC Vic (pronounced like ‘beak’) is the capital of Osona county, and it’s 37 miles / 1 hour inland from Girona by road. The L28 bus runs from Girona and selected buses make stops at Girona airport.

HISTORY

Like Girona, Vic is an ancient city which has been populated since Roman times. It still retains its medieval heart, and being smaller and less hilly than Girona it can be easily walked.

The cathedral is the main point of interest, as you can climb the bell tower for views over the town and surrounding countryside. There’s also a Roman temple and history museum in the old town.

workshop upstairs. If that all sounds like too much effort, their Teresona XXI restaurant serves up lots of local specialities and wines.

SLEEP

SHOP

Vic’s market takes place on the main square, Plaça Major, and is a must-visit if you are in town on Tuesday or Saturday. There’s been a market here since the 9th century, and it has to be one of the most colourful we’ve ever seen. If you love mushrooms, you’ll be in a strange sort of heaven with all the varieties for sale here - most of them huge. Regular veg such as tomatoes and peppers are also super-sized. Another quirky feature of the market is that you can practice milking a cow!

La Bauxa Productes del Montseny (Carrer Rocada) in nearby Seva sells a great selection of beer, wine and other specialities from the Montseny region, which is just south-east of Vic.

DRINK

Look out for L’Snack on Plaça Major; it’s the best place for people watching. Especially with a gin and tonic.

EAT

Vic is famous for fuet, a type of long, thin cured sausage; the name actually means ‘whip’ in Catalan. Darker in colour than the more wellknown chorizo, its spiciness comes from black pepper instead of paprika. The best place to try it is at Ca La Teresona (Carrer dels Argenters), a family-owned restaurant where six generations have held the reins since 1837. You can even have a go at making your own sausage in the

We stayed at Up Rooms Vic (Passatge de Can Mastrot), a funky, modern 4-star hotel on the edge of the old town. We ate at the restaurant here one evening, and the food turned out to be of an excellent standard.

Vic is famous for fog and mist all year round, and what better way to see the mist rolling in from the Pyrenees than by hot air balloon? There are a number of companies who operate in town, and so we took to the skies on our first ever hot air excursion. We won’t lie, it was slightly terrifying, but the views and photos were worth it.

Guided tours of the historic centre take place every Saturday. Lasting 90 minutes, these cost €5 from the tourist info office.

We mentioned mushrooms earlier – well, the town of Seva holds an annual mushroom festival!

Taste, buy, and learn how to pick mushrooms safely. The festival takes place in October.

TOURIST INFORMATION girona.cat/turisme/eng/ victurisme.cat/home

GET THERE

Fly to Girona-Costa Brava Airport with Jet2.com from Glasgow or Edinburgh. Ryanair also fly from Edinburgh.

SINA GRACE Sina Grace wears many hats. He has emerged as one of the most versatile and innovative names in comics today, with queer characters and stories often at the core of his work. LAbased, Grace is the author and illustrator of the autobiographical Self-Obsessed and Not My Bag, the artist for cult favourite The Li’l Depressed Boy, and has worked for comics giants IDW, Boom, Dynamiter and Marvel

itself. His work with the latter, in particular, saw him at the helm of Iceman’s coming out story arc. Currently he’s working on X-Men: Winter’s End, introducing the first ever drag queen character, Darkveil. Snack sat down with Sina Grace to discuss queer heroes and their chosen families, barriers faced within the comics industry, and drag queens.

How did your career in comic books begin,

and did you experience any initial barriers in telling LGBT+ inclusive stories?

I’ve wanted to make comic books since I was in elementary school, and pretty much remained focused on that goal since then! The journey included me interning at Top Cow Productions, working at a comic store, apprenticing for Howard Chaykin, publishing zines, editing comics for Robert Kirkman, until I finally found a groove as a writer and illustrator these last few years.

The main barriers I felt were more related to my own internalized homophobia at the time; I used to think people wouldn’t want or tolerate stories with a queer lead. That being said, I always wrote autobio comics, and those stories are obviously about a gay lead.

