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GLASGOW & EDINBURGH EVENTS GUIDE E 1 JUN–31 AUG 2018 | ISSUE 749 LIST.CO.UK

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FIESTA X FOLD NILE RODGERS CURATES THE KELVINGROVE PARK EXTRAVAGANZA

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RIP IT UP MAJOR CELEBRATION OF SCOTTISH POP HITS THE CAPITAL

PROCESSIONS COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS OF VOTES FOR WOMEN

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Welcome to Naoki’s Garden — Naoki is a Japanese poet and novelist diagnosed with autism at the age of five. Now take a unique journey into his world.

The Reason I Jump is Autism friendly and open to all ages.

Based on the book by Naoki Higashida Translated by David Mitchell and Keiko Yoshida Conceived and directed by Graham Eatough The Children’s Wood and North Kelvin Meadow 11–23 June 2018 Book on nationaltheatrescotland.com The Reason I Jump p is supported by The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust and The Mickel Fund. A percentage of the ticket price will go towards The Children’s Wood and North Kelvin Meadow.

National Theatre of Scotland is Core funded by the Scottish Government The National Theatre of Scotland reserves the right to alter casts, performances, seating or ticket arrangements. National Theatre of Scotland, a company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland (SC234270) is a registered Scottish charity (SC033377). Design by After the News.

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CONTENTS 1 JUN–31 AUG 2018 | LIST.CO.UK

'Okay, ladies, now let's get in formation'

FRONT Realist

4

News

13

League of Gentlemen

17

FEATURES

S

30

TRNSMT

47

COVER STORY

Movie-goers are set to descend upon the capital as the EIFF once again lays out the red carpet on another exciting bonanza of film. There's almost too much for us to be excited about, but we're getting particularly animated over our cover stars, The Incredibles 2. Also attracting our attention is Rami Malek who stars in a remake of tough prison drama Papillon, Travis leader Fran Healy's directorial debut about his own band, and an array of Scottish moviemaking talent. Roll 'em...

50

Glasgow Distillery Company

57

Nonya

58

AROUND TOWN RuPaul's Drag Race

BOOKS Glasgow Comic Con

RIP IT UP

FIESTA X FOLD

The history of Scottish pop music is a long and glorious one, with the forthcoming National Museum of Scotland exhibition singing our praises from the rooftops. The achievements of everyone from Skids to Shirley Manson, and Bay City Rollers to Belle and Sebastian are rightly honoured.

The summer music festival world can often feel like a blokey rock paradise, but this new Glasgow weekender puts the focus on funk, soul, R&B and electronica, and with a strong female flavour to proceedings. Goldfrapp, Laura Mvula, Pointer Sisters and Morcheeba are among the many highlights.

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74 74 75

Emma Hooper

75

COMEDY

77

Wilson Dixon

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Alison Spittle

78

Joe Lycett

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81

The Happy Prince

81

Hereditary

82

In the Fade

83

BlacKkKlansman

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KIDS

Win a year's supply of Bellamianta Luxury Tanning products for you and a friend 10

Win 12 free drop-in classes at Dance Base

Win a pair of tickets to Fringe by the Sea 11 11

Win tickets to the Edinburgh International Film Festival Opening Gala and VIP Party 11

89

Milkshake!

89

PAW Patrol

90

MUSIC

93

Britney Spears

93

Sneaky Pete's

94

Glasgow Jazz Festival

99

Oneohtrix Point Never

100

Lily Allen

101

108

Ballet Black

108

The Last Ship

109

An Officer and a Gentleman

110

Matthew Bourne's Cinderella

111

VISUAL ART

115

Victoria Crowe

115

Ross Birrell

116

TV

GREAT OFFERS

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Borders Book Festival

THEATRE & DANCE

Atlanta

FIRST & LAST Nina Nesbitt

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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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Win the ultimate pair of tickets to The Edinburgh Dungeon 10

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V&A Dundee

FILM

Editor

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Edinburgh International Film Festival

FOOD & DRINK

ummer festival season is here and the words of BeyoncĂŠ could not ring more true, especially as we look ahead to Processions (page 38). The mass participatory artwork, taking place around the UK on Sun 10 Jun, celebrates 100 years since the first British women got the vote. Now's the time to gather your banners, scarves and suffragette colours for the big march.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is back for its 72nd edition with new features, premieres and special events. The much-anticipated Disney-Pixar animation The Incredibles 2 (page 26) will be screened during the opening weekend and, as you can probably tell from our cover, we're a tad excited. There's also a rich selection of Scottish cinema to check out (page 29), with highlights including opening film Puzzle starring Kelly Macdonald, and Almost Fashionable, Travis frontman Fran Healy's documentary (page 22).

Elsewhere, we catch up with Wolf Alice (page 47) and Pale Waves (48) ahead of their appearances at TRNSMT which returns to Glasgow Green for five days this year. In other festival news, we give you the lowdown on Summerhall's Southern Exposure (page 44), Fiesta x FOLD (page 50) and the EIF's contemporary music strand Light on the Shore (page 49). Talking of which, August really isn't that far away but don't worry, we've got you covered with our Festival Guide (out Wed 4 Jul), weekly August issues, and daily online coverage at list.co.uk/festival.

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GRAPHIC CONTENT

CONTRIBUTORS

What we’ve been talking about ‘We’re all going on a summer holiday’. But are we Cliff? Are we really? When you hear some people’s horror stories about their time away on a mid-year sunny vacation, it’s hard to think why people bother. Well, think about that no more, as we exclusively reveal some wildly positive true-life stories of summer holidays that went very well, thanks. Yes, OK, there are a few sadder tales being told here, as well. Bucket and spades at the ready . . .

Last summer, I had a reunion with my closest group of friends from uni, who now live in London, Milan and Nice. We met up in Milan, ate an unbelievable amount of pizza, and drank lots of beer. It was amazing. We speak almost every day but I still miss them.

The arms race with water guns that my brother, my cousin and I had one year, in which they kept getting more and more cool water guns and giving their discarded ones to me. This culminated in all of us staging a drive-by watershooting on some friends as they stood outside a chip shop.

Going on a school trip to Orlando, Florida and all its associated theme parks when I was 14.

Although I didn’t appreciate them at the time, any childhood holiday was great because they didn’t cost me anything, I didn’t have to book flights and hotels, and I didn’t have to organise cover for work.

I went on a school trip one summer and tore the ligaments in my ankle: that wasn’t fun. Especially since I had to hang out with the teachers while everyone else went off doing adventure activities and other exciting things.

I remember being heartbroken when my first long-term boyfriend broke up with me just a week before I went on a big adventure trip to Asia with three friends. Lots of dramatic sobbing in gorgeous crystal waters, but overall it’s true that the best way to get over a break up is to experience a new part of the world.

GOOD BAD

Stuck in a French campsite with near biblical rain as a ten year old. I remember waking up and looking down to see the entire tent flooded in about four inches of water.

Anything involving a caravan as a teenager with two younger brothers. Hell on earth being cooped up with it raining outside, making sure you didn’t trail mud indoors, no TV and fighting over a tiny bathroom. Maybe that’s why I’m not exactly an outdoorsy type.

Endless sunshine, local outdoor swimming pool five minutes from the flat, cold beer and tapas picnics in Madrid. I was pretty poor, so spent the summer outdoors, teaching a few classes a week to get by, but those were some incredible summers in the city.

Snorkelling in the Seychelles and meeting turtles and lion fish.

I once chose a holiday destination by opening Google Maps and flinging my cursor across the screen with my eyes closed. I won’t mention the town I ended up in (it was on the west coast) but it was comically bad.

Getting so insanely sunburned at Blizzard Beach in Florida when I was 14 that I thought I was going to die. It’s a good job 14 year olds aren’t massively selfconscious . . .

CONTENT Editor Arusa Qureshi Head of Digital Media Scott Henderson Deputy Content Manager Murray Robertson Senior Content Producer Alex Johnston Content Producers Deborah Chu, Katharine Gemmell, Henry Northmore Subeditors Brian Donaldson, Kenza Marland, Paul McLean SECTION EDITORS Books Yasmin Sulaiman Comedy / Front Brian Donaldson Dance / Kids Kelly Apter Film Reviews Emma Simmonds Food & Drink Donald Reid Music: Gigs / TV Henry Northmore Music: New Releases Arusa Qureshi Theatre Gareth K Vile Visual Art Rachael Cloughton PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Designers Stuart Polson, Seonaid Rafferty DIGITAL Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Sharon Irish Data Developers Andy Bowles, Alan Miller, Stuart Moir COMMERCIAL Senior Account Managers Paul Murphie, Debbie Thomson Account Managers Ross Foley, Jakob Van den Berg Ad Ops Executive Jessica Rodgers Affiliate Content Executive Craig Angus Events and Promotions Manager Rachel Cree Events and Promotions Assistant Amy Clark Digital Business Development Director Brendan Miles Partnership Director Sheri Friers ADMINISTRATION Head of Accounting & HR Sarah Reddie Director Robin Hodge CEO Simon Dessain

Published by The List Ltd HEAD OFFICE: 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050 editor@list.co.uk GLASGOW OFFICE: at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD Tel: 0141 332 9929, glasgow@list.co.uk; list.co.uk ISSN: 0959 - 1915 © 2018 The List Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the publishers. The List does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material.

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The

REALIST PHOTO: COURTESY OF GLASGOW WOMEN’S LIBRARY

JUNE

AROUND TOWN

2 Processions

To mark the centenary of women’s suffrage in the UK, a huge procession will take to the streets of Edinburgh (the other three British capital cities host their own events) creating a sea of vibrant colour which reflects a true community spirit. See feature, page 38. Middle Meadow Walk, Edinburgh, Sun 10 Jun.

PHOTO: IAN BOURN PHOTOGRAPHY

FILM

1 Edinburgh International Film Festival Another year and another excellent Edinburgh International Film Festival is upon us. From the opening night movie Puzzle (starring Kelly Macdonald), to the closing night bash Swimming with Men (aka ‘The Full Monty in speedos’, above), there’s a host of treats in between. Among them are Kevin Macdonald’s documentary Whitney, the RSNO live-soundtracking Jaws, a terrifying trip to the Highlands in Calibre, and, of course, the long-awaited sequel to The Incredibles. See feature, page 21.

Various venues, Edinburgh, Wed 20 Jun–Sun 1 Jul.

MUSIC

3 Southern Exposure Summerhall lays on another strong outdoor music programme with shows from Portico Quartet, the Rezillos (pictured) and a Skids / Big Country doubleheader, while there’s also a beer festival, ceilidh and screening of classic doc, Monterey Pop. See feature, page 44. Summerhall, Edinburgh, Fri 15–Sun 24 Jun.

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So much culture, so little time.

We boil it down to 25 of the best events PHOTO: JOHAN PERSSON

TV

DANCE

4 Atlanta

5 Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

Man of the moment Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) delivers a second season of his inventive comedy-drama which this time around lurches effortlessly from the blackly comic to the genuinely terrifying. See review, page 118. Fox, starts Sun 17 Jun.

Set in a Blitz-ridden London, Bourne’s Cinderella story once again has him re-imagining a classic tale. Fantasy, magic, humour and sadness all merge for another New Adventures must-see. See preview, page 111. Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 5–Sat 9 Jun; King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 12–Sat 16 Jun.

PHOTO: MATT CROCKETT

VISUAL ART

COMEDY

BOOKS

MUSIC

6 Architecture Fringe

7 Joe Lycett

8 Glasgow Comic Con

9 Jay-Z & Beyoncé

Continuing to support new work in Scottish architecture, as initiated by a group of designers, photographers, engineers, visual artists, curators, musicians and, au naturel, architects.

See Highlights, page 117. Various venues, nationwide, Fri 8–Sun 24 Jun.

The man with the best punning titles in the game goes wild with I’m About to Lose Control and I Think Joe Lycett which features more meanderings around the stuff that niggles him.

See preview, page 78. O2 Academy, Glasgow, Tue 12 Jun.

A sci-fi, cosplay and comics bonanza hits Glasgow with special guests making this a must-visit in any fan’s diary. The eighth year of this event features a host of global and local talents. See preview, page 74. Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sat 30 Jun.

Despite some concerns of Mount Florida residents, On the Run II will definitely gallop towards Hampden as the most famous couple in the R&B world do their thing in front of 50,000 fans. See Highlights, page 105.

Hampden Park, Glasgow, Sat 9 Jun.

10 Mr McFall’s Chamber

PHOTO: DOUGLAS ROBERTSON

CHOSEN BY JAZZ PIANIST DAVE MILLIGAN

One of the jewels in Scotland’s music scene is Mr McFall’s Chamber. I’ve always admired their adventurous approach to programming and here they are with ‘Exil’ by Georgian composer Giya Kancheli, as part of their ‘At Home in a Foreign Land’ series. A musical setting of Psalm 23, this is a darkly engaging work that speaks to the ever-relevant themes of migration and displacement, and incorporates poems by exiled Holocaust victims Hans Sahl and Paul Celan. These are troubling times and it’s important that artists don’t shy away from reflecting the conflict. Mr McFall’s Chamber don’t, and they’ll also knock your socks off with the skill and beauty of their performance. Dave Milligan Trio plays with Love Music Community Choir, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Mon 11 Jun; Dave is part of the Colin Steele Quartet, Drygate, Glasgow, Thu 21 Jun, and Colin Steele Quintet, Teviot Row, Edinburgh, Sat 21 Jul; Mr McFall’s Chamber, Old St Paul’s Church, Edinburgh, Tue 19 Jun. 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 5

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JULY

MUSIC

VISUAL ART / MUSIC

1 Rip it Up

It’s an exhibition, a book, some gigs, a TV documentary series and a tour. Rip it Up: The Story of Scottish Pop is set to dominate the rest of this year as we celebrate our musical heritage from the 1950s up to the present day.

Everyone from Alex Harvey to Annie Lennox, and the Proclaimers (left) to Primal Scream will be honoured in the National Museum of Scotland exhibition, while Summerhall hosts Emma Pollock, Stanley Odd and Be Charlotte in a one-off extravaganza. See feature, page 42. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Fri 22 Jun–Sun 25 Nov; Summerhall, Edinburgh, Sat 23 Jun.

MUSIC

2 TRNSMT

3 Fiesta x FOLD

Across two weekends, Glasgow Green throbs to an astonishing array of rock and pop acts including Arctic Monkeys, Jessie J, Interpol, Liam Gallagher, Wolf Alice, Franz Ferdinand, CHVRCHES, and Queen + Adam Lambert. See feature, page 47. Glasgow Green, Fri 29 Jun–Sun 1 Jul; Fri 6, Sun 8 Jul.

This magical music festival summer keeps on rolling with a brand new event which veers towards the soul / dance / funk / electronic base as Nile Rodgers, Pointer Sisters, Morcheeba, Laura Mvula (above) and Goldfrapp give it their all. See feature, page 50. Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, Sat 30 Jun & Sun 1 Jul.

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REALIST

COMEDY

4 Wilson Dixon He may seem like a laidback guy, but country legend Wilson Dixon sure is hurtin’ inside. His ex-wife is causing him grief while he’s struggling to keep an angry horse happy. Character musical comedy at its finest, y’all. See preview, page 77. The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 1 Jul; The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 1, Tue 3 Jul.

TV

THEATRE

KIDS

5 Edwardian Ghost Stories / Victorian Séance

6 Milkshake! Live

Edwardians and Victorians knew a thing or two about spooks, and these two events should have you quaking in your boots. An afternoon recreation of MR James telling tales by the fire is followed by an evening of paranormal activity. See Highlights, page 112. Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh, Sat 28 Jul.

VISUAL ART

An astonishing array of kiddies’ favourite characters are gathered on one stage courtesy of Channel 5’s Milkshake!, including Fireman Sam, the Little Princess, Noddy, Bob the Builder, Shimmer & Shine, Winnie & Wilbur, and Wissper.

See preview, page 89. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 5 Jul.

MUSIC / KIDS

7 The Bridge

8 Eve Fowler

9 Kelburn Garden Party

The end of an era is dawning as Scandic Noir’s crown jewel heads for its no-doubt shattering finale, with the fates of Saga and Henrik swinging in the balance. See preview, page 119. BBC Two, Fri; seasons 1–4 box set released on Mon 2 Jul.

Yet another coup for Dundee as the DCA hosts the first major European exhibition of this LAbased artist’s work with posters, prints, billboards, paintings and installations utilising the words of Gertrude Stein. See Highlights, page 117. DCA, Dundee, Sat 9 Jun–Sun 26 Aug.

A long weekend of fun lies ahead on the grounds and glen of a 13th-century castle with music from Goldie, Ibibio Sound Machine and Auntie Flo, plus there’s kids’ entertainment from Let’s Circus and the Lullabies Collective. See Highlights, page 105.

Kelburn Castle, Largs, Fri 29 Jun–Mon 2 Jul.

CHOSEN BY ACTRESS AND WRITER ISOBEL MCARTHUR

10 Bard in the Botanics

July can be the cruellest month if you’re a theatre-loving Scot. Companies are in rehearsal for their festival shows and many buildings go quiet as the front-of-house staff nervously brace themselves. Plus audiences are reluctant to take a gamble on new work if it means sitting in a dark room during what might be their only taps-aff-pertunity that year. Luckily, you can have your cake and eat it (along with the rest of your picnic) at Bard in the Botanics. In the beautiful gardens, classics we’ve seen a thousand times make great watching, but I’m so pleased to see the bold decision taken of staging seldom-performed Edward II. Not because Marlowe’s better than Shakespeare (probably no one is) but because this story, about two male heads-of-state in love, was written over 400 years ago and, if well-adapted, might have much more to teach us about humanity than we realise. Pride and Prejudice* (*Of Sorts), Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 28 Jun–Sat 14 Jul; see preview, page 109. Bard in the Botanics, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Wed 20 Jun–Sat 28 Jul; see Highlights, page 112.

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REALIST T S U AUG

MUSIC

AROUND TOWN

1 Edinburgh Festival The naysayers might want to curtail the capital’s cultural pursuits, but for one glorious month (and a bit) most of us appreciate that life just wouldn’t be the same without the biggest arts festival on the planet being on our very doorstep.

From the jazz festival in July through to the fireworks at the end of August, thousands of performances will rage across town with lovers of art, books, cabaret, comedy, dance, kids’ shows, music and theatre all having their chance to revel in the Edinburgh Festival. Various venues, Edinburgh, Jul & Aug.

MUSIC

FILM

COMEDY

2 Electric Fields

3 Summer Sessions

4 BlacKkKlansman

5 League of Gentlemen

It’s not just our capital city that gets all the festival fun this summer though, as the Borders will reverberate to the blockbusting sounds of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Public Service Broadcasting, James, Young Fathers (above), Teenage Fanclub and Leftfield as well as some up-andcoming diamonds. See Highlights, page 105. Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries & Galloway, Thu 30 Aug–Sat 1 Sep.

A scorching August is guaranteed with Summer Sessions featuring Tom Jones, Rag’N’Bone Man, Paloma Faith (above) and Brian Wilson in Edinburgh, with Kendrick Lamar, Kings of Leon, Twin Atlantic and N.E.R.D doing Glasgow. See Highlights, page 105. Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, Mon 6–Sun 19 Aug; Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, Wed 22–Wed 29 Aug.

Spike Lee’s latest cage-rattling drama is based on the bizarre true story of Ron Stallworth, a black cop who infiltrated the KKK in the early 1970s, with the director forcibly making his point that modern America has nothing to feel complacent about when it comes to ingrained and virulent racism. See review, page 84. General release from Fri 24 Aug.

After a triumphant return with their Christmas TV specials, the LoG laddies take to the road with their compulsively creepy set of characters, such as the demonic shopkeepers with the upturned nostrils, Tubbs and Edward. It’s a local show for local people. See Big Picture, page 17. Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, Tue 28 & Wed 29 Aug; Edinburgh Playhouse, Thu 30 Aug.

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FRINGE03-27AUG2018 COMEDY | THEATRE | CABARET | MUSIC | SPOKEN WORD | KIDS SHOWS

ON SALE NOW LIMMY | DYLAN MORAN | PHILL JUPITUS | MILES JUPP JO CAULFIELD | PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON | LOKI TONY SLATTERY | MARK WATSON | ANDY ZALTZMAN STEPHEN K AMOS | SEYMOUR MACE | PAUL SINHA FRED MACAULAY & JOHN MOLONEY | ALUN COCHRANE MICHELLE MCMANUS | IMRAN YUSUF | MITCH BENN JESSIE CAVE | BETHANY BLACK | THE BEST OF SCOTTISH JOHN LYNN | JIM SMITH | THE BUGLE | SIMON MUNNERY ADA CAMPE | RAMON RIVAS | THE STAND LATE CLUB BOB DOOLALLY | VLADIMIR MCTAVISH | GAVIN WEBSTER THE BEST OF IRISH | IN CONVERSATION WITH… & MANY MORE NOW ON SALE!

W W W. T H E S TA N D . C O . U K W W W. O U T S TA N D I N G T I C K E T S . C O M 1 Feb–31 Mar 2018 THE LIST 9

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WIN THE ULTIMATE PAIR OF TICKETS TO EDINBURGH DUNGEON

The List, in association with Edinburgh Dungeon, are giving you the opportunity to win a pair of tickets for the ultimate trip to the Dungeon.

Enjoy the scariest and funniest journey through Edinburgh’s darkest history, including 11 live action shows and 2 underground rides. The winning tickets will include a guidebook, a gift from the shop and a souvenir photo package. Enter, if you dare...

WIN A YEAR’S SUPPLY OF LUXURY TAN BY BELLAMIANTA

The List, in association with Lia and Olive Distribution, are giving a lucky winner and their best friend a year’s supply of Bellamianta Luxury Tan. Bellamianta products are not only animal cruelty free but are also vegan friendly. Packed with natural fruit extracts, this clean tan dries in 60 seconds and gives golden olive tones whilst being free of any fake tan smell. Ideal for keeping a perfect tan all year round.

Winners can pick any six bottles from the Bellamianta Luxury Tan range.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply log onto list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Where is the William Wallace monument?

Edinburgh Dungeon 31 Market Street Edinburgh EH1 1DF

thedungeons.com/edinburgh TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes 18 July 2018. T&Cs apply, please check the Dungeon website. See list.co.uk/offers for full list of terms and conditions.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply log onto list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Are Bellamianta Luxury Tanning products vegan? liaandolivedistribution.co.uk/shop TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes 31 July 2018. Winners can pick any six products from the retail range per person. Products can be mixed and matched. Selected products will be sent to the winner directly. See list.co.uk/offers for full list of terms and conditions.

10 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018

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READER OFFERS WIN 12 FREE DROP-IN CLASSES AT DANCE BASE

WIN TICKETS TO EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OPENING GALA AND VIP PARTY

The List, in association with Dance Base, are giving you the opportunity to win 12 free drop-in classes that can be used during the 2018 summer/ autumn term.

How about dancing your way through the summer at Edinburgh’s home of dance? Make time to play and leap into 12 free dance classes that you, or your children, have always wanted to try or brush up on. Whether you fancy jazz, belly dancing, hip hop, or a movement and sensory class with the little ones, Dance Base have got it all.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply log onto list.co.uk/offers and answer this:

Fill in the blank in the popular children’s dance.

Heads, shoulders, ______ and toes ...

Dance Base 14-16 Grassmarket Edinburgh EH1 2JU

dancebase.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes 24 June 2018. Subject to availability. Non-transferable and no cash alternative. See list.co.uk/offers for full list of terms and conditions.

The List, in association with Edinburgh International Film Festival, are

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO FRINGE BY THE SEA

giving you the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to their Opening Gala and VIP Party on Wed 20 Jun.

The 72nd edition of Edinburgh International Film Festival 2018 opens with Puzzle, a delightful film which follows Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) as she achieves her potential after a lifetime of looking after others rather than concentrating on herself.

After receiving one as a birthday gift, Agnes discovers she is a natural at puzzles. She escapes her stifling blue-collar life – and husband (David The List, in association with Fringe by the Sea, are giving you the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to a show of your choice at Fringe by the Sea in North Berwick this August.

Every August, Fringe by the Sea enlivens the pace of life in the charming coastal town of North Berwick with an eclectic mix of music, comedy, film, cabaret, books, spoken word, and in its 11th year, the festival has been extended to ten days.

Festival favourites like Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band and The Manfreds are making a welcome return, alongside an even more varied line-up featuring Judy Murray, The Sugarhill Gang, Lord Steel (interviewing Ruth Davidson MSP, Roy Hattersley and James Naughtie), Dean Owens, Mica Paris (pictured), John Dowie, the former Bishop of Edinburgh Richard Holloway and much more.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply log onto list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Which coastal town hosts Fringe by the Sea every August?

Denman, from The Office) and two sons – and heads to New York to find a shop specialising in jigsaw puzzles. From there, she ends up meeting Robert (a charismatic Irrfan Khan), a champion puzzler who needs a new puzzle partner for a national competition. Agnes starts to come of age in so many ways, becoming the woman she always had the potential to be.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply log onto list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Which Scottish actress stars in Puzzle?

Edinburgh International Film Festival Wed 20 Jun - Sun 1 Jul 2018 Various locations

Fringe by the Sea Fri 3 - Sun 12 Aug 2018 Various locations around North Berwick

fringebythesea.com TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes 1 July 2018. Prize is for one pair of tickets (two tickets) to a show of your choice, subject to availability. Entrants must be aged 18+. Tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded for cash. See list.co.uk/offers for full list of terms and conditions.

edfilmfest.org.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes 11 June 2018. Only one entry per person is permitted.

Entry is open to UK residents only. Winners will be notified by telephone or email, no cash alternative.

See list.co.uk/offers for full list of terms and conditions.

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NEWS

For more news go to

LIST.CO.UK /NEWS ANNOUNCEMENTS, LINE-UPS AND OPINION GLASGOW BIDS FOR CHANNEL 4

PHOTO: ROBBIE THOMSON

Glasgow has formally submitted its bid to become the home of Channel 4’s first-ever headquarters outside of London. The backers argue that it would be the perfect fit, given it’s already home to both BBC Scotland and STV. Other cities in the running are Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff.

YOUNG FILMMAKERS HEAD TO SKYE Six specially selected aspiring Scottish filmmakers were chosen to take part in the Young Films Foundation’s inaugural Skye residency programme at the end of May. A host of industry experts joined them in intensive sessions to nurture their talent.

GLASGOW MIXES THE CITY

PHOTO: ROBBIE THOMSON

As part of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, Glasgow is set to become the first city to contribute to the British Council’s online music platform ‘Mix the City’. It consists of 12 Glasgow-based musicians creating a music video that catches the essence of their city’s culture.

SAY 2018 NOMINATIONS CLOSE It’s that time of year again where anyone could submit eligible albums for consideration in the 2018 Scottish Album of the Year Awards. Entries closed on 31 May and now it’s over to the 100-strong panel of impartial nominators to pick the longlist. Last year, Sacred Paws scooped up the award with Strike a Match.

THE CITZ GOES TO TRAMWAY Tickets are now on sale for the first Citizens Theatre productions to appear at Tramway. Cyrano de Bergerac (Sat 1–Sat 22 Sep) and A Christmas Carol (Tue 4 Dec– Sun 6 Jan) will play in the theatre’s temporary home as the Gorbals theatre goes through major refurbishments to preserve and upgrade its Victorian features.

SOCIAL BITE VILLAGE OPENS

PHOTO: GREGORY LORENZUTTI

The big-hearted folks over at Social Bite have just launched the brand new Social Bite Village that’s been two years in the making. The village, based in Edinburgh’s Granton area, consists of 11 purpose-built two-bedroom houses and a community hub. It hopes to support 20 people into mainstream tenancy each year.

CRYPTIC’S SONICA RETURNS TO GLASGOW The year-round touring programme dedicated to visual sonic arts comes back to Glasgow with three major new and free art installations. Robbie Thomson’s ‘Portal’ (pictured) takes voyeurs on a journey through the Clyde Tunnel; Madeleine Flynn & Tim Humphrey’s ‘Pivot’ (pictured, bottom) will turn George Square into a playground; and Louise Harris’ ‘Visaurihelix’ transforms The Lighthouse into a sonic sculpture.

REMEMBERING SCOTT HUTCHISON The Scottish music community, as well as his fans all over the world, were left devastated by news of Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison’s death. The band, including Scott’s brother Grant, have put a remembrance book in King Tut’s for fans and friends to share their stories of Scott. Artist Michael Corr has also unveiled a mural of the singer on display at SWG3.

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NEWS #MyMuseum Katharine Gemmell catches up with Glasgow Women’s Library’s Adele Patrick to hear more about their nomination as Museum of the Year

COMING UP

PHOTO: GLASGOW WOMEN’S LIBRARY

KELBURN GARDEN PARTY 2018 This annual arts festival held just outside Largs returns for another year with its unique showcase of all things cultural. Appearing on the musical programme this year is Goldie, A Guy Called Gerald and Dekmantel Soundsystem. Kelburn Castle and Estate, Largs, Fri 29 Jun–Mon 2 Jul. GIN & DISCO FESTIVAL A funky festival making stops in Edinburgh and Glasgow as part of a UK tour. Enjoy favourite gin brands while dancing to disco dons like Crazy P and Greg Wilson. Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh, Sat 30 Jun; SWG3, Glasgow, Sat 21 Jul.

T

he Glasgow Women’s Library has been recognised for its achievements and innovations by being shortlisted for the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year 2018. The £100,000 prize, supported by the Art Fund, is designed to seek out exceptional museums in the UK, with past winners including the V&A and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. This year it’s the only Scottish nomination (no Scottish museum has won the award) and is the first for a museum established with a feminist vision at its heart.

The GWL, situated in the city’s east end, started off as a grassroots organisation when it launched in 1991, and has grown into a cultural institution that attracts a diverse range of users. All of the objects in its collections have been donated and the displays are curated by local women from different communities.

As the only accredited museum in the UK dedicated to women’s lives, histories and achievements, it has already achieved the honour of being named a Recognised Collection of National Significance.

In conjunction with this nomination, the museum has kick-started a public engagement campaign centring on the question ‘Why a Women’s Museum?’ Adele Patrick, GWL’s Lifelong Learning and Creative Development Manager, tells us that the aim is to show both how the museum works and to display its national relevance. ‘We might be a small community project, but people might not know that we work with Turner Award-winning artists, that we

are used by researchers from America, or that we opened Glasgow International.’

The nomination and public engagement campaign allows the GWL to share the work that it does, such as the library’s Adult Literacy and Numeracy project. Patrick hopes to show the public that they can’t be put in the box of ‘hand-sewn local community project’ and that they’re a force to be reckoned with in the museums world. Through the hashtag #MyMuseum they want to showcase the varied backgrounds of its users and the uses of the space.

The library’s nomination is ultimately a timely recognition because of heightened awareness of the importance of representation and inclusion, and as an overdue nod to this Scottish institution. ‘The fact that we have been selected this time round sends a message about what museums could be in the future,’ says Patrick. ‘They should be for everyone and people should see themselves reflected in the governance, collections and programming of the museum.’

Other museums on the shortlist include Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, The Postal Museum in London, Ferens Art Gallery in Hull, and Tate St Ives. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday 5 July at London’s V&A. To find out more about the museum visit womenslibrary.org.uk or use #MyMuseum for support.

FILM FEST IN THE CITY Free outdoor cinema screenings hosted by Essential Edinburgh return this year to St Andrew Square Garden. Expect favourites like Moulin Rouge!, Paddington 2 and Casablanca. St Andrew Square Garden, Edinburgh, Fri 15–Sun 17 Jun. EDINBURGH FESTIVALS Both the Fringe and International Festival return this year with yet another packed programme of delights. This year there’s a brand new element to the International Festival in the form of Light on the Shore (see feature, page 49), which includes a programme of genre-defying musical adventures.

Keep up with the latest festival news at list.co.uk/festival. Various venues, Edinburgh, Fri 3–Mon 27 Aug. FRINGE BY THE SEA North Berwick’s arts festival is back, under new management and has been extended to a ten-day run.

Over 100 events are programmed with offerings from the likes of the Sugarhill Gang and the Furious Five, Mica Paris, Judy Murray and Mark Steel. Various venues, North Berwick, Fri 3–Sun 12 Aug.

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SATURDAY 18TH AUGUST FOODIE FEST

HIGHLAND GAMES LIVE MUSIC

ON THE FRINGE Simone Lahbib, 2018 Games Chieftain Tony Singh, presenting at the Foodie Festival The Sruighlea Sessions featuring

Raintown Wet Wet Wet’s Graeme Clark

Rail Fan | Altered Sky | and more TBC Stirling Sports Village Borrowmeadow farm road | stirling | FK7 7uj

www.sruighlea.scot

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Week-long courses across Fine Art and Design subjects in June, July and August for Adults and Children.

r e m l m o u S cho S For more information please visit www.gsa.ac.uk/openstudio or contact us on 0141 353 4596 / 0141 566 1311 / 0141 353 4565 or email us at open-studio@gsa.ac.uk

SUNNY PARADISE HOTEL LTD, NICK ZUPPAR & JOE ARDITTI PRESENT

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ALL DAY PARTY!

EDINBURGH ROYAL HIGHLAND CENTRE 9 – 12 AUGUST WWW.THEMONSTERUK.COM 16 THE LIST 1 Feb–31 Mar 2018

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BIG PICTURE

THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN LIVE AGAIN! They’ve done a lot since winning the Perrier Award in 1997 have the four-man League of Gentlemen. Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton have lured us Inside No 9, Mark Gatiss has fulfilled a lifetime ambition by writing some Doctor Who, and non-performing member Jeremy Dyson has spooked the heck out of us with the stage production and then movie of Ghost Stories.

But now, after a rambunctiously successful TV reunion with those top-notch Christmas episodes, the quartet have untangled themselves from all other commitments to launch into their first live tour in over a decade.

So, here’s your chance to delight in all your favourite characters from the demonic shopkeeps Edward and Tubbs, the accident-prone vet Dr Chinnery and the blood-lusting Dentons. Or they might totally ignore the classic creations and do a completely new show.

They won’t. The League of Gentlemen Live Again!, Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, 28 & 29 Aug; Edinburgh Playhouse, 30 Aug.

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SIMON CALLOW IN DE PROFUNDIS 2–26 Aug | 12.30pm | Assembly Rooms Wilde’s searing and passionately eloquent meditation on his life, and address of love and reproach to his lover Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas.

‘I’ve never seen Simon Callow make better use of his oratorical finesse. There was no separation between the author and the actor’ ★★★★ TIMES

REVERSIBLE 2–26 Aug | 6.15pm | Assembly Rooms Internationally renowned 7 Fingers return with a riveting mix of theatre, circus, dance, music and acrobatics. A reversible world where everyday life is turned upside down into new spectacular, universes filled with beauty, emotion and – yes, hope.

ATTRAPE MOI 2–27 Aug | 5.30pm | Assembly Hall Join the rising stars of new circus Flip FabriQue, straight from Quebec. Spend an evening with these six acrobats in the chalet of their childhood and witness their acrobatic reunion.

‘A thrilling modern brand of circus’

‘Stupendously impressive’ ★★★★★ THE STAGE ‘Completely invigorating and totally mesmerising’

TIME OUT NY

★★★★★

SVEN RATZKE: HOMME FATALE 14–26 Aug | 6pm | Assembly Hall The international cabaret supernova returns in a spectacular fatal and enigmatic embodiment.

Masterful storytelling eclipsed by Ratzke’s sensational vocal performances. and latest threads

by Thierry Mugler.

CHOIR OF MAN 2–26 Aug | 8pm | Assembly Rooms The runaway hit of the 2017 Fringe returns! A night of unadulterated entertainment that combines live music and foot stomping choreography.

‘The most exciting star of his generation’

‘The ultimate feel good show’

★★★★★

★★★★★

JASON DONOVAN AND HIS AMAZING MIDLIFE CRISIS 22-26 Aug | 3pm | Assembly George Square Celebrating his 50th birthday and with a wealth of tantalising tales under his belt, this autobiographical show will zigzag back and forth through Jason’s life, with stories about Neighbours, Ten Good Reasons, Kylie, Joseph, I’m A Celebrity, Strictly and much more.

TIME OUT (NY)

HOT BROWN HONEY 1–27 Aug | 7.30pm | Gilded Balloon Teviot Phenomenal, sexy foot-stomping fun! Hot Brown Honey turn up the heat with lashings of sass and a hot pinch of empowerment in the smash-hit, genredefying, award-winning firecracker of a show that’s taken the world by storm. Fighting the power never tasted so sweet.

‘Leave your worries in your coat and grab a pint!’

★★★★★

BROADWAYBABY EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

THE EDINBURGH GUIDE

THE JUNKIES 1–18 Aug | 7.45pm | Rose Theatre One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

Edinburgh’s hardest working second-hand dealers, Archie and Donny, discover a huge stash of cash in a New Town house clearance, but when their pal Choo Choo turns up they soon learn: you may have to kill your friends to get it!

THE MISS BEHAVE GAME SHOW 8–18 Aug | 10.30pm | Gilded Balloon Teviot Direct from Las Vegas and a cheeky smash-hit season at Sydney Opera House, cult phenomenon The Miss Behave Gameshow is back! 10 shows only! New Games! New Acts! New Prizes!

AYE ELVIS 1–26 Aug | 7.30pm | Rose Theatre, Basement Joan is an Elvis impersonator with big dreams. With the regional heat of Ultimate Elvis approaching, Joan knows she’s got big work to do. But Joan has The King inside – and The King always wins. Will she find her way to Graceland, to love and riches?

NOT IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD 1–26 Aug | 3.45pm | Rose Theatre, Basement Prepare yourself for this harrowing play, as it takes a close look behind the mask of domestic violence.

A filmmaker, is invited by the Women’s Refuge to document them to raise awareness about domestic violence.

★★★★ THE SKINNY

★★★★ THE LIST ★★★★★ THE SCOTSMAN

GAMES BY HENRY NAYLOR 1–27 Aug | 4.30pm | Dining Room The 1936 Olympic Games. The stakes are high for champion fencer Helene Mayer. As the only Jewish athlete in the Nazis’ team she is fighting for so much more than gold… Based on a tragic, true story.

★★★★★ THE TIMES

‘One of the most powerful pieces of theatre I have ever seen’ THEATRE REVIEW

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LIST CO-PROMOTION

EdFest.com, a joint initiative between Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly celebrates eleven years of working in partnership, with the launch of its new programme for 2018.

