Ths Skinny May 2010

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.CO.UK

ISSUE 56 • MAY 2010 •

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH

DEFTONES FLYING LOTUS MIKE PATTON

Fashion Shoot

RISING STARS OF THE CATWALK

BAND OF HORSES SCOTT WEILAND

THE NEW

W I N !

TICKETS�TO

T�IN�THE�PAR K +FO

UR OTHER

SCOTTISH FEST IVALS

MUSIC|FILM|CLUBS|PERFORMANCE|DIGITAL|READING|COMEDY|ART|FASHION|LISTINGS

+ + +

ONLY MAINLAND UK SHOW THIS YEAR

IN PERSON GLASGOW TICKETS SCOTLAND, EDINBURGH TICKETS SCOTLAND & RIPPING, DUNDEE GROUCHOS AND ALL TICKETMASTER TICKET CENTRES A DF CONCERTS PRESENTATION IN ASSOCIATION WITH X-RAY TOURING

SUBJECT TO LICENCE

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Editorial Thursday 16th September

Glasgow Barrowland 0871 220 0260 www.seetickets.com

JASON&THE SCORCHERS

www.wilcoworld.net

by arrangement with ITB

PLUS KATIE

AN EVENING WITH

PETER HAMMILL

HERZIG

O2 ABC GLASGOW THURS 29 APR

Thurs 6th May

O2 ABC2 Glasgow

GLASGOW ORAN MOR

TUES 25TH MAY 0871 220 0260

0871 220 0260

RAY DAVIES AND HIS BAND

Randy Newman IN CONCERT

Mon 17th May 2010

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

WED 5TH MAY

Glasgow Concert Hall 0141 353 8000 www.seetickets.com

EDINBURGH USHER HALL

In association with ITB

0131 228 1155 www.seetickets.com A SPECIAL ACOUSTIC EVENING WITH

ROACHFORD

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

Edinburgh Queen’s Hall Fri 04 June

EDINBURGH

CABARET VOLTAIRE

Thurs 22 Apr

Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s

MON 26TH APR

0131 668 2019

0871 220 0260

0871 220 0260

TUESDAY 25 MAY GLASGOW STEREO

IN ASSOCIATION WITH ‘THE CAVE’

WEDNESDAY 26 MAY ABERDEEN THE TUNNELS THURSDAY 27 MAY EDINBURGH CABARET VOLTAIRE

This Month's Cover photographer: Ross Trevail

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EDINBURGH

MON 1ST NOV

CABARET VOLTAIRE

MON 24TH MAY

0871 230 0333 www.artisttickets.com

0871 220 0260 www.seetickets.com

D

EDINBURGH PICTUREHOUSE

ST CE JU OUN N

NELL BRYDEN

RICKIE LEE JONES

AN

D

ST CE JU OUN N

AN

D

IMOGEN HEAP

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AN

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH PRIMARY TALENT INTERNATIONAL

WED 07 JULY

Issue 56, May 2010 © Radge Media Ltd.

With

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0844 395 4000 www.ticketsoup.com

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WED 9TH JUNE

0844 847 1660

GLASGOW SECC 0871 220 0260

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FOR ALL TICKETS: www.seetickets.com

rosamund@theskinny.co.uk

THERE IS A LOT OF WORK GOING IN TO MAKING THIS HERE MAGAZINE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT’S SO ACE clients including Topman, Lavenham, 1937 and SOAR-London. He got into music photography very recently, when The Skinny sent him along to meet Caribou. To see more work or get in touch go to WWW.ROSSTREVAIL.COM

0844 395 4000

Let us know what you think: E: hello@theskinny.co.uk T: 0131 467 4630 P: The Skinny, The Drill Hall, 30-38 Dalmeny St, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG The Skinny is Scotland's largest independent entertainment & listings magazine, and offers a wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business. Get in touch to find out more.

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Publisher

Sophie Kyle

Editorial Editor Online & Music Editor Clubs Editor Deviance Editor Performance Editor Film Editor DVD Editor Comedy Editor Reading Editor Digital Editor Art & Showcase Editor Food & Drink Editor Competitions Editor Fashion Editor Listings/Cyberzap Editor

Rosamund West Dave Kerr Chris Duncan Nine Gareth K. Vile Gail Tolley Michael Gillespie Lizzie Cass-Maran Keir Hind Alex Cole Rosamund West Ruth Marsh Ray Philp Alexandra Fiddes Anna Docherty

Production Production Manager Designer Chief Subeditor

David Lemm Mike Sterry Paul Mitchell

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or in person from Ticket Scotland: Argyle Street Glasgow, Rose, St Edinburgh & Ripping Records.

4 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

This month's cover image comes from London-based photographer Ross Trevail. Ross is a fashion and music photographer originally from Inverness. He moved to London to study at London College of Fashion where he received a very good degree in Fashion Photography. Since graduating he has shot for The New Order magazine, Supersweet, Buck Magazine, The Ones to Watch and The Skinny and for

with ECA soon-to-be graduates, and chats with the directors of American: The Bill Hicks Story. Of course it would be impossible to mention all the great stuff in this tiny space, so I advise you to sit down and have a read, perhaps in that elusive sunshine.

THE SKINNY May 2010

EDINBURGH QUEEN’S HALL 0131 668 2019 www.seetickets.com

JACKSON BROWNE DavidLindley

AN EVENING WITH

THIS is our 56th issue of The Skinny, and the first one that I have worked on as Editor proper. It’s great to be here, and to work with all the talented and hard-working folk who put one of these things together. To make each issue of The Skinny, we have: section editors constantly seeking out the most interesting and relevant subjects to cover; writers honing their words to be as clear, informative and entertaining as possible; photographers fighting for a shot from the mosh pit or trying to coax musicians out of their anoraks; production staff tweaking and prodding images and text and reaching terrifying levels of pedantry in the quest to create the slickest magazine possible. That’s without even getting into the people who actually make sure we have enough money to print, and eat, and things like that. Suffice to say, there is a lot of work going in to making this here magazine, which is one of the reasons why it’s so ace.

Ahem. Teary moment over, welcome to the May issue! We have bucketloads of exclusives in Music: a small selection includes cover stars The National on their gradual ascent, Mike Patton on his new project, Slash giving his tuppence worth on Scott Weiland, and local boys Bronto Skylift laying into the month’s singles. Turn to the section for many more treats. Other highlights in the issue include Ross Fraser McLean’s astonishing photography in the Showcase, a beautifully styled fashion shoot

Sales/Accounts Head of Sales & Marketing Lara Moloney Advertising Sales Exec Jan Webster Accounts Administrator Erin McElhinney

Contents

DF CONCERTS PRESENTS…DF CONCERTS PRESENTS…DF CONCERTS PRESENTS…

EDINBURGH CABARET VOLTAIRE

Feature

The National

The National make a triumphant return with must-hear album High Violet and give us exclusive chat about humble beginnings and bad times in a Glasgow hostel.

6 10 12 15 16 18 19 20 24 27 29 30 48 53

WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY

»8

+ ESBEN AND THE WITCH + IS TROPICAL

GLASGOW GARAGE SUNDAY 9TH MAY

Heads Up

THE ALBUM ‘A BRIEF HISTORY OF LOVE’ OUT NOW ON 4AD INCLUDES THE SINGLES ‘DOMINOES’ AND ‘VELVET’

A calendar guide to entertainment in May.

Food and Drink

A trawl round Glasgow reveals loads of places to get some ice cream.

In case it ever stops bloody snowing for long enough to eat some.

Fashion

Edinburgh’s Fashion, Performance and Textiles graduates show off their wares. We’re very excited about 3D print fabric.

Deviance

More tales from the artificial insemination coalface.

Showcase

NATALIE MERCHANT EDINBURGH USHER HALL

WEDNESDAY 26th MAY

New album ‘Leave Your Sleep’ out now on Nonesuch Records. www.nataliemerchant.com

We think Ross Fraser McLean’s photographs are amazing. ‘Nuff said.

Digital

Technology meets fashion, and Barbie puts the glamour into geek.

Reading Alan Warner talks to us about wanting to see his new book in Gatwick Airport.

Film

We meet the directors of the new Bill Hicks documentary, and look forward to Cannes.

Performance

Theatre in Scotland turns political as election looms.

ACOUSTIC SEATED SHOW

+ THE MIRROR TRAP + BWANI JUNCTION

EDINBURGH CABARET VOLTAIRE FRIDAY 21ST MAY

ELI “PAPERBOY” REED and the

TRUE LOVES

GLASGOW ORAN MOR

TUESDAY 18TH MAY

GLASGOW ORAN MOR SATURDAY 15TH MAY EDINBURGH BONGO CLUB MONDAY 17TH MAY

Comedy

Flight of the Conchords return to Scotland! Excitement ensues.

Art

This issue’s GI-tastic. News and reviews from the visual art fest.

Music

Bursting with exclusive content, from Deftones to Mike Patton to Scott Weiland to Band of Horses, not to mention some chat from Slash and Bronto Skylift taking on the month’s singles

Clubs

Flying Lotus talks originality, jazz forbears and working with Thom Yorke.

Listings Precise details of when and where to get the fun this month.

TICKETS 24HRS 08444 999 990 • www.ticketmaster.co.uk • www.gigsinscotland.com

IN PERSON GLASGOW Tickets Scotland, EDINBURGH Tickets Scotland, Ripping, DUNDEE Grouchos & all Ticketmaster Ticket Centres.

May 2010

THE SKINNY 5

LIFESTYLE

HEADS YOUR

UP MONTH AHEAD TUE, 27 APR

Part of the GI programme, for THIS TIME WITH FEELING Graham Eatough uses theatre and visual art to make a new work exploring performance in everyday life. Tramway, Glasgow 12am-5pm, Free

WED, 28 APR DFA honcho James Murphy shows off the wares from forthcoming third (and last?) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM LP This is Happening.

Barrowlands, Glasgow, 7pm, £21

WED, 5 MAY

Looking for an overwhelming experience?

Worried that GI is ending and you've missed out on the action? Time to check out CHRISTOPH BÜCHEL's Tramway show. It's huge, it's mindbending, and it has not one but two bars. Until 18 Jul, 12-5pm

Head along to EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART for a glimpse of the fashion future in their annual GRADUATE CATWALK SHOW, highlights from which can be seen in the shoot in this very magazine.

ECA, Edinburgh, 6.30 & 8.30pm, £15

THU, 6 MAY CRYPTIC NIGHTS

return to CCA with onedotzero DIY films and an evening of film entitled Craftwork. Featuring film works by creatives using a pared-down, handmade aesthetic, the line up includes Corin Hardy's latest promo for the Prodigy. CCA, Glasgow, 8pm, £5

MON, 10 MAY

TUE, 11 MAY

WIN TICKETS TO JD SET STUDIO SESSION IN GLASGOW! Watch Silver Columns, Malcolm Middleton, James Yuill, cocknbullkid and Casiokids reinterpret Madonna’s finest moments during a week of unique musical teamwork. The artists will master their collaborations during a week of intensive studio sessions, to create new versions of tracks such as Vogue, Like A Prayer and Holiday.

TO ENTER JUST ANSWER THIS QUESTION :

What is Madonna’s full name?

WIN!

a)Madonna Louise Ciccone b)Madge Bishop c)Madonna Leon Email your answer with your name, age, address and telephone number to competitions@theskinny.co.uk.

Entrants must be over 18. T&C’s apply. Competition Deadline: 11 May. Visit www.thejdset.co.uk/friends.aspx to become a Friend of Jack and keep up to date with news and competitions.

KNOW WHEN TO UNPLUG. PLEASE DRINK JACK DANIEL'S RESPONSIBLY.

6 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

SUN, 23 MAY DUNDEE DEGREE SHOW:The first of the year's degree shows returns to its natural home in the college after last year's excursion to the office space down the road. Dundee's got a history of producing interesting, unpretentious work, so head along to see some art stars of the future. Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, 10am-4pm, Free

WIN!

Acclaimed Syrian poet and musician OMAR SOULEYMAN detours from the Pavement curated ATP for a rare show in the north.

Stereo, Glasgow, 7pm, £12 WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE GIG AT WWW. THESKINNY.CO.UK/ COMPETITIONS

SUN, 16 MAY Ten Tracks present the

KEPT IMPULSES TOUR, bringing together Hauschka, Nancy Elizabeth and James Blackshaw, three young music makers who combine folk, classical and contemporary song into textured, emotional and transfixing songs. Roxy Art House, Edinburgh, 7pm, £10 in advance

MON, 17 MAY

Sixties revivalists DUM DUM GIRLS come to Stereo Glasgow with attitude, charm and the songs to boot. 7pm, £7

Hauschka

MON, 24 MAY

MALE BONDING comes to town. No, not like that.

Male Bonding are Sub Pop's newest surf-punk sons, see them ride a wave into Sneaky Pete's, 8pm, £7.50

PHOTO: STEVE GULLICK

W ild Beasts

WED, 12 MAY

Head to The Arches for a new performance from Glasgow-based GARY MCNAIR. HOW SOON IS NIGH? explores predictions of the apocalypse from Christ's crucifixion to the Millennium. 7pm, £5

We have a pair of tickets for you and a friend to attend the exclusive studio session taking place between 19 -21 May at a secret location. The intimate JD Set gig will take place at O2 ABC2 on Thursday 17 June. Behind the scenes action from the studio sessions and gigs will be screened on Channel 4, NME TV and on thejdset.co.uk.

SAT, 22 MAY

Welcome the spring at the BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL, the annual pagan extravaganza of dancing, processions, drums and body paint celebrating the pre-Christian festival of the same name and the changing of the seasons. Calton Hill, Edinburgh, £8 (£6adv) www.beltane.org

PHOTO: MARKUS THORSEN

TUE, 4 MAY FREE!

The one-ticket-gives-access-to-all festival returns with Wild Beasts, A Place to Bury Strangers, Kong, Divorce and a few dozen more in tow (volcano ash permitting). STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL, various venues, Glasgow, 6pm, £15

FRI, 30 APR

THU, 29 APR

TESSA LYNCH returns to the Collective Gallery with her first solo show. Alexandrite features new work developed while on residency at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena at Ratho. Until 23 May, 11am-5pm, Free

TUE, 25 MAY

Maxi Jazz and co are back playing live in their FAITHLESS SOUND SYSTEM incarnation.

Catch them warming up for the festival circuit with a fan club show at the Corn Exchange, Edinburgh. 7pm, £30

LIFESTYLE

SAT, 1 MAY

Ex-Aereogramme men THE UNWINDING HOURS take flight with the first Edinburgh gig under their suitably epic new guise. Sneaky Pete's, 7pm, £8.50

SUN, 2 MAY

MON, 3 MAY

Head to Edinburgh's Filmhouse for a rare bigscreen showing of ANDREI TARKOVSKY'S NOSTALGIA. Dating from 1983, the cult classic revolves around a Russian musicologist's research trip to Italy. 6pm £6.90 (£5.20)

Canadian songwriter Mark Hamilton aka WOODPIGEON brings his atmospheric indie-folk back to the capital. Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh 7pm, £8.50

PHOTO: JOHN SPEARS

SAT, 8 MAY

FRI, 7 MAY

Comprised in part of former Uncle John & Whitelock men, all heathens, sinners and unclean spirits are invited to see JACOB YATES AND THE PEARLY GATE LOCK PICKERS at Nice 'N' Sleazy's, Glasgow, 8pm, £5

PHOTO: LISA FERRI

Abrasive two-piece beat combo BRONTO SKYLIFT unleash their ferocious debut LP in time to blow out the birthday candles as THIS IS MUSIC turns four. Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh, 7pm, £5 PHOTO: NEIL HODGINS

FRI, 14 MAY

THU, 13 MAY

A surprise visit from the brooding instrumental dark stars GRAILS. Nice 'n' Sleazy, Glasgow, 8pm, £9. A full preview can be found online at www.theskinny.co.uk

DINOSAUR JR – the bastard kids of Neil Young and Black Sabbath return – with BUILT TO SPILL by their side. Ears will bleed. O2 ABC, Glasgow, 7pm, £18

SUN, 9 MAY

The explosive New York gypsy punk collective GOGOL BORDELLO bring their Transcontinental Hustle to the west coast. O2 ABC, Glasgow, 7pm, £18.50

SAT, 15 MAY

MADE IN THE SHADE take over The Roxy Edinburgh with their SPRINGTIME JAMBOREE and a full day of craft, design, cake making and vintage treasure. 10.30am-5pm, £1 www.wearemadeintheshade.com

PHOTO: BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ

TUE, 18 MAY

Anton Newcombe's psych specialists and rockumentary legends BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE descend on Glasgow in support of new album Who Killer Sgt Pepper? O2 ABC, 7pm, £15

WED, 26 MAY

Warning: last time French one-man electro-rock wunderkind ANDRE DURACELL came to play he crammed the 13th Note to capacity. Get yer tickets now. 13th Note, 8pm, £4

PHOTO: LIAM MALONEY

THU, 20 MAY

The annual graduate show, featuring work by the Generator committee's pick of the 2009 degree shows.

This year they've selected Alasdair Smith, Jonathan Long and Rachel MacLean. THEY HAD 4 YEARS, Generator Projects, Dundee 12-5pm, Free

Ali Smith

WED, 19 MAY

Montreal indie rock stalwarts WOLF PARADE return, previewing snippets from the forthcoming Expo 86. Òran Mór, Glasgow, 7pm, £17

THU, 27 MAY SUN, 30 MAY

WIN !

KNOCKENGORR0CH WORLD CEILIDH! Kick start festival season by reclining in a sunny meadow to the sounds of King Creosote, Eat Static, The Beat, Meursault, FOUND and many more. www.knockengorroch.org.uk Tickets start from £67

FRI, 21 MAY

COTTON CAKE celebrate their fifth birthday in inspired style with KISSY SELL OUT, cupcakes and laser special effects, with many more surprises promised besides. Sub Club, Glasgow, 10pm £10 advance, £12 on the night

ll O Kissy Se

ut

SUN, 30 MON

WEE CHILL announces internationally revered deep house and techno with Âme, Dixon, Tensnake (live) and locals. 5pm midnight. The Glasshouse, Queens Park. £19/£23 Tickets Scotland and Macsorleys

TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS FOR THE FOUR DAY FESTIVAL SITUATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL DEUGHSIDE HILLS GO TO WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK/COMPETITIONS

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 7

THE

NEW STATESMEN

Calm and collected: The National cut refined figures amongst the indie fraternity. The Brooklyn quintet's principal songwriters Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner talk humble beginnings and reveal how accurate that depiction really is

8 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

Interview Finbarr Bermingham Photo Ross Trevail IT’S almost two months before The National unleash their fifth album, High Violet. Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner have been fielding questions in their homeland for over a week, but as they touch down in London to confront the UK press, you could never tell. The pair are gracious, enthusiastic and unerringly polite. “We worked on the record for a year and a half so we’re happy to talk about it now,” explains front man Berninger, his trademark baritone registering only slightly north of 8Hz. But The National didn’t get to where they are today through any lack of patience. Their formative years were spent moving from town to town, playing to handfuls of punters, living in squalor.

“I remember staying in a really nasty hostel in Glasgow in 2001,” says multi-instrumentalist Dessner. “We came back from our show to find all these drunken backpackers and one of them had put all their wet underwear on Matt’s pillow. We didn’t sleep much that night. I don’t know that we would do that again, but we earned our success one fan at a time. It taught us to convert whoever was in the room, even though there were often more people in the band than in the crowd.”

Berninger laughs when he’s reminded of those times.

“It was a means to an end,” he says. And from humble beginnings great things come these days, The National are the hottest ticket in town. High Violet is the must-hear indie release of the year, and it doesn’t disappoint. The band have produced another stonewall classic – on their terms – and both Berninger and Dessner are confident that it’s the most accomplished record in their canon.

“I think it’s completely unlike anything we’ve ever done,” Berninger assures, “which is what we want to do. It’s definitely our most ornate, layered and complicated piece; the weaving of the horn and string in and out of the ugly fuzzy guitar tones gives a delicate friction and balance and it was our intention to try to marry these to see what kind of alchemy it would create. I think we were more confident to try things we’ve never done before. Anyone’s Ghost is our first real pop song and a lot of the songs have more of a pop feel than what we’ve done previously. In the past, anything that sounded like a pop song, we just threw it away. This time we followed our impulses and weren’t so worried about being cool. I definitely think it’s our best record.”

The confidence the band are imbued with is fully justified. Having announced themselves on the scene with the underrated Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers in 2003, the Cincinnati via Brooklyn five-piece made a huge splash with 2005’s Alligator, an acclaimed album high on emotion and rich in melody. Commercial success followed, too, with 2007’s Boxer, a more restrained, but no less enjoyable record. High Violet, bound to be deemed the most accessible of their releases to date, is unlikely to result in superstardom, but firmly establishes The National as one of the most upwardly consistent bands of their time.

“You can see that what we’re doing in terms of trajectory is not completely random,” says Berninger when asked whether he sees a pattern in their discography. “It weaves one way and then back the other way, all the while

"THIS TIME WE FOLLOWED OUR IMPULSES AND WEREN’T SO WORRIED ABOUT BEING COOL" MATT BERNINGER

moving generally forward; forward to the right, forward to the left. Boxer is very different from Alligator and in some ways we went the opposite direction. Boxer was circumspect and Alligator had lots of screaming. That was intentional; we didn’t want to back ourselves into a corner of being the band with the guy screaming over the top of everything. We cautiously tried to undo our identity at least on that level. This time – I think by doing that – we broke the mould of what people’s idea of what we were was. We diluted it enough so that we could do whatever we wanted. It gave us the freedom to do things like a pop song and have some ugly, jerky sounds and not have everything so pristine and stately as it was on Boxer.”

Their success is all the more remarkable when you consider that Berninger, whose voice – along with the idiosyncratic drumming of Bryan Devendorf – is the most distinctive asset in the band’s armoury, didn’t even realise he could sing until he was in his late twenties. But as any fan of the band will tell you, they broke the mould when they made The National. They tend not to conform to any Rock God stereotype, either musically or personally.

GUEST QUESTION JAMES GRAHAM (THE TWILIGHT SAD) WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING A WEDDING BAND? Aaron Dessner: (laughs] It's true, we were!

The wedding was Peter Katis' – who produced Alligator and Boxer and also mixed this record – a really close friend, he and his wife Ann are amazing people. Paul Banks [Interpol frontman] asked if we would get up and play The Geese Of Beverly Road, as it was Peter and Ann’s favourite song. There was an actual wedding band so we only came up for a little while, but it was pretty cool, an experience!

Much of the new album is built upon complex arrangements, layers of keys and guitars augmented with lush, yet unpretentious orchestration. Dessner puts it best when he admits: “We don’t start out thinking ‘This is going to be a sophisticated rock record’ – it’s just the way it goes.”

There’s a perceived effortlessness to The National’s sound which places them head and shoulders above many of their peers, seeing them straightforwardly depicted as elder statesmen – wise, unruffled and judicious. Lyrically, too, their songs stand apart from indie rock standards.

Berninger’s inkwell is habitually filled with paradoxes – abstract, yet vitriolic; remote, but evocative.

“I don’t write songs line by line,” he explains. “I just write about whatever feels important or the things I’m obsessing over. Sometimes I’m delving into the same dark corners that I have in the past. I don’t say ‘I want a song about restaurants in the Mid West’. I don’t think that way. I don’t say, ‘I want a song that talks about the rain in England’. I never try to make a clear narrative, it’s more a very blurry train of thought and they can be very hard to connect.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s better not to connect them.”

In conversation, too, both Dessner and Berniger have an air of seemliness that many in their profession can’t begin to emanate. Their responses are well-considered and conclusive; they are passionate about what they do and give the impression that they’d happily talk all day about it. But they casually dismiss any notions we have that they are overly refined. “I’m good at the drinking but don’t have a significant palate. I just have a powerful thirst,” says Matt, when it’s suggested he recommend The Skinny a good merlot. “When I go to a restaurant I pretend to know what I’m doing but I usually order the least expensive.

There’s the classic thing that everyone does in ordering the second least expensive bottle on the menu, but that’s where they put the wine they’re trying to get rid of, so I go for the least expensive. It’s mostly better than the other one. People are embarrassed by ordering the cheapest, but it’s usually better than you think.”

The National have come a long way since taking fetid digs in Glasgow, a sentiment highlighted by a recent show at the Royal Albert Hall. But their progress, their excellence and their increasing popularity are tempered with a modesty that’s begotten from a gradual ascent. “Our lives are a lot more comfortable and we’re lucky to be able to survive completely off what we want to do,” says Dessner.

“But I could never forget those early days and how tough it was, probably not even if I tried.”

NATIONAL ANTHEMS

A chronological guide to the Brooklyn quintet's catalogue

The National (2001) Their self-titled debut rippled the consciousness of few, but for those who heard it, boded well for the Cincinnati outfit. It showcases an Americana influence not revisited substantially on any of the band’s successive releases. It’s comparably inconsistent and the lyrics don’t visit the same depths of Berninger’s more recent work, though it boasts promise among a few notable tracks.

Choice Cut: Theory Of The Crows Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (2003) This excellent second album was the beginning of their fruitful relationship with producer Peter Katis and the first to rubber-stamp The National’s trademark sound. All at once funny, paranoid and self-deprecating, Sad Songs… is perhaps the most immediate album the band have released to date.

Choice Cut: Fashion Coat Alligator (2005) The album that brought The National to our attention, Alligator stands up as one of the most intricate, beautiful and compelling indie releases of our time. Matt Berninger’s abstract yet poetic snippets, sometimes screamed, sometimes crooned, are like daggers through the layered, almost symphonic arrangements of his band.

Choice Cut: Daughters Of The Soho Riots Boxer (2007) We were worried about how they would follow up Alligator, but there really was no need; more restrained, but arguably more musically sophisticated, Boxer is a lavish, self-contained masterpiece. As with most of their work, this one requires patience, but the rewards are bountiful.

Boxer’s critical praise was reflected in its commercial success. Having played Nice ‘N’ Sleazy when they were last in town, suddenly they were selling out the ABC. Choice Cut: Fake Empire High Violet (2010) It seems criminal to attempt an appraisal of High Violet so early, but even after a month in its company, it’s abundantly clear that this is every bit as brilliant as any of its predecessors. The hooks are stronger, arrangements denser and lyrics as elegantly opaque as ever. Once again, The National have taken our expectations and raised them.

Choice Cut: Bloodbuzz Ohio [Finbarr Bermingham] HIGH VIOLET IS RELEASED VIA 4AD ON 10 MAY. WWW.AMERICANMARY.COM

HIGH VIOLET IS RELEASED VIA 4AD ON 10 MAY WWW.AMERICANMARY.COM

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 9

LIFESTYLE

FOODPOSH NOSH AND CHEAP EATS

& DRINK

Ice Cream Wars As summer approaches we find out who gives you the best licks for your lolly Text Chris Coulter& Julie Paterson Illustration Jamie Johnson

THE SKINNY COCKTAIL COLUMN THIS MONTH:

The Clapham Connection

AAHOWOUCH! I’ve got the mother of all brain freeze, an ice cream hangover if you will and all in the spirit of finding the best places for you, dear reader, to satiate your frozen milky lust.

Scoop me up and stick a flake in me!

ICE CREAM VANS Twenty odd years ago the humble ice cream van in Glasgow was a great place to score a lot more than just ice cream, but thankfully that’s all in the past now and the ones I visited sold exclusively legal, but no less addictive wares.

King Softee A bus-sized van that serves whipped ice cream as well as some hot snacks, slushies, sweets and crisps. A little on the pricey side but you can’t argue with the location, slap bang in the middle of Kelvingrove Park. Alas the staff seem to adhere to the old adage, 'service without a smile'.

Cost of a 99: £2.00 Big licks: ice cream in the park on a sunny day?

Yes please!

Soggy cones: a bit expensive for only whipped ice cream.

THE first of The Skinny’s Cocktail Columns comes from mixologist Toby Darroch at Tigerlily, who created this refreshing, zesty blend especially for SW4, naming it in honour of the London borough where this classic gin is distilled.

He let us in on his secret recipe:

Zahras-Crolla’s Ice Cream A tiny wee van outside the Glasgow Transport Museum that sells locally made Crolla’s ice cream; delicious, creamy vanilla scoops. Offering a bewildering number of treats despite its size, including a huge range of iced lollies. For some proper sticky fingered nostalgia you can grab anything from a Porky Pig to a Giant and a Screwball to a Callippo.

Cost of a 99: £1.50 Big licks: Great choice of non-ice cream products.

Soggy cones: It’s in a car park...

50ml SW4 London Dry Gin 37.5ml grapefruit juice 10ml lime juice 10ml Pamplemousse syrup 2 bar spoons of lime marmalade A dash of egg white

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN CAFES Arguably the best place to find real, fresh, authentic ice cream is in one of the many generations-old, family-run Scots Italian cafes dotted around. You just need to know where to go – delizioso!

The University Cafe, 87 Byres Road An institution in its own right serving amazing home made ice creams in ever changing flavours at the end of Byres Road, from staples like chocolate and vanilla through to coconut and banoffee. They also do a pretty decent fry up if you’re in the mood for something a little more savoury. Squeeze into one of the tiny fold-down chairs beside someone’s granny and soak up the history.

Cost of a 99: £1.60 Big licks: Real ice cream made from real ingredients, the strawberry comes highly recommended.

Soggy cones: It’s always, always busy which makes for a great atmosphere as long as you don’t mind knocking knees with the sturdy fellow opposite polishing off his third roll and sausage.

10 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

5ml Grenadine 2 drops of grapefuit bitters Cafe D’Jaconelli, 570 Maryhill Road Opened in 1924 and now the oldest shop in Maryhill, this place is a true hidden gem. A fish tank, a juke box, massive leather and wood paneled booths, smoked glass windows, jars of boiled sweets – it's hard not to simply sit back and bask in its rose-tinted wonder. Featuring some truly phenomenal sundaes with at least half the menu given over to them, ranging in price from £1.50 to £4.95. I defy you to challenge The Big Yin, a gut busting four scoops of ice cream with chocolate, strawberry and toffee sauce, mini malters, mini marshmallows, mixed fruit, crushed nuts, whipped cream and wafers. Don’t even bother pretending to share it you beast!

Cost of a 99: £1.40 Big licks: Off the beaten track and a true ice cream heaven, Cafe D'Jaconelli trades in the Machu Picchu of sundaes.

Soggy cones: Why, it's too difficult to choose just one!

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK 3 Steps 2 Heaven, 221 Byres Road and 15 Cresswell Lane 3 Steps 2 Heaven’s prerogative is simple: choose two flavours of ice cream from the tantalising selection which includes bubblegum and Turkish delight (I opted for bannofee and white chocolate) then pick two toppings from the array of confectionary (Mini Eggs and white chocolate buttons with sprinkles) and finally select a sauce (raspberry). Then watch it mixed together on a cold marble slab to produce your 'cold stone creation'. Slipping into a diabetic coma yet? While it may lack the old school charm of more traditional Italian cafes, 3 Steps 2 Heaven’s chic decor and modern US-inspired approach to ice cream will no doubt make it an even more popular destination come the summer.

Cost of a 99: starts at £2.50 Big Licks: Exciting new flavours with a huge range of ice cream, toppings and sauces to choose from.

Soggy Cones: Your dentist’s worst nightmare... plus it ain’t cheap.

Orange peel to garnish Shaken, and poured over block ice The block ice makes the drink stay colder for longer without diluting it, don’t you know. To sample a Clapham Connection, head along to Tigerlily, 125 George Street, Edinburgh.

THE SKINNY COCKTAIL COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY:

SW4 LONDON DRY GIN FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SW4, VISIT WWW.PARKPLACEDRINKS.CO.UK

LIFESTYLE

CE

The

CONFEREN & N IO IT IB H EX burgh.com

lence-edin

www.nonvio

A World Celebration of Nonviolence for Inner and Global Peace Book Launch, World Music Charity Concert, School Visits, Peace Workshops, Debates, Meditation, Conference

Of Human and Social Sciences

FOR PEACE PROMOTION

ÉcoPaix L'économie par les moyens de la paix

AM

RESEARCH INSTITUTE

THIR F D-W

The

FREE Y ENTR

ILYORLD

Barceló Carlton Hotel North Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1SD 21-23 May 2010

HUMANITARIAN

Organisers: The International Sufi School, in collaboration with the Research Institute of Human and Social Sciences for Peace Promotion & TFH Supported by: the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace (EICSP), the Quakers, the Gandhi Foundation Concert: Teviot Row House Doors open at 6.15pm - Tickets on sale £7 adults @ Tickets Scotland 127 Rose Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DT - Tel: 0131 220 3234

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 11

FASHION

Perfect PerfectPerformance Performance CREATIVE DIRECTOR - ALEXANDRA FIDDES STYLIST - OLIVIA FIDDES, LIV_F@HOTMAIL.COM PHOTOGRAPHER - MEGHAN GIBOIN, WWW.MEGHANGIBOIN.CO.UK PHOTOGRAPHER'S ASSISTANT - CHRIS BLACK SOLID-IMAGES.COM MAKE UP ARTIST - KIMBERLEY DEWAR KIMBERLEYDEWAR@HOTMAIL.CO.UK HAIR STYLIST - ZARA BRODIE ZARABRODIE@HOTMAIL.CO.UK MODEL - EMILY FM AT SUPERIOR MODEL MANAGEMENT

Text Alexandra Fiddes FROM surrealist cyborg to eastern princess, the performance costume students took inspiration from far and wide. We caught up with them for a sneak preview before their creations hit the catwalk as part of the annual Edinburgh College of Art fashion show. Definite standouts were garments made in a collaboration between Charlotte Heylar and Jennifer O'Flaherty, where Charlotte translated the 3D technology usually found within TV and film into printed textiles in a way that has never been seen before. When viewing their collections wearing red & cyan 3D glasses, part of the fabric's surface pattern seems to pop out or recede back into itself, creating stunning results that challenge our visual perception.

Without the glasses though, their designs are still just as pleasing to the eye.

WED 5 MAY 6.30PM AND 8.30PM THU 6 MAY 7PM & 9PM FRI 7 MAY 6.30PM AND 8.30PM TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FROM HUB TICKETS 0131 473 2000 WWW.HUBTICKETS.CO.UK

JENNIFER O'FLAHERTY jen_oflaherty@yahoo.co.uk

12 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

FASHION Mhairi Graham mhairi25@hotmail.co.uk

ANNIE HINER annie.hiner@hotmail.com

Charlotte Helyar charlotte.helyar@hotmail.com

Sarah Mills sarah_june_mills@hotmail.co.uk

FASHION

PREVIEWS BIG TOP JAMBOREE DROUTHY NEEBORS BASEMENT, 142-146 PERTH ROAD, DUNDEE, 17 MAY

May seems to be the month for craft and design jamborees, with Dundee artists Lauren Gentry, Jen Collins and Nikki McWilliams set to hold their second event, The Big Top Jamboree. After the success of Jumpers And Jamboree in March – organised in a record breaking 5 days, and including over 20 artists and designers, selling a variety of zines, prints, and jewellery – the organisers have decided to take over Drouthy Neebors’ Basement for something even bigger and better.

This time around the event will be held on 17 May and will be split into 2 sessions. The first will be a variety of creative workshops running from 2-5pm.

Artist Nikki McWilliams will let us into the secrets of badge making, with templates available online to print off beforehand, illustrator Lauren Gentry will help us create a zine that will be published on the jamboree blog after the event, and Catherine Barthram will be running an accessories workshop.

All workshops are free, but those taking part will need to pay for any materials used. From 7–12pm the second session will take place. 30 stalls will showcase the work of Dundee artists, showing a range of photgraphy, tapestry, paintings and much more, and will include work from Mahala LeMay, Hilary Grant and Liz Myhill. Pieces of video art and animation will be projected on the walls of the venue, and live acoustic entertainment will provide the soundtrack to the event. [Alexandra Fiddes] WWW.DUNDEE-JAMBOREE.BLOGSPOT.COM

THE MADE IN THE SHADE SPRINGTIME JAMBOREE ROXY ART HOUSE, 2 ROXBURGH PLACE, EDINBURGH, 15 MAY

This month, the ladies of Glasgow’s finest craft troupe, Made in The Shade, pack up their homemade trinkets and vintage treasures and head East for their capital debut.

Made in the Shade began as a small fair in a church hall and has grown to become a thriving emporium of diversity and talent in Glasgow’s West End comprising of seamstresses, illustrators, artists and other innovators. They have revitalised the idea of craft with a contemporary, indie edge, creating an enchanting world of rockability and quirky glamour. Think retro home ware, frocks and frills; a collision of 1950s domesticity and dance hall, bundled up in pearls and teacups.

Having firmly placed themselves on the Glasgow craft map, the girls are set to spread their handdrawn, home-sewn magic to Edinburgh. Their shop, gallery and social hub will set up Edinburgh’s Roxy Art House on the 15 May. The former church has

become a base for a variety of artistic activities, housing exhibitions, performances, gigs and parties.

And now Made in the Shade, who will transform the space into a boutique marketplace of Scottish design, accompanied by live music from Piney Gir and a cake lounge hosted by Auntie M. There will even be a photo booth so that you can take home a souvenir of your day.

Join the girls at Made In The Shade for a stylish jamboree of vintage-inspired lifestyle indulgence, which will present over 40 stalls of ethical, affordable, and fabulous pieces.

The sun is out, so get in the shade. [Mhairi Graham] 10.30AM-5PM, 15 MAY. ENTRY TO THE JAMBOREE AT ROXY ARTHOUSE IS £1 THE MADE IN THE SHADE PERMANENT RESIDENCE IS THE MAISONETTE, DE COURCY’S ARCADE, UPPER FLOOR, 21 CRESSWELL LANE, GLASGOW, G12 8AA. WWW.WEAREMADEINTHESHADE.COM PHOTO: GILLIAN HAYES

14 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

LIFESTYLE

DEVIANCE

SEX, TRUTH AND POLITICS

Lesbian Husbandry:

Testing Times Aurelia Paterson's partner takes over this month to report on their quest to conceive Text Rebecca Siminski Illustration Alvvino ONCE we’d decided we were going to go down this alternative baby-making route, we of course all needed to get checked out for diseases first. We decided that going as a team would make it less weird, I’m still not sure if that was true. But all three of us tramped down to the open clinic at 7:30 and took our place in the middle of a room full of lone people staring at their shoes. Happily chatting and reading the magazines seemed somehow deviant and we took great joy in it. Besides, testing for STDs should be something everyone is open and honest about, and we wanted to negate the atmosphere of shame in the room.

Although I have to say that, once in the room (I wasn’t allowed to take Aura in with me in case I had sexual history that I was keeping secret from her), the embarrassment set in somewhat more. I was quizzed about my sexual history: “Have you ever had sex with anyone from subsaharan Africa?”

“Well I slept with a black man once and I was very drunk, so I’m not sure.”

That’s me. Racist and a slut.

I got through the poking, prodding and pricking by telling myself that childbirth would be much worse, but on finding Aura still waiting with Tom when I got outside, I had to tell her in no uncertain terms that we were buying him lunch.

Two weeks later, the test results were due and I nervously called the automated service.

“Good afternoon!” (She sounded so happy! Do you think you get a more sombre voice if there’s anything wrong?) “If you are male, press one, otherwise press two.”

The cheery lady went on: “Cervical chlamydia is negative.

Urethral gonorrhea is negative.

Syphilis is negative.

HIV is negative.

Trichomonas vaginalis is negative.”

One piece of advice, folks: If you are going for these tests and think that the answer to any of the above

might be ‘positive’, don’t use the automated service.

Just don’t. Sit in a lovely room with tissues and biscuits and have a real person break the news to you.

Certainly don’t put it on speakerphone and have the neighbours over.

The post brought with it the self-insemination kit we ordered off eBay. (eBay? Really? I know. My defence is that I bought it by accident and don’t remember clicking a ‘commit to buy’ button. The listing, however, did assure me that it was new. We were really, really, pleased about that. But I never want to tell my child that I bought her from eBay.) Tom was due to leave for the States for six weeks, meaning next month wouldn’t be possible and the fertility charting I’m doing suggested I was ovulating that very day. We wondered whether the fact of him being here at just the right time might not be a sign from God. “So.” I’m not sure who said it. It doesn’t matter. At times like this, there is always a giant “so?” floating in the air above us.

I NEVER WANT TO TELL MY CHILD THAT I BOUGHT HER FROM EBAY REVIEW

Nine

MONOTONY?

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO SEX

BY JAMES MCCONNACHIE

TWO unusual developments: I haven’t gotten drunk since I moved to Berlin; and I have a boyfriend. Even more startling: I chose monogamy.

I remember monogamy in my teens, and the tearful confessions when I fucked up. I remember Jez’s theory in Peep Show: “You work out who you like best and then you pretend not to like anyone else.” My experiences of non-monogamy – providing everybody involved actually talked about things, listened to one another – have all

been positive; it’s the default monogamy that’s been hard. I witness my friends struggling with it, with unauthorised feelings for other people, with cheating on partners they love, and I’m perplexed by this cultural insistence that one person needs to be everything to you: that sex and love are in a sense synonymous, that being in love means you only have sex with one person (and that being in love means only being in love with one person).

