We take a look at the comedy that made The Beatles so memorable.

Let It Be Funny

As Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson releases an all-new version of The Beatles’ worst film, we take a look at the comedy that made the band so memorable

Words: Ben Venables

With one exception, every film The Beatles made is a comedy.

A Hard Day’s Night (1964) is a parody of the band’s lives during Beatlemania. Help! (1965) is a spoof-and-slapstick thriller, recalling the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup. Magical Mystery Tour (1967) is a hallucinogenic hot mess, like a rough draft of Monty Python. Yellow Submarine (1968) is a remarkable triumph in animation. All are tongue-incheek and charming: the comedic qualities that lodged The Beatles in the public mind, driving their fame as much as their music. Comedy is central to The Beatles’ story, the true ‘fifth Beatle’. When The Beatles travelled to London to audition for EMI, they met producer George Martin. Martin had worked with The Goon Show, Beyond the Fringe and Peter Sellers. His reputation as a comedy producer could have alerted other bands they weren’t being taken too seriously. Yet, for The Beatles it meant they’d found the very producer who spoke their language. When George Harrison took the piss out of Martin’s tie, it reassured them all they could work together. Their music started the craze known as Beatlemania, but it was the quip at the 1963 Royal Variety Show that meant The Beatles never looked back. John Lennon addressed the Royal Box: “Would the people in the cheaper seats clap your

Image: Courtesy of Disney

“Nonsense was an integral ingredient to The Beatles, even unlocking their creative jams”

hands, and the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewellery.” In America, their quick and caustic wit on arriving at JFK airport in 1964 ensured a heroes’ welcome. They made millions of new fans parrying subtly-loaded questions (“Do you like Beethoven?”, “He’s great, especially his poems,” answers Ringo). Paul McCartney grew up in a family steeped in the Music Hall tradition, comedy which passed into his songwriting. The Beatles’ albums often veer from the proto-punk and heavy-metal sounds of Lennon’s tracks to a jolly old knees-ups from McCartney. But listen to When I’m Sixty-Four, Your Mother Should Know and the much reviled Maxwell’s Silver Hammer with your ears open to a sense of humour, and much of The Beatles’ appeal and radical influence falls into place. Nonsense was an integral ingredient to The Beatles, even unlocking their creative jams. When McCartney woke from a dream with the tune for Yesterday formed in his head he had no idea about the lyrics. ‘Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away,’ started as ‘Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs.’ John Lennon was a master of nonsense. A fan of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear’s literary humour as a boy, he channelled their wordplay into his writing, most obviously in I Am the Walrus: ‘I am the egg-man, they are the egg-men, I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob.’ The Beatles weren’t only funny themselves, but actively supported comedy. When Monty Python’s funding went south before filming The Life of Brian, George Harrison stepped in and bankrolled the whole thing. He mortgaged his house to do so and created Handmade Films – a film company that went on to back another classic of British comedy, Withnail and I. And yet, there is one piece of The Beatles’ back catalogue where humour is absent – the dreary documentary Let It Be (1970). The film is mostly remembered for one bickering argument between McCartney and Harrison. It was released as the band were breaking up, and seemed to capture a group of friends bored at the sight of each other. The Beatles seem to have done everything they can to fire the film from their canon of work; even their famous rooftop gig can’t save something so tedious. It has never made it to DVD. Only a completist would want to hunt it down on shady internet backchannels. There is one strange comedic legacy from Let It Be, albeit accidental. It inspired ‘mockumentaries’ that take the piss out of bumptious bands falling into ‘musical differences’. It is hard to imagine This is Spinal Tap existing without Let It Be, or The Simpsons’ barbershop quartet episode, which brilliantly parodies the rooftop performance. It is a surprise then that for its 50th anniversary (though delayed by the pandemic), Let It Be is now rebooted as The Beatles: Get Back. Using hours of footage, Peter Jackson has remade and restored the film with the same techniques he used with the WWI documentary They Shall Not Grow Old. The question among Beatles fans, of course, is whether Jackson can do anything but roll this turd in glitter. Judging by the teaser alone, Jackson has not only made the film look pretty, he’s captured everything left out of the original. Ringo is juggling drumsticks, John is dicking around and they’re all making each other laugh. In other words, it includes all the levity and humour that made The Beatles such a success.

Music Now

October is another stacked month for new Scottish music, with releases continuing to arrive at a rate that's hard to keep up with, but we’ll do what we can. Here goes

Words: Tallah Brash

Following a longlist nomination for the 2021 Scottish Album of the Year Award for Landform, his album with Marta Salogni, Erland Cooper is back this month with Never Pass Into Nothingness. It’s a collaborative project with photographer and filmmaker Alex Kozobolis and singer-songwriter Kathryn Joseph that arrives on 15 October via Mercury KX. Also on the SAY longlist this year for their eighth studio album A Celebration of Endings, Kilmarnock three-piece Biffy Clyro release a surprise ninth album – The Myth of the Happily Ever After – on 22 October via Warner Music. On the same day, Lomond Campbell’s LŪP gets a physical release via One Little Independent Records. Taking its title from the tape looping device Campbell built and consequently used to make the record, it’s a fascinating story that you can learn all about in our full feature on p40. In September’s magazine we spoke to Honeyblood’s Stina Tweeddale about her new solo project under the name Stina Marie Claire. Her debut EP, A Souvenir for a Terrible Year, is released on 1 Oct via ICEBLINK LUCK – turn the page for our full review which likens the release to Kathleen Hanna’s Julie Ruin record. Formerly of alt-pop band Kid Canaveral, David MacGregor is back this month with album two as Broken Chanter. Set for release on 29 October via Olive Grove and Last Night from Glasgow, Catastrophe Hits very much starts where Broken Chanter left off, but everything feels brighter, with crisp percussive and electronic elements that really make the songs pop. And after learning of MacGregor’s desire to learn Gaelic around the time of the last release, it’s thrilling to hear him singing in the language on Ith Làn Do Bhìth, not to mention super soothing too. Despite being recorded during the pandemic, and the album being called Catastrophe Hits, MacGregor is aware that music is meant to be an escape. “I didn’t want to have an album that spent it’s entire running time reflecting on the past year and a half,” he says. “Folk need a lift. They don’t need to relive the pandemic, and the associated trauma, right now.” And it really doesn’t feel like an album born out of a global pandemic, but the chorus of ‘Hold onto your friends, hold onto your friends’ found on Extinction Event Souvenir T-Shirt hits hard – it’s euphoric and cathartic and we’ll be singing it for some time to come. Due for release on the same day via Reckless Yes is Kvetch Sounds, the debut album from Glasgow noise-pop duo Japan Review. Following on from the release of their Juno EP in 2019, Kvetch Sounds is sonically more experimental, exploring shoegaze, lo-fi electronica, post-rock and more. While the genres might not be massively consistent across this record, the soundscape and world created by the pair is; piercing synths, fuzzy electronics and programmed drum beats keep the whole thing in check.

Photo: Stephanie Gibson Broken Chanter Let’s move from noise-pop to ambient neo-folk. Following their inclusion as one of this year’s Wide Days showcase acts, Constant Follower release their debut album, Neither is, nor ever was via Shimmy-Disc and Joyful Noise Recordings on 1 October. Shimmy-Disc label founder Kramer takes up co-production duties alongside Constant Follower frontman Stephen McAll. Neither is, nor ever was is a gorgeous and spacious exploration of the inevitable passing of time, captured beautifully in this heart wrenching moment found on Spirits in the Roof Tree: ‘You know I’ll never leave you / What’s my life without you / I know we’ll always be’. Each of the tracks on Neither is, nor ever was will also be accompanied by its own short film by a different artist, with each being the artist’s own response, offering a truly unique way to experience this record. Following on from the success of last year’s debut EP, When You’re Around, Becca Shearing, aka SHEARS, has been taking the time to work on her skills as an artist and producer. With three exquisite pop singles – Pick Me Up, Afterthought and Face – under her belt already this year, it seems all the hard work is paying off. Add two more songs into the mix – The Fault and Say It To Me – and you have her brand new EP, Mind In Decline. Set for release on 27 October, it’s surely one of the most perfect pure pop releases of the year. Our only gripe is that it’s not twice as long. Another release we’re really enjoying this month comes from relative newcomers, Glasgow’s Blush Club, whose debut EP – A Hill to Die On (29 Oct) – is a jangly, jaunty, indie-pop joy. Also, expect more new music this month from Karine Polwart & Dave Milligan, The Joshua Hotel, Loup, Yoko Pwno & Acolyte, Midnight Ambulance and loads more – plenty to get your teeth into.

