Friday 14 – Sunday 16 May 2010 The Passenger Shed Temple Meads, Bristol
Contemporary art under ÂŁ3,000 55 galleries exhibiting Tickets: 0870 777 2255 and affordableartfair.co.uk
Bristol
SY On The Sly – Faithful April Bang. Spring’s arrived! I don’t know about you but I can’t move for all the new born lambs, daffodil filled meadows, chirping chicks, crucifixions and April fools who are over-optimistically getting the shorts and flip-flops out already. If you can somehow pull yourself from these distractions, you might see all the fantastic events Bristol has to offer this month. April sees the fourteenth issue of SY On The Sly, the sister publication of Suit Yourself Magazine – Bristol’s number one independent, quarterly magazine which investigates, uncovers and promotes everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant and altogether amazing place to live! Read away and don’t forget to check out the latest issue of Suit Yourself Magazine, our listings service and our constantly updated blog, all found at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk www.bristollistings.co.uk
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3/ Faithful April 9/ Auntie Harper 50/ Horoscopes by Mystic Ginger A Sly look back at March 12/ The best of Gigs 29/ The best of Art 30/ The best of Stage 36/ The best of Cinema A Sly look forward at April 42/ Recommended Gigs 44/ Recommended Art 45/ Recommended Clubs 46/ Recommended Stage 47/ Recommended Cinema For those of you pretending to work, you can also read the magazine online at www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk www.bristolli stings.co.uk
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DonNatoew! Help save our sausages and keep Bristol’s No.1 independent magazine! Just go to www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk and follow the links.
friday 30 april rokia traoré and sweet billy pilgrim
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saturday 1 may lee ‘scratch’ perry
an genius, innovator, madm most ’s gae reg is ry per lee – and influential father figure rare musical trailblazer. his the live shows are some of illing most eccentric and thr around. catch him while he’s still touring. doors 8.30pm, tickets: £25
tickets: £17.50
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hall in this unique colston ey commission adrian utl gor y gre l wil and d) hea rtis (po l cia spe s plu (goldfrapp) m guest musicians per for the for re sco their new . classic 1928 silent film 8pm, tickets: £17, £5
Auntie Harper SY’s Agony Aunt answers your questions…
and 1. I need a fancy dress idea for my birthday party this month, s. answer the ideas Harper? Some people expect me to come up with all don’t I don’t know you, I don’t want to get to know you and frankly, I You party. really give a fuck about what you wear to your fancy dress at haven’t got any friends and you certainly aren’t going to find any places like that! don’t 2. How do I find out if this girl I like has a boyfriend? And mate, say just ask her cos that’s not gonna happen! I can tell you at her g she hasn’t got a boyfriend. I know that because I’m bangin you the moment and I know she wouldn’t be interested in an inbred like anyway. 3. Who would win in a fight between David Blain and Derren Brown? the Neither! When they were in the ring together I’d jump in and kick shit out of both of them. Simple! To put your queries to Auntie Harper’s sympathetic ear just email: info@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk
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Check out Suit Yourself Magazine, the sister publication of SY On The Sly. Suit Yourself Magazine is a free, quarterly printed magazine that has been going strong for over four years and can be found in every shop, cafe, pub, club, restaurant, hairdresser, gallery and venue all over Bristol! Suit Yourself Magazine is an independent publication, a voice for all those young at heart, those interested in music, fashion, adventure, the arts, their environment and everything in between. A magazine which investigates, uncovers and promoters everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant, and altogether amazing place to live. Pick it up on the streets of Bristol or read back issues at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk
A SLY look back at March Reviews of al l the best gigs, art, club s, stage an dcinema over the last month in Bristol
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip Saturday 27th March 2010 @ Academy, Bristol It’s a weird feeling in the Bristol Academy tonight: Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip are a truly unique act pondering that space in the netherworlds between underground and mainstream and having not been shoe-horned into a particular genre or subculture means that tonight’s crowd are an eclectic bunch of all ages, making for an interesting atmosphere. Sac vs. Pip deliver in spades as the room that has been mostly half empty for tonight’s supports, now fills to its sold out capacity. Being their biggest gig outside of London, it’s pretty clear that Bristol has got a lot of love for this duo as have they for us and they repay us with a thought provoking, heart pounding, and dance till you drop set. It’s very rare you can apply these three descriptions to a single act but Le Sac and Pip warrant it.