The EdFest venues are an integral part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The group grows year-on-year and in 2018 will collectively bring 827 shows from 29 countries to perform in 91 spaces across 20 venues in Edinburgh

CIRQUE BERSERK 3–27 Aug | 6pm (1.30pm matinees on selected days) | Pleasance at EICC Britain’s biggest theatre-circus spectacular makes its eagerly anticipated Edinburgh Fringe debut! Cirque Berserk! celebrates the 250th anniversary of the invention of Circus with a jaw-dropping spectacular created especially for the theatre.

REVENANTS 1–27 Aug | 5pm | Pleasance Dome A new play by Nichola McAuliffe, directed by Patrick Sandford. Twenty-five years after the death of the Romanovs, and twenty-five years before Martin Luther King’s murder, a group meet in an English wood. Battling with notions of persecution and bravery, they realise that violent revolutions have unforeseen consequences.

KEN 1–27 Aug | 3.20pm | Pleasance Dome 1978. London. An aspiring playwright is wrestling with a play for the Royal Court. Then the phone rings. The man on the other end is called Ken - and he’s about to change the young man’s life forever.

Starring Terry Johnson and Jeremy Stockwell, Ken is the wickedly funny retelling of an extraordinary friendship from beginning to end.

STEVIE MARTIN: STEVIE MARTIN VOL. 1 1–27 Aug | 6pm | Pleasance Courtyard One third of critically-acclaimed sketch group Massive Dad, (★★★★ GUARDIAN), Stevie Martin presents her debut solo show. Expect comedy.

Expect laughing. Do not expect a live horse because there won’t be one. As seen on Channel 4’s Damned BBC Radio 4’s Sketchorama. Really wanted to incorporate a live horse into her show.

THE JOURNEY 1–27 Aug | 5.40pm | Pleasance Dome You’ve just been dumped, but you’re stuck on a spaceship, alone with that person. A play about selfobsession and toxic relationships. A funny, relatable and surprising romantic comedy that rewards repeat viewings. Acclaimed stand-up Stuart Laws’ theatrical debut, starring Will Brown (RSC) and Phoebe Sparrow (Inside No. 9).

DON’T TELL ME NOT TO FLY 4–27 Aug | 5pm | Underbelly Bristo Square This summer some of the West End’s leading ladies take residence in McEwan Hall. Join us each night as a different star takes centre stage to perform songs from smash-hit West End and Broadway musicals and iconic movies.

Beginning with Claire Sweeney, more performers to be announced soon.

UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS: HIP HOP UNDER THE BIG TOP 4–25 Aug | 5pm | Underbelly Circus Hub After electrifying US audiences for 25 years, America’s “coolest show on earth” (Newsweek) comes to the UK, combining edge-of-your-seat performances, hilarious audience participation and a soundtrack that will blow the roof off the tent.

SIX 1–27 Aug | 7.30pm | Underbelly George Square DIVORCED. BEHEADED. LIVE IN CONCERT! From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII finally take the mic to tell their tale, remixing five hundred years of her-storical heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of sisterly sass-itude.

‘Show-stopping Spectacles’ PEOPLE

★★★★★ BRITISH THEATRE

BURN THE FLOOR: REBELS OF BALLROOM 1–27 Aug | 3pm | Underbelly Bristo Square Burn the Floor dancers are true rebels of the Ballroom. With their now famous, infectious and rebellious energy, they have totally reinvented the Ballroom dance styles, performed their groundbreaking moves right around the world and are ready to push dancing to the edge.

NINA CONTI IS MONKEY 1–27 Aug | 7pm | Underbelly Bristo Square Admitting defeat that she has become the sidekick in her own life, Nina has allowed herself to be fully consumed by Monkey. This is what happens when he is off the leash and fully autonomous. Following the sell-out success of In Your Face, Nina returns with a brand new show.

BRAINIAC LIVE! 1–27 Aug | 11am | Underbelly Bristo Square Strap on your safety goggles! Science’s greatest and most volatile show arrives with a vengeance.

The West End and international touring favourite celebrates its 10th anniversary year with its first appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe.

‘Dazzling’ NEW YORK TIMES

‘Devastatingly witty’ ★★★★ TIMES

GUARDIAN

‘Heart-stoppingly good fun’ TIME OUT

MR. SWALLOW AND THE VANISHING ELEPHANT 1–26 Aug | 7.30pm | Pleasance Courtyard Following the five-star sellout success of Houdini, Nick Mohammed’s alter ego Mr. Swallow is back with another hour of magic, music and elephants.

★★★★★ (for Mr Swallow - Houdini) GUARDIAN, STAGE, EVENING STANDARD, METRO

‘Excellent - Science Museum meets Top Gear’

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pitlochry festival theatre

SEE IT NOW!

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PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com

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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WED 20 JUN-SUN 1 JUL The 72nd edition of the EIFF is here and there are so many great screenings, premieres and other events to look forward to. Join us as we delve deep into the programme , taking a look at some of the Scottish films and talent at this year’s festival, which includes the new Travis doc, directed by Fran Healy himself. Plus, we chat to Rami Malek about new film Papillon and get ourselves reacquainted with the world of Pixar ahead of The Incredibles 2.

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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

THE ENEMY WITHIN

When it came to making a documentary about his band, Fran Healy invited their nemesis to star in it. Craig Angus talks to the Travis frontman about hardcore Mexican fans and those darned critics

‘C

heck where I am!’ says Fran Healy, turning his screen to show the stunning blue skies and desert of the Joshua Tree National Park. He looks the very definition of contented, sitting on a porch with some coffee. ‘I’m in Maryhill,’ I offer drily. ‘That’s where I’m from!’ he replies, beaming. Healy’s a positive guy; the kind who would ask a music journalist who doesn’t like his band of over two decades to co-write and appear in a documentary about them, and from that unusual scenario visualises an endgame that’s not just amicable but that permeates warmth.

Wyndham Wallace is the aforementioned critic who Healy first encountered when both were living in Berlin. ‘He came up to me on a night out and just said, “you’re that guy from Travis: I really don’t like your band.” He just came straight off the bat and said it.

I mean, nice to meet you too!’ Did Healy not think he was a piece of work? ‘He’s very posh and it was his idea of an icebreaker: “listen, this is what I think so I want to tell you straight away”.

I get that a fair bit, it wasn’t something that hadn’t happened before.’ He raises his mug to mouth, eyes fixed on the landscape, adding, ‘I thought it was quite charming.’

As well as providing some insight into the dynamics behind one of the most successful Scottish bands of all time, Almost Fashionable takes a look at what it means to be a critic, what it means to be a fan, and where the lines get blurred. Healy and cinematographer Cristian Pirjol (who worked together on a short movie to accompany the band’s last album, Everything at Once)

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had discussed the idea and, sensing a documentary project needed to offer a fresh angle, came to the conclusion that Wallace could help out.

‘We thought rather than the usual “get someone who’s a fan of the band” thing, to get someone who wasn’t,’ says Healy. ‘The main thrust of it was that here we were, 20 years old as a band, still together and very much in love. I wanted to take an honest picture of us. I think he probably realised he’d spent so much time being a critic that he forgot what it was like being a fan. If you’re a journalist, this is your business. You don’t so much get cynical as see behind the curtain. In a funny, perverse way I hoped he might realise something like that: and he did.’

Almost Fashionable exposed Wallace to some hardcore Travis fans in their ‘home from home’ of Mexico, which won the contest to be the film’s setting. ‘They have a similar thing to Glaswegians in that they don’t hold back if they’re at a show,’ Healy enthuses.

‘They just have a really good night and get into it. The people are so cool and I’ve never met an evil Mexican. I’ve never felt threatened. It must exist: you watch El Chapo and read the news but, touch wood, I’ve never encountered it.’

The critical angle of Almost Fashionable is pertinent to Travis.

The band will spend much of 2018 on the road, performing their multi-platinum selling second album The Man Who. Released in 1999, a slow start gave way to ubiquity after a memorable Glastonbury performance when the heavens opened during ‘Why Does it Always Rain on Me?’ By the year’s end, only Shania Twain and Boyzone had shifted more units in the UK. Critical reception on its release was mixed.

‘I remember turning to Dougie [Payne, Travis bassist] and going, “fucking hell man, this is a really good record”. Then the reviews come in and they’re terrible. I think critics thought they were going to get another Good Feeling [their 1997 debut], that rock, romp, Oasis glam thing and we (not deliberately) delivered something more contemplative, parochial and autumnal. I remember sitting with all the newspapers laid out and it was terrible. We thought we’d have to pack up and call it a day but, out of the blue, it suddenly just went mental. It taught me a big lesson: you never really know what’s going to happen.’

Is Healy bitter about all the negative words? ‘I used to get really wound up by it,’ he concedes, ‘because you’d spend ages making something and do the best you possibly could and some guy would say, “that’s fucking shit!” After a few years you realise a lot of show business, even on the critics’ side, is just pantomime, so you learn to take the blows.’

Healy is excited to see the reaction to his directorial debut with Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, and is very glad an intricate job has been applied to it. ‘There’s just so much involved in it that’s unseen,’ he says. ‘When you say, “let’s do this, this is a good idea”, you don’t think about being in an editing room for a year and a half. I’ve been dying to write some songs!’ I leave him to the California heat, alone with his creativity, free of critical appraisal.

Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis screens at Cineworld, Fri 29 Jun, 9.15pm; Odeon, Sat 30 Jun, 8.40pm.

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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

PRISON BREAK

Rami Malek (left) and Charlie Hunnam

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Having portrayed a genius hacker in Mr Robot and all set to be Freddie Mercury in a major music biopic, Rami Malek is on an exciting career curve. But he tells Henry Northmore that acting in a new version of Papillon took a heavy toll

P

apillon is a gripping adventure story with its tale of resilience, courage and a desperate struggle for survival. Even more shocking is that the book, written by Henri Charrière and first published in 1969, is an autobiography rather than a work of fiction. In 1931, Charrière was shipped to the penal colony of French Guiana in South America, where he and his fellow prisoners endured years of unimaginable hardship. Despite being beaten down, starved and locked up in solitary confinement while eking out a living in this harsh tropical environment, Charrière (nicknamed Papillon due to a large butterfly tattoo on his chest) refused to bow down and break, trying to escape again and again, including one attempt from the infamous Devil’s Island.

Despite the circumstances, Charrière formed a close friendship with counterfeiter Louis Dega. ‘It is essentially a prison escape film about two men who make a superficial agreement for protection in exchange for money and end up being tethered together in the most compromising of circumstances,’ explains Rami Malek who takes on the role of Dega in this new adaptation from Danish director Michael Noer. ‘And through the most atrocious and deplorable circumstances, they create an unbreakable bond, and through that experience reveal how indomitable the human spirit is.’

While interviewing Malek, it’s hard not to think of his onscreen persona as genius hacker Elliot Alderson in Mr Robot. Considered, softly spoken, and obviously intelligent, he thinks over every question before offering long detailed answers. Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, Queer as Folk) takes on the lead role but this isn’t the first time the story has been brought to the big screen. Steve McQueen starred alongside Dustin Hoffman in a 1973 version. Malek was understandably nervous about taking on a part made famous by another actor.

‘Of course I waivered over involving myself with a decision that would inevitably bring on those comparisons [with Hoffman]. I thought, I’m not going to shy away from this simply because there is an actor who I greatly admire and respect who has played the role beforehand. I thought we could make a captivating version of this for today’s audience and maybe I wouldn’t do the role the justice he did, but at least we could create something that could arguably be as riveting.’

It was a challenging shoot for the cast, who were required to access and channel a level of desperation that the story required every single day. They built a full-size prison in Montenegro to try and capture the reality of Charrière, Dega and the other convicts’ lives. ‘It wasn’t the way that usual Hollywood sets are built where you turn around one wall and it’s just a flimsy piece of panelling made to look like the structure of a prison: this was built of wood and concrete,’ explains Malek. ‘Surrounding yourself with actors playing inmates all day long is an assault to the senses. You go home at night but spending day after day in what is essentially some type of prison environment does wear on you as a human being.’

Papillon echoes Malek’s big break in the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks-produced The Pacific, a companion piece to Band of Brothers which followed the US troops in Japan during World War II. Both were based on true accounts of events where people lived and died far from home in a hostile land. ‘I was very concerned when I first signed up because The Pacific took a lot out of me,’ Malek says now. In fact it took so much out of the young actor that he took a break and moved to Argentina to recover after filming.

‘I was worried but I feel these stories have to be told,’ he insists. ‘It is make-believe but you struggle through fog, rain and heat with a group of guys every single day for months. It is a very harsh and brutal environment to put yourself in. I had a terrific director on my side and we had great producers who were very cognisant of the conditions, but with Charlie being there day in day out, we just ended up relying on each other and bonding so much. In a way it emulated the two characters that we’re playing.’

Malek’s next big role is taking on rock icon Freddie Mercury in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and admits he feels the pressure when bringing the lives of real people to the screen. ‘It’s about filling not only the shoes of Louis Dega but all the men who were there. There are obviously leaps we take as filmmakers, but there is a responsibility to the men who lived through these unrelenting, inexcusable circumstances, and I think it would be inexcusable to not give them the respect of telling their story and to do it as dutifully as we could.’

Papillon screens at The Filmhouse, Sun 24 Jun, 5.45pm; Cineworld, Tue 26 Jun, 5.50pm.

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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

18 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT PIXAR As the superpower Parr family returns after 14 years for The Incredibles sequel, we take a look at a bunch of fun factoids about the Disney-Pixar juggernaut The name Pixar comes from a combination of ‘radar’ and a Spanish word, ‘pixer’.

The Incredibles was the first Pixar film to receive a PG rating.

Showing how culturally sensitive Pixar is, they altered some details in Inside Out to make more sense in different countries. So, viewers in Japan would see Riley refusing to eat green bell peppers rather than broccoli, while in some regions the sport that her dad imagines shifts from ice hockey to football.

Toy Story was the first full-length movie to be made entirely using CGI.

Produced in 1984, Pixar’s first animated short was The Adventures of André and Wally B. In the summer of 1994, arguably the most productive power-lunch in movie history took place at the Hidden City Café in Point Richmond, California. By the time their bill had arrived, the core Pixar creative team had come up with the four ideas that would eventually produce A Bug’s Life, Monsters Inc, WALL-E, and Finding Nemo.

In an early draft of Toy Story, Woody was a sarcastic and rather unlovable cowboy.

Production was shut down until he was written to be the more likeable goofball we all know and tolerate today.

In Up, the house is lifted into the air by a total of 10,297 animated balloons.

All the screams in Monsters, Inc were supplied by children of the animators.

As a promotional tool for Ratatouille, Pixar planned to sell wine with Remy the rat on the bottle’s label. That idea was cancelled after concerns were raised that it might encourage underage boozing.

In a less controversial promotional venture, a fully functional website was created for Monsters University, complete with admissions, academic and campus life info.

During production of Toy Story 2, the entire movie was accidentally deleted from its servers. Luckily, the movie was saved on the personal computer of an employee working from home.

The animators created age progression charts using the school photos of John Lasseter’s sons to help make Andy’s ageing believable in Toy Story 3.

Despite the volley of plaudits Pixar movies have received down the years, it’s not all rosy: on Rotten Tomatoes Cars 2 received a stink-filled 39% rating.

It took Pixar three years of studying the physics of curly hair for them to be satisfied that they’d got Merida’s red barnet right in Brave.

‘A113’ is rumoured to appear in every Pixar movie. This is a reference to the name of the classroom at the California Institute of Arts where many animators learned their trade.

A Bug’s Life is loosely based on The Seven Samurai.

Monster’s Inc’s Sully has 2.3m individual strands of hair.

The Incredibles 2 screens at Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Sun 24 Jun, 2pm, and goes on general release, Fri 13 Jul.

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Fri 3 - Sun 26 August 2018 Open daily | Free entry

Shop design-led, handmade objects from 37 Scotland-based makers.

Book a craft workshop through the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website.

Fringe venue 205 7IGSRH žSSV ;LMXI 7XYJJ 89 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3ES @craftscotland | #edsummershow | www.craftscotland.org

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25/05/2018 18:03

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25/05/2018 20:24

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Rachel Maclean’s Make Me Up

CALEDONIA DREAMING

W

hile the Edinburgh International Film Festival has built a reputation as an essential showcase for the best in world cinema, the support of Scottish films and filmmakers has always been central to its remit. In this forthcoming 72nd edition, homegrown talent will once again take centre stage, starting with opening film, Puzzle, which features Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald in the lead role of a woman whose newfound passion for jigsaws changes her life in ways she could never have imagined.

From there, the country is broadly represented across the programme. In the feature lineup, Matt Palmer’s debut Calibre, a Highlands-set thriller which stars Scottish actor Jack Lowden (Dunkirk) and Martin McCann (‘71) as two friends on an ill-fated hunting trip, joins John McPhail’s anticipated zombie horror / musical Anna and the Apocalypse. Kenny Glenaan’s Dirt Road to Lafayette, which follows a father and son as they travel from Scotland to North Alabama, will receive its world premiere here and audiences can also look forward to pop-art drama Make Me Up

by Glasgow-based video artist Rachel Maclean.

Elsewhere, Shauna Macdonald will be seen in Paul Raschid’s horror White Chamber, while Tommy Flanagan appears in Michael Noer’s updating of Papillon, and James Cosmo stars in Anthony Byrne’s crime thriller In Darkness.

Scottish documentaries are also in abundance.

Travis frontman Fran Healy’s Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis will debut, as will Meeting Jim, Ece Ger’s film about Traverse Theatre founder and Edinburgh Festival Fringe champion Jim Haynes. Additionally, award-winning Edinburgh-based documentary

filmmaker and EIFF honorary patron Mark Cousins will introduce his latest projects, The Eyes of Orson Welles and Storm in My Heart.

Scotland will be well represented across the animation strand, too, including screenings of Dorte Bengtson’s family film Vitello and an early look at Red Kite’s animated feature Princess Emmy which includes the voice talents of John Hannah and Franka Potente. The extensive lineup of homegrown shorts includes Charlotte Wells’ Blue Christmas and Anna Stoltzmann’s My Head on the Mountain along with work from the Scottish Film Talent Network. Looking towards the small screen, EIFF audiences will be treated to a preview of the first three episodes of Skye-set TV show Bannan’s fourth series, which follows a young woman returning to the island home she left when she was 18.

The festival will also celebrate Scotland’s eclectic film and television history by screening Maurice Hatton’s industry satire Long Shot, which was filmed during the 1977 EIFF, and director Bill Forsyth will be in attendance to introduce a screening of his classic 1983 film Local Hero.

‘Edinburgh International Film Festival is renowned around the world for discovering and promoting the very best in international cinema, and Scottish talent has always been at the heart of that,’ said EIFF artistic director Mark Adams.

‘The festival’s programme always helps shine the light on to Scottish themes, performances and filmmakers, and I’m thrilled that once again we can celebrate this high level of craft in past and present Scottish work.’

The Edinburgh International Film Festival proudly presents a diverse range of Scottish screen work at this year’s event. Nikki Baughan picks through the highlights from an iconic 80s movie to a modern zombie musical

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SUPPORTED CONTENT

OCEAN REIGN As V&A Dundee gets set to open its doors for an eager public, their opening exhibition is a suitably dramatic launch. Brian Donaldson talks to V&A Dundee assistant curator Meredith More about the glamour, romance and tragedy within the Ocean Liners story

I

PHOTO: CARTIER

magine you’re living in the early to mid-20th century, have a bit of disposable income in your pocket and fancy travelling the world. We’re some time away yet from suffering long queues in stuffy, packed airports, while going through the indignity and paranoia of passport control and security checks.

Instead, you have the chance to spend a relaxed time aboard the grandeur of an ocean liner as it glides elegantly through the water.

This lost age, when traversing the globe could be a romantic and glamorous adventure, is set to be resurrected when V&A Dundee unveils its opening exhibition in September. Ocean Liners: Speed and Style not only seeks to recreate the experience of stepping aboard a huge ship, it will show around 250 objects from public and private collections including paintings, sculptures, ship and engine models, wall panels, furniture, fashion, textiles, photographs, posters and film, all of which have been gathered from across America and Europe.

‘We really wanted it to be a very experiential exhibition, so the design of the show evokes ocean liners and should make the visitor feel what it was like to go onboard,’ says Meredith More, V&A Dundee assistant curator who herself spent some research time on the Queen Mary 2 to get a feel for what life would be like on such a craft. ‘We have a lot of film in the exhibition, so you can see people actually onboard the ships and there are really quite dazzling installations that focus on the fashion as well as that really performative descent to dinner onboard an ocean liner, which was somewhere you both had to be and be seen.’

Among the fashion items on display are the Christian Dior suit worn by Marlene Dietrich as she arrived in New York on board the Queen Elizabeth in 1950, and the Duke of Windsor’s 1940s Goyard luggage The history of the ocean liner is also the story of British shipbuilding, both of which went into sharp decline in the 20th century’s second half when air travel became the preferred mode of transport for people who wanted to reach their destinations more quickly. ‘Ocean liners themselves and this show are certainly glamorous but we also want people to leave with the sense that they were hugely impressive feats of engineering,’ states Meredith. ‘These ships had transformed and shrunk the world, with people travelling huge distances in a matter of days. Plus, if you were a wealthy person travelling on a French liner

such as the Normandie, you were standing, effectively, on a representative of France as it was full of the best French interior design. As well as enjoying the experience, it’s about appreciating that these ships don’t exist anymore: we don’t travel in the same way now. But at the time, this was modern life in a way that people hadn’t experienced before.’

But as Ocean Liners records, it’s not all about romance and glamour, with the exhibition touching on the more tragic history of these huge vessels. Titanic is, of course, a byword for vastness and calamity, while the sinking of the Lusitania off the Irish coast by a German U-boat in 1915 changed the face of World War I with popular opinion turning against Germany and redrawing the rules on legitimate military targets.

Ocean Liners will have some artefacts on show that were rescued from both boats.

‘The Lusitania is such an important story in terms of the turn of historical events and how this terrible tragedy eventually led to America coming into the war,’ notes Meredith. ‘So, we have a Cartier tiara that belonged to the wife of a shipping magnate. The tiara is an expensive object which somehow made it off the ship in the luggage being carried by her maid.

The Titanic fragment was actually the largest fragment that survived and that’s going to be shown in the final section of the exhibition where we’re trying to reflect on what ocean liners still mean to people. At the end of the Titanic movie, the panel that Kate Winslet is lying on was based on this rescued panel. People are still fascinated by the Titanic today, because it’s glamorous and tragic all in one.’

Ocean Liners is a suitably ambitious and impressive affair which is a fitting show to launch the grand opening of V&A Dundee. It may have felt like a long time coming, but Meredith can talk for everyone at the museum that it will be well worth the wait. ‘It’s very exciting that it’s getting closer now. I’ve been working on this project for four years down in the V&A in London and having just moved up to Dundee, it’s really exciting to be here and almost time to open.

It certainly feels that it’s getting close now and we’re all excited to install the objects for the permanent galleries and for the first exhibition and to be finally in this building.’

Ocean Liners: Style and Speed runs at V&A Dundee from Sat 15 Sep 2018–Sun 24 Feb 2019.

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PHOTO: COLLECTION FRENCH LINES

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PHOTO: MARITIME MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA

PHOTO: VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

PHOTO: VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Top to bottom: Normandie in New York, 1935-39; two piece bathing suit, retailed

by Finngans Ltd. London, 1937-1939; Empress of Britain colour lithograph poster for Canadian Pacific Railways, J.R. Tooby, London, 1920; wooden panel fragment from the first-class lounge on Titanic, c. 1911; diamond and pearl tiara previously owned by Lady Marguerite Allan and saved from the Lusitania; the Titanic in dry dock, c. 1911 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 31

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PHOTO: JULIE HOWDEN

VIEW TO A THRILL Co-designed by a group of young people, the 3D Festival will showcase the best of Dundee’s creative future. Deborah Chu explores how this fits in with the city’s wider regeneration

A

s the last pieces fall into place ahead of V&A Dundee’s much-anticipated debut, it has never been clearer that the new museum is far from the entire story. While this is an undoubtedly historic moment, the opening of V&A Dundee plays only a small part within a grander narrative about the city itself; one whose remarkable regeneration has long been cultivated by a dedicated citizenry, a rich history in design and industry, and a vision for the future that is progressive, inclusive and deeply creative.

This vision will be exemplified in the 3D Festival, a two-day celebration co-designed by V&A Dundee’s Young People’s Collective. Comprised of those between the ages of 16 to 25, the Collective will have a hand in shaping every aspect of the festival, from selecting the lineup to designing the merchandise. As such, the festival will be a key event in Scotland’s Year of Young People, and will encapsulate all that this year is meant to symbolise: an ethos of forward-thinking, hope for what lies ahead, and the emergent generation of young Scots who will bring this potential to fruition.

With the dramatic contours of V&A Dundee as a backdrop, up to 20,000 visitors will be welcomed to join the celebrations in Slessor Gardens, right in the heart of Dundee’s transformed waterfront. The first day of the festival will take place on the eve of the museum’s opening and will feature a colourful showcase of creative talent ranging from music and dance to design and performance. On V&A Dundee’s opening day, family activities and hands-on design workshops will take place in Slessor Gardens. Further details relating to the festival lineup will be announced over the summer period.

Maryam Deeni, a member of the Young People’s Collective, is enthusiastic about the work that they’ve done so far with their co-designers DF Concerts & Events, and views the 3D Festival as an unprecedented occasion to not only bring the community together, but also to welcome the world to Dundee. ‘This is an opportunity for us to do something great and we want everyone to feel part of it,’ says Deeni. ‘The opening celebrations will show off the new museum and will be a chance to highlight the great things that have been going on in Dundee for a long time. The festival will be a combination of what the city is proud of and the exciting things still to come.’

V& A D U N D E E E S S E N T I A L I N FO OPENING: Saturday 15 September

airport is a ten-minute journey from the waterfront.

WHERE: 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee

PERMANENT GALLERIES: At the centre of V&A Dundee’s design galleries is Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Oak Room. This newly-restored 13.5 metre-long panelled room will be viewed

HOW TO GET THERE: The museum is located across from the city’s railway station and the

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by the public for the first time in almost half a century. Other treasures include the Cartier ‘Valkyrie’ diamond tiara, an intricately-illustrated Book of Hours from the 15th century, original Beano artwork from Dundee publishers DC Thomson, and the snap40 digital device.

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SUPPORTED CONTENT

PHOTO: ROSS FRASER MCLEAN

DESIGN OF THE TIMES

Project architect Maurizio Mucciola takes Arusa Qureshi through Kengo Kuma’s modern and cutting-edge design for V&A Dundee

‘W

hen I first saw Kengo Kuma’s drawings for V&A Dundee,’ says director Philip Long, ‘I realised he had designed something truly remarkable.’ With its ambitious, geometric structure stretching out onto the River Tay, the building seeks to reconnect the city with its historic waterfront.

During the 2010 competition to deliver V&A Dundee, the unique and modern design concepts of the acclaimed Japanese architect firmly stood out among the many submissions from all over the world. Inspired by the cliffs of Scotland’s east coast and with Dundee’s shipbuilding and textiles heritage firmly in mind, both tradition and innovation were very much at the forefront of Kuma’s architectural vision.

‘Generally speaking, we wanted to create something that fits the site in a very natural way and at the same time, reconnects the city centre of Dundee back to the River Tay,’ project architect Maurizio Mucciola explains. Having established his own practice, PiM.studio Architects, in London in 2016 but having worked at Kengo Kuma & Associates for a number of years, Mucciola was tasked with guiding the team and leading the project to completion.

‘During the first stage, the entire design team of architects and myself were all based in Japan.

Then during the more detailed stages of design, we moved the team to Edinburgh so we could be closer to the client as well as our engineers. But we were still having daily discussions with Kengo Kuma and the partners in Tokyo so we could progress the design together.’

From his base in London, Mucciola journeys to Dundee regularly, having been on site almost every week in the past year to help guide the project and the wider team. So with the superstructure complete, how close is the realised project to Kuma’s original concept? ‘The overall concept has essentially been realised,’ he says. ‘It’s been a challenge but a very interesting one: working with double curvature walls and with cutting edge technologies for the elements has been very fascinating for everyone involved. We had to work closely with each other and our structural engineers from the beginning but we managed to coordinate well and I think it’s been very successful.’

The building’s exterior, which uses 2500 cast stone panels each weighing up to two tonnes and measuring up to four metres, is dramatic in its overall make-up, providing a bold addition to Dundee’s cityscape, without being obtrusive.

‘With an exceptional and contemporary design, it’s important that it still manages to find its own place in the context and in the city through some of the design elements. So, we felt that in the space, if we had gone with a glass building, even with a complex shape, it wouldn’t have been appropriate because it wouldn’t have felt a part of Dundee.

When I normally arrive in Dundee by train and cross the bridge, I always have to look twice before I locate the building. And that makes me very proud because I think that despite having an exceptional design, the building still blends with the rest of the city centre and the surrounding area. I think that’s a very positive thing that we’ve managed to achieve.’

It’s not just the architects involved or the public

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PHOTO: PHIL TURNER

V&A DUN

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PASS THE BATON As Arusa Qureshi discovers, a new generation of designers have taken on the Scottish Design Relay in the run up to the museum’s grand opening

PHOTO: ROSS FRASER MCLEAN

bodies and private donors that have been thrilled by what has already been accomplished with this extraordinary building, the local reception has also been hugely positive from the beginning.

‘We’ve held a few public consultations through the planning process and pretty much everyone was supportive and happy about the council’s decision to allow this important project in Dundee,’ notes Mucciola. ‘Every time I come to Dundee, taxi drivers or people in the hotels are so supportive and always ask me about the progress of the project.

It’s very nice to be working in such a positive environment.’

Though the construction of the building was completed in January, work will continue inside as exhibitions are installed in the galleries, and critical pieces, like Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s conserved Oak Room, are moved into place. But with just a few months to go until visitors will be welcomed in to Scotland’s first design museum, Kengo Kuma & Associates, along with Mucciola and the whole design team involved, are hopeful that both locals and tourists will soon see the building as a key feature of Dundee.

‘I hope that people really see this building as part of their city and part of the public space of the city both externally and internally, and that it can become a part of their everyday life. I think we designed the building in a way that the exhibitions and learning centre will of course play a central role, but that the rest of the building and the main hall especially, will be there for people just to relax and have a coffee. I hope that people will use it as a nice space and as a building that is theirs to enjoy.’

Clockwise (left to right): V&A Dundee; cliffs inspiration image; view from water; Kengo Kuma sketch of V&A Dundee; V&A Dundee main hall

Last year, V&A Dundee kicked off the Scottish Design Relay, a national project inspired by a selection of objects visitors will see when the new museum opens in September.

Over a period of eight months, teams of young people from six areas around Scotland were tasked with taking inspiration from their design heritage, working with local designers to develop and create prototype designs for display in the museum.

The first team, employees from Michelin’s Dundee factory, were asked to develop a design related to travel and exploration, using the Dundee-built RRS Discovery as a starting point. With Dundee-based designer Kevin Fox on hand to help, the team created a polar bear alarm system to protect explorers from deadly attacks.

The relay’s second leg took place in Orkney where participants studied an Orkney chair designed

by David Kirkness. In Caithness, a detailed model of the Dounreay Fast Reactor was used as inspiration, while in Shetland, it was a Fair Isle jumper worn for golfing by General Sir Walter Kirke, and in Govan, a ‘Clutha’ vase designed

by Christopher Dresser. Finally, in Aberdeen the focus was on an enamelled plaque from the V&A’s collection by Aberdonian James Cromar Watt.

‘The Scottish Design Relay highlights just how special and varied this collection will be and, even more excitingly, has the potential to inspire a new generation of designers,’ explains Philip Long, director of V&A Dundee. ‘The new prototypes produced by the young people will be displayed in the museum, providing a great opportunity for everyone who visits V&A Dundee to see the vibrancy of Scotland’s design future.’

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SUPPORTED CONTENT

MY V&A

V&A DUN

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DU N D E E

PHOTO: MICHAEL MCGURK

Recently signed to Columbia / Sony Music, Angus-raised Charlotte Brimner, aka Be Charlotte, is only a matter of time from becoming one of Dundee’s most famous exports. Ahead of V&A Dundee’s opening, she tells us about her favourite designed object from within the city

‘I

got my glasses from an independent boutique in Dundee called Spex Pistols. I’d say the main print is a black and white zebra pattern with dashes of colour in it, and they’re all colours that I like: pink and yellow and baby blue. My style is about wearing bright, colourful, patterned things, and it was the pattern that attracted me to these at first. I like the little dashes of colour, so it’s not too intense and it doesn’t really clash with anything I wear. They’re circular frames – I think the style is Carnaby – which tilt back on an angle, and they’re older ones which have been restored, but I don’t know exactly which year they were made.

‘I started wearing glasses about nine years ago. Sometimes I wore contact lenses, but it’s just easier to put on glasses than shove lenses in your eye. With the music side of things, it was a conscious decision I made to wear the glasses for press shots and gigs and stuff, because I hadn’t really seen many other people doing that. I wasn’t sure at first, but I think it worked in creating an image that people remembered: the glasses and hair in a bun have been my thing. I guess I wanted to show people that if you wear glasses or you have anything about your appearance that maybe you aren’t so keen on, that you can embrace it. Sometimes you only see Photoshopped images of perfect people, and I just wanted to show a bit of realism.

‘I was introduced to Spex Pistols when I played a charity event in Dundee a few years ago where they were auctioning off some glasses. I met Richard Cook, the owner, and he asked if I’d like to try some of his glasses; he saw I wore them, but the ones I used to have were a bit plain. I went to the store and they had so many styles and colours of vintage glasses, which is what they’re about, restoring older glasses and giving them new life. I picked out these ones, although they’re not necessarily the style I thought I would have gone for, because they’re quite big and take up a lot of my face! It took a bit of adjusting to, wearing them all the time, but I loved them from the start.

‘The shop is in the centre of Dundee, but you have to go down a little lane to find it. It’s small but there’s so much in it, so many pairs of glasses and pieces of memorabilia as well. They make all the glasses there, which is cool, and you can have your glasses cases printed with your name and stuff like that. It’s a really personal experience, and fun as well. It encourages people to enjoy wearing specs. I’ve got quite a few pairs now, I’ve got a sunglasses version of these ones because I love them so much, and variations in different colours.’ (Interview

by David Pollock)

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PROCESSIONS

A MARCH IN TIME As women across Britain prepare for Processions in order to honour suffrage, the event showcases how symbolic a banner can be. Rachael Cloughton talks to NeedleWorks’ Clare Hunter about the past, present and future of handmade messages

O

n 10th June, a huge procession and one of the largest public, participatory artworks Edinburgh has ever witnessed will mark the centenary of votes for women. The event is one of four taking place in all the UK capitals, has been commissioned by 14-18 NOW (the cultural programme commemorating the anniversary of WW1), and organised by Artichoke, the same folk that brought us spectacular light festival Lumiere and the much talked about London’s Burning.

The crowds for Processions will be made up of women and nonbinary people, each wearing a violet, green or white scarf (symbolic of the colours of suffrage). The crowds will then be organised into these three colours as the procession commences, creating a sea of vibrant colour and forming a massive human banner when viewed from above.

While on the ground, we should expect hundreds, if not thousands of handmade banners, each expressing the myriad experiences of being a woman today.

‘The event is a moving portrait of 21st century women,’ says Clare Hunter, community textile artist and founder of NeedleWorks, ‘so we want lots of people to take part and share their experiences.’ Hunter has been making banners since the 1980s and has compiled a comprehensive toolkit on processions.co.uk on how to make your own.

‘The toolkit is something that comes from the heart,’ explains Hunter.

‘You can use it to share your story or you can make a banner for someone else or a person you admire.’ The kit includes instructions on where to buy esoteric banner-making essentials (such as the poly tubing coupler you’ll need to connect your poles) and also features rousing quotes from artists and activists that have championed banner-making

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PROCESSIONS

Glasgow Women’s Library workshop with printmaker Helen de Main (pictured above)

over the years: ‘let us go then, and make banners as required, and let them all be beautiful’, reads a Mary Lowndes quote.

‘The banners made by the suffragettes were crafted from luscious materials like velvet and were meticulously embroidered,’ says Hunter in explaining that this was itself a political strategy as ‘the suffragettes were accused of being “too masculine” or “desexed” or “not being women”. So they would create these marvellously crafted items that showed off their femininity to try and undermine this message.’

There’s no pressure to make an elaborately crafted object today, but the banner remains a potent medium, and with over 30,000 people expected to take part, Processions is another historic moment; a platform for many women’s voices to come together and be heard. ‘The most important thing is that we have a range of artworks expressing the various achievements and values of women: a social fabric in real terms.’

In addition to the public call out for participants, 100 women artists have been commissioned by Artichoke to support community groups across the UK to produce banners with 17 of these artists working in Scotland. Edinburgh College of Art lecturer and artist Lindy Richardson has been working with women at Cornton Vale prison to create a banner, with inmates working on small sections that will be stitched together into one large work. The result is a moving cacophony of voices: ‘my opinion counts, no matter where I am’ reads one; ‘barred from voting’ reads another above a picture of two hands holding onto bars, head slumped behind. Edinburgh College of Art students will carry the banner during Processions.

At Glasgow Women’s Library, Helen de Main has run weekly banner-

making sessions for library users. ‘Haud on a Minute Pal’ reads one strip of text; ‘We Can, We Will, We Are,’ exclaims another. The workshops aren’t confined to the central belt however; on Stornoway, the Western Isles Women’s Network are working with Chris Hammacott to make a banner; Lizzie McDougall is working with women in Ullapool, leading sessions at An Talla Solais; and Alicia Hendrick is working with women on Mull, through Comar.

Processions is set to be a momentous event, but what happens to the banners afterwards feels no less significant. ‘Many of the early 20th century banners have been lost or damaged, maybe some are hiding away in people’s attics, but there are very few examples in museums,’ says Hunter. ‘There were mainly male curators in charge of acquisitions at that time, and these banners weren’t considered historically significant.’

There is only one banner in the National Museum of Scotland, dedicated to Men’s suffrage, and another by Glasgow Girl Ann Macbeth dedicated to the suffragettes in Holloway jail is exhibited at the Museum of London. While plans for Processions’ banners are as yet undecided, they are unlikely to be lost. ‘Artichoke have plans to exhibit the 100 banners around the country and hopefully those made by individuals and groups will continue to be seen in local centres for a long time to come’ says Hunter. ‘In this sense, Processions shows how far we’ve come, but it’s also about how far we have to go and the continuity of women’s courage and determination to take part in life.’

Processions, starting from Middle Meadow Walk, Edinburgh, Sun 10 Jun. You can sign up for Processions at processions. co.uk or register on the day. Scarves are provided.