But I get it, too; sometimes

I feel that way. I made the decision a few years ago to commit to monogamy with my last boyfriend, and not only did I not regret it, but I didn’t fuck up, either. The commitment felt liberating in its own way, because I had refused to let it be a given. When I made the decision, it was because I wanted it, not because I felt the need to make a compromise in order to proceed with the relationship. And that beats all of the jibes about ‘monotony’ from its detractors.

rrrr

Not sure what some of those are or if it’s physically possible for those body parts to fit together? Sounds like you need this book. [Kirsty Logan] OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN BOOKS. COVER PRICE £13 WWW.ROUGHGUIDES.COM

Don’t be fooled by the title: The Rough Guide to Sex is not a guide to rough sex, nor is it a primer on how to sort of vaguely do it. This book tells you everything you already know about sex, as well as some things you don’t. You’ve probably been having sex for quite a while now, and I bet you think you know what you’re doing. But has anyone ever actually told you how to do it? Sexual knowledge tends to be made up of guesswork, whispered brags, and problem pages in teenage magazines. Everyone has gaps in their knowledge, and there’s no harm in being wellinformed. This book spans the sexual spectrum from kissing to fisting to rimming to ‘the lemon-squeezer’.

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 15

Lifestyle

SHOWCASE

THIS MONTH: ross fraser mclean

Here is a selection of photography from Ross Fraser McLean. He shoots on film and his camera is older than he is.

He is currently working with and teaching photography in bonny Dundee, where he was born and bred.

You can find more of his work on his website .

RossFraserMcLean.com Havana, 2009

16 THE SKINNY May 2010

Lifestyle Los Angeles, 2006

Santiago de Cuba, 2009

Guangzhou, 2004

Berlin, 2007

Shanghai, 2004

The Gobi Steppe, 2004

Istanbul, 2008

May 2010

THE SKINNY 17

Digital

The Girl at the The Thread Keyboard New media scotland

Women in technology are changing the face of just who can be called a geek

and the Wire

New Media Scotland's Mark Daniels on how fashion and technology fell in love with each other Fashion is all about experimentation: the industry readily adopts new materials and techniques from the field of science. Advances in technology keep creative juices flowing and enable previously unimagined forms of innovation in a quest to stimulate desire. This relates to the design and fabrication of the clothes themselves, how emerging trends are communicated to the consumer and how new collections are ultimately sold.

In the 1951 Ealing comedy The Man in the White Suit, a young textile mill researcher invents an incredibly strong fibre which repels dirt and will never wear out. He makes a suit. It’s a brilliant, luminous white due to the fact that it cannot absorb dye, and yes it’s a tad radioactive. He is hailed as a genius until the powers that be realise the true consequence of his invention – it could put the textile industry out of business. Of course the formula is unstable and eventually self-destructs just like any trend, but science keeps going and fashion always finds new ideas and followers. Just think of the infamous monologue about cerulean from The Devil Wears Prada.

In new media, the House of Prada is perhaps most interesting. Year after year prada.com had a Coming Soon holding page online and nothing more – but

Text Alex Cole Illustration Parko Polo Maybe it’s a sign that things are getting better, that dreams, ambitions and idols don’t have to involve fashion and fancy clothes. That said, at the end of the day, it’s still a Barbie doll that works in tech support, complete with a laptop, binary-code t-shirt and a well-maintained mane of blonde hair. Because, of course, that’s how Barbie rolls. Released this year, this occupation is a huge departure from Barbie’s other CV entries, and may reflect the reality of just who is behind the MacBook Pro these days.

She has a lot to learn from the first real programmer, Ada Lovelace, who was this year voted the most influential woman in media and technology, and was honoured with a day commemorating her works and legacy on 24 March. She is widely credited with writing the world’s first computer programs, as well as avoiding the annoying hurdle of angry beta testers and competing against Google. Her nomination was the result of a massive group effort and interest in promoting the involvement of women in science, engineering, and technology.

Last month, the group Girl Geeks Scotland held a dinner in Glasgow, their third this year after Edinburgh and Dundee; highlighting both the challenges of women in the world of technology and social media, as well as the rising trend that, in fields of computer science, social media, technology and programming, the stereotype that all geeks look like Moss from the IT crowd is going away, and fast.

Despite the successes of women making a massive impact in technology fields, society has been slow to drop the idea of all techies as rotund basementdwellers with a keyboard covered in Dorito dirt. According to Martha Lane Fox, the massively successful technology evangelist, “We haven’t yet got enough ambition in this country to turn a whole generation of women into technologists and scientists.” The numbers agree with her: in the UK, women represent 18.2% of undergraduates in computing and 22.3% of

18 THE SKINNY May 2010

post-graduates.

Ultimately, however, groups like Girl Geeks will win out precisely because of what they work with: the internet’s most powerful ability is to democratise everyone’s voice, no matter who they are. It’s a medium that cares more for what’s being said rather than who’s saying it. In this arena, tech-support Barbie beats fashion model Barbie every time. www.girlgeekscotland.co.uk

Society has been slow to drop the idea of all techies as rotund basementdwellers with a keyboard covered in Dorito dirt

something was brewing behind the scenes. Product designers IDEO, working with architect Rem Koolhaas created discrete technologies that allowed Prada staff members to choreograph the in-store sales experience with RFID tags. This was in SoHo, NYC, December 2001.

And now, instead of just fashion influencing gadgets, the gadgets have come to fashion. Jennifer Darmour, a fashion designer who uses circuits as much as thread, has developed the “Ping” garment, which updates the wearer’s Facebook and Twitter feeds with their location. It can also respond to putting up the hood, and even ‘taps’ wearers on the shoulder when they get an update. The computer doesn’t just jook fashionable, but becomes fashion itself.

In this adoption of the internet and technology, the selling of the thing becomes paramount. Whether it is a phone done up in fashionable garb, or fashion done up in the technologic, the connection was inevitable.

Fashion and technology make excellent bedfellows.

No concessions. www.electricfoxy.com/2010/04/pinga-social-networking-garment

No, Alan Warner's new book isn't a prospective blockbuster in the Crichton/King mould. It's a highly entertaining novel about how to kill the time when you just can't get a flight

Interview Keir Hind Photo Jerry Bauer The Stars in The Bright Sky is Alan Warner’s sixth novel, and it’s the first time he’s written a sequel – it’s a follow up to The Sopranos (and let’s get this out of the way – that was a book about girls in a choir, nothing to do with the Mafia). It’s an odd kind of sequel though, where he takes a group of girls familiar from the earlier novel and sends them off to a foreign country – or he would, if only they could get out of the airport. “It started with me deciding that I’d send all of them on holiday, but it became more and more interesting to me that they didn’t make it anywhere,” he says. “It would be remarkable if the book itself ends up in WH Smith in Gatwick airport” he laughs “I’ll have to make sure they get a few signed copies.”

“Originally I had different ideas for it,” he continues, “I was maybe going to follow The Sopranos directly, but I began to feel that, I’m forty-five now, and I wanted to bring the girls a bit closer to my age.” And so he moved time along a little. This is important, as I found out because two questions kept occurring to me as I read – first, when exactly is the book set, because there are signs that it’s not quite recent, and secondly, how do you end a book that’s in stasis like this? The two questions resolve themselves cleverly in the end – suffice to say that it’s important that the book isn’t set yesterday. This required a little research by the author though. “I tried to make it chronologically correct, pretty exactly,” Warner says, “and so there’s still smoking in airports, and Woolies, and early mobile phones. And when they left the airport I thought, ‘Oh God, now I’ve got to find out what the weather was like.’ It took me a few days on the internet, but I did work it out.” Warner only half-jokingly tells me that “It’s a historical novel, quite carefully researched,” and the full reasons for this only become apparent as the novel closes.

The return to familiar characters is a first for Warner.

“In all honesty this was a contracted book,” he says, but the publisher can hardly have expected a sequel that, at least in a spatial sense, barely gets anywhere.

“There’s something exciting,” says the author, “about undermining the English novel form. I like a narrative

struggling, that’s just the way it is.” He expands on this later in a way I find fascinating. “I think there’s a difference between writing and publishing,” he says.

“Your first novel is not a novel – it’s something you’ve written until it’s published. But writing should be what it’s all about, and so it’s important to me to keep immersed in that writing idea, not the idea of getting published.” In that statement there’s a lack of a sort of cynicism that could be expected from an experienced author. “Michael Ondaatje said a frightening thing to me one day, that ‘You never know which novel could be your last’, “ he says. “You could lose it, and just not be able to write at all any more.” On the evidence of The Stars in The Bright Sky, he’s not going to lose anything any time soon.

THE STARS IN THE BRIGHT SKY IS RELEASED ON THE 6 MAY, PUBLISHED BY JONATHAN CAPE, COVER PRICE £12.99

21ST CENTURY BOOKS I asked Alan Warner if he could recommend 5 books published in the 21st century. His choices were (with haiku-esque description!): 1. Bob Dylan: Chronicles Vol 1 Like a wise, wry voice in some bar.

Not bad for a multi-millionaire.

2. Denis Johnson: Tree of Smoke I was crying by about page five.

with drive, but also to mess about with that, and take it on wild diversions.” He admits that he was “initially wary about the idea of a sequel, but I do really like them as characters. And although five girls constantly talking can be a bit of a struggle, I did really enjoy it.”

I ask him if the characters seem alive to him, and he responds, “They do. All of them, really. I suppose they tend for me, psychotic though it may seem, to be real people.”

Though this is Warner’s sixth published novel, he tells me that for him it’s more like eight – he’s got two more books almost ready to go right now. I asked him if at this point he’s gained confidence, but he replies, “No. I thought once that after the first book it’d get easier, but over time you get compared to yourself and others more.” And though he’s a much published author now, he says that “Writing now is maybe even harder than the first book – but I don’t mean I’m

3. Gwendoline Riley: Cold Water/Sick Notes/ Joshua Spassky Novels like miniatures of stained glass.

4. James Kelman: Kieron Smith, boy The evolution of a consciousness.

Human, tender and generous.

5. Cormac McCarthy: No Country for Old Men Would scare the shit out of Stephen King.[Keir Hind]

REVIEWS THE DIARY OF MISS IDILIA

THE RAGE AGAINST GOD

BY EDITED BY GENEVIEVE HILL

BY PETER HITCHENS

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rrr

THE PACIFIC

BY HUGH AMBROSE

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GOOGLED: THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT

BY KEN AULETTA

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The Diary of Miss Idilia is classified as a ‘Memoir’ and the facts are certainly there and provide the basis for a terrific story, but the superfluous plot details, possibly from heavy editing, are all a little bit too convenient, too neat to represent realism. Nonetheless it is a tragic story, despite all its convenience; Miss Idilia, a 17-year old artist from Edinburgh, is on holiday with her family in the Rhineland, 1851. Whilst fending off her many suitors, she is attracted to one charming beau, and soon falls in love. This love distracts the couple though, whereby they miss their river boat and so follows a series of comic swashbuckling adventures, before they catch the boat again and are reunited with Idilia’s family. Thereafter the comedy ends and the story quickly and graphically turns tragic. The memoirs are based on Idilia’s diary, edited by her best friend, to an extent we can only guess.

The original diary no longer exists, although the press articles can be traced. If you can suspend scepticism, the read is worthwhile in that it is such a blunt tragedy – you only need a modicum of imagination to be a little bit haunted by it.

[Renée Rowland]

Peter Hitchens was once an atheist, but is now a strong advocate of Christianity. Hitchens belongs to the Church of England, but one of its older branches, where the King James Bible is still in use, and this is the position he argues from in this brief book. He argues for Christianity as a force that holds society together, as something of a rebuttal to his brother Christopher Hitchen’s book God Is Not Great. The book is split into three sections, firstly a memoir of Hitchens’ return to the church which is an excellent piece of writing, and then two further sections that attack atheism less successfully. The brevity of the book means that atheists are often broadly typed as a single group with one set of opinions, which never really works – far better is when Hitchens quotes and comments on specific arguments, particularly the response to Thomas Nagel, or to Christopher Hitchens, which draws out more complex and interesting issues. But the attempt to link the atheism of the Soviet Union to modern atheism doesn’t gain traction because it bypasses the democratic views of most modern atheists.

It’s an often fascinating book, but one that’s unlikely to change many minds. [David Agnew]

It’s a horrible irony that the OED defines 'pacific' as “characterized or tending to peace; tranquil”; between 1941 and 1945, the ocean of that name was anything but. From Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour to America’s atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Pacific campaign was marked by grotesque violence, incompetence, bravery, and unforgiving racial hatred.

The battles for islands such as Teleliu and Okinawa killed thousands of young men and profoundly scarred those who survived. Private Eugene Sledge, for example, one of the five men whose experience Hugh Ambrose recounts here, was turned from an enthusiastic young recruit into a tormented veteran, spiritually crushed by the realities of combat. Using the same bestselling formula as his late father’s Band of Brothers (both have now been made into HBO miniseries), Hugh Ambrose succeeds in detailing the minutiae of war, but in focusing at such an individual level he sometimes leaves the larger strategic picture obscured. In a sense though this reflects the experience combat troops had of the campaign, and of its baffling scale; where men often had little idea where they were and what they were meant to be doing, other than to kill the enemy or be killed in return.

[Richard Strachan]

Few companies or products gain such a strong public prominence in the world that their name becomes a verb. Those that do have invariably pushed through a paradigm shift in the business world, and it’s fair to say that they will have made few friends in the process. Internet search engine Google is the company of the moment, one which author Ken Auletta here describes as an ‘audacious’ game-changer, surfing a huge technological wave ‘that seems not to have crested.‘ This is an authoritative, if not exactly loving, overview of the new media business model Google represents and is lively and accessible. Auletta reports the views of not just most of Google’s media rivals (who are generally and understandably somewhat hostile to its ever-widening activities) but also current and former Google staff and investors.

Disappointingly, but not surprising given the general reluctance of Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to speak to the press, the book lacks the word from the top on how they intend to deal with the inevitable economic roller coaster on which all companies find themselves – particularly as Google has now ‘waked up the bears‘ of other media giants, and could still be brought down by hubris and sheer scale. [Paul F Cockburn]

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY SHORT BOOKS. COVER PRICE £10.00

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY CONTINUUM PUBLISHING. COVER PRICE £16.99

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY CANONGATE. COVER PRICE £20.00. ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIOBOOK

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY VIRGIN BOOKS. COVER PRICE £12.99

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 19

READING

Has Alan Warner Written An Airport Book?

Film

Outlaw Comic One of stand up comedy's true originals, Bill Hicks was many things: passionate, persuasive, puerile and profound. His rebellious, punkish spirit has captured many an imagination, including those of filmmakers Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas. The Skinny quizzed them about their documentary, American: The Bill Hicks Story Interview Michael Gillespie Like your first kiss, date, or viewing of The Spy Who Loved Me (remember when you didn’t know about the parachute or the submarine Lotus?), your first experience of Bill Hicks is one of life’s big eye-openers, almost akin to the kind of spiritual, transcendental mushroom experiences he often described in his sets. How was it, then for Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas, directors of an excellent new documentary on the life of the great rebel rabble-rouser, American: The Bill Hicks Story? “I was working in BBC New Comedy,” Harlock says, “starting in 1988, and I didn’t know about him until I got to the Beeb. Everybody was going on about this guy. Then I watched him, but our job then was to find new comedians from across the UK, when there was this legend that people just didn’t know about!” For Thomas, it was

a little more conventional: “University I guess, a lot of people passing Bill Hicks tapes around – VHS tapes of course, this was back in the day, about 89/90 – and I think I may have been aware that he was playing in the UK and I didn’t go to the gig: obviously you’re assuming that “well, he’s going to be around.” So that was it, there was just the real sense in the student community in the UK at the time that this was the guy for us.”

A hilarious, moving and visually exciting take on the comedian’s life and work, American had humble beginnings betraying its makers’ televisual roots. As Harlock explains, “It started at Channel 4 as a series called Outlaw Comics, developed with the comedy department but then the head of entertainment vetoed it. So when we took it to the BBC it was great, because where normally you’ve got two pages we had a whole series worked out. We had three 90 minute films:

Gail Tolley

it's just a ride I was tempted to replace the whole of this month’s editorial with Bill Hicks’ famous ‘life is just a ride’ speech. If you haven’t seen the performance (or even if you just haven’t seen it in a while) it’s worth digging out – it really is inspiring stuff. But alas, it probably wouldn’t fit into the couple of hundred words I have here (and let’s face it, unlikely to get past subediting too), so instead I will write why this month is a perfect time to discover

or rediscover this great comedian. For starters, Hicks is the focus of a documentary out this month (see above) which contains heaps of footage and interviews with his close friends and family.

The film does a great job of reminding the world what a unique talent Hicks was; it’s difficult to think of a contemporary comedian who rivals his mixture of urgency, passion and fearlessness at tackling serious topics.

And as Michael says in his

20 THE SKINNY May 2010

piece above, it’s great to get the chance to see Hicks on the big screen. It also seems oddly appropriate that the film is released a few days after the general election.

I can’t think of a better antidote to the carefully controlled and restrained speeches of the political party leaders than Hicks’ fiery performances. It’s perfect (comedy) timing.

Bill Hicks, Lenny Bruce and Andy Kaufman. We started with Bill Hicks because that was the one that mattered”.

There have been documentary profiles of Hicks in the past, so the filmmakers knew they needed a fresh angle. “I’ve done a lot of pitching and I know that you really have to promise something different,” says Harlock. “I knew they’d be getting Bill Hicks at least once a month from somebody.”

Having acquired a huge photo archive, the directors decided to adopt an unusual but striking animation technique, drawn from stills old and new (think of Errol Morris in a frivolous mood, and you’re halfway there).

“It had been used in a few places like The Kid Stays In The Picture (a 2002 profile of film producer Robert Evans), but it had been much flatter and simpler, and we realised it could go much further. So we went into this huge photo archive, did some small animation tests, it just all clicked.”

“Also,” Thomas interjects, “there were the specifics of the places that we needed, so for example the thing where he’s escaping from his house, the technique allows you to create and recreate the excitement of fourteen year old boys going out to perform comedy for the first time, so that was one of the bonuses that the technique threw up, it wasn’t just a case of only using the photographs that we had from the archives – we could create and re-create things.”

This reconstructive approach was of course helped by the 120 hours of interview material the duo compiled. “You’re like a detective,” Harlock tells me. “First of all it’s your job to uncover the story, and then get the essence of the story down to 90 minutes of film.” What dictates that? “It has a lot to do with what people tell you, what they remember and what they feel is important, and once you start you have to follow the route that they’re taking you on.”

And what of the interviewees? The film features illuminating thoughts and anecdotes from Hicks’ friends and family. Did they ever display any trepidation about getting involved? Says Thomas, “I

think that they realised that when we showed up we’d also managed to get other people involved who maybe hadn’t spoken at the same time, so this was their chance as a family – and his friends said the same – to put the historical record down and make sure that it was captured. So they were reticent but they also threw themselves into the process and they didn’t hold anything back. They didn’t try and sugar coat things, because they knew Bill wouldn’t have wanted that.”

Though conceived as a television project, American is an undeniably cinematic experience, but not just for its dazzling visual technique, as Harlock explains. “Seeing it on the big screen, where you can see his face 3 storeys high and you can see every flicker and the contortions on his face, you really appreciate how skilled he was.

And we’ve sat through it hundreds of times and we still laugh every time.” Thomas adds, “What’s also important is the group experience: most people before they’ve seen the film have seen Bill at home on the sofa with a couple of friends, so seeing it with 400 people, all getting into it at exactly the same time around you, is a very warming experience.”

It has been 16 years since Bill Hicks died, so why does his spirit still enrapture new generations?

As far as Thomas is concerned, “He seemed to have the last word on quite a few subject matters, which were the big ones: sex, love, drugs and politics and where we’re going as a species, and those subject areas are not going to change or go away. Then there’s the passion and the charisma of the performances. I think what you sometimes forget is that he was actually a really excellent technician of how to craft jokes, how to craft routines. He was just a very gifted technical performer”.

Cinemagoers, die-hard fans and newcomers get to experience the allure of Hicks from 14 May when American: The Bill Hicks Story comes to the big screen. www.americanthemovie.co.uk

Film

preview

Cannes Film Festival 2010

From the 12-23 May the biggest films of the year will show at Cannes Film Festival. Here is our choice of the ones you should be looking out for Each May the most anticipated films of the year premiere in the seaside town of Cannes. The Skinny will be there bringing you the highlights of the festival, but to whet your appetite here’s a taster of some of the films which will be creating a buzz this year.

Robin Hood (Ridley Scott) Opening the Festival is Ridley Scott’s big budget adaptation of Robin Hood. Russell Crowe stars as the lead, Mark Strong as Sir Godfrey and Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian. Don’t expect Scott’s adaptation to be in the vein of the light-hearted Men in Tights though – this version looks set to be dark and atmospheric. Cannes is known for picking high profile opening films – last year Pixar’s Up received a warm reception. Audiences won’t have long to wait either – Robin Hood hits UK cinemas on the same day the festival opens.

Another Year (Mike Leigh) A strong British contender comes from Cannes regular Mike Leigh. The director won the Palme D’Or for Secrets and Lies in 1996 and was short-listed in 2002 for All or Nothing. The details of his latest project are being kept under wraps but the film is believed to be a comedy and stars a host of Leigh regulars including Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Leslie Manville and Ruth Sheen.

Chatroom (Hideo Nakata) Following on from his success in Nowhere Boy and Kick-Ass, actor of the moment Aaron Johnson takes centre stage in this British thriller about the dark side of online friendships. Chatroom is helmed by Japanese director Hideo Nakata (The Ring, Dark Water) and is written by Edna Walsh (Hunger). It also stars a host of rising British stars including Matthew Beard (An Education), Hannah Murray (Skins) and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later).

The Certified Copy (Abbas Kiarostami) Iranian director Kiarostami was last on the festival circuit with his film Shirin (which showed at 2009's year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival). He returns with The Certified Copy, a story of a middleaged writer who meets a French gallery owner whilst on tour in Italy and the two enjoy a brief encounter. It stars Juliette Binoche and British opera singer William Shimell and marks a change of direction for the Iranian director as it’s one of his first films to be shot outside his homeland. [Gail Tolley] Look out our Cannes blog between 1223 May for news and reviews from the festival. www.theskinny.co.uk/blogs

Photo: Jose Haro

Biutiful (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) High expectations accompany Inarritu’s latest film, Biutiful, which stars Jarvier Bardem (No Country for Old Men). It tells the story of Uxbal, a lonely man who struggles to protect his young family within his tough neighbourhood. The critically acclaimed Mexican director has received a host of awards for his previous films which include Babel, 21 Grams and Amores Perros. Will his latest do the same?

Socialisme (Jean-Luc Godard) Many people are unaware that Jean-Luc Godard, the giant of French sixties cinema, is still making films today; albeit ones which barely reach cinemagoers. Highly political and keen to experiment with cinematic form and language, Godard’s most recent films have explored the very margins of cinema.

We imagine his latest, Socialisme, will carry on in this tradition. Curiously Patti Smith is also listed as starring in the film.

Biutiful Minds: Javier Bardem and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu get busy on set

May 2010

THE SKINNY 21

Film

“A GRIPPINGLY TWISTY THRILLER” TOTAL FILM

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★ SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY

TOTAL FILM

DAILY STAR SUNDAY

PSYCHOLOGIES

GEMMA ARTERTON MARTIN COMPSTON EDDIE MARSAN

IN CINEMAS APRIL 30 22 THE SKINNY May 2010

Coming to a cinema near you

FILM REVIEWS BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS DIRECTOR: WERNER HERZOG STARRING: NICOLAS CAGE, VAL KILMER, EVA MENDES RELEASED: 21 MAY CERTIFICATE: 18

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Oh, what a joy it is that Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage have found each other! Their Bad Lieutenant runs along broadly similar lines to Abel Ferrara’s film of the same name – depicting as it does the misadventures of a corrupt, drug-taking cop – but this maverick pair have taken it in a deliriously entertaining new direction. Typically, Herzog shows little interest in the standard conventions of the crime genre, and some viewers may be disappointed with the arbitrary nature of the plotting (although the neat manner in which that plot is resolved is priceless). There are too many opportunities to enjoy oneself to quibble over flaws as Herzog serves up a series of surreal sequences and pushes his star to new heights of unpredictability. Whether he’s hallucinating iguanas or brutally interrogating a wheelchair-bound old lady, Cage’s performance is a hoot, and Herzog lets his madcap energy drive the film forward. The result is something unique, slightly deranged and compulsively watchable. [Philip Concannon]

Planet Terror

INDULGE in some B-movie inspired sex and violence at the Filmhouse on 1 May when Tarantino’s rarely screened Grindhouse double bill will show.

Death Proof and Planet Terror will screen back to back with an intermission of trailers for non-existent exploitation movies. A perfect way to spend May Day. At the GFT in Glasgow you’d be stupid to miss what must surely be one of the best alternative teen movies ever – Terry Zwigoff’s Ghost World (7 May) has gained a cult underground following due to its many quotable lines as well as top notch performances from Thora Birch, Scarlett Johannssen and the legendary Steve Buscemi. On 21 May there’s another Late Night Classic, this time David Lynch’s Wild at Heart starring Laura Dern and Nicholas Cage.

VINCERE DIRECTOR: MARCO BELLOCCHIO STARRING: GIOVANNA MEZZOGIORNO, FILIPPO TIMI RELEASED: 14 MAY CERTIFICATE: 15 Ghost World

At the CCA in Glasgow the Beta Movement screenings will show a selection of artist films, radical documentary and landmark narrative cinema. On 27 May we suggest seeing Nightcleaners by the Berwick Street Film Collective which explores gender, class and the notion of reality in the photographic image.

There’s still time to see a range of artist films screening as part of Glasgow International at the Tramway during May. Keren Cytter’s Four Seasons (2009) explores genres such as noir and melodrama to probe how media strategies have been assimilated into our culture. It screens throughout May. Douglas Gordon has also revisited his celebrated work 24 Hour Psycho in Tramway’s large theatre space.

24 Hour Psycho Back and Forth and To and Fro (2008) plays with ideas of cinematic narrative which create an unsettling and eerie atmosphere (showing until 3 May). [Gail Tolley]

rrrr

Marco Bellocchio previously explored the impact of national politics on a personal level with Buongiorno, notte, a quietly observed depiction of the kidnapping of Italian political leader Aldo Moro by the Red Brigade. Vincere also considers the impact of high politics on the lives of individuals through the tragic story of Ida Dalser, the secret wife of Italian fascist leader Mussolini. Dalser helped fund the leader’s early political career but was quickly sidelined and subsequently silenced when he began to gain increasing notoriety.

Mussolini then went on to marry his long term mistress Rachele Guidi. Dalser’s constant assertions about her true relationship with the leader meant she was forcibly retained in a psychiatric hospital for much of her life and separated from her son. Vincere (which translates as ‘to win’) highlights the destructive effects of Mussolini’s actions on a very personal level. It’s a handsomely shot feature and an absorbing account of a side of Mussolini’s life that was kept secret for many years. [Gail Tolley]

DVD REVIEWS NEWCASTLE -AUSTRALIA

PHOBIA

DEPARTURES

DIRECTOR: DAN CASTLE STARRING: LACHLAN BUCHANAN, XAVIER SAMUEL, BARRY OTTO RELEASED: MAY 24 CERTIFICATE: 18

DIRECTOR: BANJONG PISANTHANAKUN, PARKPOOM WONGPOOM, YOUNGYOOTH THONGKONTHUN, PAWEEN PURIKITPANYA STARRING: LAILA BOONYASAK, MANEERAT KHAM-UAN, RELEASED: MAY 10 CERTIFICATE: 18

DIRECTOR: YOJIRO TAKITA STARRING: MASAHIRO KOBAYASHI, TSUTOMU YAMAZAKI, RYOKO HIROSUE RELEASED: 10 MAY CERTIFICATE: 12

rrrr Being a teenager is an emotional battleground when you have to face expectations from your family, your friends, your own potential... Jesse is a typical teenage surfer living in the shadow of his older brother’s failure and a seemingly inescapable blue collar future in the local shipyard. Meanwhile, his other brother Fergus is facing challenges of his own and secretly in love with his best friend. A weekend surfing trip with their friends ends in tragedy and marks the transition to manhood and choosing their own paths. The story is threadbare but Don Castle successfully channels the breathless energy of youth and potential. The kids are disarmingly good and the backdrop of Australia’s surfing community and the failure lurking under the surface gives it an edge and a refreshing sense of reality. The cinematography is the biggest success, often impressive and frequently downright staggering. It might have a relatively lightweight story but Newcastle is hard to ignore. Visionary and electric. [Scotty McKellar]

rrrr What is it with ghosts these days? At least Beetlejuice kept his sense of humour. The traditional portmanteau chiller is resurrected and given an Asian twist by four of Thailand’s masters of the macabre, who serve up four ghostly tales of spooky miseries intent on ruining everyone’s day. Three hits and one miss isn’t a bad ratio and despite some overly kinetic direction and occasionally dodgy CGI, horror fans are in good hands. Best of the four stories are Happiness, about a lonely disabled woman who starts to receive romantic texts from an unlisted number in the middle of the night; and Last Flight, where an adulterous trolly-dolly gets more than she bargained for in a deadly tale of revenge at 40,000 feet. Far from being an exercise in nostalgia, Phobia’s directors make the effort to tell all-new stories set firmly in the modern world and it really pays off. This is horror for the next generation of fans. [Scotty McKellar]

rrrrr When newly-unemployed cellist Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Matoki) answers an advert titled ‘Departures’, he’s unsettled to discover himself not in travel and leisure, but a funeral home (“It’s a misprint – it’s ‘the departed’” explains stoic boss Tsutomu Yamazaki). Kobayashi dedicates himself to his new art, his face a mask of concentration and respect whether the body he handles is hollow wood or the flesh of the dearly departed. The wordless scenes of Kobayashi and his mentor preparing bodies for cremation highlight the intimate relationship between funeral professionals and their corporeal subjects, with lingering close-ups of expert hands cleansing the deceased and making them glow with the echoes of lives lived. That the film can project gravitas and beauty, yet find room for a pre-title cock-joke illustrates the confident tone of Yojiro Takita’s lyrical Oscar-winner. The discovery that, like life, death is multifaceted – bittersweet, tragic, cathartic, amusing – is handled delicately, and the results are genuinely moving. [Chris Buckle]

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 23

FILM

MAY EVENTS

Performance

Life During Wartime With the election looming, Scottish theatre seems to have rediscovered politics, albeit in a more personal manner Text Gareth K Vile “It used to be so easy,” said the comedian in Reeling and Writhing’s Fringe show Funny.” We hated Thatcher, apartheid and supported the miners. Now it is more complex.”

The comedian rapidly finds himself drawn into the black operations of the British army in The War Against Terror, his excuse for the left’s moral compromise soon lost in the tumult of counter-intelligence and necessary force as he finds the courage to act decisively against the brutality he discovers.

Political drama thrived during the Thatcher years, when the state was kindly providing artists with a pantomime villain who doubled as wicked step-mother and ugly sister.

The election of New Labour provided new hope to the left, only to turn into a morality play about the corruption caused by power: yet rather than aim for the easy target, the once dynamic theatre slipped into a convenient post-modernism.

The relative silence of Scottish performance to the egregious deceit of modern politicians appears to reflect a disenchanted apathy or a moral cowardice – perhaps the consequence of seeing the radical firebrands of the past become mired in political squabbles and establishment corruption.

While agitprop theatre can be hopelessly tedious, radical politics have energised scripts since Euripides used the Trojan War to comment on Athens’ savage foreign policy in the Fifth Century BC. Domestic politics may have slipped into the background, but the next month demonstrates that companies are beginning to wake up to the emotive power of issue-based drama.

Andy Arnold’s decision to invent Mayfesto as a season of avowedly engaged work has brought together companies as diverse as Polish Physical Theatre gang Gappad and writing group INK to tackle global issues: even David Greig, often regarded as Scotland’s biggest playwright, is offering a take on West Bank conflict.

The modern political play, however, shies away from the polemical, offering uncertain truths and compassion in place of ideology. Kursk, having toured last year to The Fringe, brings its tragic tale of death beneath the waves to Tramway, and embodies the new ambiguity. Despite taking inspiration from the Russian submarine tragedy, it moderates the intensity by immersing the audience in the experience of a British crew: even the final moments of doom are reflected in a personal tragedy. This suggests that the big themes – espionage, the cold war- were not trusted to engage the audience and that the personal trumps the political.

Rhymes With Purple, on the other hand, make no concessions to sentimentality in Drumhead. Aside from waterboarding each other and a stupid critic who got too close during a rehearsal, RWP claim that “this is us, expressing our discomfort with the apathy about “enhanced interrogation” techniques being legalised by the US government and supported by our administration.” Taking descriptions of interrogation from US internment camps, Drumhead questions whether a civilised nation can ever justify the use

of torture, even if it is called something else.

During the 1970s and 1980s, there was little shame in explicitly socialist theatre: David Edgar in England, 7:84 and Wildcat in Scotland would regularly produce didactic plays.

If this sort of propaganda theatre is now missing, many modern companies have taken the maxim 'the personal is political' to dissect the hegemonic ideology of capitalism.

Acted Cubed, a young company from Glasgow, offer The Visit, a tale of revenge and materialism. The Traverse hosts Edward Albee’s The Goat, which deconstructs the perfect couple.

As part of The Arches’ Behaviour, Gary McNair is unleashing his follow up to Crunch. How Soon is Nigh dives in with an imtimate glimpse of the apocalypse.

“I always take a particular interest in things that I don’t understand,” begins Gary. “And the biggest thing that I don’t understand is our time on earth and how that might come to an end. I wanted to do more than to spread fear, like some blockbusters do, to give a personal response.”

As one of the young generation of Glasgow artists who straddle the divide between live art and theatre, McNair has already looked at the economic downturn. “Crunch was dealing with similar issues, in that it was imagining a world after one of our biggest structures had collapsed – a financial armageddon. After the world has ended, what use will money be? In that society, if I want your shoes, I’ll fight you for them.”

McNair and RWP both avoid making grand, absolute statements, but use either ironic distance or multiple perspective to consider serious issues. In the aftermath of the political polarisation of the 1980s, this contemporary tentative question is sensitive and compassionate, seeking to include and make the huge comprehensible.

Living in a country that is at war is not the same as it used to be – the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq have not generated the home front that remains a feature of World War II histories and drama. The subtle nuances of modern theatre reflect a society less comfortable with big ideas and statements, and trying to grapple with pluralism and moral relativism.

At the same time, there is a resurgence of cabaret, as escapism and satire. The arrival of another night from The Itsy Collective, this time at Ghillie Dhu and with a New Orleans’ decadence announces the next wave of the revival, as something in opposition to bland variety. Cabaret is a selfcontained scene, and holds enough space for the edgy satire of the Martyrs and the showgirl glamour of Gilda Lily: it is no accident that the last great revival was during Germany’s period of angst in the late Weimar Republic. The right wing was on the rise, the economic system was a shambles, faith in politicians was dwindling. Nothing like today, then.

Behaviour Festival, 11-29 May, The Arches, Festival Pass £37(£27), day pass £17(£11), www.thearches.co.uk/Behaviour2010 Mayfesto, 7-22 May, The Tron,

Gareth K Vile

Top Five may Theatre Events

Abstention By the time you read this, I shall have thoroughly spoiled my vote by writing in a candidate from Live Art or burlesque, thereby adding myself to the disenfranchised classes who can be ignored for the next five years of expense claims, facile wars on drugs and terror, outrage at some financial scandal and the funding of big business with tax money better diverted to ensuring that The Creative Martyrs have a year long residency at The Voodoo Rooms. I did try to take an interest, scanning the parties’

manifestos for matters that I understand: unfortunately, none of them pledged to support the arts through funding radically subjective criticism, so I went to see Scottish Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet instead.

Being part of Generation X, I’ve always been wary of ideology – I love Nic Green’s work because she addresses the suspicion of belonging even as she embraces feminism.

Most of my favourite writers have a similar distrust, and the trend towards self-indulgent navel gazing pleases me more

24 THE SKINNY May 2010

www.tron.co.uk/mayfesto/

Rhymes With Purple's Drumhead

than any amount of worthy drama. Authors like Howard Barker, unfairly ignored in his homeland, take the sort of unflinching approach to the human condition that can never fit alongside party politics’ smug idealism.

That said, I get most of my ideas second hand from performers – this explains why I think demons can turn into angels through love, and hell is other people – so expect me to have a completely different set of opinions come the end of Mayfesto.

Whisky Kisses 8 May, 7pm, £12 , The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen 18 May, 7.30pm, £15, Brunton, Edinburgh Two international whisky collectors vie for the last bottle of a rare 100 year old malt - The Glenigma. From Rightlines, a highland musical adventure.

Love Letters Straight From Your Heart 21 May, 9pm, 22 May, 4.15pm, 8.30pm, £10, The Arches Reveal your secret love in this moving blend of music and romance.

Sweeney Todd- The Musical 19 May-12 Jun, 7.30pm, from £14 Dundee Rep Haircut, knife, then a tasty pie. Dark Victorian melodrama.

Entity 18- 19 May, 7.30pm, from £11.50 Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Lights, film, dancers, action from Wayne McGregor, resident choreographer of The Royal Ballet.

EVERYTHING MUST GO 18- 19 May, 7.30pm, £10, The Arches A father, a daughter, some puppets and celluloid, a meditation on aging and memory. Part of Behaviour.

Performance

Sound&Fury

KURSK Wed 19 - Sat 22 May 7.30pm Sat 22 & Sun 23 May 2.30pm £14 / £8

0845 330 3501

“ Deeply affecting... terrific.”

The Times Online

www.tramway.org

6532_126x155 KURSK skinnyad.indd 1

21/04/2010 11:58

Love theatre, dance, music and opera?

Join IN, a new initiative from the Edinburgh International Festival for culture lovers in their 20s and 30s. It’s a great new way to enhance your Festival-going experience and meet like-minded people along the way.

IN membership includes:  Up to 50% off selected Festival tickets*  Exclusive invites to fun Festival parties  A pair of complimentary tickets to preview performance in 2010  Access to exclusive behind the scenes events  Monthly e-bulletin with great offers from our partners throughout the year All this for just £20 per year. Go on… Join IN! IN Launch Event The Skinny will be co-hosting our IN launch party at the end of June. Full details in the June edition of The Skinny. Alternatively, register your interest at INsider@eif.co.uk and we’ll email you all the details.

CHICKS ON SPEED DON’T ART FASHION MUSIC 5 JUNE – 8 AUGUST

www.dca.org.uk www.chicksonspeed.com

In association with * ticket offers to be announced at IN launch event

DCA is supported by:

In association with:

With thanks to Kate MacGarry

To join or for more information please visit Supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Arts Council. Charity SC004694.

eif.co.uk/INsider

May 2010

THE SKINNY 25

Performance

venue of the month

The Tron

Andy Arnold leads The Tron towards a lively and engaged future

Interview Michael Cox It’s been two years since Andy Arnold took artistic control of the Tron. Once the head of the multi-arts venue The Arches, Arnold now find himself in charge of a company with one primary focus: theatre. “The Tron was in a healthy state when I arrived,” says Arnold. “There was a good atmosphere, but the challenge was to establish a much busier programme.”

Arnold quickly set new rules, focusing the Tron’s seasons on either new work or contemporary classics, especially with plays that had yet to be seen in either Scotland or the UK. But as for an overall plan, Arnold says, “My main priority here has been to build an audience. We’re presenting this work for the west of Scotland. It’s very important to us that the Tron is a theatre for Glasgow.”

And so far, Arnold’s plan seems to be working.

There have been a string of hits, including his first production, The Drawer Boy, and the Tron’s successful experiment with edgy summertime theatre, Cooking with Elvis. The success of Elvis will be followed this summer with the equally quirky comedy Valahalla!

On top of this, the Tron are in the process of running two large projects.

Open Stage is an ambitious competition set on finding a new Scottish play. The programme is in its second stage, with an initial 300 entries now whittled down to three final choices. “To put on something that we’ve nurtured from scratch and to then have a full production of it is really exciting,” says Arnold.

“We ended up with three exciting writers and three

26 THE SKINNY May 2010

very exciting projects.” The public will be asked to vote on which of the three seems like the best idea.

Voting begins in May with the winning entry receiving a full-fledged production.

Also hitting the Tron is Arnold’s brainchild, Mayfesto. “I always liked the idea of festivals. The excuse to just have an awful lot going on at the same time and an atmosphere where there’s more than one show on in each space and a lot of people milling about the building.” He picked the name because its sounded both like a festival and an agenda, and it’s a project he hopes will continue every year with different themes each time. For this first year, the theme is on plays that are “human stories that are the result of conflict”, with plays in the main theatre focusing on world events and pieces performed in the smaller, more intimate Changing House highlighting stories about women.

However, ask Arnold what his proudest achievement is and he points to the bar. The Tron is not only an acclaimed theatre but is also a great social hub, a place where people meet and chat before and after productions. Building this aspect of the Tron is as important to Arnold as the quality of the productions, and when asked what he hopes to be most remembered for, he says with a laugh, “My one legacy at the Tron will probably be that I introduced hand-cut chips.”

Mayfesto runs throughout May: contact the venue for details, prices and special offers www.tron.co.uk

INto The Festival

The Edinburgh International Festival makes its first foray into interactive audience participation with IN, a new membership scheme

Vieux Carre

Text Phil Gatt Photo Franck Beloncle This year’s Edinburgh Festival line up is one of the strongest in years. From Pina Bausch’s company through to the gospel version of Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus, the performance programme genuinely reflects the energy and diversity of international theatre, while the inclusion of the legendary Kronos Quartet brings a contemporary cutting edge to the classical music series.