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From opening song, The Beat That My Heart Skipped, Scroobius ferociously launches into his unique style of wordsmanship with an eloquent anger. As the evening goes on, he tries to put his various life messages across and is neither too preachy or tongue-in-cheek, delivering with such sincerity that you actually want to listen to what he has to say. As always, Le Sac provides the solid foundation for Pip’s rhymes and raps, jumping seamlessly from electro to hip-hop to even drum and bass at times, providing an upbeat energy that even this most eclectic of crowds can enjoy together. By the time they crack into hit Hip Hop Is Art, the night really starts to kick off and when we come to latest single, Get Better, it’s clear the two might be pushing in a more mainstream direction which no doubt will result in many more venues like this being sold out for them. www.lesacvspip.co.uk Adam Hooper Photos by Laura Palmer
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Frightened Rabbit Monday 8th March 2010 @ Thekla, Bristol A handful of songs into Frightened Rabbit’s sold out gig at the Thekla and their ever-engaging chief songwriter, Scott Hutchinson, reminds the crowd of the last time the band played in the city; namely supporting US indie legends Death Cab For Cutie at Colston Hall back in the Autumn of 2008. Though tonight’s surroundings may be slightly less grand than that, no-one could deny that the band’s journey since then has been anything other than a successful one. Constant touring led to word-of-mouth praise and sent Frightened Rabbit to the top of many end-of-year lists, both on these shores and in the US. Tonight’s gig in support of their newly released and much-anticipated third album, The Winter Of Mixed Drinks, finds the band on fine form; moving and thrilling the crowd in equal measure. New songs such as Skip The Youth, Nothing Like You and Foot Shooter, the latter surely being one of the bands finest songs to-date, are greeted as rapturously as any of the favourites from 2008’s breakthrough album, The Midnight Organ Fight. Despite the dark subject matter (…Organ Fight was famously written in response to the breakup of Scott’s relationship), songs such as The Modern Leper, Old Old Fashioned and The Twist are always more uplifting than depressing. A solo-acoustic version of Poke to start the encore, performed from the front of the stage both unplugged and microphone-free, is a genuinely moving moment even with the crowd singing along to every word. The rest of the band then re-join Scott for a rousing version of Living In Colour before the crowd departs with the epic crescendo of closing track, Keep Yourself Warm, still ringing firmly in their ears. On tonight’s showing, it’s surely only a matter of time before Frightened Rabbit are back in the Colston Hall - this time as the headline act. www.frightenedrabbit.com Tom Johnson
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Fun Lovin Criminals Thursday 11th March 2010 @ Academy, Bristol With Support From: The Chemists Tonight the Academy was strangely filling up very early and very quickly from the moment the doors were open. The Fun Lovin Criminals saunter onto the stage and all of a sudden the venue is heaving. With heads on shoulders all around the room and on every level just to see if these guys are as cool in person and live, guess what? They are! These guys ooze cool - it drips off them. In fact, if I was told after this gig that Huey invented cool I wouldn’t question it. These guys are still as smooth as they were a decade ago and their live setup is perfect. I was particularly impressed with the drumming; snappy yet soulful which worked perfectly with the vocals and Fast’s multitude of instruments and samples. They are on tour to promote their latest album, Classic Fantastic, and if the songs from it tonight are anything to go by, it’s a corker! I always find it hard to describe Fun Lovin Criminals; are they hip-hop? R&B? Soul? Rock? Funk? Pop? The great thing is they are all of these things and that seems to be why they have lasted so long. All the classics are still performed with gusto including Loco, Barry White and Scooby Snacks. The band are as fresh and smooth as ever, you deserve to see them next time they play! www.funlovincriminals.tv Stu Freeman
Newton Faulkner Friday 5th March 2010 @ Colston Hall, Bristol With Support From: Charlie Winston If it’s possible to have a relaxed excitement, I’d probably have to say that that’s exactly how tonight’s show felt. Tonight’s support, Charlie Winston, plays an array of well crafted tunes and while they’re not necessarily very original, they are well written and give the crowd a good taster and prime them just right for Mr. Faulkner. It’s been a couple of summers now since Newton Faulkner first came into our mainstream and he’s been quietly knocking around ever since. Taking the term one-man-band to a whole new conception, he utilises modern technology as his personal back mounted kick drum. His fingerwork and musicianship is not exactly that which you’d usually expect from a solo guitar playing singer song-writer, his guitar doubling up as percussion instrument as well as accompaniment visual computerised additions, sampling units and an organ he can play with his feet show that this one-man-band is a far cry from the ones you’ve seen marching around in lederhosen at your local carnival.