“RETURNING FOR A NEW STORY HELPED ME SEE THAT I WAS BEING RELUCTANT IN MY OWN JOURNEY TO TAKING CENTRE STAGE AND OWNING MY LIGHT. WE DID THAT TOGETHER.”

LGBT+ What was your experience writing Iceman like? I remember covering it at the time, as it felt really momentous. How did you feel the character and his arc have been received?

Honestly, it was stressful! Well, the first two story arcs were stressful. I felt like I was carrying the weight of expectation to do amazingly, but I didn’t really know what the measure of success was for the series beyond book sales. Once the book came back for a third story arc (Volume Three: Amazing Friends- in stores now!), I felt more comfortable and was just focused on telling the story that I would be interested in reading. That’s sorta when things got more chill.

What challenges have you faced in expanding so vastly on a firmly established character?

Everybody has their specific version of a character that they love, so with Iceman the challenge I faced was saying, “Hey, here’s Bobby Drake’s interior life… I promise you it’s not just a thinly-veiled version of my life.” Folks hadn’t necessarily seen much of what goes on behind his eyes outside of a few standout issues in the late 90s and mid-2000s, so I tried to just have whatever I did with him speak to those stories.

What have you learned or appreciated the most about Bobby in your time writing him?

Finding the things that make the consummate funny guy a vulnerable, three-dimensional human being; that was maybe what I appreciated most about my time with Bobby. As a writer of action comics, learning to push my imagination with fight scenes was definitely a huge learning moment.

Returning for a new story helped me see that I was being reluctant in my own journey to taking centre stage and owning my light. We did that together.

X-Men and its characters have always been my favourite Marvel reading: what do you believe it is LGBT+ by Jonny Stone Page 41

“I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WORE A DUSTY ROSE-COLOURED SHIRT AT WONDERCON IN COLLEGE, A COMIC ARTIST LOOKED AT ME AND CALLED IT “INTERESTING.””

about the X-Men in particular that appeals to an LGBT+ audience?

Without meaning to sound glib, I think the mutant metaphor is pretty on-the-nose with a queer person’s coming of age: around puberty you start to become different than the other kids, and what will contribute to your general fabulosity is the thing that you get bullied for during formative years. Also, the X-Men are a chosen family. ‘Nuff said.

I adore Darkveil. Can you explain the impetus to create her, and some of the inspiration behind her? What do you see in her future? I just want more and more of her!

Darkveil was the product of me writing a Mutant Pride event in Iceman and wanting a drag queen emcee. I had a character with her powers in an unused proposal, and it was all for the “throwing shade” pun in issue five of the latest arc. I was inspired by a slew of drag queens, but Dax, Shea, Monet, and Vixen were high on the list. Also, Sasha Velour’s brows… those were a big inspiration!

I was able to give the character a backstory and a few ideas as to where she could be taken. I’m not sure if Jonathan Hickman’s really including her in his big plans, so I’m just telling fans to hashtag #darkveil on social media and to @ Marvel for more of the character. She’s pretty neat!

I am super excited for your work on Go Go Power Rangers; what is your vision for the characters? Can you expand on what is meant by your exploration of “the secret history behind the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers?”

Go Go Power Rangers is gonna be a blast! I honestly can’t say much about the series, but what’s exciting is I jumped on right when Go Go is introducing Tommy, aka the Green Ranger. For me, the approach has been looking at how each of these five kids deal with the constant change and raising of stakes. Similar to Iceman, I’m looking for why these kids are still happy and optimistic in the midst of dark forces constantly creating turmoil for them and the ones they love.

Have you faced any resistance or

challenges being queer in the comics industry?

Of course! I remember the first time I wore a dusty rose-coloured shirt at WonderCon in college, a comic artist looked at me and called it “interesting.” That’s the world we are living in!

There’s a constant fear of being pigeonholed.

While I love telling stories with queer characters, that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna write Daredevil or Nightwing, y’know?

In Winter’s End’s notes you write that you “want any youngster out there…to know that they can be heroes without hiding their light.” What are your plans to continue being such a positive force in promoting queer identity in comics?