Photo: Btth Chalmers

Blush Club

Image: courtesy of Japan Review

Japan Review

Self Esteem Prioritise Pleasure Fiction Records, 22 Oct rrrrr

Listen to: I Do This All the Time, Moody

Parquet Courts Sympathy for Life Rough Trade, 22 Oct rrrrr

Listen To: Walking at a Downtown Pace, Plant Life, Homo Sapien Ever since Rebecca Lucy Taylor – formerly one half of Slow Club – put her indie days behind her, she quickly established herself as a fully-fledged pop star with her solo project, Self Esteem. Her 2019 debut, Compliments Please, was easily one of the most exciting releases that year, and Prioritise Pleasure follows suit. On it, Taylor’s vocals are bigger and bolder, and the subject matter more expansive. Voicing the frustrations of fed-up women everywhere, Taylor is simultaneously angry and jubilant, criticising a society that puts women down while celebrating the things that build us up. ‘There’s nothing that terrifies a man more than a woman who appears completely deranged,’ says an unknown speaker at the end of opening track I’m Fine. The clip is taken from conversations Taylor had with female-identifying creatives when devising a play on consent for The National Youth Theatre in 2019. There are pure pop bangers in Fucking Wizardry and Moody, and cinematic epics in I Do This All the Time and Still Reigning. Taylor might not have been coming for the crown of pop star of the year, but with Prioritise Pleasure she’s certainly taken it. [Nadia Younes] Hand Habits Fun House Saddle Creek, 22 Oct rrrrr

Listen to: More Than Love, Aquamarine, Clean Air

Across the past decade, there has been hardly anyone as consistently beguiling and exhilarating as Brooklyn post-punks Parquet Courts. Since their breakout record Light Up Gold, the quartet have put together a mighty back catalogue of brilliance, with 2018’s Wide Awake! seeing them reach new levels of exposure and popularity. While that album saw the band explore more dance-rock oriented grooves, their latest, Sympathy for Life, shows Parquet Courts doubling down. PC’s seventh full-length record was, reportedly, built out of long jam sessions, which the group boiled down to palatable chunks which make up the majority of the songs here. While album opener and lead single Walking at a Downtown Pace is classic Parquet Courts at their finest, the album shortly takes on a hypnotic quality from thereon. The influence from the likes of Talking Heads and Primal Scream is palpable on tracks such as Plant Life, which makes similar use of production trickery to the latter’s Screamadelica. Meanwhile, Application Apparatus owes its legacy to the mighty Kraftwerk and fellow practitioners of kosmische Musik. While some may miss the band’s more direct approach of previous records, tracks like Homo Sapien show Parquet Courts can still rock out. [Adam Turner-Heffer] Tirzah Colourgrade Domino, 1 Oct rrrrr

Listen to: Beating, Sink In, Send Me Meg Duffy is first and foremost a collaborator. The LA-based musician, also known as Hand Habits, is a stalwart of the indie music scene, having toured and recorded with the likes of Kevin Morby, Sylvan Esso and The War On Drugs. It make sense then that Duffy would bring that collaborative spirit into their own work. Their dazzling third LP, Fun House, was fleshed out alongside producer Sasami Ashworth (SASAMI) and musician Kyle Thomas – Duffy’s housemates during the pandemic – and also features a duet with Perfume Genius. Easily Duffy’s most adventurous collection of songs yet, the record explodes into being with two outstanding opening tracks. More Than Love is a foot-tapping, Springsteen-referencing instant obsession, followed up by the tightly-wound and beautifully layered Aquamarine. But Fun House’s intrigue lies in its continually shifting emotions and energies. From the surety of Aquamarine to the simple vulnerability of Graves, Duffy strikes an irresistible balance between sorrow and joy, once again displaying their knack for dressing stark trauma in infectious beats and major chords. Whether a coping mechanism or an inside joke, the result is truly exciting music that is also uniquely heartbreaking. [Katie Cutforth]

Tirzah’s stark and minimal songs have an uncanny ability to conjure a world lurking just behind the curtain. What first sounds slight and standoffish becomes warm and overwhelming after a few spins; that ability made her 2018 album Devotion an instant classic. Colourgrade is even more oblique, taking longer to reveal the heart at the centre. Taking cues from her early mixtapes, its songs function as sketches that reinforce each other to create a heavy and rewarding listen. Made after the birth of her first child, and recorded before the arrival of her second, Colourgrade portrays early motherhood as weary, surreal, isolating and beautiful. ‘You got me, I’ve got you / We made life, it’s beating’ she sings on Beating, backed by a simple drum beat and skin-tickling static, while the futuristic blues of Sleeping captures the late-night delirium that comes with having a young child. It would be reductive to view the album solely through this lens of motherhood. The mood may be consistent and songs may be skeletal, but the emotions are varied and often indescribable. On Colourgrade, Tirzah is intent to make you feel vivid, ineffable things you haven’t before. [Skye Butchard]

Grouper Shade Kranky, 22 Oct rrrrr

Listen to: Pale Interior, The way her hair falls, Kelso (Blue sky) When Liz Harris releases music, it’s difficult not to relate to it with darkness. Not necessarily a foreboding, ominous darkness, but the kind where life is still and what’s coming next suggests an artist finding a way to edge tentatively into light, though still wanting a place to stay hidden. But with some of these recordings stretching back as many as 15 years, these are merely the parts that Harris is allowing us to see at this moment.

Shade contains some of Harris’s most and least accessible work. Ode to the blue is simple and beautiful; a line like ‘I’ve been thinking about the way the light gets lost in your hair’ conjures entire lifetimes in that simplicity. Disordered Minds is a swirling rave-up of tantric chanting and lo-fi noise. The rudimentary beat is somewhere between Moe Tucker and techno. Grouper songs fit so nicely into that depressive spiral where the only art you can engage with is that which will match your feelings. So, when we reach the country-tinged final track, Kelso (Blue sky), and Harris sings sunnily ‘Blue sky over Kelso and I’m feeling fine’, it’s hard not to gasp. [Tony Inglis] Stina Marie Claire A Souvenir of a Terrible Year ICEBLINK LUCK, 1 Oct rrrrr

Listen to: The Human Condition, Souvenir With a fourth Honeyblood album forced onto the back burner, Stina Tweeddale has instead turned her attention to carving out a solo channel distinct from the band. In and of itself, this begs the question of what that distinction actually is, given that Honeyblood has essentially been a solo vehicle since 2018. A Souvenir of a Terrible Year offers up a couple of potential answers to that question. One of them is tied up in the closing cover of The Sundays’ Here’s Where the Story Ends; where the original is all breezy pop, Tweeddale’s take is much rawer, full of exposed-nerve emotion. Elsewhere, the newer compositions also serve to draw a dividing line between the band and the solo project. Honeyblood, at their heart, have always been a rock band, regardless of which prism that’s been refracted through. Here, though, Tweeddale pivots between punchy pop and quietly stormy reflection. It’s a dichotomy that brings to mind Kathleen Hanna’s Julie Ruin record – expertly crafted, emotionally engaged bedroom pop. If there’s a silver lining to be taken, it’s that A Souvenir of a Terrible Year appears to have cracked open an entirely new part of Tweeddale creatively. [Joe Goggins]