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However, it is not just his keen eye for placement and musicianship that endears you to him, he has an everyman quality and a wacky sense of humour that somehow makes you want to support him as he muddles through his set. After all, you have to admire any performer that is actually keen to break down the illusions of his live shows and expose them for all his audience to see, some may call this showing off but he just seems so genuinely excited about how he has created it all and he wants you to know how it’s done. Whether it be the camera streaming the footage of his feet or the projection samples of himself playing a melodica or even, as he calls it, a Disney-style sing-along to one of his tunes keep you engrossed even when he is not playing one of his bigger hits. When it eventually does come to his hits, the rooms comes alive; his cover of Massive Attack’s Teardrop was always going to go down well bigger hits such as Catch Me and Gone In The Morning are given that anthem feel by the crowd even when asked to sing it like pirates with rabies. Newton Faulkner is quite simply a really great night out whether you’re stood at the front dancing or sat on the balcony, and that is a rare thing. www.newtonfaulkner.com Adam Hooper Photos by Laura Palmer
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Laura Marling Friday 26th March 2010 @ Rise Record Shop, Bristol Who says the independent record shop is dead? National Record Store Day is to be celebrated in force in a month’s time but as an early treat, Bristol’s very own independent music-Mecca, Rise, organised an exclusive in-store gig by the superb folk singer-songwriter, Laura Marling, promoting her new album, I Speak Because I Can. As Marling’s tiny frame takes its place on top of a couple of wooden grates and she hoists her acoustic guitar over her head, the collected congregation of 200 or so people fall utterly silent in rapturous anticipation. They all realise what a rare opportunity this is to see their idol’s fantastic talent in such an intimate setting. They are savouring it, knowing it may well never happen again. Marling is on track to the big time, highlighted by the fact that at only 20 years old she’s already playing venue’s like Colston Hall (21st April). Marling indulges us with a short but superb set, starting with new single, Rambling Man, and including the album’s stand-out track, Made By Maid. Live she is a sensation: Note perfect and sharp, her voice is just as mesmerising as on record. She seems to have to have come to terms a bit more with her fame too, more comfortable and confident in her skin and shares a few amicable jokes and chats with the crowd. All too soon as the sky slowly greys through the window behind her, Marling closes her set with the wonderful Goodbye England and we all have to bring our feet back down to earth and re-join the real world. Recently Rise has hosted some equally superb shows by the likes of Mumford & Sons and Frightened Rabbit so keep an eye on this Queens Road shop for what else they have in store in-store for us in the future and don’t forget Record Store Day on 17th April. www.lauramarling.com www.rise-music.org Matt Whittle
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A Day To Remember Saturday 13th March 2010 @ Anson Rooms, Bristol With Support From: Your Demise, Architects Doors opened bang on 7:30 and the long queue of fans lining the cold streets outside Bristol’s Anson Rooms quickly filled the venue for this sold out gig. The diverse audience didn’t have to wait long before St Alban’s hardcore band, Your Demise, kicked off the night with immense energy that got the crowed moving from the word go. With their hardcore metal riffs mixed with their own dub-step samples playing between songs, the crowd reacted with energetic two stepping and moshing throughout. The band’s newest member and lead vocalist, (ex-Centurion front man) Ed McRae, made sure he put his fair share of effort into their performance by jumping into the pit on several occasions promoting crowd participation to the highest level. Even though there was a mixture of different musical styles being played throughout the night, Your Demise proved that hardcore isn’t dead but has been re-born. The turnover was quick, there was barely time to grab a beer and some merchandise before Architects, Brighton’s best prog-metalcore band, filled the room for some awesome metal with blast beats and beat downs. They showed no sign of slowing down throughout and kept the packed Anson Rooms moving from front to back. Again the band showed what they had to offer for the diverse audience and defiantly opened people’s eyes to the modern metal scene.
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Finally, the highly anticipated headliners stood before the Anson Rooms and overlooked their audience which filled every square inch of the floor. Florida’s A Day To Remember started off strong and only stopped when front man Jeremy McKinnon gave a heart throbbing speech saying; “If we can tour the world and make a healthy living with poppunk and beat downs then you can do anything!” They were constantly interacting with their crowd who were more than happy to answer their calls by singing and dancing to everything that was thrown at them. After finishing their set, the crowd beckoned for more! Everyone knew what was coming next: The crowd chanted the intro to The Downfall Of Us All, followed by the band kicking in and tearing the roof off. You couldn’t help but move to this song which was then followed by the bands most popular song The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle. Easily the crowd’s favourite, both band and crowd went crazy for this phenomenal performance which ended with confetti cannons firing upon the audience on the last note of the song which ended a fantastic and very sweaty night. www.adtrrock.com Joe Jackson