The Edinburgh Festival is a highlight of the performance year for two reasons. Apart from bringing tourists into the theatre, it regularly subjects them to genuinely experimental performance. The Wooster Group, who are becoming something of a bi-annual fixture, for example, are notorious for their radical and iconoclastic devised performances: in the 1990s, they re-imagined Henry Millar through the filter of LSD. Another performance to eagerly anticipate is Água choreographed by the recently deceased Pina Bausch.

The German dance legend redefined contemporary dance as visceral and immediate in ways that most UK comapanies can only dream, and Agua is the sharpest edge of the avant garde.

No contemporary festival would be radical unless it considered the audience, as Arika are trying to prove,

the audience are part of the show. In association with The Skinny, the Festival is introducing a new organisation to bridge the gap between stage and punter.

The creation of IN – a membership scheme that offers free and reduced price tickets, as well as exclusive parties and backstage events – proves their committment to a more inclusive Festival to bring the live experience one step closer, to introduce the artists to their audiences. Membership includes: -Two free tickets to the NTS Caledonia Preview on 20 August.

-Up to 50% off 11 selected Festival performance tickets.

-Interval drinks, and post performance meet-ups throughout the Festival -An exclusive invitation to The Secret Skinny Party, featuring a live performance from The Skinny's very own pet gonzo journalist, Mr Criticilious.

-End of Festival drinks at Missoni hotel bar to announce autumn offers.

To become part of the IN crowd, go to www.eif.co.uk/insider Edinburgh International Festival August – September

The best-selling author of What the Dog Saw, Outliers, The Tipping Point and Blink

If you're into sketches, the Edinburgh Stand has three amazing different shows for you every month.

Here's a quick precis of how they all work

Sun 9 May, 7.30pm “ The most influential thinker of the iPod generation”

ONE NIGHT ONLY

The Observer

“ A brilliant storyteller ...IMMENSE FUN” The Guardian

Text Lizzie Cass-Maran Illustration Kate Hazell The Broken Windows Policy started out its life as The Sugaring Off Cabin. Whilst the origin of either title seems somewhat unclear, the show does seem to have come into its own since the rebrand. You might not be familiar with the performers – though these do include David MacGregor, whose rather exciting claim to fame is that he was the child model in The Stand logo. Supporting the whole structure and cementing the credibility of the show, however, are sketch directors Derek Johnston and Paul Sneddon. Sneddon is one of our own Skinny bloggers and frankly – and entirely impartially – one of the world’s best comedian. The Windows show is a mix of the snappy and the slow burning, the crude and the classy, the new and the old. Most of the sketches have been written by the performers, with contributions from other writers thrown in here and there to keep things fresh. Check out this month’s offering on 5 May. If you fancy exercising a bit more control over your sketches, try Melting Pot the following week (12th).

Anyone can submit their own piece to this, and a variety of these short sketches are presented in a pared down, rehearsed reading style, by four eminent comedy actors, the scripts very much speaking for themselves. The

team involved have been at it for a while now, and they have a brilliant connection with each other that really brings the pieces to life. At the end of the evening you get to vote, X-Factor style, for your favourite; the winner gets to go away and write a much longer version to present the following month. The loser gets a spot on Celebrity Big Brother and an exclusive interview with the trashy magazine de jour. If you fancy yourself a budding comedy writer, this is also a great place to send in your own wee sketch – contact the Stand for more information.

Of course any piece on sketch comedy in the capital would be deficient, nay completely defeated, without giving brief mention to weekly Sunday afternoon improv show Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? It’s free, it’s brilliant, it’s the sabbath observance of many a fine fellow. Go. The Broken Windows Policy, 5 May, doors open 7:30pm, £4 Melting Pot, 12 May, doors open 7:30pm £5/£4/£1 Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

Every Sunday at 12:30pm All shows at The Stand, Edinburgh.

For some weegie-based sketch comedy try these great shows at the Glasgow Stand: Dance Monkey Boy, Dance! 31 May, Doors open 7:30pm £4 How Do I Get Up There? 12 May, Doors open 7:30pm £5/£4

preview

T H E

COMEDY CLUB LIVE COMEDY

7 NIGHTS A WEEK

Flight of the Conchords Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, 14-15 May

Dispensing with the conventional narratives which drove their TV and radio work, the Flight of the Conchords promise a return to the two-man ‘concert’ format responsible for earning the act a crucial 2003 Perrier nomination. Following the announcement that they will not be pursuing their acclaimed HBO sitcom any further, the Antipodean duo hope to reestablish a relationship with the nation where they enjoyed their first taste of international success.

The Conchords’ live performances eschew the production values notable on their records, finding Bret and Jemaine armed only with acoustic guitars, a pared-down setting which most befits their dry, overly earnest personas and penchant for low-key

characterisation. Possessing an ingenious ability to identify and recreate the core traits of whatever musical genre they choose to lampoon, the performers may not be particularly animated, but possess enough talent and charisma to electrify even the most cavernous of venues.

With support provided by series co-star Kristin Schaal, these dates will be the first chance for many to witness the Conchords in full flight, as they reconnect with their comedic roots while looking firmly towards the future. [Lewis Porteous]

333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

0870 600 6055 5 York Place, Edinburgh

0131 558 7272 www.thestand.co.uk

www.flightoftheconchords.co.nz

May 2010

THE SKINNY 27

Comedy

The Edinburgh Sketch Scene

Art 28 THE SKINNY May 2010

Art

GI Review Special Our merry band of art reviewers spent a weekend pounding the streets of Glasgow to bring you a guide to the best of the Festival Christoph Büchel

Benny Merris: Bubble and Squeak

Tramway, glasgow, 16 Apr - 18 Jul

Arch 1, Eastvale Place, Glasgow, 16 Apr - 3 May

rrrrr

rrrr Benny Merris has been smoking it up in Amsterdam.

He’s been going through a hashish Renaissance, he tells me, and it shows. Each of the 19 paintings exhibited in this one-room exhibition have the hallmarks of a hallucinogen-addled author; that unique mix of intricacy and vibrancy with little in the way of gesture or spontaneity. As colourful as they are meticulous, each painting no doubt required the kind of concentration gained only through smoking a fat one.

The titles are likewise pretty far out. He’s borrowed them from Walter Benjamin’s book, On Hashish, about the author’s experiences taking hundreds of puffs in various cities in Europe. This might sound like a gas to me or you but this was serious experimenting, with

Photo: Sarah Roberts

If your taste runs to big, immersive, visceral work that swallows you whole, leads you through an unknown realm and spits you out, bewildered, shaken and subtly altered right back where you started, then you will love Christoph Büchel’s Last Man Out Turn Off The Lights. The vast installation, housed within Tramway’s immense main gallery space, is an overwhelming and surely unrepeatable experience that demands to be seen.

The installation is an incredibly controlled environment, with limited entry, no photography, prescribed footwear and invigilators standing guard, ready to blow the whistle on anyone breaking the rules by walking the wrong way or getting too close to the work. The artist has gone to great lengths to ensure that this is experienced on his terms, and given the time and consideration that it deserves.

At the entrance we are confronted with two choices.

On one side, the way into the space itself, a prison visitors’ room. On the other, two working bars, one Celtic, one Rangers. The viewer must pick a side if they want a drink. Bypassing the ultimate weegie choice and turning left into the space, past the control point and along behind the plastic seats, intercoms and perspex panels, past a dark dorm room complete with lads mag posters (including a young Jordan), we finally gain access to the main hall which holds – alongside shipping containers housing more prison rooms – the burnt out fragments of a plane crash, half reassembled on a vast mesh structure. Fire-damaged seats are laid out on one side, piles of scorched and ruptured metal surround, awaiting placement.

What the hell is this place? What happened? We are confronted by a multitude of questions, as each step reveals more of the carefully constructed environment, more strange and deliberately placed fragments over multiple levels.

More details of the installation will only be discovered through visiting, as the artist intended.

Exploring Büchel’s work is a strange and affecting experience, provoking many contradictory reactions from moment to moment, excitement-dread-pleasure oddly coexisting and leaving us confused, drained yet oddly fulfilled when we are eventually spat out back at the entrance. Go. [Rosamund West]

GLASGOW CONFIDENTIAL: No cameras please

Jim Lambie Metal Urbain

Susan Philipsz: Lowlands

rrrr When Glasgow-born Philipsz stumbled upon a bunch of flowers marking a suicide by the River Clyde railings, she decided that this would be the perfect location for her site-specific work commissioned by GI. The artist recorded herself singing the traditional tune Lowlands, which is now playing every twenty minutes by the three Clyde bridges – a relevant lament for the melancholic sights of the river from the path underneath the bridges.

There are actually three versions of the same song,

with slightly different lyrics that sometimes overlap. The result is a cold and disembodied voice that echoes on the constructions and is sometimes lost in the nearby traffic.

The unaware passers-by may not realise the work is there, and the song at times sounds exactly like the horn of the train on the Caledonian Bridge just above.

Lowlands is a faithful reflection of the artist’s usual themes of sound, song and place, and is perfectly fitted for the location. The industrial bridges and walkabout graffiti suddenly become a meditative place, a physical memory that will haunt the passerby even when back in the loud Clyde Street traffic. [Adeline Amar] Daily between 10am and 8pm; every 20 mins www.glasgowinternational.org

Photo: ashley good

rrr The behemoth that is the GI International Festival of Visual Art keeps rumbling along, with Jim Lambie’s solo exhibition marking the opening of the Modern Institute’s new Glasgow gallery. And, whoosh, what a turnout: the lengthy queue outside the gallery is more typical of an X-Factor audition than a gallery opening (though with slightly fewer impromptu bursts of Back to Black).

As for the actual exhibit, well Lambie has some luminous metal wall hangings, whose brightness does little to conceal the underlying sadness of the work as a whole. Accompanying the hangings are sculptures of mangled metal and in concrete, comprised of either medieval armour, or modern metal appliances. It seems that Lambie is using the Middle Ages as a starting point here, a seemingly arbitrary year zero. From this point he imagines two different pathways leading to two separate results in terms of the dominant textures and colours of the times: the vibrant flippancy of the walls versus the grim industrialism of the sculpted pieces.

The wall-hangings represent the vividness that modern life could have, as opposed to the grey concrete, dull leather and rusted paintwork that dominates our actual environment. The real tragedy is that this modern stuff is not only dowdier than the colours splashed on the wall – it’s also more prosaic than the medieval gubbins that it’s supposed to have progressed from. [Brian Cloughley]

Always the Same World

Clydeside Walkway, Glasgow, 16 Apr - 3 May

Modern Institute, Glasgow, 18 Apr - 4 Jun

Benjamin writing up the results the next day, recounting that he well got the munchies and that.

As nice as the titles are, they seem a little arbitrary and when I’m discussing the use of impasto in Trombone Marmalade I could in fact be pondering the blobby use of paint in By Virtue Of My Smile and it wouldn’t really matter.

A favourite of mine (perhaps it was None Better Orientated) was of the letter X painted in gradated tones of grey with the background a similarly gradated yellow. It is kitsch, witty and a little silly. Another (perhaps Cast Purpose To The Wind), is a series of looping, multi-coloured stripes that equally suggests depth and flatness.

Merris explores abstraction like Benjamin experimented with dope – reckless but systematic. It goes to show that some things are best done when out of one’s box, a rule perhaps applicable to writing reviews.

[Andrew Cattanach]

May 2010

THE SKINNY 29

Music

Planet Error

In an artist-on-artist interview, Errors' Steev Livingstone grills Faust's own 'Art Errorist' Jean-Hervé Peron as the iconoclastic daddies of Krautrock prepare for a rare Scottish date at The Arches Interview Stephen ‘Steev’ Livingstone Illustration David Lemm

"I have very briefly tried to be a respected millionaire and failed; all I can do is pluck my guitar and blow my horn, so I’ll stick to that until they throw me out" Jean-Hervé Peron

Can you explain the way you make music and how this might have changed over the years?

With Faust, there’s a group dynamic that seldom allows for individual aimless wandering, especially as an improvisational group. We have so many ways of starting; sometimes one of us has a theme and the others jump on it. Everyone follows their own feelings and eventually get together at some point, or not! This general attitude towards music and art has not changed over the years; our bodies do feel we’ve been 40 years in this business but our mind seems to remain as infantile and naive as it was when we thought we were changing the world.

Do songs evolve through playing them live?

Yes sir, they do! Like children you put out in the world with what you think is a good education and they become lawyers at the end. One fantastic example is J’ai Mal Aux Dents, created in 1971, which became Schempal Buddha in 1994 and whose lyrics have been translated into French, Italian, Welsh English and Tibetan. That makes me happy, brother!

We’ve also done I don’t know how many versions of The Sad Skinhead in all manner of imaginable forms.

What is your relationship with the other bands who fall under the “Krautrock” banner, such as NEU! and Can? Many would assume that you were all friends with each other and shared ideas, is this true?

No. I never met them, I know it’s hard to believe but that is so. Faust were outlawed in Germany in the past and still is now, to some extent. I have met Chris Karrer [Amon Duul, Carnival of Babylon] and Manni Neumaier [Guru Guru] and had loads of Krautrock artists at the Avantgarde festival, which I organise every year, but that’s more recent.

How do you rehearse for shows?

We meet at Faust headquarters in Schiphorst near Hamburg in northern Germany and we have some good food (my wife Carina is a fantastic cook), some good wine and we eventually meet in the rehearsal room. Everything is rudimentarily recorded so we can save “ideas” and “themes” and discuss them. We do that two or three times a year; but you know, we are all busy with solo projects as well so we are more or less constantly in the “creative” mood, meaning we have no specific aims or are under no specific stress.

In the recent BBC documentary about Krautrock, Brian Eno was heavily criticised for his involvement in the movement as he was seen by many as someone who came to Germany, stole a bunch of ideas, then left and made lots of money as a result...

“Steal” is a hard word; he was obviously inspired by the attitude and by the ideas of Moebius and Rodelius [both of Cluster and Harmonia]. He would have made money anyway – that’s not the point, he possibly should have paid more respect and recognition to the people who showed him a way (note I am not saying “the” way!).

I detect a sense of humour in a lot of Faust’s music and this is often right next to passages or concepts that people would consider as being quite serious. Is the idea of the serious mixed with the comical important to you in music?

Right – very right – because there is nothing serious about music or art. Even when we have some “serious” themes or patterns, it always ends in huge laughter because – do not forget – Faust are dilettantes!

I hear your influence in many modern bands,

Dave Kerr

slash 'n' burn It’s like some sort of dating agency for bands who don’t know how to use e-mail in here this month; old band mates Slash and Scott Weiland are mending fences while Robert Del Naja’s trying to entice Mike Patton to record another song with Massive Attack. Then there’s James Graham, blatantly muscling in on The National’s wedding band sojourns (see our cover story). Deftones are at it too, with Chino Moreno looking at Mogwai with pleading eyes to renew their offer to record a tune with the man (read the full story at www.theskinny.co.uk).

What do I look like, Cilla Black?

I’ll be honest, though, I’d prefer to see collaborations like these come to be than ‘Slash feat.

Adam Levine’ – oh God, the horror! Ozzy – check, Iggy – of course, Cornell – OK, but the hell possessed him to turn to the guy from Maroon 5? This makes Bowie’s Christmas time duet of Little Drummer Boy with Bing Crosby look like a pretty sweet idea. I’ll eat my replica Slash top hat and say that tune he does with Fergie from the Black Eyes Peas is well-executed though; it’s the kind of unashamed rawk

30 THE SKINNY May 2010

that the world would probably be a depressing old shell without.

Anyway, OK, this issue Music is pretty choked with the big guns – a reflection of the huge month on the album release calendar that May generally is – but our allegiance to the sounds born on Scottish soil stays rigid. Casting an eye away from the central belt, see our ‘New Blood’ feature on Isle of Lewis’s The Boy Who Trapped the Sun for a heads up on a talented guy you’re destined to become well acquainted with this summer.

ranging through Deerhunter to Fuck Buttons - do you appreciate how these bands have taken influences like Faust and made their own sound from it?

Absolutely, I was worried that I couldn’t give anything to my children as a heritage. Now that we have apparently created something that seems to please a few people, I am satisfied. I have heard that some bands have been inspired by the music created by our generation and have taken it much further according to their own motivations, that makes me happy too.

Do you embrace the rapid changes in technology, in both the way we listen to music and how it is made?

After a long period of refusing the digital world (God, why did I do that?), I’m glad I’ve learned to accept and use some of the enormous potential in that technology. But don’t get me wrong, I’m still quite useless on computers. I’m also very glad I wasn’t born directly into this numerical art; I feel privileged I could enjoy both and I’m not going to go into that endless conflict of “vinyl or cd?”, “analog or digital?” – gimme a bit of both please, that’s fine.

As a band, Faust has been in existence since 1971. What motivates you to keep making music and playing shows after all these years?

I have very briefly tried to be a respected millionaire and failed; all I can do is pluck my guitar and blow my horn, so I’ll stick to that until they throw me out. I have heard rumours of a powerful movement called “SFN” being very active now – the “Stop Faust Now” demonstrations are getting numerous and better organised at every gig – see if we can still sneak on stage at the Arches in Glasgow without being stoned!

When I went to see Kraftwerk a few years ago I was slightly disappointed to hear that they had updated a lot of their classic tunes to fit in with the modern audience. Do you feel like you have to update your sound for the live setting, to fit in with what is happening just now in music?

Everyone is free to express themselves as they feel adequate; some are very successful, if you consider the fee they get and the price of the tickets. As far as Faust is concerned, we’ll just keep on being what we are, like it or not.

Faust play The Arches, Glasgow as part of the Behaviour Festival (running 11-29 May) on 11 May www.myspace.com/faustpages

Music © 2009 Jack Daniel’s. All rights reserved. JACK DANIEL’S and OLD NO. 7 are registered trademarks.

FROM SOME BAR STOOLS YOU CAN SEE ALL THE WAY TO TENNESSEE. Enjoy the view. Drink responsibly.

DRINKAWARE.CO.UK

Music

The End of the Beta Biscuit Affair Steve Mason explains why he's ditched the myriad aliases to step out of the shadows as, well, Steve Mason

Come Down, sees Mason rekindle his love affair with that seemingly most prosaic of instruments – and one generally notable for its absence in the canon of his output – the acoustic guitar. “There’s something amazingly human about the act of picking one up and singing,” he enthuses. “For the three or four years before that I’d strictly been working with drum machines and synths. It was a nice change, so I tried to blend the electronic elements which I still love but also the more human element of instruments like the acoustic guitar, piano and the vocal.”

Waxing lyrical about his relocation to London (“My girlfriend is here, my record label, loads of mates, I’m setting up a studio, people I want to work with and loads of people who want to work with me are all here. It just makes loads of sense really”) Mason admits that the immediate future is all about touring his new work. A live band has been recruited, and the summer festival circuit beckons. The tour may also incorporate a whistle-stop at the Edinburgh International Film Festival as he coyly reveals that “a film company is making a documentary about me, which I think is going to be premiered there.” Light on specifics, he divulges that the filming is still in progress, and it is to be a fly-on-the-wall piece that “sounds absolutely terrifying, because I’ve given them maximum freedom and control. If you’re like me – quite open and don’t have a problem talking about all kinds of different things – there’s the possibility of saying something really daft. These things then become permanent when they’re on film.”

There’s very much a feeling of ‘full steam ahead’ to Mason’s patter, amplified when discussing a recent piece in The Guardian which was top heavy on personal details. “I think it was a bit of a shame that it focussed almost entirely on my previous years as a manic depression sufferer when that’s very much behind me and I now have an amazing album to flog,” he shrugs.” The journalist should have realised that it’s time to move on.”

Move on indeed. The Guardian piece also raised the possibility of a Beta Band reunion, which Mason is quick to set straight by highlighting that he simply wishes to focus on his solo career, and an album about which he is extremely enthused. “I just meant ‘never say never’; when I was in King Biscuit Time I did play a few Beta Band songs. But, when you’ve got an album as good as the one I’m just about to put out, the idea of or even talking about reforming the Beta Band is just a bit daft really.” With a light-hearted comment which manages to convey his optimism that this phase of his career could be the most successful yet, he remarks; “Maybe in thirty years’ time I’ll give the rest of them a call and see if they fancy doing it.”

Boys Outside is released via Double Six on 3 May www.stevemasontheartist.com/

The mason manifesto

Ahead of polling day on 6 May, Steve Mason offers a (strictly non-) political party broadcast

Interview Paul Mitchell Photo Ross Trevail Steve Mason is in typically candid and engaging form as he tells me about his forthcoming solo LP, Boys Outside. For the first time in a career stretching back to the mid-nineties, the former Beta Band frontman is releasing an album under the moniker – wait for it – Steve Mason.

“Basically, I just got sick of hiding behind loads of different pseudonyms,” he muses. “It got to a point a few years ago where I had six or seven MySpaces, all with different styles of music and different names, which is a bit nuts really. This started as a Black Affair album then morphed into King Biscuit Time [the two best known of the aforementioned noms de plume]

32 THE SKINNY May 2010

"It got to a point a few years ago where I had six or seven MySpaces, all with different styles of music and different names, which is a bit nuts really"

and now it’s this. I felt it was time to be me really and see what happens.”

Turns out that being Steve Mason involves going all pop on our asses (which is a good thing by the way, despite sounding somewhat dubious) by recruiting Richard X, the songwriter and producer who has engineered chart success for the likes of the Sugababes, Rachel Stevens, Liberty X and Kelis. “Even in the Beta Band I always wanted to work with a pop producer at some point,” he says. “My music now is nowhere near as out there and experimental as it was back in those days. But I still think it’s an interesting idea to work with someone like Richard, who is Mr Pop. He’s going to constantly have his eye on that notion when he’s working with you on the tracks. I think it’s worked.”

The first single from the fruits of their labour, All

"I would encourage people not to waste their valuable energy going to a polling station; it's a complete and utter waste of time and it doesn't matter who gets in. The banks and large corporations run this country and most others in the world. If you really want to do something, form a political party, talk and learn about what's happening in other countries and what's likely to happen in this one.

Mainstream politics is completely dead and needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. I believe in democracy and capitalism but I think that capitalism needs to be restricted considerably and free enterprise reintroduced, because it's got to the point where huge numbers of people work in a call centre, for a mobile phone company or in a fast food outlet. Very few people own their own businesses and there are huge restrictions on anybody doing anything remotely imaginative or for themselves. Every single thing that you do, the government want it done in a specific way that they can control. We need to retake our country because right now it's being run by fucking crooks."

Music

The Untouchable

The chameleonic Mike Patton talks to The Skinny about falling in love with classic Italian pop and ponders a future for Faith No More

Interview Dave Kerr Photo Jay Blakesberg Since reuniting with alternative metal godfathers Faith No More last year, Mike Patton has indulged himself little time to continue with other projects, but this month the boundary-crossing maestro resurfaces in his own right with a love letter to Italian music clenched between his teeth. Dubbed Mondo Cane, the long-incubating project finds the vocalist commanding an ambitious, heartfelt set of folk, civil rights and film score songs collected from the 60s, delivered fluently in their native tongue with the backing of a forty-piece orchestra. Still catching his breath after Faith No More’s headlining set at Coachella, Patton reveals why Mondo Cane was an album he had to make.

There have been a few whispers about this project over the last couple of years, how did it come about and when did it come into fruition?

The stimulus in doing it came about when I was living in Italy around a decade ago. It just took a while for the opportunity to present itself, to work with an orchestra and really bring it to life in the right way. But the record basically started around two and a half years ago when we did our first three concerts; I recorded them all, took the material and made the record out of it.

‘Mondo Cane’ comes from a cult Italian shockumentary from the 60s where bizarre cultural practices from all over the world are presented to provoke the Western audience – how does that tie in with this album?

It’s also an old Italian saying, almost a mild curse that means ‘the world has gone to the dogs’, or ‘it’s a dog’s world’. Also, of course I was familiar with the Guest question

Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja Massive Attack

Can we do some recording again? There’s some unfinished business to attend to…

Yeah, yeah, well, he knows the answer to that! [laughs]. There is unfinished business and yes Robert, let’s do more recording. That has to do more with Massive Attack than me. Snap your fingers, click your heels and I’ll just appear in Bristol!

Guest question

Benjamin Weinman The Dillinger Escape Plan

How the hell did you manage to stagedive into the crowd and get back on stage while simultaneously singing every word perfectly the other night in San Francisco? I was amazed.

Well Ben should know better than me because he’s always in the crowd, I could probably learn a couple of things from him! If there was a technique to that, I’d be signing up for the course immediately. I’m a pretty good swimmer, maybe that’s it! movie and all its connotations so I wanted to give a little bit of a – how would you say – unexpected twist to a record like this, which is pretty easy on the ears and pretty linear. I needed to balance that out with a provocative title.

incredible sounds that were created during that time. That, as much as anything, is what made me fall in love with this stuff and want to do my version of it – my tribute, in a way.

Was there an obligation to stay respectful to the tone and sentiment of the original recordings? Did the gloves come off eventually?

I knew I would interpret these pieces aggressively – but I didn’t want to murder them, because there has to be an element of respect there and to commit some kind of a crime in the name of nostalgia would not be cool… I wouldn’t sleep so well.

“Then again, you have to get your hands dirty; you have to tear things apart and rearrange them, but maybe keep an element – a melody or a certain sound that was important to the piece – keep that intact. So it became a bit of a Rubik’s Cube, and the project took on a much larger scope once I realised I had to do it with an orchestra and not – let’s just say – a four piece band.

Guest question

Adam ‘DoseOne’ Drucker ANTICON

What was it like to work with Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.?

Oh my God. Fun! I’ve never seen so many guys dancing with guns in my life. It was them and their whole crew dancing with automatic weapons in the studio. I’m just, like, ducking, and we’re all going "Jesus, someone’s gonna get shot in here!” But they were very adept at doing gun dances. They’re from Carson which is a Samoan ‘hood near South Central.

You’ve made no secret of your admiration for Ennio Morricone (compiling and releasing the excellent Crime and Dissonance collection on your own label a few years ago) so it stands to reason you’d look at some of his work here – but how did you come to discover these other songs?

Living there, if you go into immersion mode you can find all this stuff, there was a lot of record store combing, a lot of them came from friends who’d make me tapes. A lot of the time I wouldn’t be listening to it as pop music per se, as entertainment; I’d be listening to the arrangements and the

Guest question

Geoff Barrow Portishead/ Beak>

Since you’re my label boss I’d better be gentle. If you could destroy a musical genre in one go, what would it be? And what are your top 5 most hated songs of all time?

“Gee, what can I destroy in one fell swoop? I would say house music; I got home from Coachella yesterday completely exhausted and one of my neighbours was having a party to that – it was just ‘boom, boom’, and I couldn’t sleep. Let’s just do away with that, shall we? Top 5? What would the top 5 most current house tunes be? I’ll take them all!”

Speaking of which, has the recent Faith No More reunion given you a fresh appreciation and perspective of what that band achieved in its original existence?

Yeah, I would say a little bit. Maybe more so that it’s something we should feel collectively proud of, and really not hold any personal grudges about. I don’t think we’ve ever been happier playing this stuff or closer as people.

It’s interesting to see how time treats situations like that.

Guest question

Rick Anthony The Phantom Band

If you had to choose one piece of your work to leave behind as your definitive musical statement, what would it be?

“I can’t think of anything that would horrify me enough to make me want to crawl in the grave, so I guess I better think of something that’s actually OK. The problem is that I don’t have a real close relationship – especially after the fact – with my records. They’re my lovers when I’m making them, that’s for sure, but afterwards it’s like ‘Hey, move on.’ How about Mondo Cane?

It’s my most current and it’s my most romantic. I could die to that music!”

Do you see a future for the band beyond these shows, given that the chemistry and demand is still there?

You know, it’s very tempting to want to say yes, and that would probably be the correct answer. But right now, we’re more concerned with doing what we set out to do, which was a limited run and keep it special.

Keeping it without obligation whatsoever. Show up and play. I think that is one of the things which has improved our moods and really, it’s been about music; no promotion, no videos, no extraneous adventures.

I would venture a guess that this is going to be it, but hey – this is what our focus is now – once this is all over, maybe we’ll sit around, have a laugh and talk about the future. But right now I think it’s way too early to say.

And what’s next for Mike Patton? Is Mondo Cane a project you’re willing and able to tour?

I’m working on another score, for an Italian film which should be out later in the year. Mondo Cane is doing a tour in Europe in July, believe it or not, it’s a hell of a time to put it together but we’re going to be over there for around a month.

Finally, who do you hope Mondo Cane will appeal to?

Anyone with a little sense of curiosity and a couple of ears on their head, I think that would work... basically, anyone with a heart!”

Mondo Cane is released via Ipecac on 3 May Mike Patton will tour Europe with Mondo Cane and Faith No More this summer

May 2010

THE SKINNY 33

Music

In the Garage

As Deftones prepare to cut loose from their bunker, Chino Moreno and Abe Cunningham tell the full story behind Diamond Eyes Interview Dave Kerr “I’ve had nine cups of coffee and I’m flappin’ my lips,” speed raps an unsurprisingly animated Abe Cunningham. “It’s a trip when you’ve been out of practice for a while, people make a joke of it and say ‘what are you going to do today, talk about yourself?’ Well yeah, that’s the gist of it.”

Speaking from an LA rehearsal space, drummer Cunningham and Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno are eagerly plotting out the next few years of their lives before the Sacramento quintet’s sixth album – though technically it’s their seventh, but we’ll get to that – even hits the shelves. “The dates are coming in,” Cunningham booms. “We’re hoping for two to two and a half years on the road if possible – if done right – hopefully without killing each other. We’re getting ready to go, this is it right now.” Moreno agrees, equally juiced at the prospect. “That sounds good to me,” he confirms. "Haven’t been this excited about a record cycle in a while. Everybody’s pretty eager to get out there.”

And who could blame them. Since retreating to finish the construction of their Sacramento studio in an effort to execute the production process of a new album in their own territory, the band took its time to heal following the much publicised rifts that drove them apart when recording the visceral Saturday Night Wrist in 2006. “We even put a little bar up there with a few kegs, so every day we’d come in and shoot the shit,” says Cunningham. “Chi [Cheng, bass] was going through a divorce at the time, so he’d come in and we’d all be ‘what’s up?’ It was quite the opposite of Saturday Night Wrist – we were doing it in our own place, having a great time and being best friends again. That being said, the record was nearly done, we’d started to mix it and go through artwork. I think Chino had a couple of little things to finish off, but it was just about done. And then – bam – we get news of this accident, man.”

The ‘accident’ being a severe car crash involving Cheng in November 2008, leaving him comatose for several months. Although his condition has since improved – largely thanks to the fundraising efforts for healthcare by his friends, family, band mates and

34 THE SKINNY May 2010

peers – today he remains in a ‘minimally conscious state.’ “We’re still absolutely blown away,” remarks Cunningham. “We took a couple of months off at the time to contemplate; we thought ‘damn, is this it? Are we done?’ We decided to get back to what’s kept us going for the past 20 plus years: hole up in that little room and play music, ‘cos that’s what we do.”

With a headlining slot at a Californian festival the following April to fulfil – the fee for which would go towards Cheng’s recovery costs – Deftones enlisted Sergio Varga from New York post-hardcore stalwarts Quicksand to stand in for their ailing comrade.

“Quicksand were a band that we all totally loved and he had filled in for Chi in the past,” says Cunningham.

“It was just a case of calling him up to see if he could help us out with this one show. That being said, he came out and it was great, we went over the set we had and wrote a song that day.”

Still devastated by the limbo of their bassist but galvanised by the experience (“this is the appreciation of life; it’s the reaffirmation of ‘look, man, we’re here so quick and things can be taken quick too’, so we just got down to it” – Cunningham), the two say Varga gave new focus to the group from the first rehearsal, though Cheng remained at the core of their decisionmaking. “We were left with an unstable foundation, but it didn’t feel right to say ‘OK, let’s teach him everything Chi just wrote in the last few months’,” Moreno recalls. “It felt like the page had turned on everything that had happened up until the accident; we were starting a new chapter. Sergio came in to play through some of our material but we started writing new songs that same day. We didn’t really sit around and talk; we just got into a really creative headspace and spoke through our instruments at each other. It was probably the most focused we’ve been as a band in maybe ten years or so, certainly like the start of our career when there were less outside influences and it was all about being kids playing in the garage. That was our life in there, making those records. It feels like we did that again.”

With Varga embedded in the fold, the band dropped their old work ethic of working piecemeal, undertaking a productive period of writing together in a room prior to hitting the studio – the first time they’d done

so since 1998’s Around the Fur, perhaps indicative of the resulting work’s fluency and cohesion – and pretty soon Deftones were looking at an entirely new set of songs. “We thought ‘wow, this is fun! Do you want to make a record?’” says Cunningham. “It would seem that it would be hard to, having this black cloud over our heads,” continues Moreno. ”But the music was therapeutic in that.”

"That was our life in there, making those records. It feels like we did that again” Chino Moreno The album resulting from the 2008 sessions – Eros – has since been indefinitely shelved, with the more recent fruits of their labour (entitled Diamond Eyes) due for release this month. “It was a difficult decision,” says Moreno. “One of the main reasons for doing it, for me at least, was out of respect for Chi. We were almost finished with Eros, but if we’d just released that record it wouldn’t have felt right.” Nevertheless, the pair remains optimistic that Cheng will see his way to better health. “Hopefully he can join us again,” says Cunningham. “In the meantime we’ve put the album on the backburner. We haven’t moved on from Chi – we can’t move on – we’ve just continued on.

The way we see it at this point is we have two bass players.”

With Diamond Eyes, Deftones achieve what they’ve always been threatening: a stupefying marriage of

emotive delicacy with punishing breakdowns, full of allusions to their recent struggle shot through with a renewed sense of optimism. “We’re still here,” Cunningham nods. “I think we’ve been very broken at times, the way we do things – I know we have – you take one step forward and ten steps backwards – but none of that matters anymore, it’s all been part of the process.”

As a work in its own right, Cunningham is quick to distance Diamond Eyes from its slightly older sibling.

“People are curious; they thought maybe we used some of the riffs from a few of the songs on Eros but we didn’t, we just left that be and started completely from scratch.” Moreno, too, testifies to the album’s unique strength, sounding genuinely certain that this is their most representative work to date. “The reason I feel so strongly about this record is that it doesn’t feel like a completely different Deftones,” he affirms.

“It’s the band we’ve always been… just a little bit more daring.”

Lyrically, Diamond Eyes evokes a visual feast of romance and horror, owing in part to Moreno’s own fascination with the moving image. “There’s a lot of sex and violence in there, those are the things that are quite artistically inspiring to me. One of my favourite pastimes is to dig up rare and archived film – be it war footage or whatever – from the very early days of cinema, and then record music to it. I make these little movies; they’re usually only a minute or so long. Carrying that over into Deftones, when we’re writing stuff I see visuals a lot, the music always sparks those ideas.”

And as the Deftones put the dust blankets down in their studio and prepare to rack up multiple stamps on their collective passport (we’ll be back and forth to Scotland several times over the next two years” – Cunningham), they lament the pastimes they’re about to leave behind. “We play a lot of poker,” Moreno confesses. “We played a lot of Risk, especially when we were making the Eros record, trying to take over the world one continent at a time. We’d have some serious Risk games going on, that shit can last for weeks!”

Diamond Eyes is released via Warner Bros on 3 May www.gunsrazorsknives.com

Music

CASIOKIDS JAMES YUILL COCKNBULLKID SILVER COLUMNS MALCOM MIDDLETON REINTERPRET THEIR CHOICE OF

Copyright © 2010 JACK DANIEL’S. All rights reserved. JACK DANIEL’S and OLD NO.7 are registered trademarks.

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THE SKINNY 35

MUSIC

Interview Joe Barton Photo Ashley Good EVERY once in a while, media hype encircles a city like the birds from a Hitchcock film, sweeping down on unsuspecting artists who had, until that point, been innocently going about their business.

Ever since Rustie and his tongue-in-cheek epithet ‘Aquacrunk’ went viral, such has been the fate of the Glasgow scene once again – with the world’s ears primed for the slightest sound of squelchy, jittery electronic music to emanate from the city.

Tom Marshall, a.k.a. Dam Mantle, who released his debut EP Grey last month, steps into this atmosphere of journalistic scrutiny with an approach that is at odds with the current work of his peers, but shares the same sense of experimental ambition.

But rather than place Marshall’s efforts in relation to those around him, how would he himself trace the origins of his rich, glitch, globe-trotting palette of sound? “My music is a reflection of my experience,” he explains. “I try to listen to as much music from other cultures as possible, and it’s changed how I think.” At the heart of this approach is a meticulous engagement with samples.

“It’s about getting immersed in pulling apart a small fragment of sound, and then folding it out into something else. I like how something played out of a computer can resemble a beat in a piece of music from the other side of the world, from fifty years ago.”

Marshall places emphasis on the influence of computers as a tool to make music with as a personal experience rather than a collective idea.

“I think the use of 8bit sounds is a reaction to our current point in time,” he says. “I like the idea that computers die, and there’ll be fossils of microchips in however many hundreds of years. For me, the use of that sound plays on that notion. Maybe it romanticises the death of computers, for hijacking a generation’s childhood.”

Taking Up The Mantle Keeping Glasgow's historical form for producing forward-thinking electronica artists alive, relocated Kent native Dam Mantle finds himself in the right place at the right time

MAY: sa 1: KMR presents: The Pharmacy - Japan Four su 2: The John Knox Sex Club Holy Mountain - Olympic Swimmers mo 3: Acoustic Jam Session (8pm-Late, free) we 5: The Lava Experiments th 6: KMR presents: High Places sa 8: Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lockpickers su 9: Harper Simon mo 10: Acoustic Jam Session (8pm-Late, free) th 13: Dead City Riots fr 14: Synergy presents: Grails sa 15: KMR presents: A Sunny Day in Glasgow su 16: Jim Bob "Storage stories / Storage songs" mo 17: Acoustic Jam Session (8pm-Late, free) tu 18: Quails fr 21: Predestination records night sa 22: Stag & Dagger (Check for details) mo 24: Acoustic Jam Session (8pm-Late, free) tu 25: May - Tragic City Thieves we 26: Marshall Chipped th 27: Synergy presents: Nina Nastasia fr 28: Bright Young Lights sa 29: The Rudiments su 30: Indian Red Lopez - This Silent Forest

36 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

Despite displaying devilish rhythmical intricacies (see the juddering harp-hop of Rebong for more on that), there’s also a lo-fi feel to the Dam Mantle project. Is this intentional? “Perhaps it’s about humanising the electronic. I don’t think I’m traditionally lo-fi by any means, but a lot of work goes into making the music sound like it is. I think that lo-fi aesthetic and way of recording is embedded in me.” Maybe Marshall’s acoustic route into music, via Canterbury post-rockers Beebah Stant, explains the ‘human’ presence. “Electronic music just gradually filtered into my life more and more, so the music that I made began to mirror that.”

Grey boasts the only collaboration in Dam Mantle’s canon so far – in the form of Yoghurt – featuring the electronically warped vocals of Julie Augere. Nevertheless, Marshall’s wish list of future partnerships is unsurprisingly ambitious, straddling Canadian post-rock, minimalist composers and avant-garde hip-hop, whetting the appetite as to what may come next from this compelling new talent. “I’d like to work with Battles, Animal Collective, Bell Orchestre, Steve Reich, Zomby, Flying Lotus, and Four Tet,” he dreams. “Maybe all seven with an orchestra and Busta Rhymes whispering over the top!” It’s a mouth watering prospect, but we’ll have to wait and see.

DAM MANTLE PLAYS NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY WITH HIGH PLACES ON 6 MAY AND STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL AT THE ART SCHOOL, GLASGOW ON 22 MAY WWW.MYSPACE.COM/PORCELAINPOEMS

MUSIC

The Islander

With an eagerly awaited debut album set for release in July, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun talks to The Skinny ahead of what is sure to be the biggest summer of his life Interview Ryan Drever “I’VE lived in a bunch of places but always seem to end up home again.” Put simply in his own words, this sentiment – that longing for familiarity – is one which permeates the music of Stornoway native Colin MacLeod, AKA The Boy Who Trapped The Sun. “Living on Lewis has always been a really important thing for me,” says MacLeod of his pastoral homeland. “It’s just such a unique place and has a weird effect on you, it’s so wild and barren – it really lends itself to atmospheric music. I love driving around listening to Mogwai or Sigur Rós, just enjoying feeling like you’re on the edge of the world. Lyrically and musically it’s pretty much shaped my sound.”

Before moving to the mainland and eventually courting such bustling metropolises as London and eh, Aberdeen, MacLeod spent his late teens/early twenties cutting his teeth at his local in Stornoway, where he helped run regular open mic nights. Over the course of these intoxicated Thursday evenings, he honed his craft, lending his pipes to classics from the likes of The Lemonheads and The Who to Deep Purple and the late Jeff Buckley.

“I’ve always been a big Jeff Buckley fan and loved the idea of him sitting in Sin-é in New York, playing for the punters, everyone half listening and him learning his own voice,” MacLeod admits. “It seemed like a really important thing, to work on my singing and playing, even interacting with a group of people. It was an education really, and if you can handle a bunch of Stornoway lads haranguing

you for Oasis songs then you can handle anything.”

Since then MacLeod has been turning his hand to his own material; a mix of slow-burning, country-tinged acoustic odes to love, loss and homecoming, daubed in subtle strings and a voice recalling the subtle dreaminess of Lou Barlow and Elliott Smith, with nods to the passionate swells of the aforementioned Mr Buckley. In between nationwide jaunts and frequent periods holed up in his London bedroom, MacLeod’s creative efforts have since spawned a four track EP – aptly titled Home and released earlier this year – which precedes a debut album this summer.