My current plans include forcing folks upstairs to be a little more accountable for their actions. I wanna try and do more in terms of raising money and awareness for causes that can actually impact and affect the lives of individuals. I did a charity shirt benefitting (non-profit organisation) Rainbow Railroad, but I’d like to get a couple thousand more dollars their way. It’s no longer enough to be the “chill gay guy.” Shit’s still super real, and my LGBTQIA siblings need me to use my powers for more than pushing my own work.

Similarly, my new series at Boom Studios called Ghosted in LA is gonna be a fun world where I can do whatever I want with the cast… and let me tell you there’s gonna be a lot of beautiful queer energy in a book that’s essentially Melrose Place with ghosts!

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE: Sailor Scout: Sailor Moon or Venus Power Ranger: Trini X-Men member: Constantly changing, but always love Storm and Wolverine (but not as a couple) Avenger: Cap! Buffy character: Buffy or Faith Drag queen (reality or otherwise): Shea Couleé Pop star: Lana Del Rey

LGBT+ by Jonny Stone Page 43

LGBT+ NEWS

STRAIGHT PRIDE

Three men have expressed their firm desire to organise and celebrate Straight Pride. The group, entitled ‘Super Happy Fun America’, aims to “celebrate the diverse history, culture, and contributions of the straight community,” though their request to hold such an event has so far been rejected by the city of Boston. However, I am genuinely unsure as to whether we’re being trolled or not: one visit to their website raises such concerns. According to SHFA President John Hugo, “Straight people are an oppressed majority. We will fight for the right of straights everywhere to express pride in themselves without fear of judgement and hate. The day will come when straights will finally be included as equals among all of the other orientations.” Unpack that.

The city’s mayor, Marty Walsh, stated in response that “Every year Boston hosts our annual Pride Week, where our city comes together to celebrate the diversity, strength and acceptance of our LGBTQ community. This is a special week that represents Boston’s values of love and inclusion, which are unwavering. I encourage everyone to join us in celebration this Saturday for the Pride Parade and in the fight for progress and equality for all.” Performance art? Incredible trolling?

Hate speech? Who even knows anymore?

KENYAN CINEMA Kenya is not a safe place to be LGBT+: to name a few caveats, gay sex is illegal and punishable of up to 14 years in prison, same-sex relationships are not recognised in the eyes of the law, and there are no statutory provisions relating to transgender rights or discrimination against sexual or gender identities. There has been a brief, bittersweet glimpse of hope in Kenyan cinema, as a ban has been lifted on lesbian film Rafiki for a week-long screening to allow the film to be eligible for the Best Foreign Language Oscar nominations. Eligibility is dependent on being released in the film’s native country. This has, of course, irked the Kenya Film Classification Board, who previously banned the movie as a result of its promotion of homosexuality. Rafiki – which centres on a lesbian couple who live in a Nairobi housing estate – was the first Kenyan film to premiere at Cannes and has been given much critical acclaim. The screenings have been massively popular, and were extended due to public demand. Hopefully this landmark cultural moment will help lead to more concrete progress in the protection of LGBT+ Kenyans.

ESTHER MCVEY

HOMOPHOBIA IN KIRKCALDY A shopping centre in Kirkcaldy is at the centre of some unfortunate homophobic vandalism.

Footage has emerged of two drunk men repeatedly tearing down Pride flags hung up in the Olympia Shopping Centre. The centre alleges on their social media platforms that at one point the vandals then took to burning the flag. As seen in CCTV footage, one gentleman uses his crutch to more efficiently reach the flag before tearing it down. You have to appreciate their resource management. However, the shopping centre remain unphased and committed to spreading the Pride message; discussing the vandalism on Facebook, Olympia stated “We don’t deserve this. More flags will go up and we will battle through!” These seemingly minor acts of intolerance will always be a hurtful reminder that homophobia is still pertinent in all segments of society, but I am truly heartened by Olympia’s efforts in A) putting up flags in the first place and B) insisting on putting even more flags up to piss off these straight white men. We salute you. And don’t forget to show your support at Fife Pride in Kirkcaldy on Saturday 6 July!