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Andy McKee Wednesday 17th March 2010 @ Colston Hall, Bristol To the typical gig fanatic, the words “Sold Out” can only mean one thing…he’s good. Making his fame through a series of YouTube videos, Andy McKee is now considered a legend in the vast world of guitar virtuosos and the sheer power of his live performances explained why I felt myself being pressed from all sides by eager fans waiting for his arrival. As the casually dressed fellow sauntered onto the stage, the hall erupted into a thunderous cheer. He picked up his acoustic 6-string and smashed straight into Tight Trite Night which showed off his staggering technical abilities with a heavily syncopated rhythm being merged into jazzy chord progressions. After each piece, Andy spend a minute tuning his guitar into a completely different tuning whilst engaging in comical banter with the audience. His stage presence had the audience stood there like obedient school children and one could not help but laugh at his cheeky expressions between songs. After a brief intermission, the famous Drifting exploded into the audience with a flurry of intricate percussive melody and the passion and expression in which it was played complemented the powerful feeling of the piece. The piece Rylynn which was dedicated to the sad death of Andy’s friend’s daughter can only be described as heart warming, sad and yet loving. Many a sniff was heard and some grown men were to be seen discreetly wiping away a tear. The set as a whole was an emotional rollercoaster with an incredible range of moods and at one point, Andy expressed his love for 80s music with an arrangement of Tears For Fears and even burst into Smoke On The Water during one chorus in the encore. The night celebrated a truly amazing man and I find it impossible to sum up the unique musical force he possesses. There was a reason why this show was sold out and one can only pray that he returns next year. www.andymckee.com
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Thomas Dunn
New Young Pony Club Wednesday 17th March 2010 @ Thekla, Bristol
It’s been three years since New Young Pony Club released their Mercury-nominated debut album, Fantastic Playroom, and it seems that they’ve done some growing up in that time. New album, The Optimist, is a darker, edgier sounding record with many of the songs appearing to deal with the break-up of front-woman Tahita Bulmer’s relationship. Thankfully for us though, said break-up doesn’t seem to have dampened her spirits too much as tonight’s performance is full of energy and defiance - and what a performance it is! She holds the crowd in the palm of her hand from start to finish and while the rest of the band more than play their part, it is undoubtedly her show. The set itself is perfectly balanced with new songs such as Lost A Girl and We Want To mixed seamlessly with older material. Even throwing in their biggest song to-date, Ice Cream, mid-set does nothing to disrupt the flow. In today’s climate of ready-made popstars, it’s great to see a band who not only seem so at-ease playing live on stage, but are actually all the better for it. Certain songs that fall a little flat on record really come alive tonight. They’ve been away far too long but it was definitely worth the wait. www.newyoungponyclub.com Tom Johnson
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The Hit Ups Friday 26th February 2010 @ The Croft, Bristol The Croft, with its Narnia style door to the cavernous ‘Band Room’ behind the scenes of a normal looking pub, is the perfect setting for a raucous gig. Even better perhaps, it lends itself adequately as the setting for a video shoot staged by new Bristol heavyweights, The Hit Ups, for their song Dirt Pile. With a gaggle of bright young things tripping through the door to participate, you get the sense that these guys are bound for the dizzying heights of fame. After much ado, heavy banter between the bar staff and The Hit Ups professed ‘throat tearing’ lyricist Josh, they take to the stage and lose the crowd in a heavy dose of hedonism, manifested in a way only they can deliver. I am strongly reminded of the latter day Daryl Palumbo incarnation Head Automatica as lyrics, both conversational and confrontational, interweave with skilful, sumptuous, shredding manoeuvres between guitarists Samuel and Charlie. A personal favourite being Discotheque, I cannot resist the central drumbeat executed by Lewis and smoothly delivered line “Welcome to the discotheque, hot butter!”, an unbelievably sexy lyric, for reasons I can’t fully understand! The crowd are in a frenzied state by the time they decide to unleash a sneaky preview of new track 66Sexy, and it does not disappoint. The guys are a fantastic mix, creative and collaborative, breaking out impromptu beat boxing in the middle of their set and admitting that they share their artistic abilities
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when writing new music when I met them earlier that evening. Earnestly stating; ‘Our music style has changed a lot, especially over the last year, where we’ve been bringing in new influences and writing our music to make it pleasing to us, as well as to crowds’, the guys own influences such as Does It Offend You, Yeah?, and Kings of Leon’s latest album. They also emphasise a pride in hailing from Bristol with its musical background and epic club scene and in receiving such warm responses from the crowd; ‘It’s a pride we haven’t really seen in other cities.’ states Charlie. The pride is certainly overflowing by the time the set is done, and with just enough time to deliver the crunchy, heart rending sound of the beautifully cultivated, Icarus, and smooth, minimal quality of Unforgivable, we are pitched back into silence, our ears ringing and a smile on every face; it’s clear that the bands ethos of “Part, party, vomit, hurl” is utterly apt. ‘It’s about the audience having a good time, while we’re having a good time. Seeing Jay-Z at Glastonbury and getting goose bumps was amazing. That’s our ultimate goal, to give the ultimate gig that affects audiences like that.’ With the crowd they draw, and without even being signed, there is no doubt that this level of adoration is achievable, with time and dedication they so clearly strive for behind everything they do. There’s no doubt that they are Bristol’s hot property, with the fan base and admirers to match. The very fact that they attract what one James Cook tastefully described as ‘jail bait’ cannot do them any harm for future fame. Just keep your hands to yourself! www.myspace.com/thehitups Clementine Lloyd
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Noisettes Friday 5th March 2010 @ Academy, Bristol The stage lighting dimmed to a deep mysterious purple as the eager crowd started to stamp their feet in anticipation. I had to cover my ears as the crescendo of screams grew to a climax with the Noisettes’ entrance onto the stage. Shingai Shoniwa graced the audience with her incredible vocal talent and her charisma and highly energetic performance on stage was simply staggering. The dirty indie rock blended with a soulful bluesy edge gave them a very unique sound which, at times, exploded into a frenzy of frantic drum fills, falsetto screaming and of course, heavy strobe lighting. Some incredible solos from the lead guitarist even led to him playing the Fender Jaguar with his molars and at one stage made the announcement; “I’m going to get naked! I don’t give a SHIT!” The hit, Never Forget You, had the audience eating out of their by now “sweaty” hands and not once did the band falter in their astounding performance. Their sheer nerve at times and the overall tightness of the band made it an incredible live feat. They left the audience gagging for more. www.noisettes.net Tom Dunn Photos by Rossy Barnett