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FEATURE ADVERTISING FEATURE

SUMMER IN FIFE CALENDAR ng i h t e m o s s ’ There e for ever yon

All year round, Fife has endless treasures to explore, from its beautiful coastlines and beaches to worldfamous golf courses and historic castles. However, there is rarely a better time to visit Fife than in the summer, when the entire county becomes jampacked with events and festivals for everyone from art lovers and foodies to music fans and sports fanatics. To help you create your perfect itinerary, we’ve sifted through Fife’s busy calendar and picked out the highlights that you can’t miss.

SPOKES CYCLES KINGDOM JUNIOR CLASSIC SAT 9–SUN 10 JUN Scotland’s only British Road Series pedals its way into Fife in June, bringing with it some of the best under 19s cycling talent from across Europe. The course covers 140 miles of road, with stage one beginning in St Andrews and looping its way around the countryside before ending at the summit of Falkland Hill. Stage two is more gruelling, with competitors starting in Kennoway and racing over four laps through Cadgers Brae and Cults Hill. Former winners include Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish – so you may just witness the next star in action.

CRAIL FOOD FESTIVAL SAT 9–SUN 10 JUN Foodies are sure to delight in this food festival held in a fishing village known for its fresh seafood. The festival is bigger than ever this year, with a new venue at Beech Walk Park that features a marquee area with a market, bar and live music. It takes place in different locations around the little village and offers visitors food and drink stalls, chef’s workshops, live music, demonstrations and activities.

EAST NEUK FESTIVAL WED 27–SUN 1 JUL If you’re looking for concerts in unusual and interesting venues, then this is the event for you. The East Neuk Festival is known for hosting its music 40 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018

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events in quirky spaces throughout the coastal villages of Elie, St Monans, Anstruther, Kilrenny and Crail. The five-day programme includes 23 different events with a mix of classical, jazz, roots and traditional music to enjoy from prominent composers and performers.

for the whole family in the idyllic surroundings of a picturesque fishing village. There is something for all tastes, with events like a Classic Boat Rally, Anster Muster, ceilidhs, traditional Scottish music, highland dancing, family-friendly activities, and local food and drinks stalls. Complete your weekend by grabbing a world-famous Anstruther fish supper.

FIFE PRIDE PITTENWEEM ARTS FESTIVAL SAT 7 JUL Show your support for equality and diversity at the second annual Fife Pride taking place in Kirkcaldy Town Centre in July. Expect a colourful parade and non-stop music and entertainment, from burlesque stars and fabulous drag queens. This event is familyfriendly with a range of activities like henna, facepainting and mocktail-making classes on offer. Expect lots of rainbow freebies.

THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE OLD COURSE, ST ANDREWS THU 26–SUN 29 JUL Fife is known around the world for golf and every year, people travel from far and wide to play or watch the game where it was invented. This year, the home of golf hosts The Senior Open at The Old Course for the first time in the event’s 32-year history. Golfing legends like Sir Nick Faldo, John Daly, Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer will compete for the Senior Claret Jug.

ANSTRUTHER HARBOUR FESTIVAL SAT 28–SUN 29 JUL This festival is two full days of fun and entertainment

SAT 4–SUN 12 AUG Good things come in small packages, and the tiny village of Pittenweem attracts around 25,000 people each year. The Pittenweem Arts Festival takes place over nine days and hosts 100 exhibitions in galleries, homes, studios and public venues from artists all around Britain. There is also a programme of talks and workshops. Every year, internationally acclaimed artists are invited to exhibit, and this year the artists are Glen Onwin, Lucy Dunce and Derek Robertson.

ELIMINATOR BIKE FESTIVAL FRI 31 AUG–THU 2 SEP Eliminator Bike Festival has evolved in recent years to be so much more than a cycling festival.

Yes, there is still Scotland’s only Cross Country Eliminator tournament, the Muckathlon off-road Duathlon and bike racing for kids. But there is also three days of camping (or glamping) to enjoy, live music, kids’ entertainment, food and drink and craft workshops. So you don’t need to be a mountain biker to enjoy everything Eliminator has to offer.

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RIP IT UP

‘Moments like that make your hair stand on end’ An exhibition, a book, a tour, and a TV series, Rip it Up probes deep into the annals of Scottish pop history. Fiona Shepherd talks to those behind the exhibition about getting quirky trinkets from Belle and Sebastian and uncovering the secret behind a Simple Minds guitar

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ow do you tell the detailed yet mercurial story of Scottish pop music in a heritage setting? That has been the challenge faced by the curators at the National Museum of Scotland’s flagship summer exhibition, Rip it Up, which has amassed a wealth of material from collectors, industry veterans and, in most cases, the artists themselves: never have so many attics been raided to unearth costumes, instruments, artwork and quirky memorabilia.

By necessity, the exhibition is selective but representative, using key artists to tell the wider story of a nation’s popular music. ‘We can’t hope to feature every single nook and cranny, or every band and performer,’ says Stephen Allen, the exhibition’s curator and a teenage Rezillos fan. ‘That’s a whole museum in itself, and hopefully in the future other places might do a series of exhibitions on that.’

As it is, Rip it Up will be accompanied by a tasty series of museum talks and gigs, a BBC documentary series, associated music programmes at Summerhall and the Edinburgh International Festival, an Edinburgh International Book Festival event, and musicthemed walking tours. Meanwhile, Allen and exhibitions officer Sarah Teale walk us through Rip it Up’s four distinct strands and talk about their favourite exhibits.

ROOTS Tracing the roots of Scottish rock’n’roll in dancehalls and coffee houses, the explosion of beat groups in the 1960s, the flourishing folk scene and the first stirrings of a counter-culture.

Artists featured: Lulu, Lonnie Donegan, Alex Harvey, the Incredible String Band.

Key item: Gerry Rafferty guitar hand-painted by his Paisley buddy John Byrne.

Stephen: ‘John Byrne’s painted guitar thrilled us

when we saw it. And then we saw footage of Rafferty performing ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’ with it.

Moments like that do make your hair stand on end’.

NEW WAVES Inspired by punk’s license to do-it-yourself, musicians around Scotland start to develop their own divergent style, while independent labels such as Fast Product in Edinburgh, and Postcard Records in Glasgow take back the means of production.

Artists featured: Skids, Scars, Orange Juice, Altered Images, the Associates, the Pastels, Primal Scream.

Key item: handmade costumes by Edinburgh gonzo punk outfit the Rezillos, including a bright green PVC jumpsuit worn by guitarist Eugene Reynolds and a purple and yellow dress worn by singer Fay Fife.

Sarah: ‘I got really excited when we were watching Top of the Pops for our archive research and seeing Eugene performing on it wearing his PVC jumpsuit.’

GOING GLOBAL A celebration of the artists who have crossed over to international success. At this stage, the exhibits get flashier, the instruments get more expensive and the award statuettes more abundant.

Artists featured: Bay City Rollers, Average White Band, Annie Lennox, Midge Ure, Shirley Manson, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall.

Key items: Simple Minds’ acoustic guitars: one handpainted with their lyrics and featured on the sleeve of their 2016 Acoustic album and a threequarters size guitar belonging to Charlie Burchill.

Stephen: ‘Apparently his first ever guitar was bought for him by his mum on coupons saved from Embassy cigarette packets, so they covered this guitar with cigarette cards. We’ve also got a demo tape from one of the first times they went into a studio, alongside a handmade poster from a

performance at the Grafton Bar [in Glasgow] where they did a number of gigs in the late 70s. We love the Simple Minds stuff because they tell a very personal story. You’re aware they are a band who are still current but have all this legacy.’

Sarah: ‘We’ve also got the Texas sign in red bulbs from the “Inner Smile” video, and the Tom Ford bespoke leather outfit that Sharleen wore in the video.’

Stephen: ‘Obviously if you’re displaying that on stage, it’s a very different environment than a museum setting where we have to consider things like light levels and warmth. The sign works really well to say “this is a big band with a global following”, and with an iconic lead singer who has a long career of continually reinventing herself.’

SCOTTISH VOICES A tribal gathering of diverse artists who have projected something of their Scottish identity through music and imagery.

Artists featured: Runrig, the Proclaimers, Chemikal Underground Records, Fence Records, Idlewild, Frightened Rabbit, Young Fathers.

Key item: Set of Belle and Sebastian dolls made by their Mexican fans.

Stephen: ‘Belle and Sebastian were very keen that we tell something about their relationship with their fans so they have been a little bit more quirky in their choices. Sarah and I had a meeting at their manager’s office to talk about what might be available, and I spotted their NME Godlike Genius Award when I went to the loo. I thought “I’m not even going to mention it” but Stuart [Murdoch] said “you might want to borrow this as well”, so we had to adjust the loan agreement quite hastily.’

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SOUTHERN EXPOSURE

COMMUNITY SERVICE As the Southern Exposure music festival prepares to storm Summerhall, David Pollock finds the excitement tempered by recent tragic events

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PHOTO: SOLEN COLLET

PHOTO: IAN BOURN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO:JANNICA HONEY

nyone who has been to a concert in the Nothing Ever Happens Here strand at Summerhall knows that it’s a most unusual venue. Housed in Edinburgh University’s former Royal Dick veterinary school, it’s a warren of First World War-era corridors, laboratories and lecture chambers, with the old ‘Dissection Room’ having very effectively been turned into a mid-size gig space.

‘Unfortunately the building’s limitations mean that our biggest venue has a 450 capacity,’ says Jamie Sutherland, the venue’s music programmer. ‘So I’ve been looking at ways to try and get a bigger venue in there.’ For the past two years Summerhall has hosted an outdoor stage in their central courtyard for tie-in events with the Edinburgh International Film Festival, at which artists including Badly Drawn Boy have played. This set-up was partly what told Sutherland and venue manager Sam Gough that the Southern Exposure festival would be possible.

Over ten days, the venue will host this new outdoor music festival, which gathers together various strands of what they do. Alongside individual shows from Portico Quartet, The Rezillos and a Skids / Big Country double bill, the EIFF returns with a screening of DA Pennebaker’s 1968 concert film Monterey Pop (expect to see Jimi Hendrix set his guitar alight on the big screen). Summerhall’s regular Courtyard Ceilidh and beer ‘Festivale’ are also part of the programme.

In celebration of the National Museum of Scotland’s Rip it Up exhibition, there will also be two special tie-in events: Idlewild will perform their seminal album, The Remote Part, in full, on the exhibition’s opening night, while the Rip it Up onedayer is what Sutherland calls a ‘festival within a festival’.

‘A lot of what the National Museum is

doing is embedded in the older, more established artists such as Garbage,’ he says. ‘A lot of what we do year-round is embedded in trying to support local artists, and we wanted to reflect that, to give them a chance to be a part of the conversation.’

Appearing on the bill at the Rip it Up festival are Stanley Odd, Emma Pollock, Babe, Withered Hand, Modern Studies and Be Charlotte, a line-up which solidly represents Scottish music in 2018. ‘I’m very pleased to be on such a line-up of Scottish artists,’ says Charlotte Brimner aka Be Charlotte. ‘I choose to sing in my own accent and let people hear my stories in my own voice, and I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. It was Paolo Nutini who inspired me to do it that way, and to pick up a guitar and start writing my own music.’

Yet at this moment, it’s fair to say that any mood of celebration feels decidedly tempered. Sutherland tells us that the as-yet-unannounced special guests for Rip it Up were to have been Frightened Rabbit and, speaking only a few days after Scott Hutchison’s death, he’s unsure what might be done at the festival to pay tribute.

As lead singer of Broken Records (who are also playing), Sutherland points out that ‘the last few very sad days have shown us the sense of community in Scotland. My wife said she hadn’t realised how ingrained in a community we all are until she saw the response. You get used to bumping into each other around the place for years, and then it leaves a huge hole when someone goes. Through familiarity you find a deeper thing goes on between people than just working with each other; you share the same hopes and dreams and ideals, and that creates a strength of community. That’s something to be proud of.’

Southern Exposure, Summerhall, Edinburgh, Fri 15–Sun 24 Jun.

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edinburghmuseums.org.uk/cityartcentre City Art Centre | 2 Market Street | Edinburgh | EH1 1DE 0131 529 3993 | Free entry

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TRNSMT FEATURE

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PHOTO: LAURA ALLARD FLEI SCH

animal magnetism rthmore in a short period of time. Henry No in music y wa g lon a e com ve ha ce Ali lf and equality Indie rockers Wo Gallagher, Michael Winterbottom m Lia t ou ab s Elli eo Th st ssi ba chats to RNSMT is expanding for 2018. Over two consecutive weekends, Glasgow Green will make room for headliners Stereophonics, Liam Gallagher, Arctic Monkeys, Queen + Adam Lambert, and the Killers. Much like last year, it’s an indieheavy lineup featuring the likes of Courteeners, Interpol, Blossoms, Chvrches and Franz Ferdinand, with a smattering of pop (Jessie J / Sigrid), hip hop (J Hus / Krept x Konan) and full-on rock (the Darkness / the Temperance Movement).

‘I can’t think of many people who aren’t fans of Oasis,’ states Wolf Alice bass player Theo Ellis. ‘Liam Gallagher’s a right laugh in’ ‘e? You can’t really knock him.’ Which is lucky as Wolf Alice are on warm-up duties for the Britrock icon and motormouth quote machine. Over two albums, Wolf Alice have proved they are one of the most exciting young bands in the UK, grounded in indie rock but taking trips to the outer limits of grunge via side-steps into heart-breaking folk. 2015’s debut album, My Love is Cool, was powered by the fuzzy ‘Giant Peach’, the punk punch of ‘You’re a Germ’ and the blissful melancholy of ‘Swallowtail’.

‘We’re still exploring music that can be made via our four instruments and what we have at our disposal in the studio,’ explains Ellis. ‘I think it says a lot about the modern generation that our attention spans are a lot shorter. Stylistically and genre-wise I don’t think people have as many boundaries as they used to: they listen to a much broader spectrum of music. Our output is less tribalistic, it’s not shocking to love punk music and rap at the same time.’

2017’s Visions of a Life was similarly eclectic but offered even more depth. ‘I think you can hear a distinct maturity in the musical competency,’ adds Ellis. ‘It’s an introspective record, exploring more emotional sentiments. I feel like it’s more refined. As we’ve got older we’ve got better. Obviously I’m proud of the first record but I’m also proud of how much you can hear the development of musicianship on the second one.’

This is just the latest stage in Wolf Alice’s evolution. They started as a two-piece centred around vocalist / guitarist Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie, with bassist Ellis and drummer Joel Amey joining as the band’s style became harder, heavier and more distinct.

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‘Our ideas were quite ambitious and what we wanted to achieve as a band was quite ambitious. We always had belief in ourselves even when we were awful,’ laughs Ellis.

That self-belief was justified and has been echoed in their rapid ascension to indie rock’s top table. For a band just years into their career, Wolf Alice have achieved a lot: Grammy, Brit and Mercury Music Prize nominations, playing all around the world (they recently supported Queens of the Stone Age in the US), and even taking a starring role in Michael Winterbottom’s On the Road, a film which blurs fact and fiction with Wolf Alice’s tour acting as the backdrop to a scripted love story (starring Leah Harvey and James McArdle). ‘That concept really appealed to us but when we saw it back the narrative was a little less heavy and it was more of a tour documentary. Which is fine but it explored the mundanity of touring which is a thing you don’t necessarily want to promote as a band.’

Touring has become more important, if very time-consuming, for modern bands. It’s all about striking the right balance between the visceral thrill of playing to thousands of hyped-up fans every night and the more introspective creative side. ‘It goes in waves,’ Ellis admits. ‘After a while you want to get back in the studio making music. I like them both in equal measure but I don’t like anything when I do it for too long. I have a very short attention span.’

Over the last year in particular the public has been more vocal in calling for greater diversity and representation on festival bills.

Looking over the posters for the biggest festivals in the UK proves there’s still a long way to go. ‘I think equal representation in all work places and environments is important,’ agrees Ellis. ‘If you want young girls picking up instruments and playing music on those stages you need to be able to see other inspiring females. I’ve seen people come up to Ellie and talk about picking up a guitar or writing a song because of her. So I think of her as a very inspirational person because there just aren’t many women doing it.’

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FEATURE TRNSMT

light entertainment

5 REASONS TO SEE QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT AT TRNSMT

Pale Waves tell Henry Northmore to ignore the Goth look and focus on their shimmering synth pop sound with its 80s twist ‘A lot of people think I should be in a heavy metal band, but I write happy pop music,’ laughs Pale Waves’ vocalist, lead songwriter and guitarist, Heather Baron-Gracie. With her shock of raven black hair, striking gothic makeup, and thick dark eyeliner, she’s become the distinctive face of Pale Waves. ‘I understand why people make that assumption because there are stereotypes out there but, whatever genre of music, you should just wear what you want and write whatever you want.’

Perhaps people forget that some of the greate st and most influential Goth acts, like the Cure or Siouxsie and the Banshees, wrote astoni shingly beautiful pop music (think ‘Love Cats’ or ‘Happy House’). And Pale Waves swim in similar waters, specialising in dark tales of romance heavily influenced by the 80s and moder n pop. Baron-Gracie and drummer Ciara Doran instantly clicked when they met at univer sity in Manchester with a mutual love of music and respect for each other’s talent forming the heart of the band. ‘She’s my rock,’ insists Baron-Gracie. ‘We hold it all together; she’s my best friend and someone I can’t see going out of my life.’

After expanding to a four piece with the additio n of guitarist Hugo Silvani and bassist Charlie Wood, Pale Waves signed to Dirty Hit Records in 2017 (home to Wolf Alice, Benjam in Francis Leftwich and Marika Hackman). Fellow label mates The 1975 were instant fans with Matt Healy eventually producing two tracks, directi ng the video for ‘Television Romance’ and inviting them to tour the US. ‘Working with the ‘75 enabled us to reach to a much wider audience,’ says Baron-Gracie. ‘They are great people; when they love something they want as many to hear it as possible. It was great expos ure for us, as we went from playing to 15 people to playing arenas. It was a big jump.’

As people eagerly await the arrival of their debut album, the buzz surrounding Pale Waves continues to build. According to Baron-Graci e they’re currently working on 12 tracks but they might not all make the final cut. ‘Obviously I explor e a lot more of my songwriting abilities not just romantic interests. I talk about my issues as a person and how I’m feeling, mental health issues; I just explore myself a lot more. When anyone listens to the album they are basically stepping into a world of Heather.’

■ Pale Waves, Glasgow Green, Fri 29 Jun.

Most of the headline acts at TRNSMT have played its T in the Park predecessor in some form or another. But there’s one outfit that stands out in all its pomp rock majesty: Queen + Adam Lambert are playing their first ever Scottish festival date. Here are a handful of reasons to see if they will rock you . .

1. THE HITS It’s no wonder Queen’s first greatest hits collection is the highest selling album in the UK. Among their solidgold rock classics are ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, ‘We Are the Champions’, ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, ‘Killer Queen’, ‘Somebody to Love’, ‘Radio Ga Ga’, the list goes on and on, and we haven’t even mentioned . . .

2 . . . ‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ Six minutes of extravagant operetta meets prog rock perfection. It topped the charts for nine weeks when it was first released in 1976 before returning to number one for another five weeks in 1991 after the death of Freddie Mercury.

3. BRIAN MAY As a founding member of Queen, May has written some of the world’s most memorable solos. It’s a proper hairs on the back of your neck moment when he strides out on stage, guitar in hand.

4. ADAM LAMBERT While we’d never ever suggest that Lambert is a better frontman than Mercury (one of the all-time greats) he’s an exciting, flamboyant performer with an astonishing vocal range.

5. SCOTS ROCK Queen’s supporting lineup features a strong showing of homegrown talent, namely Texas, the Temperance Movement, Gun, The Xcerts, Hunter & The Bear, Mason Hill and the Amorettes. And we can also make a quarter claim for the Darkness, given that bass player Frankie Poullain is an Edinburgher.

■ Queen + Adam Lambert, Glasgow Green, Fri 6 Jul.

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FIESTA X FOLD

PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT Maria Sledmere dives into the programme for Glasgow’s new Fiesta x FOLD festival, and catches up with Morcheeba ahead of their performance

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s the number of UK festivals shows no sign of decreasing, it can be difficult choosing which ones to actually attend. Maybe it’s best to make room for something fresh. Running across a summer weekend (Sat 30 Jun and Sun 1 Jul), the brand new Fiesta x FOLD festival will take over Kelvingrove Park to deliver a scorching mix of funk, soul and disco, alongside a healthy array of electronic artists and the strongest female-led bill of this year’s festival season.

Welcoming under-18s and offering day, weekend and VIP tickets, the event seeks to be a party-hard but family-friendly affair, bolstering its impressive lineup with contemporary and established names, and keeping things cool with cocktail bars and a pop-up restaurant, catering for vegans and meat-lovers alike.

With much of the line-up curated by Nile Rodgers, there’s plenty to look forward to. Chic and Nile Rodgers will be treating fans past and present to a performance on both festival days. Kelvingrove is transformed into a Boogie Wonderland on Saturday, as legendary Chicago stars Earth, Wind & Fire take their multifaceted back catalogue to the headliner’s stage with a ten-piece band, fronted by original members Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson. On the same day, they’ll be joined by pop-tastic American R&B outfit Pointer Sisters and blissed-out party craft masters, the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club. On the Block Party Stage, acts include Huey Morgan, De La Soul, Keb Darge, DJ Andy Smith (of Portishead), DJ Format, Shaka Loves You, David Barbarossa, Andrew Devine and Swamp Frog.

With its female-led bill, Sunday’s headliners are a whirlwind of disco, trip hop, electronica and more, featuring Emile Sandé, Laura Mvula, Morcheeba and Ana Matronic. Sandé’s brand of multi-platinum, arena-friendly R&B soul is sure to win the swoons of her audience, while Mercury-nominated Laura Mvula’s inimitable voice, adorned with atmospheric R&B, jazz and a chamber pop sheen, is set to provide an immersive experience.

Riding on the back of last year’s seventh studio album, Silver Eye, English electropop duo Goldfrapp will bring a career’s worth of euphoric, synth-filled hits to the park, well-complemented by Ana Matronic and her flamboyant disco earworms. With the full line-up still to be announced, Sunday’s Block Party stage features acts both local and further afield, including Nicky Siano’s Hallelujah Disco, the Reflex,

Nightwave, Domenic Cappello Does Disco, Ray Harris, Rebecca Vasmant, Melting Pot and Angles.

Twenty years and more in the business, London’s Morcheeba are festival stalwarts with a barrel-load of irresistible singles to draw from, as well as new material having recently released a single, ‘Blaze Away’, with Roots Manuva. Known for hits like ‘The Sea’ and ‘Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day’, as well as iconic albums such as Big Calm, Charango and, more recently, Head Up High, Morcheeba recall their 1990s contemporaries (Massive Attack, Tricky and Portishead) while continuing to reinvigorate their sound with collaborations, a dynamic new album on the horizon and, as they put it, ‘the biggest world tour’ they’ve ever done.

Keen to play the Kelvingrove venue, not least because ‘getting close to nature while rocking out is awesome’, Morcheeba, who now comprise original members Skye Edwards and Ross Godfrey, intend to deliver an adventurous set of songs both old and new, from recent single ‘Never Undo’ to classics like ‘Friction’ and ‘Otherwise’. No strangers to the Scottish gig circuit, Morcheeba are confident their sound delivers the right vibes in venues big and small. One of their first shows in Scotland was at Glasgow’s King Tut’s, which felt, they admit, ‘like we’d invited a bunch of mates around for our gig. It was really cosy and laid back’.

They’ve come a long way since then, finding themselves handpicked for the Sunday line-up by Nile Rodgers himself, who they met recently backstage at Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest. The band were surprised and delighted to find Rodgers already knew who they were and wanted to include them on his female-led bill, which indicates a move ‘in the right direction’ for more balanced lineups.

With artists of this calibre plucked from busy summer schedules to play, Fiesta x FOLD is set to be, Scottish weather withstanding, a sizzling treat. Departing from the usual fast-food fare, the organisers have enlisted MasterChef winner Gary Maclean and Garry Gill of A’Challtainn’s seafood to provide a unique popup restaurant on site, catering to culinary tastes as eclectic as the music line-up. Combining passions for both music and food, festival organisers Brian Traynor and Ricky Scoular enthuse, ‘we wanted to create something truly special.’

Fiesta x FOLD, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, Sat 30 Jun & Sun 1 Jul.

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MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES The University of Edinburgh is home to around 200,000 artefacts, works of art, models, specimens, musical instruments and scientific apparatus, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Proudly displayed in exceptional museums and galleries across our campus, we invite you to come and explore our collections and enjoy our lively programme of exhibitions and events.

Find out more, visit www.ed.ac.uk/museums-galleries

Housing an impre ess ssiv ive e co collllec ecti tion o of historic and anatomical specimens includ udin ng th the sk skel elet eton n of the no noto tori riou ouss 19 19th century y se seri rial a kililerr Wi William Bu urk rke. e.

Scotland’s oldes e t purpose built concert hall and hom ome e to one of the worrld l ’s most important collections of mus usiical al insttruments, inclu ludi d ng two galleri r es of world-class ke eyboards.

Open Tue-Sat 10a 0amm-5p 5pm m | st stce ceci cilias.ed.ac.uk | @StCec ecililia iasH sHal alll

One of Scotland’s leading galleries of contemporary visual art, with a dynamic programme of talks, tours and performances.

52 THE LIST 1 Feb–31 Mar 2018 www.ed.ac.uk/talbot-rice

A show wca c se of the Un niv i ersity’s uni niqu que e cultural and heritage c llecti co tion o s al alon ongs g id ide orig ginal resea earc r h with a a rolling prog pr o ramme of exh hibitions and accompanying events.

Geor o ge Square | Open Mon on-S Sat 10am-5pm | @UoE_Exhibitions

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WRITTEN WITH THE SUPPORT OF EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

PHOTO: GENEVIEVE STEVENSON

Lau

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED

The Edinburgh International Festival is to take over Leith Theatre in August with a range of influential Scottish musicians in tow.

Arusa Qureshi looks admiringly down the bill

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racing the origins of Scotland’s contemporary music culture will take you on an eclectic and colourful journey, from its roots in folk and the early days of pop and 1950s rock’n’roll to the explosion of punk, new wave and indie. It’s a story that spans decades, genres and audiences, interwoven within a musical heritage that remains as rich and vibrant today as it did 50 plus years ago.

Engaging with the nation’s diverse history of musicmaking, Light on the Shore is the Edinburgh International Festival’s new season of live music, which aims to draw attention to this creativity and individualism that’s seen throughout Scotland’s music scene. The season has a host of Scottish artists, bands and collectives co-curating the 16-night bill, with the intention of highlighting the collaborative nature of Scottish popular music and its wideranging and celebrated reach across the globe.

‘When the National Museum said they were doing the Rip it Up exhibition, it got us thinking about how you tell a story that is, on one level, so collaborative and on another, so individually tribal,’ says EIF artistic director Fergus Linehan. ‘We then started thinking about how you can’t just tell that story from one perspective, and so we started up all kinds of conversations with people like Donald Shaw from Celtic Connections, Lau, and the Neu! Reekie! guys, which was an interesting way for us to curate the festival.’

Light on the Shore is not only unique in its inclusion of a wide array of ensembles, bands and composers, it also represents a significant move in the attempts to reinstate Leith to its rightful place in the city’s cultural scene. Leith Theatre, where the season will take place, hasn’t been a part of the Festival since the 1980s. ‘It’s one of the most amazing venues I’ve ever come across because not only does it have a great layout, it has soul to it,’ Linehan explains. ‘There’s something about a venue that has had performances since the 1920s and you can feel it in the walls.’

Leith Theatre is a venue that takes the Festival away from its bustling hub in the centre of Edinburgh, allowing it to extend to an area that remains culturally relevant. ‘What is really great is that the EIF, as such a recognised international institution, is increasingly embracing its hometown,’

musician, composer and Lau accordionist Martin Green notes. ‘Lau was born in [fiddle player] Aidan’s flat in Leith, we did our first ever gig at Leith Folk Club, and our studio is still down Easter Road. So to be able to do this with the resources and scale of the Edinburgh International Festival and for it to feel like we’re doing it at home is wonderful for us.’

Lau will be bringing a special Festival edition of their Lau-Land to Leith Theatre, with a number of friends and collaborators joining in including American singersongwriter Joan As Police Woman, Egyptian electronica artist Nadah El Shazly and electronic DJ James Holden.

‘The ethos of Lau-Land is all about sharing musicians that have inspired us,’ Green says. ‘Lau collectively listen to lots of music and Lau-Land was born with us going, “wouldn’t it be great to get some of these remarkable humans that we’ve met in some of the same places at some of the same times?”’

This interconnectivity within Scottish music is certainly evident across the Light on the Shore programme, with partners like Neu! Reekie! bringing us some of the country’s most influential bands like the Pastels, the Vaselines and the Fire Engines, while Carla Easton of TeenCanteen is inviting friends from Sacred Paws, Bossy Love and The Van Ts to join her onstage in a celebration of empowering female musicians. Elsewhere, the bill also includes Mogwai, Django Django, Anna Meredith & Southbank Sinfonia, Karine Polwart and Alan Cumming.

Light on the Shore will do much to emphasise Scotland’s influence on popular music while delving deep into the characteristics that make the nation’s music so exceptional.

‘Some of these line-ups are really eclectic and some people are going to be bumping up against bands that they never would have gone to see in a million years,’ Linehan adds.

But this is exactly what makes the season such a welcome addition to the EIF programme. As Green effectively summarises: ‘it’s more music for more people more of the time.’

Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside, Leith Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 9–Sat 25 Aug.

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HACIENDA CLASSICAL

PHOTO: PETER KAMINSKY

CLUB CLASSICS Hacienda Classical was meant to be a one-off nostalgia trip. Peter Hook and Graeme Park tell David Pollock that they’re delighted that a new generation of fans are getting into the 90s vibe

I

t’s been 21 years since Manchester superclub the Hacienda closed down and 16 since it was demolished. Yet the indomitable spirit of Britain’s most renowned clubbing institution of the late 1980s and early 90s lives on, with former Hacienda DJs Graeme Park and Mike Pickering continuing to play their own DJ sets.

‘The few older heads who came along to our clubs had started to moan that we didn’t play the classics any more,’ says Park, who was born in Aberdeen, raised in Kirkcaldy and now lectures in Creative Media Technology at Wrexham Glyndwr University. ‘That’s not what clubbing’s about: it’s about youth and looking forward. But we realised it’s because of these people that we’re doing what we’re doing in the first place. If you’re over 40 with kids and a sensible job it can be a military operation to get out clubbing, and you just want to hear the music you love again.’

Park was discussing this with Pickering (one-time driving force behind M People) and Peter Hook (former New Order bassist and coowner of the Hacienda) and remembers Hook setting the wheels in motion. After meeting with conductor and arranger Tim Crooks of the

Manchester Camerata orchestra, they staged the first Hacienda Classical show in early 2016 at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. It was planned as a one-off until the tickets sold out in five minutes. A second show the following week did the same, and then the Royal Albert Hall in London got in touch.

‘At the outset I wasn’t sure it would work, but reactions have been amazing,’ says Hook. In many ways this show has given the Hacienda a new lease of life. People have never actually heard these songs performed fully live, as most of them were just records made on cheap synthesisers and played by DJs. The show itself is a continuous DJ set as well as the orchestral performance. In many ways it replicates the original vibe which made the Hacienda so special, and captures the music’s enduring quality.’

As the show’s executive producer. Hook also plays live bass on many songs, while any time he isn’t on stage is spent working at the sound desk, checking on the 170-piece orchestra. After the success of the original run, the trio realised they had something which deserved to continue.

Having scaled up to 20 dates in 2017, they’ve

upgraded further for this year’s arena concerts.

‘I’d say about 80% of the show is new for this year, with new vocalists and tracks from the 1970s and 2000s, as well as the 80s and 90s,’ says Park. ‘I’ve always said that if we’re going to continue doing this, we have to keep pushing the boundaries.’

Park loves hearing Hook play old New Order basslines, although the man himself favours the new orchestral arrangements of classic house tracks like ‘Strings of Life’ and ‘LFO’. ‘We’re celebrating the tunes from the original club which came to shape dance music,’ says Hook, ‘but many of these songs are timeless to me and haven’t aged with the many young people we have coming to the shows either.’

‘The first time we did this in Manchester, we foolishly assumed people would sit down and listen because it was a classical concert,’ remembers Park. ‘But they didn’t. Everyone was so excited to hear the tunes they grew up with or fell in love to: it was like a wall of sound.

The atmosphere is electric every single time.’

Hacienda Classical, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 18 Aug.

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VISIT THE HELIX

HOME OF THE KELPIES Visit the world’s largest equine sculptures in the heart of Scotland

www.thehelix.co.uk

@Helixfalkirk

@TheHelix

@HelixFalkirk

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56 THE LIST 1 Feb–31 Mar 2018

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FOOD & DRINK

For the latest news, listi n reviews, ggs and o list.co.uk to /food&dr ink

GLASGOW DISTILLERY COMPANY Single malt flows once again Whisky makes you wait, sitting around in casks doing not much at all but maturing for the legally required ‘period of not less than three years’. The wait is over for the Glasgow Distillery Company, who’ve been shifting serious amounts of Makar gin for the last few years. Their 1770 Glasgow Single Malt Whisky, the first single malt to be produced in the city in over 100 years, is named after the founding year of the old Glasgow Distillery, which made whisky until 1902. With only 5000 bottles of 1770 swimming around, it’s not like you can just wander into an offie for one.

Hopeful buyers had to enter a ballot prior to the spirit going on sale on 3 June. If you missed out this time . . . keep on waiting. (Jay Thundercliffe) ■ glasgowdistillery.com

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FOOD & DRINK

NEWS & REVIEWS

THE EAST RISES IN THE WEST

DRINKS NEWS

South-east Asian delights have arrived in Glasgow. Rory McGinley dines at Finnieston’s latest culinary offering, Nonya

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f the Finnieston revolution has reached its peak (surely the claims of ‘up and coming’ can now be firmly laid to rest), Nonya is perhaps its first postmodernist incarnation. Its culinary underpinning is rooted in Thai, Malay and Chinese cuisine, a disparate mix that finds settlement in the fact Nonya achieves a sense of cohesion in its bold, imaginative and creative food.

The conversion of the building, formerly The Scullery, took around six months – testament to the substantial renovation and the owners’ wish to have an open-plan kitchen. Nonya’s ownership tells its own story: head chef Gina Hopkins has a strong grounding in some of London’s top restaurants, front-of-house is headed by Andy Kelly, formerly of Stravaigin, while the third operator is Bloc+ owner John Burns: a formidable triumvirate indeed.

Menu design is refreshing in its simplicity, separated into bar snacks and small or large plates, with clipped descriptions that belie the serious consideration given to dish creation. Red braised pork belly is a bowl of sticky goodness that speaks of a kitchen that knows how to properly impart flavour to a frequently overused cut. The ingredient profile includes star anise, bay leaf, chilli, cinnamon, ginger and Shaoxing rice wine, with it all coming through to make for a standout dish. Equally impressive is Lao sausage, where

minced pork shoulder with a decent fat content is seasoned with lemongrass, chilli and lime. Gado gado hake, of Indonesian origin, is wrapped in charred bamboo leaf and steamed, sealing in the distinctive flavour of the spiced fish.

Nonya is indicative of trends in Glasgow’s restaurant scene, as the city begins to fully realise the merits and joys of Southeast Asian food. It comes close behind another popular outfit, Malaysian-focused Julie’s Kopitiam, with similar success in converting the region’s street-food culture to an informal and welcoming restaurant setting. It also illustrates the city’s growing culinary status with Nonya and another newcomer, Gather by Zique, fronted by chefs who established their respective reputations in London.

These twinned features show Glasgow pushing and transcending its culinary boundaries, and Nonya, with its celebration of Southeast Asian cuisine in all its hybridity, can surely think of itself at the forefront of this movement.

+

Innovative, forward-thinking food bursting with flavour

-

Asparagus and bamboo shoot dumplings are a little heavy

NONYA 10 Claremont Street, West End, Glasgow, G3 7HA, 0141 221 6200, nonyaglasgow.co.uk Mon–Fri noon–3pm, 5–10.30pm; Sat / Sun noon–10.30pm

Glasgow’s Southside now has its own urban distillery thanks to Illicit Spirits, set up by Darran Edmond in a Tradeston railway arch. His juniper-led London Dry gin, produced using a traditional, direct-fired copper pot still, is now ready and available in various city bars (eg Inn Deep, Koelschip Yard) or to buy from the likes of Marchtown, the Wee Beer Shop or at craft56.co.uk If gin’s not quite your thing, try Escubac. This invigorating botanical liqueur (ABV 34%) – spicy, citrussy and good with tonic – is made by Sweetdram, who have got things flowing at their new Edinburgh distillery. They are also doing a smoked, spiced rum. But not gin. Never, ever, they say.

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SIDE DISHES

News to nibble on

Scott Smith

The ink was barely dry on our 25th annual Eating and Drinking Guide when Hitlisted restaurant Norn announced the shock departure of founders Scott and Laura Smith. Despite initial indications that the restaurant would keep trading, the restaurant has now closed.

Scott and Laura have since taken over the Broughton Street space formerly occupied by Seasons

(yep, also Hitlisted) and plan to open as Fhior in June. The name means ‘true’ and there’s a casual bar space planned alongside a more formal restaurant, with their brilliant bread finally available to take away too. Elsewhere, in Leith, we’ve waved a sad farewell to cult restaurant Stack Dim Sum Bar, while Morningside favourite Salt Café also closed its doors for the last time.

In April we printed our Eating & Drinking Guide. We’d like to correct a couple of errors.

Our review of Honu in Glasgow (p145) wrongly mentioned artificial colours in the Rawnchy cake. In fact, Rawnchy’s handmade vegan cakes, produced in Glasgow, are all free from artificial colourings and flavourings, as well as ditching the dairy, gluten, soya and refined sugar (rawnchy.co.uk). Our tiplist on p57 for cafés on Glasgow’s Southside

included Lagom Kitchen, but had the wrong copy describing Dandelion Café in Newlands Park: they are, of course, both well worth visiting. Our review of Soul Sushi (p109) in Edinburgh drew attention to the amount of plastic used. They’ve since been in touch to let us know that they’ve changed some packaging to biodegradable PLA, use more wood and cardboard items and wash and re-use their eat-in platters.