Kedr Livanskiy Liminal Soul 2MR, 1 Oct rrrrr

Listen to: Boy, Storm Dancer, My Invisible Following the giddy rush into the light of 2019’s Your Need, it was something of a mystery where Kedr Livanskiy would go next. What you get on Liminal Soul is something of a moulding together of all her records up to this point. The lo-fi textures of her early work are gone, but the vaporous washes of sound remain, while the recent move towards crystalline synths and classic 808 rhythms continues. The tumbling drums and plonking synths of Boy are gorgeous and her voice is at its craning emotive best, while My Invisible – which at points sounds like an early grime instrumental and a piece of 90s breakbeat pop having a wrestle – fizzes with spiky energy. Storm Dancer is the only one that feels set apart from the rest. It looms out at the end of the record, grander and more menacing than its counterparts. With its screeches of synth and operatic vocals it’s a strong final blast, but points towards a record of more tonal variety. As it is, the other songs in its final third, which work perfectly well when listened to in and of themselves, can’t help but feel like re-treading ground covered better earlier in the record. [Joe Creely] Lotic Water Houndstooth Records, 29 Oct rrrrr

Listen to: Emergency, Always You On 2018’s Power, Lotic used throbbing club sounds, celestial operatic elements and raw electronics to convey the instability and personal upheaval happening within her life. The constant fight between authoritarian power structures and Black trans lives was cleverly represented within conflicting sounds and shots of noise. Three years later, Water elegantly combines many of the same influences to tell a weightier story of intergenerational pain, and how this often lines up with personal grief. J’Kerian Morgan connects the dots with her voice. Her sharp falsetto is more present in the mix than ever before, and that emergence mirrors the growing distinctiveness she has as an artist. Her voice is at times limited, with melodies in the second half of the record becoming indistinct. But when it works, Lotic is at the height of her powers. Emergency is brash and beautiful in a way that’s rare, its searing synth lines and clattering percussion leaving space for her gasping and pensive vocal. Even on the alarming double time of Always You, there’s room for gentle harp passages and whisper-quiet melodies. The fluidity and confidence of the record makes it feel like the arrival of Lotic in her true form. [Skye Butchard]

The French Dispatch Director: Wes Anderson Starring: Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand rrrrr

A pastiche of sophisticated literary magazines like The New Yorker, The French Dispatch sees Bill Murray star as the editor of a weekly supplement reporting from the fictitious French town of Ennui-Sur-Blasé. We join him and his team of writers as they assemble the magazine’s final edition, which includes a travel guide, three feature articles and an obituary. Taking the form of an anthology film, Wes Anderson’s latest recreates the simple pleasure of losing yourself in a long read. From a profile about a convicted murderer who finds redemption through art to a culinary crime caper recounted by Jeffrey Wright doing his best James Baldwin impression, each story speaks to the power of ideas and the allure of inspiration. Anderson currently resides in Paris, and this ardent Francophile takes much influence here from directors like Jaques Tati, Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Demy. But he also draws inspiration from the sartorial aloofness of 20th-century Parisian fashion, yé-yé pop music, and the ligne claire aesthetic of Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin. The result feels like stepping into a fanciful time machine and arriving in a version of post-war Europe that has only ever existed on the Big Screen. Anyone who finds Anderson’s films too mannered or whimsical are unlikely to be won over, but for those who share his fondness for long-form essays and continental culture, The French Dispatch is a rich and absorbing delight. [Patrick Gamble]

Released 22 Oct by Disney; certificate 12A

Last Night in Soho Director: Edgar Wright Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie, Jessie Mei Li, Matt Smith rrrrr

In a perfect world, all films would have an intimately lit scene of Anya Taylor-Joy dressed in a beautiful vintage gown while singing an a cappella version of Petula Clark’s soulful hit Downtown. Edgar Wright’s latest, Last Night in Soho, blesses the audience with such a scenario but woefully allows for the spellbinding quality of the moment to be drained as swiftly as rain going through clean gutters. Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) is your good old small-town girl with big-town dreams. She moves to London from Cornwall to pursue her lifelong ambitions to become a fashion designer but struggles to fit in, haunted by ghosts of past and present. These feelings of displacement fuel the psychological thriller’s first act, a cleverly constructed kaleidoscope built upon Eloise’s crumbling state of mind. Here, metaphorical parallels are made tangible by an inescapable parade of mirrors, Wright determined on dizzying the audience as he takes them through the sinuous corridors of glamourous Soho clubs. As Last Night in Soho unravels, however, the sharp vision of its early chapter turns blurry as the narrative swiftly drops well-crafted allegories in lieu of overexposed twists and a deeply-felt farewell to its charming ambivalence. The final result is never dull – with laurels particularly placed on the immersive mix of the banging soundtrack and accomplished cinematography – but struggles to combat the bitter aftertaste left by the certainty that beneath its shiny surface there was a much better film. [Rafaela Sales Ross]

Released 29 Oct by Universal; certificate TBC

Image: Chiabella James; Warner Bros.

The French Dispatch Dune Last Night in Soho Halloween Kills

Dune Director: Denis Villeneuve Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac, Dave Bautista rrrrr

It is hard to be fully immersed in Dune when its title card boldly states “Part 1” and its final scene sees a wistful Chani (Zendaya) soulfully declare “This is only the beginning”, while longingly staring at the horizon – perhaps looking for the magnanimous pot of gold required to fund a sequel. Yet, there is still much to chew on in Denis Villeneuve’s monumental epic sci-fi.

Dune lacks the spellbinding visuals of Villeneuve’s last foray into sci-fi, 2017’s neo-noir Blade Runner 2049, a sensory feast that commanded colours with the grace of a snake charmer. In this Roger Deakins-less venture – Greig Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty, Rogue One) is on cinematography duty – colour is as rarely seen as the mighty worms that plague Arrakis, the desert world on which Frank Herbert’s story takes place. When both grace the screen, however, the crisp yellows of the sand crumbling to the power of the crawling creatures, it is as if Dune comes to life, leaning fully into what it could have been. Out of the stellar ensemble cast led by the always charming Timothée Chalamet as Oedipean prophet Paul, the greatest surprise is Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, a salt of the earth swordmaster. With enough charisma to flood the arid lands of Arrakis, Momoa swiftly steals the coveted spotlight, split by a parade of big names that are granted very little time on screen. Unfortunately, nothing in Dune quite reaches the same level of pizzaz as Momoa, but – fear not – it is still a highly entertaining voyage. [Rafaela Sales Ross] Halloween Kills Director: David Gordon Green Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Anthony Michael Hall, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Thomas Mann rrrrr

Starting within seconds of the fiery denouement of David Gordon Green’s first Halloween sequel, Halloween Kills follows ever-stabby masked bogeyman Michael Myers on his rampage, occasionally flashing back to 1978 to remind us what a good horror movie once looked like. Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode spends much of the film holed up in a hospital bed, which increasingly looks like a savvy move as everyone else lumbers around spouting God-awful dialogue that attempts to make the film about something: the rise of populism, the nature of fear, or… whatever. Anthony Michael Hall leads a vigilante mob and Will Patton’s soulful sheriff recovers from having his throat slit in order to reminisce about not shooting Myers when he had the chance (accidentally shooting his partner to death instead – oops).