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Paloma Faith Friday 26th March 2010 @ Academy, Bristol When Paloma Faith hits the stage, immediately it’s clear what she’s all about; trying to bring that edge of 30s showbiz glitz and glam to modern pop. From one of the most elaborate and glamorous stage set ups to have ever graced the Academy’s stage, to the overindulgent costumes and make-up, you know this probably isn’t going to be your usual pop singer show. A far cry from her contemporaries such as Cheryl Cole, Amy Winehouse or, dare we say, Mariah Carey, Paloma tows that line of diva arrogance with just enough of an added pinch of sugar that you never feel the need to take her too seriously. Paloma of course delivers that note perfect performance you would come to expect from a now well established modern pop diva. Singles such as breakthrough hit, Stone-Cold Sober, and more recent Radio1 hit, Upside Down, are performed with all the fevering energy you’d expect. She even steps back during this to give her band, who for some reason are all dressed like AC/DC’s Angus Young, the chance to take centre stage even when she isn’t in the middle of a costume change. Of course the costumes, the glitz, the glam and singing style are all very Paloma Faith, her classic image making her stand out amongst the crowd in British music; however all too often and not always to her credit, Paloma insists on citing her influences which only at times serve to remind us she isn’t perhaps so original as we think. In a set tonight that is also littered with covers (I personally counted four) from Akon to Etta James, you’re left sometimes wondering how much faith (excuse the pun) she really has in the rest of her album material. But with show closer New York, Paloma brings back the glitz and reminds you how much at times she really can shine. www.palomafaith.com Adam Hooper Photos by Laura Palmer
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Sir Peter Blake: The Godfather of British Pop Art Saturday 27th February until Saturday 27th March 2010 @ Innocent Fine Art, Bristol The record cover for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is an iconic image that sums up the spirit of Britain in the 1960s. The picture, designed by Peter Blake and his wife Jann Haworth, is placed in the window of the small exhibition currently showing at Innocent Fine Art in Clifton. The cover is now cherished as an emblem of British culture and is the work that helped Peter Blake to become the legendary national treasure that he is today. In 1961, Blake’s work was exhibited alongside that of David Hockney in ‘Young Contemporaries’ and this helped to mark him out as part of the Pop Art movement. He took inspiration from popular culture in London’s swinging 60s as well as from celebrities of the age such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. In his work Marilyn, he places three photos of the sex symbol above bright, bold colours that allude to the contemporary abstract art movement of the day. His works often incorporate collage and memorabilia taken from everyday life. The works on display in this exhibition span from his earlier works to more recent pictures that include his Ian Dury album cover, All New Boots And Panties. To this day, he continues to produce a great deal of important works and the National Gallery exhibition, Now We Are 64 of 1996 is a testament to his success and his position in this country as one of the most prolific living artists. The exhibition is one not to be missed, primarily because Blake’s works are punchy and fun. It is easy to see why he is heralded as a key figure in British art; his works are a celebration of culture and a visual record of the spirit of an age of colour and new-found freedom. www.innocentfineart.co.uk Daisy Allsup
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Juliet & Her Romeo Wednesday 10th March until Saturday 24th April 2010 @ Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
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Putting on Shakespeare’s better known works these days is always a difficult job, especially the universally well known love story of Romeo and Juliet. Everyone has seen it countless times on stage and screen, everyone has an opinion and therefore you would only want to perform it if you can do something new with it. Thankfully then, this is exactly what the BOV’s new co-Artistic Director, Tom Morris, has done. In his play, our lovers aren’t spunky 18-years-old but frail 80-year-olds and the action takes place within Verona Care Home. It’s an intriguing premise and it is why every paper and cultural outlet across the land is talking about it, a feat that can only be good news for this theatre’s future. There are so many interesting issues that have the potential to be explored with this set up – our aging population, ageism, the role of the elderly in society – but the play itself, has to be said, is a clunky fit. In an effort to highlight these issues and more all at once, throughout the evening’s unfolding story there were several square pegs that felt like they had been rammed into round holes. Instead of opting for one strong line, Juliet & Her Romeo seems to be content with a basketful of weaker messages. This flawed ambition leads to several inconsistencies across the show’s style, direction and design which, at points, makes for a confusing and uncomfortable watch: Who is the Nurse working for/who’s side is she on? What are the Doctor’s motivations? Are the Montagues and the Capulets quarrelling families, separate wards or a wider dispute between private and public healthcare? The clarity and power of the show would have benefited tenfold if they just chose one line or message and stuck to it. HOWEVER…putting the show’s inconsistencies and severe stylistic imbalances to one side, they still manage to create some truly beautiful and captivating moments and personal highlights came when the Shakespearean text was turned on its head. Lines like; “I ne’er saw true beauty till this night” are suddenly given immense depth now they are being said by a life weary old man rather than a lusty teenager; “The orchard walls are high and hard to climb…” brings out humour that has never been there before; and metaphors of Mantua and the intimidating world outside of Verona’s walls suddenly have a new resonance. These re-invigorated snippets work well, are really made the most of and they should be the real motive behind you seeing this classical play’s reinvention. www.bristololdvic.org.uk Matt Whittle