Drawing from a kaleidoscopic range of influences, the sun-trapper has been the focal point of increasingly positive critical chatter. As a result, MacLeod – now with full band in tow – will be glued to the open road over the summer, tying in with the LP’s anticipated release in July and undergoing the obligatory festival run in the process.

This hefty schedule looks to present ample opportunities to see what MacLeod does best, though ultimately, it’s a welcome break for this city-dwelling Islander-at-heart: “It’s nice to have an escape from London,” he says, before clarifying the point: “If I couldn’t escape the big city now and again I’d probably go nuts.”

THE BOY WHO TRAPPED THE SUN SUPPORTS KASSIDY AT THE WAREHOUSE, ABERDEEN ON 23 MAY; THE DOGHOUSE, DUNDEE ON 25 MAY AND CABARET VOLTAIRE, EDINBURGH ON 26 MAY WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEBOYWHOTRAPPEDTHESUN

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 37

MUSIC

2010

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As Stone Temple Pilots return with their first album in nine years, Scott Weiland explains the difficulty of hauling himself out from under history's bootheels

STP's frontman reflects on the San Diego quartet's discography so far Core (1992) With our first album we definitely knew what we were doing; we had our own studio and produced our own demos – we’d sell ‘em at our shows. But to get going with the process of making an album for a major label was a new thing. Brendan [O’Brien] was a new, up-and-coming producer at the time, so I think we both had much to prove and the songs on the record were very indicative of the live show, we played a lot back then.

Choice cut: Plush Purple (1994) By the second album we grew exponentially and started exploring different sounds; you might have had a monster riff but it would be recorded through a little Supro Amp. Purple was all about just trying to branch out artistically, like our heroes had.

Choice cut: Vasoline

Interview Dave Kerr Photo Chapman Baehler “I’ve wrestled with convictions. And I’ve settled with the tide.”

— Scott Weiland, Transmissions From a Lonely Room IT’S been a well-documented life of excess for Scott Weiland in his 42 years so far: having endured addiction, jail, bereavement and divorce, the kind of vice and tragedy that has historically broken so many of his contemporaries has merely tested the resolve of the Stone Temple Pilots frontman.

As his recently reformed band gears up to return with their first album in almost a decade, Weiland’s ready for the critics who’ll throw rocks. “People always like to use great headlines,” he observes of the press-led sensationalism which has notoriously dogged him, relating it to the cuttings for his most recent solo album (2009’s lo-fi “Happy” In Galoshes).

“I’ve seen one which read ‘Mr Self Destruction,’ that could easily have come out in 1997. My life hasn’t been that way since the early 2000s.”

Despite his pursuit of a cleaner lifestyle than that which he became infamous for during those formative years with STP – one of the most divisive bands thrust forth by the alt rock wave of the early 90s – Weiland’s clearly still breaking away from the shackles of that past. “I’ve been off heroin for seven years now,” he affirms. “I never went back but that was my bane for so long; for 13 years that kept me locked and I could never really overcome it. But there’s still this misconception that I’m this junkie.

I think people like to paint me as this Pete Doherty kinda guy.” Identifying the popular media’s need for a whipping boy rather than rubbishing Doherty’s creative output, Weiland is quick to champion the troubled Libertine. “I think he’s talented, he’s a really good poet and musician. What he and Carl did with Libertines is quite amazing – they had a real Clash sensibility going on.”

Weiland, however, hasn’t been entirely impervious to the odd relapse; derailed by the loss of his brother Michael to a drug overdose in 2007, it was a new medication that set him back. “I definitely found myself going to the bottle a bit for comfort,” he admits.

“I’ve never been a big drinker… never saw that as something that could become a problem.” Although

the ill-fated Velvet Revolver provided a distraction for five and a half of the intervening years since Stone Temple Pilots’ initial parting of ways in 2003, a subsequent stint in rehab and announcement of an STP reunion on the eve of an Australian tour brought about the eventual collapse of his union with Axl Rose’s former compatriots in 2008, which the singer unceremoniously announced onstage in Glasgow during their last tour.

Today, Weiland is tactful and reticent in discussing

TUMBLE IN THE ROUGH

Weiland's old bandmate Slash speaks his mind on the demise of Velvet Revolver and the need to go solo "I needed my space. I needed to do something on my own, at first for the fun of it but also to get away from the damn politics of record companies and all the static that goes along with that. The last year of Velvet Revolver – the last record that we did with Scott Weiland – was a little bit tumultuous, so I definitely needed a personal creative outlet. It’s not a permanent thing, I don’t want to be a solo guy; I just needed to see what I was made of on my own.

I’m rehearsing some Velvet Revolver songs now – we wrote some cool songs and I’m not going to deny that – but I don’t think we necessarily got on with Scott as well as we probably should have if we were going to make the relationship work. Let’s put it this way: I love Scott to death, but I definitely love him more not being in a band with him. He was always the best in STP and I think anybody will admit that.

Although he did a great job – especially on the first record – with us, I think, through good and bad, those guys belong together."

READ OUR FULL INTERVIEW WITH SLASH ONLINE AT WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK. HIS SOLO ALBUM IS RELEASED VIA ROADRUNNER ON 10 MAY

the acrimonious – and very public – fallout. “I look back on it fondly and it’s a shame that it ended the way it did,” he recalls. “STP wasn’t meant to get in the way of another Velvet Revolver record. Slash and I were always straight with each other, and if it looked like there was going to be a reunion with Guns N’ Roses to do festivals that summer, it wouldn’t have bothered me. I always thought that would have been a good idea.”

With Velvet Revolver now firmly in the rear view, reconvening with the brothers DeLeo and Eric Kretz was “like having a family reunion,” says Weiland. “Everyone’s grown up and matured a lot.

There was definitely unfinished business, especially because there are so many fans and the legacy just continued.” And how did it feel, trying on that old fedora? “It felt great; those songs endured and I think everybody realised that after being away for a while.

We probably toured a couple of months too long, just playing the hits set. Making a new record was the natural course to take and there was good material to be excited about. It’s much more fun – much more satisfying, now – to be going out there with a new album.” Offering a rich crossbreed of arena-ready hard rock with snarling punk attitude, their selftitled return is no shrinking violet up against their canon.

So how does STP 2010 ultimately differ from the first go-round – a period Weiland affectionately refers to as “rock-and-roll hell on wheels”? “We still take the same approach to how we play live; we sweat and bleed – whatever happens, 100% goes into it. It’s our personal side of life which has changed and made things mellower; we aren’t as self-seeking as we used to be.”

Keen to preserve the legacy while keeping an eye on the future, Weiland suggests chapter two of the STP story will be about considered longevity, following the examples of their peers. “I’d like to think we have a lot of music to make. I don’t really have the aspiration to be that touring act like, say, Aerosmith – they’re on the road constantly. I’ve done so much of that, I feel like it’s more about pacing. I think there’s something admirable about the way that, say, the Chili Peppers tour, where they take time off, pace their tours and repeat that cycle. You don’t burn out that way.”

Tiny Music...Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop (1996) For Tiny Music we all moved into this mansion where we lived while we recorded what would end up as this really lo-fi record. The songs were much different; it was quite a departure from Purple, even. This was actually the first record that we got some major critical praise for.

Choice cut: Trippin’ On a Hole In a Paper Heart No4 (1999) On No4 we kind of wanted to go back to basics and make a real rock’n’roll record again, although it did have this song called Sour Girl which became a big hit and – independently – was a departure for us.

Besides that detour, the main vibe of this record was to get back to basics.

Choice cut: Heaven & Hot Rods Shangri-La Dee Da (2001) With Shangri-La Dee Da we wanted to push the envelope completely; I brought in a lot of my own personal influences from my first solo album and we made more of an artistic presentation. Unfortunately, I don’t think the first single – Days Of The Week – was chosen correctly. It was very poppy for a typical STP first single; I think that had an effect. It also coincided with Napster’s rise when people started downloading; it didn’t get the same chance, commercially speaking, as our other records.

Choice cut: Regeneration STONE TEMPLE PILOTS IS RELEASED VIA ATLANTIC ON 24 MAY.

WWW.STONETEMPLEPILOTS.COM

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 39

MUSIC

Tied to the Nineties

BETWEEN THE LINES

RECORDS

THE DIRTY DOZEN

Niall: Well, we’ve identified the market for it!

Iain: Can we just give that a no-score ‘cos we’re not cool enough?

They're loud, they're fierce and with that we'd have guessed very opinionated.

Paul Mitchell hauls May's singles to Bronto Skylift's Glasgow rehearsal room to find the duo endlessly fascinated by the dark art of the press release Niall Strachan (Vocals/Guitar) Iain Stewart (Drums) Liars - Overachievers (Mute Records, 24 May) Niall [five seconds in]: I’m thinking 80s Matchbox [B-Line Disaster] here.

Iain: It’s got a Queens Of The Stone Age feel to it, particularly with that false ending there.

Niall: Nine out of ten. Can you say this was a very close runner up?

Blighters - Heartbeat (Hungry Audio, 10 May) Niall: More 80s revival bullshit?

Iain [ten seconds in]: Turn that off, it’s Club Tropicana Niall: Off... STRAIGHT OFF. Same guys that manage Guillemots I see, so they’re probably actually able to... buy food. Zero.

Iain: Who are Guillemots?

Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lockpickers - When You Left Me (Lucky Number Nine Records, 24 May) Iain [reading press release]: A ‘Doom Wop’ epic, what’s Doom Wop? Fucking hell, this says it’s about the night the guy’s dad died!

Paul: Jacob and the chap on keys were in Uncle John and Whitelock - brilliant band.

Iain: A nice ‘ending’ song, maybe for the closing credits of The Full Monty?

Niall: What? For when you whop your cock out?

Iain: Doom Whop it out? The organ’s nice, very Nick Cave. Seven.

SINGLE OF THE MONTH: Scream Club - Break You Nice (Crunks Not Dead/Rock Machine Records, 17 May) Niall [on intro]: That’s a pretty mean female vocal there: ‘I’m gonna bite your cock off and stuff it up your arse.’

Iain: It’s like Evil Beverly Hills Cop Music. Beverly Hills Rapist.

Niall: [snarls a depraved version of Axel F along with the beat] This is a song I’d masturbate to.

Iain: There’s a bit of Depeche Mode going on, nice.

Niall: It’s got rapping as well, fuck. What’s next, ‘cos whatever it is won’t be as good as this.

Iain: Can’t be. That’s a ten. Awesome.

The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio (4AD, 3 May) Niall: Ooh, these guys are on 4AD, this should be half decent.

Iain: Moody intro. This sounds kinda promising.

Niall: Like Johnny Cash if he was in an 80s revival band.

Iain: I can see this song having a good video. Maybe in the desert, driving a fast car...

Niall: ...Picking up a serial killer, fucking hedgehogs and shit. I think my girlfriend would like this.Those lyrics are dark.

Iain: That’s the best ending to a song so far. Solid eight.

Slow Club - Giving Up On Love (Moshi Moshi, 24 May) Niall: I saw these guys a while ago. The girl plays the drums by hitting a chair.

[Song starts with meaty drum kick, definitely not a chair] Niall: Oh! I feel quite happy listening to this. It sounds as though it could go on a tampax advert.

Iain: Nah, it’s more a yogurt soundtrack. If Petit Filous are going to add a ‘crunch corner’ this is the tune to soundtrack it, that’s why I’m giving it an eight.

80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster - Blood and Fire (Black Records, 17 May) Niall [ten seconds in]: This could be a winner. It’s already better than anything else we’ve heard. He’s singing like Captain Beefheart.

Iain: It started off well, heavy, engaging, but the chorus is boring, it peaked too early.

Niall: Start: cool; end: cool; middle: guff! They pussied out. Seven.

Foals - This Orient (Warner Music UK, 3 May) Niall [reading press release]: ‘Ambiguously triumphant, identity in flux, mercurial cultures’? Are all press releases this full of it? Can we take marks off for being pretentious?

Iain: It’s got a really nice verse. Some interesting sounds going on but the chorus is bland.

Niall: It’s a good idea but that chorus could be Miley Cyrus.

Iain: This is a four... makes me want to give Liars a higher mark now.

Night Noise Team - You Won (Permwhale Recordings, 17 May) Niall: [Enamoured with press release]: ‘Inspired by a pub conversation about a 1962 French film’? This is going to be dogshit.

Iain: We’re back in the nineties, with R Kelly.

Niall: It’s fucking Will Smith. Or Edinburgh’s answer to the Pet Shop Boys.

Iain [now with press release]: Compared to Arab Strap, Scissor Sisters, Bowie and Belle and Sebastian?

Niall: Jesus Christ – no! Will Smith! This is what happens when they let people on day release into the studio.

Drivel. Stop it now.

Iain: Wonder if that’s Jazzy Jeff on the trumpets. Two out of ten. One for the trumpets, and one for the porn film it’s gonna soundtrack.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ASHLEY GOOD

State Broadcasters - Dusty Record Collection (Electric Honey, available for download in May) Niall: A Glasgow band? I might have to keep my mouth shut.

Iain [ten seconds in]: I like this already. Sounds a bit like Belle and Sebastian, so you’ll be OK to slag them off Niall, they’re probably too twee to take offence.

Niall: Yeah, but there’s probably about twelve in the band!

Iain: They seem very well brought up! Six.

Villa Nah - Running On (Moshi Moshi, 10 May) Iain: Sounds a bit like Beck.

Niall: Vice magazine says it’s cool; so this must be what cool people dance to at cool parties in London.

Iain: The kind where you can still talk to each other while the music is on and say “Hey, how are you? I run a record label. Do you want to sniff some coke? Let’s swap dresses.”

Niall: From Finland via Shoreditch, and yet it’s not going anywhere.

Paul: Any thoughts on the music?

Dan Sartain - Atheist Funeral (One Little Indian, 10 May) Niall: Another song about death? [song starts] Iain: Rockabilly death?

Niall: So, what’s this, the 80s Rockabilly revival featuring Elvis Costello? I dunno, I must have read the word ‘revival’ somewhere today and I’m just working my issues out...

Iain: This sounds more like what ‘doom wop’ should be than that other song. We’re doom wop connoisseurs now, we should know.

I’m giving it eight, I liked it.

BRONTO SKYLIFT LAUNCH THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, THE WHITE CROW, AT THIS IS MUSIC’S FOURTH BIRTHDAY PARTY, SNEAKY PETE’S, EDINBURGH ON 10 MAY WWW.MYSPACE.COM/BRONTOSKYLIFT

EP REVIEWS TEAM GHOST

YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG TO ME EP 3 MAY, SONIC CATHEDRAL

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EAGLEOWL

NIGHT BATS EP

3 MAY, KILTER

17 MAY, SONG, BY TOAD

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It shouldn’t take long to join the dots between Team Ghost and electro French star-gazers M83. Both use similar artwork and typefaces as well as epic guitar chords that sound like a rock deity strutting over neon skyscrapers at sunrise.

Nicolas Fromageau is the deciding link, an original member of M83, leaving after their breakthrough album Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts, hence the new moniker. This seven track EP neatly encompasses lovelorn electro pulses on opener Lonely, Lonely, Lonely as well as towering, shoe-gaze paced guitar on A Glorious Time, before the all-out blistering rocket ride of Only You Can Break My Heart cements things. A confident first contact indeed. [Darren Carle]

Moody and atmospheric, Eagleowl deliver a complex and weighty EP with Into the Fold. Bookended by the doleful title track and sombre but triumphant No Conjunction, it would be easy to call this ‘pensive, dark indie-folk’. Asserting this slogan (though it may be true) sells the Edinburgh quartet short, as it fails to take into account that with their varied palette – most particularly in the (relatively) cheery Morpheus – Eagleowl create a lush and engaging sound that, whilst down-tuned, is never dreary. Another credit to the understated outfit is the use of stirring strings, ringing bells and ghostly backing vocals sparingly employed. Another nuanced, rewarding release which reveals more dimensions to its character with each return. [Jason Morton]

TEAM GHOST PLAY 13TH NOTE, GLASGOW ON 2 JUN

EAGLEOWL PLAY THE ROXY ART HOUSE, EDINBURGH ON 30 APR AND THE FLYING DUCK, GLASGOW ON 1 MAY

40 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

LOCH LOMOND

INTO THE FOLD

Portland has roughly half a million inhabitants, and surveys reveal that approximately four hundred thousand of them are in dead good bands (citation needed). Should Loch Lomond tire of Stumptown’s crowded music scene, they’d fit in nicely on this side of the Atlantic – and not just because of the Scotphilia hinted at in their name. Their chosen aesthetic is rife these days: taking cues from Loch Lomond’s fellow countrymen (and touring partners) The Decemberists, pocket-orchestra dramatists line the cobbles of Edinburgh, and Night Bats would establish an expatriate Loch Lomond’s credentials perfectly. The opening Ghost Of An Earthworm stomps in tenderly, while Wax and Wire wanes out splendidly – taking our affections with it. [Chris Buckle] LOCH LOMOND PLAY WITH MEURSAULT AT MONO, GLASGOW ON 19 MAY AND WITH SAM AMIDON AT QUEEN CHARLOTTE ROOMS, EDINBURGH ON 22 MAY

Records

The Eyes Have It After a quiet 2009, Band of Horses return with Infinite Arms this month. Ben Bridwell lightens up on being the focus of attention and tells us why ‘shitcoms’ are the way forward Interview Darren Carle We live in strange times. As our exposure to new music increases exponentially, actual record buying is at risk of becoming antiquated – or so we’re told. The stock rebuttal to this is usually to point to the rise in ticket sales, as the increasing physical isolation of the internet makes us seek more of a tangible community.

It’s certainly food for thought for most artists, and Band of Horses main man Ben Bridwell is no different.

However, it seems that for Bridwell, technology is even encroaching detrimentally on the live arena.

“The biggest thing that got me at first, which was really unnerving, was that everyone was filming,” Bridwell responds to the initial exposure they received with 2006’s Everything All The Time.

“Everyone had a device in their hands, so instead of watching the show, they were watching it through a viewfinder.” However, it’s something that Bridwell, known for berating such fans in the past, has come

Track-By-Track:

band of horses infinite arms Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell offers an exclusive insight into the heart of their forthcoming third album

to terms with. “If you’re going to get grumpy about it then you’re just going to ruin the time for everybody,” he reasons. “So I just try to look for anybody in the crowd who is enjoying themselves with their own eyeballs.”

Talking from Brussels before the second show of a whistle-stop European tour, Bridwell should have no shortage of both types of observers. Critical praise and commercial success have followed them from the beginning, yet surprisingly their path here – which may rankle with other musicians – doesn’t phase Bridwell in the slightest. “I feel pretty fucking great about it actually,” he beams on the topic of his music being used extensively in television and advertising.

In part, Bridwell blames this change on the erosion in the quality of American radio, which he describes with colloquial charm as “garbage”. He continues; “It’s really hard for independent artists or smaller bands to get noticed on the radio, much less sell records, so luckily things like shit sitcoms and movies

Factory I was listening to a lot of Nick Drake and was really enamoured by the string arrangements in his songs.

Also, I was trying to make it a bit dramatic sounding in a Bittersweet Symphony kinda way.

Compliment This was a song we recorded three times before we actually got the style that we wanted. It was all live in the studio except for the vocals. I’ve seen people leaving comments that the song sounds really produced when we just did it three times and chose a live version of it. I don’t know how you can over-produce that.

Laredo I went to this cabin in Minnesota at the Canadian border and three or four of the songs on this record all came from the same four-day trip up there. I was just staring out at the lake for a couple of days and this one just kind of came out of nowhere.

Blue Beard Bill Reynolds (bassist) played me a demo of Blue Beard that he recorded at home and I threw some vocals on it and played with the structure. I ended up playing drums on that one which is really strange because I’m a terrible drummer.

Way Back Home A lot of people reference the Beach Boys with this

are becoming the new radio for us over there.” That Bridwell takes to these new avenues with open arms belies the idea of the grumpy Luddite that some may foolishly expect. “At the end of the day, people who maybe wouldn’t have heard of our band, they get to hear us. Any way you can get it out there is positive in my book.”

More traditionally, the third Band of Horses album, Infinite Arms, is on the horizon after a relatively quiet 2009 where Bridwell enjoyed some “down-time” with his wife and child. Since the band relocated from Seattle to Bridwell's native South Carolina. It also marks their first for Columbia Records, their previous albums having been released by the influential Sub Pop. It’s not the only change according to Bridwell.

“It’s a much more of a collaborative effort,” he asserts.

“Everybody’s been chipping in ideas and in some cases, chipping in entire songs that they’ve written and even sang lead on, so there’s an obvious progression there.”

song without us even telling them that when we went to mix it we actually went to the studio where the Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds.

Infinite Arms This song deals a lot with the major theme of the record, and being the title track that’s maybe a little obvious, but this is one I’m not quite ready to unveil the mask on. But I can tell you that it almost didn’t make the record.

Dilly I’m always wrong about what’s going to be the first single and I thought that this would be a good one to at least leak to blogs and shit like that because it’s just so upbeat and a bit different for us. It has a doo-wop feel which is a new horizon for Band of Horses.

Evening Kitchen This is completely written by Tyler Ramsay (guitarist). He sent me a demo of the music, I recorded vocals on top of it and it was embarrassingly bad but luckily he had the foresight to record his own vocals and lyrics.

Older This is a song of Ryan Munroe’s (keyboardist) which he wrote quite a way back and we’ve been playing it live for a long time. Like Evening Kitchen it showcases the other members, which has been my main goal

And with the band largely assuming the producer’s mantle, Bridwell feels they have been free to colour over the edges, even if only a little. “Because we took the reins and ended up producing the album, we really got to stretch our boundaries without anyone refereeing the session. We could do whatever we wanted. We could get weird if we wanted!” However, he reassures us that things didn’t get too crazy during those sessions. “Maybe it’s not ‘Animal Collective weird’, but for us it was definitely outside of our normal parameters.”

Fans can judge for themselves by catching the band live, camcorder in hand or otherwise, when they play Glasgow in June. “Yeah, we’re really looking forward to it,” says Bridwell with an enthusiasm that permeates our entire conversation. Is there anything he’d like to say to those coming along? “Um, come and say ‘hi’ if you see me,” he suggests. If you really are looking for that ‘connection’ to the music you love, that’s an offer you really can’t refuse.

with this record.

For Annabelle This is a homage to my daughter, as at the time of writing my wife was pregnant with our first child and I guess impending fatherhood was probably the main influence or inspiration for the song. Also, Tyler wrote the intro in five seconds.

N.W. Apt. I had the music down for this as a demo but I couldn’t figure out what to sing on it basically and I think I just went to mine the territory of living in Seattle and some of the situations that revolved around that time.

To me it’s comedic but I don’t know if anyone will ever get what the fuck I’m talking about ‘cos it’s done in my usual way of masking the actual content of what’s really going on.

Neighbor I was messing with this synth guitar thing and I can’t play piano at all but with the synth guitar I could make guitar shapes and piano sounds would come out, so I just wrote in a little journal while staring out at that lake again.

Infinite Arms is released via Columbia on 18 May. Band of Horses play Bellahouston Park, Glasgow on 12 June. Visit www.theskinny.co.uk for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the gig. http://bandofhorses.com/

May 2010

THE SKINNY 41

RECORDS

ALBUM OF THE MONTH: THE NATIONAL

HIGH VIOLET 10 MAY, 4AD

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Opening High Violet with typical command, Terrible Love shivers with talk of the quiet company of spiders before building gradually into a vast epic. On Sorrow, Matt Berninger sounds caught between weariness and untapped romantic hope, his rich baritone helping lines like “cover me in rag and bones… because I don’t want to get over you” convey heartbreak and

tenderness, jointly and with ambiguity. Bloodbuzz Ohio, meanwhile, is a passionate centrepiece, the moment when High Violet makes another of those near imperceptible shifts, this time taking their fifth album from fansatisfier to classic.The accolade is confirmed by standout Runaway, over bass-drum couplets that pulse like a heartbeat, Berninger lets emotions break through while brass builds with devastating beauty, multiple listens never paling their arrival’s impact. As Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks brings High Violet to its own beautiful dusk, the bold grandeur and breathtaking finesse of The National’s current form is unmistakable. [Chris Buckle] WWW.AMERICANMARY.COM

ALBUM REVIEWS SILVER COLUMNS

DEFTONES

LAZER CRYSTAL

YES AND DANCE

DIAMOND EYES

MCMLXXX

31 MAY, MOSHI MOSHI

3 MAY, WARNER BROS

10 MAY, THRILL JOCKEY

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You’ll read many reviews of this record emphasising the 2+2=5 surprise of The Pictish Trail and Adem teaming up to produce sleek disco music. In actual fact, Adem has long been associated with London laptop stars like Four Tet and Hot Chip, while Johnny Lynch is certainly no studio slouch. It’s best to forget Silver Columns’ respective CVs and enjoy Yes And Dance for what it is: a giddy, carefree rush of electro-pop. Brow Beaten and Cavalier, which have been bubbling up online for months now, are both unpretentious, wonderfully camp dancefloor hits – like Hercules & Love Affair interlaced with Mr Hopkinson’s Computer. But there’s subtlety to be found in more meditative cuts like Heart Murmurs and Columns, and fresh adrenalin to be extracted from the robotic title track and the warp-speed It Is Still You. Day jobs? Silver Columns may have to give them up for the time being, anyway. [Nick Mitchell] SILVER COLUMNS PLAY THE JD SET AT ABC2 ON 12 JUN. FOR A CHANCE TO SEE THEM REHEARSE GO TO WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK/COMPETITIONS WWW.SILVERCOLUMNS.COM

MIKE PATTON

With long-awaited album Eros on indefinite hold, Diamond Eyes proves that Deftones are still in the game and swinging for the fences – stand-in bass player or no. The first four tracks set a blistering pace as churning riffs transition relentlessly into fret-burning breakdowns, all the while Chino deploying his wounded croon and lacerating howl with an intensity that remains impressively undiminished. The pace gets reined in on tracks like Beauty School and the disarmingly beatific Sextape but there’s real depth even in the album’s most diaphanous passages, even if it does feel like knob-twiddling fifth member Frank Delgado is somewhat under-used for the duration. The hugely stirring 976-EVIL proves that no one does the atmospheric pop-metal thing quite like Deftones and although the band could be taking more creative risks at this stage in their career, the proof really is in the pudding: this is an album you will blast again and again. [Mark Shukla]

Lazer Crystal are three electro-futurists who hail from Chicago, and their big thing — in case you hadn’t guessed — is lasers. Boy oh boy, do they love lasers. From what we can gather it makes for a truly mind-blowing live show, but the problem with MCMLXXX (it adds up to 1980 in Roman numerals) is that you’ll most likely be listening to it in your bedroom, or on your iPod while you pop out to buy cigarettes; i.e., in predominately laser-free environments. Still, while you may not be getting the full experience, Lazer Crystal’s psychotropic electro fug is heady enough in places; singer Mikale De Graff’s discombobulated vocal tones lend a certain robotic eeriness to Lame Duck and National Handbag, while 2029, the nine-minute instrumental epic that closes the album, is a bugged-out head rush that Holy Fuck would be proud of. But however well it works on record, it’ll always sound better live. With the lasers and that. [Barry Nicolson]

WWW.GUNSRAZORSKNIVES.COM

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/LAZERCRYSTAL

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

GAYNGS

MONDO CANE

THIS IS HAPPENING

RELAYTED

3 MAY, IPECAC

17 MAY, EMI

17 MAY, JAGJAGUWAR

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Musically, there’s not much ground that Mike Patton hasn’t covered, and yet it was with a pang of delicious surprise that we welcomed the news of Mondo Cane: an ambitious project to reinterpret 50s & 60s Italian pop songs with the backing of a 30-piece orchestra and choir. On paper that conceit may sound overwrought, and while Patton’s bombast pitches into histrionics on a few occasions there is for the most part a delightful lightness of touch to both the arrangements and Patton’s extraordinary Italian-language performance. By turns uproarious and moving (and often both at once), Patton’s gift for invoking this kind of delirious technicolour madness has rarely sounded as good as it does when pinioned by such glorious pop hooks. Mondo Cane is a rare achievement ‒ an adventurous reinterpretation of timeless oldies which will no doubt serve as a rapturous soundtrack to the heady summer months. [Mark Shukla]

Inevitably, LCD Soundsystem’s third album isn’t on a par with their second, but it’d be virtually impossible to match Sound of Silver’s expert meshing of motion and emotion all over again. But there are four songs on the heavily Berlin-era Bowie-influenced This Is Happening where James Murphy and co. reach similar standards. There’s an ecstatic 20-minute stretch featuring One Touch’s juxtaposition of girl and robot, rough noise and fluid bass, All I Want’s redeemable Heroes tribute, and Change’s Low-like piston-disco; and then final track Home builds towards a fittingly celebratory conclusion. In between those highlights are three duds: the clichéd third-album music biz whinge Hit, the witless ramble Pow Pow, and the sedated Nightclubbing rip Somebody’s Calling Me. Perhaps it’s just because they dominate the second side, but that flatline suggests Murphy may be about to run out of ideas. With This Is Happening Murphy says he’s hanging up his LCD boots, and he’s doing it just before he loses his edge. [Ally Brown]

Gayngs’ roots lie in, of all places, 10cc. Producer Ryan Olson started the project — which features members of Megafaun, Bon Iver, Doomtree, and about a million other acts — after listening to the Mancunian soft-rockers’ I’m Not In Love one too many times. You can hear the influence not only on their cover of Godley & Creme’s Cry, but in the fact that everything on Relayted has been strictly recorded at a funereal 69 beats per minute, or the speed at which Celine Dion makes tea. The effect is an intentionally dirgey and exceptionally strange album that sounds like pop music being played on a malfunctioning tape deck and demands multiple listens, just to work out what the hell is going on. Dipping its toe in everything from soft-rock to hip-hop to R&B and sixties soul, the songs all manage the trick of sounding roughly the same, completely unique, and uniformly superb. [Barry Nicolson]

WWW.IPECAC.COM

READ THE FULL REVIEW ONLINE AT WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK

WWW.GAYNGS.NET

FLYING LOTUS

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

COCOROSIE

COSMOGRAMMA

FORGIVENESS ROCK RECORD

GREY OCEANS

3 MAY, WARP

3 MAY, ARTS & CRAFTS

3 MAY , SUB POP / PIAS

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Cosmogramma begins with sledgehammer beats, but quickly mutates. A wafting haze of analogue clicks and dust permeate the veins of this intriguing record, lending it an atmosphere of timelessness and vintage that belies the complex arrangements and insistent, digital pulses of its many standout tracks.

Perhaps the most accessible is the Thom Yorke-assisted ‒ And The Whole World Laughs With You ‒ a lush, faded slice of trip-hop that drifts in and out of coherence like a hallucination. Experimental jazz is encoded in every note of Cosmogramma, where the distinctions between tracks begin to blur; FlyLo plays with structure with virtuosity and flair, channelling the Coltranes, Sun Ra and John Zorn, all the while blending in the textures of innovative bass music. An ambitious, challenging album from a sonic visionary, proving FlyLo is virtually peerless ‒ perhaps only Brainfeeder labelmate Daedelus can touch him. Not for those who enjoy verse-chorus-verse or four-on-the-floor – but true aesthetes will devour Comsogramma with relish. [Bram Gieben]

Some things are worth waiting for; five years on from their eponymous third album, Broken Social Scene remain one of them. The Canadian collective haven’t really been away as such; there have been side-projects, solo albums and tours aplenty. But the cosmic dream-pop alignment that occurs only when all 73 (or however many) are in the same studio together has been sorely missed. Forgiveness Rock Record is all anybody could have hoped for. Courtesy of John McEntire’s bombastic production, it’s probably their most accessible album yet, but even your inner-hipster won’t be able to turn its nose up at the lucid musical dream of World Sick, or the sparse, haunted falsetto melody of Sweetest Kill. Musically, Forgiveness Rock Record is a disparate collection – a power-pop anthem here, some futuristic montage music there – but the common thread that holds it all together are fourteen beautiful, joyous songs rendered in phosphene-inducing technicolour. [Barry Nicolson]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/FLYINGLOTUS

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE PLAY T IN THE PARK, BALADO ON 10 JUL

42 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

Grey Oceans – the fourth album from the US-born, Paris-based sisters Casady – is a schizophrenic and intense tug o’ war. Eerie opening track Trinity’s Crying curtly recalls the duo’s ethereal vocals as they weave around spoken word sections, eastern percussion, jazz piano and children’s toys – complemented by harps and slithering strings. Smokey’s Taboo boasts harsh and otherworldly story-telling lines (think Björk circa Post) while the honky-tonk piano of Hopscotch gives way to swish electro beats and soaring vocals. The album’s title track features poignant lines to melt even the most cynical heart. R.I.P. Bum Face belies its adolescent title to reveal a measured mixture of sounds where vocoder voices mesh well with glockenspiels and rumbling synthetic percussion.

Grey Oceans highlights CocoRosie’s ability to mix any genre that catches their ear, using any instrument they can get their hands on, leaving us with another characteristically enchanting and delightfully weird LP. [Lauren Mayberry] COCOROSIE PLAY CLASSIC GRAND, GLASGOW ON 12 MAY. SEE THESKINNY.CO.UK/COMPETITIONS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN TICKETS

MEURSAULT

ALL CREATURES WILL MAKE MERRY 25 MAY, SONG, BY TOAD

rrr Meursault’s brilliant debut Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues surprised us all by striding into the spotlight in 2008. Inevitably, follow-up LP All Creatures Will Make Merry finds the Auld Reekie outfit staring down the threat of expectation. The opening salvo of Payday and Crank Resolutions sets off promisingly, building on a whirl of keys which accelerates alongside Neil Pennycook’s shivering cries. But from here the record wallows in folky toils – like Weather and One Day This’ll All Be Fields – that, although charming in tone, lack the atmospheric glow of their live outings – a glitch which owes a lot to the album’s frustratingly hazy production. Despite the lulls, the band still pull off some significant moments; string-driven closer A Fair Exchange is an opulent weep, while New Ruin’s hypnotic percussion and gnarling effects ranks close to a career high. Not quite the predicted leap forward then, All Creatures... feels more of a restrained step sideways. [Billy Hamilton] MEURSAULT PLAY MONO, GLASGOW ON 19 MAY AND THIS IS MUSIC AT SNEAKY PETE’S, EDINBURGH ON 21 MAY

GANGLIANS

SAGE FRANCIS

RECORDS CLUBS

ALBUM REVIEWS STEVE MASON

LI(F)E

BOYS OUTSIDE

10 MAY, ANTI-RECORDS

3 MAY , DOUBLE SIX

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Hip-hop isn’t dead, but it seems that any half-way sensible rapper feels a need to assert their relevance and adaptability into shifting musical landscapes. So the fact that the entire accompaniment on rap-laureate Francis’s new album comes from such alumni as Death Cab for Cutie, Calexico, Califone and DeVotchka is a surprise from the rapper who “never could get with guitar riff”. Never one for a cheap gimmick – the odd prank phone call excluded – the coupling works perfectly. For those not in the know (shame!), Sage is an utterly critical wordsmith, dropping flabbergasting flows, bridging raw emotional wisdom and searing imagery. No surprise, then, that Li(f)e is beautiful, sublime and epic; sweeping strings, mournful slide guitar and maracas trump MPC production anytime. He’s not “trying to be a rock star like it’s his last hope” and despite the distraction of going steady with his own label, this ranks amongst Sage’s finest work. [Ali Maloney]

The post-split material released by ex-Beta Band members has been almost as enigmatic as the group’s seminal output on their three EPs and albums.

Singer Steve Mason kept the BB’s haphazard dedication to esoterica alive with the hip-hop-inflected King Biscuit Time then the electro sleaze of Black Affair. After shelving both projects before they reached any kind of maturity, he’s dropped the aliases and almost all sonic superfluities for Boys Outside – ten tracks of Mason’s plaintive voice, guitars and placid rhythms. Single All Come Down announced this new style and remains an ethereal highlight, with Mason echoing like a lone cosmic choirboy over a Massive Attack beat.

Producer Richard X doesn’t add any of the expected high-gloss finish, instead leaving only honest, almost uncomplicated structures and some damn fine tunes. Recording under autonym doesn’t give an artist anywhere to hide, but Mason seems untroubled by this: Boys Outside is an endearingly personal and sporadically enchanting experience. [Euan Ferguson]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SAGEFRANCIS

WWW.STEVEMASONTHEARTIST.COM

FUTURE ISLANDS

MELISSA AUF DER MAUR

MONSTER HEAD ROOM

IN EVENING AIR

OUT OF OUR MINDS

10 MAY, WOODSIST

3 MAY, THRILL JOCKEY

3 MAY, ROADRUNNER

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Acid folk, psychedelic lo-fi, forest pop. Brand them how you will ‒ Ganglians couldn’t care less. The Sacramento ensemble’s latest offering Monster Head Room is as absurd as its moniker. Dipped in honey smothered harmonies and blessed with more hooks than a Peter Pan casting session, this is a record that sees out hazy, smoke-filled nights.

Slow-building opener Voodoo surfs in with a languid, infectious bassline and swelling Hawaiian rhythm before finishing with orchestral aplomb.

Lost Words’ hand-clapping breeze and the tireless carousel of Candy Girl continue the thrill, veering headlong into Valiant Brave’s Tarantinofuelled rollick. Of course, such blinding pace has to relent and cuts like 100 Years and Cryin’ Smoke flap along as nothing more than mid-album stodge. But any longstanding discontent is washed off by the cosmic jangles of closer Try To Understand. On form like this, Ganglians are just how they like it: defiantly indescribable. [Billy Hamilton]

From the opening refrain of Baltimore trio Future Islands’ official sophomore release we’re met by the rabid growl of singer and lynchpin J. Gerritt Welmers, at times sounding as though the tendons of his neck are tearing with each guttural surge. Beyond Welmers’ goose bump-inducing whorl, In Evening Air is a rough cut of rusting synthesis set between the sub-base shimmer of 808 kicks and neon chimes, as found on the superb, John Hughes-styled 80s homage of Tin Man. In fact, it’s hard to find a moment on In Evening Air which doesn’t pay some heavy lip service to the distinctive sound of the Reagan-era America, albeit cut through with some bleeding-edge chaos. It may only span nine tracks – and a mere thirty six minutes – but there’s no question that Future Islands’ electric mix of then-and-now will leave us blissfully content to hold on in their limbo for many moons to come. [Paul Neeson]

Part of a multi-media art project that includes a film, a graphic novel and numerous slightly flaky blog posts, Auf der Maur is aiming high with Out of Our Minds (apparently it’s a concept record about Vikings too) but somehow the music manages to transcend these unwieldy conceits through the sheer impact of its songs. Six-minute leviathan Isis Speaks plays off a hypnotic rock groove against affecting melodies ‒ underpinned by MAdM’s nuanced yet pop-savvy vocal performance; instrumental track Lead Horse brings the jams in fine style ‒ and Meet Me on the Darkside is a smouldering romantic standout that rides a dominating grunge riff before peaking with a delicious harpsichord breakdown. In fact there’s precious little filler here: Glenn Danzig even shows up for an epic rock duet and album closer 1000 Years is earthshakingly intense.

With Out of Our Minds Auf der Maur has definitively made the transition from alt-rock alumnus to serious solo artist. [Mark Shukla]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/GANGLIAN

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/FUTUREISLANDS

XMADMX.COM

FOALS

BAND OF HORSES

SLASH

TOTAL LIFE FOREVER

INFINITE ARMS

SLASH

10 MAY, TRANSGRESSIVE

17 MAY, BROWN RECORDS/COLUMBIA

10 MAY, ROADRUNNER

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Rightly or wrongly, 2008’s debut Foals LP Antidotes – while well-received – was oft-described as a sort of cerebral nu-rave, (as if a ‘smarter Klaxons’ is anything the world ever needed to hear). It’s not a label anyone wants to stick, is it? With that potential for pigeonholing in mind, it appears that in releasing Total Life Forever the Oxford five-piece have built on what in reality was a very promising debut to expand their musical repertoire greatly. Opener Blue Blood grooves in a moody, post-punk manner into the somewhat blingin’ Miami, with its zealous production methods proving a marker for the varied route the rest of the album takes. Whilst straight pop sensibilities abound on 2 Trees and first single The Orient, as a whole Total Life Forever is a testament to clever, complex (and usually schizophrenic – see After Glow) rock-based soundscapes which are pleasantly challenging yet breezily accessible. [Wilbur Kane] FOALS PLAY O2 ABC, GLASGOW ON 2 MAY WWW.FOALS.CO.UK

Band of Horses’ second LP – Cease to Begin – was largely billed as a response to their changing circumstances; the band had left Seattle to settle in South Carolina and the migration spawned a batch of more spacious, Southern Rock infused songs. The glow surrounding Infinite Arms suggests Ben Bridwell’s gang found their feet pretty quickly. An uplifting mood is ushered in by the swooning strings of opener Factory and it’s never more dominant than on lead single Compliments – a bouncing, philosophical ditty. The capriciousness continues on Older, and while it’s harsh to suggest the album suffers at the hands of jollity, it’s slightly stifled by an overriding sense of reservation and light-heartedness. Evening Kitchen provides a few moments of stark beauty and Laredo could have been lifted from at stellar second album, but tracks like On My Way Back Home embody a comfort-induced coma which suggests Band of Horses might need a little shot of adrenaline. [Finbarr Bermingham] BAND OF HORSES SUPPORT SNOW PATROL AT BELLAHOUSTON PARK, GLASGOW ON 12 JUN

It’s not hard to look humble next to Axl Rose, but Slash takes it to new heights by making a bit-part player of himself on his own solo album. Typically the one musical endeavour where egotism is positively encouraged, the former G’n’R guitarist has instead opted to stick to what he knows best (saying nothing, looking awesome, playing like a motherfucker) and leave the vocal duties to a cast of guest stars that includes heroes, contemporaries and the twat from Maroon Five.