Halloween Kills is not funny enough to work as parody, yet not economic enough to work as chiller. Every cut is a jumpscare; every ‘character’ a kill waiting to happen; every kill an over-elaborate lesson in gooey anatomy. As is referenced in the film, the original 1978 massacre saw three people die. Here, eleven get offed in just one scene: an object lesson in diminishing returns. Proving Chris Rock isn’t the only comedian who should stay away from horror, Danny McBride is once more on writing duty along with Green and Scott Teems. That said though, I genuinely can’t wait for the final chapter – Halloween Ends – due next year, if only in the hope it lives up to the promise of the title. [John Bleasdale]

GO SANGATSU @ SWG3, GLASGOW

Five March’s Japanese-inspired pop-up at SWG3's Acid Bar presents some interesting dishes and large dollops of excellent mayonnaise Words: Peter Simpson

Go Sangatsu, SWG3, 100 Eastvale Pl, Glasgow, G3 8QG

ig: @fivemarch_gosangatsu

Thu and Fri 12-3pm and 5-10pm, Sat 12-10pm After past residencies from Ka Pao and Julie’s Kopitiam, it’s the turn of West End restaurant Five March to take on SWG3’s bar and restaurant, nestled between the train tracks and an all-night trance music festival that’s kicking off as we arrive. Their pitch – Go Sangatsu, a pop-up inspired by the Photo: Peter Simpson cuisines and techniques of Japan, but with some inspirations from further afield and ingredients from closer to home. First up, ramen eggs (£4)! We like an egg here in the food section, and these are great. They’re creamy, jammy, salty, and come topped with some excellent kewpie-style Japanese mayo. Throw on some tiny bits of impressively flavourful coriander and a bit of puffed rice to remind us to chew, and it’s a delightfully fatty start. There’s more great mayonnaise up next, on the potatoes with miso aioli (£6). A transplant from the main Five March spot, these are brilliant. Crispy, gnarly and surprisingly spiky potatoes covered in a spicy, umami seasoning and then thrown overboard into a sea of creamy, savoury aioli. The shiitake and eggplant mapo tofu (£8) is also excellent. It’s a bit light on the tofu (in that there’s hardly any tofu) but what you definitely will find are the fermented, spicy, rich flavours that you want from this kind of dish. That tofu situation is one of a few times where Go Sangatsu’s proportions go a bit haywire. A pile of green beans in a tantanmen dressing (£5) are stacked up like Photo: Peter Simpson kindling, but it’s enough kindling to start a pretty decent fire. Was this dish designed to pair up with something we didn’t order, or for a larger group to share? Possibly. Would we have complained if it was half the size? Absolutely not. Away from the creamy end of the scale, our piece of skate (£9) with charred corn in a soy and ginger broth looks brilliant, and shows off a good balance of most of its key elements. It’s soft where you want it to be, crunchy when you need it, and while the soy is a bit dominant in the broth it’s still a very nice piece of fish. If that soy was a little overwhelming, dessert – a black sesame purin, or custard pudding (£5) – is subtle to the point of underwhelming. It’s refreshing and palate-cleansing, and makes an impressive jiggle when you nudge the table, but after a meal loaded with fairly assertive flavours it takes a while to get your head around. All told, Go Sangatsu is pretty good, but we’re struggling a bit to work out who it’s for. There’s an impressive lack of clout-chasing on the menu, but there’s no killer dish that leaps off the page and demands to be eaten, or calls for an immediate return trip. The Acid Bar space, the staff, and the decor are lovely, but they’re all at the end of a long drawl away from a buzzing main road. Yet on its own terms and away from the vagaries of hyperlocal geography, Five March’s pop-up is a success, powered by some tasty dishes, high-quality cooking, and some of the best mayonnaise this side of the Pacific.

Photo: Peter Simpson

ICYMI

Comedian, writer and podcaster Siân Docksey submerges herself in the pastel hues of the much-loved 80s sitcom, The Golden Girls

Illustration: Julija Straižytė

I’ll be honest: I got into The Golden Girls for real-life long-term planning. Sharing a house during your senior years with three older women in Miami? Sounds cracking, and strategically sound. The only missing detail from a millennial’s perspective is the absence of climate crisis. Between snarking about incontinence and hitting on priests, I see retirement as mostly insulating my house from complete atmospheric annihilation. Luckily, if The Golden Girls speaks truth, there’s always plenty of chiffon. The sitcom follows divorcée Dorothy, her widowed friends Rose and Blanche, and Dorothy’s 80-something mother Sophia living in a chintzy, pastel-coloured Florida house. Yes, it’s bad form to introduce female characters by their previous relationship to men, but that’s the premise of the show: finished with raising families and having outlived or outwitted their husbands, the three women join forces and make a home together. Dorothy’s mother turns up unannounced in episode one after her retirement home burned down, and her deadpan commentary makes the other three seem like scurrying, hapless twenty-somethings. And between jokes about ageing and toupées, the show unfolds just like that. The girls worry about exes turning up at parties, about your landlordslash-housemate getting married and leaving you in the lurch, and oddball family members launching crackpot business ideas. Dorothy’s teaching job is stressful and paints a cartoonish picture of the Florida landscape outside: a Mad Maxstyle wild west of crime, anarchy and queer punks that never crosses the threshold of the Golden Girls’ palm tree-shielded pink home. Sweet, daydreamy Rose fusses over her more worldly friends who tease her relentlessly for being dippy and naïve. Beautiful Blanche twirls coquettishly through a whirlwind of lovers, being unapologetically horny about the pool attendant in a wet shirt and anyone within a 60-year age span. I’m not going to pretend it’s my new favourite show. The Golden Girls doesn’t hold back on open sentimentality, and the women saying loudly and clearly, over and over again, that in the end what matters is they’ll always have each other. A few episodes in I was drifting off during the hugging and hand-holding, and snapping back to attention when Sophia marched onscreen to be a mean old lady. She’s a brilliantly-written character who point blank refuses to be patronised and coddled like an old person. Except when it serves her to conveniently ‘forget’ it’s inappropriate at a buffet to make jokes about wee. However, each episode has plenty of farce, flashes of dark humour and sweetness. You can’t help getting occasionally blindsided by the actors’ performances. Dorothy in particular, played by Bea Arthur, cycles effortlessly between delivering acidic one-liners, being a clown, and letting rip dramatic monologues packed with frustration and vulnerability. I feel like I’ve met this character and I want to be her friend. You feel the wry cynicism that comes with getting older clash against wanting to believe in romance and dreams; we watch her strident confidence occasionally crumble under self-doubt. She’s a big personality who holds the other two and her mother in check, taking Blanche’s wide-eyed pining and Rose’s stubborn idiocy with eye-rolling panache. The women take it in turns to lift each other out of their worries, social disasters, and self-inflicted hot messes, in a friendship group dynamic that’s instantly recognisable for any generation. Every character is supported by a script that’s warm, silly, and never leaves a scene without a solid gag. It’s very comforting to visit The Golden Girls’ world of ice teas by the pool, witty philosophising about marriage, friendship and family, and vivid power suits for every lunch. My actual flatmate caught me chortling quietly at jokes that have staying power beyond the mid 80s, and walking round singing ‘thank you for being a friend’ to tins of tomatoes, which I’m sure is exactly what the producers wanted. Like the characters at its heart, The Golden Girls has aged stylishly and self-assuredly. You become fond of the gang immediately, and start wondering who in your friendship group you’d retire to Florida with. Depends on the rising sea levels. Whichever friend could fight an alligator, probably.

Docksey hosts Pole the Other One!, a podcast about Pole Dancing available at https://rss.com/podcasts/poletheotherone/

Also if you happen to be in the Big Smoke in November, she’s performing her solo show, We Live in a Human Dream, at London’s Museum of Comedy

Love in the Big City

By Sang Young Park, translated by Anton Hur rrrrr

Urban love, lust and loneliness are the themes of South Korean writer Sang Young Park’s English-language debut, aptly titled Love in the Big City. Comprising what were originally four interconnected short stories, the novel follows a gay man, Young, from his student days into his thirties. Each section focuses on a specific point in his life and a significant relationship: his best friend, the free-wheeling Jaehee; an older, angsty, anti-American boyfriend; his mother who is dying of cancer; and a man who may well be the love of Young’s life. Left alone to care for his ailing mother – the same woman who sent Young, as a boy, to a gay conversion facility – Love in the Big City is a very modern portrait of an artist as the novel’s narrator contends with familial duties, Tinder dates, turbulent friendships and trying to make it as a writer. On this messy and moving journey, Park weaves in social and political commentary, from LGBTQ+ rights and abortion access, to class dynamics and gender roles in contemporary Seoul. Anton Hur’s gorgeous translation captures the wit and bite of Park’s voice, which cuts through the novel’s romantic tenor like a blade. A runaway bestseller in South Korea, Love in the Big City is destined to be a global, queer cult classic. This is a bold, sparkling novel that encompasses what it feels like to be young and in love with life itself, surrounded by strangers and yet completely, wrenchingly alone. [Katie Goh]