The Conservative leadership race – which may well have been decided by the time of printing – has largely filled me with dread and secondhand embarrassment. Amidst this, however, has emerged my favourite surprise celebrity spat in recent memory: Esther McVey and Lorraine Kelly.

I trust, LGBT+ section reader, that we are on the same wavelength and assume you have seen the amazing video of Lorraine being asked on the spot what she think of McVey, squirming a little but indicating bad blood. She later stated “I strongly disagree with [McVey] on LGBT rights, and I just felt like I’ve had enough of this. We’ve had two-and-ahalf years of going round in circles over Brexit and now we’ve got people at each other’s throats, and it’s got to stop.” Let’s take a look at McVey’s history with us: on the odious Birmingham school protests, she firmly stated that “I’m very clear, the final say is with the parents. And if parents want to take their young children, at a primary school, out of certain forms of sex education, relationship education, then that is down to them.” Cute. She voted repeatedly against legalising same-sex marriage in 2013. Neat. Voted against making same sex marriage available to armed forces outside the UK. Stunning. Voted in 2011 against stopping abortion providers from providing pre-abortion counselling to women. Work. She is, of course, far from the only Tory MP to have a shameful history with LGBT+ equality, but it’s important to remember the impact the people desperate to make decisions on our behalf, perhaps against our community, have made on our journey towards equality.

LGBT+ by Jonny Stone Page 45

SCOTTISH

PRIDE It’s summer; our favourite time of year has returned; and it’s never been more glittery.

Pride season has officially kicked off, with cities across the country celebrating everything that makes our community so tremendous and the progress we have achieved so far. And where else would you rather be? After all, only two years ago Scotland was knocked off the top spot of most LGBT+ friendly countries in Europe (curse you, Malta!). This year is especially important, of course, as we mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots of 1969, when resistance to police intervention spear-headed the modern gay rights movement in New York’s Greenwich Village. Life as we know it would be radically different if it weren’t for the drag queens and transgender women who quite literally fought back against the police and other oppressors.

Whether political (which Pride should always be) or celebratory, the Pride march is no better way to unify people behind the cause of equality.

Seeing so many people united to support us brings a tear every time without fail. Our community continues to face so much adversity, between US leaders actively stripping LGBT+ citizens of their basic human rights and over 70 countries maintaining their prohibition of samesex relationships. Pride may not be for everyone, but we need it more than ever: it’s the perfect platform to celebrate queer culture and all we have achieved together. Also, face paint.

“So where can I get involved?” I hear you cry.

Pride Edinburgh, for one, takes place on 22 June

this year. For an itinerary for the march, which takes place from 12:30 and concludes at 13:15, head to the Pride Edinburgh website. They have a whole host of amazing events lined up; join the Order of Perpetual Indulgence’s Tea Dance from 2pm to 5pm at the Teviot Lounge Bar; plus the Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel is running a competition on their Instagram to win the chance to have Brunch with a Queen, hosted by the fabulous Reba Martell and Julianne Hoore.

And following on from last year’s fiasco, Glasgow is having another go at Pride, thanks to new organisation Mardi Gla. For the unfamiliar, around 600 people were refused entry into Kelvingrove Park (even those who had paid for premium VIP tickets) after too many tickets had been sold. What followed was a major investigation and shake-up of Pride Glasgow, with unaffiliated group Mardi Gla taking over the reins. This year looks set to be much smoother; our march kicks off at Kelvingrove and finishes at George Square, where you will find the Merchant

City transformed and split into various areas named in honour of LGBT+ trailblazers. Each themed zone offers a wide variety of experiences, from food and drink to wellbeing and political speeches.

But it is important to remember Pride’s political, radical roots. Free Pride returns on Saturday 3 August in the CCA, with another year of amazing events and experiences to invigorate and remind us of the real purposes of Pride: to remain political and inclusive. Expect a full day of stalls, talks, workshops, music, arts & crafts, and more. Free Pride is an organisation that aims to tackle the increasing commercialisation of Pride, and exclusion of marginalised groups within our community. Also, their goal is to be as accessible as possible for as many people as possible, utilising BSL interpreters, printing text of talks, providing soundproofing headsets and sensory tools, and ensuring toilets will be gender-neutral for the full duration of the event.