It’s unconventional and far from perfect, but more often than not it works; made completely free of pretension and strictly for kicks, this is a straight-ahead hard rock album that knows what it is and revels in it. There are misses, sure – although the Fergie team-up isn’t as bad as you’d think – but when it hits, like on the Iggy Pop-assisted We’re All Gonna Die or the propulsive goth-rock of Ghost, it hits like a beast. [Barry Nicolson]

SLASHONLINE.COM

SWIMMER ONE

DEAD ORCHESTRAS 31 MAY, BIPHONIC

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Shirking expectations multiple times, Swimmer One are as difficult to pin down as a greased-up eel with a mysterious past. What starts in a vaguely disco-Editors vein (if Editors were less pompous and more marvellous) ends in Blue Nile territory, spun around roughly midway by Here’s Your Train, Safe Home’s gentle, wheezy ballad. The duo’s bubbling creativity is best encapsulated by twelve-minute opus The Fakester Resurrection, which starts woozy with cider (its piano-backed spoken-word recalling James Yorkston’s Year of the Leopard cut) then blossoms with strings, only missing a step during a ‘mobile phone ad’ section of disembodied introductions over piano fills. Andrew Eaton’s Scots Bowie voice acts as a compelling anchor throughout Dead Orchestras, and there are similarities in approach and results to Super Furry Animals’ eccentricities (Ghost In The Hotel sounding particularly Radiator-like). Their diversity yields the odd dud amongst the triumphs, but their tech-packed noirpop is frequently remarkable, glowing bright with intelligence. [Chris Buckle]

TOP FIVE ALBUMS

1) THE NATIONAL HIGH VIOLET 2) BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE FORGIVENESS ROCK RECORD

3) STEVE MASON BOYS OUTSIDE 4) FLYING LOTUS COSMOGRAMMA 5) SILVER COLUMNS YES AND DANCE

REVIEWS ONLINE rrr rrr rrrr srr rsr rr rrr srr rrr srr srr srr srr

JJ JJ N°3 CONFLICT DIAMONDS TWO CITY TALES HOLY FUCK LATIN STANLEY ODD ODDIO BORN RUFFIANS SAY IT MOTHER MOTHER O MY HEART TEENAGE FANCLUB SHADOWS KILL THE CAPTAINS FUN ANXIETY UNKLE WHERE DID THE NIGHT FALL VIRUS SYNDICATE THE BREAKOUT TRILOGY CIBELLE LAS VENUS RESORT PALACE HOTEL STONE TEMPLE PILOTS STONE TEMPLE PILOTS PHOSPHORESCENT HERE'S TO TAKING IT EASY

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 43

WOODEN SHJIPS STEREO, 17 MAY

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PHOTO: STEWART FULLERTON

Another sold-out Saturday night at Stereo, and a nice way to launch a short European tour, notwithstanding volcanic ash and aviation aftereffects. This San Francisco quartet waste no time by nosediving headfirst into their pointed take on garage/psych primitivism, a groove-drenched mixture of minimal krautrock and hypnotic non-blues. The songs are marked by a notable thriftiness: needle-drop a loopy line-and-hook, scuzz it out with reverbed vocals and then ricochet onto the next jam. Who needs choruses, or verses for that matter? Especially when your sound is this thick and substantial. Primary influences drift prominently on the twinkling surface: Suicide, VU, 13th Floor Elevators and Loop battle it out, skulland-crossbones waving and canons blazing. Things really begin to heat up half way through, as the audience finally jumps onboard and starts to move.

Ultimately, and perhaps unconsciously, everybody realises that current bands are usually good when they sound just like the old ones. [Eric Ledford]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/WOODENSHJIPS

THE TWILIGHT SAD

THESE NEW PURITANS

02 ABC, 2 APR

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 16 APR

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Take A Worm For A Walk Week have the reputation of perverted lions – unsettling, dangerous - but tonight they’re eccentric puppy-dogs.

They’re still 18-certificated (their “romantic song” comes illustrated with puerile hand gestures as Joe Quimby fists his own hand-gina), but more fun than neophytes might expect.

Tonight, The Twilight Sad are brought to you using ‘quadraphonic sound’ (that’s ‘surround sound’ for those feart of excess syllables). Before they take the stage, voices and distortion encircle the audience like a wagon train attack. It bodes well, but once underway, things sound pretty standard from where I’m situated (though the effect probably depends on location – I’m informed later that standing too close to the rear speakers ain’t pleasant). But if the sound setup is anticlimactic, the

The dark, cavernous Cabaret Voltaire is an apt setting for a Friday evening in the company of These New Puritans. Initiating their demonic set with the antagonistic We Want War, a hornlaced, apocalyptic call to arms, their much hyped 2010 offering, Hidden, is inflicted on an uncertain Edinburgh audience. “We are These New Puritans and always will be,” echoes the monotonous voice of group visionary Jark Barnett before his band recommence their classically informed, gothic psychedelic/dancehall fusion, sparse yet layered with experimental percussion, synthesisers and woodwind (unfortunately sampled rather than live). They play with a sense of a savage pagan world, crashing against the extent of human progress, a conflict heard in the clink of colliding swords, the ear piercing shattering of glass and the awesome boom of double taiko drums (think Akira). Conquering the once sceptical crowd, These New Puritans hail the new age of pessimistic pop. [Rachel Bowles]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THESENEWPURITANS

EYEHATEGOD PHOTOS: KAT GOLLOCK

IVORY BLACKS, 5 APR

rrrr PHOTOS: SARAH ROBERTS

MUSIC

LIVE REVIEWS

performance is anything but. Singer James Graham expresses humble gratitude, but his modesty is the only chink in their cocksure composure. From Reflection Of The Television’s mantras to a colossal closing Cold Days From The Bird House, they brace and stir. Cleaving dense noise into rousing melody, they validate every laudation to date and earn a few more in the process. [Chris Buckle] THE UNWINDING HOURS PLAY SNEAKY PETE’S, EDINBURGH ON 1 MAY AND THE TUNNELS, ABERDEEN ON 21 MAY WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THETWILIGHTSAD

44 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

Prior to kicking off their downtuned set of dejected anthems, band members wholeheartedly encourage the crowd to both “smoke drugs now” and “beat each other up”. Thanks to some misdirected testosterone, violence promptly ensues but quickly dissipates behind a thick fog of slow-motion musical misanthropy. After 20 years plus, these New Orleans natives are still the reigning despots of sludge, continually upholding an original sound which effectively drags and dredges the low-end of metal and hardcore, pushing and pulling their listeners deeper and deeper into a wasted spiral of self-inflicted aural cruelty. As the lengthy performance ends, everyone’s gotten their money’s worth and then some, considering the inclusion of unexpected oldies like Depress, Sisterfucker and Dixie Whiskey from way back when. This is only their second time in Scotland (apparently), and they assure us they’ll definitely be back. If they don’t all end up in prison. Again. [Eric Ledford] WWW.MYSPACE.COM/EYEHATEGOD

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT USHER HALL, 16 APR

rrrr A first half where the more extreme examples of Mr Wainwright’s pretensions were explored – request for complete audience silence, an overwrought entrance/exit and an uninspiring accompanying visual created by Scottish artist Douglas Gordon, surely subtitled Rufus’ Mascara Mania – could have left the impression of a man commodifying his grief (owing to the recent death of his mother, Kate McGarrigle).

However,Wainwright, playing latest album All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu creates an atmosphere in which the plangent tones of

songs such as opener Who Are You New York and the elegant Zebulon achieve a moving sense of stark resonance. A much-livened second half is punctuated by Wainwright’s wit and remarkable showmanship – deliciously skewering an unfavourable Telegraph review – with faithfully powerful versions of older songs like Grey Gardens, Poses and The Art Teacher culminating in a touching version of McGarrigle’s 1977 ballad The Walking Song. [Paul Mitchell]

WWW.RUFUSWAINWRIGHT.COM

MUSIC

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MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 45

Highlights

by Mark Shukla

Featuring former members of the much missed Uncle John and Whitelock, Jacob Yates & The Pearly Gate Lockpickers plough a similarly fertile furrow of wild-eyed doom-wop and portentous blues-rock.

All heathens, sinners and unclean spirits are invited to attend Glasgow’s Nice 'N' Sleazy on 8 May. NYC-based misfits Cold Cave have been getting some serious attention recently and if you have a penchant for angsty synth-pop, experimental noise and pain in general then these peeps should be right up your street.

With Dominick Fernow (aka Prurient) now a full-time member you know it’s going to get lairy at Glasgow’s Captain’s Rest on 9 May. CocoRosie are back in town to promote new album Grey Oceans, which – if you can make it past the stultifying cover art – is actually a pretty interesting record.

Never ones to follow the crowd, the sisters Casady’s live shows are usually as unconventional as their studio work. Glasgow’s Classic Grand on 12 May is a sound bet if you fancy something a little challenging.

16 May sees a stellar line up of artists descend on

IF ANGSTY SYNTH-POP AND EXPERIMENTAL NOISE IS WHAT YOU'RE ALL ABOUT, THEN COLD CAVE SHOULD BE RIGHT UP YOUR STREET

22 May. Boasting performances by around 50-odd enticing talents hailing from near and far, including Wild Beasts, A Place to Bury Strangers, Divorce, Kong, Male Bonding and too many others, it’s a who’s who of the ATP your kids will probably be at in 20 years time. See our listings for full details.

Has it really been eight years since The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster’s debut album Horse of the Dog blew our minds? To celebrate their triumphant return from the wilderness with their cracking new album Blood and Fire the band will tear it up at Glasgow’s Stereo on 25 May, Aberdeen Tunnels on 26 May and Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire on 27 May. Nobody dominates like these boys when they’re on form.

US alt-rock firebrands Quasi wrap up their world tour with a show at Glasgow’s Captain’s Rest on 28 May. As a band with limitless energy who can deliver artful pop gems as easily as they invoke thundering rock behemoths, Quasi are a true inspiration. You should pull out the stops to make this date.

Cakes and candles are fine, like, but This is Music goes one better by celebrating its fourth birthday with four unmissable gigs throughout the coming month.

Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s will play host to the launch of Bronto Skylift’s debut LP on 7 May, with Adam Thompson (We Were Promised Jetpacks) and Ross Clark (sans his newly christened pack of Three Blind Wolves) both playing solo sets on 14 May, Meursault headlining on 21 May and Jesus H. Foxx joining forces with Eagleowl to ring in another year of quality events from the DIY promoter on 28 May.

Cold Cave, Glasgow's Captain's Rest, 9 May

PREVIEWS TIGERFEST 2010

Fence Records night over in the label’s native Fife, featuring the relentless King Creosote, Withered Hand’s gloomy goodness and Rozi Plain’s multifarious folk melodies (Carnegie Hall, 21 May).

Dunfermline also plays host to stellar media phantoms Ambulances (Carnegie Hall, 20 May) and an enticing combination of ex-Arab Strapper Malcolm Middleton and the oh-so lo-fi Spare Snare (Carnegie Hall, 22 May), whilst those lucky folk in Aberdeen will be served up Craig B and Iain Cook’s born-again brilliance, under the guise of The Unwinding Hours (The Tunnels, 21 May). Given that this represents only a fraction of the acts on show, it’d be reasonable to expect a mass migration to the East this coming month. [Paul Neeson]

VARIOUS VENUES, 5-22 MAY

Returning for its sixth consecutive year, 2010 finds Tigerfest showcasing a rich vein of musical talent along Scotland’s East coast.

Setting up camp in Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Edinburgh, the folks at Baby Tiger have secured the services of some of the Saltire State’s finest acts, from new-blood exuberance, through scene mainstays and pioneering post-punk reformists.

There’s a noted focus on the capital, with seven shows taking in over 20 bands including the frankly dazzling There Will Be Fireworks (Electric Circus, 7 May), the harmonious Blueflint (Electric Circus, 5 May), reunited new wave daddys TV21 (Cabaret Voltaire, 11 May), young troubadour Chris Bradley (Roxy Art House, 13 May) and a saliva-inducing

46 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

Photo: Takeshi Suga

MUSIC

Live Music

the Roxy Art House in Edinburgh. Experimental pianist Hauschka heads up the bill – imagine Erik Satie if he’d been brought up on Raster-Norton and 12k. Support comes from ace folk-chanteuse Nancy Elizabeth and 12-string prodigy James Blackshaw. Serious talent, y’hear?

The Brian Jonestown Massacre are one of the most infamous live outfits on the circuit but now Anton Alfred Newcombe is sober we can expect killer musicianship to replace killer head-kicks as this psych-legend’s preferred mode of audience interaction. This band has so many great tunes that it’s frankly embarrassing – Glasgow O2 ABC on 18 May. It’s probably safe to expect a road testing of snippets from Wolf Parade’s forthcoming Expo 86, due on Sub Pop this summer. And sure, the Montreal quartet sound good on record, but they’re even better in the flesh. Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug’s songwriting is unconventional and they know how to work a crowd, meaning anyone who appreciates literate, melodic indie rock needs to get down to Glasgow Òran Mór on 19 May. With their gut-rumbling turns delivered courtesy of the always incendiary Predestination Records, Belfast’s LaFaro are a four-piece who have long been on our radar, combining wry lyrics and acerbic delivery with white-knuckle riffing. So far, so Future of the Left, but LaFaro’s vibe is even harsher – this is dark, dirty, relentless and served with nary a pop lick. Get some at Glasgow’s Captain’s Rest on 20 May, Arbroath’s Devitos on 21 May, Dundee’s Hustlers on 22 May and Edinburgh’s Bannerman’s on 23 May. Taking over the O2 ABC, Art School, Captain’s Rest, Sleazy’s, Stereo and The Vic Bar, multi-venue music-fest Stag and Dagger hits Glasgow for the second year on

There Will Be Fireworks

TIMES AND TICKET PRICES VARY, SEE WWW.TIGERFEST.CO.UK FOR FULL DETAILS

THE BIG PINK THE GARAGE, 9 MAY

Multi-instrumental London duo The Big Pink are still surfing the wave of success since every trendy kid and sports show montage from here to Hackney gave them the thumbs up. Signed to 4AD, they released their debut A Brief History of Love in September last year and the electro-anthem that was lead single Dominos slithered out of every TV and stereo speaker it could find. Augmented live by a variety of session musicians – including Akiko Matsuura the rather hat-tip-worthy ladydrummer of Comanechi – this gig looks set to be an embellishment on a sublime formula. Don’t let the number of angular fringes put you off – this really is for everyone. [Lauren Mayberry]

7.30PM, £10 WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MUSICFROMTHEBIGPINK

Music

by Eric Ledford Seems that when the deadline for this column rolls around, we’re always a bit concerned that there might not be an abundance of heavy music to cover for the coming month; but after adequately trawling the internet and scouring the bars and clubs of the metal underworld for gig flyers, lo and behold a list of must-see manoeuvres begins to materialise. Not even a thick quilt of volcanic ash lowering from the sky could keep us indoors this May (that was so last month, anyway).

An unexpected visit from brooding instrumental dark stars Grails at Nice 'N' Sleazy (14 May) boasts ample support from mesmerising song-sorceress Rose Kemp. Hailing from the lonely border region of Northwest England, Ms Kemp has steadily progressed from accomplished teenage folkie to

Dead Meadow, Glasgow, 28 Apr

full-blown earth destroyer with her impressive vocal skills and pulverising compositions. Imagine if Joni Mitchell or Sandy Denny were possessed by an ancient Sumerian sand demon and then recruited as lead vocalist for a newly reformed Godflesh (if only).

When she moans “I’ll cut your fingers off” on her latest full length Unholy Majesty, she ain’t fucking about. You get the idea. Don’t let her pass you by.

Likewise, be sure to catch grindbutchers Wormrot from Singapore at 13th Note (4 May) and The Tunnels in Aberdeen (5 May) with opening thrash violence from Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair and Afternoon Gentlemen for the Glasgow date. Also at the Note, two-piece firing

squad Holy Mountain continue to bring the noise (26 May), while Captain’s Rest hosts noisecore scaremongers Narrows (comprised of blokes from Botch, Some Girls and These Arms Are Snakes) alongside the wounded predisposition of Corpses (3 May).

The Classic Grand welcomes all hessians with two colossal metal showcases. First up is Stabwound, Komatoze and Solstheim (7 May) followed by The Massacre Cave and Engraved (14 May).

True metal guardians Hammerfall skewer the entrails of their adversaries at the Cathouse (2 May) before metalcore mathematicians The Chariot and Iwrestledabearonce calculate evil algebra at Ivory Blacks (12 May).

On the stoner side of things, psychedelic stepchildren Dead Meadow telepathically germinate the fertile soil surrounding Captain’s Rest (28 May) and Electric Circus (29 May). Also in Edinburgh, Trigger The Bloodshed and Bleed From Within demonstrate their shared plasma obsessions at Studio 24 (24 May). Speaking of blood, Slayer make their highly anticipated return to the Barrowlands (27 May) after multiple postponements. Finally the end is near. For KISS at least, who might be calling it quits after their current tour struts through the SECC (9 May), makeup and all. Hoping they’ll play something off the Ace Frehley solo album? Don’t hold your breath.

May 2010

THE SKINNY 47

CLUBS

Ghost in the Machines As the Stag and Dagger festival once again impales the cities of Glasgow and London this month, Men & Machines' Ally Stuart talks about their partnership with the festival and their second birthday plans with Serge Santiago and Erdbeerschnitzel Interview Anna Seale Illustration David Lemm MEN & Machines began their relationship with the Stag and Dagger festival in 2009 following the move of the venue Stereo into the centre of Glasgow.

This year the two have joined forces again as Men & Machines celebrate their second birthday.

How did the collaboration come about?

We knew they were putting on the festival last year, and that they had lots of bands playing in Stereo in the evening, but we had our night on after that. [The organisers] asked if we would like to have our night as part of the festival.

It was our first birthday, and we had Twitch coming to do an R&S Records special and Stag and Dagger were keen on the idea. It was a great night, we were sold out by midnight, and the crowd was really up for it, so we’re both keen to do it again this year.

Founded by Ally and Ewan Dunnett, Men & Machines has made a reputation for itself as being one one of the most forward thinking nights of the moment. How did it all begin and what is the music policy of the night?

We started doing a show on Subcity Radio about four or five years ago, which we still do every week, but back then Ewan was up at art school in Dundee. He used to get a bus down every week to come and do the show in Glasgow. Eventually we started playing at a few nights in Edinburgh, where we grew up, and a couple of big parties up in Dundee, but we always wanted to do something in Glasgow. After art school Ewan moved down to Glasgow, so it finally seemed workable. We actually put on the first Men and Machines in Edinburgh, at the GRV, because we’d still to find a venue in Glasgow at that point; but soon after we heard Stereo was looking for nights so we went for it there. There was no great plan to the night – we just wanted to put nights on where we could play the music we love and have guests over to either DJ or play live that we liked. Musically the policy is to try and keep it as good as possible, whatever that may be. What we play is quite varied, and not in some attempt to please lots of people – we just both like a lot of different types of electronic music. To an extent we shape what we play around the guests we have, so one month might have more of a deep house feel, say when Efdemin played, while the

"WE SHAPE WHAT WE PLAY AROUND THE GUESTS WE HAVE, SO ONE MONTH MIGHT HAVE MORE OF A DEEP HOUSE FEEL, SAY WHEN EFDEMIN PLAYED, WHILE THE NEXT MIGHT HAVE MORE OF A DISCO FEEL, LIKE WHEN MAELSTROM WAS THERE, OR WE MIGHT GO FOR A FULL ON TECHNO ONSLAUGHT" next might have more of a disco feel, like when Maelstrom was there, or we might go for a full on techno onslaught.

Chris Duncan

ASH HOLE AT the time of writing a certain volcano has spewed forth enough ash to ground every single flight this week, causing promoters and clubs across the country various problems. Optimo's intended last ever live guest, Helsinki trio KXP, were halted by the eruption, Ed Banger rap brat and Parisian enfant terrible Uffie almost never crossed the water for Death Disco and Sensu's intended guest of Tania Vulcano (yeah, we know) found herself stopped by the vicious ash. Still,

the last minute replacement

by Damian Lazarus made for an even better line up than the original.

Plenty to look forward to in May, with Numbers bringing Joy Orbison to Scotland for his Sub Club debut and the following evening heralds the arrival of Seth Troxler's four hour set on board the Renfrew Ferry, (insert your own joke about steamboats on a steamboat). Headway's sixth birthday in Dundee on 7 May merits a special mention as they

48 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

welcome Carl Craig in for a set at the Reading Rooms before he heads through to Subculture the following evening. The Stag and Dagger festival returns to Glasgow this year and once again brings Men and Machines into the fold for their second birthday celebrations. Their guest for the evening is Serge Santiago, formerly of Radio Slave and now making choice cuts as one half of Retro/Grade.

He'll be joined by German producer Erdbeerschnitzel for his Men and Machines debut.

The main contributing factor to Men and Machines' reputation is its impressive roster of past guests. What have some of the highlights been and why did you settle on Serge Santiago and Erdbeerschnitzel for the second birthday?

Serge has been a favourite of ours for years – he’s got so many good remixes it’s hard to choose a favourite. We saw him DJ and play live with Tom Neville as Retro/Grade late last year and decided we wanted to get him up to play then. It’s taken a while to sort out, but in the end it’s worked out perfectly for the second birthday. We also like having guests that are possibly less well known, along with local DJs or live acts. I had been speaking to Erdbeerschnitzel by email after hearing some of his music, and it turned out he’d recently spent some time in Glasgow on an exchange from his university in Germany. We were already keen to get him over – but that just made it make even more sense.

He’s the kind of live act people will love, more down tempo. As far as highlights, Gavin Russom doing his Black Meteoric Star stuff live, that was hands down the best. Amazing music, a great performer and a fantastic person. Actually all of the live acts we’ve put on have been blown us away – Etienne Jaumet was incredible, and we were pretty proud to put on the first live performance from Brain Machine, as we love the music that their label puts out (ThisIsNotAnExit), but we’d been told by Simon who runs the label that they probably wouldn’t be doing live dates. We managed to convince them to come though, and it was great – especially seeing lots of people who had no idea who they were get really into it.

WITH future plans including continuing the club on extra Saturdays at Stereo as well as aims to bring Cousin Cole from Flagrant Fowl over from NYC, Men and Machines shows no signs of losing its title of being one of Glasgow’s best nights.

11PM-3AM,22 MAY, STEREO, 8PM THE MEN AND MACHINES PODCAST FOR THE SKINNY WILL BE AVAILABLE ON ITUNES SOON

With his third album, celebrated producer Flying Lotus has hit upon a rich seam of invention, combining jazz with the best of electronica, and transcending both Interview Bram Gieben Photo Shaun Bloodworth Flying Lotus answers the phone in a soft, mellowedout Californian drawl. He’s having trouble with his plumbing: probably the last thing you’d want after completing an intensive tour of US venues, several dates of which were with Thom Yorke’s Atoms For Peace ensemble. “It’s crazy, I just came back from the tour and I didn’t have any hot water in my house!” He sounds more amused than stressed by this. “They were like, ‘Oh no, we can’t get anyone to come out there until Tuesday.’ I was like, ‘There’s a leak in here! A leak!

You gotta come chase it!’ It’s cool... Someone came and turned that shit back on.” Having dealt with this mundane but essential business, he turns to talking about his tour, his jazz heritage, and his intensely brilliant new album Cosmogramma.

So how was the tour? “It was great man, a really inspiring experience. The crowds were really interesting, because they were like zombies out there.” Was it difficult translating dancefloor music into head-music?

“They were standing there packed – five, six thousand kids; and they can’t even move. Some of them were nodding their heads, some of them just didn’t know what the hell was happening! But, you know, I was just using that shit just to get inspired, man.”

So the head-nodding was just as inspiring as a sweaty dancefloor? “Yeah. I mean, I like to dance when I go out. I do want to make it an engaging experience, but there’s always time to party. You don’t have to seek too far in the sound to hear the spiritual. It should be something that you get. It shouldn’t be something that has to be told to you, or written: it has to be something you feel, in your heart. I don’t wanna have to preach to anybody, you know?”

Coming from a family steeped in the history of jazz (he is the nephew of John and Alice Coltrane), it has taken FlyLo a while to come to terms with this legacy: “It’s a huge part of my upbringing,” he states, “a huge part of my culture. That’s the family music.”

Cosmogramma is the sound of FlyLo exploring every imaginable kind of linear, digital dancefloor music – from electro to techno to dubstep, to genres not yet named, but through the prism of experimental jazz. It’s a triumph of form and composition, and the making of the album brought him back in touch with his fabled roots. He rediscovered the jazz in his blood and soul. “That’s what I grew up with, and it’s been nice to find my own face in there, you know? I grew up thinking this wasn’t me. Like I wasn’t meant to be playing the horn, I wasn’t meant to play saxophone.

So it was a very good, very fun experience dabbling in that territory.”

That said, FlyLo is quick to distance himself from the bland, mainstream jazz that constitutes much of today’s work in that genre: “All that elevator jazz shit. I always say to my friends, if ‘Trane was here, and he heard a lot of the jazz that’s out there, he’d be real mad! He’d be real frustrated that no-one had tried to take it further than where it was when he was around.”

Asked to describe the genesis of Cosmogramma, FlyLo gets reflective. “There were a lot of things that inspired this record to sound the way it does. A lot of it had to do with me going through some tough times, man, in my personal life... allowing that to inspire me to venture inward, into myself and into my ideas and goals and dreams and visions, you know?”

FlyLo describes something Coltrane must also have experienced – the frustration of dealing with imitators.

“Another part of it was just hearing a lot of stuff that was starting to sound similar to what I had been doing years ago. Hearing kids on the scene doing that, it really started to annoy me. So I just thought, how about I just fucking... go so far inward, that no-one could possibly replicate it.”

This is exactly what the ambitious young producer has achieved with Cosmogramma; it’s a glorious sonic assault that plays with musical form and structure in

an organic, timeless way. One of the album’s highlights is the song ...And The World Laughs With You, featuring Yorke on vocal duties. The collaboration was a dream come true for FlyLo: “He’s one of my personal heroes.

It’s beyond his shine, or his spotlight or whatever. I truly respect him as an artist first and foremost. I was one of the kids waiting in line to see his show years ago.”

“I do want to make it an engaging experience, but there’s always time to party.”

How did the collaboration come about? “I met Thom in Japan a couple of years ago, after I had done a remix for [Radiohead]. They hit me up to do a remix of Reckoner, which was really crazy for me, because I was such a big fan and everything. After that happened, Thom got back in touch via Mary Anne Hobbes, the radio DJ. We connected again, we did the song really fast, and it all just happened, man. It was all love: there was no stress in the situation. It was the perfect time, he wasn’t too busy. I was just at the end of the album, it was just about finished, and he came and put the icing on the cake.”

FlyLo also runs his own record label, the fantastic Brainfeeder, featuring artists like Daedelus, Gaslamp Killer, Samiyam, and Glasgow’s own Mike Slott (also of the LuckyMe collective). What makes a Brainfeeder artist? “I think the general idea is the same for all of us: it’s the sound of a seeker. A seeking person – someone who is looking for more than just this experience. People who care about the state of music in general. People who are trying to understand life through music.”

With Cosmogramma, Flying Lotus seeks farther and travels faster than ever before. It’s an epic, baffling, emotional journey; truly cosmic in scale and ambition – perhaps the first truly essential electronic record of this new decade. It marks him out not just as a great producer and composer, but as an important and influential artist, perhaps one day as important and influential as his revered uncle.

All the same, FlyLo remains humble: “I’m honoured that I’ve made my little mark on music, whatever that is,” he offers. “It’s really nice to know that, and to be alive to witness it, because a lot of people don’t even hear the influence that they’ve had on music until they’re old, or whatever. Or they die before they hear their influence on music, you know? I’m lucky to hear it. But, whatever man... I’m just here on a mission, my own mission.”

Cosmogramma is released via Warp Records on 3 May Check out the free download A Decade of Flying Lotus mixed by Gaslamp Killer at the Brainfeeder site: www. brainfeedersite.com/2009/12/25/a-decade Play the Flying Lotus video game! www.flying-lotus.com/attack

May 2010

THE SKINNY 49

Clubs

Sound of a Seeker

Clubs

Tac-Tac-Troxler

Currently one of the most in-demand DJs on the international circuit and also a producer of note, Seth Troxler returns to Glasgow to make a second appearance at tictactoe, this time to celebrate their first birthday Interview Colin Chapman Born in Kalamazoo, a half way between Detroit and Chicago, Seth Troxler was first introduced to house and techno by his parents: his stepfather was a radio DJ, while his mother knew producer Brett Dancer.

However, it was his move to the Detroit suburb of Lake Orion in his early teens that properly began his involvement in the city’s techno movement, initially through gaining a job at the city’s legendary Memories and Melodies record store, working alongside the likes of Terrence Parker and Theo Parrish and later by attending his first rave, becoming completely immersed in the city’s party scene soon after.

Now bitten by the techno bug, he asked for turntables for his 15th birthday and his father duly obliged, also supplying him with a stack of records, including old Dancemania, Black Nation, DJ International and Metroplex releases. When he started out buying records, he focused on Chicago house music, however after hearing productions on German label Perlon he got switched on to its minimal style and began playing more of it in his sets.

Making friends with Shaun Reeves, Ryan Crosson and Lee Curtiss, who were of similar age and also passionate about DJing, he moved in with Reeves and Curtiss. The trio started the Tesh Club in the basement of their apartment with the name coming from the German pronunciation of ‘techno’. Bored by the music they were hearing while out, they wanted to party to the records they liked, also experimenting with sampling and recording to develop a ‘teshno’ sound which they tried to make “sexy, more

downbeat; more experimental”.

It wasn’t long before he started organising proper parties with Crosson, while he was also an established DJ, playing across Detroit.

Then after graduating high school, he went to Germany to play as part of a small tour with the FXHE label, visiting Panorama Bar and Robert Johnson. He continuined to travel to Berlin every summer to play, until in 2007 he decided to up sticks and move to the city, moving in with Ryan Crosson and Shaun Reeves.

Since then, his career’s snowballed, with a shift into production for labels such as Crosstown Rebels and Wolf & Lamb and remixes for the likes of Radio Slave and Fever Ray. In a short space of time his popularity has exploded, thanks to a DJing style that goes beyond the expected and a desire to create productions with longevity that he wants to be considered as “art” and indeed, tracks like Aphrika and Love Never Sleeps obviously come from the mind of someone who wants to push things forward. Allied to his well-known, party-hard lifestyle (he considers himself a raver who got lucky) and you have a DJ that stands out in a scene bloated by so many who are happy just to play-it-safe behind the decks.

“He’s our favourite DJ of all those we’ve had play at the night because he likes to play right across musical genres. He’s even agreed to play a four-hour set,” says tictactoe resident/promoter Andrew Doran, explaining his re-booking. “He’s also a down to earth, easy-going guy and we’re really looking forward to catching up with him again.”

8 May, 8pm - 4am, £12, Renfrew Ferry www.myspace.com/tictactoeclubglasgow

previews Tim Sweeney

Mr Scruff

Melting Pot, the admiral,1 May

Potterrow, 14 May

When Tim Sweeney first played at Melting Pot in 2008 the vibrations could be felt worldwide. Having DJed since the age of 15, Sweeney’s grotesquely eclectic tastes are a leading light for the free download, channel-hopping generation of the new millennium. On his world famous Beats in Space radio show Sweeney casually rips through every genre and era of music from the heights of disco and new wave, to the depths of Chicago house and minimal techno. His weekly show has also played host to legends such as Carl Craig, Laurent Garnier and the Avalanches to name but a few. Although his own discography is very limited, having produced a little under the moniker of the Flying Squad, he is probably best known in Britain for his work with James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and the label DFA Records. Upstairs in the Esprit d’Escalier Room will be found The Niallist of Optimo and Death Disco fame. How could anyone pass up this rare opportunity?

[George Binning]

We are unable to tell you what Andy Carthy (aka Mr Scruff) is likely to hit us with this time. His unpredictability remains utterly central to his DJ style. He says “I am now in a position where I can play a lot of esoteric and unusual music,” adding, “before increasing the energy levels at my own pace!” His laid-back demeanour perhaps hides the amount of effort Scruff puts into every performance, his average set-length beyond the five hour mark. This four day mini-tour is no different, with each Scottish city benefiting from five hours of genre mashing, trip-hop tinged soul, ska and breakbeat all chosen with the craft of a mindful set-builder. He sells his own brew at gigs too so you can sit-back, have a cuppa and inhale the atmosphere created by a polished performer, complete with quirky animations and eclecticism to boot. [Nicol J. Craig]

11pm-3am, £10

Bigfoot’s Tea Party Snafu, 21 May

Following their Dutch Appreciation part two on 15 May, Glasgow, the techno troupe’s visit to Aberdeen’s finest clubbing spot under a week later is a different beast altogether. It’s a full on exodus tonight with Faux Pas, Simon Stokes and Redux getting the decks all to themselves for four hours. A somewhat nostalgic and evocative return to Snafu for the Bigfoot’s crew, not only because a vast majority of the team are now ex-employees of the Granite City’s greatest underground dance music pit, but it is also the venue which first put Bigfoot’s Faux Pas and Marmalade Man together behind the decks and in front of a crowd, supporting Joris Voorn back in 2008. Snafu has an impressively rich list of previous guests from Troy Pierce to Bobby Digital and back to Claude Von Stroke, but their support of up and coming DJs has made them a firm favourite of clubbers and artists alike. Pre-party support comes from Fuad upstairs in The Athenaeum. [Calum Sutherland]

10pm, £15 www.mrscruff.com

My Lord Sound Mungo’s Hi-Fi,glasgow school of art,15 May

Mungo’s Hi Fi and their reliably dub-tastic selections will be back in the Art School this month. Following their starstriking performance with Rebel MC in April the pressure is on to keep the line up as fresh as ever. This time they will be importing the talents of Israeli duo. My Lord Sound.

After returning from Jamaica in 2003, Sister Ellen G and Ranking Levy formed My Lord Sound, vowing to bring Jamaican music back to Zion’s city (that’s Tel-Aviv, not Addis Ababa). Ever since, the duo have been welcomed in every corner of the reggae world. It is visitors such as these that keep the dub scene in Scotland diverse and contemporary.

And so, after years of blasting out their monthly sounds, Mungo’s crew will be showing us exactly why Glasgow is still Scotland’s promised city when it comes to reggae, dub and ska. [George Binning] 11pm-3am, £8/5

Agnès No Sleep, la cheetah, 7 May

11pm-3am, £3 before midnight, £6 after

Joy Orbison & Kavsrave Numbers,Sub Club, 7 May

Currently one of the hottest properties in electronic music, Joy Orbison’s debut single, the dubstep-garage-house hybrid, ‘Hyph Mngo’ became an all-conquering behemoth of a track in 2009, capturing the imaginations of those from all corners of the dance scene and topping end of year charts across the world. Real name, Peter O’ Grady, he’s since gone on to produce two more singles, J.Doe/BRKLN CLLN, the first release on Doldrums Label and The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow/So Derobe this year; all highlighting his passion for emotive, hypnotic melodies, big drops and super heavy drum programming. Aside from his own productions, the nephew of drum n’ bass figurehead, Ray Keith, has also remixed the likes of José James, Four Tet and Todd Edwards and recorded a number of highly popular DJ mixes that have included house, techno, dubstep and garage. Supporting him will be Kavsrave, the latest addition to the Numbers label roster. [Colin Chapman] 11pm - 3am, £10

Roska

11pm - 3am, £8 www.myspace.com/agnesprod

Departure Lounge The Caves, 21 May

Expect the unexpected when Roska takes the lead at La Cheetah’s Stay Plastic on 21 May. This tour celebrates the release of the Rinse presents Roska EP, which immediately topped the UK funky charts in early April. The sweat is sure to be running down the walls of La Cheetah’s modest basement. Although the London based garage-MC-turned-producer has been operating within the UK Funky scene, his own tracks draw on a vast spectrum of club music. While DJs such as Kode 9 and Joy Orbison have reached wider audiences by ‘housing up’ the dubstep sound, Roska’s ‘dubbing down’ treatment of the funky genre is pushing the scene in exciting new directions. Syncopated beats, funky old school vocals and minimal bass lines define Roska’s dedication to pure unaffected dance music. Whether it’s house, techno or even dubstep that makes your hairs stand on end, Roska will more than likely have something for you in his collection. [George Binning]

There’s something in the cosmos this month. Perhaps it’s the collective Scottish reaction to a bout of solar illumination, or the anticipation of International Sun Day. Whatever it is, the Departure Lounge (Astroboy, Jiminez & Mr Zimbabwe) have managed to capitalise on the summer party aura, booking DJ Parker and Paper Tiger with vocals from Sabira Jade. The latter work on the notion that eight heads are better than one, making broken beat, dub-friendly reggae that incorporates afrobeat influenced electronics with traditional jazz and soul instruments alike. Splicing all those genres and more is what DJ Parker is famed for.

The turntablist maestro is simply a class act. Having scratching skills that would make Yoda or Z-trip stand up to attention, he’s a performer feeds off a dancing audience. With releases on Fingerlickin’ and now Goodgroove Records his productions merge classic acapellas with modern hip-hop sensibilities. Now, we just have to hope that there’s enough ultraviolet poking through the clouds to do this summer jam justice. [Chris Duncan]

Time TBC, £10

10.30pm-3am, £6

Stay Plastic,la cheetah, 21 May

50 THE SKINNY May 2010

To celebrate its launch, Swiss producer Agnès, will be joining Adam Watt and fellow resident Why Eleven? at No Sleep, a night which aims to focus on ‘the deeper side of forward thinking house music’. Initially known for deep, dubbed-out minimal techno productions, though latterly exploring more house-influenced rhythms and textures; Agnès runs the Geneva-based label, Sthlmaudio Recordings. Launched in 2003, Sthlmaudio has released tracks by Puma, Octex, Apoll, Cabanne, Croatian producers Luka & Lazo and lately the Swiss duo Azuni, as well as Agnès himself, who also records under the Cavalier, Ray Valioso, Modeste and Benelli pseudonyms. With additional output released on the Perspectiv, Resopal Red, Lomidhigh and Plak Records imprints, of late he’s been focusing on remixes, producing his own, distinctive takes on work by Sebo K, October, dOP and Niggemann & Poppcke but plans to produce more original material throughout 2010. [Colin Chapman]

Ahead of the launch of his label Rememory Music and the first installment of his Dissect series, Esa Williams talks about deep house, his father's influence and stealing some thunder

London threesome autoKratz successfully merge their 80s influences with the fast paced sound of the modern blogosphere

Text Ray Philp AutoKratz are a London-based trio that tread on a fairly sketchy tightrope, an indie-dance act for the thinking man/woman. Their 80s pop influences – combine New Order, Soft Cell and the like – with the aggressive, tightlywound tendencies of late-noughties blog house, this Kitsuné-approved mesh seems quite an odd soundscape to reconcile with ambitions to come across like a latter-day, strobe-emitting Rodin sculpture.

However, said seal of approval from french electronic music label Kitsuné, largely established via featuring on consecutive Kitsune Maison compilations (5, 6 and 7), lends substance to the PR fuss that surrounds autoKratz as they promote their newly released Kick EP, following on from their well received debut album of last year, Animal. Kick, from what we’ve heard of it so far, is really rather good – Skin Machine, already doing the rounds on the usual assortment of music blogs at the time of going to press, is a profundity-free zone of air raid sirens and twitching synth slivers.

Another development of note is the recent addition of drummer Robin Rigoulet to the original lineup of Russell Crank and David Cox, the latter two of whom met in circumstances that we entirely approve of. To wit: Crank, after knocking back copious volumes of bevvie, unleashed fetid chunks of spew onto Cox outside of a nightclub. As Cox prepared to give Crank a square go, he noticed that his

vomity assailant was sporting a Devo t-shirt, which thereafter prompted the lowering of fists and an unexpected degree of mutual civility as they began to discuss their musical preferences,. Thus autoKratz was born kicking, screaming and spewing in the heart of London nightlife.

In a warped sense, the anecdote broadly reflects the autoKratz sound: brash and confrontational though it may seem on first impression, there’s a very agreeable tenderness beneath that blurs the edges between their exuberant synth workouts and their strong songwriting flourishes, the latter of which is evident even in their early material. Down & Out In Paris & London, autoKratz’s Orwell referencing debut EP, notable though it is for its harder edges (Pardon Garcon [Rewerk], Reaktor), still showcases the then duo’s melodic and lyrical sensibilities (Last Show, Hearts).

By punctuating their deft lyrical approach with stabs of guttural electro riffs – by turns abrasive and slender – autoKratz manage to swerve the whole deep-fried cod philosophy vibe that befalls other well-meaning peddlers of IDM. So yeah, dance music might be a creaky vessel on which to float aspirations of being all deep and meaningful, but maybe, in amongst all the flailing forearms and elbows, someone is enjoying a Eureka moment.

10.30pm-3am, £12/£6, 15 May, featuring Calvin Harris (DJ Set), The Juan Maclean (DJ Set), Hostage, Felix Cartal, Renaissance Man, Eskimo Twins, Primary 1 (live) and Man Like Me (live)

The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow 0141 565 1000 www.deathdisco.info

Interview Chris Duncan Illustration Paulryding.com Esa Williams is talking passionately about his latest venture, pausing only for breath and the occasional sip of his drink. His music release project, Rememory Music, is nearing completion after months of work.