25TH EDITI ON

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9 77135 9 069093

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£7.95

In Glasgow, the inventive Turnip & Enjoy closed down at the turn of the year but the same owners are back having refurbed and reinvented themselves as te Seba, a pasta and prosecco restaurant with a good line in Bellini cocktails. Also arriving opposite Merchant Square, in the former Pancho Villa’s venue, is Mharsanta, from the folks behind Bourbon bar Van Winkle, dishing up some Scottish favourites in a smart set-up. Recent closures include Moskito on Bath Street after 18 years in business, while Liberté at Charing Cross has also shut up shop.

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EATING & DRINKING IN ASSOCIATION

WITH

Ex xpe erie ence e ou ur 1st Au uthe ent n ic i Sic ich huan n Cu uissin ne in n Sco otla and d.

349 Sauchiehall Street G2 3HW

http:// www.sichuanhouse.co.uk

0141 333 1788

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OUTSTANDING IN THE FIELD

RECENT OPENINGS

Jo Laidlaw discovers a rural idyll that’s breathing new life into a family farm. And best of all, it’s just at the end of the 44 bus

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he Free Company is a collective of farm-based entrepreneurial endeavours: there’s a design company, The Pig Club (an excellent free-range pork subscription service) and a supper club which typically runs in April, August and December. This unfolds as a set menu, communal affair for around 50 guests in the old hay barn, a magical space with just enough renovation to make it safe, without sacrificing any rustic charm. The set menu charms too: there are no cheffy flourishes, just exceptional produce (most from the farm) which is simply allowed to shine. Expect bread baked in the custom-designed, huge, oven; simple starters like smoked salmon blinis; and mains that will almost certainly feature their own excellent pork. The bar is similarly scaled-back with a couple of wines, beers and cocktails. After-dinner drinks are the perfect excuse to hunker down beside the firepit, creating a relaxing, completely engaging experience where you really do feel you’ve spent the evening in a friend’s house, albeit one with a bulging address book and a piggery to call their own.

THE FREE COMPANY Cockdurno Farm House, Balerno, Edinburgh, EH14 7HZ the-free-company.com £10 reservation fee then pay what you think it’s worth (dinner)

The best of the new restaurant, café and bar openings in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for one.

Glasgow GATHER BY ZIQUE SCOTTISH / EUROPEAN 70–72 Hyndland Street, West End, 0141 339 2000, fb.com/GatherbyZique, £17 (set lunch) / £24 (dinner) The latest from owner Mhairi Taylor feels like Zique has grown up, entering midlife with some style and sophistication. Mature Cafezique (now a decade old) remains nearby, while Delizique of old has undergone an upmarket transformation. Muted tones, shades of grey and splashes of metal combine for a minimalist, classy vibe which is a long way from the previous look, yet that laid-back Zique attitude endures.

Superlative cocktails set the tone, dished out in a lounge-bar area taking up the big-windowed front, then head to dining areas to the rear and on a mezzanine for enticing modern European dishes, with flourishes of top-class Scottish produce.

CHURCH ON THE HILL BARS & PUBS 16 Algie Street, Southside, 0141 343 7569, churchonthehill.co.uk, £8 (lunch)/£15 (dinner) Former Langside Hill Church, with its temple front facade, is one of the Southside’s most impressive buildings. As Church on the Hill, prayers and hymns have been swapped for burgers and cocktails, with a recent makeover by new owners Signature Pubs. The outdoor space, looking onto the Battlefield Monument

and Queens Park, will have locals flocking here when the sun’s out, with added temptation from reasonably priced cocktails and familiar pub grub – the beetroot burger being a surprise highlight. A kids play area is planned, and dog-lovers could see their loyal friend represented on the ‘dog wall of fame’.

dukkah. Assemble a kebab from a choice of salads, spreads, and fillings: halloumi dipped in cuminseasoned flour and fried crisp is the stuff of Arabian dreams. Flatbread pizzas are thin, crispy and liberally smothered in toppings like smoky chorizo, sweet onion marmalade and sharp olives, while those with a sweet tooth will thrill to the pudding kebabs.

ROMANS PIZZERIA ITALIAN 26 Candleriggs, Merchant City, 0141 548 8859, romanspizzeria.co.uk, £13 (lunch/dinner) Thank the ancient Romans for concrete. It’s everywhere here: the drinks bar, the block walls, the ceiling, even the menu of ten (sorry, X) pizzas has a concrete look, blending into tables made from, yep, concrete. It avoids a correctional facility vibe thanks to all-encompassing murals of Rome in its pomp – the Colosseum looms impressively; Roman-style inscriptions are writ large.

Could have been naff but somehow manages to work.

Their enjoyable pizzas work too; crisp-bottomed from the huge gas oven, generously topped with the familiar (pepperoni, bbq chicken) and the quirky (smashed beefburger and mac and cheese).

Edinburgh RANSACKED BLACK OVEN PERSIAN 27 Marshall Street, 0131 667 7001, ransackedblackoven.co.uk, £10 (lunch) / £12 (dinner) An excellent addition to the Edinburgh Uni quarter, greatvalue Ransacked Black Oven is inspired by Persian street food. Bread is baked in the titular wood-fired oven, creating whisper-light, delicious sourdough pita to dip in grassy fresh olive oil then dredge in aromatic

SEEDS FOR THE SOUL CAFÉS 167 Bruntsfield Place, seedsforthesoul.co.uk, £8 (lunch) Virtually everything on the menu is made from scratch here in Bruntsfield’s newest 100% vegan café. A thunder smoothie achieves the right balance of hidden nutrients and refreshing flavour with a dash of smoked paprika on top of the spinach, kale, pineapple and ginger juice; soul bowl salads combine filling soba noodles with seitan, tofu or falafel; and pots of organic sweet potato chips come with gluten-free garlic mayo dip. The fridge is stocked with a range of kombucha teas and the hot drinks list includes plenty of original caffeine and sugar-free alternatives, with tempting nondairy cheesecake and excellent sponge specials too.

SIX BY NICO BISTROS & BRASSERIES 97 Hanover Street, sixbynico.co.uk, 0131 225 5050, £28 (lunch) / £28 (dinner) To take Britain’s best-loved takeaway, playfully deconstruct each element and form an entire six-course menu requires great gumption. Glasgow restaurateur Nico Simeone’s inaugural theme, The Chippie, reimagines the after-pub, stodgy marriage of chips and cheese as Parmesan espuma with droplets of curry oil; scampi gets a posh do-over with Scrabster monkfish cheeks; there’s even a triumphant deep-fried Mars Bar. The menu changes every six weeks and upcoming concepts also promise to be adventurous: Cooking Wonka features golden tickets and a chocolate river over chorizo popcorn, chicken and candied olives.

Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink 60 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018

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DISCOVER CANADA’S EAST COAST Remote Ports. Lively Music. Incredible Wildlife.

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FOOD & DRINK

FOOD GLORIOUS (FESTIVAL) FOOD Summer is here, which means a packed schedule of festivals. But don’t forget your stomach amidst all the hedonism as Scotland’s growing calendar of food festivals are a great way to kick back with friends and discover new food and drink while basking in the summer sun. Jo Laidlaw rounds up the best

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dinburgh is the festival city so it’s no surprise that the capital has lined up a strong schedule of food festivals this summer. Why not kick-off the belly-busting fun with something homegrown and community-led? The Power of Food Festival aims to celebrate Edinburgh’s community gardens, unique spaces dotted all over the city where residents come together to grow food. Over 20 gardens will be open to the public across a weekend; some have special events like poetry workshops, music, storytelling or full-blown garden fetes while others promise a more low-key chance to share food and connect with local growers.

Sustrans are also doing their bit, creating cycle routes to help you explore unfamiliar areas, so why not grab the bike and explore some hidden corners of your own city?

You know that weekend in Edinburgh where there’s nothing to do? Nope, us neither. Cleverly filling that teeny-tiny gap between the Jazz Festival and the Fringe, Edinburgh Food Festival will celebrate the best of Scottish produce once again in George Square this July.

With street food legends like Jarvis Pickle and Chick + Pea (plus more to be announced) there’s an interactive atmosphere with plenty for the kids to do, especially on the weekend mornings. Last year, 25,000 people took advantage of free entry, so expect a buzzy atmosphere.

Glasgow’s links with Indian food are so strong that it’s a surprise it’s taken so long for someone to come up with the Indian Food Bazaar. Held in the Briggait in July, it’s billed as Scotland’s biggest ever festival of Indian food with stalls from the country’s six main culinary regions cooking up a huge range of diverse dishes, with cocktails and mocktails also featuring Indian ingredients as well as traditional Indian music and DJs. Glasgow has long been at the leading-edge of vegan culture in Scotland, and Vegan Connections aims to celebrate it fully. They’ll take over SWG3 with performances from international and local musicians and artists, a market place and lots of food in August.

Fancy a day trip? Celebrating Scotland’s larder isn’t confined to Edinburgh and Glasgow and there are plenty of places and events worth visiting over the next couple of months. V in the Park is a completely vegan festival, with camping, talks, stalls, live music and plenty of plant-based food.

In June, the eighth annual Crail Food Festival takes over the area around the harbour; a beautiful setting for talks, tastings and demos, lots of family fun and plenty of local seafood to taste. Expect a similar vibe in Anstruther at the end of July, where the Anstruther Harbour Festival will revive the historic Anster Fair market alongside viking re-enactments. Bring your own helmet.

Crail Food Festival, Crail, Sat 9 & Sun 10 Jun, crailfoodfest.co.uk The Power of Food Festival, various locations in Edinburgh, Sat 16 & Sun 17 Jun, poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.com V in the Park, Balloch O’ Dee campsite, Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart, Fri 6–Mon 9 Jul, facebook/ vinthepark Indian Food Bazaar: A Culinary Journey, The Briggait, Glasgow, Sat 14 & Sun 15 Jul, facebook/ indian food bazaar Edinburgh Food Festival, George Square, Edinburgh, Wed 25–Sun 29 Jul, edfoodfest.com Anstruther Harbour Festival, Anstruther, Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jul, anstrutherharbourfestival.co.uk Vegan Connections, SWG3, Glasgow, Fri 10 & Sat 11 Aug, vegan-connections.com

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Stone baked pizza, seawater dough and goodies

We make really good pizza, from simply good ingredients, sourced from good foodie types, for people who like good food. We’re on a mission to slow fast food down, change its unhealthy image and give the lunchtime sandwich and the disappointing Friday take-away a run for its money.

If you can’t visit in person, you can call, email or order online and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Visit us in Edinburgh Rose Street - 0131 225 1588 | Newington - 0131 667 5343

#WErDough

fresh Handmade pasta Pizza - salads - bar 235 BUCHANAN STREET, GLASGOW, G1 2NG 7 SOUTH ST DAVID STREET, EDINBURGH, EH2 2BW @vapianoUK 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 63

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HITLISTED RESTAURANTS

THE LIST

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EATING & DRINKING

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25TH EDIT EDITION 2018/19 LIST.CO.UK/FOOD LIST.CO

THE HIGHLIGHTS Celebrating everything that’s good about the eating and drinking scene across Edinburgh and Glasgow, our 25th annual Eating and Drinking Guide contains reviews of around 1000 venues, all freshly compiled by our team of 70 reviewers. Our coveted Hit List selections celebrate the best of the best, there are handy Tip Lists with recommendations for every occasion, plus coverage of around 160 new openings. So dig out the stretchy trousers and let the eating commence!

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EATING & DRINKING IN ASSOCIATION WITH

AD 64 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018

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HITLISTED RESTAURANTS

Fresh Italian Food s Served with Love

45 MORNINGSIDE ROAD, EDINBURGH EH10 4AZ

tel: 0131 466 6767

www.nonnas-kitchen.co.uk

FOR THE

6TH TIME

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EATING & DRINKING

AWARDS We celebrated our 25th anniversary by revamping our prized Eating & Drinking Awards. Our eight categories award the most exciting, essential places and people from the past twelve months: from fine dining to street food. They’re complemented by our readers’ awards, generously supported by Birra Moretti, which give our readers a chance to get in on the action. Read about our winners on page 58 and 59.

In association with

EATING & DRINKING

AWARDS READE

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EDINBURGH READER AWARDS

GLASGOW READER AWARDS

LEFTFIELD Every neighbourhood needs a neighbourhood restaurant: the kind of laid-back placethat suits every and any occasion. And according to our readers, Bruntsfield has a new contender for this coveted position in the shape of LeftField, a tiny, cosy, steak focused place (with a little bit of excellent seafood too).

CAFÉ STRANGE BREW Laurie MacMillan’s Café Strange Brew aims to ‘Keep Shawlands Strange’. Friendly, funky and with an imaginative menu that offers a global flavour to inventive breakfasts, brunches and more – plus consideration for special dieters, our readers agree this café has been an important trailblazer in the current food and drink scene on the Southside.

Special mention to our brilliant runners-up, First Coast and The Roseleaf.

Special mention to our brilliant runners-up, POTLUCK and Julie’s Kopitiam.

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HITLISTED RESTAURANTS

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No.

PIZZERIA IN THE UK

30 out of 30 – best pizza in Scotland

BY

tam cowan, sunday scottish sun IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Paesan0 PIZZA

Our Artisan woodfired pizza ovens have been built for us by Gianni Acunto of Naples, who have been making traditional ovens for 4 generations.

Our pizza is a hybrid yeast and sourdough proofed for over 24 hours.

The long proofing time together with cooking at an intense heat of 500OC produces a moist, light, soft, digestible crust which is aromatic and delicious.

1

Tomato sugo with garlic, oregano and evoo

5

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Tomato sugo with mozzarella, fresh basil and evoo

6

3

Tomato sugo with capers, olives, anchovies, mozzarella, garlic and evoo

7

Spianata spicy salami from Calabria with tomato sugo, mozzarella and evoo

8

Prosciutto cotto (Italian cooked ham) with portobello mushrooms, tomato sugo, mozzarella and evoo

8

Roasted red peppers with spinach, tomato sugo, mozzarella, ricotta and evoo

7

Fresh Tuscan Fennel sausage with sugo, mozzarella and evoo

8

Mushroom, spinach, mozzarella, ricotta, oregano, garlic and evoo (no tomato)

8

Grilled aubergine with tomato sugo, garlic and fresh Parmesan

7

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sides and desserts also available 94 MILLER ST, GLASGOW, G1 1DT T: 0141 258 5565 471 GREAT WESTERN RD, GLASGOW, G12 8HL T: 0141 370 0534

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1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 67

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THE MILKMAN COFFEE EE & ESPRESSO BAR

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26 Hamilton Place, Stockbridge, EH35AU (10 minutes walk from George Street) 0131 629 6280 | hello@smithandgertrude.com

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HITLISTED RESTAURANTS

THE

LAUNCHES

Thanks to everyone who supported our launch parties in Glasgow and Edinburgh, especially Birra Moretti who have supported the Guide for ten years now.

In Edinburgh, thanks to our stunning venue, Assembly Roxy; Appetite Direct for the gorgeous spread; and drinks sponsors Birra Moretti, Amarula, Great Grog, Peatreekers and Rapscallion Soft Drinks.

Glasgow’s hosts were the iconic BAaD, with oysters and treats from A’Challtainn. Thanks too to drinks sponsors Birra Moretti, Amarula, Auchentoshan, Great Grog Wines and Rapscallion Soft Drinks.

Both events were hosted by Sumayya Usmani, with DJ sets from Speaker Bump and cakes from the fabulous Sugar Daddy’s bakery. A very special high five to our intern Amy Clark and our volunteers who did such a brilliant job: Tim Carlsen, Maria Panagiotopoulou, Hannah McGeechan, Elisha Hagger and Kirsten Newlands.

Launch Photography James Gourlay

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AMARULA IS A CREAM LIQUEUR, BASED ON THE SPIRIT DERIVED FROM THE MARULA. The Marula fruit is harvested from Marula trees that grow wild and uncultivated in the subequatorial regions of Africa – the only place on the entire planet they grow. The trees bear their fruit just once a year at the end of Africa’s summer, which scent attracts the elephants from the surrounding areas that come to feast on the fruit.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

PHOTO: MICHAEL DAWSON

Remember when:

DAVID LYNCH AND DONOVAN TOOK THE STAGE AT THE QUEEN’S HALL In 2019, The Queen’s Hall celebrates 40 years of entertaining us with great music, comedy, and all manner of live events. They’ll be marking the year with some special events, and looking to their audiences to share their gig-going memories with them. So we got our deputy content manager Murray Robertson to take a trip down memory lane and recall when David Lynch visited and denied there’d be more Twin Peaks

Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a big fan of David Lynch. In fact, so out of hand is my idolatry that some people who’ve no idea who I am would probably concur. It’s not just his astonishing work in film (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) and TV (Twin Peaks) that so enthrals me, but the enigmatic artist himself; a man who Stuart Cornfeld, an executive producer of The Elephant Man, famously described as ‘Jimmy Stewart from Mars’.

So when I read through a copy of The List on 18 October 2007 I was amazed to learn that Lynch was heading to The Queen’s Hall the following week to talk about transcendental meditation, accompanied – oddly enough – by singersongwriter Donovan, also a vocal proponent of the practice.

Heading along Clerk Street on Friday 26 October, I was slightly trepidatious. I knew that Lynch was nominally there to promote his charity, the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness, and would be taking questions on his work in general. I hoped that somehow I might break through the horde of questions to ask one of my own. I hadn’t invited anyone with me, partly because I thought the whole endeavour sounded a little odd, but mainly because I felt that sharing this special moment would somehow dilute it.

I took my seat and joined in with the applause as Lynch was introduced to the packed crowd as ‘David’. I remember being mightily impressed by his hair, an entrancing wave of grey dancing up to the sky. He spoke for a while about transcendental meditation, usually with his eyes closed and his hands waving mysteriously in front of his face, as if he was falling into a trance right there on stage. I may have fallen under his spell myself as, when he

invited questions from the audience, I felt a sudden jolt followed by rising panic.

There was a deafening silence in the auditorium and, even though I desperately wanted to speak to David, I was terrified of breaking the remarkable quiescence all around me. Finally, some other brave soul plucked up the courage to ask a question, which he diligently answered. Then followed complete silence again. I knew this period of hesitancy wouldn’t last long so I nervously broke it by calling out his name: ‘David!’ He squinted through the stage lights to locate me in the crowd.

And then my chance: ‘Even though it’s impractical, do you have any personal desire to return to the world of Twin Peaks?’ David considered his response for some time before replying with a firm ‘no!’, accompanied by much laughter. He then elaborated: ‘but I often dream about Twin Peaks as I’m sure many of you do.’

And with that I relaxed back into my seat with a warm smile across my face. The floodgates opened as the crowd found a collective courage, questions firing from around the room at accelerating pace, and a lot of hands remained aloft as David was eventually ushered off stage. At that point Donovan took up position with his guitar, and rounded off one of my favourite ever Friday nights.

Send your memories – anecdotes, photos, videos, ticket stubs etc – to info@queenshalledinburgh.org or Marketing Dept, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JG. If sending by post, please state if you’d like these items returned to you. To make some new memories, check out what’s currently on at The Queen’s Hall. www.thequeenshall.net 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 71

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AROUND TOWN

F the latesotr listing news, reviews,sgand list.c .uko to /aroundoto wn

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE The official world tour of VH1’s jewel in the crown hits Glasgow It’s been a pretty exceptional year for fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race. First, we were treated to the third season of All Stars, which delivered potentially one of the most gag-worthy moments in almost a decade of Drag Race herstory. Shortly after endae. Ut quia parchit, venis quae maion est came the show’s tenth season which, at the time aperit acesto excesciatque voluptatet, iusci of writing, continues with some sickening queens con porectem ex et que volesse quiamus, still in the competition. We may have been spoiled sunt fuga. Im imil mod que pore, tet debis this year with two separate seasons in such close audis velecat dolescipiet fugit, simusandi succession but luckily, with our favourites constantly doloratur, seque dende inum quamus exerum, touring and bringing their shows to fans all over the velesequas voloreperum qui si archil mo te world, the biggest gap between episodes is never doluptatur?Evenda inum sitis mil eic tem. too painful.

Pudignis dolo consed et autas seque estissi Both Glasgow and Edinburgh have recently been ommolor ectio. Orest earuptasita voles entertained by the likes of Sasha Velour, Alyssa necerum fugit offictem et, omnim dia doluptat Edwards and Shangela, and now Glasgow is girding faccum eat. itself for the ultimate celebration of Drag Race. With Temos ex et harum quid et re, sequo et, sold-out shows in 2017, the official RuPaul’s Drag sequae peliqua eriamusapedi ate volumquis Race world tour is back in the form of Werq the eosRorrorent ut que esequos quassitate World, which stops off in North and South America, parumquam illiciant acesequam rem reperumeEurope, Asia and Australia. The Glasgow date will be hosted by Michelle Visage, with Detox, Kennedy Davenport (pictured), Kim Chi, Latrice Royale, Sharon Needles, Valentina and Violet Chachki also on the bill. Expect fabulous lip-syncs, death drops galore, and more charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent than you could shake a stick at.

(Arusa Qureshi) ■ SEC, Glasgow, Sun 3 Jun.

ABOREHENAT DOLUM

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Busdande que voluptu reperis inihit aborporrum ium quis es aut pra net, sam restia volore, sum, que etur sitio molores nis untio con est omnissi modita veliquis aut officiur ad PHOTO: WERKTHEWORLD.COM

72 THE LIST 1 Feb–31 Jun–31 Mar Aug 2018

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Highlights | AROUND TOWN

HITLIST

LEITH FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Sat 9–Sat 17 Jun, leithfestival.com The vibrant community of Leith shows off its festival skills with a fun-packed programme of events including exhibitions, concerts, walks, talks and films. Notable dates are the festival Gala Day (Sat 9 Jun) and the Leith Festival Tattoo (Sun 17 Jun).

RIP IT UP National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Fri 22 Jun–Sun 25 Nov, nms. ac.uk National Museums Scotland and BBC Scotland are coming together to tell the story of Scottish pop music in a major collaborative project that explores the musical culture of a nation over more than half a century.

GLASGOW 2018 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Various venues, Glasgow, Thu 2–Sun 12 Aug, glasgow2018.com This multi-sport event sees European athletes compete in athletics, aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon. Events also take place at venues around Scotland

MERCHANT CITY FESTIVAL Various venues, Glasgow, Thu 2–Sun 12 Aug, merchantcityfestival.com A diverse arts festival in Glasgow’s swanky part of town. Previous years have seen comedy, theatre and art events cramming themselves into the area, while street performers add to the festival atmosphere.

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE Various venues, Edinburgh, Fri 3–Mon 27 Aug, edfringe.com The largest arts festival in the world and the greatest show on earth. Every year thousands of performers take to a multitude of stages all over Edinburgh to present shows for every taste.

AROUND TOWN HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

Juniper Festival

GLASGOW WEST END FESTIVAL Various venues, Thu 31 May–Sat 30 Taking over the West End of Glasgow each year, the festival treats the ears to a great musical line-up, tantalises all the senses with a carnival and delves into the creative depths of local studios and exhibitions with the Hidden Lane open days.

GLASGOW SCIENCE FESTIVAL Various venues, Sat 7–Thu 17 Jun, glasgowsciencefestival.org.uk A packed programme of workshops, shows, films, discussion, exhibitions and art collaborations allows budding scientists to sit back and learn something new or don safety goggles and take part in an experiment.

BRICKLIVE SEC, Thu 19–Sun 22 Jul, bricklive. co.uk The UK’s biggest LEGO fan convention comes to Glasgow for a celebration of all things LEGO featuring displays from fan builders, themed areas and millions of LEGO bricks to play with.

GLASGOW COMIC CON Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 30 Jun, glasgowcomiccon.com Glasgow Comic Con is an annual event which focuses on showcasing sequential art, and hosting a wide range of established and up-andcoming creators from across the globe.

EDINBURGH JUNIPER FESTIVAL Summerhall, Fri 1–Sun 3 Jun, summerhall.co.uk With a variety of top producers to try before you buy as well as gin talks, cocktails, food stalls and handmade fashions and crafts on sale, the Juniper Festival is a celebration of all things gin.

MEADOWS FESTIVAL Meadows, Sat 2–Sun 3 Jun, meadowsfestival.co.uk Edinburgh’s festival season kicks off with the Meadows Festival, which offers a local band line-up, dance groups, a dog show, an outdoor market and workshops amidst lots of family-friendly activities.

ANNUALE Embassy, Fri 15 Jun–Sun 1 Jul, annuale.org Annuale is a festival celebrating independent grassroots creative projects within the visual arts, especially local Edinburgh based projects.

It is curated by the Embassy gallery.

TURING FEST EICC, Wed 1–Thu 2 Aug, turingfest. com Amidst the cornucopia of arts events in Edinburgh in August, this festival focuses on technology and can be relied upon for appearances by big names from the digital community.

2018’s themes are Product, Strategy & Growth (1 Aug) and Engineering, Marketing & Culture (2 Aug).

FOODIES FESTIVAL Inverleith Park, Fri 3–Sun 5 Aug, foodiesfestival.com Michelin starred and award-winning chefs cook up a storm at this year’s festival dedicated to epicureans, as well as offerings from local producers, and workshops for food

lovers young and old.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL Various venues, Fri 3–Mon 27 Aug, eif.co.uk The Edinburgh International Festival is an unparalleled celebration of the performing arts and an annual meeting point for peoples of all nations.

Committed to virtuosity and originality, the International Festival presents some of the finest performers and ensembles from the arts world for three weeks in August.

JUST FESTIVAL St John’s Episcopal Church, Fri 3–Sun 26 Aug, just-festival.org Just Festival offers a programme to help people explore their spirituality by engaging with others and promoting peace with live music, talks, dance shows and exhibitions. The 2018 theme is ‘OutsideIn’.

THE MONSTER Royal Highland Centre, Thu 9–Sun 12 Aug, themonsteruk.com Adult bouncy castle featuring a 300-metre obstacle course. Street food, cocktails and live entertainment are also on offer.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION FESTIVAL Various venues, Wed 22–Fri 24 Aug, thetvfestival.com An essential fixture for

everyone in the television industry wanting inspiration, networking, learning and fun.

Run by and for the television industry, it is attended by over 2000 delegates.

OUT OF TOWN WRITE HERE WRITE NOW Paisley Town Hall, Fri 27 Jul, write18. com An exciting new Young Writers Festival for people aged 8–21 based in the Renfrewshire area. It encourages young people to enter and develop their writing skills, focusing on plays, songwriting and poetry.

MUGSTOCK FESTIVAL Mugdock Country Park, Milngavie, Fri 27–Mon 30 Jul, mugstock.org Boutique festival organised on a not-forprofit basis, featuring music, food, drink, theatre, art, cabaret and ‘sciencey stuff.’

The line-up for 2018 includes Friday headliner Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5.

GREAT SCOTTISH SWIM Loch Lomond, Sat Aug 25, greatrun. org/great-swim/ Thousands of people take to the water and swim in Loch Lomond, raising money for charities in the process. The event aims to make swimming races in open water as accessible and popular as charity runs and marathons have become, with a choice of different distances.

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BOOKS

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /books

GLASGOW COMIC CON Comics, sci-fi, cosplay and big names roll up for this annual event Jen Bartel (World of Wakanda, Josie & The Pussycats), Annie Wu (Black Canary, Hawkeye), Christian Ward (Iron Man), and Mahmud Asrar (X-Men Red). Accessibility is also an important factor according to Love, who has been working with National Society of Autism Scotland to make this year’s event even more friendly and welcoming for all comic book fans.

Glasgow Comic Con isn’t just about superheroes and big name publishers, it also champions indie titles with the annual Scottish Independent Comic Book Awards. As Love notes: ‘the awards are our way of trying to boost the profile of some of the best books to come out of the self-published scene in the previous year and shout about some really cool projects.’ (Henry Northmore) ■ Glasgow Comic Con, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sat 30 Jun.

PHOTO: SINEAD GRAINGER

As Avengers: Infinity Wars cruises past $1 billion at the box office, the global love of superheroes remains strong. Once dank and dusty conventions featuring stalls selling back issues, these days comic cons have become bright vibrant celebrations of comics, sci-fi and fantasy. And now, Glasgow Comic Con is back for its eighth year. ‘We host international writers, artists and creators, champion self-published works, and a range of comics-related activities to cater to our younger audience,’ explains event manager Nicola Love. ‘Last year we were preparing to open our doors and I asked one of my volunteers if there was a queue outside. People were queuing along Killermont Street, down Renfield Street, and onto Sauchiehall Street. I was so buzzing I nearly cried.’

This year they’ve doubled the number of panels to host a lineup that includes Kris Anka (Runaways),

74 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018

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Reviews | BOOKS

list.co.uk/books

PHOTO: LLOYD SMITH

BORDERS BOOK FESTIVAL This yearly literary celebration is bigger and better than ever Since its first incarnation in 2004, Borders Book Festival has evolved from a small summer event with just a few hundred visitors to welcoming tens of thousands of book lovers to Melrose's Harmony Garden over four days. Its timing is perfect too – with most of Scotland's major book festivals clustered around spring, late summer and autumn, the Borders' offering makes the most of those long bright days.

This year's instalment features an eclectic range of authors covering everything from food and drink, to crime. The Hairy Bikers will open the festival on Thu 14 Jun and ex-GBBO judge Prue Leith make an appearance, as will List favourite Mary Contini.

Elsewhere, comedy is well represented in events from Nina Conti, Jan Ravens and Rory Bremner, while book festival favourites Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith and Richard Holloway will also pop up.

There's a strong journalism strand too, with appearances from the BBC's James Naughtie, the Guardian's Simon Jenkins and broadcaster Stacey Dooley. From the political sphere, former Tory leader William Hague and ex-PM Gordon Brown will also head to Melrose to talk to audiences.

2018 celebrates the centenary of the birth of one of Scotland's greatest writers, Muriel Spark. To mark the occasion, journalist Alan Taylor and crime writer extraordinaire Ian Rankin will get together to discuss Spark's legacy. And don't miss the festival's comics strand too, featuring appearances from Mark Millar, Frank Quitely and a screening of Miller's Kick-Ass. Other films at the festival include O Brother Where Art Thou?, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and a fourth film chosen by audiences. For more details and the full programme, head to bordersbookfestival.org. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Borders Book Festival, Melrose, Thu 14–Sun 18 Jun.

MUSIC BIOGRAPHY

MEMOIR

RURAL FICTION

CHARLES RAWLINGS-WAY

BECK DOREY-STEIN

EMMA HOOPER

These Are Such Perfect Days: The Del Amitri Story (Urbane) ●●●●●

From the Corner of the Oval Office: One Woman's True Story of Her Accidental Career in the Obama White House (Bantam Press) ●●●●●

Our Homesick Songs (Fig Tree) ●●●●●

It’s interesting to read this book with the knowledge of the forthcoming film about Travis, Almost Fashionable, which takes the novel approach of profiling the band in light of the huge critical apathy which follows them. A similar thing may be said of Del Amitri, whose critical star has waned, although they have recently returned to gigging for adoring, nostalgic fans. But why should the tastes of the present outweigh the successes of the past?

This band, as the author is keen to drive home, have sold six million records, had a top ten US hit (with ‘Roll to Me’) and seen five of their six albums reach the UK top ten. Their history is that of a rock group with a creditable career, yet – as documented here – even they are unsure as to why anyone would want to tell their story.

Rawlings-Way’s achievement, then, is not just in telling Del Amitri’s story, but in framing it in the context of why it should be told. He’s a fastidious and detailed writer, poring over the details of the group’s lives together and apart, and a series of comprehensive appendices emphasises this; although having written the book at a distance, the evocation of the book’s other character, the city of Glasgow, feels somewhat detached. Yet by the end the group’s journey feels like the reader’s, and their achievements are once more remembered.

(David Pollock) ■ Out 7 Jun.

As an official White House stenographer, Beck Dorey-Stein’s job was to transcribe every word the POTUS spoke for the annals of history. And indeed, the books have a great deal to document: not just the unprecedented fact of America’s first black president, but also Sandy Hook, Charleston, the Affordable Care Act, amongst many other eradefining events.

Dorey-Stein had a front seat for it all, and she recounts with obvious relish the incredible privileges she’s given. Her perspective is a valuable one, as she sheds lights on the pervasive gender imbalance within politics, as well as the hundreds of uncelebrated staffers who devote their lives to getting a single man from A to B. That gravitas is at times let down by a preoccupation with some of the more salacious details of her tenure.

Do we need to know about Jon Favreau’s sculpted abdomen ('Fav's abs')? Her pride at being a 'cool girl' with lots of male friends and a toxic relationship with a rakish colleague also sets one’s teeth on edge.

But historical significance is highly subjective, after all. Ultimately there is enough here to make the memoir an enjoyable read for politicos and non-politicos alike, if only to bask in the memories of the now seemingly halcyon days of the Obama presidency. (Deborah Chu) ■ Out Thu 12 July.

Following on from her debut novel, Emma Hooper’s second offering returns to a province in Canada, but this time to a small rural fishing town.

The novel centres on the Connor family in two different eras: depicting life in the late 60s and 70s for Aidan and Martha; and in the 90s, now that they have two kids of their own, Cora and Finn.

Set amongst the backdrop of the Atlantic northwest cod fishery collapsing, we are shown glimpses of a prosperous past in the older fragments compared to the fish-less reality of the children’s life. The town’s residents start to move away, the town becomes empty and the two children find themselves the only youngsters left.

Through the eradication of speech marks and with the ease that Hooper flips from the 60s and 70s to the 90s, the prose flows like the waves it recounts: back and forth seamlessly. Difficult subjects like infidelity are touched on matter-offactly and, mixed with the subject matter, they are presented sympathetically. Hooper’s prose style is elegant and musical – most likely influenced by her parallel career as a musician – and the traditional songs and instruments woven into the story nod to a past that will never return. Ultimately the book is a rather sombre, yet also resolute and sanguine representation of the everyday effects that unsustainable environmental practices have had on small communities. (Katharine Gemmell) ■ Out Thu 7 Jun. 1 Jun–31 Feb–31 Aug Mar 2018 THE LIST 75

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BOOKS | Highlights

HITLIST

BORDERS BOOK FESTIVAL Harmony Garden, Melrose, Thu 14–Sun 17 Jun, bordersbookfestival. org Taking place in the National Trust’s Georgian Harmony Garden, the Borders Book Festival is made up of more than 100 events and attracts worldclass literary figures.

GLASGOW COMIC CON Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sat 30 Jun, glasgowcomiccon.com Glasgow Comic Con is an annual event, produced by BHP Comics, that aims to bring some of the biggest names in comics to the city.

DAVID SEDARIS Glasgow Royal

Concert Hall, Fri 13 Jul, davidsedarisbooks. com The writer and humorist, who brims with wit and sardonic social observations, hosts an evening supporting his latest literary release – a collection of hilarious short stories.

David Sedaris

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK

FESTIVAL Various Locations, Edinburgh, Sat 11–27 Aug, edbookfest.co.uk The festival welcomes over 1000 writers and thinkers from across the globe for panels, topical debates and Q&As on world literature, international politics and pressing contemporary issues.

BOOKS HIGHLIGHTS GLASGOW LARI DON Waterstones, Fort Retail Park, Sat 2 Jun, waterstones.com Award-winning writer Lari Don reads her new picture book The Treasure of the Loch Ness Monster in-store. Lari shows off Natasa Ilincic’s illustrations and talks about how they researched and created this classic Nessie story.

DEREK LANDY Waterstones, Sauchiehall Street, Sun 3 Jun, skulduggerypleasant.co.uk Derek Landy signs copies of the latest book in the Skulduggery Pleasant series Midnight.

CAMERON JOHNSTON Waterstones, Argyle Street, Tue 5 Jun, waterstones.com Local author Cameron Johnston launches his debut novel, The Traitor God. Cameron will be interviewed by Ruth EJ Booth, a BSFAaward-winning author and scholar of the fantastic, before signing copies.

BELONGING WITH OPEN BOOK Glasgow Women’s Library, Tue 5 Jun, womenslibrary.org.uk Vibrant and relaxed monthly workshops led by poet Marjorie Lotfi Gill exploring the depths of topics like journey, migration and belonging.

DISCOVER NEW WORLDS THROUGH CREATIVE WRITING University of Glasgow, Wed 13 Jun, glasgowsciencefestival.org.uk Science fiction author Oliver Langmead and writer Ruth EJ Booth lead this creative writing workshop in which you are encouraged to write and read aloud short excerpts, considering the trials and triumphs of explorers as they set foot in new worlds.

DAVID MUNRO Mitchell Library, Thu 14 Jun, glasgowlife.org.uk David Munro

discusses the third book in his time travel The Time Jigsaw series, Awakening: a unique mix of tense, fantasy, time travel.

Muriel Spark

PHOTO: KEITH HUNTER

Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

SEEDS OF THOUGHT CCA, Fri 15 Jun, cca-glasgow.com Spoken word and music night with an open mic session inviting the audience to participate or just sit back and take in the performances. No two events are the same on this platform for seasoned and new performers.

THE TIGER THAT CAME TO TEA – 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY Waterstones, Sauchiehall Street, Wed 11 Jul, waterstones.com To celebrate 50 years of The Tiger that Came to Tea, the tiger himself is coming to Waterstones Sauchiehall Street for a very special tea party. Expect an afternoon of fun games, arts and crafts and even get your picture taken with the tiger who came to tea. Also Waterstones West End, Edinburgh, Sun 8 Jul, waterstones.com JUDY MURRAY Theatre Royal, Sun 29 Jul, theatreroyal.co.uk Judy Murray discusses her autobiography, Knowing the Score. The book shares her experiences as a parent, coach and leader, reflecting on the challenges she has faced, from desperate finances and growing pains to entrenched sexism.

EDINBURGH MURIEL SPARK: A CENTENARY CELEBRATION Writers’ Museum, Wed 16–Sun 10 Jun, murielspark100.com A display of printed items and artworks associated with Muriel Spark, to mark her 100th birthday.

CAROLINE BIRD Scottish Poetry Library, Thu 7 Jun, carolinebird.co.uk A live reading of In These Days of Prohibition by Caroline Bird, which tackles mental health and addiction with humour and insight.

BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH The Queen’s Hall, Fri 8 Jun, benjaminzephaniah.com Stories and

poems from the pioneering dub poet, writer, social commentator and music maker, explaining how he fought injustice and discrimination.

POETRY HIKE Scottish Poetry Library, Sat 9 Jun, visitscotland.com Join poet Yvonne Reddick for a hike through Holyrood Park and up Arthur’s Seat, with readings of poems by writers known for their love of walking.

WS GRAHAM AT 100 Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, Thu 14 Jun, scottishpoetrylibrary. org.uk Alan Gillis, Jackie Kay, Rachael Boast, Ruth Rosen and Nuala Watt read poems about and by W.S. Graham to mark his 100th birthday.