However, Edinburgh and Glasgow are far

from the only cities getting their Pride on this year; check out where you can celebrate Pride in a place near you!

22 June - Pride Edinburgh - Edinburgh 6 July - Fife Pride - Kirkcaldy 13/14 July - Bute Pride - Isle of Bute 20/21 July - Mardi Gla - Glasgow 21July - Proud Ness - Inverness 27 July - West Lothian Pride - West Lothian College 3 August – Free Pride - Glasgow 10 August - Perthshire Pride - Perth 21 September - Dundee Pride - Dundee

PRIDE GUIDE Is this your first Pride? If so, welcome!

Here are a few bare essentials to keep in mind as you trot off to glitter and be gay.

Sensible footwear (this excludes drag queens) is your friend, especially if you’re joining the glittered masses on the march. I’m a Dr Martens gal, myself, but think ahead!

A backpack: there will be hordes upon hordes of stalls and freebies on offer, so bring a swag bag. Plus: snacks. Line your stomachs!

Show off your creative side and opt for a home-made t-shirt/cape/poncho; otherwise there’s still time to go on Etsy and find something to pretend you made. Don’t give those big businesses your hard-earned cash!

Face and body paint: although, moisturise beforehand. You’ll thank me later when you’re drunk crying and desperately trying to take it off before bed. Pro tip.

You will hear Kelly-Marie, Kylie, Diana Ross and Lady Gaga blaring from a float. Do your homework beforehand and don’t embarrass yourself with pop culture ignorance.

A banner or sign for the march. This the prime weekend to make a statement: why not plaster it on a 10x10 piece of cardboard you found in your garage?

LGBT+ by Jonny Stone Page 47

PRIDE GUIDE:

MOVIE NIGHT Movie buffs can celebrate Pride in the comfort of their own homes by viewing as many movies made by and for queer people as possible. If marching isn’t your thing, buy in the drinks and host an LGBT+ Movie Night.

Scan through our must-see list and continue to support queer cinema!

PARIS IS BURNING This 1990 documentary presents the New York drag ball scene of the late 80s and is one of queer cinema’s most significant and controversial classics. Following a group of black and Latinx drag queens and transgender women, Paris is Burning showcases the beauty and spectacle of drag as well as the haunting reality of LGBT life in the 80s. Plus, fans of contemporary drag can thank these queens for bringing their language and cultural identity to the masses. Equally jubilant and heart-breaking, you’ll be sobbing at the end as ‘Got to be Real’ closes this bittersweet masterpiece.

THE BIRDCAGE This film is everything. From geniuses Mike Nichols and Elaine May, this comedy follows Armand (Robin Williams) and Arnold (Nathan Lane), who run a successful drag club in Vegas, as they pretend to their son’s in-laws that they are your typical heteronormal parenting unit, with the latter being Val’s mother. It is so good and so essential to watch; I can’t explain it. Funny and heartfelt, the perfect reminder that ‘We are Family’.

TANGERINE An underrated favourite, Tangerine made waves in 2015 when its lead actresses were among the first to be seriously considered as Oscar contenders and the first transgender actors to receive nomination campaigns. Not bad for a film shot on three iPhones. The film follows SinDee, a transgender prostitute, who discovers her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her.

The film offers us a bittersweet, poignant and funny insight into the lives of some black trans women today. A gem!

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P JOHNSON Marsha P Johnson, a drag queen and gay liberation activist, was a key player in the Stonewall riots. Johnson and fellow icon Sylvia Rivera co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) and forged a visible presence at gay liberation marches and

other radical political actions, as well as providing food and clothing to help support young drag queens and trans women living on the streets. Get to know her in this fascinating Netflix documentary, and celebrate her contribution to our community!

BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER! Seriously, who doesn’t love Natasha Lyonne?