“The project itself is called Rememory Music, but it’s also the name under which I’m going to carry out various other smaller activities. The aim is to combine independently produced music with unique artwork.

The first project is the Dissect Series, the first release being an EP of my own tracks with remixes from various other people, including OOFT Music (The Revenge and Ali Herron) and bespoke artwork by Jennifer Crouch. The record is called I Stole Some Thunder and will be followed by another release on a South African label that is yet to be announced.”

DJing under the name Esa, making up part of the Sensu live act and producing music under the moniker Mervin Granger, it’s fair to say that his is a face well known to many a discerning night owl. After regular appearances at Subculture, Sunday Circus and Red Bull Music Academy events he has a proven history of working with electronic music at almost every level.

His involvement with Red Bull meant that artists such as Kevin Saunderson, Josh Wink and Tony Lionni arrived in Glasgow for a series of performances, lectures and workshops. “[My involvement in Red Bull Music Academy] began in Cape Town in 2009 when I worked at their studios and helped with recordings there. I kept in

touch with them when I moved to Glasgow and they use me as their contact in the city to set up events.

Outside of that, this summer I’m playing at Stop Making Sense in Croatia, Be Cool in Barcelona, Rockness under Sensu and various nights in Subculture as Esa.” When discussing his motive and inspiration for Rememory Music and other musical projects, one name is continually mentioned: Esa’s father Mervin Granger Williams.

“He gave me the opportunity to get into music through his records and musical equipment. I was always beside him as a kid while he would play at parties so this is my way of keeping him in the loop, as everything is down to him. He is always in mind.

As far as Rememory Music goes, my inspiration comes from the sounds around me but I feel that the initial process comes from my father. I always reflect on both past and current events. The I Stole Some Thunder EP was created at a very emotional time; my wife’s mother had passed away and I released all of that emotion through my music. The music I create is deep house, but deep house isn’t just the sound; in my eyes it’s the deep meaning behind the music itself.”

It is only when piecing together Esa’s various projects that you begin to see the bigger picture. The Cape Town upbringing, his father’s record collection and Esa’s own world travels have all amounted to his Rememory Music output and it makes for a very rich listening experience.

Esa Williams’ Dissect Series will be released on vinyl and digital

May 2010

THE SKINNY 51

Clubs

Three is the Magic Number

Going Back To My Roots

subculture_ weekly saturdays 11–3am £6 b4 12, £10 after 1 may_ £6 NUS /£7 (1994 prices) 8 may_ £12

may

Garage May Skinny Ad 20.04_PRINT.pdf

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52 THE SKINNY MAY 2010

20/4/10

14:43:27

electronic funk for freaks www.subclub.co.uk

OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTY thurs/fri/sat

27/28/29 MAY

MUSIC VENUE /// BAR kissnkillpresents@googlemail.com

13 SOUTH BEACH STORNOWAY HS1 2BE 07759372789

GLASGOW MUSIC TUE 27 APR ASH

METROPOLICANA FINAL (THE CHINASKIS, SHIMMER, PSYCHOTROPIC SYSTEM)

A-Z singles voyage from Ash.

Who’ll win the record deal?

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £15

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–23:45, £5

MAGIC CARPET CABARET

WISHBONE ASH

Singer/songwriters and bands night.

Classic rock.

TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

GLASGOW SLOW CLUB BLOC, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Relaxed night with guest bands.

THE DUKE AND THE KING, DANNY AND THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD, TREVOR MOSS & HANNAH LOU KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £10

New bands showcase.

TUESDAY MUSIC CLUB

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 20:30–12:00, FREE

Open mic and live acts.

WED 28 APR

THE FERRY, 20:00–00:00, £13.50

FRI 30 APR IDLEWILD

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £16

Scottish indie-rockers.

THE ALARM

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £14

Alternative acoustic rock.

MAIDEN SCOTLAND (15 TIMES DEAD, SYTH)

Celebrating 30 years of Iron Maiden.

ARCH ENEMY (SABBAT, ENSLAVED)

MONO, 19:00–01:00, FREE

US metallers.

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 19:00–03:00, FREE

Motown, soul and garage.

BUTTERFLY FRIDAYS

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

Resident bands and DJs.

Punk-electro-disco.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £7

TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

Jazz classics and modern standards.

FOOL’S GOLD, OTHER PEOPLE CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–22:30, £TBC

Soul and indie-rock.

JOE PUG

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £7.50

Rootsy Americana rock. Yee-haw.

MONO JAZZ

MONO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Weekly jazz residency.

Live music.

Post punk.

Funked up bass loops.

Rock trio from Falkirk.

ACOUSTIC JAM

BETH JEANS HOUGHTON

MICHAEL BUBLE

Live jam. Good with toast.

Alternative pop.

Canadian singer/songwriter.

MAGGIE MAY’S, 20:00–23:00, £5

THE BLACK VELVETEENS, INDIGO CENTRAL BOX, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Funky alternative rock.

Alternative rock.

MOTOWN AT MONO

LIVE JAZZ

TOY FIRES

Minimal and beat-driven crunk.

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £TBC

Australian five-piece.

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £15

DAVE DOMINEY

THE GODFATHERS (STUNTMAN MIKE)

IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–23:45, £TBC

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:30, £16.50

NARROWS

TALK NORMAL, BLOOD OF THE BULL

POWDERFINGER (BOB EVANS) ABC, 19:00–22:00, £19.50

STARLER PROJECT, NO FXD ABODE, CRAIG MCKENZIE

CRYSTAL ANTLERS Alternative six-piece.

WING AND A PRAYER TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

Singers influenced by the blues.

GET LOOSE SHOWCASE MAGGIE MAY’S, 20:00–22:30, £5

Four live acts showcase.

KID CANAVERAL

CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–22:30, £TBC

Ace indie-pop.

THE AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD SECC, 20:00–22:30, £33

Tribute night.

CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–23:00, £7.50

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–00:00, £TBC

CORRIE DICK

COMMON ROOM, 21:00–23:30, FREE

Jazz residency.

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £12

INITIAL ITCH

RING OF FIRE

Scratch, live music, poetry and stand-up.

Eclectic, yes.

THE FERRY, 20:00–00:00, £12.50

Johnny Cash tribute.

SEDITIONARIES: BANDS NIGHT 13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £TBC

New bands night.

SUN 02 MAY ZOEY VAN GOEY

CAPTAIN’S REST, 14:00–16:00, £TBC

Matinee show acoustic pop.

FOALS

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £13.50

Alternative pop.

LITTLE VICTOR, NICO DUPORTAL ABC, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Part of Glasgow Rhythm & Blues Festival.

In ABC 2.

THE SMALL FAKERS

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £10

Small Faces tribute.

LA ROUX (I BLAME COCO) O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:30, £15

Synthtastic electro-pop.

SONIC BOOM SIX (KNOCK OUT) IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–22:30, £8

Experimental glam rock.

MATT SCHOFIELD

THE FERRY, 19:00–00:00, £12

Bluesy jazz.

GET A ROOM

BRUNSWICK HOTEL, 19:00–01:00, £15

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £TBC

TUE 04 MAY DUKE SPECIAL

ÒRAN MÓR, 19:00–22:00, £15

Soulful alternative tunes.

SCOUTING FOR GIRLS (ALEX GARDNER)

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:30, £22.50

Acoustic indie pop.

DEADMAU5

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

Techno and progressive house.

DAMON & NAOMI

MONO, 19:30–22:30, £TBC

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–23:00, £5

TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £TBC

CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–23:00, £7

BLACKBERRYJACK, THE DIRTY VIOLETS, THE GAZZETTES

SONG OF RETURN, BOYCOTTS

MAGGIE MAY’S, 20:00–23:00, £5

Alternative indie and pop.

Trio of live bands.

PHILIP SAYCE

JACOB YATES AND THE PEARLY GATE LOCKPICKERS

STEREO, 19:30–22:30, £4

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £8

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

Soulful rock and blues.

Rockabilly rap.

OUTSIDERS, SPEARBRAVE, 100 PAPER BOATS, BETATONE DISTRACTION, ALL AT SEA

FORTUNES OF SORROW, DIRTY CANNON

MAGGIE MAY’S, 20:00–23:00, £5

New bands showcase.

JACE EVERETT

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–23:45, £5

Rock and metal.

JOHN OTWAY

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £12

Punk rock.

FNL, THE MORRA, FREAKY JESUS, NUMBUZZ, MAMMAOLS, MASTER KATANA AND MISS THE OCCUPIER

THE FERRY, 20:00–00:00, £12.50

FRAM, ARRAN ARTIC, MY LADY CLOUDS

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £TBC

Ambient rock and acoustic.

FRI 07 MAY

Growling Americana.

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–23:45, £5

Saturday new music club.

ALICE MOVING UNDER SKIES, VOM, OV REPTILIAN CONSTRUCT

Psych-folk and rock.

SANDI THOM

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £5

KILL HANNAH, MY PASSION

Scottish singer/songwriter.

TICTACTOE 1ST BIRTHDAY

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £11

Electro-rock and post punk.

THE GLASGOW SLOW CLUB (ROB SPROUL-CAN) BLOC, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Relaxed night with guest bands.

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £12

SCORDATURA, STABWOUND, KOMATOZE, HELL ABOVE, SOLSTHEIM CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Hardcore showcase.

TUESDAY MUSIC CLUB

MAKE SPARKS (BLACK HEART GENERATOR)

Open mic night.

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 20:30–12:00, FREE

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:30, £5 (£4)

Electro-pop and brooding goth.

THE FERRY, 22:00–00:00, £12.50

Techno, house and minimal party.

SUN 09 MAY HERCULEAN

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £6

Alternative rock.

Rockin’ indie pop.

THE SLITS

WORMROT

THE GONADS

Punk rock.

Hard rockin’ grindcore.

Ska and punk.

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £TBC

WED 05 MAY

IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–22:30, £9

THE KAYS LAVELLE

STEREO, 19:00–22:30, £TBC

Album launch.

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £10

GOGOL BORDELLO (MATT & KIM, MARIACHI EL BRONX) O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:30, £16

Eccentric and eclectic noisemakers.

KISS

CATHEDRAL, CHURCH OF MISERY, THE GATES OF SLUMBER

Ten bands, DJs, and unique art installations across the whole hotel. For Teenage Cancer Trust.

PAVEMENT

Experimental metal showcase.

SKERRYVORE

Alt. rock from the US-of-A.

THE HICKIES, DAWN, DAYBREAK, THE HYPE

THE LAVA EXPERIMENTS

New bands showcase.

CANDID CABARET

Music and art from the Glasgow scene.

THE LANDELLAS

Bagpipes, fiddle and accordians.

Experimental loveliness.

BUTTERFLY FRIDAYS

RSAMD solo cabaret. Lovely.

EDDY & THE T-BOLTS, THE PLIMPTONS, WHO GIVES A SHIT?

Bluesy R’n’B.

BETH WIMMER

Resident bands and DJs.

SINGLE SKIN PRESENT PIVO PIVO, 20:00–23:45, £5

More indie rock madness.

NOT THE RAGE

THE FLYING DUCK, 20:00–00:00, £4 (£2)

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £5

New bands showcase.

VINYL NIGHT

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 21:00–12:00, FREE

Hip-hop, funk and R’n’B.

THU 29 APR BRANDI CARLILE ABC, 19:00–22:00, £11

Acoustic folk-rock.

BEARDYMAN

THE ARCHES, 19:00–22:30, £10 ADVANCE

Experimental funk.

COMMON GRAVE (EXISTING THREAT) IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–22:30, £8

Hardcore death metal.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £15

Punk-electro-disco.

TOKYO ROSENTHAL, PORCH SONG ANTHOLOGY BREL, 19:30–22:00, £7

Modern Americana from Carolina and Scotland.

TOKYO ROSENTHAL, PORCH SONG ANTHOLOGY BREL, 19:30–22:30, £7

Modern Americana showcase.

FOLK FAE FIFE

TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

Great music from ‘The Kingdom’.

THE MILL: THE FUTUREHEADS (LIONS.CHASE.TIGERS, ADMIRAL FALLOW) ÒRAN MÓR, 20:00–22:30, FREE

Extra special free music showcase. Request tickets from www.themill-live.com.

TWO STRIPE

MAGGIE MAY’S, 20:00–22:30, £5

Indie elctro-pop.

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £10

BOX, 20:00–23:00, FREE

LATECOMERS

THE JOHN KNOX SEX CLUB, HOLY MOUNTAIN, OLYMPIC SWIMMERS

Acoustic pop loveliness.

Indie and punk thrash.

LAURIES BAR, 20:15–23:00, FREE

TABASCO FIASCO

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £4

Alternative indie-rock.

PIN UP NIGHTS

THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5

Indie night with live bands.

SAT 01 MAY JAZZMAIN

BREL, 15:00–17:30, FREE

Lively afternoon of jazz.

CHASE AND STATUS ABC, 19:00–22:00, £13.50

Inventive breakbeat DJ duo.

EAGLEOWL (MY KAPPA ROOTS, ROB ST JOHN)

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00, £5

EP launch.

MIKE SANCHEZ, THE BOTTLENECKERS ABC, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Part of Glasgow Rhythm & Blues Festival.

In ABC 2.

SURFACE UNSIGNED NORTH CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Unsigned bands showcase.

BOMBSKARE

STEREO, 19:00–22:30, £TBC

Ska beats.

DOVES

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:30, £18.50

Rock trio.

MEGADEATH UK

IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–22:30, £8

The ultimate rock out.

EPICO, THE HOLLOWTIN SORROWS, REBEL 69, COMMUNICATOR, 5 BAR GATE BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £6

SAVAGE UNION

Big line-up of new bands.

Metal rock thrashiness.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

COLLECTIVE GETS ECLECTIC (THE LEVEE STROLLERS, JENNY REEVE) BLOC, 20:00–23:00, FREE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

Americana folk rock.

WHITE LIGHT THEORY (MELLIFLUOUS, THE UPBEAT BEATDOWN, JOHN MAIN) BAR COSMOPOL, 20:00–22:30, £3

Hook-laden tunes. In aid of Hospice.

Country folk chilled-out-ness.

LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION

PARETO, CALL ME ISHMAEL, PACIFIC THEATRE

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £9

Chilled pop.

Experimental showcase.

MONO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

MONO JAZZ

THE SWELLERS, ANARBOR, THE DANGEROUS SUMMER, THE WILD, RIO

Weekly jazz residency.

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £6

New bands mixed line-up.

EX-LIBRAS, MUST BE SOMETHING, THE REGIMENT

BANNER PILOT, THE HIJACKS, THE LIE DETECTORS, CELLOPHANES 13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:30, £TBC

Experimental bunch of bands.

BLOC+JAM

KAT HEALY, STEPHANIE MANNS, MISCUED VEIN, THE HUMBLE HOBOS, AARON WRIGHT AND THE APRILS

Open mic night.

Shortlist of Pivo’s top new bands.

13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £5

Experimental rock and indie.

BLOC, 21:00–01:00, FREE

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–23:45, £5

BUTTERFLY STRATEGY

VINYL NIGHT

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 21:00–12:00, FREE

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 21:00–12:00, FREE

Acoustic acts; local and far-flung.

Hip-hop, mod, funk and ska.

RIOT IN THE ROCK SHOP (FRANK JESUS, THE OTHER SIDE)

PAVEMENT AFTERSHOW

MAGGIE MAY’S, 23:00–03:00, £5

Bank holiday special.

MON 03 MAY 65DAYSOFSTATIC

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

Post-gig bash.

THU 06 MAY JASON AND THE SCORCHERS ABC, 19:00–22:00, £15

ÒRAN MÓR, 19:00–22:00, £12

Countrified pink.

BATUSIS

SACRED BETRAYAL, DISGUISE YOUR BEAUTY, BREAK THE SKYLINE

Alternative electronica.

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £10

Punk rock.

HOLE

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:30, £21.50

Alternative rock.

MICHAEL SIMONS

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £6

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £6

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 19:00–03:00, FREE

ANNIE STEVENSON, WE ARE JAWBONE, FOOL ON MAGGIE MAY’S, 20:00–22:30, £5

Trio of live bands.

JUMPERS KNEE

CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Single launch.

PETE WESTWATER BOX, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Alternative electro rock.

ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL (MICHAEL MACLENNAN, JEYE T, SHARON MARTIN) KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £6

Alternative pop singer/songwriter.

SECC, 19:00–22:30, £TBC

Rock, plus facepaint.

ÒRAN MÓR, 19:30–23:00, £10 (£8)

HARPER SIMON

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

Hardcore country psych.

COLD CAVE

CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–23:00, £7

Indie pop.

SURFER BLOOD

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £8

Pop-infused indie rock.

JEREMY MASON, ANDY K, KEVIN KENNIE, ROGER EMMERSON, NORQUAY, LAURA HEALY PIVO PIVO, 20:00–23:45, FREE

New bands showcase.

KUNT AND THE GANG 13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £5

Electro pop and punk.

BRASS MONKEYS

BLOC+JAM

Alternative niceness.

Open mic night.

THE FERRY, 20:00–00:00, £10

CERAMIC HOBS, THE RADIATION LINE, ETERNAL FAGS 13TH NOTE, 21:00–23:30, £TBC

Experimental trio of bands.

SAT 08 MAY

BLOC, 21:00–01:00, FREE

BUTTERFLY STRATEGY

BUTTERFLY & PIG, 21:00–12:00, FREE

Acoustic acts; local and far-flung.

MON 10 MAY

PERDIDO QUARTET

ATTICUS BLACK TOUR (TEN SECOND EPIC, BLITZ KIDS)

Phil Nicolson’s band.

Rock and breaks.

BREL, 15:00–17:30, FREE

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £5

ENABLE SCOTLAND: BATTLE OF THE BANDS

CANDID CABARET

Charity band clash, featuring Ghosties.

YAMAN

ÒRAN MÓR, 18:00–22:00, £8

OCEAN OF SOUND

CREATION STUDIOS, 19:00–20:00, £5

Original and traditional songs.

BAND OF SKULLS (THOMAS TANTRUM)

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £8

Alternative trio.

ÒRAN MÓR, 19:30–23:00, £10 (£8)

RSAMD solo cabaret. Lovely.

TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

Indian music on sitar and flute.

SHONEN KNIFE (SUSPIRE) KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £10

Pop punk.

TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–23:00, £7

Alternative rock.

PAPER PLANES

THE VICTORS (TOM MORTON & GRAEME DUFFIN, THE PASSION SINGERS)

Alternative indie.

30th anniversary reunion gig.

Blues Bunny new bands showcase.

Hardcore showcase.

STEREO, 19:00–22:30, £TBC

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £10

THE SLEEPWALKERS, JUNE BUGGY AND SHOES ON FIRE PIVO PIVO, 20:00–23:45, £1

HIGH PLACES

ALABAMA 3

ACOUSTIC JAM

Hardcore trance beats.

Alternative electronica.

Live jam. Good with toast.

JEYE T

ATTACK ATTACK (GAP YEAR RIOT, THE CINNAMONS)

CLAES CEM, WE SEE LIGHTS

OWL CITY

CORRIE DICK

Album launch.

Grunge-infused alt. rock.

Local acoustic showcase.

Electro-pop.

Jazz residency.

BOX, 20:00–23:00, FREE

THE PHARMACY, JAPAN FOUR

YOUNG GUNS, SAVE YOUR BREATH, OUTCRY COLLECTIVE

Psych-thrash and punk.

Punchy rock and punky pop.

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £7

ÒRAN MÓR, 19:30–23:00, £12

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

CAPTAIN’S REST, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

TCHAI-OVNA, 20:00–22:00, £2

Folk and blues fingerstyle guitar.

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £6

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

BREL, 20:00–22:00, FREE

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:30, £17

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £16.50

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–00:00, £TBC

COMMON ROOM, 21:00–23:30, FREE

MAY 2010

THE SKINNY 53

Glasgow music Tue 11 May Faust

The Arches, 19:30–22:00, £14

Krautrock pioneers.

Candid Cabaret

Òran Mór, 19:30–23:00, £10 (£8)

RSAMD solo cabaret. Lovely.

San Fran and the Siscos Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Countryesque indie-pop.

Frontier Ruckus

Rock, pop and punk.

Funk/soul fusion.

Lyrical folk rock.

Breabach

The Tommy Castro Band

The 4/5s, San Pan Disco, The Glue Kids, The War Club

The Glasgow Slow Club (Palace Ballet)

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £12 (£10)

Alicia Keys

Bright, young band.

Soul and R’n’B.

Soulful blues and rock.

Indevious 5th birthday showcase.

Relaxed night with guest bands.

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £11

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £14.50

Fri 14 May Epico (Aisle 11)

Marvin, Stomachs Eclectic fare.

Pennywise

New To Q (Detriot Social Club, Tiffany Page, Goldhawks)

Hardcore punk.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £8.50

Trio of top bands play.

Starkey

High energy indie. In ABC 2.

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £17.50

The Massacre Cave, Engraved, Threshold Sicks, Facegrinder

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Alternative showcase.

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

Maggie May’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Get Loose Promotions Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £5

Showcase night.

The Vatersay Boys Ceilidh The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £10

Folk tunes and dancing.

The Bucky Rage (Lazybones, The Feuds, The Acid Fascists) 13th Note, 21:00–23:30, Free

The Bucky Rage takeover.

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

Stereo, 19:30–22:30, £8

Pick ‘n’ mix of new bands.

Trembling Bells, The Hidden Masters

Ganglians

Stereo, 19:00–22:30, £5

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £6

Open mic night.

Butterfly Fridays

Stellar Om Source (Moon Unit, Prayer Rug)

Perfect Future, The G

Resident bands and DJs.

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £3

Tuesday Music Club

Butterfly & Pig, 20:30–12:00, Free

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Indie and post punk.

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £10

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

Scragfight

The Bundles

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £15

Lucky Dip (The Heretics)

Grunge and punk.

Kimya Dawson and Jeffrey Lewis project.

Crowded House

Pick ‘n’ mix of new bands.

Stereo, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £13

Experimental indie. We like.

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £3

Ten Tracks Present

White Rabbits (Active Child)

SECC, 19:00–22:30, £30-£40

Peter Green

Expect the usual top line-up.

Stereo, 19:00–22:30, £8

Alternative rock.

Punk rock.

Heavy Load

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £18.50

The Charlatans

Candid Cabaret

The Garage, 19:30–22:30, £7

Garage punk.

Tuesday Music Club

Alternative indie rock.

RSAMD solo cabaret. Lovely.

Open mic night.

Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Song By Toad Records Showcase (Meursault, Loch Lomond, Jonnie Common)

Butterfly & Pig, 20:30–12:00, Free

No Slogan, Canadian Rifle 13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Choice picks from Chicago.

Wed 12 May The Chariot, I Wrestled A Bear Once, Dead And Devine Ivory Blacks, 18:30–22:30, £9

Barrowlands, 19:00–23:00, £22.50

Butterfly Fridays Resident bands and DJs.

Acoustic indie.

Piney Gir

Comedic song from the Conchord boys.

Kansas-born singer/songwriter.

Kris Tennant, Crossover, Never Away

Conquering Animal Sound

Trio of live bands.

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:30, £5

Gretchen Peters

CocoRosie (Light Asylum)

Americana folk.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £15

Acoustic pop.

Nick Harper, Hatfitz

Omar Souleyman Stereo, 19:30–22:30, £12

Part of Southside Festival. Glasshouse venue.

Live Jazz

Glasgow Ska Train Party (Esperanza and The Mighty Joe Viterbo)

Musical legend from Syria.

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Jazz classics and modern standards.

Chuck Prophet and The Mission Express King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £14

Soulful indie/folk.

Mono Jazz

Mono, 20:00–23:00, Free

Weekly jazz residency.

Satyroi

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

Funk rock jam session.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Flight Of The Conchords

Trio of alternative bands.

Classic Grand, 19:30–22:00, £14

Òran Mór, 19:30–23:00, £10 (£8)

Jim Bob

SECC, 20:00–22:30, £30

Queen’s Park, 20:00–23:30, £10

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £8

Ska and reggae birthday party.

Thomas Truax (Keser, Tangles)

Brel, 20:00–22:00, £5

New bands showcase.

Meet the home experts.

SECC, 10:00–17:00, £tbc

Chiara

Odd Times

Glenn Tilbrook (Howlin Radio)

Queen’s Park, 20:00–23:30, £16

Part of Southside Festival. Glasshouse venue.

Scot Hounson, Kenny McColl, Simon Patchett, Perduramo, Rainbow Dissolve, First Tiger

Experimental indie folk.

Mono Jazz

Queen’s Park, 20:00–23:30, £10

Revelatory’ new bands showcase.

Acoustic Tribute Night

Grime, new wave and pop.

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £3

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Good for a singalong.

Vinyl Night

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Hip-hop, mod, funk and ska.

Thu 20 May

Acoustic acts; local and far-flung.

Mon 17 May

Rihanna

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £39.50-£45

R’n’B, pop, and attitude.

Cake Free Bakesale Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Music night hosted by Jonny Terrell.

Blue Nova (The Green Club, Maranchez, Oslo)

Dum Dum Girls

Stereo, 19:30–22:30, £7

Acoustic duo.

Indie rock. in ABC 2.

Michael Simons

Goonies Never Say Die, Un Cadavre

Folk and blues fingerstyle guitarist.

Post rock and punk.

Madaleine Pritchard, andAlan Train Brel, 20:00–22:00, Free

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £6

O.T.T. pop.

Eli Paperboy Reed and The True Loves

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

The Cheek (Miniature Dinosaurs)

Lafaro

Guitar-pop five-piece.

Lights

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Punk rock.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Dead City Riots Grunge rock.

Experimental glam rock.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–00:00, £tbc

New wave indie-pop.

Corrie Dick

Maggie May’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Blue Sky Archives, Pishy Tissue Brel, 20:00–22:00, Free

Local acoustic showcase.

Steumz

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Indie/folk-rock from Toulouse.

Apache Viking, Go Heeled Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

Pop, punk and indie.

Louise Against The Elements, Julia and The Doogans, Upbeat Downbeat, Acrylic Iqon Maggie May’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Pop, rock and folk showcase.

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

The Bluebells, Aidan Moffat, Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers Platform, 19:00–22:30, £7.50

Ace musical trio. Skinny approved.

A Sunny Day In Glasgow Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Indie pop.

Acoustic Jam

Live jam. Good with toast.

Common Room, 21:00–23:30, Free

Jazz residency.

Tue 18 May

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6.50

Shakey Shakey Present Live indie pop showcase.

This Divide

Box, 20:00–23:00, Free

Chilled-out alt. rock.

Brian Jonestown Massacre

What’s the Noise Promotions

Alternative psych-rock.

Showcase night.

Hyperbubble (The Paraffins, Futuristic Retro Champions, Nanobots)

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

Quails

Keith James, Rick Foot

Electro, punk and powerpop.

Indie-pop and rock.

Celebration of John Martyn.

The Flying Duck, 19:30–23:00, £4

Sat 22 May

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £5

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £16.50

Trigger The Bloodshed, Bleed From Within, Scordatura

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £10

Hardcore showcase.

Goosedubbs

O2 Academy, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Butterfly Strategy

Acoustic acts; local and far-flung.

Mon 24 May Alkaline Trio

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £16.50

Southern punk rock.

Misstallica

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £7

All-female Metallica tribute. In ABC 2.

Yaman

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Indian music on sitar and flute.

Neal Casal, Leeroy Stagger

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £10

Folk and rock, united.

Finding Albert, White Heath

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £1

Blues Bunny new bands showcase.

Acoustic Jam

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–00:00, £tbc

Live jam. Good with toast.

Corrie Dick

Common Room, 21:00–23:30, Free

Jazz residency.

Tue 25 May Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £15

Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster Stereo, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Psychobilly rock.

Fire and I

O2 Academy, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Alternative rock.

Tragic City Thieves

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Alternative glam.

Magic Carpet Cabaret Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Singer/songwriters and bands night.

Sex Pistol Experience, Public Imitation Limited

Goldheart Assembly (4DayWeekend)

Tribute night.

Alternative pop.

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Stag & Dagger

The Glasgow Slow Club

Part of Stag & Dagger 2010.

Relaxed night with guest bands.

Ducksoup

Brookside

Bands showcase from Subscene.

Punky pop and rock.

Stereo, 19:00–22:30, £15

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

The Flying Duck, 19:30–23:00, £4

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £5

Stag & Dagger

Tuesday Music Club

Part of Stag & Dagger 2010.

Open mic night.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Lostboy! AKA

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £20

Jim Kerr solo project.

The Dead Generals, Models For The Radio Maggie May’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Indie, rock and metal.

Un-Scene: Theemrmister Paul Nicholls Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £12

James Lindsay

Standley Odd

Comedic song from the Conchord boys.

Monthly jazz session.

Funky electro.

Dark, experimental folk songstress.

54 THE SKINNY May 2010

Bloc, 21:00–01:00, Free

Indie rock.

Acoustic singalong.

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Bloc+Jam

Progressive rock.

Flight Of The Conchords

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £3

Alternative rock and electro-pop.

New band from the East Coast.

Brel, 15:00–17:30, Free

Nathalie Stern (Two Wings, Pyramidion)

SECC, 20:00–22:30, £30

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, Free

Peter Hammill

Classical and rootsy tuneage.

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Nevada Base, Warren Capaldi, Scott Nicol, Craig Davidson, Johnny Reb

Loose Grip

Part of Stag & Dagger 2010.

Òran Mór, 19:30–22:00, £10

Roxy Magic (Tigers In Vaseline, Electric Warrior)

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Butterfly Strategy

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £6

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £5

Soulful loveliness.

Bluesy rock.

The Dirty Cuts, The Paraffins, Palace Butterfly, Canary Warfare

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £12.75

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £12.50

Johnny Flynn

Frenetic beats and chamber pop.

Mellow pop.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £9

Open mic night.

Bloc, 21:00–01:00, Free

Alternative showcase.

O2 Academy, 19:00–22:30, £13.50

Sam Amidon

Progressive rock.

Oui Love Atom (Revolver, Curry & Coco)

The Temper Trap (Sarah Blasko)

Alternative electro-pop.

Bloc+Jam

Aggressus, Alba Gu Brath, Dog Tired, Town Called Hell

Epic alternative rock.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £9

Inner Sight

Vinyl Night

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £18

Ingrid Michaelson, Simon Lynge

Hardcore punk and rock.

Angular and rhythmic jazz.

Dinosaur Jr (Built To Spill)

Progressive rock and metal.

Stag & Dagger (Antlers, Divorce, Sparrow and The Workshop, We Were Promised Jetpacks)

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Experimental electro. Plus support.

Thu 13 May

Box, 20:00–23:00, Free

Buddy Whittington

Punk rock.

Brel, 15:00–17:30, Free

Hip-hop, mod, funk and ska.

Fifty Calibre Smile

Revelations Showcase (We Used to Call This Summer, The Sons of Liberty, The Hype, The Future Reflections)

Maggie May’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £5

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Alternative indie and rock.

Part of Southside Festival. Glasshouse venue.

Paradox, Shields Up, Escape To Victory

Box, 20:00–23:00, Free

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:30, £5

Baby Monster

Weekly jazz residency.

Solo electro project.

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Mono, 20:00–23:00, Free

Uncle Remus

13th Note, 20:00–23:30, £6

Arcadian Kicks, Jack The Wolf, A New Hope

Alternative beats.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £10

Rootsy rock.

Open mic night.

Label showcase.

Acoustic folk pop. And rather nice, too.

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £5

Experimental rock and pop.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Carol Laula, Maeve O’Boyle, Robyn, Amie

New bands showcase.

Homebuilding and Renovating Show

DIY label/music blog first showcase.

Predestination Records

Experimental electro-rock, and Skinny faves.

Experimental punk.

Breakdown Bands Night

Sunflower Tuesdays, Richard Gibson, Mistake Face, Where’s Mark

Mono, 19:30–22:30, £5

The Flying Duck, 19:30–23:00, £5

Fuzzbox

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £5

Alternative tunes.

Sat 15 May

Classic rock.

Holy Fuck

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, Free

Indie, rock and electro.

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £37.50

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £6

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £6 (£5)

Soundhaus, 21:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

Mark Knopfler

Wolf Parade

Meet the home experts.

Bluesy rock.

Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Rock and alt. metal.

Trio of alternative bands.

O2 Academy, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Alternative types.

Reggae ensemble.

The Glasgow Slow Club (Lions.Chase.Tigers)

Bis, Bridezilla, Peter Parker

Tribute band.

Forevervoid (The Neon Altar, Komodo)

SECC, 10:00–16:30, £tbc

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £39.50-£45

Lucky Dip (Eddy and the T-bolts, Mcreedyband)

The Wailing Souls

GBH, Prairie Dugz, The Snipes

Relaxed night with guest bands.

Who’s Who

Wed 19 May

Dubstep, grime and bass artist.

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £9

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £6

Sun 16 May Homebuilding and Renovating Show

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £8

Sun 23 May

Paul Mill’s Mind Excursion

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £4

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £6

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

Fri 21 May

Music Hive (Black Avenue, The Hollowtin Sorrows)

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Butterfly & Pig, 20:30–12:00, Free

Wed 26 May Summer Graduate Fair SECC, 11:00–18:00, Free

Advice for graduates.

Marshall Chipped

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Experimental types.

Live Jazz

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Jazz classics and modern standards.

Dan Sartain

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £8

Rockabilly rock.

edinburgh music Mayer Hawthorne and The County King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £12

Soulful Americana.

Mono Jazz

Mono, 20:00–23:00, Free

Weekly jazz residency.

Otaku

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £tbc

Alternative acoustic set.

Duracell, Holy Mountain, Eternal Fags 13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

Punk thrash.

the Latecomers

Lauries Bar, 20:15–23:00, Free

Alternative pop loveliness.

PIN UP NIGHTS (Thomas Hein)

The Flying Duck, 21:00–23:00, £7

Indie party with guest DJs.

Sat 29 May

Advice for graduates.

Cara Dillon

13th Note, 15:00–21:00, £5

Suz

The Flying Duck, 19:15–23:00, £5

Alternative tuneage.

Barrowlands, 19:00–23:00, £25

Full metal racket.

Over The Wall

Òran Mór, 19:30–22:00, £5

Superb folk and electro from Glasgow.

Nina Nastasia

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £29

The Rudiments

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Acoustic folk.

The Dirty Suits, Edging On Ecstacy, Phaetons Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:30, £5

Punk, rock and metal.

The Boy Orchestra, The Mirror Trap

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Box, 20:00–23:00, Free

Folk fae Fife

No Fxd Abode

Acoustic songstress.

Alternative pop and rock.

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £tbc

Music from the Kingdom.

Alternative punk and rock.

Lou Brown, Paul Michael Clark

Jake and Elwood

Brel, 20:00–22:00, Free

Local acoustic showcase.

Get Loose Present

Maggie May’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Four live Scottish acts.

Growing

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £7

Alternative tunes.

Moonlit Sailor, Galleries

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, £3

Alternative pairing.

Slayer

Wed 28 Apr Sppace Echo #1 (Wounded Knee, Blue Sabbath Black Fiji, Sppace Echo Soundsystem)

Guitar folk from Devon.

Heavy Trash Punk rock.

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £5

Folk and noise, with beards.

Brel, 19:30–22:00, Free

Sweet-voiced folkster.

Stereo, 19:00–22:30, £11

Ambitious fiddle piece.

John Smith

George Benson, Marti Pellow

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £15

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, £12 (£10)

Bands, prizes and fundraiser fun.

Hip-hop, mod, funk and ska.

SECC, 10:00–15:00, Free

Patsy Reid

South America rhythms.

Theoretical Records all-dayer.

Summer Graduate Fair

Americana with teeth.

Charity Fundraiser

Brel, 15:00–17:30, Free

Vinyl Night

Thu 27 May

The Village, 19:30–22:45, £8

Dias Quartet

Witch Sorrow, Serpent Venom, Low Sonic Drift

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Tue 27 Apr Leith Folk Club (Tokyo Rosenthal, Charlie Chamberlain)

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £17.50

Blues Brothers-inspired show.

Sun 30 May Peter & The Test Tube Babies

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £9

Experimental punk.

New Generation Blues The Ferry, 19:00–00:00, £12.50

White Noise (ExLibras) New music showcase.

Wishbone Ash

The Caves, 19:15–22:00, £15

Classic acoustic rock.

Joan Armatrading

Queen’s Hall, 19:30–22:30, £27-£30

Yellow Brick Road

Alternative indie.

Elton John tribute.

Richard James (Billy Bates Trio)

Paul Vickers & The Leg

Indie pop.

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £10

13th Note, 21:00–23:30, £tbc

O.T.T. pop.

Fri 28 May Kings Ov Leon ABC, 19:00–22:00, £10

Tribute band. As opposed to spelling mistake. In ABC 2.

The Damned

ABC, 19:00–22:00, £15.50

Mighty punk.

Washed Out, Small Black, Dam Mantle Stereo, 19:00–22:30, £8

Miimal and acoustic pop.

Motown At Mono Mono, 19:00–01:00, Free

Motown and soul.

Butterfly Fridays

Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Resident bands and DJs.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Experimental types.

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Michael Simons

Wing and a Prayer

Folk and blues fingerstyle guitar.

Songwriters influenced by the blues.

Stereo, 20:00–22:30, £9.50

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Mick Hargan and The Proposition

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:30, £5

Glaswegian acoustic folkie.

Quasi

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £8

Experimental tunes.

Jazz residency.

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £7

Heavy rock and metal.

Abstract symphony.

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Wed 05 May Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Queen’s Hall, 19:30–22:30, £8.50£26

Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, Free

Corn Exchange, 19:00–22:30, £18.50

Experimental popstress.

CRANACHAN

White Noise (Blue Flint, Andi Neate, Andy Tucker, The Scattered Family)

Classic rock covers.

Tigerfest opening showcase.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, £3

Thu 29 Apr Mark Hanlon Arts and Music Night

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Art and music crossover night.

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, £22.50

Raphael Imbert Trio

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £6 (£5)

Marseille-based saxophonist.

John Fairhurst

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £5

North west ensemble.

Fri 30 Apr Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Remembering Tommy Queen’s Hall, 19:30–22:30, £15 (£12.50)

Tommy Sampson big band commemoration.

RSNO: Britten’s War Requiem

Usher Hall, 19:30–22:30, £10-£24

Scottish orchestral session.

The Apple Beggars The Caves, 19:30–00:30, £12

Melodic and heartfelt songs.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Contemporary electronic. Boot up.

Progressive rock.

HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:30, £18.50

Laid-back jazz duos.

Volume Dealer

Indie folk-pop.

Common Room, 21:00–23:30, Free

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £7

Medina, 20:30–01:00, Free

Metropolitan Hotel, 19:00–22:00, Free

New night of songwriters and bands.

Laptop Lounge

Corrie Dick

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £12.50

11-piece Celtic fusion.

SCO: Symphonies Of The North

Electro and house special.

Up-and-coming rockers.

Blues Bunny new bands showcase.

Folk from NZ.

The Village, 19:30–22:45, £8

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Acoustic Coconut

Dawn Landes

Pendragon

Unique harmonies.

Roxymoron

Big, eclectic pop.

Supergroup ensemble.

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £1

Usher Hall, 19:30–22:30, £17.50-£20

Leith Folk Club (Kirsten Taylor, Mark Mazengarb)

Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£3 after 12)

Great Junction Studio Showcase

We Are Jawbone

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £12

Rokia Traore (Sweet Billy Pilgrim)

Punk benefit in Teviot Debating Hall.

Teviot Row Union, 17:00–00:00, £8

Canadian musical collective.

Rangda

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £6

Salsa Celtica

Remember Chernobyl

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Lo-fi post-folk EP launch.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Clever, classy pop.

1920s-style tea dance, with dancing, music, vintage stalls, and cake!

Jonquil

Eagleowl

Mini noisefest.

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Ghillie-Dhu, 16:00–20:00, £12.50

Zzzzap!

Free showcase of new talent.

Riot In The Rock Shop

Bright Young Lights

Nerina Pallot

Tue 04 May

Tea Dance Sunday

Florence and The Machine (Babe Shadow)

Powerpop Americana. That’ll sell.

O2 Academy, 19:00–22:30, £20

The blues band return.

Artful post-rock.

Sun 02 May

WOODPIGEON (Laura Gibson, Wounded Knee)

Acoustic acts; local and far-flung.

Slam Dunk Scotland 2010 (New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals)

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 19:00–22:00, £3

March Her To Norway, Dials (Been Training Dogs)

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Classic rock.

Butterfly Strategy

Mon 31 May

Missing Cat

Live music Gala night.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Rye Harbour Showcase

The Wynntown Marshalls

Rockin’ bank holiday special.

Celtic folk rock.

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £6 (£9 after 11)

Modern classics rearranged for bluegrass.

Modern French groove and swing.

Bloc, 21:00–01:00, Free

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£4)

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

Rock and metal.

LP launch.

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Machar Granite

17-piece open rehearsal.

The Jazz Bar, 19:30–23:00, £4 (£3)

Ian Hunter, The Rant Band

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £6 (£5)

A Fight You Can’t Win

Open mic night.

Punk benefit in Teviot Debating Hall.

Jazz Bar Big Band

50s fun with showgirls a-go-go.

Voodoo Rooms, 20:30–01:00, £5

Renza Ba Quintet

Alternatove rock and folk.

Bloc+Jam

Teviot Row Union, 14:00–01:00, £10

Indie pop.