Tilted Axis Press, 28 Oct, £9.99 Case Study

By Graeme Macrae Burnet rrrrr

The Broken Pane

By Charlie Roy rrrrr

The thing about Graeme Macrae Burnet is you’re never quite sure what you’re going to read. Case Study seems a clear proposition: London, 1965, an unworldly young woman believes her sister was driven to suicide by charismatic psychotherapist Collins Braithwaite. She seeks the truth. What instead unravels – told through journals, books and GMB’s own ‘research’ – is a tale that almost leaves the core mystery at the door. Stepping into this new world as the bold Rebecca Smyth, the question of the self becomes less a facade for investigation, and more an existential crisis that bleeds from the pages. Who are we? What are we looking for? What are we hiding behind? What is the truth? As the therapist provokes and cajoles the protagonist at their various meetings, it feels less about unpicking his own history but understanding a deeper malaise within ‘Rebecca’ herself, torn between her drive for answers, her own self, assumed self, and the truths confronted. Braithwaite’s own legacy unfurls in parallel, a lifetime interspersed by these few encounters. Sanity is in question at every turn. Inventive as ever, Case Study is a masterclass of diversion. Ever blurring the lines of fiction and reality in the form itself, readers come seeking one answer, but instead are drawn into the search for countless more. Serious and witty at once, reality becomes what we make of it. Reality, in this case, is an enthralling read. [Heather McDaid] The Broken Pane is about the stories we tell ourselves, and others, to make sense of how our lives have turned out, and the roles we are assigned in family life. Narrator Tam has come to believe that the reason her mother left, and her father drank, is her fault by simply being born, and the guilt she carries is overwhelming. The tragic fate of her beloved brother Nicky is the latest emotional trauma she has to face, and although she is not alone – her indomitable Nana especially being there to support – it feels like it. It’s a brave writer who reveals such a tragedy in the first chapter, but that propels the events that follow, and adds a pathos which makes Tam’s experiences all the more poignant. You really come to care about her and as the book moves towards a conclusion the tension becomes almost unbearable. In some ways The Broken Pane leaves you wanting more. More about Nicky’s story, Nana and George’s relationship, and Tam’s adventures while travelling. But that’s testament to Charlie Roy’s ability to invest in her secondary characters an innate relatability, making them more than simply the supporting cast. It’s also a novel that examines familial loss and guilt with an honesty few others manage. Harrowing, tragic, yet ultimately uplifting, The Broken Pane breaks your heart then puts it back together before the end. [Alistair Braidwood]

Saraband, 7 Oct, £14.99 Leamington Books, 1 Oct, £16.99 Weird Fucks

By Lynne Tillman rrrrr

So much of Weird Fucks is throwaway. The sentences, the sex, the love. The men who float, illusory, in and out of the protagonist’s life. The protagonist herself, a young woman fresh out of high school, fresh into college, freshly to Rome and Amsterdam and London. She has no sense of attachment to anything or anyone, including herself. “I was a slum goddess and in college,” she writes. Later, “I’m an inmate with a pass for the night.” Then, “I found myself falling in love again. It is safer to stay indoors.” But while it does feel throwaway, Tillman’s writing – short, staccato, brutal – centres on a woman who, crucially, doesn’t put men above herself. We’re left aching for more details, but she often moves on before we’re ready because the details – ergo, the men – aren’t important. And this in itself is important. A man she meets in Munich and lives with for a year in Amsterdam has an ephemeral send-off: “I rarely, if ever, thought of him again. This alone struck me as demeaning.” It is, which is the absolute charm of Weird Fucks. It’s so transitory that it’s hard to know whether the lifestyle laid out in Weird Fucks is aspirational or desperately lonely – but it is addictive. One to swallow whole in a single sitting, revelling in each fragmented, fascinating fuck. [Kirstyn Smith]

Peninsula Press, 30 Sep, £8.99

Listings

Looking for something to do? Well you’re in the right place! Here's a rundown of what's happening across Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee this month.

To find out how to submit listings, head to theskinny.co.uk/listings

Glasgow Music

Tue 28 Sep

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £15 The hotly tipped post-punk, disco-funk phenomenon Squid is the brainchild of Ollie Judge, Louis Borlase, Arthur Leadbetter, Laurie Nankivell and Anton Pearson. HORSEY

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £9.20 South London group whose jazz and blues-inspired indie rock are making waves across the British music scene. ALL TIME LOW

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £33 American pop punk band with catchy riffs and anthemic melodies. L DEVINE

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £9 Unabashed, witty electropop makes for an electric live show. RYAN MCMULLAN

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £14.50 Fresh new talent hailing from Northern Ireland whose emotionally resonant lyrics and distinct voice mark him from the crowd. IZZIE WALSH

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8.50 Manchester musical artist blending Americana and folk to enchanting effect.

Wed 29 Sep

RED RUM CLUB

KING TUT’S, 19:00–22:00, TBC Wild-western vibes and catchy lyrics from Liverpool. THE PSYCHEDLIC FURS (PAULINE MURRAY)

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £28.50 1980s post-punk dance from music legends The Psychedelic Furs CENTRAL CEE

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, TBC Hardcore rap from a star of the British rap scene. BURD ELLEN (DOROTHY HALE)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £7 Traditional music explores dark landscapes and strange stories.

Thu 30 Sep

KING NO-ONE (POLO + STOLEN YEARS)

KING TUT’S, 19:00–22:00, £12 Dynamic alt-pop rockers with blistering live shows. THE STAVES

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £20 Known for their haunting, heart wrenching harmonies, sisters The Staves return to Scotland’s stage with their most recent album. TEAM PICTURE

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £7.90 Leeds-based six-piece offering nostalgia-infused pop.

PETER BRODERICK

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £12 Multi-instrumentalist draws from folk, gospel and soul. JILL JACKSON

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £18.50 Gorgeous musical energy with hints of Joni Mitchell.

Fri 01 Oct

THE VAUNTS (KAMORA)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £8.80 Fast-paced indie-rock from Falkirk. COACH PARTY

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £9.50 Indie pop from Isle of Wight with a curious experimental edge. NATHAN FAKE

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 English electronic artist drawing on the likes of Aphex Twin and Orbital. MEATRAFFLE

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:30–22:00, £8.50 Charming leftist vibes from a band who merge the political, platonic, and artistic struggle. NINE BELOW ZERO

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 Blues band going since the late 1970s. ROBERT VINCENT (KING RIB)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £10 One of the most acclaimed new voices on the Americana music scene.

Sat 02 Oct

THE JOY HOTEL

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, TBC Seven-piece alti-rock band from the east end of Glasgow. IGLOOGHOST

MONO, 19:00–22:00, £14 English electronic musician whose fourth album was released earlier this year. REJJIE SNOW

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £20 Genre-bending rap from Dublin-based rapper. ECHO MACHINE (OPUS KINK)

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £9 Synth-pop group from Dundee whose debut album came out last year. SCUNNER + MISS THE OCCUPIER + GLASGOW GLAM BANGERS

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00, £7 Local outsider musicians bring the unusual and unexpected for a fun show. SEBASTIAN PLANO

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:00–22:00, £12 Argentinian cellist, composer and producer whose albums combine strings and unsual electronica.

OSCAR JEROME

DRYGATE BREWING CO., 19:30–22:00, £11 Vocalist, guitarist and composer returns from the thriving South London music scene. WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £11 Indie rock trio with a bittersweet rock’n’roll vibe. HAVE MERCY LAS VEGAS (REELY JIGGERED + THE SINGLETONS)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:00, £10 Celtic roots meets America.

Sun 03 Oct

SAM FISCHER (LUZ)

KING TUT’S, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 Australian songwriter known for a soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics. MY DARLING CLEMENTINE

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 20:00–22:00, £15 Paying tribute to the classic country duets of the 60s and 70s, this is pure Americana. WAVERLEY. (PEPLO)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £7 Fresh faces to Scotland’s indie rock scene.