The star of Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll made her mark as a cult hero in this lowbudget, camp classic from 1999. The film follows lesbian teenager Megan as she is sent to a gay conversion therapy camp. Like any cult classic worth its salt, it wasn’t received well at the time and has developed a huge following since then.

Darkly funny and acerbic, this is one to watch.

Plus RuPaul plays one of their coaches, which is enough in itself.

PRIDE Many LGBT+ movies focus on the lives and experiences of Americans, but it is important to pay tribute to the history of LGBT+ equality in the UK. Pride tells the true story of an unlikely but heartwarming alliance between gays and lesbians in London, and Welsh coal miners when the former decide to fundraise for them. Set in 1983 in the midst of Thatcher’s rule, Pride is largely about the tense and unjust political climate of the time, but the characters themselves are so likeable. With hilarious dialogue, great performances and huge emotional resonance, Pride is a new classic, and the music is superb.

AT THE

FRINGE?

SO ARE

WE. :)

Get in touch to find out more about advertising in our Edinburgh Festivals edition. hello@snackpublishing.com

LGBT+ by Jonny Stone Page Page 49

One day, when I was a small child, I remember my father putting the needle to the groove and ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ unfolding.

It transported me to a world beyond thought and logic, somewhere close to the divine.

Many of the Beatles’ songs throughout my childhood brought similar experiences, and I’ll always be a lifelong fan. Danny Boyle’s new film Yesterday brought back so many memories and feelings for me that at times I was in tears.

Jack (Himesh Patel) is a struggling musician living in Suffolk, who gives up on his dreams just as a global blackout occurs. He’s hit by a lorry while on his pushbike, and wakes to find a world

in which the Beatles never existed - cue amusing jokes involving him googling the band.

He decides to pretend that he has written all of their songs, and with the help of Ed Sheeran (playing himself) becomes a megastar. But his conscience begins to get the better of him, and his true love Ellie (Lily James) may be slipping through his fingers…

Yesterday is, at times, a frustrating film. But, come the end, I felt as I have many times upon finishing a movie: a sense of rejuvenation, transformation and belief. Anyone who has seen the writer Richard Curtis’ (Four Weddings and a Funeral) work will know that there’s usually a large dose of saccharine involved. The film’s premise

FILM

and execution reflect this. It’s undoubtedly predictable, but the absolute love for these songs shines through. It truly made me imagine a world in which the Beatles had never featured, and to listen to their music with fresh ears.

This is in no small part attributable to Patel’s ability to make the songs sound like they were being played for the first time. In a wonderful scene, Sheeran challenges Jack to write a song in ten minutes, and he duly performs ‘The Long and Winding Road’. In his hands, McCartney’s beautiful ode to love sounds timeless and completely fresh.

However, in the early part of the film, Patel’s performance is unconvincing. He plays it a little

flat, and as a result his character feels underwritten.

Come the second half, this absolutely changed. I really felt for this man in an imagined situation of such insanity.

A mid-film scene has Ellie deliver Jack an ultimatum: it’s her, or fame. I found James’ performance tear-jerkingly honest, and felt it communicated the theme of the film: All You Need is Love. The chemistry between the two is palpable, and you’ll likely really want them to end up together. On the negative side, Kate McKinnon as Jack’s manager is a mostly onedimensional, cliched character, only out for money and gratingly so. Other characters such as Rocky, Jack’s road manager, manage some laughs but have little depth. I’m not a fan of any Ed Sheeran songs that I’ve heard so far, and his presence put me off a little — despite gamely taking the piss out of himself here. His fans will find much to enjoy in this film.

While scoring high on the Ben and Jerry’s scale of sugary sweetness, Yesterday definitely succeeds on the levels it sets its sights on; it’s heartwarming, beautiful and funny, and truly showcases the all-encompassing power of the Beatles’ music. More than this, the film celebrates the transformative power of love (to quote Huey Lewis), which can make the mundane magical and the everyday be the eternal moment. Not just being in love with someone: just being.