SIR RANULPH FIENNES Usher Hall, Fri 27 Jul, ranulphfiennes.co.uk Dubbed as the ‘world’s greatest living explorer’, Sir Ranulph discusses his recordbreaking experiences and expeditions that he details in his new book Living Dangerously.

BLACKWELL WRITERS AT THE FRINGE Blackwell’s, South Bridge, Thu 2–Thu 23 Aug, blackwells.co.uk Now in its eleventh year, Blackwell’s Writers at the

Fringe brings you the best in Scottish writing every Thursday during the festival.

POVERTY SAFARI LIVE New Town Theatre, Fri 3–Sun 26 Aug, edfringe.com Loki aka Darren McGarvey’s presents his book Poverty Safari: Understanding the Anger of Britain’s Underclass live to an audience.

The book argues about the widespread misunderstanding of the complexity of poverty.

NEIL HILBORN Summerhall, Thu 23 Aug, summerhall. co.uk Neil Hilborn slams poetry, just what you’d expect from a College National Poetry Slam champion.

CODENAME F Charlotte Square Gardens, Fri 24–27 Aug, edbookfest.co.uk Special themed strand of book events for young people at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

OUT OF TOWN EAST NEUK FESTIVAL Various Venues, Fife, Wed 27–Sun 1 Jun, eastneukfestival.com Worldclass, critically-acclaimed music, art and literature converge on this corner of Fife. It features appearances from international authors in quirky venues.

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COMEDY

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WILSON DIXON Country legend returns after a long nine-year absence When people run through the pantheon of great musical comedy acts, they will generally namecheck Tim Minchin, Flight of the Conchords, Victoria Wood, Bill Bailey and Bo Burnham. Some folk might say Richard Stilgoe, but they’re probably best ignored. Perhaps his nine-year absence from the UK comedy scene means that he may have been largely forgotten in these parts, but for those of a certain vintage, Wilson Dixon of Cripple Creek, Colorado remains one of the true greats.

With guitar slung across his frame, this cowboy philosopher (whose first album was called Wilson Dixon’s Greatest Hits) is back ruminating upon his ex-wife Maureen. She lives next door to Dixon and making it awkward for

him to find a new romance. Not exactly helping either is his horse, Andrew, who is a badtempered nag at best. The upside to having all these problems is that it makes for cracking material for a musical comedy act such as Wilson Dixon (OK, it’s actually Jesse Griffin, the former member of antipodean comedy troupe 4 Noels beneath the hat and above the spurs).

With Wilson Dixon: For the First Time. Again, the country legend will rattle out a series of brand new numbers about heartbreak, wheat fields and farm animals as he opens his heart and closes his mind to the modern world.

(Brian Donaldson) ■ The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 1 Jul; The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 1, Tue 3 Jul.

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COMEDY | Previews MY COMEDY HERO

LEO KEARSE Rotunda, Glasgow, Fri 15 & Sat 16 Jun, Fri 13 & Sat 14 Jul; Enterteasement, Glasgow, Sat 16 Jun; Espionage, Edinburgh, Thu 2–Sun 26 Aug Scotland has a culture of ‘if it’s funny, say it’. The first comic I saw epitomised this. On our annual trip out of the hills and into the city, my mum took me and my brother to see Jerry Sadowitz. We loved it. Here was a man who said everything we’d been told was wrong. His jokes were hilarious and criminally offensive and he had total disdain for the audience. As he spat abuse, the first few rows would get soaked in his saliva which left his hair hanging like a wet spaniel’s ears. Then he’d pull out a super soaker that he’d been spitting into all week and spray the room. We begged mum to take us back. And get us vaccinated against hepatitis.

Despite a couple of TV shows, his career never moved beyond a cult following. Perhaps mainstream audiences just weren’t ready for a man raping a blow-up doll and calling Mandela ‘a cunt’. I randomly saw Jerry behind the counter in a magic shop in Clerkenwell and asked him if he worked there to keep his roots in with the magic community. He told me: ‘I work here because I don’t make enough money doing stand-up you stupid cunt’. Unfortunately, in recent years he’s attracted the wrong crowd: people who heckle him for racism and misogyny. This impairs the enjoyment of his shows for me and the skinheads in the audience. People ask how he gets away with such hateful bile: is he so pitiable that everywhere he punches is up? I think it’s just because he’s funny. (As told to Brian Donaldson) STAND-UP

ALISON SPITTLE The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 24 Jun It seems like a good time to be a worrier. There’s plenty to fret about in the news and all around us, but while this can result in a heap of raw material for a comedian, it must be a little wearing being concerned so much of the time. With Worrier Princess, Irish comic Alison Spittle tracks her anxiety back to her roots. ‘My mum would ring me up with her favourite game, “guess who’s dead?” I’d name members of my village who have health difficulties until I guessed the correct one. We then critiqued funerals like people do with holiday destinations.’

It’s a curious coincidence that Jon Richardson has a new show on Dave called Ultimate Worrier.

Is Spittle aware of this spot of serendipity? ‘I now worry that people might think I’ve stolen his pun. I hope Jon doesn’t think that. I'm now worrying about the wrath of Jon Richardson.’

Spittle will appear in Glasgow ahead of a full run of Worrier Princess at the Gilded Balloon during August. She’s keen to point out that it’s not all about furrowed brows and troubled minds. ‘It’s a fun show. I like laughing at my worries as, truthfully, that’s the way I deal with them. You have to analyse them to see why they’re funny and it takes away the mystery and comforts me. Writing jokes about my worries is like finding out the mechanics of a magic trick that scares me.’ (Brian Donaldson)

LOCAL LAUGHS NATALIE SWEENEY

THE SCOTTISH STAND-UP AND SKETCH SHOW MEMBER HAS A GO AT OUR Q&A

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from another comedian so far?

I found the advice Sarah Millican gives really useful about only giving yourself until noon the next day to over-think a bad gig or get over-excited about a good gig before putting it behind you and concentrating on the next one.

Which comedian’s memoir would you recommend to someone?

I have read several memoirs: I love hearing about how comedians got to where they are today.

I particularly enjoyed Tina Fey’s Bossypants. She has been so successful in her career and I really admire her, so it’s amazing to hear her stories of breaking into comedy and the struggles at the beginning. It inspires you to keep going. And it’s hilarious.

What’s the one thing (good or bad) you remember about your very first stand-up gig?

My first gig was not a comedy night, it was an 80th birthday party! I was not aware of this before I turned up. I arrived and was introduced by an Elvis impersonator before the buffet. I got no reaction and was heckled by one woman shouting out a ‘knock knock’ joke! It was bad because it was embarrassing, but it was good because it gave me a kick that I need to work hard and keep going even when you have a bad experience. I also learned never to interrupt a pensioner from a buffet!

■ Natalie Sweeney plays The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 1 Jul and is part of The Scrubbers sketch show at Millport Comedy Festival, Fri 20 Jul. See more of this Q&A at list.co.uk/ comedy

78 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Feb–31 Aug Mar 2018

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Previews | COMEDY

list.co.uk/comedy

PHOTO: MATT CROCKETT

STAND-UP

JOE LYCETT O2 Academy, Glasgow, Tue 12 Jun That Joe Lycett is a proper name-dropper. ‘I said to Sarah Millican that I felt I had to write a show that was suited for bigger venues and, in her infinite wisdom, she said “no, the show should be good enough for 100 people in Hartlepool”.’ Point taken, Lycett has been doing his utmost across the nation with I’m About to Lose Control and I Think Joe Lycett (he loves a dodgy pun for his show titles does our Joe).

‘You can’t go too far wrong with the Pointer Sisters,’ he insists.

‘James Acaster [there he goes again] suggested that I go the whole hog and choose I’m So Joe Lycett, and I Just Joe Lycett, I’m About to Lose Control and I Think Joe Lycett. There was another long one that was a strong contender but then I listened to the Pointer Sisters song and thought “can I walk on feeling confident to this music? Well, yes I can!” So we named the tour after that.’

In terms of the actual content of his show, Lycett rejects the notion of a fixed theme and instead is riffing on bizarre and funny stuff that’s happened to him in the last couple of years. ‘I’m not that sort of writer where I can restrict myself to a theme, just in case nothing good comes of it,’ he admits. ‘I prefer to get annoyed about stuff and then maybe spot loose themes that tie together.

One curious pickle he got himself into involved the head office of a financial establishment which took exception to a slice of on-thespot Joe japes featuring a friend who worked in a bank’s building, a security pass and a ridiculous made-up name. “It’s fascinating, because this bank went back through all my tweets and Instagram posts to check if I had done something similar in the past. Who knew that a massive bank would have a sense of humour failure?

So, I want to make a point about banks and power and the way they mould us into what they want us to be.’

Not to give away too much but there’s a video where you can hear Daley [Tom, the Olympic diver . . . ] in the background talking about “the Lycett situation” which relates to some trolling I’d been doing on Instagram. For a while I thought about calling the show The Lycett Situation. I quite like the idea that I’m a situation.’

(Brian Donaldson)

We know where you’ll be this summer

#intotheunknown 1 Jun–31 Feb–31 Aug Mar 2018 THE LIST 79

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HITLIST

DOUG STANHOPE O2 Academy, Glasgow, Fri 8 Jun, academymusicgroup. com/o2academyglasgow The American comedian, actor and author performs his contentious stand-up.

JOE LYCETT: I’M ABOUT TO LOSE CONTROL AND I THINK JOE LYCETT

O2 Academy, Glasgow, Tue 12 Jun, academymusicgroup. com/o2academyglasgow The Birmingham-born comic tours his latest show, once again titled by a triumphant pun. See preview, page 79. Also Perth Concert Hall, Wed 13 Jun, horsecross. co.uk/venues/perthconcert-hall

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Mon 18 Jun, thessehydro.com Banish all memories of Richard Stilgoe as this cult New Zealand duo give comedy songs a good name.

THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN: LIVE AGAIN!

SEC, Glasgow, Tue 28 & Wed 29 Aug, sec.co.uk Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson bring their dark, unhinged characters from the popular BBC television series back to the stage.

See Big Picture, page 17. Also Edinburgh Playhouse, Thu 30 Aug,

atgtickets.com/venues/ edinburgh-playhouse TIM KEY: MEGADATE Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 13 & Thu 14 Jun, traverse. co.uk The award-winning comedian, performance poet and actor engages in autumnal wistfulness as he mixes pithy verse with storytelling.

COMEDY HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

people, and Wilson is not actually real. See preview, page 77. Also The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 3 Jul, thestand.co.uk/whats-on/ Edinburgh

GLASGOW DERREN BROWN: UNDERGROUND Theatre Royal, Tue 5–Sat 9 Jun, atgtickets.com/venues/theatreroyal-glasgow The Olivier Awardwinning stage and screen illusionist and master of the psychological manipulation performs a selection from his own back-catalogue.

SARAH MILLICAN: CONTROL ENTHUSIAST SEC, Fri 8–Sun 10 Jun, sarahmillican.co.uk You’ll know her face from talking about cake and cats on the telly, and here’s another chance to see the Millican phenomenon in full flight live on stage. Also touring, see list. co.uk/comedy for details.

JONATHAN PIE Royal Concert Hall, Sun 10 Jun, jonathanpie.com The comic reveals the truth behind recent news events both home and abroad. Also touring, see list.co.uk/comedy for details.

JARLATH REGAN: ORGAN FREEMAN The Stand, Mon 25 Jun, thestand. co.uk/whats-on/Glasgow A selfish man is forced to reassess his entire life when his best friend needs a kidney in Regan’s latest stand-up comedy show. Also The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 26 Jun, thestand. co.uk/whats-on/Edinburgh WILSON DIXON: FOR THE FIRST TIME. AGAIN The Stand, Sun 1 Jul, thestand. co.uk/whats-on/Glasgow Legendary country singer Wilson Dixon returns to the UK after a long hiatus for a very rare performance of songs and stories. But it’s comedy,

STEPHEN BAILEY: CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT The Stand, Sun 8 Jul, thestand. co.uk/whats-on/Glasgow Bailey covers everything from celebrity culture to politics, and from dating to working-class family life in his latest stand-up show.

DAVID SEDARIS Royal Concert Hall, Fri 13 Jul, glasgowconcerthalls.com/ glasgow-royal-concert-hall Writer, humourist and wit, brimming with sardonic social observations.

BIANCA DEL RIO SEC, Fri 20 Jul, sec.co.uk Drag superstar Bianca Del Rio brings her razor-tongued wit and fabulous eye make-up onto a UK tour. Also Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sat 21 Jul, usherhall.co.uk KEVIN HART: IRRESPONSIBLE SSE Hydro, Tue 28 Aug, thessehydro.com The American comedian and actor, who has recently starred in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, bring his Irresponsible tour to the UK.

EDINBURGH CHRIS WASHINGTON: YOU BEAUTY! Rose Theatre, Fri 1 Jun, rosetheatreedinburgh.com The rising star conjures big laughs from small, ordinary things in life and his own lack of ambition.

JOHN FINNEMORE’S FLYING VISIT Queen’s Hall, Fri 15 Jun, thequeenshall.netcom The writer and star of many multi-award winning BBC Radio shows brings his new sketch work to the stage.

Doug Stanhope

BOBBY MAIR Underbelly@Forth FM Radio Station, Wed 20 Jun, planetradio. co.uk/forth A night of stand-up and miscellany from the perennial innovator.

capitaltheatres.com/kings Upbeat anecdotes, feelgood humour and witty observations from Ramsey.

STAN & OLLIE AND FRIENDS Festival Theatre, Fri 29 Jun, capitaltheatres.com/festival An evening of Laurel and Hardy films, peppered with live variety entertainment, music and comedy.

FRED MACAULAY: 30 YEARS ON Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre, Peebles, Fri 8 Jun, eastgatearts. com The veteran comic celebrates three whole decades in the business.

Also touring, see list.co.uk/ comedy for details.

DAVID BADDIEL’S ANIMALCOLM Rose Theatre, Sat 30 Jun, rosetheatreedinburgh.com Fulllength musical production from the award-winning Story Pocket Theatre.

CHRIS RAMSEY: IS THAT CHRIS RAMSEY? King’s Theatre, Sat 14 Jul,

OUT OF TOWN

TOM ALLEN: ABSOLUTELY Tolbooth, Stirling, Thu 28 Jun, culturestirling.org/tolbooth Sharp of both tongue and suit, Tom Allen (you’ll have seen him on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Live at the Apollo and Channel 4’s Comedy Gala) presents a brand new show.

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FILM

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THE HAPPY PRINCE Rupert Everett’s biographical drama explores the final years of Oscar Wilde Rupert Everett is sensational as he sinks his teeth into the role of a lifetime – that of Oscar Wilde – with the flamboyant actor inhabiting the literary icon at his ignominious end. Furthermore, Everett proves himself an accomplished writer-director; his debut captures all the sadness of a fallen star.

The despicable way Wilde is treated by the public and criminal justice system elicits considerable compassion.

Yet the film also offers a courageously unflattering portrait of Wilde’s post-prison existence, showing how he’s further undone by his own weakness. And, although prone to grandiose pronouncements of strength, Wilde is

mired in self-pity, venting his anger on those who love him the most. Colin Firth and Emily Watson are well-cast but underused as Wilde’s pal Reggie Turner and estranged wife Constance.

If Edwin Thomas never really embodies the tragic yearning and inveterate disappointment of the devoted Robbie Ross, Colin Morgan makes for a suitably capricious, vain and infuriating Bosie, who sends the writer over the cliff-edge.

But, make no mistake, it’s Everett’s show; as he lets us see the spark behind Wilde’s sorrow, he ensures you have little need to look any where else. (Emma Simmonds) ●●●●● ■ General release from Fri 15 Jun.

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FILM | Reviews

COMEDY

SUPER TROOPERS 2 (15) 99min ●●●●●

HORROR

HEREDITARY (15) 127min ●●●●● Welcoming us into the bosom of a truly nightmarish clan, Hereditary’s onslaught of monstrousness and misfortune puts even the most dysfunctional broods in perspective.

Writer-director Ari Aster’s feature debut is an unnervingly oppressive genre piece in which the family bond acts as a suffocating seal. Toni Collette plays Annie, an artist crafting a dollhouse of horrors, unflinchingly depicting the traumas of her life. Her domineering mother is buried at the outset and yet her presence lingers – in the shape of a half-seen apparition and in the disconcerting behaviour of Annie’s daughter (Milly Shapiro), who shared a special relationship with her grandmother.

Although it ticks myriad tropes off the genre checklist, Hereditary spends a great deal of time delving into the inner workings of these tortured souls, particularly Annie's and her son Peter's (Alex Wolff). By mapping their pain, Aster takes aim at the overbearing older generation and explores the terrible burden of maternal guilt. While Annie turns investigator and tries to maintain her sanity, Gabriel Byrne plays the feckless horror-movie husband. Ostensibly reassuring, he’s ultimately dismissive, watching his family disintegrate without lifting a finger.

Though rooted in the supernatural, Hereditary specialises in chills rather than hell-forleather horror. Boasting a score that bellows, creaks and moans there are nevertheless a fair few frights on the way to an ending which, in its outlandishness, will delight some and disgruntle others. Collette is flawed, affecting and ferocious in one of her best roles for years. As the mild-mannered Annie swings between protector and aggressor, it’s a film that both unearths, and lives out, our worst fears. (Emma Simmonds) ■ General release from Fri 15 Jun.

Arriving a long while after the 2001 original, Super Troopers 2 offers a strong advert for crowdfunding; a studio might see no obvious reason to embark on a sequel, but fans of Jay Chandrasekhar’s stoner comedy clearly did. Willing to fork out not only the $4.7m required to get it off the ground, they also turned out in droves to secure a healthy US box office haul.

Rehashing the same fast and loose structure of the first film, it sees a cartographical error mislay the border between America and Canada. The original band of troopers, recently stripped of their authority as cops, are given the task of patrolling the disputed area. Under the command of their hard-drinking captain (a game Brian Cox), the troopers aim to best the local Mounties by cracking a drug-smuggling operation, but the plot is just pretext for an anything-goes assembly of sometimes stale, sometimes amusing gags.

Despite the advancing years of the cast, Super Troopers 2 successfully captures the adolescent tone of its predecessor.

Audiences excited by the comic possibilities of a bear pursuing a trooper into a chemical toilet will get exactly what they want, and more, from this lightweight, decidedly low-brow sequel.

(Eddie Harrison) ■ General release from Fri 15 Jun.

DOCUMENTARY

STUDIO 54 (15) 98min ●●●●●

COMEDY

BOOK CLUB (12A) 104min ●●●●● The sex lives of seniors are rarely discussed onscreen but when four old friends gather to read Fifty Shades of Grey it unleashes a torrent of innuendo, delivered with relish by a deliciously game cast. Played by Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen, these women are fabulous but, in their own ways, struggling. And what sounds like a concept dreamed up by EL James’ marketing team is merely a ‘novel’ hook that inspires very little in the way of kink.

Rather, it prompts the group to reassess their lives, getting frank with each other and their partners.

Directed by Bill Holderman, Book Club is devoid of subtlety and set in a series of absurdly lovely locations. Although the men are twinkle-eyed charmers, the foregrounding of these formidable dames is the selling point, with Bergen stealing the show from stiff competition. As the foursome become sidetracked by their relationships it loses some zip, yet united they are magnificent, bouncing off each other and each bringing something different to the table. And the positive, liberated depiction of later-life is heartening indeed, in a film that’s as seductively cheeky as it is shamelessly cheesy. (Emma Simmonds) ■ General release from Fri 1 Jun.

An essential part of New York’s cultural history, legendary nightclub Studio 54 has been abundantly profiled. Still, Matt Tyrnauer’s excellent documentary proves that its story is as interesting and relevant as ever and that, crucially, there’s plenty more to say. He’s helped by the fact that one of the club’s founders, Ian Schrager, now feels able to share his experiences for the first time in four decades: from optimistic beginnings to a terrible end. And although the extroverted co-owner Steve Rubell died in 1989, his presence looms large throughout.

While Studio 54, which opened on 54th Street in 1977, became a magnet for the rich and famous, its success came from the fact that it offered something of a safe haven for New York’s LGBT scene. The club's free-spirited attitude also proved to be its biggest weakness. Schrager and Rubell were so successful and so beloved by the city, that they seemed to think themselves invincible. The documentary presents a golden-moment snapshot of diversity and inclusion, while also offering up a cautionary tale. Delving behind the Lycra and strobe lights, it’s an illuminating look at how arrogance and entitlement can derail even the most glittering of careers.

(Nikki Baughan) ■ General release from Fri 15 Jun.

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EROTIC THRILLER

ROMANTIC DRAMA

BIOPIC

L’AMANT DOUBLE

THE BOOKSHOP

MARY SHELLEY

(18) 108min ●●●●●

(PG) 113min ●●●●●

(12A) 121min ●●●●●

François Ozon’s L’Amant double comes as something of a shock after his delicate handling of period drama Frantz. It is a heavy-handed affair in the mould of the lurid, psychosexual melodramas that were a Hollywood staple around the time of Basic Instinct. Loosely based on Joyce Carol Oates’ Lives of the Twins, it finds former model Chloé (Marine Vacth) troubled with stomach pains that could be psychosomatic. She consults psychiatrist Paul (Jérémie Renier) and is soon seducing him.

Although they become an item, he is elusive about his past and unwilling to discuss his family. It is Chloé who stumbles upon the fact that he has a twin brother, Louis (also Renier). Consulting him, she finds a bolder, more imperious figure who favours a more 'hands-on' approach. Stylish in its execution, L’Amant double seems determined to provoke, and Ozon fills the screen with sex. However it tips into farce, with the addition of a sinister neighbour, creepy cats and scenes that wouldn’t look out of place in a Mel Brooks spoof. The cast are game and there are pleasures to be had, but they are not enough to overlook the preposterousness of a film that feels like the dying gasp of a genre best left in the 1990s. (Allan Hunter) ■ Selected release from Fri 1 Jun.

Penelope Fitzgerald’s novel The Bookshop gets a loyal adaptation from Spanish writer-director Isabel Coixet, with a film that celebrates love and literature. Underneath what appears to be another quaint English period tale, beats a subversive heart.

Perfectly cast Emily Mortimer plays war widow Florence, who arrives in a 1950s Suffolk seaside town to open a bookshop and stir up the staid lives of the locals. Florence’s enterprise brings her in direct conflict with Violet (Patricia Clarkson), a socialite who has designs on the property, wanting to turn it into an arts centre. Moreover, Florence’s choice of books sets tongues ablaze, not least when she stocks the controversial Lolita, a text even she’s uncertain of. Her one supporter comes in the shape of Mr Brundish (Bill Nighy), a widower and recluse.

Coixet handles their burgeoning not-quite romance with a real tenderness. Like a modern day Brief Encounter, it’s a film of unspoken sentiment contained within glances and gestures that, thankfully, never descends into mawkishness; while Clarkson just manages to keep a lid on her villainous character. Restrained, but never overly so, The Bookshop deserves plenty of custom.

(James Mottram) ■ General release from Fri 29 Jun.

The wild imaginings that sparked the creation of Frankenstein inspire a more sedate literary biopic in Mary Shelley. The second feature from Saudi Arabian director Haifaa al-Mansour finds common ground with her debut Wadjda, depicting Shelley as a rebellious woman fighting to make her presence count in a male-dominated society.

Elle Fanning’s Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin is a mature 16-year-old with a taste for the macabre and a desire to write. A meeting with radical poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth) convinces her that she has met her soul-mate. His words are a provocation and his poetry an assault on her senses; she is emboldened to defy her dourly disapproving father William (Stephen Dillane) and begin a new life with Shelley. Rebellion runs in the family, as her stepsister Claire (Bel Powley) attaches herself to mad, bad Lord Byron (Tom Sturridge).

An unassuming period drama that unfolds in gloomy rooms and boggy landscapes, Mary Shelley is solidly crafted and absorbing. Fanning sustains a fairly convincing English accent and the British cast seem at home among the finery and eccentricity of their roles.

It just feels a little too tasteful to make the subject really come alive. (Allan Hunter) ■ Selected release from Fri 6 Jul.

DRAMA

IN THE FADE (18) 106min ●●●●● Shining a spotlight on the under-acknowledged threat of farright terrorism, this devastating drama from German director Fatih Akin (Head-On, The Edge of Heaven) sees a woman felled by unimaginable loss summoning the strength to survive an aftermath that continues to inflict trauma. When her Kurdish husband Nuri (Numan Acar) and young son Rocco (Rafael Santana) are killed in a nail bomb attack in Hamburg, the anguish felt by Katja Sekerci (Diane Kruger) is amplified by a police investigation which insistently focuses on Nuri’s criminal past.

Her suspicion that the incident was racially motivated is ultimately borne out by the arrest of a neo-Nazi couple, forcing her back from the brink.

As Katja moves through her initial grief to the agony of the trial and beyond, the film adapts accordingly. While her suffering is captured with subtlety, Akin and co-writer Hark Bohm lay out the machinations of the legal system in stark, excruciating detail when Katja faces the perpetrators and particulars of the hideous crime. The winner of Best Actress at Cannes 2017, Kruger tackles her meatiest role yet. Her devoted stay-at-home mum is a punky former drug-user who has lapsed back in her grief; she finds herself under scrutiny as the film highlights how poorly the law can serve those who don’t present as stereotypical victims.

The closing credits list an eight-year campaign of racist violence by the National Socialist Underground, giving the fictional story real-world weight, while Kruger’s outstanding work as Katja – by turns bewildered, determined, despairing, noble and haunted – ensures it cuts deep. In the Fade is an unashamedly brutal but equivalently compassionate portrait of all she must endure.

(Emma Simmonds) ■ General release from Fri 22 Jun. 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 83

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HORROR

THE SECRET OF MARROWBONE (15) 110min ●●●●●

BIOPIC

BLACKKKLANSMAN (TBC) 128min ●●●●● In 1972, Ron Stallworth was the first black man to join the Colorado Springs Police Department. By 1978 he was working in the intelligence team where he came across a newspaper advertisement seeking new members for the Ku Klux Klan. He dialled the number, left a message and received their reply a few weeks later. And so this strangerthan-fiction tale of an African-American man infiltrating the KKK begins.

Spike Lee applies poetic licence, turning Stallworth’s fascinating story into a funny ‘joint’, fusing undercover buddy cop traditions with blaxploitation flavour and a dash of Coen brothers-style absurdity. It sees Ron (John David Washington exuding a seemingly effortless cool) on the phone to the KKK, including Grand Wizard David Duke (Topher Grace), while his colleague, Jewish cop Flip (Adam Driver) goes undercover to attend Klan meetings.

Lee shows us casualties of the Civil War from Gone with the Wind and stages reenactments of 1960s racist propaganda featuring Alec Baldwin as a white-power extremist. Throughout, Lee has digs at the lack of criticism of films and popular culture that feature toxic messages, suggesting they feed into the rise of bigoted rhetoric and allow it to become normalised. It ends with shocking real-life footage of modern-day white supremacist marches and terrorist acts.

Still, there’s some laughter in-between, joyful celebrations – including a gorgeous choreographed dance sequence – and powerful recollections of cruelty from Harry Belafonte as a veteran Civil Rights activist. Lee concludes by casting an angry eye over the calamitous state of Trump’s America. In these tumultuous days it could be said that if you don’t laugh you’ll cry, and by referencing phrases like ‘Make America Great Again’, Lee shows he knows that only too well. (Katherine McLaughlin) ■ General release from Fri 24 Aug.

Sergio G Sánchez is best known for his script for JA Bayona’s celebrated 2007 horror, The Orphanage. With Bayona as executive producer this time around, Sánchez’s directorial debut presents a superior haunted house story, with a wealth of detail that makes up for a lack of scares.

The superb cast will largely be familiar to genre fans. George MacKay plays Jack, who arrives in the US with a missing father and an ailing mother. When his mother passes away, Jack falls short of the age to legally take care of his siblings (played by Mia Goth, Matthew Stagg and Charlie Heaton), so instead protects them by creating the illusion that she is still alive – a plan aided by local librarian Allie (Anya Taylor-Joy).

Sánchez’s measured approach may try the audience’s patience, yet the slow, stately build-up pays off in the second hour as the secrets of the Marrowbone family are agonisingly revealed. The script deals with issues of domestic abuse and violence, before things take a supernatural twist. Thrill-seekers are likely to be disappointed, but anyone searching for an improvement on the usual mechanical ghost-train high jinks will be rewarded by this sober, well-constructed riff on classic genre tropes. (Eddie Harrison) ■ General release from Fri 13 Jul.

DRAMA

PIN CUSHION (15) 82min ●●●●●

COMEDY DRAMA

SWIMMING WITH MEN (12A) 97min ●●●●● A melancholy accountant in midlife crisis (Rob Brydon) meets a ragtag band of unlikely lads at his local pool and joins their synchronised swim team, braving mockery and personal dramas to compete in the men’s synchronised swimming world championship. Buddies bond, bare their cares and lift each other’s spirits in their watery retreat from the world and its disappointments.

Lives are transformed, love happens and self-esteem is revived – yep, it’s The Full Monty with nose clips and goggles.

That is no bad thing, although Oliver Parker’s latest looks like it was made on a budget that would fit into Tom Daley’s Speedos; it could have comfortably worked as a nice undemanding telly dramedy instead. Where this makes a splash is in its casting.

Brydon is both droll and sympathetic company as Eric, a man who is sad, mad and a tad unhinged about the way his life and marriage have gone stale (Jane Horrocks stars as his exasperated wife).

He is joined by a cheeringly game ensemble of troupers, including Jim Carter, Rupert Graves, Daniel Mays, Adeel Akhtar and Thomas Turgoose, with Charlotte Riley as the team’s endearingly tough coach.

Collectively they invest this with enough charm to keep it confidently afloat. (Angie Errigo) ■ General release from Fri 6 Jul.

Despite its title, the feature debut of award-winning short filmmaker Deborah Haywood is determinedly hard to pin down. With a colour-clash aesthetic and cast of extreme characters it may look like a Wes Anderson film, but it plays more like Heathers meets Carrie. This wilful collision of tone and theme brings Pin Cushion unexpected power, as it expertly subverts expectation to deliver some brutal truths about the female experience.

Joanna Scanlan puts in a heartbreaking performance as Lyn, an eccentric and isolated middle-aged woman who moves to a new Midlands town with her teenage daughter Iona (the superb Lily Newmark). When Iona starts at a new school, her desire to make friends sends her running into the arms of a vicious school bully, whose true colours she’s far too naive to see.

At the centre of the emotional turmoil, the off-kilter motherdaughter bond is as strong as it is strange. She might be meek and apologetic, but Lyn is fiercely protective of her daughter, determined that she shouldn’t have to face the same ostracising attitudes that have followed her all her life. It’s a timely reminder of the power of genuine love and connection – a welcome beacon of hope in the dark. (Nikki Baughan) ■ Selected release from Fri 13 Jul.

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Reviews | FILM

list.co.uk/film

DRAMA

CRIME DRAMA

ROMANTIC FANTASY

THE ESCAPE

YARDIE

SICILIAN GHOST STORY

(TBC) 105min ●●●●●

(TBC) 101min ●●●●●

(TBC) 122min ●●●●●

The more Gemma Arterton eschews the blockbusters of her early career, the more she finds roles that bring out the depth and range of her talent. The Escape is a solemn, largely improvised drama from writer-director Dominic Savage in which Arterton captures the anguish of a woman desperate to escape her daily life. Tara (Arterton) is so busy caring for others that she is slowly dying inside. Her days are filled with being a wife (to Dominic Cooper’s Mark), a mother and maintaining a beautiful home. The notion that she might find time to take an art appreciation class is akin to suggesting she is planning a trip to the moon. As Tara grows more withdrawn and depressed, it is blindingly obvious that something has to change.

One of the strengths of the film is that it never compromises its intentions. Nobody is either entirely hero or villain, instead they are two mismatched people who want very different lives, with cinematographer Laurie Rose underlining the claustrophobia of their physical surroundings. The Escape is intelligent and thoughtful, and relays raw pain in these scenes from a marriage. The wan, sadeyed Arterton breaks your heart as a woman seeking the courage to be true to herself. (Allan Hunter) ■ Selected release from Fri 3 Aug.

Idris Elba makes his directorial debut with an engaging gangland tale adapted from author Victor Headley's debut novel. It begins in 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, when ten-year-old Dennis Campbell witnesses the death of his older brother Jerry. Rather than turn away from violence, young D, as he is known, vows revenge. As he grows up, D (Aml Ameen) works for local crime lord, King Fox (Sheldon Shepherd) who sends him to London on a mission to transport a kilo of cocaine to his British contact, Rico (Stephen Graham), a crazed white Jamaican with a taste for the powder.

While it’s a pity Elba didn’t cast himself in a role – his presence alone would be a priceless commodity – he directs with assurance; the scenes set in gloomy 1980s London have a juicy authority. However, it doesn’t entirely work. Elba tries to find some emotional grist but Yardie never rises beyond its pulpy material.

Still, Ameen is excellent, while Graham is off-the-chain as Rico, frequently slipping into Jamaican patois. It throbs with some thumping tracks and boasts an impressive score from Tindersticks’ Dickon Hinchliffe.

While it doesn’t usurp 1972’s Jamaican gangster classic The Harder They Come, this still reverberates with anger and energy. (James Mottram) ■ General release from Fri 24 Aug.

The reality of Mafia retribution melds with gothicflavoured romantic fantasy in this ambitious second feature from Salvo directors Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza. Based on true events, the film unfolds in 1993, as teenager Giuseppe Di Matteo (Gaetano Fernandez) is kidnapped in an attempt to convince his father not to testify against the Mafia. A wary public grows indifferent to his fate as his classmate Luna (Julia Jedlikowska) becomes increasingly determined to discover what has happened to him. The fervour of her commitment manifests itself in an almost supernatural connection with the captive boy. A letter from Luna is his one solace after weeks of being held in chains.

Together, the couple are depicted as a latterday Romeo and Juliet and fairytale references are threaded throughout. The cinematography and sound design combine to create a heightened sense of the sinister; it is nothing if not atmospheric and immersive. Both newcomers are impressive, lending conviction to the central relationship and making us care about the characters. The film is overlong and challenging in its fusion of styles, but it remains a touching testimony to the power of love in a climate of cruelty. (Allan Hunter) ■ Selected release from Fri 3 Aug.

DRAMA

THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST (15) 91min ●●●●● It may be set in 1993 but this adaptation of Emily M Danforth’s novel The Miseducation of Cameron Post has a devastating modern resonance. An understated yet powerful portrait of identity, sexuality and acceptance set against an immovable religious backdrop, it’s a sobering reminder of the systemic prejudice that accompanies those who identify as ‘other’. Chloë Grace Moretz is outstanding as the titular teen, who is shipped off to an isolated Christian camp after she is discovered being intimate with another girl. For Cameron and her fellow ‘disciples’, who include the wonderfully named Jane Fonda (Sasha Lane), so follows weeks of conversion therapy intended to cure them of their same-sex attraction.

Director Desiree Akhavan (Appropriate Behaviour) resists any polemical exploration of the issues. Instead, she focuses on the small, everyday details: one of Cameron’s classmates has his long hair shaved off by stern leader Dr Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle); another reads a letter from his father expressing disgust at his feminine ways. These terrible acts chip away at these impressionable youngsters, eroding their confidence, happiness and sense of self. The strength of the film comes largely from Akhavan and fellow writer Cecilia Frugiuele’s reserved screenplay, which treats all the characters with empathy and avoids melodrama and cliché. The performances, too, are excellent across the board, with Moretz’s subtle courage and Lane’s resigned sarcasm helping balance the darker themes of the narrative.

Still, there’s no denying the film’s impact, and its lasting message. While Cameron and Jane are strong and tenacious enough to survive such an experience, so many others quite simply are not. (Nikki Baughan) ■ General release from Fri 31 Aug. 1 Jun-31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 85

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EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2018 Overwhelmed by choice? Our Head of Digital Media Scott Henderson has pored over the festival programme and pulled out his must sees.

Read more on EIFF on page 21, and go to list.co.uk/film for full listings

SEARCHING Odeon 2, Thu 21 Jun, 8.30pm; Cineworld, Fri 22 Jun, 8.50pm.

This smart and absorbing suspense film tackles worrying parents and our overuse of technology. John Cho stars as a widowed father trying to track down his missing daughter.

CALIBRE Cineworld, Fri 22 Jun, 8.30pm; Odeon 2, Sat 23 Jun, 3.15pm; Filmhouse 2, Sat 30 Jun 3.15pm.

Two lifelong friends (Jack Lowden and Martin McCann) leave Edinburgh for an isolated Scottish Highlands village on a weekend hunting trip. They head out on a misty morning to hunt deer but things go tragically wrong and, stranded, they are drawn into a dark nightmare by gun-weilding villagers.

C’EST LA VIE! Odeon 2, Fri 22 Jun, 8.40pm; Cineworld, Sat 23 Jun, 3.30pm.

Co-directors and screenwriters Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache tell the sprawling story of ageing Parisian wedding caterer (Jean-Pierre Bacri), driven to frustrated distraction as a complex wedding in a 17th century chateau unravels. A sophisticated ensemble comedy that delivers real, irreverent pleasure.

HAL Odeon 2, Sat 23 Jun, 6pm; Vue Omni, Wed 27 Jun, 8.40pm.

Documentary about the elusive Hal Ashby, the charismatic, troubled 1970s filmmaker. He made beautiful films rich with daydreams and vulnerability, and never really fitted with old Hollywood.

Classics include Harold and Maude, and Shampoo.

PUZZLE Cineworld, Sat 23 Jun, 1pm. A wonderful performance by Kelly Macdonald provides the extraordinary heart and soul to Puzzle, a delightful film about a woman who achieves her potential after a lifetime of looking after others. Charming, funny and delicate.

WHO ARE WE NOW Vue Omni, Sat 23 Jun, 8.45pm; Sun 24 Jun, 1pm. Beth (Julianne Nicholson), recently released from prison, desperately tries to regain custody of her son from her sister and husband. Matthew Newton’s intelligent, compassionate film is a beautifully written human drama about accountability, hope and redemption.

THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES Odeon 2, Sun 24 Jun, 8.35pm; Filmhouse 2, Mon 25 Jun, 6pm.

Director Mark Cousins delves into the life and career of one of cinema’s most talented filmmakers. Orson Welles trained as an artist before becoming an actor and director, and Cousins has been allowed unprecedented access to a treasure trove of images that provide a fascinating glimpse into Welles’ visual thinking.