Mon 04 Oct

TIM BURGESS (APOSTILLE)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, TBC Rock’n’roll swagger from Britpop legend. BEABADOOBEE

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £14 Gorgeous, quirky indie vibes from a rising star. LEIF COFFIELD

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:00–21:00, £7 Glasgow-based electro-pop artist Leif Coffield has a distinctively subversive sound, blending discordant touches with darkly immersive melodies. Part of The Hug and Pint’s Endless Summer.

Tue 05 Oct

THEA GILMORE

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £20 A stripped back show that gives well deserved space to Thea Gilmore’s haunting voice. MANIC STREET PREACHERS

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC On their 14th studio album, acclaimed Welsh rock band show no signs of slowing down. LIZ LAWRENCE

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:00–22:00, £11 Intimate gig from muchloved multi-instrumentalist. THE BESNARD LAKES

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £15 Psych rock epic from Canadian sextet.

Wed 06 Oct

CHILDREN OF ZEUS

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, £14 Futuristic classic soul from Manchester. BILLY NOMATES

MONO, 19:30–22:00, £8 Blunt and unflinching, Billy Nomates’ music is as darkly humorous as her pseudonym. TALK SHOW (POST IRONIC STATE)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:00–22:30, £9.90 Stirring live spectacle from London four piece. THE ESTEVANS

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £8 Smart, grungy rock inspired by the likes of The Arctic Monkeys. INGLORIOUS

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £17 England-based hard rock band. MARLOWE

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 Collaborative alt-rap project from hip-hop producer L’Orange and rapper Solemn Brigham. THE PINEAPPLE THIEF

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £22 Celebrating their 13th studio album, post-rockers hit the road. CHLOE FOY

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 Ethereal vocals from Gloustershire musician.

Thu 07 Oct

ELLIE GOULDING

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £28.90 Global superstar Ellie Goulding puts on a surprisingly intimate show. FERRIS & SYLVESTER

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £10 A clever combination of folk and rock that sits these songwriters between Jack White and First Aid Kit. THE REYTONS

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, TBC South Yorkshire band with charming indie vibes. LAURA MARLING

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £25 Folk legend Laura Marling plays songs from her acclaimed back catalogue. POSTER PAINTS

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £10 Duo made up of Frightened Rabbit’s Simon Liddell and Carla J Easton. BEARS IN TREES

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £10 London uke-punk sweethearts head to Glasgow for their debut show in the city. SINK YA TEETH

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £9 English post-punk duo with a catchy dance vibe. PEAT & DIESEL

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Three-piece band from Stornoway.

BLACK HONEY

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £12 Brighton-based indie rock band known for their signature guitar sound. GENESIS

THE SSE HYDRO, 20:00–22:00, £68.10 - £181.60 Iconic rock band tour with their latest line-up. ANNA B SAVAGE (RACHAEL LAVELLE)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 London singer-songwriter whose music asks big questions about sexuality, self-doubt, and identity. MIMA MERROW (DIGNITY ROW + CEDE + TORTURE AND THE DESERT SPIDERS)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:00, £10 Alternative folk building on Mima Merrow’s Northern Irish roots.

Fri 08 Oct

THE UNDERTONES

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £30 Influential punk band take to the stage to celebrate their new best of album. LIZZIE REID

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £10 One of Scotland’s most promising new talents taking on emotionally raw songwriting. LAURAN HIBBERD

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £11 Indie-folk singer-songwriter influenced by Feist and Laura Marling. JOSHUA GRANT

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £7 Recent number one single musician headlines his biggest show yet. COCO AND THE BUTTERFIELDS

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £14 Starting out as street performers, CoCo and the Butterfields have well honed their indie-pop sensibility beyond their humble origins. FIELD MUSIC

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £16.50 Indie band whose recent concept album tackles big political ideas. GENESIS

THE SSE HYDRO, 20:00–22:00, £68.10 - £181.60 Iconic rock band tour with their latest line-up. THE LATITUDE (THE VOLTS + EMBASSY)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:00, £9 Indie rock band inspired by Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Strokes.

Sat 09 Oct

DO NOTHING (FOLLY GROUP + HUMOUR)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £10 Nottingham-based four piece with catchy, acerbic lyrics.

BRIDEAR

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–22:30, £25 - £55 Formed in Fukuoka, Japan in 2012, BRIDEAR is one of Japan’s premier heavy metal bands. STATIC + THE BALUGAS + DEMO

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £7 Three Falkirk artists come together in this line-up. SEA GIRLS (BABY QUEEN)

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £15 English indie rock band with a big sound. BO NINGEN

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £15 Japanese four-piece alternative rock band. SHE DREW THE GUN

DRYGATE BREWING CO., 19:00–22:00, £15 Political psych pop from winners of the Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent competition in 2016.

Sun 10 Oct

MARTHAGUNN

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:30, £10 - £11 Brighton via London fivepiece, with no members named Martha. SKINDRED

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £23.50 Ragga heavy metal vibes in this high-energy pumped show. THE GILHOOLY’S (ST MUNGO)

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £5 Big energy from Scottish indie rock band. THE ATARIS

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £20 American punk rock from the 90s. INHALER (WET LEG + DYLAN FRASER)

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £17 Dublin-based rock band with grungy hooks. JOHN

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £10 Two piece band whose intense presence makes their live shows delightfully energetic.

Mon 11 Oct

SHAWN JAMES

MONO, 19:30–22:00, £15 A guttingly authentic blend of blues, folk, and soul music. NEWTON FAULKNER

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £25 London-based singer/songwriter known for his guitar playing, which involves rhythmically tapping and hitting his guitar’s body. THE SPECIALS

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £20 An intimate album launch of ska band’s new album Protest Songs. SAM TOMPKINS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £12 Dynamic, heartfelt indie pop.

NOTHING BUT THIEVES (YONAKA + AIRWAYS)

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Acclaimed indie rock band in the tradition of Foals MAXÏMO PARK

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, TBC North Eastern indie lot Maximo Park continue to delight with their shouty indie music. AJIMAL

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £10 Experimental musician making a name for himself with sensitive pop tunes.

Tue 12 Oct

AMBER RUN

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £15 Soulful indie vibes from childhood friends. WILLIE J HEALEY

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, £10 Unconstrained by genre, this eclectic show marries garage-rock with nostalgic Americana. CASEY LOWRY

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, TBC Chill, wryly honest songs from indie musician. ORLA GARTLAND

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £15.40 Irish folk-pop from YouTube sensation heavily influenced by Regina Spektor and Imogen Heap. WASUREMONO

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £9.20 An addictive balance of yearning and dynamism. NOTHING BUT THIEVES (YONAKA + AIRWAYS)

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Acclaimed indie rock band in the tradition of Foals TELEMAN

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £15 London indie pop band on their headline tour. JULIA BARDO

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8.50 Indie musician plays songs from her first album, exploring ideas of loneliness, separation, and unconditional love.

Wed 13 Oct

SCOTT MATTHEWS

ORAN MOR, 19:30–22:00, £17.50 Ivor Novello-winning artist drawing from the likes of Simon and Garfunkel. KASABIAN

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, TBC One for the noughties kids, this is moody indie rock at its best. NIGHT FLIGHT

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £8 Four-piece alternative indie band with compelling melodies. THUMPER

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 Frenetic, ragged punk rock with an irresistible pop edge.

Thu 14 Oct

STONE FOUNDATION

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £16.50 Stone Foundation play tracks from their upcoming ninth studio album. ELDER ISLAND

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 19:00–22:00, £17 Ethereal vibes from popelectronica Bristol group Elder Island. EVERGREY

CATHOUSE, 18:30–22:00, £22.50 Progressive heavy metal band from the heart of metal in Sweden. THE QUIREBOYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £22 Anniversary tour for The Quireboy’s album A Bit of What You Fancy WHITE FLOWERS

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £9 Incisive songwriting that finds beauty within bleakness. THE LATHUMS

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £18 Jangly, upbeat indie rock from Wigan-based band. GRAHAM GOULDMAN

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £26.50 Member of 10cc takes to the stage. MARTHA HILL (BOBBY KAKOURIS)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £7.50 Husky vocals and introspective storytelling from pop rising star.