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The Secret of Sherlock Holmes Monday 8th until Saturday 13th March 2010 @ Theatre Royal, Bath To be able to successfully investigate the dark crimes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a detective must be of a certain disposition. The fear of lurking top hats and supernatural extremities ready to blind the entire religious and moral framework of the innocent appears significantly more real in Victorian England. Not that Sherlock Holmes, the Baker Street investigator, feels this terror necessarily. He is able to clear the mist and enter the mindset of the villain. Working with the clues, Holmes is able to form linear reason from explosions of distress. However, no man lives without enemies, whether they are internal or flouncing about the place in stark life. The Secret of Sherlock Holmes at Bath’s Theatre Royal is a short exploration into the horrors of Holmes’ continuously stirring mind. The play, a huge hit in the West End in the 1980s, delves into the reasoning behind Holmes’ character. Very little is known about Holmes, the only information is that which can be gained from the chronicles of his investigations kept by his friend and colleague Dr Watson. Holmes’ past – his parents, government working brother – and then future – with his drug use, dependence on Watson and his arch enemy, Professor James Moriarty. The latter occasionally forming a terrifying figure at the back of the stage. With only two men, and set entirely at their Baker Street rooms, the play manages to be an enthralling and lip biting adventure; all credit to Philip Franks (Watson) and Peter Egan (Holmes). Dr Watson is endearing, sensitive and strong whilst Holmes is played perfectly as a man wrestling with himself; his crystal clear to quickly blurring thoughts and desires playing havoc with his mind and creating an unpredictable being. At just over an hour, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes is a mere insight into Holmes’ complex world. For lovers of the texts it is a must see, for others it is an enticing invitation to step onto the cobbled streets of London with Holmes and Watson. www.theatreroyal.org.uk Helen Martin
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The Tempest Thursday 4th until Saturday 6th March 2010 @ Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Firebird Theatre have done something unique; they have created a Tempest that is almost unrecognisable. Gone are the bold flourishes of soliloquy and eloquent declamations of human angst and power that one expects from Shakespeare’s play, in fact, Shakespeare has little place in this production. His themes of human suffering, love and the wielding of power against those ostracised by a judgemental society however, are present in full strength. Director John Nicholson has achieved the considerable task of uniting a company of disabled actors into a coherent and successful piece of theatre. The cast portray the struggle to find both a freedom and their own voice that Caliban, Prospero and Miranda experience using a mixture of movement, moments of dialogue and plenty of sensual appeal. The prejudices against humans whose bodies frustrate their active brains are exposed as meaningless, as these talented people wield hefty props and a heftier (though simplified) plot around the small stage of the Old Vic’s lower theatre. The play makes for discomforting viewing; it is impossible to compare the production to a conventional performance of Shakespeare simply because we are asked to see
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weakness as a strength. The power to move the audience by the sheer tragedy and determination of the ‘islands’ that are disadvantaged human lives is its most important effect. Simple verbal and logistical mistakes are touching in the context, as is the clumsy but genuine love between the protagonists. The use of the entire disabled company to portray Ariel gave a wonderful sense of empowerment and freedom to those in society who are least likely to feel empowered or free, and for this and the depiction of a very strong-mannered Prospero, Nicholson should be commended. Sarah Moody follows her exceptional musical work with Kneehigh and The Devils Violin with a more subdued and rather too innocuous musical accompaniment to the on-stage action. Its simplicity sometimes a little patronising towards the capabilities of the cast, but draws the audience’s attention towards the sounds of the sea being played over stage speakers and to the excerpts of dialogue on strength. Bizarrely however, these details always came second to the audience’s realisation that the actors were enjoying their activity with some pride; this was not a production to judge but by which to be amazed at every moment. www.bristololdvic.org.uk Katy Austin
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Kick-Ass Showing April 2010 @ Showcase Cinema De Lux, Bristol Many of us as kids read comics or watched superhero films and after escaping into these worlds, we would want to have superhero powers ourselves; this film is born of that motion. A young and somewhat overlooked highschool student Dave Lizewski has a massive love for comics. Bored with his life and the day to day pressures of school, he decides to become a superhero himself, though with no training and no actual powers it might be a bit tougher than he assumes. Kick-Ass strips us to the bare bone of human capability as when a fight scene occurs Dave (now known as the hero ‘Kick-Ass’) doesn’t just beat everyone up with one punch like Batman, he takes a good couple of punches himself before he just about wins the fight. So that sense of realism this film brings is one of the coolest aspects about it. Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin from Superbad) does play a similar kind of character in all of his roles, but hey, he is brilliant at it. Acting as Dave‘s eventual rival ‘Red Mist’ who gives us some memorable superhero puns he adds a necessary backbone to the film creating a fun atmosphere. And hurrah! Nicolas Cage is finally back in good films; Wicker Man? Ghost Rider? I think we’ll be happy to let those bad memories go after his outstanding performance as ‘Big Daddy’ in this. I guess you could state this film as being a superhero-comedy-action flick because at times you might feel like you’re in a Kill Bill movie as you see the young child, ‘Hit Girl’, cutting people to bits. At other times you will be submerged into a romantic or comedy scene, always keeping you hooked. As soon as I hear someone in the audience laughing while shouting, you know this film is surely going to be a favourite amongst many people. Check it out as I loved it and this film is defiantly what it says on the tin, kick-ass!! www.kickass-themovie.com Andrew Dex