KAYAK TO KLEMTU Cineworld, Sun 24 Jun, 3.40pm; Vue Omni, Mon 25 Jun, 6.10pm.

This film is driven by heart and gentle naivety as it follows 14-year-old Ella (the charismatic Ta’kaiya Blaney), who is determined to kayak the Inside Passage in British Colombia after her recently deceased activist uncle Dave (Evan Adams) had planned to make the trip to deliver a speech against a proposed pipeline.

THE PARTING GLASS Festival Theatre, Sun 24 Jun, 8.30pm; Vue Omi, Mon 25 Jun, 6pm. This world premiere stars Melissa Leo, Cynthia Nixon, Denis O’Hare, Anna Paquin, Rhys Ifans and Ed Asner, and will be introduced by Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin.

IN DARKNESS Cineworld, Tue 24 Jun, 6pm; Thu 28 Jun, 8.55pm. Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer is terrific in this psychological revenge thriller directed by Anthony Byrne. Dormer plays Sofia, a blind musician drawn into London’s criminal underbelly

when her neighbour Veronique (Emily Ratajkowski) dies in the apartment upstairs.

MARY SHELLEY Cineworld, Tue 26 Jun 8.35pm; Thu 28 Jun, 6pm. Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (Elle Fanning) is a thoughtful young woman with a passion for writing. When she meets radical and charismatic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth), she is convinced she has met her soulmate.

RETURN OF THE HERO Odeon 2, Tue 26 Jun, 6.10pm; Cineworld, Wed 27 Jun, 8.30pm.

A charming comedy romp starring the ever amusing Jean Dujardin as a swashbuckling swindler who tries to take advantage of an aristocratic family. Plenty of slapstick and capeand-powder laughs.

RBG Cineworld, Wed 27 Jun, 8.50pm; Vue Omni, Fri 29 Jun, 8.30pm.

An inspirational insight into the life and work of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (or RBG, as she is affectionately known), a lifelong equal-rights advocate who fought personal and professional battles in the male-dominated legal world.

ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE Odeon 2, Fri 29 Jun, 6pm; Filmhouse 1, Sat 30 Jun, 11.05pm.

Teenage Scot Anna (Ella Hunt) is desperate to move away from her overly familiar hometown. The night of the school Christmas concert approaches and things get seriously weird and bloody when the undead arrive in town. This wonderfully engaging Scottish musical is a genre mash-up delight.

ALMOST FASHIONABLE: A FILM ABOUT TRAVIS Cineworld, Fri 29 Jun, 9.15pm; Odeon 4, Sat 30 Jun, 8.40pm.

Music journalist Wyndham Wallace has always been clear that he is not a

big fan of Scottish band Travis. When lead singer Fran Healy invites Wallace to join Travis on tour in Mexico, the journalist is intrigued and bemused.

A warm-hearted and tuneful look at Travis, examining why their fans love them, while offering a chance to see if a critic can change his views.

THE BUTTERFLY TREE Cineworld, Fri 29 Jun, 6.05pm; Odeon 4, Sat 30 Jun, 3.35pm.

Writer-director Priscilla Cameron’s film is rich with atmosphere and idealism, and Melissa George is charismatic as a romanticised woman who cannot live up to the expectations of men.

HEART BEATS LOUD Filmhouse 1, Fri 29 Jun, 6pm; Odeon 2, Sat 30 Jun, 3.25pm.

Director Brett Haley has created a warm-hearted, sincere film that wears its heart on its sleeve. Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) delights as a young-at-heart father about to sell his Brooklyn record shop just as his daughter (Kiersey Clemons) is heading to college in California to study medicine. An enchanting film about love and music with a great cast.

UNICORN STORE Odeon 2, Fri 29 Jun, 8.45pm; Cineworld, Sat 30 Jun, 8.35pm.

Actor Brie Larson plays Kit in her directorial debut. A unicorn obsessed art student, whose art dreams are dashed. An oddball life lesson comes in the form of flamboyant salesman (Samuel L Jackson), who claims to be able to help her adopt her own unicorn. A quirky and offbeat story that’s delivered with real charm and affection.

HUMOR ME Filmhouse 1, Sat 30 Jun, 8.40pm; Odeon 2, Sun 1 Jul, 1.25pm. Elliott Gould and Jemaine Clement play father and son in this thoroughly engaging comedy from Sam Hoffman, writer of the hit web series Old Jews Telling Jokes.

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HITLIST

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM Part two in the new series of dinosaur films, featuring a race against time to save the creatures from an erupting volcano. Out Wed 6 Jun.

The Incredibles

SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO This sequel to the superb 2015 thriller sees the US/

Mexico drug war escalate.

Out Fri 29 Jun. OCEAN’S 8 An all-female crew (lead by Danny Ocean’s estranged sister) attempt to pull of an audacious heist. Out Fri 22 Jun. THE INCREDIBLES 2 Pixar’s superhero family return once again, 14 years

after their first outing (but with events taking place straight after). Out Fri 13 Jul. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT The sixth entry in the film series based on the 60s TV show is the first to be helmed by a returning director (Christopher McQuarrie). Out Thu 26 Jul.

FILM HIGHLIGHTS

Book Club

BOOK CLUB A group of old friends find their lives turned upside down after they read Fifty Shades of Grey in their book group. Out Fri 1 Jun. LOST IN VAGUENESS The story behind the creation of the ‘Lost Vagueness’ area at Glastonbury festival. Out Fri 1 Jun. MCQUEEN Intimate look at the life and work of renowned British designer Alexander McQueen. Out Fri 8 Jun. THE HAPPY PRINCE Rupert Everett writes, directs and stars in this film charting the last days of Oscar Wilde. Out Fri 15 Jun. HEREDITARY A family start to examine their creepy

ancestry following the mysterious death of a family member. Out Fri 15 Jun. SUPER TROOPERS 2 Long-awaited sequel to the comedy about a band of cops patrolling the US/ Canada border. Out Fri 15 Jun. IN THE FADE Katja’s life collapses after the death of her husband and son in a bomb attack.

After a time of mourning and injustice, Katja seeks revenge. Out Fri 22 Jun. THE BOOKSHOP An adaptation of Penelope Fitzgerald’s novel. War widow Florence arrives in the seaside town of Hardborough in the late 1950s, with the plan of transforming a rundown property into a bookshop.

This immediately attracts the ire of local grande dame Violet, who has her own plans for the site. Out Fri 29 Jun.

LEAVE NO TRACE A man and his daughter live off the grid in Portland, Oregon, but get dragged back into the system and struggle to adjust to ‘normal’ life. Out Fri 29 Jun. SWIMMING WITH MEN A man who is suffering a mid-life crisis finds new meaning in his life as part of an all-male, middle-aged, amateur synchronised swimming team. Out Fri 6 Jul. TAG A group of friends play a game of tag which lasts for decades. Based on a true story (really). Out Fri 6 Jul. TERMINAL Hyper-real revenge story from firsttime director Vaughn Stein. Out Fri 6 Jul.

WHITNEY Documentary on the late soul singer from Touching the Void director, Kevin Macdonald. Out Fri 6 Jul. SKYSCRAPER A former FBI agent and amputee lives in the tallest and safest Hong Kong skyscraper, which comes under attack from terrorists. Out Thu 12 Jul. HOTEL ARTEMIS Sci-fi film set in a future, riot-torn Los Angeles, following a nurse who runs an emergency room for criminals only. Starring Jodie Foster and Sofia Boutella. Out Fri 20 Jul. MAMMA MIA!: HERE WE GO AGAIN Long-awaited sequel/prequel to the phenomenally successful ABBA musical. Out Fri 20 Jul. 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 87

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FILM HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED MAURICE Reissue of the impeccably crafted screen version of the E.M. Forster novel, in which a young Edwardian man slowly but movingly comes to terms with his homosexuality in the face of widespread bigotry. Out Fri 27 Jul. THE DARKEST MINDS A group of teens rebel against a world that fears everyone aged under 18. Out Fri 10 Aug. THE MEG Jason Statham battles an enormous Megalodon. Out Fri 10 Aug. MILE 22 More military shenanigans from director Peter Berg, following an elite US intelligence officer trying to smuggle a person of interest out of the country.

Out Fri 10 Aug. THE NEGOTIATOR CIA operatives send in a former US diplomat to negotiate for the life of a friend he left behind in Beirut. Out Fri 10 Aug.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Disney follows hot on the heels of last year’s Goodbye Christopher Robin with another origin story for Winnie-thePooh. Director Marc Foster has form for this sort of thing. Out Fri 17 Aug.

The Happy Prince

THE EQUALIZER 2 Training Day director Antoine Fuqua directs this sequel to the film based on the Edward Woodward-starring TV series. Out Fri 17 Aug. BLACKKKLANSMAN In 1978, Ron Stallworth, the first black man to join the Colorado Springs police, goes undercover in the Ku Klux Klan, with the help of fellow officer Flip. A stranger-than-fiction true story fusing buddy cop traditions with anger at Trump’s America. Fascinating, funny and riveting. Out Fri 24 Aug. COLUMBUS When his father is taken ill, Jin heads to Columbus, Indiana. There he meets Casey, who is full of bright ideas but is stifled by a complex relationship with her mother. Out Fri 31 Aug.

Kelly Macdonald at the premiere of Brave, EIFF 2012

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edfilmfestmemories.org.uk | memories@edfilmfest.org.uk 88 THE LIST 1 Feb–31 Mar 2018

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KIDS

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /kids

MILKSHAKE! LIVE Channel 5’s new live show has some familar faces taking to the stage Imagine walking into a theatre and finding the lead characters from nine of your favourite TV programmes standing together on stage.

Not great for suspending disbelief in their storylines, maybe, but exciting nonetheless; and even more so when you’re under 10.

On tour across the UK for the fourth time, Channel 5’s Milkshake! is weaving a host of its popular characters into ‘The Magical Storybook’, directed by presenter Derek Moran. With Bob the Builder, Noddy, Toyland Detective, Fireman Sam, Shimmer & Shine, Pip Ahoy!, Winnie & Wilbur, Wissper and, of course,

the Little Princess (pictured) all making an appearance. It’s going to be one busy dressing room; especially with Milkshake Monkey also along for the ride.

This time around, the music, singing and dancing will be centred around fairytales familiar to everyone, from toddlers upwards. ‘It’s a magical show full of audience participation,’ says Moran, ‘and I think people will love the classic fairytale storylines, the songs and seeing lots of their favourite Milkshake! characters live on stage.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 5 Jul.

1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 89

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KIDS | Previews

ART EXHIBITION

FAMILY FUN DAY

CHILDREN’S EXHIBITION

DADS ROCK FATHER'S DAY FAMILY TAKEOVER

Tramway, Glasgow, Sat 7 Jul–Sun 26 Aug

Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Sun 17 Jun

The idea that people are now wholly disconnected from each other and prefer to keep their distance, whether it‘s real or virtual, is one that the organisers behind Tramway’s children’s art exhibition are keen to challenge. Artist Melissa Stabile, (whose colourful work ‘The Comfortables’ is pictured) believes they are opening up an invitation for people to take time, enjoy and envelop themselves in a sensorial experience.

‘Especially in this digital and very visual age, the work proposes quite literally that people should touch and feel more,’ says Stabile. ‘The way that people relate to “The Comfortables” is pretty much the way that they feel in the moment.

They can touch or wear them, submerge themselves in them, or connect one person to another.’

Stabile’s ‘Comfortables’ is a range of wearable sculpture cushions made in multi-textured, patterned and brightly coloured fabrics with, in some cases, added fake-hair appendages, hooks and hoops to allow the works to be connected to each other and around people.

For fellow artist Richey Carey, it’s all about the experience of the material. ‘I’m interested in how we might learn more about materiality by paying close attention to its behaviour, thinking about what our different senses allow us to know about that behaviour and what they don’t. We’ve been sounding, dancing, touching and writing about liquid crystals, a material that behaves as both liquid and solid, thinking about what it is to twist between states like they do.’ (Brian Donaldson)

Don’t be put off by the name: when Dads Rock Father's Day Family Takeover invades the Botanics this June, everyone is invited.

‘It’s for the whole family,’ explains Thomas Lynch, co-founder of the Edinburghbased charity. ‘This is our third year of running the event, and it’s an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful garden and be with lots of other families having fun; there's so much to do.’

Set up in 2012, Dads Rock runs playgroups for under 5s, antenatal classes and counselling, all with the aim of helping fathers enjoy time with their children and support each other. ‘We’re here to inspire dads, children and families to have fun,’ says Lynch. ‘And to develop strong bonds, as we know this will give our kids the best start in life.’

The Royal Botanic Garden event will feature almost 20 different organisations, all offering their services to families for free. Activities on the day include music and art sessions, balloon modelling, ceilidh dancing, face painting, LEGO building, stories, hip-hop dancing, yoga, baby massage and, as is only right given the location, a chance to get your hands muddy and do some planting.

‘So much of what you can do together costs money,’ says Lynch. ‘So we wanted to create something free and fun that families could come to. We believe there's great value in spending time together and having a fun day without having to think about money.’ (Kelly Apter)

STAGE SHOW

PAW PATROL LIVE! Edinburgh Playhouse, Sat 28 Jul If you’ve got kids of early primary school age or younger, you’ll know all about PAW Patrol. This animated series originated in Canada but has been dubbed into various accents and languages across the world, in which a team of search and rescue dogs carry out missions in the town of Adventure Bay. Each one has a catchphrase and a cool vehicle which also exists in toy form. And they’re dogs: how can kids not be thrilled by that concept? Also with its roots in North America but spreading out across the world is PAW Patrol Live!, a stage spectacular which arrives in Edinburgh (for three performances in one day) with its latest version, ‘The Great Pirate Adventure’.

‘It can take six to 12 months to create a show like this,’ says Australian actor Katie Ditchburn, who is resident choreographer on the Australian and UK legs. ‘My job is giving the pups their moves. The pups in our show are actually lifesize puppets, based on Japanese bunraku puppets, and my job is to make sure they move in a way that looks beautiful and clean.’

Those who operate Chase, Rubble, Skye and co are, what Ditchburn calls, ‘actors / singers / dancers and, in this case, puppeteers. It’s a lot of work for them, but fortunately we have a team of very talented people. There are lots of locations as the pups follow the treasure map from Adventure Bay to the jungle and elsewhere, but we manage to make it seamless.

Everyone has been really enjoying it, and I think some of the parents are quite surprised by how much they get into the show. It’s a great live and interactive experience, and a joy to get families away from the screen and into the theatre together.’ (David Pollock) 90 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Feb–31 Aug Mar 2018

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HITLIST

PEPPA PIG’S SURPRISE King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 30 Jun & Sun 1 Jul, peppapiglive. com Cute family show following the adventures of little Peppa Pig and George, who’s having fun playing outside. But mum and dad have a surprise...

Also King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sat 14 Jul & Sun 15 Jul.

CHILDREN’S EXHIBITION Tramway, Glasgow, Sat 7 Jul–Sun 26 Aug, tramway. org Colourful and interactive exhibition of contemporary

Peppa Pig

art for children, which seeks to engage them through both touch and digital experiences. See preview, page 90.

DADS ROCK FAMILY TAKEOVER Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, Sun 17 Jun, rbge.org.uk Outdoor celebration on Father’s Day, featuring activities for

the whole family, including crafting, dancing, singing and storytelling. See preview, page 90.

MILKSHAKE! LIVE Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 5 Jul, usherhall. co.uk Embark on an allsinging, all-dancing journey through Milkshake!’s magical bookcase, featuring favourites such as

Little Princess and Noddy.

See preview, page 89.

PAW PATROL LIVE! Edinburgh Playhouse, Sat 28 Jul, pawpatrollive. co.uk The popular cartoon about young Ryder and his gang of rescue dogs makes the transition to the stage. See preview, page 90. Also touring, see list. co.uk/kids for details.

KIDS HIGHLIGHTS PHOTO: BRIAN HARTLEY

Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

GLASGOW WEST END FESTIVAL Various venues, until Sat 30 Jun, westendfestival.co.uk Taking over the West End of Glasgow each year, this festival has a host of entertainment for all ages including mini-musicals, author events, guided walks and galas.

IRONKIDS SCOTLAND Holyrood Park, Sat 30 Jun, eu.ironman.com A series of fun, family-focused, mass participation running events with age group races for young people aged between 3 and 14.

CREATIVE CRAFT: WEEKEND EXTRAVAGANZA St Mungo’s Museum, Sat 2 & Sun 3 Jun, glasgowlife.org.uk Get crafty during this weekend of creative experimentation, where you can make art using new materials and learn handson skills.

GLASGOW SCIENCE FESTIVAL Various venues, Thu 7–Sun 17 Jun, glasgowsciencefestival.org.uk A packed programme of workshops, shows and exhibitions, with lots of fun opportunities for budding scientists to take part.

BRICK WONDERS Glasgow Cathedral, Sat 14 Jul–Sun 23 Sep, glasgowcathedral.org. uk See historic and natural marvels in miniature, such as the Great Wall of China and Niagara Falls, constructed out of 250,000 LEGO bricks.

TRYOUT: CREATIVE DROP IN Tramway, Sun 15 Jul, Sun 26 Aug, tramway.org A drop-in space for all ages to participate in creative activities that tie in with Tramway’s summer exhibitions. These sessions will explore space using the artworks and participants’ own bodies.

BRICKLIVE SEC, Thu 19 Jul–Sun 22 Jul, bricklive.co.uk A celebration of LEGO with displays from fan builders, themed areas and millions of LEGO bricks to play with.

PICNIC & PLAY WITH LICKETYSPIT City Art Centre, Sat 23 Jun, licketyspit.com Licketyspit hosts a family picnic lunch following their inter-generational play, set in the surroundings of the City Art Centre, which draws inspiration from the gallery’s exhibitions.

YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK CHARACTER Museum of Childhood, Fri 6 Jul, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Pop into the museum with your favourite book, and Broons & Oor Wullie artist Stephen White will draw a portrait of your preferred character.

Eddie and the Slumber Sisters

MERCHANT CITY FESTIVAL Merchant City, Thu 2–Sun 12 Aug, merchantcityfestival.com Ten days of diverse events in Glasgow’s Merchant City, including street performances, shows and join-in activities.

WORLD PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Glasgow Green, Fri 17 & Sat 18 Aug, theworlds.co.uk Over 8000 pipers and drummers compete for coveted prizes, plus a dedicated children’s zone, food stalls and Highland games.

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS LIVE SSE Hydro, Sat 25 & Sun 26 Aug, dinosaurlive.com The BBC series is brought to life with walking, roaring, lifesize animatronic dinosaurs, featuring different periods over the 200 millionyear reign of the dinosaurs.

EDINBURGH EDDIE AND THE SLUMBER SISTERS Southside Community Centre, until Sun 3 Jun, southsidecommunitycentre. co.uk When Eddie’s dreams become nightmarish after the death of her gran, singing trio the Slumber Sisters step in. See review at list.co.uk.

MEADOWS FESTIVAL The Meadows, Sat 2 & Sun 3 Jun, meadowsfestival.co.uk Fun for all the family at this busy annual festival, featuring live music, food, games, dog show, performances and workshops.

POETRY FOR PEANUTS Scottish Poetry Library, Wed 6 Jun, scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk A gentle, guided family hour to help adults introduce poetry to their wee ones.

ART EXPLORERS Royal Botanic Gardens, until Sun 2 Dec, rbge.org.uk Monthly family arts and crafts sessions about nature in all its wonder, linked with exhibitions and events happening at the Garden.

GORY STORIES: THE KIDS TOUR Mercat House, until Sun 30 Dec, mercattours.com Daytime tour for kids aged 5+ and their grown-ups, filled with tales of stinking streets and ghostly goings-on around some of the capital’s most horrible haunts.

Enjoy 75 minutes of icky fun.

OUT OF TOWN FAMILY FORAGING Southside Community Centre, Dalkeith Country Park, Sat 9 Jun, dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk Join the ranger for some family-friendly foraging, and learn about plants that can be used in cookery, medicine and more.

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MONDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL TUESDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER USHER HALL, EDINBURGH

Dan Owen Ow

THE LAKE POETS Wednesday 26th September Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh

Monday 8th October The Mash Housee Edinburgh

Friday 28th September The Hug & Pint, Glasgow

TURIN BRAKES Thursday 25th October, Ironworks, Inverness Friday 26th October, The Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh Saturday 27th October, MacArts, Galashiels Sunday 28th October, Inchyra Arts Club, Perth

Tuesday 2nd October The Voodoo Rooms Edinburgh

28th October, The Caves, Edinburgh 29th October, The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen 30th October, Oran Mor, Glasgow

Wednesday 31st October The Lemon Tree Aberdeen

Friday 7th December Fat Sam’s Dundee

Saturday 1st December The Nevis Centre Fort William

Saturday 8th December 02 ABC Glasgow

Tickets from beyondpresents.co.uk ticketmaster.co.uk and from Tickets Scotland & usual outlets. Tel: 08444 999 990

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MUSIC

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /music

BRITNEY SPEARS The pop icon’s Vegas spectacular arrives in the UK Britney Spears is the quintessential 90s pop icon. There would be no Miley Cyrus, no Selena Gomez, and no Katy Perry without Britney.

The former Mouseketeer rejuvenated the idea of solo pop stars through the release of ‘ . . .

Baby One More Time’ in 1998, an era when boy bands and girl groups competed for the hearts and minds of tweenage fans.

Britney has shifted almost 150m albums across her career, jam-packed with hits of the calibre of ‘(You Drive Me) Crazy’, ‘Oops! . . . I Did It Again’, ‘Toxic’ and ‘Womanizer’. The real trick was that Britney took the music seriously with well composed, tight pop nuggets which became instant earworms burrowing their way into popular culture. Of course, the highs were followed by the inevitable lows: the short-lived

movie career, reality TV series, marriages, divorces, public breakdown and infamous head shaving.

However, Brit was a fighter and came back with new music and the masterstroke of a Las Vegas residency featuring killer tunes and great choreography. A fullon spectacular selling nearly 1m tickets across 250 performances over four years, with everyone from Beyoncé and Jay Z to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry spotted in the audience. And now the award-winning Vegas showcase, Britney: Piece of Me, is on tour for the first and last time. A chance to experience a moment of pop history.

(Henry Northmore) ■ SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Wed 22 Aug.

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MUSIC | Sneaky Pete’s PHOTO: JOE BANFI

LEAN ON PETE’S With venues closing at a worrying rate, Sneaky Pete’s is a pioneer for live gigs and clubbing in the capital. Ahead of their 10th birthday, Kenza Marland talks to owner Nick Stewart about keeping the music live, loud and safe

M

uch is often made of Edinburgh’s legendary 100-capacity ‘sweatbox’ on the Cowgate and rightly so.

Functioning as both a space for live music – with around 250 gigs a year – and also as a busy nightclub seven nights a week, Sneaky Pete’s has spent the last decade becoming inarguably one of the most important music venues in Scotland.

Owner Nick Stewart is more than an integral part of the venue’s success. His desire to simultaneously book fantastic new music while also helping shape the future landscapes of grassroots music venues, means Sneaky Pete’s can be regarded as not only a spot to hear interesting DJs and great bands, but also as a beacon in the fight to keep live music in our cities and towns.

Just over ten years ago, Cabaret Voltaire made Stewart the manager of the Red Vodka Club, a tiny shots bar around the corner that they were thinking of buying. After 18 months, he bought the place instead. ‘I got a business partner, my dad got a bank loan to “buy a kitchen”, and we got the lease,’ he recalls. ‘We didn’t have an idea that it could be a really proper night club or a gig venue, because it was just so small.’ After much sawing and plastering, the club as we know it today began to take shape. ‘Somewhere in the second year, I thought that we could do this properly. We were getting loads of gig bookings, and started pushing the shows really hard.’

Music-wise, Sneaky Pete’s has regularly

impressed with its big name bookings. But that’s just one part of it. The club has also nurtured its resident DJs such as Kris Wasabi, with his monthly Wasabi Disco a defining part of the venue’s identity. ‘I really want to help excite a music scene in Edinburgh that champions local talent. We’re getting to a better stage with club music and there’s so much amazing stuff coming out of Edinburgh right now. There are also a lot of good local bands, but at the moment they don’t feel part of one movement.’

Sneaky Pete’s is one of the few remaining independent music venues in the city. With the recent closure of Studio 24 and Electric Circus, and the future of Leith Depot looking uncertain, the numbers continue to dwindle.

‘Independent venues are much more likely to have someone there because of the music, not just there to make profit. It’s not a case that we are a bar that hires entertainment. We are a music business that makes a good chunk of money from drink sales.

‘We need to stop losing venues. Live music is part of what living a fulfilling life is. If you don’t fund it, unfortunately it won’t be there.

Music is hugely important, and if you stop people on the street, they will agree with that statement. New conversations need to be had to make sure that towns have music.’

Sneaky Pete’s has battled with noise complaints over its ten-year existence, and it’s one of the biggest factors in the eventual closure of venues. A Music is Audible campaign managed to successfully shift the onus of soundproofing on to property

developers newly-building around already established venues.

The club is also trying to play its part in addressing the current conversation around gender equality and diversity in the live music scene, as well as adopting a safe dance policy.

‘There has always been a relatively good gender mix playing Sneaky’s,’ insists Stewart.

‘We aim towards achieving a 50-50 split overall, and at the moment strive to do that on certain bills such as our stage at Electric Fields. It’s crazy though: 87% of the people registered with PRS as songwriters are male.

‘I’ve played in nightclubs for a long time.

I’ve seen the way men act around women on dancefloors. It can be grim. We want to be one of the safest. You can’t be the behaviour police, but you can definitely have a rule where you are not allowed to touch strangers.’

Sneaky Pete’s has helped start, promote and shape the careers of artists and DJs and overall it has provided an inclusive space for like-minded people to come together and engage with music. It’s a focal point in a large community in Edinburgh and deserves to be exceptionally proud as it celebrates this landmark birthday. So, what are the tenth birthday plans looking like?

‘We will be having two parties with limited tickets, special guests, excursions and adventures on each day. More details will be released soon!’

Sneaky Pete’s tenth birthday celebrations, Sat 14 & Sun 15 Jul.

94 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018

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Reviews | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH PRIMARY TALENT INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS

NEW ALBUM OUT NOW

STRANDED ON THE EARTH WORLD TOUR

THURSDAY 19 JULY

EDINBURGH CASTLE NOELGALLAGHER.COM / TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

T

OU

LD Saturday SO 28th July Sunday 29th July

Glasgow Barrowland

plus special guests

Saturday 21st July

Edinburgh Castle www.delamitri.info

BY A R R A N G E M E N T W I T H S O LO P R E S E N T S

P LU S S P E C I A L G U E S T S

FRIDAY 20TH JULY 2018

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT SNEAKY PETE’S EROL ALKAN: ‘Sneaky Pete’s is far more than one of the UK’s best small clubs, it’s a major credit to the Scottish clubbing scene thanks to Nick Stewart, one of the most dedicated and progressive promoters you could wish to meet. His enthusiasm for breaking new music is infectious.’

MOXIE: ‘There are a few clubs that I always return to because I absolutely love playing there and Sneaky Pete’s is 100% one of those. It contains all of the key elements: charm, good sound, good lighting, management that understand club culture and a loyal following.’

EDINBURGH CASTLE

ELVIS COSTELLO & The Imposters Sunday 24 June

EDINBURGH Playhouse ATGTICKETS.COM

FRIDAY 29 JUNE

EDINBURGH Playhouse

JACQUES GREENE: ‘Sneaky Pete’s is exactly that: sneaky. You’ll think “ah man, ok come thru Edinburgh have a little show in this little club” and each and every time it delivers huge moments and great memories. Always look forward to going back, and fear the hangover.’

SATURDAY 30 JUNE

GLASGOW Barrowland

NEW DOUBLE ALBUM OUT OF ALL THIS BLUE OUT NOW

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

PROSUMER: ‘When people ask me what it’s like moving out of Berlin to Edinburgh, I wish I could show them Sneaky Pete’s.’

DANIEL AVERY: ‘Sneaky Pete’s has an energy that is hard to describe but blows my mind every time I walk in the doors. A pure and beautiful rave spirit is embedded in its foundations.’

ALLOYSIOUS MASSAQUOI: ‘One of the first places we played in the early stages of Young Fathers and one of the only places I still pop down to now and again. It’s compact and full of character. It’s one of the city’s little gems.’

UK SUMMER TOUR 2018

M O N 2 & T U E S 3 J U LY

EDINBURGH

R OYA L LY C E U M T H E AT R E 0844 844 0444

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

regularmusic.com

In person from Ticket Scotland Glasgow/Edinburgh.

Venue Box Offices and all usual outlets

regularmusicltd

regularmusicuk 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 95

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g w. y y at h c, s e ” d d y e r s l, s d e n at d ’ d s ut r rr s ht y n e e o e rt ht al s w al t, e at nt a s, m e n e n t d, e a d ,

MUSIC | Heir off the Cursed

E R U S EXPO

HEIR OF THE CURSED Beldina Odenyo Onassis was recently announced as one of eight Starter Artists who will take part in the National Theatre of Scotland’s funded residency programme.

Arusa Qureshi catches up with the Glasgow singer-songwriter ahead of the big projects that lie ahead

B

Heir of the Cursed plays Doune the Rabbit Hole, Stirling, Fri 13–Sun 15 Jul; Jupiter Artland, Wilkieston, Sat 28 Jul.

PHOTO: EUAN ROBERTSON

eldina Odenyo Onassis has been captivating audiences in Glasgow for a few years now. Having grown up in Dumfries in a predominantly white environment, the singer-songwriter took early inspiration from her surroundings to pen music that spoke of her experience and dual Kenyan and Scottish identity. ‘It totally impacted my writing and music, not just from a wholly racial perspective.’ She says when asked about her upbringing. ‘The landscape, the language and adapting to that.

I was always “othered” and thus reflective but despite the hardship, covert and overt racism, I’m very lucky to have grown up where and when I did.’

To come across the kind of raw talent that is utterly transfixing, transporting you between different time periods and places in an instant, is a rarity. But under her other-worldly moniker Heir of the Cursed, Onassis does exactly that, with her intricate guitar work and soulful, dreamy vocals traversing somewhere across the realms of jazz, blues and folk.

‘I’m a stoic member of the church of Nina Simone and my sisters and will always be.’ She explains. ‘I also love Paul Simon, Miriam Makeba, Ella Fitzgerald and Joan Armatrading but I’m not sure whether you can hear that in the music. Maybe feel it?’

Her early musical inspirations may have followed her in terms of her current creative output but Onassis’ writing process remains unique to her.

‘There’s no formula,’ she says, ‘I just feel compelled when the muses assemble something for me, be it words or music and then I sit down, press record and feel out the story. Some make it into the set, some I just keep for myself and that moment.’

Despite there being no set formula, the stark guitar-and-voice arrangements prevalent in the music of Heir of the Cursed is slowly becoming recognisable across the Scottish music scene, with Onassis keen to highlight Glasgow’s place in all of this. ‘I think I’m very lucky in that I feel I’m exactly where I need to be. I’ve been trying to find my place for years in the Glasgow scene but it was only when I decided to not look for but make it that things started moving. I’ve been supported so generously by so many people in Glasgow and I hope that I can continue making music that sets this city apart from the world.’

Most recently, Onassis was announced as one of eight recipients of a funded residency as part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s starter programme, which helps artists develop their skills, networks, and explore a new idea for a piece of theatre. Not only does this signal the next step in her growth as a musician and artist, but it points to a strong future in the arts as a creative practitioner. ‘It feels surreal, scary and affirming all at the same time. I’m so pleased to have this development time and hope to explore what will hopefully become a full theatre/gig piece in a couple of years.’

As well as writing and regularly playing shows, Onassis has set herself a deadline to get an album recorded, currently assembling players to help, as she puts it, ‘put flesh on the bones.’ Certainly, she’s got an exciting and eventful year ahead of her thanks to the news of the residency alongside her growing reputation as one of Glasgow’s must-see musicians. But don’t expect her goals to have shifted; as Heir of the Cursed, her motivation remains a constant.

‘I’m just trying to tell the most honest stories and leave myself open to receive them.

I’m ultimately a conduit, a griotte and I want to share songs that reflect our time and comfort in any way I can.’

96 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018

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MOGWAI • DJANGO DJANGO • LAU • THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN KARINE POLWART • KING CREOSOTE • THE VASELINES • JULIE FOWLIS ANNA MEREDITH & SOUTHBANK SINFONIA • MARTYN BENNETT’S ‘BOTHY CULTURE’ PERFORMED BY THE GRIT ORCHESTRA JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN • MICHAEL ROTHER (NEU!) • BOARDS OF CANADA’S ‘HI SCORES’ PERFORMED BY STARGAZE LINTON KWESI JOHNSON • SACRED PAWS • NUMBERS • CELTIC CONNECTIONS • HIDDEN DOOR NEU! REEKIE! • FIRE ENGINES • THE PASTELS • HONEYBLOOD • LYDIA LUNCH • C DUNCAN • BOSSY LOVE SPINNING COIN • ALASDAIR ROBERTS • THE VAN T's • NADAH EL SHAZLY • LE VENT DU NORD JAMES HOLDEN & THE ANIMAL SPIRITS • HAPPY MEALS • BRIGHDE CHAIMBEUL • RONA LIGHTFOOT RANT • WHITBURN BAND AND ALAN CUMMING PRESENTS CLUB CUMMING

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1 Feb–31 Mar 2018 THE LIST 97

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Clerk Street | Edinburgh | EH8 9JG 0131 668 2019 | thequeenshall.net T: @queens_hall | F: @queenshall

RURA

Sat 9 Jun

JOHN FINNEMORE’S FLYING VISIT

Fri 15 Jun

JOHN MCCUSKER & HEIDI TALBOT Thu 21 June

THE BEVVY SISTERS

& THE SOUNDHOUSE CHOIR Thu 28 Jun

ELEPHANT SESSIONS, SIOBHAN MILLER, WHYTE

Mon 13 Aug

LINDISFARNE Sun 26 Aug

I’M WITH HER Tue 28 Aug CENTRE STAGE:

DRAKE MUSIC SCOTLAND’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

CARA

Fri 21 Sep

ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM Sat 29 Sep 749 ads.indd 98

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Previews | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music JAZZ

GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL PHOTO: JAMIE CAMERON

Yazz Ahmed

Various venues, Glasgow, Wed 20—Sun 24 Jun Discussions about the new wave of British jazz have tended to focus on the London soul-jazz scene, but as this year’s Glasgow Jazz Festival programme shows, there’s a lot more going on.

Award-winning saxophonist Helena Kay, ace drummer Fergus McCreadie and the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra are among the acts representing the revitalised Scottish scene, while Englandbased highlights include the brilliant avant-garde pianist Alexander Hawkins, percussionist Sarathy Korwar, and harpist Alina Bzhezhinksa’s tribute to Alice and John Coltrane.

Two of the most exciting contemporary bookings are Mercury Prize nominees Dinosaur (led by trumpeter Laura Jurd) and BritishBahraini trumpeter Yazz Ahmed. Both acts draw on rock and electronic influences while adding some unusual twists.

While Dinosaur’s 2016 debut Together As One tuned into 70s Miles Davis, its successor Wonder Trail gestures towards 80s pop, via Elliot Galvin’s colourful synth eruptions.

One of the most striking tracks is ‘Set Free’, where Jurd sings what sounds like an English folk song. 'I've always been quite attracted to that sort of thing. Folk music and folk melodies are something that have always been there for me.’ Jurd likes to colour her songs’ rock and pop harmonies with ‘little sprinklings of more obscure harmony’ from jazz and contemporary classical music.

Ahmed was inspired to play the trumpet by her maternal grandfather, the British jazzer Terry Brown. She studied jazz and classical, but it wasn’t until she began exploring the music of her mixed heritage that she found her true voice.

‘For me Middle Eastern music is very heartfelt and I think it relates beautifully with jazz which is also a very expressive music.

I'm also influenced by people I've worked with from other styles like Radiohead, These New Puritans and Jason Singh. I love using electronics in my music, I think it can add another dimension.’

(Stewart Smith)

PHOTO: CHRIS BYRNE

HIP HOP / SAMPLES

CARBS Glad Café, Glasgow, Fri 8 Jun; Henry’s Cellar Bar, Edinburgh, Sat 9 Jun After their last two albums had similarly punny titles, you get the feeling Carbs are all about building a record purely around a concept that amuses them. And you’d be right. ‘When Jonnie came up with the idea of sampling music from YouTube and calling it YouTubular Bells, we knew it was time to write some new stuff now we had a silly gimmick to go with,’ explains Jamie Scott aka MC Almond Milk.

The hip hop duo’s new EP is a short but sweet one-off, fusing samples found from YouTube, mainly videos demonstrating rare pieces of gear, to create a library of loops and beats. To this they added Carbs’ trademark deadpan, self-deprecating lyricism to create a fleeting burst of musical experimentation. With hip hop playing as important a role as it ever has in using music to convey socially and politically important messages, Carbs’ brand of Scothop – which deals in mickey-taking, nostalgia and examining the quotidian – stands out as a slice of fun in an often sombre scene.

‘There’s some amazing, important music coming out,’ Scott says. ‘Hip hop has always been a really great format for people to speak in a completely open way to get their message across. We just don’t happen to be doing that on this album.’ YouTubular Bells is as much exploring the duo’s lives and friendship as it is anything else. Tracks alluding to Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario give a nod to their 90s mania, as well as their cooperative-slash-competitive relationship. ‘We bounce off each other.

It’s as simple as who can come up with the funnier joke. If I can write a better one-liner than Jonnie in a song, I’m doing well for myself.’ (Kirstyn Smith)

PHOTO: ÖZGE CÖNE

ELECTRONIC

RIVAL CONSOLES Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church, Glasgow, Wed 6 Jun Ryan Lee West seems nonplussed by the news that he’ll be appearing in Glasgow beneath Luke Jerram’s ‘Museum of the Moon’ exhibit, a scale model of the moon itself which has been installed in the Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church. It will, I reassure the man who has recorded under the name Rival Consoles since 2007, be perfectly suited to his music.

‘I try to make my sound seem more real,’ he says of the aesthetic which lends his synthesisers a warmth and emotional depth. ‘When you look closely at a building or a car, you notice that it’s not perfect, that there are bits of dirt, of damage. Every layer of my music tends to be slightly degraded or imperfect, which I think makes it sound a lot more realistic when it’s been put together.’

Initially recording as Aparatec, the London-based producer was the first artist to release music on his friend Robert Raths’ Erased Tapes label. ‘My sound has completely shifted from the beginning.