Film by Martin Sandison Page 51

ROBERT The year is 1306. Robert The Bruce is a bloodied fugitive who, following the murder of John Comyn or ‘The Red’ in a Franciscan church, is hiding out in a cave after disbanding his warriors, some of whom have turned traitor and are hunting him down for the bounty on his head. Battered and broken from battle, The Bruce’s journey takes him to a croft. There, a widow and her three children shelter him from the storms (both natural and man-made) and nurse him back to health, before he goes on to become King of Scots.

This visually stunning film’s beautiful wild exteriors, gripping fight scenes and on-point period detail are equalled by the stellar cast performances. Robert The Bruce shouldn’t be seen as a sequel to Braveheart: thematically it has far more in common with films like Night and Fog In Japan (1960), an intensely political Japanese film by Nagisa Oshima. Both films deal in concerns with political memory and the interpersonal dynamics of social movements.

SNACK spoke with Angus Macfadyen, Glasgow-born actor and co-writer of Robert The Bruce to discuss the reprisal of his role as The Bruce, almost 25 years after his initial portrayal in Braveheart (1995).

Are you looking forward to the world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival?

I am very excited, as that’s where I wanted the film to open. It’s quite remarkable that we are opening on 23 June, which is the anniversary of Bannockburn.

THE

BRUCE “IT’S REALLY THE STORY OF A MAN WHO IS STRIPPED OF ALL HIS POWER, HIS AUTHORITY, HIS POMPOSITY, HIS DREAMS AND ILLUSIONS.”

Why did you choose to set the story in 1306, when Robert is being hunted down?

The story I wanted to tell with [co-writer] Eric Belgau was a story not about the glory of war, but about the terrible punishments and the suffering which are the consequences of war. The soldiers who had fought for The Bruce were by then rather embittered, and were asking what they had fought for all these years. A certain scepticism had crept into the land; this basically led to Robert becoming a hunted man. There was a price on his head, and the soldiers started chasing him down, trying to get the reward.

That was the period that interested me the most; the downfall of a king. It’s when someone is at the bottom, in despair. It fascinates me; the great fall.

It’s really the story of a man who is stripped of all his power, his authority, his pomposity, his dreams and illusions. Facing the truth of what his actions had done to the country.

It was important for me to tell that story. I wanted to finish telling the rest of it, of how and what the rest of that journey was, and the end of that journey for me was not about the glory of war. It was a story of the breakdown of a dream The Bruce had, and the realisation that it had poisoned the land, and his soul.

What is the significance of Morag, the widow character?

Morag (Anna Hutchison), lives in a small croft with three orphaned children in her care, orphaned because their fathers died fighting in battles for either William Wallace or Robert the Bruce. And so here they are, with no men in the household. We wanted to tell a very real story about the consequences of war.

Can film influence political debate?

You know, one of the beautiful things about Braveheart was that when they opened it, people were weeping and cheering, “Freedom!

Freedom!” And then we got our first Scottish Parliament, in 1997.

That was nothing to do with the politicians, who’ve been banging on for decades with their

political speeches. It was because of an emotional reaction people had to a movie, imagery and music, and a sense of injustice. Culture is such an incredibly important thing. Braveheart told the story from the point of view of the Scots, not the people who beat down the Scots.

Robert The Bruce wanted to give land back to the people, but now offshore shell companies own vast amounts of Scotland – time for real change?

The thing about the Declaration of Arbroath and concept of the Commonwealth was that the land and the castles were no longer his. The land was owned by the people, for the people. That concept came about from Robert The Bruce, and it was an incredibly modern ideal which we then lost in the act of union in 1707. But you have the feeling that it’s coming back, similar in a sense with our struggle for people to have a land to call their own now.

Robert the Bruce is in Cinemas from 28th June, following its World Premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival ‘19.

Film by Émile O’Neill Page 53

WILD SWIMMING “WE...LISTENED TO MUSIC AND ATE AND SWAM IN THE SEA AND FILLED OURSELVES WITH LOADS OF THINGS”

Wild Swimming: A Brief and Benighted History is hitting Pleasance for its first run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Exploring the tensions in the way we talk about gender through the last 400 years through snacks and laughs, there was no one better than SNACK mag to get to the heart of Wild Swimming. Director Julia Head tells me more…

What can the audience expect from Wild Swimming?