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The Crazies Showing March 2010 @ Showcase Cinema De Lux, Bristol I went into the cinema with not much information on this one other than the fact I knew it was a re-make of a somewhat classic but mostly forgotten zombie horror directed by the legend, George A. Romero (Dawn Of The Dead). Back then, I guess, these kinds of films were rare but nowadays it feels like we have seen it all before; I did still see plenty of people leaping of their seats though. Set in the small state of Iowa, local Sheriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant) discovers that the water supply is infected by radiation which has come from a military plane crashing in their local river. As soon as the water hits town, people are infected. No, they don’t turn into zombies, they turn into “crazies” so basically they slowly become crazy and start brutally murdering people. Once the town is overrun, evacuation plans immediately take place and Dutton’s wife is kept behind as the military fear she is infected. On a courageous mission, Sheriff Dutton and his deputy must battle their way back through the chaos that was once his home town to get his wife back. Olyphant is one of those overlooked actors; he’s been great in many films like A Perfect Gateway and Die Hard 4.0 where he played the main villain, but this film, in my opinion, finally gives him that opportunity to show off all his talent. The Crazies sure does push the boundaries when it comes to being rated 15 but the atmosphere is admiring and, at times, very captivating making for a suspenseful but rewarding horror. Yes this motion picture might well just give some of you nightmares but I am sure you have not had that happen since the brilliant Paranormal Activity, so this will indeed be a refreshing reminder that horrors can still be created, and audiences can still be scared. www.thecrazies-movie.com Andrew Dex
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Friday 5th until Thursday 25th March 2010 @ Watershed, Bristol Not content with dominating the art world, it seems the infamous Banksy has now turned his hand to cinema. On the face of it, his film, Exit Through The Gift Shop, is a colourful documentary about the rise of street art and its explosion in popularity over the last 5-10 years. We’ve got interviews with several of the big players (and some of the smaller ones), tales of their exploits and narrated segments of various “key” moments in the scene’s (and Banksy’s) history like the spraying of the West Bank wall and the placing of a Guantanamo Bay detainee model in Disneyland. Holding all this documenting together is the story of one man, a certain Thierry Guetta, and how his love of street art slowly took over his life and changed it beyond recognition. While most of the material on show here will be nothing new to anyone who has kept half an eye on street art’s recent progress and although we learn nothing new about Banksy himself, there is some remarkable and truly breathtaking footage of artists hanging off bridges and clambering over high rooftops, risking their lives to get at walls with spray-cans.
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What’s really interesting about the film though is how we get to intimately see the sudden rise to fame of a new graffiti artist, leaving other artists who have been honing their style over a lifetime in his wake. The film manages to draw subtle parallels between the instant and short-lived nature of street art and that of the celebrity culture around it (and possible celebrity status in general). ‘Some art is cast in bronze to last for 100 years,’ Banksy muses, his voice distorted but still with a thick Bristolian twang, ‘street art could last only a few days or hours.’ It’s this sort of stuff I really wanted to see much more of in the film and I could have done without all the chronicles of Guetta. In Banksy’s own words; ‘It’s not Gone With The Wind’ – but hell, it’s pretty interesting. Oh, that and it’s proper, proper funny. www.banksyfilm.com Matt Whittle
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A SLY look forward at Apri l Previews of al l the best gigs, art, clubs, stage and cinema coming up next month in Bristol
Laura Marling Wednesday 21st April 2010 @ Colston Hall, Bristol The stunningly talented 20-year-old singer-songwriter returns to Bristol. Here she has her second album, I Speak Because I Can, to promote featuring some much more darker material as this tiny woman plays the biggest venue in town. A sublime show in the waiting. www.lauramarling.com
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Other Recommended Gigs For April in Bristol Plan B
Reef
Bowling For Soup
Parkway Drive
Angus and Julia Stone
Efterklang
Paul Bradey
Ash
Thursday 8th April 2010 @ Anson Rooms, Bristol Friday 9th April 2010 @ Academy, Bristol Thursday 15th April 2010 @ The Cooler, Bristol Monday 19th April 201 @ Colston Hall, Bristol
Wednesday 21st April 2010 @ Academy, Bristol Tuesday 27th April 2010 @ Academy, Bristol Tuesday 27th April 2010 @ Colston Hall, Bristol Friday 30th April 2010 @ Academy, Bristol
Shakespeare’s Sister
Tuesday 20th April 2010 @ Academy, Bristol
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Recommended Art for April in Bristol The Shape of Things
Saturday 6th February until Sunday 19th April 2010 @ Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol The shape of things explores the distinctive contribution artists make to influence or reflect national identity, the intercultural nature of British society and its connection with global cultures. www.theshapeofthings.org.uk
Imogen Stidworthy
Saturday 27th February until Sunday 25th April 2010 @ Arnolfini, Bristol Arnolfini presents this first major solo exhibition in the UK of work by Imogen Stidworthy. The artist has developed a strong international reputation for her film and audio-video installation-based work, in which she examines the various dimensions of language such as the voice, dysfunctions of speech or processes of translation, and their use in public space. www.arnolfini.org.uk
Once Viewed From Afar
Saturday 10th until Thursday 15th April 2010 @ Centrespace, Bristol The demise of the English countryside explored through contemporary photography and painting. Holman takes refuge in a fictional rural idyll, while Crew tackles her anxiety through character creation. www.centrespacegallery.com
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Recommended Clubbing for April in Bristol Pressure
Drawn Presents…
Sink Ships Launch Party
Penguin Dance: The Return of MC Navigator
Every Thursday @ Thekla, Bristol Thursday 1st April 2010 @ Timbuk2, Bristol
Thursday 15th April 2010 @ Mr Wolfs, Bristol
Chavalaf ‘Take 2’
Friday 16th April 2010 @ Lab, Bristol
Jungle Syndicate preset Promoter Battles
Saturday 24th April 2010 @ The Lanes, Bristol
Saturday 3rd April 2010 @ Blue Mountain, Bristol
Friday 9th April 2010 @ Lakota, Bristol
The Disco Shed
Monkey! Knife! Fight!