When you start making electronic music there are so many distractions; first of all you have to learn the instruments and the equipment, and then you have to learn what you want to say.’

For West, that meant five years of exploring things and making ‘bad music’ until he felt more confident. ‘Now I start off a new record with lots and lots of improvisation until I find the sound I want. I’m obsessed with human drama and simple story, and I try to create with my music the sensation of narrative, even if that’s just a kind of raw emotion. Or at least that’s what I go looking for, and often I’m lucky enough to find it.’ (David Pollock) 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 99

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MUSIC | Records MELODIC GRIME

ALBUM OF THE ISSUE

ELECTRONICA

PROC FISKAL

ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER

Insula (Hyperdub) ●●●●●

Age of (Warp) ●●●●●

‘I think I probably make tunes to get out emotions I don’t express in day-today life,’ Joe Powers aka Proc Fiskal has noted about his debut album. ‘I used clips of my friends talking, drunk folk, and general Scottish life to preserve and represent what my experience is like right now.’ It’s a theme that seeps all the way through Insula, in the asymmetric rhythms of lead single ‘Dish Washing’ or mechanical melody of ‘Dopamine’, as it builds into a richly textured instrumental.

Bolstered by heavy synths, thick basslines and smatterings of skittish percussion, Powers’ debut is very much a record in sync with its environment, with surreal yet familiar voices, sounds, samples and edits forming the basis of his productions.

‘Hoax Nos Trinit’ has a weird and wonderful atmosphere, busy with ideas from start to finish, as does ‘Vaudeville’, with its restless rhythms balancing over more dulcet, warm synths. ‘Future Headache’ takes the record to more breezy territory as delicate chimes rest behind muffled chatter and mundane conversation.

Elsewhere, the influence of video games, and their associated soundtracks, is undeniable, with tracks like ‘Apple Juice’ and ‘Kontinuance’ providing waves of futuristic sci-fi grime landscapes, while ‘Evil Spirits’ lends the album the short, snappy melodies of a classic game.

As a newer member of the Hyperdub family, Proc Fiskal has had no trouble finding a home at the legendary UK label for his fast, frenzied, 160bpm-driven take on grime. With his debut, Powers has stayed true to Hyperdub’s affinity for forward-thinking production and experimentation, releasing a record that remains within the realm of grime as we know it but with added personality and melodic idiosyncrasies.

Having released his debut EP ‘The Highland Mob’ just last year, the Edinburgh-based producer may be considered a newcomer to many, but Insula would certainly make you think otherwise.

(Arusa Qureshi) ■ Out Fri 8 Jun.

With his eighth album as Oneohtrix Point Never, American producer Daniel Lopatin is seeking to define the Age Of . . . well, what exactly? Hearing the title track’s opening harpsichord notes, he may be trying to give birth to an evolution in electronic production, which fuses chilly synthesised sonic experiments with the warmth of human voices to create a kind of transhuman hymnal. That harpsichord pops up amid the bubbling, bleeding interlude of ‘myriad.industries’ and echoes the minimalist, analogue emotional current of the piano line on ‘Manifold’.

The player of the latter, Kelsey Lu, also returns on the closing ‘Last Known Image of a Song’, a welcome upbeat finale to a record which raises the bar for contemporary electronic music.

In the interim, many heights are scaled, from the gorgeous and stripped-back future hip-hop production on ‘Babylon’ to tracks ‘Warning’ and ‘Same’, all of which use Prurient’s voice almost as an instrument in itself, to more apocalyptic, industrial effect. There are a number of guests on the album, including Anohni who appears often in a non-lyrical form; for example as a disembodied yelp amid the fearsome, urgent ‘We’ll Take It’.

Both this track and ‘Still Stuff that Doesn’t Happen’ form their own unlikely supergroup, with Lopatin’s production and Anohni’s spectral voice accompanied by the keyboard-playing of James Blake (who is also the album’s co-producer). That such talents should congregate around this record is unsurprising because amid its sonic ambiguity, big emotions unfold, and Lopatin’s muse appears to once more create a new vision of the future. (David Pollock) ■ Out Fri 1 Jun.

ORCHESTRAL POP

GRUFF RHYS Babelsberg (Rough Trade Records) ●●●●● Gruff Rhys didn’t sit on the fence in the build-up to Brexit. ‘You liberated me from pie and mash’ might not sound like an earnest paean to freedom of movement, but in ‘I Love EU’ he offered an impassioned defence of how Wales has benefited from a strong relationship with Europe. His fifth solo album, Babelsberg, picks up the thematic torch with Rhys exploring the myriad issues of modern times with trademark humour, enlisting the help of Swansea-based composer Stephen McNeff and the 72-piece National Orchestra of Wales to add both bombast and subtlety.

The front half of Babelsberg contains one of the strongest run of songs on a Rhys album. Political themes are immediately apparent on the Glen Campbell country stylings of opener ‘Frontier Man’, in which a delusional male protagonist is ‘just a monument to times gone wrong’, and then again on ‘The Club’, where Rhys is betrayed and thrown from a place he ‘built with his own two hands’.

The frantic rhythm and blues of ‘Oh Dear!’ and the Beatles-esque ballad ‘Take That Call’ bookend ‘Limited Edition Heart’. This clear highlight pairs a great vocal melody with a stream of surreal lyrics that tackles the apocalypse and redemption, reaching a wonderful meta-peak when Rhys anticipates (and describes) the song’s instrumental breakdown.

These tunes would almost certainly have stood up in their stripped-back guises, having been recorded in a three-day period with Kliph Scurlock (exFlaming Lips drummer), and multi-instrumentalists Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo) and Osian Gwynedd. But McNeff’s arrangements elevate Babelsberg to a new level of greatness: ‘Oh Dear!’ possesses the urgency of Morricone’s Western compositions, while on closing track ‘Selfies in the Sunset’ (a duet with Lily Cole), the woodwind playfully engages in call and response with the keys as the two turn the end of days into an Instagram story. (Craig Angus) ■ Out Fri 1 Jun.

INDIE ROCK

PETAL Magic Gone (Run for Cover) ●●●●● The only permanent member of Petal is Kiley Lotz, and this second album, much like the project’s previous effort Shame, is very much the sound of one person’s thoughts. Written as she reckoned with both her artistic career, and her sexuality, the album confronts the paranoia and anxiety that was taking a toll on Lotz. Whilst this focus is one of Magic Gone’s strengths, it can also make for an overwhelming listen that sadly lacks in variation.

Many of the lyrics are confrontations, asking questions like: ‘who’s to say I don’t care?’ and ‘when did it get so personal?’ Lotz is exorcising her demons by facing them and allowing the listener to join her and the music revels in this emotional journey, as Lotz often adds power through straining her soft falsetto.

This is done most masterfully on the song ‘I’m Sorry’, which slowly builds over four minutes of yearning before exploding in the final act as the song’s title is shouted repeatedly over thunderous guitars.

Magic Gone is split into two halves, with the first, ‘Tightrope Walker’, written before Lotz entered treatment, and the second, ‘Miracle Clinger’, penned from the other side. Unfortunately, this journey is not echoed in the album’s narrative arc, with many of the songs simply taking similarly sparse and / or quiet-loud approaches, making it hard to pick out an overall theme. This betrays the cumulative effect of Lotz’ lyrics, which are undoubtedly poetic and almost frighteningly confessional at times. '"Tightrope Walker/Miracle Clinger" are the two worlds I was living in,' Lotz has said of the record. As separate diary entries, the songs on Magic Gone are small but well-formed lights that glow with the energy of a troubled soul. Yet the album does not take enough chances, asking the same questions and repeating the same musical tricks, making for a fleetingly gripping but never wholly absorbing listen.

(Sean Greenhorn) ■ Out Fri 15 Jun.

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Records | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music ELECTRONIC COMPILATION

MODESELEKTOR

PSYCH POP

MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER

Modeselektion Vol. 04 (Monkeytown Records/Ninja Tune) ●●●●●

Bon Voyage (Domino) ●●●●●

It wouldn’t be a leap to call the Berlin-based duo Modeselektor completely brilliant.

Through their label Monkeytown Records, and their own musical output over the last couple of decades, the pair have helped shape the landscape of electronic music. With this fourth volume in their compilation series, Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary show their continued ability to play with genre. Here they combine some of the greatest established artists and rising stars in a single dance record (well four 12 inch vinyls, if you’re buying the hard copy).

Modeselektion Vol. 04 at times manages to take the listener to dark sweaty rooms underneath concrete city streets – and to euphoric, packed tents in sunny fields, at others. With selections from artists such as Actress, Lone, rRoxymore and Glasgow’s own Solid Blake, the overall effect is a wonderful journey through tempo and mood.

Lone’s ‘Smoke Signals’ is a real stand-out, boasting a dance floor-filling techno melody and ending with a Four Tet, ‘Love Cry’-esque, infectious rhythm. The Nottingham artist has been releasing music since 2007, and this contribution is a real success.

Another highlight is the playful warmth of Actress’ track ‘Watercolour Challenge’.

Reminiscent of the video game joyfulness of some old Crystal Castles’ tracks, this is far removed from some of the more agitated moments on the artist’s 2014 EP ‘Ghettoville’.

Modeselektor’s contribution is their first release in three years, and it’s a hightempo, earthy, track which carries the listener upwards into a floating, emotive technological crescendo. A truly powerful musical moment, ‘Kalif Storch’ shows the pair are back with the same high standards of their past.

Overall, there is a confident unifying pulse through this rewarding collage of noise, melody and rhythm. Tracks move from dense and highly layered sonics, to mesmerisingly crisp, simple breaks.

The album is a hybrid of genre which is rewarding of patience.

The duo say the compilation was influenced by their 'thirst for effective dance music', and the result is a definite triumph.

(Kenza Marland) ■ Out Fri 1 Jun.

French musical autrice Melody Prochet, who records as Melody’s Echo Chamber, is a smart stylist with her sonic dial firmly set to retro. She ostensibly draws on the classy chamber pop produced by her home nation in the 60s and 70s with a breathy come-hither vocal delivery employed by ingenious ingénues from Brigitte Bardot to Isobel Campbell. And there is an explicit touch of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg to the Gallic purring here of ‘Visions of Someone Special’.

But Bon Voyage is far from plain sailing. Prochet’s second album is more of a fractured patchwork, teaming insouciant strings and featherweight woodwind with distorted (multi-lingual) vocals and acid riffola. This latter element comes courtesy of her album guests, Swedish stoner rockers Dungen, who may well have been involved in the decision to record the album in Swedish woodland, as one does.

So, opening track ‘Cross My Heart’ opens with a cohesive blend of martial drums and swooning strings but, two minutes in, the reverie is rudely interrupted by a skittering cosmic funk interlude with fluttering flutes and jazzy organ, followed by a proggy acoustic guitar break. At times, the cut and paste effect sounds like three different songs playing at the same time: a nod to the emotionally disturbed state in which Prochet composed the album.

‘Quand Les Larmes d’un Ange Font Danser La Neige’ is the longest, most expansive and out-there track, powered along by bursts of epic drumming (the latest instrument Prochet has added to her personal repertoire), guitar heroics and a spoken word interlude from Pond frontman Nick Allbrook. Such quirkiness threatens to derail ‘Desert Horse’, where the various helium vocoder sound effects and Zappaesque freestyling fail to coalesce. Prochet has described this track as a ‘monster’ but the discordance was eerily prescient: as she finished recording the album, she suffered a serious (and so far unspecified accident) from which she has only just recovered. (Fiona Shepherd) ■ Out Fri 15 Jun.

INDIE POP

POP

THE SCOTTISH ENLIGHTENMENT

LILY ALLEN

Potato Flower (Armellodie Records) ●●●●●

No Shame (Parlophone) ●●●●●

Google ‘Scottish Enlightenment’ and you’re more likely to see results about Adam Smith and David Hume as there is of picking up details on this less than prolific four-piece. After their 2010 debut collection St Thomas, the band who describe themselves as ‘spread up and down Scotland’s east coast like margarine’ threatened to find themselves written about in those ‘where are they now’ columns. But finally they’re back and with a much tighter and more tune-laden set than their grittier first effort.

There’s a pleasing old-school indie sheen all over Potato Flower which could have your ears placing this anywhere between now and 1995. David Moyes’ sombre vocal style will occasionally make listeners wonder if Aidan Moffat has made an uncredited cameo (the first ten seconds of album opener ‘Keep the Cats Outside’ being a case in point). But before long, the leader and his crew (including brother Angus on bass) are carving out their own brand of Caledonia miserabilism with songs about life, death, domestic strife, and struggling against the odds.

‘Machinery’ starts off as a curious blend of Elephant Shoe-era Arab Strap merged with the feedback bits on Max Richter’s reimagining of The Four Seasons, but soon Moyes’ lilting delivery pushes the pulsing composition through to a less-trodden spot. Everything comes together wonderfully on ‘The Last Howl’, drums and lead guitar in perfect tandem when the singer takes his leave from the song.

Even a lesser light such as the quasi-ponderous ‘Colour it In’ is saved by a captivating rock crescendo.

In our attention-spandeficit culture, Potato Flower is certainly no quick fix and plenty will give up the ghost early doors. But give it time, let it grow and the gorgeous elements of this album will eventually find a welcome home in your skull.

(Brian Donaldson) ■ Out Fri 1 Jun.

Along with KT Tunstall and Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen helped to make the noughties pop landscape a more overtly female-friendly environment, effectively paving the way for the relatable and moderately mouthy likes of Dua Lipa and Anne-Marie. But rather than embrace her status as a pop trailblazer, Allen’s musical growth was stunted by a creative crisis of confidence and the apprehension that she was being manipulated in musical directions with which she was uncomfortable. Her openness in discussing her vulnerabilities over the years has been both a strength and a weakness, providing inspiration for fans and catnip for detractors.

She takes a pop at those faceless critics on No Shame’s trancey opening track ‘Come On Then’ with scornful lyrics which just about cut through the electro miasma, and it would be satisfying to report that her fourth album is another “fuck you very much” to the naysayers. Instead, it’s as bland and fluffy as they come with only the continuing soap-popera of her diary-like lyrics to provide the daintiest bite.

She recalls her misspent youth on ‘Trigger Bang’ but the wispy likes of ‘Lost My Mind’ and ‘Higher’ suggest an airbrushing of her impish edge. Despite its unrepentant title, No Shame regularly features Allen in slush puppy mode, coquettishly contemplating whether her beau is the one to grow old with on ‘Pushing Up Daisies’, taking a leaf out of the Adele piano ballad book with ‘Family Man’, and writing about separation guilt from the perspective of her kids on the mawkish ballad ‘Three’ (‘when things feel black and white, we’ll do some colouring in, when you want to play, when you want to play with me’). At least she ends on a stronger note with the bittersweet ‘Cake’, a ska-pop swipe at male privilege which harks back to her fresh 2006 Alright, Still debut ‘Smile’ and suits her lilting, soulful delivery.

(Fiona Shepherd) ■ Out Fri 8 Jun. 1 Jun–31 Feb–31 Aug Mar 2018 THE LIST 101

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MUSIC | Going Underground

GOING UNDERGROUND Stewart Smith digs out some of the best underground, DIY and self-released music currently coming out of the Scottish music scene

BAMYA/ HORSE WHISPERER/ DR VZX MOIST Untitled Tape ●●●●●

A bedroom prog extravaganza, Horse Whisperer’s The Fifth Season was one of the most memorable debuts of 2016, splicing Renaissance music and pastoral psychedelia with home-brewed beats. This split tape with art-punks Bamya and ‘science-fiction band’ Dr VZX Moist finds Horse Whisperer, aka Borders-raised polymath Max Syed-Tollan, refining his approach via a series of short tracks recorded at Glasgow’s Green Door studios.

‘Def’ is demented synth prog, with SyedTollan conducting a gallimaufry of parping Yamaha horn presets, like Ornette Coleman getting medieval on your ass. ‘Chir’ sees SyedTollan turn his hand to contemporary classical, to fascinating and eerie effect. High, lonesome string lines cross at oblique angles, strafed by resonant electronic tones and tack piano.

Dr VZX Moist contribute several quivering slabs of weirdo rock action. The warped postpunk of ‘Rain’ offers itchy chromatic guitar riffs over pulsing bass and expansive drums.

The vocals are agreeably outré, mixing Mark E. Smith’s gruff English surrealism with a dash of Mary Margaret O’Hara’s playful invention.

‘Money Found In Tortoise Shell’ finds the group cheerfully chanting and jabbering, like a barbershop quartet channelling Gilbert & Sullivan libretto and the sound poetry of Bob Cobbing. Bamya are the most accessible of the

three acts, with a tuneful and energetic form of post-punk that sits somewhere between The Raincoats and The Ex. Best of all, they have Portuguese language vocals. A winning combination. The second side sees the three acts come together for an extended sound piece that recalls the more abstract passages on an Art Ensemble Of Chicago album, all whistles, squeaks and flubbed bass. Gradually, it’s all taken over by processed vocals and rumbling electronic tones. A heady dose of Glasgow weirdness.

DIP FRISO/ BAPY YUN Untitled Tape ●●●●●

Dip Friso is the alter ego of Murray Collier, one half of Optimo Music affiliated duo Pussy Mothers. The second half of this split tape, released on Collier’s Real Landscape label, features Bapy Yun, aka Nathan Quirk.

Both artists offer gauzy, fractured takes on club music. Bapy Yun’s dark, minimal yin to Dip Friso is the funky, playful yang. Dip Friso’s ‘Party At The Neighbours’ sounds like an 80s drum machine being sucked backwards into a dark wood, dragging dead leaves and ectoplasm. Meanwhile someone sits in front of a television, flicking between unctuous advertisements and bad sitcoms.

‘Falling Forward’ takes us into a vortex of dubbed out Afro-Portuguese rhythms, while ‘Malted Sugar’ is a slinky house excursion, all

handclaps, subtle organ jabs and disaffected R&B vocals. On the flip, Bapy Yun burrows deep into lo-fi techno caverns, firing distorted snare shots and synth figures at plangent throbs of bass. ‘Rituals’ breaks down into sub-woofer bothering hum, before a swampy percussion fill leads us into the dank reflections of ‘More Human’.

FUA Untitled Tape ●●●●●

Fua is the trio of Adam Campbell on guitar and electronics, Tristan Clutterbuck on electronics, and Tina Krekels on alto saxophone. Criminally undersung, Krekels is one of the most inventive saxophonists around, using unconventional mouthpiece techniques and carefully placed contact mics to unearth new possibilities for the instrument. Campbell processes his guitar through a modular synth, turning rubbed and mangled strings into crumpled tones and static pops. Clutterbuck is also on modular synth, although from the weird, distorted slobber that haunts the first side, it appears there’s a vocal source in there too. Rather than barge through with macho blare, Krekels cuts through it all with acerbic squawks and jagged runs. Ten minutes in and it all breaks down into alien abstraction, with Krekels’ mouthpiece pops and breath effects complemented by subtle fizz, bubble and squelch. A superb first release from Fancyyyyy tapes.

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24 October – 4 November 2018

Adventures in New Music World-class artists // Collaborations // World Premieres // Family-friendly events // Late night soundsessions Find out more www.sound-scotland.co.uk

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Highlights | MUSIC

HITLIST

THOM YORKE Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 7 Jun, usherhall. co.uk The Radiohead frontman performs tracks from his solo career in a live mix with Nigel Godrich and visual artist Tarik Barri.

JAY Z & BEYONCE Hampden Park, Glasgow, Sat 9 Jun, hampdenpark.

co.uk On the Run 2 sees the power couple join forces for a pop, hip hop and R&B extravaganza.

THE ROLLING STONESFESTIVAL BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Sat 9 Jun, scottishrugby.org/btmurrayfield-stadium Tis’ the season for mega gigs as the rock survivors hit the

UK with a barrage of classic hits.

TRNSMT Glasgow Green, Fri 29 Jun–Sun 1 Jul; Fri 6 & Sun 8 Jul, trnsmtfest. com Expanding to take in two consecutive weekends.

Acts announced include Stereophonics, The Script and Jessie J (29 Jun); Liam Gallagher, Wolf Alice

and J Hus (30 Jun); Arctic Monkeys, Interpol and Miles Kane (1 Jul); Queen + Adam Lambert, Texas and The Darkness (6 Jul), and The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, CHVRCHES and Friendly Fires (8 Jul). See feature, page 47.

SUMMER NIGHTS Kelvingrove Bandstand and Amphitheatre,

Glasgow, Mon 30 Jul–Sat 11 Aug, regularmusic. com Line-up features The Pretenders (30 Jul), Bryan Ferry (31 Jul), First Aid Kit (1 Aug), John Prine (2 Aug), OMD (3 Aug), James Grant (4 Aug), Imelda May (6 Aug), Fleet Foxes (7 Aug), Jimmy Cliff (8 Aug), Van Morrison (9 Aug), The Fratellis (10 Aug) and Roddy Frame (11 Aug).

MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date.

Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

GLASGOW ED SHEERAN Hampden Park, Fri 1–Sun 3 Jun, hampdenpark.co.uk Whatever you think of Sheeran, this is happening.

And it’s huge. Bafflingly huge.

ERIC PRYDZ PRESENTS HOLO Braehead Arena, Sat 2 Jun, braehead-arena.co.uk The Swedish producer presents his full holographic stage production. DJ support from CamelPhat, Cristoph, Jamie Roy and Raeside.

COURTNEY BARNETT Barrowland, Sat 2 Jun, barrowland-ballroom.co.uk Jangly, guitar-led indie-rock with a psychedelic edge from the Australian singer-songwriter.

LAURA VEIRS Òran Mór, Tue 5 Jun, oran-mor. co.uk A haunting, sparse mix of deadpan folk and blues from US singer-songwriter Laura Veirs.

VOLBEAT O2 ABC, Wed 6 Jun, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Danish band playing a combination of heavy metal, punk rock and rockabilly.

RIVAL CONSOLES Mackintosh Queens Cross, Wed 6 Jun, mackintoshchurch.com Electronics from Leicester-born guitarist turned producer. Combining artist Luke Jerram’s installation, Museum of the Moon, with a special performance from Rival Consoles. See preview, page 99.

CARBS The Glad Café, Fri 8 Jun, thegladcafe.co.uk Aka Jonnie Common and Jamie Scott’s

(Conquering Animal Sound) off kilter pop / rap outfit EP launch for new project YouTubular Bells. See preview, page 99. Also Henry’s Cellar Bar, Edinburgh, Sat 9 Jun, henryscellarbar.co.uk GIANT SAND Òran Mór, Sun 10 Jun, oran-mor. co.uk In three decades Howe Gelb (the main man behind Giant Sand) managed to mash elements of rock, country, blues, punk, garage, lo-fi, jazz, gospel, avant-garde noise and flamenco gypsy music. Also Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, Mon 11 Jun, thevoodoorooms.com HAIM O2 Academy Glasgow, Sun 10 June, academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyglasgow Three sisters from LA who blend folky and R&B elements in their sound.

L7 The Garage, Sun 10 Jun, garageglasgow.co.uk Riot grrrl grunge from the recently reformed American band.

GHOSTFACE KILLAH The Art School, Tue 12 Jun, theartschool.co.uk Hip hop from the legendary Wu-Tang Clan star.

PUBLIC IMAGE LTD O2 ABC, Wed 13 Jun, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow John Lydon’s postPistols outfit return, minus Keith Levene and Jah Wobble, but still packing a terrific back catalogue.

DAVID BYRNE Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Fri 15 Jun, glasgowconcerthalls.com Music from the Talking Heads frontman.

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES The SSE Hydro, Tue 19 Jun, thessehydro.com American supergroup featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry paying tribute to their 70s rock heroes. Solid

Courtney Barnett

support comes from The Damned and The Darkness GEORGE CLINTON & PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC Kelvingrove Bandstand and Amphitheatre, Wed 20 Jun, synergyconcerts.com R&B legend George Clinton whose career has spanned 50 years and is credited with being a major innovator in sci-fi soul, rock and space funk beams down from the mothership with Parliament Funkadelic in tow.

GLASGOW JAZZ FESTIVAL Various venues, Wed 20–Sun 24 Jun, jazzfest.co.uk The Glasgow Jazz Festival has hosted some of the biggest names in jazz, blues, soul, funk, R&B and world music. Highlights include Rose Room Orchestra Fantastique, John Etheridge, Slugabed, Dinosaur, Gino Washington and Yazz Ahmed. See preview, page 99.

KATY PERRY The SSE Hydro, Sun 24 Jun, thessehydro.com Pop extravaganza as the ‘I Kissed a Girl’ / ‘Firework’ / ‘Roar’ songstress heads out on her Witness world tour.

THE PRIMITIVES The Hug and Pint, Mon 25 Jun,

thehugandpint.com Return of the 80s indie poppers, fronted by diminutive bombshell Tracy Tracy.

ROGER WATERS The SSE Hydro, Fri 29 & Sat 30 Jun, thessehydro.com Former Pink Floyd bassist and vocalist Roger Waters performs tracks from across his career, including his most recent album Is This The Life We Really Want?

FIESTA X FOLD Kelvingrove Park, Sat 30 Jun & Sun 1 Jul, westendfiesta.co.uk A brand new festival brought to you by the team behind The West End Fiesta in collaboration with the Nile Rodger’s Freak Out Let’s Dance Party. The event features Nile Rodgers and CHIC (playing both days) plus a host of Nile’s friends and collaborators for a series of musical performances including Earth, Wind & Fire and the Pointer Sisters (30 Jun); Emeli Sandé, Goldfrapp, Laura Mvula, Morcheeba and Ana Matronic (1 Jul). See feature, page 50.

EELS O2 Academy Glasgow, Wed 4 Jul, academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyglasgow Skewed take on the indie format from frontman and multi-instrumentalist E, currently on magnificent malcontent form.

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MUSIC | Highlights

MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED BRUNO MARS Glasgow Green, Tue 10 Jul, gigsinscotland.com Ballads and R&B with a tasteful hip hop edge from the all-conquering commercial troubadour who comes backed with a fine old school band of funk soul brothers. Full day of music with support from Dua Lipa, Average White Band, DNCE and DJ Rashida.

PICTISH TRAIL Mono, Fri 20 Jul, monocafebar. com Off-kilter indie-folk from Johnny Lynch. Part of Lost Map’s fifth birthday celebrations.

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM Barrowland, Tue 24 Jul, barrowlandballroom.co.uk Brawny New Jersey quartet providing an indie bar band spin on Bruce Springsteen’s panoramic carsand-girls blue collar rock.

DANZIG Barrowland, Mon 6 Aug, barrowland-ballroom.co.uk Dark gothic punk from the Misfits man.

DIRTY PROJECTORS The Art School, Sun 19 Aug, theartschool.co.uk Aka Brooklynite Dave Longstreth and his dissident pop.

BRITNEY SPEARS The SSE Hydro, Wed 22 Aug, thessehydro.com The pop superstar brings her Las Vegas show to the UK. See preview, page 93.

GLASGOW SUMMER SESSIONS Bellahouston Park, Wed 22, Sat 25 & Wed 29 Aug, smmrsessions.com Indie rock from Kings of Leon with The Wombats, The Hunna and Everything Everything (22 Aug); Catfish & the Bottlemen, Twin Atlantic, DMA’s and Peace (25 Aug) and hip hop superstar Kendrick Lamar with support from NERD and Bugzy Malone (29 Aug).

EDINBURGH HIDDEN DOOR FESTIVAL The Leith Theatre, until Sun 3 Jun, hiddendoorblog.org Final days at Hidden Door include James Brown is Annie, London Afrobeat Collective and Submotion Orchestra (1 Jun), Young Fathers (2 Jun) and Nabihah Iqbal and Romare (3 Jun).

FUTURE ISLANDS Usher Hall, Thu 14 Jun, usherhall. co.uk Joyous electro and synth pop from the Baltimore trio.

THE ZOMBIES The Queen’s Hall, Sat 16 Jun,

Volbeat

thequeenshall.net The Zombies’ Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent play their hits from the 60s and a selection of material from their solo careers.

BILL MURRAY & JAN VOGLER Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Mon 18 Jun, capitaltheatres.com Mixture of music and spoken word from the comedy legend and his musical partner.

RIP IT UP FESTIVAL Summerhall, Sat 23 Jun, summerhall.co.uk A celebration of Scottish rock and pop from the 50s to the present day. Performers include Stanley Odd, Emma Pollock, Withered Hand, Babe, Modern Studies and Be Charlotte. See feature, page 42.

garde, the EJ&BF usually manages to secure some world premières, new bands, and new collaborations.

Highlights include Kurt Elling, Davina & The Vagabonds, Mud Morganfield, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Jools Holland, Dave Holland with Zakir Hussain and Chris Potter, The Average White Band, Blind Boy Paxton, Curtis Stigers, Betty Lavette and Maggie Bell.

NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS Edinburgh Castle, Thu 19 Jul, regularmusic.com Post-Oasis indie rock from Gallagher senior who is happy to dip into the Oasis back catalogue to bolster his set.

BIGGAR BONGZILLA La Belle Angèle, Fri 29 Jun, labelleangele.com Seriously heavy stoner metal.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND The Queen’s Hall, Fri 29 Jun, thequeenshall.net The UK-born Canadian actor and singer performs his grizzly country music material.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Royal Lyceum Theatre, Mon 2 & Tue 3 Jul, lyceum.org.uk The American-Canadian singer-songwriter performs his baroque pop.

EDINBURGH JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL Various venues, Fri 13–Sun 22 Jul, edinburghjazzfestival.com Now celebrating its 40th anniversary with a programme featuring all jazz styles from early jazz to the avant

WILDFIRE FESTIVAL Wiston Lodge, Fri 22–Sun 24 Jun, wildfirefestival.co.uk Scotland throws up the devil horns for its award-winning rock and metal festival.

Acts for 2018 include Thunder Mother, Mason Hill, Lionheart, Vega, Massive Wagons, Buffalo Summer, Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics, Those Damn Crows, Midnite City and many more.

DALKEITH SUNDAY SESSIONS SCOTLAND Dalkeith Country Park, Sun 24 Jun, scotland.sundaysessions. net A music festival with entertainment for the whole family, featuring Kaiser Chiefs, Peter Doherty, Happy Mondays, Feeder, The Lightening Seeds, British Sea Power and more.

DUMFRIES ELECTRIC FIELDS Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate, Thu 30 Aug–Sat 1 Sep, electricfieldsfestival.com This music festival is set in the Dumfriesshire hills, with a focus on Scottish talent. 2018’s line-up includes Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Leftfield, James, Young Fathers, Teenage Fanclub, Public Service Broadcasting, Ride, The Horrors, Idlewild, Ezra Furman, Shame, The Coral and Lady Leshurr.

KIRKCALDY JAMES YORKSTON’S TAE SUP WI’ A FIFER Adam Smith Theatre, Sat 16 Jun & Sat 14 Jul, taesup.co.uk Fife’s folkster James Yorkston curates a programme of nights. Featuring Michael Hurley, Phil Jupitus and Siobhan Wilson (16 Jun), and Carl Stone, Thomas McCarthy and Pictish Trail (14 Jul).

LARGS KELBURN GARDEN PARTY Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Fri 29 Jun–Mon 2 Jul, kelburngardenparty.com Kelburn Castle provides the fairytale setting for this eccentric music festival. Six stages and various pop-up nooks host the musical programme – an eclectic mix of Scottish talent from the avant garde and experimental to the accessible. 2018’s line-up includes Goldie, The 2 Bears, A Guy Called Gerald, Ibibio Sound machine, Chali 2Na & Krafty Kuts, Macka B and more.

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Classical | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music

L A C I S AS

CLASSICAL

MR MCFALL'S CHAMBER – AT HOME IN A FOREIGN LAND

CL

Old Saint Paul’s Church, Edinburgh, Tue 19 Jun; St John’s Kirk, Perth, Wed 20 Jun

PHOTO: DOUGLAS ROBERTSON

Known for their eclectic approach to programming, the latest from Mr McFall’s Chamber is a series of ten concerts based around the theme of migration, exile and displacement. A theme that has relevance at any time, whether past, present or future, it is, however, one that is particularly pertinent at the moment. Performances later in the season turn to Mexico and Poland, reflecting on economic migration, but for the first concert the focus is entirely on Giya Kancheli’s extraordinarily powerful piece, Exil. Originally from Georgia, the 82 year old Kancheli now lives in Belgium following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. ‘He’s from the same generation as late Soviet composers like Scnittke and Pärt, and there are some very dramatic moments in his music’, says artistic director, Robert McFall. Scored for violin, viola, cello, double bass, alto flute, synthesiser and – originally – tape, Exil features a soprano soloist (Susan Hamilton) in settings of poetry by Paul Celan and Hans Sahl, as well as the 23rd Psalm. ‘It is mostly slow-moving,’ says McFall, ‘with a lot of silence. The way he builds the silences, they are as powerful as the music. It is a very sparse setting, taking its name from the poem by Sahl.’

All in German, the texts will be projected so that they can be read as the performances take place. Kancheli was described by the Russian composer Ridion Schedrin as ‘an ascetic with the temperament of a maximalist – a restrained Vesuvius’, and his music is known for its spiritual characteristics.

Written in 1994, the 50 minute long Exil was first performed by Mr McFall’s Chamber in Edinburgh in 2002, then in Orkney’s St Magnus Festival a few years later. ‘We always wanted to come back to it,’ says McFall, ‘as it is such a powerful piece of music.’ (Carol Main)

CLASSICAL HIGHLIGHTS EDINBURGH ROYAL CHORAL UNION: VERDI REQUIEM McEwan Hall, Sat 2 Jun, edinburghfirst.co.uk/venues Professional, student and amateur musicians combine forces in Verdi for a new generation, as a gala performance of Verdi’s Requiem and Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater combines singers from several of Edinburgh’s top choirs, impressive young soloists and a pro orchestra, all brought together under the baton of maestro Michael Bawtree.

WÜRTH PHILHARMONIC Usher Hall, Sun 3 Jun, usherhall.co.uk The international series at the Usher Hall comes to a triumphant close with the great Maxim Vengerov as the soloist in Bruch’s Violin Concerto in the first half, while in the second, he returns to conduct the Würth Philharmonic in the Symphony No 10 by Shostakovich, a work remarkable for its reflection of life as ruled by Stalin.

PHOTO: KAUPO KIKKAS

HITLIST

GLASGOW THE GLASGOW BARONS: STRAMASH Govan Old Parish Church, Fri 22 Jun, glasgowbarons.com Season One of this new orchestra of young professionals, based in and belonging to the community of Govan, brings together old and new.

The concert’s title takes its name from Alasdair Nicolson’s piece of the same name, while singer/songwriter Ainsley Hamill showcases the results of her creative work with Govan Reminiscence Group before Tchaikovsky’s evergreen Serenade for Strings. All under the baton of founder conductor Paul MacAlindin.

EDINBURGH SCOTTISH ENSEMBLE: MOZART BY NUMBERS The Queen’s Hall, Fri 1 Jun, thequeenshall.net Incredibly, particularly so as he died at the age of only 35, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote over 600 pieces of music. Six of them, from a string duo to a fuller symphonic score, are heard interspersed with more recent music in an intriguingly curated programme.

Sean Shibe

RSNO: OUNDJIAN CONDUCTS MAHLER NINE Usher Hall, Fri 1 Jun, usherhall. co.uk It’s the final season concert of RSNO Music Director Peter Oundjian and what a way to bring things to a close as he takes orchestra and audience through this powerful score of Viennese waltzes, hymn tunes, nostalgic song and glowing brass in a sumptuous feast of poignant and heartfelt music. Also Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 2 Jun, glasgowconcerthalls.com

OUT OF TOWN EAST NEUK FESTIVAL: MISERERE The Bowhouse, St Monans, Fri 29 Jun, eastneukfestival.com Time to be whisked away by the spell of the Fife coast and The Tallis Scholars, directed by Peter Phillips, as they perform William Byrd’s exquisitely written Mass for Five Voices alongside other Renaissance masterpieces by Josquin and Carver.

MUSIC AT PAXTON: SEAN SHIBE Paxton House, by North Berwick. Thu 19 Jul, musicatpaxton.co.uk Edinburgh based 20-something guitarist Sean Shibe has been taking the musical world by storm, whether with his first recording on the Delphian label (number two coming up), concert and broadcast performances or walking off with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artist of the Year award at a glitzy London dinner ceremony in May. Hear him in the intimate Picture Gallery of Paxton House playing Scottish lute music alongside works by Dowland, Villa-Lobos and Bach.

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THEATRE

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /theatre

BALLET BLACK The professional ballet company returns with a diverse double-bill Relationships in all their complexity take centre stage in Ballet Black’s latest doublebill. The company, which champions dancers of black and Asian descent, has paired up two diverse pieces with couples at their heart.

In The Suit (pictured), by choreographer Cathy Marston, infidelity enters a marriage in 1950s South Africa. Watched over by a chorus of dancers, the couple is torn apart by the fallout, as the husband’s revenge slowly leads to tragedy.

At the other end of the emotional scale, Arthur Pita offers some light relief with his re-working of Shakespeare, A Dream

Within A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Set to a soundtrack featuring Eartha Kitt, Jeff Buckley and Barbra Streisand among others, the piece takes the original play as its starting point, but adds a suitably witty, Pita-esque twist.

‘It’s not faithful, but it’s certainly inspired by the world of Shakespeare’s Dream,’ he explains. ‘It’s an adaptation on the idea, hence the title, but as it’s a dance theatre piece, it’s already removed from the play. The images of the narrative are there in a way, but the journey to them is different.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Dundee Rep, Wed 6 Jun; Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 8 Jun.

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list.co.uk/theatre

PHOTO: PAMELA RAITH

MUSICAL

THE LAST SHIP Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 12–Sat 16 Jun; Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Mon 18–Sat 23 Jun ●●●●● With a smattering of Sting’s hits and score written by the singersongwriter, The Last Ship shares something with a jukebox musical production, but is more determined to pay tribute to a shipyard’s character. Carried by its remarkable scenography (a mixture of tactically introduced video screens and a metallic framework that evokes the steel that built the yards), it tells a triple story: of lost love redeemed, the desire to escape, and the Conservative political machinations that eventually destroyed the industry.

The tough political polemic that frames this show is supported by a sentimental representation of the men themselves. When the foreman dies during the yard’s occupation, it’s hard to miss the messianic themes, and the characters are frequently symbolic rather than deep. So, a union leader recites Marxist analysis, the aggressive drunk finally does the right thing, the carpenter enriches his life through poetry, and a young woman yearns for musical success. While the threads are resolved when the last ship is launched in the face of state oppression, their respective moods don’t mesh. The machismo of the shipyard men is unchallenged, the women are uncompromisingly supportive, except in a brief song introducing part two, itself an awkward adjunct to the action, since part one ended with the foreman’s first collapse.