Fri 15 Oct

MARTIN STEPHENSON & THE DAINTEES

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £18.50 Folksy pop outfit celebrate the 30th anniversary of their classic album Salutation Road. CLOTH

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £12.50 Sharp alt-rock with moody electronica undertones. IAMDDB

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £13 Quick fire rapper-singer from Manchester. SKIPINNISH

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £31.50 A unique mix of traditional highland music and contemporary riffs. RIVAL CONSOLES

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £15 British electronic musician with an experimental approach to synths. THE SWEETHEART REVUE (PAUL MGEECHAN + CHRIS THOMSPON)

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:30–22:00, £10 A night of local music with an eclectic line-up. KATHERINE ALY

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £7 Soulful lo-fi pop from Edinburgh.

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, TBC Vibey singer-songwriter from Glasgow. GLASGOW (JASON SWEENEY)

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 A double-bill of Scottish hard-rock nostalgia. COCK SPARRER

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:30–22:00, £22.50 English punk band who paved the way for the 80s punk scene. JOCKSTRAP

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £9.20 Unexpected electro-pop from London. FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS

BARROWLANDS, 19:30–22:00, TBC New York City band merging hip hop, rock, blues, jazz, R&B, punk, and funk. TOM HINGLEY

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00, £10 Former Inspiral Carpets vocalist Tom Hingley sets out on his own. MEURSAULT (HAILEY BEAVIS + FAITH ELIOTT + DJANA GABRIELLE + HANK TREE + RAMBLER)

THE HUG AND PINT, 18:00–22:00, £10 Eclectic layering and haunting vocalisations make Meursault one of the most dynamic live bands out there. THE TWISTETTES (RUBBER ROSE + JOSHUA ZERO)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:00, £10 Dirty, twisted bass sound, a hit of swinging flare and thumping driving drums.

Sun 17 Oct

BARRIE JAMES

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £15 Frontman of Kassidy launches his new album. HRVY

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £26.10 After supporting the likes of The Vamps on tour, rising superstar HRVY is headlining his own tour. PARLIAMO

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, £10 Witty lyrics and heady live presence make Parliamo one of Scotland’s most dynamic acts. GOAN DOGS

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £7 Bristolian indie-pop band. TURIN BRAKES

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £25 Indie band part of the new acoustic movement of the late 90s. CHERYM

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £7.50 Spiky pop bangers from Derry trio.

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £16.50 British punk from The Sex Pistols instrumentalists. FRANCIS OF DELIRIUM (INDOOR FOXES +SWISS PORTRAIT)

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £6.50 Big themes of grief and change captured in tightly constructed melodies. NOISY (MALADY)

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £8 Comprised of a singerrapper and two guitarists, NOISY is the culmination of several years of skate parkinduced friendship. LINEA ASPERA

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £13 Minimal synths and soulful vocals from London duo.

Tue 19 Oct

PLASTIC MERMAIDS (MAJA LENA)

MONO, 19:00–22:00, £10 Five-piece band hailing from the Isle of Wight whose self-produced, sonically adventurous debut album was released to great acclaim. NILE MARR

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £8 Son of musician Johnny Marr carves out his own path. SAM WISE

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £13.20 British rapper whose lyrics are as timely as they are poetic. NEW PAGANS

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £8 Belfast band pushing the boundaries of punk and angst. FONTAINES D.C.

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Mercury-prize nominated Irish post-punk outfit. TUGBOAT CAPTAIN (THE JUST JOANS + CURDLE)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 One year on from their debut album, London multiinstrumentalists bring their lo-fi folk-inspired sound to Glasgow.

Wed 20 Oct

NEWFAMILIAR

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, TBC Soulful vocals and finely pitched harmonies from this multi-genre band. ELLA EYRE

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £20 British singer-songwriter known for her mesmerising vocals and high-profile collaborations. GENDER ROLES

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £8 Indie-punk trio with an explosive politics.

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Mercury-prize nominated Irish post-punk outfit. SNAPPED ANKLES

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £14 Gnarled, encompassing indie music inspired by ancient forest rhythms. JLS

THE SSE HYDRO, 18:30–22:00, £33.50 - £62.50 There’s no stopping them! JLS are back on the road. DEATHCRASH (ROBBIE & MONA + PEARLING)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 Rock band who have played with the likes of Black Country, New Road and Lost Under Heaven.

Thu 21 Oct

THE NINTH WAVE

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 Dark goth-pop from 2020 SAY Award nominees. THE SKINTS

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £19 A soul-stirring amalgamation of reggae, ska-punk, dub, and grime. HAUNT THE WOODS

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £8 Four-piece alt rock band from Cornwall. THE MAGIC GANG

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £15 Hopelessly romantic indie vibes make for a charming, heartfelt show. ED THE DOG

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £8 A hook filled, lo-fi exploration of adult life. SAINT AGNES

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £8 Emo-inspired hardcore rock. NICKY MURRAY

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £10 Scottish singer-songwriter who has collaborated with the likes of Elephant Sessions and Kathryn Joseph. JLS

THE SSE HYDRO, 18:30–22:00, £33.50 - £62.50 There’s no stopping them! JLS are back on the road. FAR CASPIAN

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £9 Rich rhythms and complex harmonies from DIY multiinstrumentalist. TOO RED (RED BANDIT + MAYA JANE)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:00, £10 Two piece rock band from Glasgow.

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 Dark goth-pop from 2020 SAY Award nominees. THE VAPORS

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 English new wave and power pop band from the early 80s. REND COLLECTIVE

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 18:30–22:00, £23.20 Eclectic group of multiinstrumentalists from Ireland taking on the dreamy folk-pop genre. GRIFF (DYLAN + HYYTS)

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, TBC British pop singer brings emotionally raw, moody vocals to her performances. NORMANDIE

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:00, TBC Swedish alternative rock band compared to the likes of Thirty Seconds To Mars and Bring Me The Horizon. GLASS CAVES

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £10 Honest, warm singingsongwriting from British music collective. KING HANNAH

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, TBC Authentic, moody songwriting from compelling duo. JOESEF

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Soulful, emotionally honest singer-songwriter from Glasgow. MARTIN HARLEY

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £18 Gritty blues and Americana-inspired rock. HENGE (JOHN MCMUSTARD & THE DADDY BELLYS)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:00, £12 Big futuristic rave vibes.

Sat 23 Oct

CARAVAN

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £22.50 Unsung heroes of the 60s British prog rock movement. LYR

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £10 A thoroughly surprising music act comprised of current British poet laureate Simon Armitage, musician Richard Walters and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Pearson. ISLAND

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £11 Indie alternative four-piece. TRASH BOAT

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £15 British punk rock band formed in St Albans.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 18:30–22:00, £12 Irreverent four-piece from Glasgow combining elements of dance, punk, and disco. VANISHING TWIN

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £12 Experimental psychedlic folk from mesmerising band. SEA FEVER

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £10 Five piece collectibe featuring members of New Order, Section 25 and Johnny Marr. THE MUCKERS

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:30–22:00, £8 A vibrantly fresh band from the chaos of New York City. LOLA IN SLACKS (ST DUKES + ANDRE SALVADOR)

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:30–22:00, £10 Three Glasgow-based acts take to the stage. JW FRANCIS

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 Live music celebrating JW Francis’ second concept album WANDERKID.

Sun 24 Oct

GRUFF RHYS

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £22.50 Gruff Rhys brings his encompassing vision to his latest album. DAVID COOK & KRIS ALLEN

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, £20 America rock singersongwriters in a unique collaboration. BLOXX

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £11 Female fronted indie pop band fusing grungy undertones with classic indie melodies. EIVØR

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £18 Faroese singer-songwriter.