Saturday 24th April 2010 @ Lab, Bristol
Duvet Vous? 11th Birthday
Saturday 10th April 2010 @ Day+Night, Bristol
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The Tempest Thursday 25th March until Saturday 1st May 2010 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol Prospero, magician and rightful Duke of Milan, has been deposed by his own brother and cast adrift on the ocean with his baby daughter. Surviving on a lonely island – becoming its new master – he draws his enemies to him by means of a tempest which wrecks their ship on his shore. Romance, broad comedy, and meditation on forgiveness combine in this extraordinarily charged and vivid fable, Shakespeare’s last major play. www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com
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Other Recommended Stage for April in Bristol Juliet And Her Romeo
Wednesday 10th March until Saturday 24th April 2010 @ Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
Enjoy
Wednesday 5th until Monday 10th April 2010 @ Theatre Royal Bath, Bath
Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act
Sunday 11th April 2010 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol
Jon Richardson
Sunday 25th April 2010 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol
Twelfth Night
Tuesday 27th April until Saturday 1st May 2010 @ Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
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Recommended Cinema for April in Bristol Exit Through The Gift Shop
Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th April 2010 @ Cube, Bristol Love or hate him, Banksy has made a documentary film about himself and by himself. A couple of fans set out to find out the identity of famous invisible Banksy and he essentially turns the camera on them instead. There are some great insights into his ingenuity and how street artists stay under the radar and of course he is a Bristol boy. www.cubecinema.com
The Hurt Locker
Friday 9th until Thursday 15th April 2010 @ Watershed, Bristol Another chance to see the well-deserved winner of this year’s Best Picture Oscar. This spellbinding war film is an intense portrayal of elite soldiers who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. www.watershed.co.uk
Alice In Wonderland
Friday 9th until Thursday 15th April 2010 @ Watershed, Bristol 19-year-old Alice takes another tumble down the rabbit hole to the magical world she has faint memories of visiting as a young girl, she reunites with her friends the White Rabbit, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Cheshire Cat and, of course, the Mad Hatter. www.watershed.co.uk
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Aries: A routine operation this Easter turns into a kinder surprise – turns you into one, I mean. But instead of ridiculously thin chocolate with a toy dragon inside, it’s your innards, with a forgotten latex glove causing you all kinds of Eastery trouble. Taurus: With Pluto, dwarf planet of eggs, rising in your chart, this Easter will be even more egg-related than usual. Mystic sees egg rolling, egg blowing, strangers egging you in the street and egg donation. And you will smell of eggs. Gemini: This Easter try making a cheerful Easter bonnet, decorated with paper flowers. Or make a special hat out of a shoebox with a coathanger on, to pick up alien transmissions. Your careworker will help you with the scissors. Cancer: Hot cross buns may be an Easter tradition, Cancer, but there is no excuse for the ‘hot cross bum’ incident coming up on Tuesday. That’s going to scar – and your poor granny! Are you trying to give her a heart attack? Leo: This Easter brings you an almost perfect balance of egg hunts and manhunts. The hunter becomes the hunted! Your lucky hiding place: The afterlife. No one can catch you now. Virgo: Keep an eye on yourself this Easter, Virgo. Your mental state is fragile. Early warning signs could include thinking it’s reasonable to pay nearly six quid for an almost empty cardboard box with sliver of chocolate inside.
Libra: Ah, Easter – Jesus rising from the dead, the season of zombies. Be prepared, Libra. Don’t let them bite you. And remember to completely remove the head. Do it – she’s not your mum anymore. Scorpio: Easter; time of new starts, baby chicks, and for you, Scorpio, copious amounts of unwanted hair, bursting springily from your follicles. Your lucky wax: Takes some skin off with it. Ouch. Sagittarius: Easter eggs are brown, Sagittarius. And what have you just laid? An Easter egg! You clever bunny! Fish it out and show it to that special someone you want to impress. Capricorn: Romance is in the air when a good-looking stranger throws smouldering glances at you in the pub. It is because they think you are someone else. The will realise and you will go home alone as usual. Aquarius: Rabbits laying eggs? Birds making nests out of cornflakes? Have you been in the mushroom patch again, Aquarius? At least if you have you will have an excuse for that haircut and those frankly strange trousers. Pisces: Who would win in a fight between a bunny and a duck, you ask, Pisces? An eggs-cellent, Eastery question, and just one of the things you will think about during the long, long nights to come – after you give up screaming to be let out.
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SY on The Sly – April Issue Editor: Matt Whittle / matt@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk CEO: Faye Westrop / faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Design and Illustration: James Penfold / penfold@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Front Cover: Laura Palmer All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of Suit Yourself Magazine. Suit Yourself Magazine and SY On The Sly are independent publications distributed throughout Bristol. Advertising Enquiries: faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Contributors for Issue: Daisy Allsup, Katy Austin, Rossy Barnett, Andrew Dex, Thomas Dunn, Stu Freeman, James Harper, Adam Hooper, Joe Jackson, Tom Johnson, Clementine Lloyd, Helen Martin, Laura Palmer, Matt Whittle