It’s a really fun night out. We wanted as a company to make sure that our theatre was accessible, but that the audience can watch

something beautiful too. It’s about a man and a woman who first meet on a beach in the 15th century, and they carry on meeting on the beach for the next 400 years. Gender and art changes, and their friendship changes. It’s also a really fun night out.

It came from a moment I had with a good friend of mine on a night out, who said ‘sometimes, I just really wanna be a Victorian Man. I think I’d do better; it would suit me more.’

I think it came from the idea that he was a privileged cis-white man who feels a sense of ‘I know that all of the men from my history have been dicks, but that I’m also not a dick. How do I fit into this world anymore? I don’t know how to not be wrong, because I constantly feel like it. I don’t want to say sorry but I don’t feel I can be who I want to be.’

I decided I wanted to make a play about masculinity and feminism, and I wanted a man to write it, and a woman to play a man. All of womankind have had to justify and constantly articulate their thoughts on feminism, so that’s why I wanted a man to justify their thoughts on the same thing.

The first thing is that he’s a very good friend of mine.

Is it different every night?

It’ll be different every night but the themes are the same and it’ll be similar. The hope is that it develops the conversation with the audience, and we’re interested in celebrating live theatre.

There is a tension between Marek and his really beautiful writing and the production, which is more about a fun night out – an aggressive version.

Where did the snacks come from?

With a lot of mischief and generosity and love, we try to sabotage Marek’s play. One of the more fun ways is through eating. I like eating and I like eating when I’m watching plays – that was quite funny, and it went from there.

In the show, Nell does ‘Fuck all’ after Uni. How much does it draw off the millennial diaspora?

THEATRE Marek is an incredibly intelligent man, who has been to university and really enjoys academia. I am a person that has not been to university, who doesn’t enjoy academia and doesn’t know about old white guys who write stuff.

That has been massive in our relationship as a theatre company. Although we do the same plays, the reason we do it is different and it’s quite exciting. It’s how we learn from each other. I’ve learnt a lot from Marek’s knowledge of plays and writing. Marek has learned from me about playfulness and fun, and the method of failure that we are really interested in as a company.

He comments quite a lot about it in the play; the idea that learning and education is all from one perspective is challenged.

How did Full Rogue come about as a company?

This is our first fringe play as a company - we started in 2017.

We came together in a room, read loads of articles and listened to music and ate and swam in the sea and filled ourselves with loads of things.

Two years later we had a script. We stress-tested the play, pushing it to the limit to see what we’d find. Lots of new plays being written are treated with huge delicacy, like they might break easily. I was interested in taking a new play and treating it like a robust, resilient Shakespearean play. Bash it against a wall and see what happens. It felt a bit…rogue.

Wild Swimming July 31st - Aug 26th 12:45pm Beneath - Pleasance Courtyard pleasance.co.uk/event/wild-swimming Theatre by Carla Jenkins Page 55

THE THEATRE OF ROBERT ANTON

Exhibition View, Foksal Gallery Foundation, 2018.

Courtesy Bette Stoler Archive, New York

VISUAL ARTS

LAST CHANCE TO SEE. Tramway, Glasgow – Till 7th July

Visual Arts Page 57

RUSSIAN SANCTIONS On a plane at 3AM, I watch an interview with Vladimir Putin and think of my father.

He emailed on my last birthday, the fourteenth one he has missed.

Gmail filtered the message as Spam, between Violeta being hurt I had supposedly blocked her and “The most powerful Cannabidiol pill”.

Avoid replying with sensitive information until you are sure this email is legitimate.

My father and Putin would probably be friends because they enjoy similar things: Displacing people from their homes.

Corrupt behavior concerning information on the Internet.

“Personality cults”.

Smirking and laughing when you ask a question so you think you must be wrong.

There are two ways to handle Spam.

Delete forever, or say it is not as bad as it looks.

You can also ignore it.

Something with greater power might handle the mess for you, you can hope

By Rachel Gilman

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