The repetition of certain songs extends the running time without deepening either the drama or themes, but the folky melodies can be, by turns, charming and forceful. The political realism possibly clashes with the easy resolution, and the narrator’s pride in the working-class men becomes cloying. An uncritical celebration of the power of the working-class, its own dialectic of toughness and emotionalism lacks a nuanced critique of the nature of the Tory attack on the area’s industrial base, and its regionalism disguises second act's meandering. (Gareth K Vile)

SOCIAL DRAMA

IMMERSIVE

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*SORT OF)

DOWNS WITH LOVE

THE REASON I JUMP

Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 29 Jun–Sat 14 Jul

Touring until Tue 12 Jun

The Children’s Wood and North Kelvin Meadow, Glasgow, Mon 11–Sat 23 Jun

Blood of the Young are establishing themselves as a dynamic young theatre company with their bold, irreverent takes on classics well worth seeking out.

Here, they unstarch the petticoats of Jane Austen’s novel of love and social climbing, Pride and Prejudice.

It’s very much a collaborative process, as writer Isobel McArthur explains. ‘The core values of the company remain the same which means that although this show is brand new and attempts to do things we have never tried before, it should be colourful, dynamic and generous.’

Although the thrust of the storytelling will still be to the fore, McArthur insists there will be much invention. ‘It should feel like it celebrates Austen’s humour and tells her story in a way that values its core message to the reader, albeit with karaoke and disco balls.’

And McArthur believes it’s the timeless themes that keep the tale of societal pressure and romance fresh. ‘It reveals something about human beings and what they really enjoy in a love story. We’re happy to interrogate that weakness for romance in this show.

What the show will never do, however, is pretend to be cleverer than Austen.’ And with an all-female cast, it’s sure to bring a new energy to the tale.

(Lorna Irvine)

‘Theatre enables an audience to see, hear and experience issues from other people’s perspectives,’ says Suzanne Lofthus, writer and director of Downs with Love. ‘The play doesn’t give answers but raises questions.’

Lofthus’ company, Cutting Edge Theatre, presents a moving love story that challenges lazy notions about people with Downs Syndrome, casting Abigail Brydon as a young woman dealing with passionate desire and perceived disability. While the company has previously worked in prisons and staged largescale community works, Downs with Love takes a more traditional approach.

‘I set up Cutting Edge Theatre in 1995 in Edinburgh with the express aim to "make a difference". We work a lot with people who are disadvantaged in some way both here and abroad,’ continues Lofthus, before affirming her roots in community performance. ‘Often the process is as important as the end product.’

By presenting a story that isn’t a simple lecture on the nature of Downs, Cutting Edge are consciously promoting a serious discussion about social attitudes.

‘I hope the audience will question themselves about what do they actually think about disability, perhaps have their preconceptions challenged and be inspired.’ (Gareth K Vile)

ADAPTATION

A collaboration between the National Theatre of Scotland and the National Autistic Society, The Reason I Jump adapts Naoki Higashida’s best-selling novel to explore the experience of autism, both through the floating, allusive narrative of the book and the contribution of performers.

‘This project provides an opportunity to hear directly from autistic people about what life is like,’ says director Graham Eatough. ‘The show involves performers with autism who I’ve been working with for over two years now. They’ve been one of the biggest inspirations for the project. The show takes the form of a giant outdoor maze designed by Dutch artists Observatorium. As you travel through the maze you encounter the different performers until you arrive in a special central area where you’re invited to walk a labyrinth that we’ve permanently installed there.’

Dramaturge Clare Duffy expresses an enthusiasm for the source material, and the way it encourages a wider discussion.

‘It’s a book that evokes lots of thought and feeling rather than stories,' she says. 'It was really important to explore the difference between the book as a personal testament and questions about what autism is.’ (Gareth K Vile) 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018 THE LIST 109

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AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN Edinburgh Playhouse, Mon 2–Sat 7 Jul As a young navy cadet, Douglas Day Stewart knew he had a story in him. A keen writer since school, he’d been discouraged from a career in the arts by his family, and instead ended up in the military. In the end, both worlds came together when Stewart used his personal experience to pen the screenplay for one of the 1980s’ most iconic films, An Officer and a Gentleman.

‘I started writing while I was still in the navy,’ he explains. ‘But it wasn’t until some years after I left that the story for the film came to light, although it had been incubating and percolating during that time.’

The tale of a young naval trainee who struggles in boot camp, falls in love with a local factory worker, and sees his close friend come to a tragic end, An Officer and a Gentleman is as much gritty realism as it is romance.

Now, Stewart has re-worked his screenplay into a musical, with a plethora of 1980s chart hits driving the action along.

‘The main challenge for me was not to get too full of myself,’ he says. ‘Because the movie was such a big hit, and a lot of people were advising me to make it a big musical like West Side Story; but that wasn’t the right way. Then I met director Nikolai Foster, and we both saw the story the same way: very working class and very true to life.’

(Kelly Apter)

MUSICAL

GIRLS NIGHT OOT! THE MUSICAL Dundee Rep, 23 Jun; Òran Mór, Glasgow, Thu 12–14 Jul With a catchy soundtrack of R&B and disco hits repurposed for a Scottish audience, this is a raucous affirmation of female friendship and the secrets we share from the loos to the dance floor. Paul Harper-Swan’s brash follow up to the hit musical I Will Survive follows Lauren, a bride-to-be, and her boozy pals as they’re getting ready to hit the clubs for ‘a last night of freedom’ before her big day. It’s a riot for those who like their humour saucy, their music loud and their drinks free-flowing.

The cheeky banter and choice of female-centric pop will appeal to anyone familiar with Harper-Swan’s pantomime / musical format. Girls Night Oot! is a no-holds-barred celebration of womanhood in all its unabashed, un-airbrushed glory.

The hardworking cast of four – Alison Rona Cleland, Natalie Tulloch, Lauren Ellis-Steele, and Donna Hazelton – harmonise beautifully, even when life is less than perfect. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll possibly even pee in your TENA Lady at their shenanigans, which despite a brief moment of tension, resolves into a joyous singalong finale. ‘L’ plates, vodka shots and feather boas are not provided, so bring your own. Fellas: don’t sit near the front.

(Lorna Irvine)

PHOTO: MARTIN WINDEBANK

CABARET

QUEER THEORY Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow, Wed 27 Jun With a name that describes its intentions and aesthetic, Queer Theory is a monthly cabaret night that draws on Scotland’s dynamic performance culture and promotes a spirit of resistance. For Dean Cargill, the night’s curator and member of band Black Doves, it is ‘definitely a labour of love. It gives a stage to and supports countless upcoming queer performers and it brings many beautiful people together every month.’

Cargill’s belief in the power of performance is enshrined in his approach to programming.

‘I’m interested in booking acts which are fighting oppression, entrenched power and the mainstream. It is important to me that the acts that I book, even if not directly political, are experimental, subversive and challenging in some way.’

As with many cabaret nights, however, the audience and atmosphere are as important as the acts. ‘I want Queer Theory to be a community of queer people who support each other,’ he continues. ‘But at the same time, I want the acts to feel like they can do and say dangerous things. I want the audience to never be sure what to expect next and for the mood of the show to dramatically change from act to act.’

With the June show themed around the Pansy Craze (the male and female impersonators of the 30s), the night makes a bold statement that both respects the rich history of resistance and celebrates its contemporary vitality. With artists from music, spoken word, dance, live art and more taking the stage, Queer Theory practices what it preaches.

(Gareth K Vile)

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DEBANK PHOTO: MARTIN WIN

E C N DA

BALLROOM BLITZ Matthew Bourne tells Kelly Apter how his Cinderella found love amongst the rubble in war-torn London

T

he quest to take something old and make it new keeps many a choreographer up at night. But for Matthew Bourne, it’s the stuff of dreams.

From Swan Lake to Carmen, Sleeping Beauty to The Nutcracker, he’s built an entire career out of re-defining classical scores.

Originally created in 1997, then significantly re-worked in 2010, Cinderella is one of Bourne’s earlier works, and a perfect example of his ability to think outside the box. ‘I’d loved the music of Cinderella for a long time, but wanted to do something with a bit of a twist,’ he recalls. ‘So I started reading about it, and discovered that Prokofiev wrote the score during the Second World War. And when I listened to it again with those ears, suddenly the whole thing changed for me: it felt more like a 1940s film score than a fairytale ballet.’

And so Cinderella and her Prince Charming became two ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances during World War II. The mean family in the background is still very much in place, but the idea of a male hero sweeping in to rescue a damsel in distress obviously had to go.

‘Cinderella sees a wounded RAF pilot when they’re both caught up in an air raid,’ explains Bourne. ‘The ball scene is like a film fantasy in her head, because she’s injured during the raid and the pilot is a heroic figure in her dream. But when they meet in reality in the final act, they’re just ordinary people who fall in love; and they both rescue each other in a way.’

As with all Bourne’s productions, laughter is never far away, but it pays to keep your tissues in close proximity,

too. ‘It’s a very typical New Adventures show in that it blends a lot of humour and a lot of feeling,’ he says. ‘It’s a very moving show.’ No surprises there, given Bourne’s eye for dancers who can convey a story, and his astute way of working that ensures each performer knows their character inside out.

But given that it’s over 20 years since he first created Cinderella, has Bourne’s approach in rehearsals altered much during that time?

‘It’s grown over the years,’ he says, ‘and working with theatre directors, when I’ve choreographed musical theatre shows, has given me a lot of ideas. As they say, there are no small characters, everyone has a story – and I’ve found that really helps with dancers, too. If they’ve got a complete character, and they know who that person is, it brings so much more to the piece.’

Not only that, but unlike most Cinderellas, Bourne’s version has an identifiable moment in history at its heart.

‘It’s a show about real people in a real situation that actually happened,’ he says. ‘My parents were brought up during the Blitz, and both sets of my grandparents were in East London at that time: it’s part of our history.

So even though it has fantasy and magic and all the things you want from this show, it’s rooted in something that people can relate to, and there are characters on stage that the audience can identify with: I think that makes it special as well.’

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HITLIST

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (SORT OF) Tron, Glasgow, Thu 28 Jun–Sat 14 Jul, tron.co.uk An irreverent all-female adaptation of Jane Austen’s

classic love story. See preview, page 109.

BALLET BLACK Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 8 Jun & Sat 9 Jun, tramway.org A double bill of works featuring an adaptation of Cam Themba’s short story The Suit, as well as Arthur Pita’s A Dream Within a Midsummer Night’s Dream.

See preview, page 108.

co.uk/dance for details.

MATTHEW BOURNE’S CINDERELLA Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 5 Jun–Sat 9 Jun, new-adventures. net Britain’s most popular choreographer reimagines the classic fairytale as a sweeping World War Two romance. See feature, page 111. Also touring, see list.

THE VICTORIAN SEANCE Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh, Sat 28 Jul, edinburghmuseums.org. uk A ghostly evening at Lauriston Castle, featuring a talk on paranormal activity and the chance to try your hand at communing with the spirits that haunt the

castle through the infamous Ouija board.

GIRLS NIGHT OOT Dundee Rep, Sat 23 Jun, dundeerep.co.uk The ladies of I Will Survive reunite for another riotous musical that follows the four friends out on a hen night, set once more to an excellent retro soundtrack.

See preview, page 110.

THEATRE HIGHLIGHTS FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE PANOPTICON Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, until Fri 30 Nov, britanniapanopticon.org The Britannia Panopticon Music Hall’s variety show harks back to the good ol’ days of variety with a showcase of music, comedy, novelty and more.

EDWARD II Kibble Palace, Thu 12 Jul–Sat 28 Jul, bardinthebotanics.co.uk Gordon Barr directs Christopher Marlowe’s political thriller, which features the first openly gay couple in English drama.

Edward II risks his newly-acquired kingdom for his lover Gaveston, but can even a king flaunt the rules of society for a love seen as taboo?

COURTNEY ACT: UNDER THE COVERS Academy Glasgow, Mon 4 Jun, courtneyact.com Former RuPaul’s Drag Race runner-up and star of Celebrity Big Brother performs genrefluid and gender-fluid songs. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details.

RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT: AN AUDIENCE WITH IAN WAITE AND OTI MABUSE Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Fri 8 Jun, glasgowconcerthalls.com The two Strictly Come Dancing stars present an evening of high-intensity Latin and ballroom performances.

GLASGOW SCHOOLS OF DANCE: DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Tues 12 Jun, glasgowconcerthalls.com Local schools go head-to-head in this fun dance competition.

ROSANNA IRVINE: BREATH PIECES Tramway, Sat 23 Jun, tramway.org Drawing on Eastern breath practices such as martial arts and yoga, Breath

Pieces explores the qualities of breath across different art forms, including performance, sound, video and spoken text.

PHOTO: MAGNUS HASTINGS

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH LOVE FROM A STRANGER King’s Theatre, Tue 5 Jun–Sat 9 Jun, capitaltheatres.com Agatha Christie and Frank Vosper’s thrilling play is reimagined in this new production by Lucy Bailey. A charming stranger sweeps Cecily Harrington off her feet and to a remote countryside cottage. But how much does she really know about her new husband?

DOWNS WITH LOVE Assembly Roxy, Wed 6 Jun, assemblyroxy.com A moving exploration of love and disability.

Beth has Downs Syndrome and lives a happy, independent life. But complications arise when she falls for a local singer. See preview, page 109.

Also Platform, Glasgow, Sun 10 Jun, platform-online.co.uk YEAR ZERO Biscuit Factory, Tue 12 Jun–Sat 16 Jun, biscuitfactory.co.uk An immersive theatre experience that involves the audience in the plot. Political tensions are at an all-time high as the United Kingdom teeters on the brink of nuclear apocalypse. Can a group of strangers survive what comes next?

THE LAST SHIP Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 12 Jun–Sat 16 Jun, capitaltheatres. com Inspired by Sting’s childhood, the musical depicts a community’s defiance in the face of the demise of the shipbuilding industry that sustained it. See review, page 109.

Also Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Mon 18 Jun–Sat 23 Jun, glasgowtheatreroyal.org.uk CROSS CURRENTS King’s Theatre, Fri 15 Jun, capitaltheatres.com Annual showcase of dance talent from the

Courtney Act

Performing Arts Studio Scotland, with new collaborative works between teachers and students at its heart.

SONNET YOUTH Rose Theatre, Tue 19 Jun, rosetheatreedinburgh.com A free-flowing literary rave, featuring performances from poets, authors, rappers, comedians and musicians.

Curated and hosted by Kevin P. Gilday and Cat Hepburn.

KEVIN AND KAREN DANCE Usher Hall, Sat 30 Jun, usherhall. co.uk The Strictly Come Dancing duo perform their signature ballroom magic with a passionate performance of waltz, cha-cha, foxtrot, tango and salsa. Also Glasgow

Royal Concert Hall, Sun 1 Jul, glasgowconcerthalls.com AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN Edinburgh Playhouse, Mon 2 Jul– Sat 7 Jul, playhousetheatre.com The 1982 romantic drama starring Richard Gere gets the musical treatment, with a soundtrack of classic hits from the 1980s. See preview, page 110.

SHAKESPEARE AT THE CASTLE Lauriston Castle, Sat 14 Jul–Sun 15 Jul, edinburghmuseums.org.uk The five-strong travelling troupe ‘Three Inch Fools’ stage A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet against the scenic backdrop of Lauriston Castle, armed with all manner of instruments.

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21/05/2018 25/05/2018 15:45 20:42

THE QUEEN’S GALLERY PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE

11 MAY – 21 OCTOBER 2018 See the largest ever exhibition of Canaletto’s paintings in Scotland

JAMES FULLARTON four seasons june 1st - 26th, 2018

This exhibition is part of a series of paintings which reflect the changes of light, shade, colour and composition over the course of a year.

roger billcliffe gallery 134 blythswood street glasgow g2 4el 0141 332 4027 • info@billcliffegallery.com www.billcliffegallery.com

www.royalcollection.org.uk 0303 123 7306

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VISUAL ART

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /visualar t

VICTORIA CROWE: BEYOND LIKENESS Major retrospective from a portrait painter of distinction

PHOTO: © VICTORIA CROWE

Victoria Crowe is one of the finest painters working in Scotland today. An artist of great subtlety and depth, this major exhibition at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery specifically reminds us of her importance as a portrait painter.

Bringing together 54 paintings and drawings which span more than 30 years, it shows us not only how important portraiture is to her practice, but what a significant body of work she has produced.

The people we find here are eminent scientists, physicians, writers and composers.

But this provides a challenge for the artist: how do you portray people, often middle-aged or elderly – and conservatively dressed – in

a way which captures the liveliness of their inner worlds? Crowe does this in a variety of ways from colours and poses to carefully chosen objects and books, and even through landscapes glimpsed out of a window.

As her work matures, she grows more ambitious, layering past and present, inner and outer worlds like a palimpsest. By the time she completed her 2017 portrait of Professor Timothy O’Shea (the former principal of Edinburgh University), she was also incorporating person and place, public and private, man and work in the same picture: he is an eminent computer scientist, so a robot is included. There is much to delight in such as the portraits of herself and her family, and three

from the much-loved ‘Shepherd’s Life’ series, inspired by her neighbour, Jenny Armstrong.

As an artist fascinated by the workings of the mind, she’s drawn to those who have explored them. Figures such as psychiatrist RD Laing and psychoanalyst Dr Winifred Rushforth are examples of this, as well as the poet Kathleen Raine, whom she paints with her eyes averted while memories, images and words come alive in a mirror beside her. Crowe is mindful, always, of the things a portrait can’t capture, the elusive essences of a person which escape even the most gifted of artists.

(Susan Mansfield) ■ Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, until Sun 18 Nov ●●●●●

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MULTIMEDIA

ROSS BIRRELL: THE TRANSIT OF HERMES CCA, Glasgow, until Sun 3 Jun ●●●●● There are a wealth of engaging and timely ideas behind Scottish artist Ross Birrell’s exhibition The Transit of Hermes. However, there is a sense that the process was where the real discoveries were made, and that this documentary display is merely an imitation of a hugely ambitious project.

Originally presented as part of Documenta 14, the films which form the exhibition centrepiece and document two long-distance horse journeys made in the early part of 2017. One entails the Athens-Kassel Ride, a 100-day trek through Europe, from Greece to Germany, which tracks the 3000km route between the two host locations of Documenta. The other, ‘Criollo’, features footage of a single horse transported to the site of three identical horse-riding statues of the Argentine leader José de San Martin in Buenos Aires, Washington DC and New York.

The journey surrounding the latter film didn’t attempt to recreate the entire 10,000-mile horseback journey that Swiss-Argentine explorer Aimé Felix Tschiffely made between Buenos Aires and New York, over three years between 1925 and 1928. But the physical documentation of each trip in the exhibition – the films, some gorgeous landscape photographs, a horse trailer and equipment, and a couple of hundred straw bales – manages to evoke the egalitarian spirit of that original journey.

In the labour of wheezing horses and the gorgeous green vistas exposed in photographs, we find time to consider the themes Birrell appears to be presenting: migration (the route from Greece to Germany is surely no coincidence), reconnection with nature, and reattachment to the flyover states and rural countryside which urban living and jet travel are helping to erase from our consciousness. Yet to an extent, this show feels like watching the holiday video and wishing you had been there for the journey.

(David Pollock)

PHOTO: ALAN DIMMICK

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND GAGOSIAN

FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY

MULTIMEDIA

GROUP SHOW

STILL MOVING: THE FILMS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF ULRIKE OTTINGER

JAMES PFAFF: ALEX & ME

CELLULAR WORLD: CYBORGHUMAN-AVATAR-HORROR

Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow, until Sun 29 Jul ●●●●● Most of the pieces presented in Still Moving are photographic works which particularly document German filmmaker Ulrike Ottinger’s output from the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. This period was marked by her return to Germany following time in Paris during the late 1960s. Many specialist photographers would be happy with such a rich catalogue.

Specifically, the bulk of the pieces shown document her ‘Berlin Trilogy’ of films (‘Ticket of No Return’ (1979), ‘Freak Orlando’ (1981), and ‘Dorian Gray in the Mirror of the Yellow Press’ from 1984). Together they conjure Berlin as a sumptuously-costumed Brutalist dystopia which absorbs references to Woolf, Wilde, noir cinema, science fiction and biblical costume drama, in a manner which is gorgeously elegant and degradingly violent in turn.

The rest of the photographs refer to ‘Johanna d’Arc of Mongolia’ (1989), which was shot in Mongolia and reflected Ottinger’s interests in colonialism and ethnography, once again conjuring a furiously detailed symbolic psychogeography of the imagination.

(David Pollock)

Street Level, Glasgow, until Sun 1 Jul ●●●●● ‘Ever been Changed by Someone?’ asks the nightclub-coloured neon sign from the corner wall of Glasgow-born artist James Pfaff’s intimate excavation and reconstruction of his own past. As they beam out in scrawly hand-writing, the words might just as well be ‘Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)?’

A hormonal rush of doomed amours is all over Pfaff’s document of a road trip he made in 1998 from Toronto to New Orleans, then back north to New York. He did all this with a woman called Alex, a muse who lingers still in this ever-expanding homage to her that was first captured in a book curated, as with the exhibition, by another woman, Francesca Seravalle.

Laid out alongside a whole pile of scrap-books, this is both a purging and a taking-stock, a not-sosecret diary of fleeting moments which are captured, contained, immortalised and fictionalised as a visual poem and possibly unreliable memoir of times past.

Like studied reimaginings of On the Road, A Bout de Souffle and Bonnie and Clyde, Alex & Me is a rom-com, a tragedy and a runaway romance seen through one man’s rose-tinted Ray-Bans. It’s the beginning and end of a beautiful adventure every would-be beatnik wants to have. All of which makes you wonder what Alex is doing now. (Neil Cooper)

GOMA, Glasgow, until Mon 8 Oct ●●●●● You can’t escape the elephant in the room in this parallel universe group show. Programmed by incumbent Glasgow International director Richard Parry, he’s beamed down nine artists for a speculative fiction-inspired exploration of possible futures in a messed-up world. The elephant in question is captured in Telepath (2018), a cinema-scope sized close-up by John Russell set against a backdrop of a re-made and re-modelled version of the gallery interior, as if the beast had been captured in the wild and put on show à la King Kong. Frozen in monumental hi-res, the image could be a trophy of an endangered species poached from Ray Bradbury’s A Sound of Thunder by way of The Veldt.

Elsewhere, Mai-Thu Perret’s Les Gurrillerres XIII (2018) imagines a feminist militia in the desert by way of a female mannequin in repose, reading on a rug with her machine gun nestled beside her. E Jane’s The Avatar (2015) tries on internet identities for size in a series of hi-tech videos. As far as one can tell from Sam Keogh’s recordings accompanying his Kapton Cadaverine (2017), Keogh is a man who fell to earth, the grubby remains of his cellophane-wrapped spaceship blown out of orbit and now in storage awaiting forensics. (Neil Cooper)

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Highlights | VISUAL ART

HITLIST

SCOTTISH ART SCHOOL DEGREE SHOWS Various venues, Scotland This is the season for art school degree shows at Glasgow School of Art, Edinburgh College of Art, Duncan of Jordanstone School of Art & Design and other schools around the country. Check our listings

for shows in your area where you can spot the art stars of tomorrow.

ARCHITECTURE FRINGE Various venues, Scotland, Sat 9–Sun 24 Jun, architecturefringe.com An open platform for the arts in which people can explore architecture and what it means to them.

Projects may take the form of exhibitions, performances, discussions, screenings, installations, writing, lectures, walks, music or temporary structures.

EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh, Thu 26 Jul–Sun 26 Aug, edinburghartfestival.

com Scotland’s largest annual celebration of visual art offers work by the best contemporary Scottish artists as well as exhibitions of the most important international artists and movements of the 20th century and other historical periods.

EVE FOWLER Dundee Contemporary

Arts, Sat 9 Jun–Sun 29 Aug, dca.org.uk The first major European exhibition of American artist Eve Fowler’s work.

Fowler is one of the most significant artists of her generation, using art and language to disrupt and unsettle the dominant power structures that control much of the world around us.

VISUAL ART HIGHLIGHTS PHOTO: ANGUS BREMNER, COURTESY OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT CALLENDER

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GLASGOW ROSS BIRRELL: THE TRANSIT OF HERMES CCA, until Sun 3 Jun, cca-glasgow. com Work inspired by a ten-thousand mile journey from Buenos Aires to New York (1925–1928) by Swiss-Argentine Aimé Félix Tschiffely on two Argentine criollo horses, Mancha and Gato.

JAMES PFAFF: ALEX AND ME Street Level Photoworks, until Sun 1 Jul, streetlevelphotoworks.org Images from the artist’s life, specifically a book documenting a personal relationship from 1998.

KATINKA BOCK: RADIO PIOMBINO The Common Guild, until Sun 8 Jul, thecommonguild.org.uk Work from Paris-based German artist, tapping into the history of the gallery as a domestic building and of Glasgow as a port, using lead and ceramics.

MARK LECKEY Tramway, until Sun 15 Jul, tramway. org Work inspired by the small statue of the biblical figure of Job at the Wellcome Collection, here blown up to seven times its size and equipped with a 7.1 audio surround system.

ULRIKE OTTINGER Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, until Mon 29 Jul, gla.ac.uk/ hunterian Images by German filmmaker and photographer whose work has hardly been seen in the UK. CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH: MAKING THE GLASGOW STYLE Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, until Tue 14 Aug, glasgowlife. org.uk A major new exhibition exploring the lifetime of Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928). It presents his work in the context of Glasgow,

Robert Callender

his key predecessors, influences and contemporaries, particularly those working in the Glasgow Style.

CELLULAR WORLD Gallery of Modern Art, until Sun 7 Oct, glasgowlife.org.uk A group exhibition based on work that examines the key thematic concerns of this year’s Glasgow International Director’s Programme.

AMBI Reid Building, Sat 23 Jun– Thu 16 Aug, gsa.ac.uk Work consisting of new commissions from Rabiya Choudhry, Fiona Jardine and Hanneline Visnes, drawing on material from the Textiles and Fashion holdings of the GSA; the title ‘ambi’ is Punjabi for the pattern known in Scotland as ‘Paisley’.

EDINBURGH PROJECTS 18: THOMAS WHITTLE, KEVIN MCCOLLOM, FRESH FOCUS, FLANNERY O’KAFKA Stills, until Sun 1 Jul, stills.org A platform for new photographic talent from Scotland, featuring solo shows and a group show by Fresh Focus, an Edinburgh-based photography community.

ROBERT CALLENDER: PLASTIC BEACH City Art Centre, until Sun 8 Jul, edinburghmuseums.org.uk A selection of the artists’ work, addressing environmental themes..

JOANA VASCONCELOS: GATEWAY Jupiter Artland, until Sun 30 Sep, jupiterartland.org A selection of works from the Portuguese artist who made her name at the 2005 Venice Biennale with A Noiva, a giant chandelier made entirely from 25,000 tampons.

ZHANG YANZI: A QUEST FOR HEALING Surgeons’ Hall Museums, until Sun 4 Nov, museum.rcsed.ac.uk Exhibition featuring the works of Chinese artist Zhang Yanzi, based on the themes of medicine, wellness and healing from both a Chinese and universal point of view. The exhibition is included in the price of museum entry.

VICTORIA CROWE: BEYOND LIKENESS Scottish National Portrait Gallery, until Sun 18 Nov, nationalgalleries. org A selection of the artist’s best portraits, including images of her friend and neighbour the composer Ronald Stevenson, the medical scientist Dame Janet Vaughan; the poet Kathleen Raine, the actor Graham Crowden, the psychiatrist R.D. Laing, and Professor Sir Peter Higgs.

RIP IT UP National Museum Of Scotland, Fri 22 Jun–Sun 25 Nov, nms.ac.uk National Museums Scotland and BBC Scotland are coming together to tell the story of Scottish pop music in a major collaborative project that explores the musical culture of a nation over more than half a century.

REMBRANDT: BRITAIN’S DISCOVERY OF THE MASTER Scottish National Gallery, Sat 7 Jul– Sun 14 Oct, nationalgalleries.org An exclusive Edinburgh-only exhibition that shows how interest in Rembrandt’s work has evolved in Britain over the past 400 years. Including many of his most famous works, and those of British artists inspired by him.

EMIL NOLDE: COLOUR IS LIFE Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two, Sat 14 Jul–Sun 21 Oct, nationalgalleries.org A look back at the work of one of the great visionary 20th century painters, and a master of expressionism, drawing on the collection of the Emil Nolde Foundation in the artist’s former home in North Germany.

OUT OF TOWN CANALETTO & THE ART OF VENICE The Queen’s Gallery, until Sun 4 Nov, royalcollection.org.uk Back in 1762, the young King George III acquired a bunch of paintings, drawings and prints

by Canaletto, and they are now part of the Royal Collection. See some here, along with works by Canaletto’s great contemporaries.

LOOK AGAIN FESTIVAL Various venues, Aberdeen, 14–17 Jun, lookagainfestival. co.uk A celebration of art and design in Aberdeen, which in 2018, takes inspiration from Scotland’s Year of Young People, asking the commissioned artists and designers to respond to the theme of ‘Serious Play’.

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TV

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ATLANTA: ROBBIN’ SEASON Donald Glover’s hip hop infused dramedy goes from strength to strength The creative team behind Donald Glover’s surreal critique of American society go to even darker places in the highly anticipated and unflinching second season. Hiro Murai – who recently dropped the provocative Childish Gambino music video ‘This is America’ – directs the majority of the series, delivering an electric weirdness throughout.

The opening episode starts on a brutal note but soon ends up in blackly comic territory as Earn (Glover) visits his uncle, The Alligator Man, to solve a domestic dispute. The viewer is given more insight into Earn’s family life with a later episode, ‘FUBU’, highlighting his dynamic with Alfred aka Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry) from a young age.

Earn’s romantic relationship with Van (Zazie Beetz) is also painfully examined when she takes him to her home town to celebrate the Germanic festival, Fastnacht. The backdrop of the festival

supplies a strange carnival ambience that builds slowly with dread as Earn’s selfish side rears its ugly head.

However, it’s the episode titled ‘Teddy Perkins’ where the real terror ramps up with Darius (Lakeith Stanfield) visiting a wealthy musician in a haunted mansion to pick up a free piano. Stanfield is marvellous as he encounters a heavily madeup, white-faced eccentric played by Glover. This unforgettable 2018 TV highlight is suffused with a Lynchian quality. Glover and his writers (including his brother Stephen) approach their characters and narratives with a down-to-earth genius that eases confidently into absurdity as they pry open and poke the cult of celebrity worship, Instagram lifestyles and race. (Katherine McLaughlin) ■ Atlanta: Robbin’ Season starts on FOX, Sun 17 Jun, 10pm ●●●●●

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Previews | TV

HIGHLIGHTS THE BRIDGE: SEASON 4 BBC Two, Fri, 9pm; DVD / Blu-ray, Mon 2 Jul See interview, left.

AFRICA: A JOURNEY INTO MUSIC BBC Four, Fri 1 Jun, 10pm Rita Ray explores the roots and influence of African music in this new three-part music doc.

MARVEL'S CLOAK & DAGGER Amazon Prime, Fri 8 Jun Yet another Marvel TV series, this time focussing on two very different teenagers struggling with newly acquired superpowers.

CROSSING THE LINE As brilliant Scandi noir The Bridge approaches its grand finale, Brian Donaldson talks to the series creator Hans Rosenfeldt about showing brutal murders and writing damaged characters

‘W

ith that first scene we could never ever have stones actually hitting full in the face from the front, that’s just impossible to do. So we backed off a little from it; we saw the head twist back and did a lot with music and sound effects.’ TV writer and crime novelist Hans Rosenfeldt is talking about the appalling scene which opened the fourth and final series of The Bridge when the general director of Copenhagen’s Migration Agency is about to meet her end through a horrendous stoning.

This jaw dropping beginning was just one of many violent moments across 38 episodes of a show which was as dark as it was compelling. ‘We want something to feel brutal, but never to have a shock effect purely for its own sake,’ insists Rosenfeldt, one member of a writing team for the show which he created back in 2011. ‘There are a lot of scenes on paper that are really disturbing but they’re not over the border of what we can do. And in editing we can choose: “do we need this or should we take it away”?’

Rosenfeldt is rightly proud of the show’s success, but he never dreamed that it would take off in the way it did with viewers outside of Sweden and Denmark (each series had storylines that brought the police forces of both countries together). The three cross-border remakes with cases traversing Russia and Estonia, the US and Mexico, and UK with France (The Tunnel) held no real appeal to him though (neither presumably will the further two versions in the pipeline for Germany-Austria and Malaysia-Singapore). ‘I watched a few episodes, but couldn’t really enjoy them as a TV series.

I job-watched them: “oh, they kept this, they changed that; oh, that’s what they did there”. It didn’t give me any pleasure as a viewer so I stopped.’

Much of The Bridge audience’s pleasure arrived through the interactions between autistic and talented detective Saga Norén (Sofia Helin) and her work colleagues, particularly the main sidekicks. She eventually helped put Martin Rohde (Kim Bodnia) behind bars at the end of series two after he gained vengeance on his son’s killer, before developing a no-ties sexual relationship with Henrik Sabroe (Thure Lindhardt), a man tortured by the disappearance of his wife and two daughters several years before we first meet him in season three.

Plenty has been written and spoken, justifiably so, of the sensitive portrayal of Saga, but the forcible detail which went into writing other fully-rounded characters in the show should not be overlooked. ‘Henrik is very likeable and a little bit more sad than Martin was,’ states Rosenfeldt.

‘We didn’t replace Martin with just another Martin, we replaced him with someone who was equally or even more damaged than Saga is. Saga and Henrik needed each other very much and that’s a good thing to play off.’

Although Rosenfeldt had a lot of fun working on a show which took up a substantial chunk of the last decade, he is convinced that ending The Bridge on a high was the correct decision. ‘We were on public service channels and it’s their duty to keep coming up with new stuff, new writers and new shows,’ he notes. ‘But it wasn’t the broadcaster saying that this is the end, it was us saying it.

We don’t know too many shows that creatively peak at season six or seven, and we wanted to stop before people said “oh yeah, that used to be good”.’

The Bridge season 4 and seasons 1–4 box sets are released on DVD and Blu-ray by Arrow TV on Mon 2 Jul.

SENSE8 Netflix, Fri 8 Jun The Wachowskis' action series about eight people sharing a telepathic link won't be back for a full run but bows out with this two-hour special.

POLDARK – SEASON 4 BBC One, Sun 10 Jun, 9pm Cornish set period drama with Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson.

ATLANTA: SEASON 2 FOX (UK), Sun 17 Jun, 10pm See review, page 118.

LUKE CAGE: SEASON 2 Netflix, Fri 22 Jun More Marvel action as the hero with the unbreakable skin returns.

John McIver plays new villain Bushmaster.

SHARP OBJECTS Sky Atlantic, July (date tbc) A journalist (Amy Adams) reluctantly returns to her home town to investigate a series of child murders.

HARROW Alibi, Jul (date tbc) Ioan Gruffudd plays a brilliant but unconventional forensic pathologist who takes on the cases others can't crack.

DISENCHANTMENT Netflix, Fri 17 Aug Brand new animated series from the mind of Matt Groening, set in a fantasy realm and aimed at an older audience than The Simpsons.

STRANGE BRIGADE PC / PS4 / Xbox One (Rebellion), Tue 28 Aug Co-operative third person shooter with a mix of exploration, tomb raiding, survival horror and steam punk.

TOM CLANCY'S JACK RYAN Amazon Prime, Fri 31 Aug John Krasinski is the latest actor to take on the role of CIA analyst Jack Ryan (previously played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine).

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BACK PAGE FIRST&LAST NINA NESBITT The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Edinburgh has just released new track ‘Somebody Special’ but takes some time out to chat about Chewbacca, a giant suitcase, and a worrying childhood crush on Frank Lampard First record you ever bought

Not sure but first I ever listened to was Eva Cassidy’s ‘Songbird’.

PHOTO: JULIA UNDERWOOD

Last extravagant purchase

An aromatherapy room diffuser.

First film that really moved you

The Notebook (lol).

Last lie you told

‘I’ll do it now’.

L t ti Last time someone criticised iti i d your work

First date movie

Probably today, online.

Last person you fantasized about

First three words your friends would use to describe you

Mike Duce [Nina’s boyfriend and frontman with Brit rockers Lower Than Atlantis].

Ambitious, dry sense of humour and chilled.

First word you spoke

I think I only went on one cinema date as a kid.

Last great meal you cooked

Salmon fillet.

I actually have no idea.

First crush

Frank Lampard. Don’t ask.

Last book you read

I’m not a big reader but I did read half of Fire and Fury: Inside The Trump White House.

First great piece of advice you were given

Do what makes you happy. Also, you’re not a natural dancer.

Last time you were starstruck

I met Chewbacca last week.

Last time you made an impulse buy and regretted it

A criminal never tells.

First concert you ever attended

Last song at your funeral

First book you read for a second time

Probably one of the Harry Potters as a kid.

Brian Eno’s ‘An Ending (Ascent)’.

Rihanna.

First person you’d thank in an award acceptance speech

All of my team!

Sunday.

First song at karaoke

‘You Oughta Know’ by Alanis Morissette.

First object you’d save from your burning home

Last thing that you think of before you go to sleep

How many hours sleep do I get?

My dog (if that counts).

Last time you exploited your position to get something

Probably tried to get free clothes.

First time you realised you were famous

I don’t feel like I am, but two strangers turned up at my parents’ house once, which was so weird.

Last funny thing you saw online

First thing that you think of when you wake up in the morning

Anything on @mytherapistsays Instagram.

Where am I and what am I doing today?

First job

Nina Nesbitt headlines the King Tut’s stage at TRNSMT on Sun 8 Jul.

Floor sweeper and tea maker in a hair salon.

1 SEP

Last crime you committed

A suitcase so giant that I spent an hour at Atlanta airport trying to persuade them to let me on the plane. I even told them there was a harp inside so it could be a ‘musical instrument’.

Last time you bought someone flowers.

NEXT ISSUE

While there may be no escaping the Edinburgh Festival season over the coming months (and really, why you would you want to?) we’re also looking beyond the Fringe to take the temperature of all the best entertainment in September and October. In the next issue, we’ll have our essential Student Guide, as well as all the best gigs, movies, plays, shows and exhibitions across the central belt. Plus, Joanna Lumley will be in town discussing her life and career. All in all, we’ll be helping you have an absolutely fabulous autumn.

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