VEGAS!

Banjo Lounge Four

Free Bear, Dante, Francie Jones

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, Free

Remember Chernobyl

Hand-picked five-piece.

HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:30, £22.50

Krankenschwester (The Wee Baby Jesus)

Grand piano plus witty ramblings.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Sat 01 May

Scouting For Girls

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Aerogramme-formed duo.

Swedish banjo punk.

Ethereal tuneage.

Indie/electro clubbing special.

WORLD PREMIERE QUINTET

Folk sessions in the Cabaret Bar.

The Pleasance, 20:00–22:30, £8 (£7) or £5 members

Alternative blues.

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:45, £tbc

University showcase.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (free members)

Voodoo Rooms, 18:00–01:00, Free

Live acoustic musicians.

Rick Wakeman

Indian Red Lopez, The Silent Forest

Alternative acoustic rock.

Citrus Club, 19:30–22:30, £16

Jazz Sundays

Edinburgh Folk Club (Allan Taylor)

Son Of Dave

Emma’s Imagination

This Is Music

Acoustic Edinburgh

Baskery

Stereo, 19:30–22:30, £10

Live music, all night long.

Napier Music Exams

Open mic and live jammin’.

With Oli Brown, Joanne Shaw Taylor, and Virgil and the Accelerators.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £9

Mon 03 May

The Alarm (Crashed Out, Willie Nile, Killing For Company)

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £5.50

The Unwinding Hours (Olympic Swimmers, The Last Battle)

Powerful singer/songwriter.

Bloc, 20:00–23:00, Free

Alternative indie.

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, Free

The Marrs Effect, The Mike Kearney Band, The Spectres

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 20:00–03:00, £4

Folk-pop niceness.

May 2010

THE SKINNY 55

SUMMER MUSIC AT

EDINBURGH MUSIC RAY DAVIES

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £27.50

Former Kinks frontman.

SPLYCE, KID FIRE (CHAPTERONE)

BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–23:00, £4

Indie pop.

UNPEELED bar / live music / club & private karaoke rooms

THE JAZZ BAR, 20:15–23:00, £3

New bands showcase.

VOLUME DEALER

STUDIO 24, 22:00–03:00, FREE

LiVe ShOWS, OnSaLe nOW 08.05

15.05 17.05

22.05

29.05

30.05

06.06 10.06 17.06

Rose elinoR Dougall,

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Heavy metal.

THU 06 MAY ROXY ROOTS GARDEN

ROXY ART HOUSE, 17:00–01:00, FREE

Dub and reggae.

ART ANIMOTION

ROXY ART HOUSE, 18:30–22:00, £TBC

05.05

12.05

19.05

26.05

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £8

Twisted dance/rock from Australia.

PHOEBE KRETZ, CASEY, EMILY SCOTT, THE STANTONS

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £7

New bands showcase.

SANDI THOM

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £12

Scottish folk pop.

ROXY ART HOUSE, 19:00–23:00, £5

Rock and country folk.

SCO: SCHUMANN MASS

QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:30, £8.50£26

Schumann orchestral tribute.

GODS & QUEENS, OKKER, MUNCHKINS (BOBBY AND THE LENGS) BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–23:00, £5

Hardcore types from the US.

JAZZ BAR QUARTET

THE JAZZ BAR, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Specially-formed four-piece.

LIMBO (DEAD BOY ROBOTICS, VASQUEZ)

VOODOO ROOMS, 20:00–01:00, £5

Live music night.

FRI 07 MAY ROXY FRIDAYS

BORn TO BE WidE Music PR seMinaR

ROXY ART HOUSE, 17:00–01:00, FREE

Funk, garage and soul.

BIG RED BARBERSHOP CHOIR

THE BIG RED DOOR, 18:00–20:00, £3

Contemporary barbershop.

BRONTO SKYLIFT (SHIELDS UP, THE PARTY PROGRAM) SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

Rock duo.

EAT DR. APE, THE MARVELS, MIASMA

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £4

Alternative trio.

INNER SIGHT (PINKY SUAVO, LOST TO THE LANDSLIDE, CAESURA)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

JOin uS On Facebook TWiTTeR MysPace

Rock blended with dance.

THE PAT MCMANUS BAND THE CAVES, 19:15–22:00, £10

Live band plus rhythm section.

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JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

THE JAM HOUSE, 20:30–01:30, £5.50

Live music, all night long.

SOUL FOUNDATION

VOODOO ROOMS, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Rock’n’roll club.

THIS IS MUSIC (TALLAH DISCO, BRAGAIN HAROLD) SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

Indie and electro night.

SAT 08 MAY Electro, funk and grooves.

TREMBLING BELLS

thurSdaY daY 6 da 6th th MaY Ma

BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–23:00, £5

MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS

Experimental popstress.

TigeRFesT oPening nighT: blueFlinT, anDi neaTe, anDy TuckeR & The scaTTeReD FaMily TigeRFesT & is This Music?

PResenT: Jesus h Foxx, TheRe Will be FiReWoRks sniDe RhyThMs & shellsuiT Massace DRoPkick & FRienDs

Female-fronted rock bands.

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 20:00–03:00, £5

ROXY SATURDAYS

CORN EXCHANGE, 19:00–22:30, £18.50

doors 7pm £3 entry cash goes direct to the bands

CHRIS TRAPPER

Live painting, music and video art to launch the art exhibition.

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE (BABE SHADOW)

WedneSdaYS

ROCK CHICK NIGHT 3 (HELLO PIRATES, SAZ, JUMP: PRESS A, STORM IN A D-CUP, THE AMORETTES, SEAFIELD FOXES)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 19:00–22:00, £4

Seven-piece psych-punk.

MAKE SPARKS (BLACK INTERNATIONAL, 3TIMESOVER)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

Indie pop.

ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL (MODUS, TOM WHITE)

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £5

Ex-Pipettes psych-folk.

THE KAYS LAVELLE

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Album launch.

THE LAW

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £7

Stomping indie rock from Dundee.

JAMIE CULLUM

USHER HALL, 19:00–22:30, £32.50-£40

Jazz pervert.

VIOLADORES DEL VERSO (NORTHERNXPOSURE)

HMV PICTURE HOUSE, 19:00–22:30, £10

Four-piece from Barcelona.

HUGH CORNWELL

THE CAVES, 19:15–22:00, £15

Stranglers first album performed in its entirety.

THE KEVOCK CHOIR

QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:30, £5-£12

Annual choral concert.

ROOT SYSTEM, DRIVE-BY AUDIO

BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–23:00, £4

Edinburgh skatepark opening party.

WORLD PREMIERE QUINTET

THE JAZZ BAR, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Hand-picked five-piece.

4 FRIED CHICKENS: THE BIG HAND, DECCAPODS, THE HUSTLERS, BIG HNERY’S SOUL CATS

TEVIOT ROW UNION, 20:00–03:00, £5

Ska, blues and soul. In Teviot Debating Hall.

THE MANNEQUINS, DEGRASSI, BLACK HEART GENERATOR, MILES MAYHEM CITY CAFÉ, 20:30–23:00, £2

New bands showcase.

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

THE JAM HOUSE, 20:30–01:30, £5.50 (£8 AFTER 11)

THE HIGHER STATE (THE HIDDEN MASTERS)

Garage and psychedelic sounds.

SUN 09 MAY SCO: CHAMBER CONCERT

TOMMY SMITH YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA

QUEEN’S HALL, 14:30–16:30, £12

Youth jazz ensemble.

ROXY ART HOUSE, 17:00–01:00, FREE

Afternoon orchestral session.

THE LOT, 20:00–22:30, £8 (£5)

ROXYMORON

CATH AND PHIL TYLER, THE ONE ENSEMBLE, NEIL DAVIDSON

Open mic and live jammin’.

Honest, gritty traditional music.

JAZZ SUNDAYS

ROXY ART HOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £5

JPHUNK QUINTET

THE JAZZ BAR, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Five-piece jazz/fusion.

WILLIAM YOUNG

THE JAZZ BAR, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Soul-tinged jazz.

X-LION TAMER, THE WILDHOUSE, THE GOTHENBERG ADDRESS

ROXY ART HOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £6

Pop, punk and rock.

GLORIA CYCLES (SHOOTING STANSFIELD)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 20:00–23:45, £5

Blissful melodies.

LANGHORNE SLIM (RYAN LAUDER)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 23:00–03:00, £5

Contemporary Scottish composers.

Melodic punk and hardcore.

CERAMIC HOBS (THE RADIATION LINE, MILLS & BOON, RODENT EMPORIUM)

Twinkly-eyed singer.

QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:30, £12 (£10)

DEAR LANDLORD, MOONSHINE DOCKS (THE MURDERBURGERS)

MON 10 MAY

Live music, all night long.

AIDAN O’ROURKE’S AN TOBAR BAND, THE DAVE MILIGAN TRIO

Indie rock with pop overtones.

ROXY ART HOUSE, 17:00–01:00, FREE

DANIEL O’DONNELL

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £29.50£34.50

VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–01:00, £8

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £7

Soulful folk rock.

JAZZ BAR BIG BAND

THE JAZZ BAR, 19:30–23:00, £4 (£3)

17-piece open rehearsal.

WHO’S EDNA, SEAFIELD FOXES (NO FIXED ABODE, DIRTY LIES)

BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–23:00, £4

Up-and-coming local talent.

MARVIN (CREVECOEUR, WE MODERN CADETS)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 20:00–23:45, £5

Pounding drums and walloping riffs.

TUE 11 MAY TV21 (BOYCOTTS, MIDAS FALL)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £7

Reformed and touring.

LEITH FOLK CLUB (ANDY CHUNG)

THE VILLAGE, 19:30–22:45, £8

Traditional and contemporary Scots.

WED 12 MAY PHILLY

ROXY ART HOUSE, 17:00–01:00, FREE

Live set.

FRANCIS ROSSI (THE NORTH)

QUEEN’S HALL, 19:00–22:30, £19.50

Status Quo vocalist/guitarist.

WHITE NOISE (JESUS H FOXX, THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS)

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–00:00, £3

Music showcase. Part of Tigerfest.

PICK UP THE GUN

BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–23:00, £4

Alternative grunge rock.

VOLUME DEALER

STUDIO 24, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Heavy metal.

THU 13 MAY ROXY ROOTS GARDEN

ROXY ART HOUSE, 17:00–01:00, FREE

Dub and reggae.

SCO: MARIA JOAO PIRES

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £8.50-£26

Beethoven recital.

CHRIS BRADLEY, DIRTY CUTS, THE LAST BATTLE

ROXY ART HOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £6

Alt. Rock, grimpy pop and nu-folk.

KEN MATHIESON TRIO

THE JAZZ BAR, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Drum-led jazz three-piece.

LORDS OF BASTARD, LOW SONIC DRIFT (TABASCO FIASCO)

BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–23:00, £4

Riff disasters.

FRI 14 MAY

60 PERSONS

ROXY FRIDAYS

Indie rock from Glasgow.

Funk, garage and soul.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

METROPOLITAN HOTEL, 19:00–22:00, FREE

Laid-back jazz duos.

ROXY ART HOUSE, 17:00–01:00, FREE

BIG RED BARBERSHOP CHOIR

THE BIG RED DOOR, 18:00–20:00, £3

Contemporary barbershop.

Hyperbubble (Nanobots, Shock & Awe)

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£4)

Piney Gir

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £5 American singer/songwriter.

Texan synth-pop duo.

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

Martin Stephenson, Alex Cornish

Live music, all night long.

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £11 (£10)

Alternative pop.

The Doors Alive

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £10

Tribute act.

We Were Promised Jetpacks, Three Blind Wolves, We See Lights Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £7

Trio of top bands.

Eric Bibb

Queen’s Hall, 19:00–22:30, £18

Soul-fused blues.

The Temper Trap (Sarah Blasko)

HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:30, £13.50

Alternative pop.

Suite ‘69 (Les Bof!, Big Gus, Marquis De Jardin) Roxy Art House, 19:00–01:00, £5

Swinging 60s French discotheque.

RSNO: Elgar Cello

Usher Hall, 19:30–22:30, £8.50-£20

Orchestral performance.

She’koyokh Klezmer Ensemble The Lot, 19:30–22:30, £6 (£5)

Roots and folk tunes.

Soulacoaster

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £tbc

12-piece soul band.

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £5.50

Live music, all night long.

MCF Music Night

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Showcase of singer/songwriters.

This Is Music

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Indie and electro night.

Sat 15 May Roxy Saturdays

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Electro, funk and grooves.

Charlie and the Bhoys

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £10

Celtic folk.

Conquering Animal Sound, Dead Boy Robotics, Adam Stafford

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3) Punk, new wave and electro.

Emma Foreman

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Acoustic country pop.

Shots Were Fired (Dave Manning, Bag Of Bags) Henry’s Cellar Bar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Indie-Americana songs of revenge.

Boyz II Men (Mica Paris) HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:30, £30

Soulful boy band stuff.

The Debuts

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £5.50 (£8 after 11)

Sun 16 May Roxymoron

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Open mic and live jammin’.

Eli Paperboy Reed and The True Loves

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £10

American soul.

Jazz Sundays

Metropolitan Hotel, 19:00–22:00, Free

Laid-back jazz duos.

Midas Fall (Gothenburg Address, Sebastian Dangerfield, Tiny Little Robots) Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Alt. rock Edinburgh five-piece.

Hauschka, Nancy Elizabeth, James Blackshaw, Lauren Hayes Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Pendulum

WORLD PREMIERE QUINTET

Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel

Great Junction Studio Showcase

Heavy Load

Hand-picked five-piece.

Good old British rock.

Up-and-coming local talent.

Punk rock.

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £tbc

Corn Exchange, 19:00–22:30, £22.50

Bass-heavy electro-rock.

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

Loose Grip

Live music night.

Weekly music showcase.

Live music, all night long.

Drum-led four-piece.

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £5.50 (£8 after 11)

Jammin’ at Voodoo

Voodoo Rooms, 21:00–01:00, £5

Live jam session.

Fri 21 May Roxy Fridays

Jazz vocalists and backing.

Mon 17 May The Wailing Souls (Robigan)

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

Heavy metal.

Electric Circus, 19:00–22:30, £9

Chapel Club

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £7

Melodic pop five-piece.

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, Free

Global Parasite, Dead Subverts (Down To Kill) Henry’s Cellar Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Anarch-o-core and blustering punk.

Meursault, Islet (Brother Grimm DJs) Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £7

Two top bands.

Crowded House

Jazz Bar Big Band

The Sex Pistols Experience

17-piece open rehearsal.

Feeding Egon, Semtex Jamboree

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Quirky indie.

Tue 18 May Leith Folk Club (Ewan Robertson, Gary Innes) The Village, 19:30–22:45, £8

Young Scots singer and guitarist.

Wed 19 May Delays

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £12

Stellar indie rock.

Noisettes (Chew Lips)

HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Experimental pop.

White Noise (Snide Rhythms, Shellsuit Massacre)

Studio 24, 19:00–01:00, £tbc

Tribute band and after party.

David Rovics, Attila the Stockbroker

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Poetry and spoken word.

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Acoustic rock.

Is This Poetry?

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Performance poetry gig.

Lafaro

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Blistering alternative rock.

Mon 24 May

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, £3

Voodoo Rooms, 19:15–01:00, £12

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £5.50

Live music, all night long.

This Is Music

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Indie and electro night.

Sat 22 May Roxy Saturdays

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Electro, funk and grooves.

The Valkayrs

Avant garde lunacy. Ace.

Electric Circus, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Studio 24, 22:00–03:00, Free

Heavy metal.

Thu 20 May The Social Services (The Oates Field, Raised By Wolves)

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £4

WORLD PREMIERE QUINTET

Sweet and lyrical pop.

Hand-picked five-piece.

X Factor pop poppet.

Diana Vickers

Queen’s Hall, 19:00–22:30, £12

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £8.50

Americana county folk.

Trigger The Bloodshed, Bleed From Within, The Dead Lay Waiting Studio 24, 19:00–22:30, £7.50

The Jazz Bar, 19:30–23:00, £4 (£3)

Alternative indie.

Volume Dealer

Nell Bryden

Music from new and established acts.

The Stark Palace

Wee Red Bar, 21:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £6

Hardcore, ominous sounding, trio.

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £5

HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:30, £17

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Samuel Chase (White Hinterland)

We Luv Musik

Music/club crossover.

Funky, groovy rock.

Laid-back jazz duos.

Soulful grunge.

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Ska pop.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Metropolitan Hotel, 19:00–22:00, Free

Pop music to dance to.

Electric Circus, 19:00–22:30, £8

Gogobot

The Lord Bishop, Gravitation (Scarlet Carmina)

Jazz Sundays

Male Bonding (The Foundling Wheel)

Hot Rods (Peter & Fernie, Stevie D Experience)

Violin concert. In aid of Haiti.

Eclectic folkishness.

Come On Gang

Live local showcase.

Usher Hall, 19:30–22:30, £30-£40

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£4)

Chiddy Bang (Constellations)

Alternative rock.

Y Rock Present

Sherlock Meets His Violin

Fred Astaire’s Boots, Genetic Stereo, The Steals

Electro, funk and grooves.

Trio of young Scottish bands.

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £tbc

The Caves, 19:15–22:00, £6

Daddy

The Songs of Nick Drake

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Studio 24, 22:00–03:00, Free

Contemporary barbershop.

Rock By Night Battle of the bands.

Digital and acoustic electro.

Volume Dealer

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Roxy Art House, 19:00–00:00, £tbc

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Roxymoron

Django Django, Wounded Knee, Withered Hand

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Scottish label showcase.

Roxy Saturdays

Usher Hall, 19:00–22:30, £30-£40

The Jazz Bar, 19:30–23:00, £4 (£3)

Sat 29 May

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 20:00–23:45, £5

Reggae rock from Jamaica.

Indie-sampling hip-hop outfit.

Indie and electro night.

A celebration of Nick Drake

The Big Red Door, 18:00–20:00, £3

Tribute to John Martyn.

SL Records Night

Sun 23 May

Aucan (Moonlit Sailor, Amateur Assassins, Super Adventure Club, Jackie Treehorn)

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £12

Upcoming Scottish bands.

Annual summer concert.

Balkan-themed fun night.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Jazz students showcase.

Rock and blues.

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £7

Queen’s Hall, 19:00–22:30, £6 (£3)

Studio 24, 21:30–03:00, £7 (£9 after 10.30)

This Is Music

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £10

Keith James & Rick Foot: Tribute to John Martyn

The Edinburgh Academy

RSAMD Jazz

Big Red Barbershop Choir

Funk, garage and soul.

Weekly music showcase.

EP launch.

Electro-dance from Peo De Pitte.

BALKANARAMA (Orkestra Del Sol)

The Caves, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£6)

Open mic and live jammin’.

In The Attack, Downfall, Trash The Skyline, As Autumn Falls, Inspired

Electric Circus, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Roots and folk tunes.

The Forest Café, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Young rebels.

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Live music, all night long.

The Cute Lepers, The Begrudgers (Axidents, Brothel Corpse Trio) Punk and hardcore.

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £5.50

Az-tech (Peo De Pitte, Re:Tox, Al Majik, Siren)

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, £3

She’koyokh Klezmer Ensemble

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Rush’N’Attack, XMRV Singers Night

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

White Noise (Dropkick)

DesertersDeservedeath (Delta Mainline)

Furious punk rock.

Queen’s Hall, 19:00–22:30, £25.50

Limbo

Roxy Art House, 19:30–00:00, £tbc

Wonderful German pianist/composer.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

La Excelencia (NYC Salsa Orchestra)

Jazz Bar Big Band 17-piece open rehearsal.

Tue 25 May Cats Cats Cats (Siegfield Sassoon, Over The Wall)

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Experimental indie.

Faithless

Corn Exchange, 19:00–22:30, £30

Epic electronica.

Le Salon du Jazz Refusé, Adelaide’s Cape Cabaret Voltaire, 19:30–22:30, £5 (£4)

Alternative loveliness.

Leith Folk Club (Tannahill Weavers) The Village, 19:30–22:45, £8

Instrument-led lullabies.

Duracell

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 20:00–23:45, £6 (£5)

French one-man drum-trigger.

Wed 26 May Sharon King

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Mellow afro-beat.

Country-esque vibes.

Stellar Om Source

Crow Road, Active Child

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Dutch electronic musician.

Edinburgh Light Orchestra

Queen’s Hall, 19:30–22:30, £6-£9.50

Easy listening favourites.

Sam Amidon (Loch Lomond, Meursault) Queen Charlotte Rooms, 19:30–22:30, £5

Appalachian folk songs.

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £4

Indie folk and new wave.

Dead Meadow Alternative rock.

Thu 27 May

The Damned (Tudor Pole, Texas Terri Bomb)

Roxy Roots Garden

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Dub and reggae.

HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:30, £15.50

Epic punk rock.

80’s Matchbox BLine Disaster

I Concur

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £9

Cult Brighton-based psych-rock.

Delta Mainline (The Lucid Dream)

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Monumental post-punk.

Leith Folk Club (Brigid Kaelin)

The Village, 19:30–22:45, £8

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £6

Fiesty alt. country songstress.

Psychedelic rockers.

No Control, Spat

Octoberman (Ptere Katz, Roy Reick)

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Street punk and crustcore.

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

WORLD PREMIERE QUINTET

Melodic pop.

Cardboard

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Hand-picked five-piece.

Surrealist rock meets free jazz.

Leith Folk Club (Sharon King and the Reckless Angels)

JAM HOUSE EXPERIENCE

Acoustic country.

The Damned Aftershow Party (The Incendiary Bats, Chinese Jocks, Fireside Aliens)

The Jam House, 20:30–01:30, £6 (£9 after 11)

Live music Gala night.

The Village, 19:30–22:45, £8

Corrie Dick Sextet

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Young drummer plus band.

Versus

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £tbc

Musicians duel on-stage.

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 22:30–03:00, £2.50

Punk rock and new wave.

Sun 30 May

Fri 28 May Roxy Fridays

Edinburgh Royal Choral Union

Funk, garage and soul.

Afternoon choral performance.

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Big Red Barbershop Choir

Usher Hall, 15:00–17:30, £12-£15

Roxymoron

The Big Red Door, 18:00–20:00, £3

Contemporary barbershop.

Roxy Art House, 17:00–01:00, Free

Open mic and live jammin’.

Jazz Sundays

Boo Hewerdine (Ben Glover)

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £10

Guitar-playing duo.

Jesus H Foxx (Eagleowl, Song By Toad DJs) Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Metropolitan Hotel, 19:00–22:00, Free

Laid-back jazz duos.

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £13

Southern rock and blues.

New wave pop.

The Hip Parade

My Electric Love Affair, After Me the Flood

Pop punk and indie.

Electric Circus, 19:00–22:30, £8

Go-Away Birds

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, Free

Silky vocals and guitar.

Experimental types.

The Zombies (Austen George, The Set-Up)

New Generation Blues (The Oli Brown Band, Joanne Shaw Taylo, Virgil and The Accelerators)

The Caves, 19:15–22:00, £15.50

Classic rock.

Meadows Chamber Orchestra

The Caves, 19:00–22:00, £15

Trio of live acts.

Queen’s Hall, 19:45–22:30, £10 (£4/£8)

Indian Red Lopez (This Silent Forest)

Jazz-influenced orchestral musings.

Roxy Art House, 19:00–23:00, £5

Alt-indie Aberdonians .

CRANACHAN

Somos Cubanos

Roxy Art House, 19:00–01:00, £10

Cuban music and dance.

Kassidy (Lissie, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun)

Leith Folk Club (The Wanton Pegs)

Americana-inspired Glaswegian band.

World-weary tunes.

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £7

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £7

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Classic rock covers.

Singers Night

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Jazz vocalists and backing.

The Village, 19:30–22:45, £8

Mon 31 May

Natalie Merchant

Mr McFall’s Chamber (Michael Marra)

Jazz Bar Big Band

Alternative rock singer.

Multi-instrumental performance.

17-piece open rehearsal.

Usher Hall, 19:00–22:30, £20-£27.50

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, £10 (£8)

The Jazz Bar, 19:30–23:00, £4 (£3)

May 2010

THE SKINNY 57

Glasgow Clubs Tue 27 Apr I Am

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Eclectic new club night.

Killer Kitsch

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Electro, 80s and trashy disco.

Wed 28 Apr Dead Famous

The Admiral, 19:30–00:00, £4

Come dressed as a dead celebrity.

Muso

The Buff Club, 20:30–03:00, £4 (£3)

Band and club crossover.

Octopussy

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student fun night.

Impact (Partyraiser, Tyrnon)

Soundhaus, 21:30–03:30, £12 (£10)

Guest DJs from across the pond.

Beatitude

Shed Saturday

The Mumble Club

Electro and beats.

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£6 (£4) after 11)

Pop classics and hip-hop.

Absolution

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Pop, punk, metal and rock.

Cathouse Saturdays Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Rock and punk. Regular DJs.

Sabado

Filthy electro nonsense.

Classic Rock Club

Bazodee

The Halt Bar, 20:00–02:00, Free

Reggae and dancehall.

Dance, R’n’B and chart.

Ivory Blacks, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Epic classic rock tunes.

Love Music

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Indie dancing club.

Satisfation

Melting Pot (Tim Sweeney)

Dirty chart and R’n’B.

Special guest DJ.

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, £3

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £10

Cryotec (Effigy, Tailz)

Nu Skool

Industrial, goth and EBM.

Funky disco and soul.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2

Live bands and DJs.

Octopussy

Dirty Noise

Thu 29 Apr

The Buff Club, 20:30–03:00, £4 (£3)

Brunswick Hotel, 22:00–02:00, £tbc

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, Free (£8 after 11)

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

Wed 05 May Muso

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student fun night.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £2

Alternative hip-hop.

Thu 06 May Bazodee

The Halt Bar, 20:00–02:00, Free

Reggae and dancehall.

Soul Glo

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Funk and northern soul.

Fri 30 Apr Crash

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Pop, dance and hippity-hop.

Elevator

Byblos, 22:00–03:00, £6 (£3)

Urban hip-hop, grime and reggae.

Ballbreaker/Vice

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock, metal and indie. Resident DJs.

Festival

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Electro-rock and the like.

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Funk, soul and disco.

Riot Radio

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Indie rock’n’roll.

Scrabble (Luke’s Anger, Stick 420, Disgo, Decknition)

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£7 after 12)

Eclectic beats.

Up4It

Soundhaus, 23:00–03:30, £8 (£5 members)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£10 after 12)

Dubbed-out electro.

Synth (Hushpuppy, Van Damn)

Ad Lib, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£5 after 12)

Beats, bassline and dub.

The Rock Shop

Maggie May’s, 23:30–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Rock, indie and metal classics.

Sun 02 May Psychoskin

The Flying Duck, 20:00–01:00, £5

Punk, psychobilly and soul.

Inside Out Vs Judgement Sundays (Judge Jules)

The Arches, 22:00–03:00, £tbc

Banging house, techno, and trance.

Cathouse Sundays

The Universal, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£8)

Live electro and hyped analog.

Special guests over two rooms.

Rubbermensch

Pressure

Indie and electro.

The Arches, 23:00–05:00, £24

Six-hour set from Slam.

Sat 01 May Voodoo

Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

Rock, metal and emo. Under 18s.

Charity Music Marathon

Bar Cosmopol, 16:00–03:00, £5

18-strong DJ marathon.

Butterfly Saturdays

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–03:00, Free

Resident band, followed by DJ set.

Pandemic

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 21:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11:30)

Garage, soul and rock.

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Shedkandi

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

House and R’n’B.

Sin City

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Funk, disco and house.

Mon 03 May Burn

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Disco, funk and electro.

Tue 04 May Hugs 4 Thugs

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

Hip-hop, funk and digi art.

Killer Kitsch

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Electro clash, 80s, and disco.

58 THE SKINNY May 2010

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, £3

Ivory Blacks, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

R’n’B and dirty chart.

Epic classic rock tunes.

Counterfiet

Love Music

90s nu-metal.

Indie dancing club.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

Fri 07 May The Psychedelic Ballroom

MacSorley’s, 20:30–00:00, Free

Projections, lights and psychedelic tunes.

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Dubbed-out electro.

Smiths/Morrissey special.

Emo, punk and metal. Resident DJs.

Funk, techno and hip-hop.

Subculture

Sabado

Epic classic rock tunes.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £2

Funky disco and soul.

Funk and northern soul.

Skint/Vengeance

Cheap ‘n’ Nasty

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Unite

Classic Rock Club

Funk and northern soul.

Nu Skool

Soul Glo

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, Free (£8 after 11)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Soundhaus, 22:30–03:00, £10 (£8)

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3

Dance, R’n’B and chart.

Ivory Blacks, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Half My Heart Beats

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £4

Current and classic indie pop.

Let’s Go BackÉ Way Back (Lars Sandberg, Adrian) Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £10

UFO DJ special.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £3

Cheap ‘n’ Nasty

Bottle Rocket

Funk, techno and hip-hop. For dancing.

Indie dancing club.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £2

Fri 14 May We Rock Like Girls Don’t

106 Club, 20:30–01:00, £tbc

Rock, drums and big riffs.

The Cave: Goo Goo Muck

The Flying Duck, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Love Music

Cramps tribute.

Indie dancing club.

Brunswick Hotel, 22:00–02:00, £tbc

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Mount Heart Attack (Ben Pest, 3D!T)

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£8 after 12)

World debut, joint live set.

Offline

Special club night.

Crash

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Nu Skool

Pop, dance and hippity-hop.

Funky disco and soul.

Byblos, 22:00–03:00, £3 (£6 (£3) after 12.30)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Elevator

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

The Rock Shop

Maggie May’s, 23:30–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Rock, indie and metal classics.

Sun 16 May Cathouse Sundays

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Requests night with DJ Mythic.

Rubbermensch ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Indie and electro.

Shedkandi

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

House and R’n’B.

Sin City

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Funk, disco and house.

Mon 17 May

Urban night.

Burn

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £12

Disco, funk and electro.

Pop, dance and hippity-hop.

Special guest DJ.

Ballbreaker/Vice

Elevator

The Rock Shop

Rock, metal and indie. Resident DJs.

Rock, indie and metal classics.

Asterism (Jean Ramesse, I Am Blip, Ross Hinton)

Hugs 4 Thugs

Techno and electro.

Killer Kitsch

Festival

Electro clash, 80s, and disco.

Crash

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Subculture (Carl Craig)

Byblos, 22:00–03:00, £3 (£6 (£3) after 12.30)

Maggie May’s, 23:30–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Ballbreaker/Vice

Wrong Island

Rock, metal and indie. Resident DJs.

Techno, beats and electro.

Urban night.

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Fresh Lick

Drum ‘n’ bass. Resident DJs.

Kitty Kat Club (Shit Robot)

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Techno sound collective.

90s night, with DJ Billy.

May Day fiesta.

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£6 (£4) after 11)

Punter iPod playlists.

Symbiosis

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Shed Saturday

IDJ

I Love the 90s

Keep The Tories Out! (Matias Aguayo)

Classic Rock Club

Drum Clinic

Soundhaus, 22:30–03:00, £8 (£12 after 11)

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Satisfaction

Emo, punk and metal. Resident DJs.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Requests with DJ Mythic.

Techno, trance and house.

Featuring the Freefall bouncy castle.

Rock and punk. Regular DJs.

Acid house, electro and Italo.

Subculture

Soundhaus, 22:30–03:30, £10 (38)

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £2

Techno-based shenanigans.

Reggae and dancehall.

The Arches, 22:00–03:00, £10

R’n’B and dirty chart.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £13

Rectify

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, £3

Electro, dance and dirty pop.

Supernova (Koen Groeneveld)

The Halt Bar, 20:00–02:00, Free

Skint/Vengeance

Misbehavin’ (Dolly Daydream, Drucifer)

Dance, R’n’B and chart.

Bazodee

Cathouse Saturdays

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

Sabado

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, Free (£8 after 11)

Freefall (William Daniel, Simon Foy, Danny Smith)

Satisfaction

Skint/Vengeance

Emo, punk and metal. Resident DJs.

Thu 13 May

Punter iPod playlists.

Indie and electro.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2

Mutant disco fun.

Live set and album launch.

Soul Glo

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £5

Special club night.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £2

Pop, punk, metal and rock.

La Cheetah, 21:00–00:00, £3

Slabs of Tabernacle (Joe Hart, Don O’Cane)

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Brunswick Hotel, 22:00–02:00, £tbc

Teenage Lust

IDJ

Dirty beats, May Day fundraiser.

Rubbermensch

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

Solardisco

Absolution

Sub-sonic dance, soul and techno.

Punter iPod playlists.

Student fun night.

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Antimatter Presents Lamplighter

Slo-mo

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

Octopussy

Resident band, followed by DJ set.

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–03:00, Free

Pop classics and hip-hop.

Orderly Disorder

IDJ

Butterfly Saturdays

Album launch from Sebrov Divad.

Soundhaus, 22:30–03:00, £5

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

Sun 09 May Elephant

The Flying Duck, 19:30–00:00, Free

Eclectic musical mix.

???

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £5

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Rockin’ indie.

Muck & Debauched (Strip Steve) Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£7)

Electro, disco and house.

Old Skool

Blink (James Harcourt)

Unnamed Optimo replacement.

Name to be decided on Election results day.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Two-hour guest DJ set.

Rubbermensch

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Club 69, 23:00–03:00, £8

Depth Charge (Williams)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Underground house.

Festival

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Rockin’ indie.

Numbers (Joy Orbison, Kavsrave)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Funk, soul and disco.

Riot Radio

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Indie rock’n’roll.

Shedkandi

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

Indie and electro.

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

House and R’n’B.

Sin City

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Funk, disco and house.

Mon 10 May

Kino Fist

Krautrock, new wave and freak.

Sat 15 May Voodoo

Disco, funk and electro.

Resident band, followed by DJ set.

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Indie rock’n’roll.

Tue 11 May Hugs 4 Thugs

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

Damaged Goods

Hip-hop, funk and digi art.

Punk, noise, pop and disco.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

Sat 08 May Voodoo

Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

Rock, metal and emo. Under 18s.

Killer Kitsch

Electro clash, 80s, and disco.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Wed 19 May Muso

The Buff Club, 20:30–03:00, £4 (£3)

Live bands and DJs.

Muso (Rudiments, Dominik Diamond, Selective Service, The Imagineers)

The Buff Club, 21:00–03:00, £4

Rock, indie and pop bands night.

Octopussy

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student fun night.

Thu 20 May

R’n’B and dirty chart.

Old Skool

Riot Radio

Hip-hop, funk and digi art.

Satisfaction

Burn

Funk, soul and disco.

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

Bazodee

Rock, metal and emo. Under 18s.

Debut for Joy Orbison.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Tue 18 May

Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

Butterfly Saturdays

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–03:00, Free

We Continue Digital

Brunswick Hotel, 22:00–02:00, £tbc

House and electro beats.

The Halt Bar, 20:00–02:00, Free

Reggae and dancehall.

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, £3

IDJ

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

Punter iPod playlists.

Skint/Vengeance

Shed Saturday

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3

Pop classics and hip-hop.

Slo-mo

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£6 (£4) after 11)

Emo, punk and metal. Resident DJs.

Absolution

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £2

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Pop, punk, metal and rock.

Sub-sonic dance, soul and techno.

Muso

Cathouse Saturdays

Soul Glo

Live bands and DJs.

Rock and punk. Regular DJs.

Funk and northern soul.

Wed 12 May The Buff Club, 20:30–03:00, £4 (£3)

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Edinburgh clubs Fri 21 May Elevate

Soundhaus, 21:00–03:00, £15 (£12)

Eclectic night.

Upside Down

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 21:00–03:00, £3

The Rock Shop

Maggie May’s, 23:30–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Rock, indie and metal classics.

Sun 23 May

Up4It

Soundhaus, 22:30–03:00, £10 (£8)

Tue 27 Apr

Festival

Pop quiz and musical bingo.

Much More

Rockin’ indie.

Antics

Classic hip-hop. Resident DJs.

Alternative anthems.

Tease Age

Indie, rock and soul.

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, Free

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

JJ Gilmour

Old Skool

Cotton Cake 5th Birthday (Kissy Sell Out)

Queen’s Park, 20:00–23:30, £10

Part of Southside Festival. Glasshouse venue.

Funk, soul and disco.

Indie Tuesday

Extra special birthday guest.

Cathouse Sundays

Riot Radio

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Indie and post-punk.

Crash

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Pop, dance and hippity-hop.

Destination Afrika Byblos, 22:00–03:00, £tbc

Naija hits, salsa and zouk.

Ballbreaker/Vice

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock, metal and indie. Resident DJs.

Festival

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Rockin’ indie.

Lock Up Your Daughters

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Lesbian Prom Night special.

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Funk, soul and disco.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Requests night with DJ Mythic.

Rubbermensch ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Indie and electro.

Shedkandi

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

House and R’n’B.

Sin City

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Funk, disco and house.

Mon 24 May Burn

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Disco, funk and electro.

Tue 25 May Hugs 4 Thugs

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

Hip-hop, funk and digi art.

Riot Radio

Killer Kitsch

Indie rock’n’roll.

Electro clash, 80s, and disco.

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Sat 22 May Voodoo

Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

Rock, metal and emo. Under 18s.

La Roche Rumba

Queen’s Park, 20:30–00:00, £7

Part of Southside Festival. Glasshouse venue.

Butterfly Saturdays

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–03:00, Free

Resident band, followed by DJ set.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Wed 26 May Dead Famous

The Admiral, 19:30–00:00, £4

Come dressed as a dead celebrity.

Muso

The Buff Club, 20:30–03:00, £4 (£3)

Live bands and DJs.

Octopussy

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student fun night.

Thu 27 May

The Hot Club

Bazodee

Psych, punk and rock’n’roll.

Reggae and dancehall.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 21:00–03:00, £3

The Halt Bar, 20:00–02:00, Free

Infexious

Satisfaction

Hardstyle and hard dance.

R’n’B and dirty chart.

Soundhaus, 21:00–03:30, £10 (£8)

Death Disco (Calvin Harris)

The Arches, 22:00–03:00, £18 (£9)

Dirty electro and discofied rock.

Shed Saturday

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£6 (£4) after 11)

Pop classics and hip-hop.

Absolution

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Pop, punk, metal and rock.

Cathouse Saturdays Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Rock and punk. Regular DJs.

Sabado

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, Free (£8 after 11)

Dance, R’n’B and chart.

Classic Rock Club

Ivory Blacks, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Epic classic rock tunes.

Love Music

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Indie dancing club.

Nu Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Funky disco and soul.

Nu Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Funky disco and soul.

Single Night

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 after 11)

Playing 7-inches all night.

Subculture

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Dubbed-out electro.

Tronicsole (Milton Jackson)

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £7

Guest DJ special.

Men and Machines 2nd Birthday (Serge Santiago, Erdbeerschnitzel) Stereo, 23:00–04:00, £8 (£6)

Electro, disco and house.

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, £3

Cryotec (Effigy, Tailz) Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3

Idustrial, goth and EBM.

IDJ

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

Punter iPod playlists.

Skint/Vengeance

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3

Emo, punk and metal. Resident DJs.

Soul Glo

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Funk and northern soul.

Whabang!

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £4

Underground electro launch night.

The Pump Club

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £2

Dubstep, jungle and reggae.

Fri 28 May

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Indie rock’n’roll.

Split

Scrabble (Placid, Galaxian)

Bass and breaks. Rotating DJs.

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£8 after 12)

Special guests Vs. residents night.

Sat 29 May Voodoo

Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

Rock, metal and emo. Under 18s.

Butterfly Saturdays

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–03:00, Free

Resident band, followed by DJ set.

Tuesday Heartbreak The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Swirling guitars and beats.

Wed 28 Apr 100% Cuban Somos Cubanos Voodoo Rooms, 19:00–01:00, £10

Cuban music and salsa night.

Bangers and Mash

Va Va Voom

Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£6 after 11)

Burlesque and retro tunes.

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funky electro. Resident DJs and friends.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after midnight)

We Is Eclectic

Pop classics and hip-hop.

Funky sister club. In Speakeasy.

Four Corners

The Egg

Soulful dancing fodder.

Wee Red club fave.

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

House and techno.

Love Music

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Thu 29 Apr Carry On DJs

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Dub Kaoss

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Modern Lovers (Pete Wiggs)

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 after 11)

Retro tunes.

Octopussy

Chart, indie and electro.

Ride (Lauren, Chekkie) Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hip-hop and electro.

Specialitee

Sick Note

Jason Pussypower and guests.

Indie and electro.

Soundhaus, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Subculture

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Dubbed-out electro.

The Rock Shop

Maggie May’s, 23:30–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Rock, indie and metal classics.

Sun 30 May Ruby Fruit

Music to dance to.

Cathouse Sundays

Life Is Beautiful

Requests night with DJ Mythic.

Dance and cruise night.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Rock Show

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Alternative metal and rock.

Breaks, dubstep and D’n’B.

Drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep.

Indie dancing club.

Garage punk.

Chart, indie and 90s smashes.

60s party with live band.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Fri 30 Apr Get Funk’d

Medina, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

Synth pop, indie and dance.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Mon 03 May The Latin Quarter Medina, 21:00–01:00, £2

Salsa, bachuta and merengue. Resident DJs.

Quids

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Hip-hop, chart and R’n’B requests.

Nu Fire

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hip-hop, dubstep and breaks.

Trade Union

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Eclectic trade night.

Tue 04 May

R’n’B, disco and soul. Resident DJs.

Circus Arcade

Misfits

Pop quiz and musical bingo.

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11)

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, Free

Twisted disco.

Antics

Planet Earth

Rock, metal and punk.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Retro from 1970 to 1999.

Split

I-tal Faya Sound (Brother Culture, The Rasta MC)

D’n’B, techno, electro and dub.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4 ladies)

Reggae and dancehall. In Speakeasy.

Mumbo Jumbo

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

JungleDub

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£7 (£8) after 12)

Remote

Quality retro and future classics.

Indie and post punk.

Sugarbeat

Tuesday Heartbreak

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Krafty Kuts top the bill, plus residents.

Swirling guitar and beats.

Byblos, 22:00–03:00, £3 (£6 (£3) after 12.30)

Shedkandi

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

The Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

Drum and bass.

Huntleys amd Palmers Audio Club (Capracar, Brian D’Souza)

Sin City

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Special club night.

Girls Girls Girls (Nicola Walker)

Crash

Cult rock, with the Slide It In girls.

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Pop, dance and hippity-hop.

Elevator Urban night.

Stereo, 22:00–03:00, £tbc

Playing danceable tunes.

Ballbreaker/Vice

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock, metal and indie. Resident DJs.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Rubbermensch Indie and electro.

House and R’n’B.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Funk, disco and house.

Mon 31 May Burn

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Disco, funk and electro.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Xplicit

Skunk Funk

Funk, soul and pop.

Sat 01 May

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Wed 05 May Bangers and Mash

courses, drop-in classes and workshops for everyone dancebase.co.uk

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11)

Electro, rock and cheese.

Axis

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electro, techno, dubstep and bass.

Audio Pawn (Graeme Mclean, Davey Dutton)

We Are Electric

House classics and unforgettable anthems.

Punk, funk and electro-disco.

City Café, 20:00–01:00, Free

Party tunes.

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 20:00–23:45, £5 (£4)

Coalition

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £3

Electric Circus, 00:00–03:00, £5

Sun 02 May

Frisky

Twist and Shout

Carry On DJs!

Acid Fascists

Killer Kitsch

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Jacko theme night. In Speakeasy.

Quirky pop and beats.

Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 10.30)

Karaoke and party tunes.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Saturday Nite Fish Fry (The Banana Sessions, Astroboy)

Bank holiday neon mash-up.

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 after 12)

Thriller Theme Night

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£8 after 12)

Pop, punk, metal and rock.

Loop

Drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep.

Breaks and electro-tech.

Rise

Epic classic rock tunes.

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Funk and blues.

Ivory Blacks, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Dub Kaoss

Fake (Clouds)

Soul Society

Classic Rock Club

Hip-hop and disco.

Retro policy. In Speakeasy.

Absolution

Dance, R’n’B and chart.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Shed, 22:00–03:00, Free (£6 (£4) after 11)

Byblos, 22:30–03:00, Free (£8 after 11)

Chart, indie and 90s hits.

Dapper Dans (DFault, Picassio)

Beep Beep Yeah! (Be-Bopa-Tallah, Kate and the Gang, Jumpin’ Jack)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after midnight)

Sabado

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Ultragroove guest edtion.

Shed Saturday

Rock and punk. Regular DJs.

Thu 06 May Frisky

JungleDub

Banging house, techno, and trance.

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Funk and blues.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Chart, indie and electro.

We Are Electric

Cathouse Saturdays

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Axis

Inside Out

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Soul Society

Ultragroove (Milton Jackson, Stuart McRoy)

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

The Arches, 22:00–03:00, £tbc

Wonky beats. In Speakeasy.

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5

Octopussy

Burlesquey fun. Dress glam.

O2 Academy, 21:00–03:00, £15.50

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Chart, indie and retro.

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11)

Electro, techno, dubstep and bassline.

The Flying Duck, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£6 after 11)

Brunswick Hotel, 22:00–02:00, £tbc

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Club Noir: Summer Holiday

Black Tent

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 21:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11:30)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

We Is Eclectic

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11)

Circus Arcade

Rock, punk and garage.

Sub Club, 22:00–03:00, £12

Bubblegum

Packed night of beats.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Scottish Charity No. SC025512

May 2010

THE SKINNY 59

edinburgh clubs Fri 07 May Disgraceland

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £3

Rock’n’roll in many guises.

Milk (P-Stylz, Tony Thrills, Fusion)

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £4 (£6 after 12)

Hip-hop, funk and breaks.

Misfits

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11.30)

Twisted disco.

Planet Earth

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Retro from 1970 to 1999.

Big N Bashy (Uncle Dugs) The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Junglist DJ guest.

Tue 11 May Circus Arcade

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, Free

Pop quiz and musical bingo.

Antics

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Rock, metal and punk.

Split

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

D’n’B, techno, electro and dub.

JungleDub

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

Remote

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Indie and post punk.

We Play House (Dale Harvey, Damon Melvin, Tracey Tang, Liam Goldie) Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£6 after 12)

New night launches in Speakeasy.

Skunkfunk (Man At The Window)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Live funk outfit. Plus DJs.

Sat 15 May Box Wars (GBH, Happy Spastics, Daddy No!) Studio 24, 19:00–22:00, £13

Cardboard battle to a DJ soundtrack.

The Egg

Dirt (Simon Jackson, Tactus)

Tuesday Heartbreak

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

Special club night.

Swirling guitar and beats.

Large Professor

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£4 after 12)

Inkling (MC Silver Tongue) Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funky breaks. In Speakeasy.

Jackhammer (Slam, Planetary Assult Systems, Wolfjazz, Gee Dub) The Caves, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Wed 12 May Bangers and Mash

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11)

Electro, rock and cheese.

Axis

Top DJ line-up.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Tokyoblu (Murray Richardson)

Compakt (Joey Beltram)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £8

Rebel Waltz DJ guest set.

Electro, techno, dubstep and bass.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £10

Exerimental house and techno guest.

Voodoo Rooms, 21:00–01:00, Free

Classic hip-hop. Resident DJs.

Bang Bang Club/ Erection Section

Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£6 after 12)

Two rooms of eclectic tunes.

Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

The Caves, 22:30–03:00, £8 (£10 after 12)

Techno with Latin undertones.

Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Indie, rock and soul.

We Are Electric

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Punk, funk and electro-disco.

We Is Eclectic

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Wonky beats. In Speakeasy.

Soul Society

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Funk and blues.

Thu 20 May Cuban Independence Weekend

Cuba Norte, 22:00–01:00, £2

Cuban and salsa beats.

Frisky

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 12)

Electro and house. Resident DJs.

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Live funk.

Sun 23 May Rock Show

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Alternative metal and rock.

Killer Kitsch

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

Synth pop, indie and dance.

Coalition

Thu 13 May Frisky

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Chart, indie and 90s hits.

Animal Hospital

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Techno, minimal and house.

Confusion is Sex (Randy Twigg)

Wasabi Disco (Fudge Fingaz) Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Guest DJ special.

Wire (Sons & Daughters) Electric Circus, 23:00–03:00, £6

Special guest DJ set.

Saturday Nite Fish Fry (Washington Street, Astroboy) The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Power funk, soul and horns.

Quids

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Octopussy

Chart, indie and electro.

Sick Note

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Indie and electro. Resident DJs.

Sneaky Beats

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Nu Fire

Hip-hop, dubstep and breaks.

Trade Union

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Eclectic trade night.

Tue 25 May

Fri 21 May Cuban Independence Weekend

Cuba Norte, 22:00–01:00, £2

Stepback (Jim Masters)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Karnival (Digitalism) The mighty Digitalism play.

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

Sick Note

Coalition

Funky breaks, soul, bass and dub.

Indie and electro. Resident DJs.

Breaks, dubstep and D’n’B.

The Egg

Party tunes.

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

Wee Red club fave.

Saturday Nite Fish Fry (Federation Of The Disco Pimp, D’Viking) The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Dancefloor filling pop funk.

Sun 09 May Rock Show

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Alternative metal and rock.

Electric Circus, 00:00–03:00, £5

Fri 14 May Misfits

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11.30)

Twisted disco.

Planet Earth

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Retro from 1970 to 1999.

Telefunken Presents Rolando (Alan Gray, Nick Wilson)

Killer Kitsch

The Caves, 22:30–03:00, £9 (£7)

Synth pop, indie and dance.

Furburger Is 5

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

Underground house and techno.

Coalition

GHQ, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Breaks, dubstep and D’n’B.

Mon 10 May The Latin Quarter Medina, 21:00–01:00, £2

Salsa, bachuta and merengue. Resident DJs.

Quids

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Hip-hop, chart and R’n’B requests.

Nu Fire

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hip-hop, dubstep and breaks.

Trade Union

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Eclectic trade night.

Medina, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Synth pop, indie and dance.

Carry On DJs!

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Special 5th birthday celebration.

Headspin (Krash Slaughta)

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 after 12)

Four-deck mix, with guest DJ.

Heavy Gossip (Nick Yuill, Craig Smith) Medina, 23:00–03:00, £5

Funky House and Disco

The Caves, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Planet Earth

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Wed 26 May Axis

Retro from 1970 to 1999.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Latin Quarter

Messenger Sound System (MC Ras Echo)

We Are Electric

Salsa, bachuta and merengue. Resident DJs.

Mon 17 May

Electro, techno, dubstep and bass.

House night.

The Egg Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

Wee Red club fave.

Saturday Nite Fish Fry (D’Viking) The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Live funk.

Sun 30 May Rock Show

Punk, funk and electro-disco.

Quids

UnPop!

We Is Eclectic

Alternative metal and rock.

Hip-hop, chart and R’n’B requests.

Delightful indie-pop session.

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Nu Fire

Skunkfunk

Wonky beats. In Speakeasy.

Hip-hop, dubstep and breaks.

Funky, electric beats. Plus DJs.

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Trade Union

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Eclectic trade night.

Tue 18 May

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Sat 22 May Incredible Monkey Birds Cuba Norte, 21:30–01:00, £4

Live band and salsa beats.

Bubblegum

Circus Arcade

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11)

Pop quiz and musical bingo.

Much More

Antics

Classic hip-hop. Resident DJs.

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, Free

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Chart, indie and retro.

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5

Soul Society Funk and blues.

Thu 27 May Frisky

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Chart, indie and 90s hits.

Dub Kaoss

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

Drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep.

Octopussy

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Rock, metal and punk.

Magic Nostalgic

Split

Tunes chosen by ‘the wheel’.

Ride

Tease Age

Hip-hop and electro.

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

D’n’B, techno, electro and dub.

Reggae and dancehall.

Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Chart, indie and electro.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Indie, rock and soul.

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

The Egg

Indie and electro. Resident DJs.

Riddim Tuffa Sound

Remote

Wee Red club fave.

Xplicit

Reggae and dub.

Indie and post punk.

Audioablo (Mark Price, Kev Wright, Ricky Palys)

Drum and bass evolution.

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

We Are Electric (Gary Mac)

Tuesday Heartbreak

Residents night.

Swirling guitar and beats.

60 THE SKINNY May 2010

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Sweet reggae rockin’.

Medina, 21:00–01:00, £2

Sick Note

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Playdate

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

JungleDub

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 after 12)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £10

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£7 after 12)

One Drop (MC Soom T) Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

D’n’B, techno, electro and dub.

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

Get Funk’d

Departure Lounge (Parker, Paper Tiger ft. Sabira Jade)

Techno guest, plus residents.

Tease Age

Split

JungleDub

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Classic hip-hop. Resident DJs.

Classic hits and covers. Launch night.

Cuban and salsa beats.

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5

Rock, metal and punk.

Swirling guitar and beats.

Filthy Dukes DJ set.

Much More

Electric Circus, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£6 after 12)

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Tuesday Heartbreak

Chart, indie and electro.

Chart, indie and retro.

Antics

Twisted disco.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11)

Doppelganger

Party tunes.

Indie and post punk.

Sick Note

Bubblegum

Pop quiz and musical bingo.

Electric Circus, 00:00–03:00, £5

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Killer Kitsch

Sat 29 May

Carry On DJs!

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11.30)

Octopussy

Soulful dance beats. Plus DJs.

Indie, rock and soul.

Electric Circus, 19:00–00:00, Free

Remote

Drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £10

Circus Arcade

Misfits

Lesbian night. In Speakeasy.

Funk, soul, house and electro.

Hip-hop, electro and indie.

R’n’B, disco and soul. Resident DJs.

Alternative metal and rock.

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 (£6) after 12)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Rock Show

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Mumbo Jumbo

Salsa, bachuta and merengue. Resident DJs.

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 after 12)

Medina, 21:00–01:00, £2

Dub Kaoss

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

Saint Etienne DJ guest.

Minimalist electro guest DJ.

Velvet Women’s Night (Trendy Wendy, Jeremy)

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, £4 (£6 after 11)

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £6

Mon 24 May

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £8

Randy Twig plays debauched electro.

Modern Lovers (Pete Wiggs)

Sugarbeat (Wolfgang Gartner)

Indie, rock and soul.

Sun 16 May

Retro from 1970 to 1999.

Devil Disco Club (Horse Meat Disco, RBRBR)

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

The Shindig boys guest.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Breaks, dubstep and D’n’B.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Planet Earth

Skunkfunk (Paul Mills Funk Band)

50s and 60s R’n’B and soul.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£8 after 12)

We Luv Electro Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5

Funk, electro and hard house. In Speakeasy.

Wonky beats. In Speakeasy.

Twisted disco.

The Latin Quarter

Soul, rap and boogie. Plus guests.

Ultragroove (Scott Bradford, Neil Bainbridge)

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11.30)

Saturday Nite Fish Fry (D’Viking)

We Is Eclectic

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Misfits

Chart, indie and 90s hits.

Basics

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Fri 28 May

Deep to tech-house. In Speakeasy.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funk and blues.

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5

Kapital (Pier Bucci)

Electro, techno, dubstep and bass.

Souloco

Drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep.

Bubblegum Much More

Chart, indie and retro.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

End of term party.

It’s All Good (The IAG)

Soul Society

Chart, indie and retro.

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11)

Axis

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Punk, funk and electro-disco.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Funky-edged soul.

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 11)

Bubblegum

Electro, rock and cheese.

Hip-hop, chart and R’n’B requests.

Funky, electric beats. Plus DJs.

Soul Spectrum

NY hip-hop legend. Plus support and DJs.

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11)

Dub Kaoss

We Are Electric

Sat 08 May

Medina, 21:00–03:00, £10

Bangers and Mash

Edinburgh Uni Party (Joy Orbison, Midland, Solid Gold)

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5

Skunkfunk (James Brown Is Annie)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Wee Red club fave.

Wed 19 May

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–00:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Smashing club sounds.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Killer Kitsch Cabaret Voltaire, 22:30–03:00, Free

Synth pop, indie and dance.

Coalition Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Breaks, dubstep and D’n’B.

Dare! (Jon Pleased Wimmin) Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Electronic dance. In Speakeasy.

Mon 31 May The Latin Quarter Medina, 21:00–01:00, £2

Salsa, bachuta and merengue. Resident DJs.

Quids The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Hip-hop, chart and R’n’B requests.

Nu Fire Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hip-hop, dubstep and breaks.

Trade Union

Carry On DJs!

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Party tunes.

Eclectic trade night.

Electric Circus, 00:00–03:00, £5

Glasgow Comedy

dundee music Thu 29 Apr

Wed 12 May

Sat 22 May

Open Mic

Battle of The Bands

The Fire and I

Musical free-for-all.

Three bands to head-to-head.

Alternative rock.

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, Free

Fri 30 Apr Shooglenifty

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £12

Experimental and rootsy folk.

Sat 01 May Under The Influence (The Amphetameanies) The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £6

Alternative types.

Sun 02 May Wonk Unit, Billy Liar, Maxwell’s Dead, 4 Star Sunday The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £4

Four new bands.

Wed 05 May

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Thu 13 May Peter Green

Fat Sam’s, 19:30–22:00, £23

Ex-Fleetwood Mac.

Open Mic

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, Free

Live session with local guests.

Fri 14 May Dave?, Ian McLaughlan The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £5

Experimental acoustic.

Sat 15 May The Underground Heroes Fat Sam’s, 19:30–22:00, £8

Punk rock.

Battle of The Bands

Jim Bob

Three bands to head-to-head.

Acoustic indie.

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Thu 06 May Open Mic

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, Free

Live session with local guests.

Fri 07 May The Sex Pistols Experience (Cash From Chaos, The Cundeez)

Dexter’s Lounge Bar, 20:00–00:00, £7

Tribute night.

Tue 11 May

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £7

Wed 19 May Battle of The Bands

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, Free

Three bands to head-to-head.

Thu 20 May The Delays

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £12

Indie rock.

Fri 21 May

Hijak Oscar

Quiver and The Ladysnatchers

Blues rock.

Progressive indie rock.

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £6 (£5)

Dexter’s Lounge Bar, 20:00–00:00, £tbc

dundee clubs Thu 29 Apr PLASTIC SOUL

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £3.50

Funky soul, Latin and hip-hop.

Fri 30 Apr Highway To Hell Kage, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Classic rock.

Sat 01 May The Korova Conspiracy (Leftside Wobble)

Reading Rooms, 21:30–03:30, £12 (£10)

Dub-disco, funk and house.

Mon 03 May Manic Mondays

Fat Sam’s, 22:30–02:30, £tbc

Chart, hip-hop and dancehall.

Thu 06 May PLASTIC SOUL

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £3.50

Funky soul, Latin and hip-hop.

Fri 07 May Headway 6th Birthday Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:30, £12

Birthday party shenanigans.

Sat 08 May

Thu 13 May PLASTIC SOUL

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £3.50

Funky soul, Latin and hip-hop.

Sat 15 May Mixed Bizness (Boom Monk Ben, Point To C) Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £5

Alternative beat freaks.

Sun 16 May Mr Scruff: Keep It Unreal Reading Rooms, 21:30–02:30, £12

5hr set from the DJ supremo.

Mon 17 May Manic Mondays

Fat Sam’s, 22:30–02:30, £tbc

Chart, hip-hop and dancehall.

Thu 20 May PLASTIC SOUL

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £3.50

Funky soul, Latin and hip-hop.

Fri 21 May

Dexter’s Lounge Bar, 20:00–00:00, £tbc

Indie rock. Ain’t it all.

Tue 25 May Kassidy, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £7

Alternative folk.

Wed 26 May Battle of The Bands

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, Free

Three bands to head-to-head.

Thu 27 May Open Mic

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, Free

Live session with local guests.

Fri 28 May The Twist, The Brackets, The Secrets, Lord Luken Student charity night.

Beautiful By Design, The Hype, Deadlight Red

Dexter’s Lounge Bar, 20:00–00:00, £tbc

New bands showcase night.

Sat 29 May OK Social Club

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Indie punk.

Techno and electro guest.

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £10

Mon 24 May

Manic Mondays

Manic Mondays

Chart, hip-hop and dancehall.

Chart, hip-hop and dancehall.

Fat Sam’s, 22:30–02:30, £tbc

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Wed 28 Apr The Best of Irish Comedy (Martin Mor, and John Colleary. Hosted

by Michael Redmond. )

The Stand, Glasgow, 20:30–22:40, £7(£6/£4)

Thu 29 Apr The Thursday Show

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Doors open 7:30. Hot food available.

Fri 30 Apr The Friday Show

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Friday night special with a changing rota of performers.

Sat 01 May The Saturday Show (With Paul Sinha, Parrot and Danny Deegan. Hosted

by Billy Kirkwood.)

Mon 03 May

Thu 13 May The Thursday Show (with Michael Adams)

Joe Heenan’s Film Quiz

The Stand, Glasgow, 20:30–22:16, £2

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

£2 per person. Teams of up to 6.

Doors open 7:30. Hot food available.

Tue 04 May

Fri 14 May

Red Raw

The Stand, Glasgow, 20:30–22:05, £2(£2)

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Glasgow Kids Comedy Club

The Friday Show ( Michael Adams)

The Thursday Show (with Liz Carr)

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Doors open 7:30. Hot food available.

The Friday Show (Liz Carr)

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Friday night special with a changing rota of performers.

Sat 08 May

The Saturday Show (Martin Mor, David Longley, Patrick Rolink and Michael Adams.

Hosted by Susan Calman.)

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £13

Sun 16 May

The Saturday Show (Keir McAllister and Liz Carr.

Hosted by Bruce Devlin.)

Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, Glasgow, 15:00–16:30, £4

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £13

Fun for the kiddies. Recommended for ages 8-12, no under 5s.

Sun 09 May

Sun 23 May

Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, Glasgow, 15:00–16:30, £4

The Stand, Glasgow, 15:00–16:30, £4

Bank Holiday Special (With Paul Sinha, Parrot, Danny Deegan and Rob Kane. Hosted by Michael Redmond.)

Red Raw

The Stand, Glasgow, 20:30–22:14, £10/£9/£5

Friday night special with a changing rota of performers.

Sat 15 May

Fri 07 May

Fun for the kiddies. Recommended for ages 8-12, no under 5s.

Fun for the kiddies. Recommended for ages 8-12, no under 5s.

Capitol, 20:30–22:30, £5

Top Scottish stand-up.

Thu 06 May

The Stand, Glasgow, 21:00–23:00, £13

Sun 02 May

Capitol Comedy (Gary Little, Mikey Adams and The Reverend Obadiah Steppenwolf III)

Tue 11 May

Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, Glasgow, 15:00–16:30, £4

Fun for the kiddies. Recommended for ages 8-12, no under 5s.

Sun 30 May Glasgow Kids Comedy Club

The Stand, Glasgow, 20:30–22:05, £2(£2)

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

The Stand, Glasgow, 15:00–16:30, £4

Fun for the kiddies. Recommended for ages 8-12, no under 5s.

Edinburgh comedy Thu 29 Apr The Thursday Show (with Lucy Oldham)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Doors open 7:30. Hot food available.

Fri 30 Apr The Friday Fix (Gary Little, Teddy, Ben Verth, The Vetacore, The Dukes) Voodoo Rooms, 18:00–01:00, £8 (£5)

Live comedy, bands and DJs.

It’s 00-Funtime 1st Birthday (Wilson, Betty Keppel) The Bongo Club, 19:30–22:00, £5

Comedy quiz show extravaganza.

The Friday Show (with Lucy Oldham)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Friday night special with a changing rota of performers.

Tue 04 May Wicked Wenches (With Katherine Ryan, Liz Carr, Rebecca Donahue and Julia Sutherland. Hosted

by Susan Calman)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:19, £6 (£5/£3)

Comedy Pow Wow

The Illicit Still, 20:30–22:30, Free

Sketches, stand-up and comedy songs.

Wed 05 May The Broken Windows Policy The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:24, £4

Sketch show fun.

Wicked Wenches (With Katherine Ryan, Liz Carr and Julia Sutherland.

Hosted by Susan Calman.)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3)

Sat 01 May The Saturday Show (Martin Mor, Tony Burgess, John Colleary and Lucy Oldham.

Hosted by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £13

Sun 02 May Improvised comedy led by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

Sat 22 May

The Stand, Glasgow, 20:30–22:05, £2(£2)

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Electro party, Degree show special.

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £tbc

House and new wave guest DJ.

Fat Sam’s, 22:30–02:30, £tbc

The Arcadian Kicks

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

Bleep Presents Djedjotronic

Mon 10 May

Sun 23 May

Optimo Degree Show Party

Neon Nights Presents Russ Chimes

Reading Rooms, 21:30–02:30, £10

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Tue 27 Apr Red Raw (Hosted by Chris Forbes.)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 12:30–15:00, Free

The Sunday Night Laugh-In

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:30, £5(£4/£1)

Round off your weekend with a night of laughs.

Mon 03 May Red Raw (With host Chris Henry.)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:30, £2(£1)

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Sun 09 May

Sun 16 May

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, Edinburgh, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

The Sunday Night Laugh-In

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:30, £5(£4/£1)

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, Edinburgh, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

The Sunday Night Laugh-In

Round off your weekend with a night of laughs.

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:30,

Mon 10 May

£5(£4/£1)

Round off your weekend with a night of

Red Raw

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:30, £2(£1)

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

laughs.

Mon 17 May

Tue 11 May

Red Raw

Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit (Patrick Monahan, Tom Wrigglesworth, Susan Calman)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 20:30–22:30, £2(£1)

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £14 (£12)

Whistle-stop comedy tour.

Thu 06 May The Thursday Show (Katherine Ryan and Martin Bearne)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Doors open 7:30. Hot food available.

Fri 07 May The Friday Show (Katherine Ryan, and Martin Bearne)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Friday night special with a changing rota of performers.

Sat 08 May The Saturday Show (With Ian Coppinger, Katherine Ryan, Ed Patrick and Martin Bearne. Hosted

by Raymond Mearns.)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £13

Tue 18 May

Thu 13 May

Comedy Pow Wow

The Thursday Show (Simon Donald and Henry Ginsberg)

The Illicit Still, 20:30–22:30, Free

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Sketches, stand-up and comedy songs.

Doors open 7:30. Hot food available.

Sun 23 May

Fri 14 May The Friday Show (Simon Donald and Henry Ginsberg)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by audience sug-

Friday night special with a changing rota of performers.

gestions, with Stu and Garry.

Sun 30 May

Sat 15 May The Saturday Show (Junior Simpson, Simon Donald, Henry Ginsberg and Woody.

Hosted by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, Edinburgh, 21:00–23:00, £13

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, Edinburgh, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

May 2010

THE SKINNY 61

art listings dundee DCA The Connoisseurs

Various times, 27 Apr—23 May, not 3rd, 10th, 17th, Free

Disparate series of artworks from Alex Frost, with his multiple approaches to contemporary art.

Duncan of Jordanstone

Dundee Degree Show 2010 10:00AM, 22 May—30 May, Free

The first of the year’s degree shows returns to its usual venue in the warren-like college.

Gen. Projects They Had Four Years

12:00PM, 15 May—30 May, not 17th, 18th, 19th, 24th, 25th, 26th, Free

Generator’s annual graduate show, with the committee’s pick of last year’s degree shows. Featuring work by Alasdair Smith, Jonathan Long and Rachel MacLean.

Edinburgh Collective Alexandrite

11:00AM, 27 Apr—23 May, not 3rd, 10th, 17th, Free

Solo work from Tessa Lynch.

Corn Exchange Elsewhere

11:00AM, 27 Apr—13 May, not 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th, Free

Richard Moat and Arthur Steward present work including light installation and text paintings highlighting the disorienting patterns of light found at the South Pole

Dean Gallery Diane Arbus

10:00AM, 27 Apr—30 May, Free

Seventy black and white photographs by Arbus from the ARTIST ROOMS collection, including the rare and important portfolio of ten vintage prints: A Box of Ten (1971).

‘Painter’ and The Studio 10:00AM, 01 May—02 May, free

With a traditional background in painting, McCarthy made his name with performance art, lashing out against traditional artistic ideas. His famous and irreverent video Painter (1995) satirises the formula of the artist as lonely genius in his studio.

Printmakers Reveal

10:00AM, 27 Apr—15 May, not 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, Free

Group exhibition of over 20 artists, showcasing some of the best printmaking talent emerging from the Scottish art colleges over the last two years.

Fruitmarket Johan Grimonprez

Various times, 22 May—30 May, Free

The first British gallery showing of Doubletake which mixes film, television and documentary footage, fact and fiction, to make a complex blend of meanings and counter-meanings.

Ingleby Gallery Sean Scully: Iona

10:00AM, 27 Apr—29 May, not 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, Free

Iona is a giant triptych, painted in Scully’s studio in New York between 2004 and 2006.

Modern Art Strange Encounters

National Galleries The Printmaker’s Art

10:00AM, 27 Apr—23 May, Free

A selection of prints by a variety of European masters from the past 500 years.

Roxy Art House Maria Rud, Natlia Kharina Exhibition

Various times, 06 May—10 May, Free

Exhibition of new work in association with the Homeless World Cup.

Made In The Shade 10:30AM, 15 May, Free

The event brings over 30 designer makers together to showcase and sell textile pieces, clothing & accessories, paper products, art, homeware and lots more. www.wearemadeintheshade.com

Norman McLaren and Spanish Animation Today Various times, 22 May, £4 (£3)

Showcase of animation shorts.

Talbot Rice Jenny Holzer

10:00AM, 27 Apr—15 May, not 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, Free

In her first solo show in Scotland, Talbot Rice Gallery at the University of Edinburgh will show a small-scale monograph exhibition.

The Henderson Life, Words and Coincidences: Un Journal Intime 11:00AM, 27 Apr—15 May, not 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, Free

New exhibition of visual diaries by French born artistCaty Leveque exploring what it is to be ‘foreign’ and what that can teach us about ‘home’.

The Jazz Bar Dr Sketchy

03:00PM, 02 May, £7 (£6)

Glam burlesque drawing class. GO!

The Drill Hall Candid

10:00AM, 15 May—21 May, not 16th, Free

An exhibition showing the diverse work of recent graduates from Edinburgh College of Art and the Glasgow School of Art. Featuring work by Rachel Maclean, Rosalind Thomson and Max Swinton.Ê

Out of the Blue Studio Artists Exhibition 10:00AM, 27 May—29 May, Free

Featuring work from Out of the Blue Drill Hall and Portobello Powerhouse studio artists to celebrate the launch of the new look Out of the Blue Drill Hall.

Tollcross Community The Architectural Nightmares of a Dreaming City

Various times, 04 May—28 May, Free

A series of images taken in Edinburgh, mostly architectural but also of nature’s structures. Buildings include the Scottish Parliament Building and Argyle House.

art’s complex “QuoteMarks”

11:00AM, 27 Apr—07 May, Free

Featuring work by the students of ECA’s MFA course.

Day Is Done

11:00AM, 15 May—30 May, Free

Solo show from artist Fiona Michie.

glasgow

Collins Gallery Pum Dunbar

10:00AM, 27 Apr—30 May, Free

Various times, 27 Apr—25 May, not 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, Free

This display brings together four works by John Davies, Douglas Gordon, Martin Boyce and Robert Colquhoun.

Paintings, collage and photograms are employed to capture a curious visual vocabulary which has its origins in the liminality.

62 THE SKINNY May 2010

theatre listings GSA (Vic Gallery) Inhale, Exhale

10:30AM, 27 Apr—08 May, not 2nd, Free

Solo show from Alice Channer using the space of the Mackintosh Gallery itself.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

Pioneering Painters: The Glasgow Boys 1880–1900

Various times, 27 Apr—30 May, £5 (£3)

The biggest Glasgow Boys exhibition in more than 40 years.

Montgomery’s Coffee House

Sam Goes to Kelvingrove 09:00AM, 27 Apr—30 May, Free

A site-specific painting installation contextually relevant to Kelvingrove Art Galleries 1901 Exhibition in Montgomery’s Café. www. uglyduckexhibits.com

Project Ability New European Art (part I)

Various times, 27 Apr—22 May, not 3rd, 10th, 17th, Free

From the Outsider Art Biennale held at the Rackstad Museum Sweden; works by 40 artists with disabilities who were selected from across Europe.

SWG3 Cybraphon

12:00PM, 27 Apr—03 May, not 2nd, Free

Interative mechanical band instillation, which springs into action when it senses visitors are looking at it.

Sorcha Dallas Linder: King’s Ransom (Hybrid Tea)

11:00AM, 27 Apr—22 May, not 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, Free

Featuring new collages and objects inspired by motifs and themes used in her new performnace, The Darktown Cakewalk: Celebrated from the House of FAME, to be previewed at Glasgow International at the Arches on 23 Apr

Southside Studios GANGHUT

11:00AM, 27 Apr—10 May, Free

GANGHUT is developing a site specific structure(s) that will inhabit/take over the South Side Studios location. GANGHUT’s musical leg, GANGBAND, will also develop a musical performance for the South Side Studios during GI.

The Arches Dr Sketchy’s

04:00PM, 30 May, £7 (£5)

Alternative life drawing, this month with a Steampunk theme.

Touchbase New European Art (part II)

10:00AM, 27 Apr—22 May, not 2nd, 9th, 16th, Free

From the Outsider Art Biennale held at the Rackstad Museum Sweden; works by 40 artists with disabilities who were selected from across Europe. www.project-ability. co.uk

Tramway Douglas Gordon: 24 Hour Psycho Back And Forth And To And Fro 11:00AM, 27 Apr—09 May, Free

Gordon’s first exhibition in Glasgow in over a decade, revisiting his 1993 work in which he stretched the Hitchcock classic over 24 hours.

Christoph Büchel

12:00PM, 27 Apr—30 May, not 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, Free

Unique art work involving shipping containers.

dundee Dundee Rep

The Tron Betrayed

Stepping Out

07:30PM, 07 May—14 May, not 10th, £10.50

It’s the last chance saloon for one dancer...

Part of Mayfesto. Iraqi interpreters struggle for meaning in the war zone

Sweeney Tood

A Most Civil Arrangement

07:30PM, 27 Apr—08 May, £14–from £14

07:30PM, 27 May—29 May, from £14

Musical version of Victorian melodrama

Whitehall Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

07:15PM, 27 Apr—01 May, from £11

Classic fairytale, given Walt’s Treatment

Edinburgh Brunton Theatre Whiskey Kisses

07:30PM, Sat 8th, Tue 18th, £12–£15

Musical Comedy

EFT Romeo and Juliet

07:30PM, 28 Apr—15 May, from £9–from £16

Contemporary version by Pastor

Stepping Out

07:30PM, 27 Apr—08 May, not 2nd, 3rd, £14–from £14

It’s the last chance saloon for one dancer...

Playhouse Les Miserables

07:30PM, 27 Apr—15 May, not 2nd, 9th, from £21

French revolutionaries burst into song

Electric Circus Blitz

09:00PM, Multiple dates, £3-£6

King’s Theatre Laughter in the Rain

07:45PM, 07 May—15 May, not 9th, 10th, £10.50

Part of Mayfesto. Lesbian husbandry.

From the West Bank: Three Short Plays

Des Tells Tall Tales 07:30PM, 27 Apr—01 May, £12

Stand up comedy meets one of Scotland’s most hilarious storytellers and playwrights

The Glass Menagerie 07:30PM, 27 Apr—01 May, £9.50

Sultry American erotic repression, from Tennessee Williams

The Event

07:30PM, 04 May—08 May, £12

An actor- or is he? Fringe First winner

09:15PM, 07 May—22 May, not 10th, 17th, £10.50

Blue Hen

David Greig, Raja Shehadeh and Franca Rame look at the Middle East. Part of Mayfesto.

Two redundant men. A blue hen. Twelve bloodthirsty chickens. One grave robber and a psychopathic drug dealer.

Drumhead

08:00PM, 11 May—16 May, £10.50

One Million Tiny Places About Britain

Part of Mayfesto.Is torture justified? From the company who waterboarded a critic, a study in modern morality

Fresh from the Guardian weekly column, glimpses into British Life

Jordan

Morcambe

09:00PM, 11 May—15 May, £10.50

07:30PM, 26 May—29 May, £9.50

Part of Mayfesto. A woman goes to the edge of endurance.

Bringing sunshine form the life of one of the UK’s most loved comedians

The Other Side of The Conflict

08:45PM, 18 May—22 May, £10.50

Part of Mayfesto. A series of short political plays.

Traverse The Goat- or Who Is Sylvia?

07:30PM, 27 Apr—08 May, not 2nd, 3rd, from £8

Martin has a secret that threatens to blow apart his happy married life. By Edward Albee

Rehearsal Rom 16

Various times, 28 Apr—01 May, £5

07:30PM, 05 May—08 May, from £9.50

07:30PM, 18 May—30 May, not 24th, £12

The Arches Contact Jam 02:00PM, 02 May, £3

Dancers are invited to hang and dance together.

Theatre Royal Peter Pan

07:30PM, 27 Apr—08 May, not 2nd, from £10

Greig and Tiffany revisit the classic story

Wife After Death

07:30PM, 04 May—08 May, from £11

Three new plays over three evenings

A comedian still gets the laughs after death

Another Leap

The History Boys

08:00PM, 06 May—07 May, £10

Platform 18

Various times, 20 May—23 May, from £13

07:30PM, 10 May—15 May, from £11

Bennett’s ironic school day drama

Richard Alston Dance 07:30PM, 18 May, from £14.50

Contemporary dance, light.

07:30PM, 10 May—15 May, from £11

The Arches award for new directors

The Neil Sedaka story

5:15

Spirit of the Dance

Five short operas

Tango meets Irish dance. Seriously.

Whistle Down the Wind

07:30PM, 24 May—29 May, from £11

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman’s smash hit musical. “Jesus Christ”

Roxy Art House Richard II

07:30PM, 20 May—27 May, £15

Voodoo Rooms Springtime Follies 09:00PM, 06 May, £5 (£3)

07:00PM, 06 May—09 May, £8.50 (£5)

Kitsch cabaret and burlesque.

Surreal physical theatre performed using the unique technique of ÔfoolingÕ. No props, no set and all of the actors playing all of the parts.

glasgow

Royal Lyceum The Cherry Orchard

07:45PM, 27 Apr—08 May, not 2nd, 3rd, from £9

A new version by John Byrne

Drill Hall Feast of Fools

CCA Framing Motion 07:00PM, 26 May, £5 (£3)

Film showcase form Dance House, exploring how practitioners frame movement with their choice of context.

Citizens Theatre

07:30PM, 05 May, Free

Des Tells Tall Tales

An evening of foolish entertainments brought to you by Jonathan Kay and the Nomadic Academy of Fools.

Author of anti-sectarian workhorse I’m No A Billy, He’s A Tim reveals all

07:30PM, 27 Apr—01 May, £7–£12

07:30PM, 20 May—22 May, from £11

Snow White- On Ice

Various times, 26 May—30 May, from £11

Does what it says on the tin. Contains Russians

Tramway Kursk

07:30PM, 19 May—23 May, £14

Submarine immersive drama

Tron Theatre Address Unknown

07:30PM, 15 May—22 May, not 17th, £10.50

Nazism vs friendship. Part of Mayfesto.

Òran Mór 5:15

07:30PM, 20 May—27 May, not 23rd, 24th, £15

Five short operas

PRIZES!

COMPETITIONS A FESTIVAL BONANZA

WIN TICKETS TO T IN THE PARK! COURTESY OF TENNENT’S BE CHILLED

WIN A PAIR OF ROCKNESS TICKETS!

There's nothing better than a chilled can of Tennent’s as the ultimate weekend of the summer gets underway and for 70,000 weekend campers heading to T in the Park, the Be Chilled service is returning for a third year. You can pre-order your Tennent’s Lager for collection from Be Chilled via www.tennents.com/bechilled now.

The Skinny have teamed up with Tennent’s to give away a pair of weekend with camping tickets to this year’s festival plus vouchers to collect a 4-pack of Tennent’s Lager from Be Chilled on each day of the festival.

To enter just answer this question : What year did Be Chilled open for business in the campsite? a) 1998 b) 2008 c) 2004 Visit theskinny.co.uk/competitions by 31 may for your chance to win!

Terms and Conditions: Visit theskinny.co.uk/terms for details.

Please drink responsibly www.drinkaware.co.uk Over 18’s only

TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS TO KELBURN GARDEN PARTY!

Rockness 2010 welcomes revellers to the beautiful surrounding of Loch Ness for a three day glut (11 – 13 June) of attractions to take your fancy: The Strokes, Doves, Aphex Twin, Fatboy Slim and Leftfield are just some of the jaw-dropping headliners announced so far, but there’s plenty more on offer. Club 75, 2ManyDJs, Vitalic, The Bloody Beetroots and Boys Noize will be on hand to entertain the rave kids, while those seeking something a bit alternative should try the mighty visual extravaganza of Arcadia Afterburner or Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges’ appearance at the Howard’s End Pub, hailed as “the best stand-up of his generation." Anyway, Rockness have agreed to offer readers a pair of awesome 3 day camping tickets. Sound good? For more info on tickets, attractions and the full lineup, visit www.rockness.co.uk.

Visit theskinny.co.uk/competitions by 24 may for your chance to win!

Ts and Cs: Visit www.theskinny.co.uk/terms for details. Entrants must be aged 18 or over

TWO PAIRS OF WICKERMAN TICKETS!

With space for only 500 within the beautiful grounds of Kelburn Castle, the Kelburn Garden Party is a rather exclusive soiree. Even so, the festival caters to a wide range of tastes: reggae, dubstep, jazz, electro, samba, hip-hop and folk are all cosy bedfellows underneath the technicolour grandeur of Kelburn Castle.

Kelburn Garden Party have teamed up with The Skinny to offer readers the chance to win two pairs of weekend tickets for the 3 & 4 July. For news on festival developments, lineup details and ticket information visit www.kelburngardenparty.com.

Wickerman returns this July (23 & 24) for another glorious weekend of live music, spacious camping and family-friendly activity. Ocean Colour Scene take centre stage alongside The Futureheads, The Undertones, Codeine Velvet Club and Sons & Daughters as this year’s headliners. Wickerman are offering Skinny readers the chance to win two pairs of weekend camping tickets. For more information on the line up and tickets, visit www. thewickermanfestival.co.uk.

To enter just answer this question :

To enter just answer this question :

The inaugural Kelburn Garden Party was held in 2008 – by what “pan-contentinental, art-clash” project inspired the establishment of the Garden Party?

Ocean Colour Scene headline this year’s Wickerman. What is the name of their new album?

Visit theskinny.co.uk/ competitions before 31 May for your chance to win!

Visit theskinny.co.uk/ competitions before 31 may for your chance to win!

Ts and Cs: Visit www.theskinny.co.uk/terms for details. Entrants must be aged 18 or over.

Ts and Cs: Visit www.theskinny.co.uk/terms for details. Entrants must be aged 18 or over

May 2010

THE SKINNY 63