Mon 25 Oct

RAG’N’BONE MAN

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, TBC Extraordinary vocals from Rag’n’Bone Man’s second album Life By Misadventure. LONELY THE BRAVE

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £13.50 Alt rock band whose expansive live presence belies their emotionally vulnerable songwriting. BARS AND MELODY

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:30–22:00, £20 Popular R&B duo who made their name on Britain’s Got Talent.

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Guitar-led melodies and socially engaged lyrics make for a dynamic show. SALEM

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £12 Punk rockers fronted by Creeper frontman Will Gould play their debut Scottish show. SILVERBACKS

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 A chill, humourous take on NYC-indebted rock.

Tue 26 Oct

PIP MILLETT

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, £13.50 Delicate, yearning indie pop. SPORTS TEAM

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £14.50 Fresh, vibrant live music from indie darling Sports Team. DIGGA D

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, TBC Edgy, quick witted rap from fluid rap/hip-hop artist Digga D. BEXEY

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £13.75 An anarchic mixture of rap and rock from London star. BLACK ORCHID EMPIRE (NORTH ATLAS)

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £10 Huge, memorable rock music that combines heavy-hitting savagery with intense melodic beauty. SAM FENDER

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, TBC Guitar-led melodies and socially engaged lyrics make for a dynamic show. THE LAST INTERNATIONALE (CELLAR DOOR + MOON CROW)

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £10 American rock band known for their socially conscious songwriting. LAETITIA SADIER

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:30–22:00, £12 Special solo performance from French musician and founding member of Stereolab. BDRMM (MILDRED MAUDE)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 Leeds-based five-piece looking at heavy themes with a cathartic post-punk sound.

Wed 27 Oct

MICHAEL SCHENKER

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 19:00–22:00, £45 Legendary German-born guitarist and founder member of the Scorpions.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £16.50 Chaotic energy from the lead singer of rap group N-Dubz. SPRINTS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00, £9.30 Garage-noise four-piece from Dublin. CASSIA

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 Calypso-flavoured indie pop. SICK LOVE

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 High-energy, no holds barred anthems fill the stage.

Thu 28 Oct

MEGAN O’NEILL

KING TUT’S, 20:30–22:00, £12.50 A warm country voice and irresistible hooks. THE COURETTES

MONO, 19:30–22:00, £10 Ferocious rock with a bubbly pop edge. SLAVES (US)

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £15 American post-hardcore band formed in Sacramento, California. MUSH

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, £8 Leeds post-punk band offering unflinching look at the world. VUKOVI (PRESS TO MECO + DELAIRE THE LIAR)

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £11 Hardcore Scottish rock band from Ayrshire. CLUB BEIRUT (VANSLEEP + KONNER)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £8 Club Beirut are making waves. For fans of Bastille, The 1975, Blossoms.

Fri 29 Oct

THE BLOW MONKEYS

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £20 New wave pop band from the 80s. MIMI WEBB

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, TBC An intimate, low-key vibe from rising star British singer-songwriter. THE RAH’S

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:00, TBC Big names in the Scottish rock scene retake the stage. THE WATERBOYS

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £43.50 Local folk rock band from Edinburgh from the 80s. THE LUCID DREAM

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £10 Psychedelic rock band embracing electronic, dub and club influences.

POP MUTATIONS PRESENTS: GARDEN CENTRE + THE TUBS + DINNER NIGHT

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00, £8 Another eclectic Pop Mutations line up from The Flying Duck. STEG G

DRYGATE BREWING CO., 19:00–22:00, £10 Steg G and a diverse group of support acts give a glimpse of Scotland’s thriving hip hop scene. PIZZA CRUNCH (DOSS + GHOSTBABY)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £7.50 Four-piece alternative Glaswegian band whose name was decided by Instagram poll.

Sat 30 Oct

JON GOMM

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 As one of the pioneers of the modern fingerstyle sound, Jon Gomm’s turns his acoustic guitar into a veritable orchestra. HANDS OF GRETEL

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:00–22:30, £6 - £10 Fierce, melodic style punk rock makes for a memorable live show. THE WATERBOYS

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–22:00, £43.50 Local folk rock band from Edinburgh from the 80s.

Sun 31 Oct

CONNOR FYFE

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, TBC The wunderkind of the Scottish music scene plays from his debut album. PI’ERRE BOURNE

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 Polymath rapper, sound engineer and producer from South Carolina. MAIREARAD GREEN + ANNA MASSIE (HECTOR MACINNES + IAIN HUTCHISON)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:00, £14 Two of the Highlands’ most acclaimed multi-instrumentalists come together in this unique show.

Mon 01 Nov

SPINN

KING TUT’S, 20:00–22:00, £12 Indie dream pop newcomers from Liverpool. THE WYTCHES

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £13.50 Evocative lyrics and raucous melodies make for a frenetic live show. THE SHIRES

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:00, £29.50 Gentle, stirring acoustic folk.

Edinburgh Music

CHILDCARE SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £11 Childcare’s smart, tightly produced tracks combines the drive of punk with the catchiness of the best of early noughties indie.

Tue 28 Sep

MANIC STREET PREACHERS

USHER HALL, 19:00–22:00, £38.50 - £54.50 On their 14th studio album, acclaimed Welsh rock band show no signs of slowing down.

Wed 29 Sep

L DEVINE

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:00, £10 Unabashed, witty electropop makes for an electric live show.

Thu 30 Sep

COACH PARTY

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £10 Indie pop from Isle of Wight with a curious experimental edge.

Fri 01 Oct

STEELEYE SPAN

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, £26.50 1970s folk legends celebrate their 50th anniversary. RUN LOGAN RUN

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 Dynamic contemporary jazz group launch their new lockdown album. THE SPITFIRES

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:00, £12.50 Indie band launch their new album Life Worth Living.

BLANCMANGE (OBLONG)

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £20 Named one of the most underrated electronic acts of all time by Moby - take from that what you will.

Sat 02 Oct

SPIZZ ENERGI (THE MEDIA WHORES + THE SHAN + THE DEPLOIED)

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £12 - £15 Celebrating 40 years of independent hard rock.

THE STAVES

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:00–22:00, £22 Known for their haunting, heart wrenching harmonies, sisters The Staves return to Scotland’s stage with their most recent album. NINE BELOW ZERO

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 Blues band going since the late 1970s. ROBERT VINCENT

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:00, £12 One of the most acclaimed new voices on the Americana music scene.

ROBYN HITCHCOCK

SUMMERHALL, 17:30–20:00, £20 - £23 One of England’s most enduring contemporary singer-songwriters. ROBYN HITCHCOCK

SUMMERHALL, 20:30–23:00, £20 - £23 One of England’s most enduring contemporary singer-songwriters.

Sun 03 Oct

GEORGIA CÉCILE

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 Georgia Cécile and her quartet play homage to great jazz influences of the past.

BEABADOOBEE

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, TBC Gorgeous, quirky indie vibes from a rising star. Mon 04 Oct

EDGE OF PARADISE (HELLZ ABYSS + CONTROL THE STORM + ALIA TEMPORA)

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £13 - £15 American heavy metal band from California with moody industrial vibes. PICTURE THIS

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £20 Irish pop rock band already on their third studio album.

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:00, TBC South Yorkshire band with charming indie vibes. SCOUTING FOR GIRLS

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, TBC Nostalgia abounds at this high energy, high noughties live show.

Wed 06 Oct

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:00, £49.50 - £71.50 Show a little respect to synth-pop legends gracing the stage for their eighteenth studio album. BAD BOY CHILLER CREW

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, TBC British bassline collective known for their wry sense of humour and chaotic live presence. OCTOBER DRIFT

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £8.80 A heady mix of pop, grunge, and shoegaze from live gig aficionados.

Thu 07 Oct

NAHEMIA (DREKAVAC + VEHEMENT + DECIMATED CROSS)

BANNERMANS, 19:00–22:00, £10 - £12 An eclectic line-up of four of the most distinctive metal acts from the UK. SHAMBOLICS

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:00, £11 Four-piece dreamy rock’n’roll band hailing from Fife, inspired by some of the best indie bands of the last decades. THOMAS TRUAX

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:00, £11.60 Unique singer-songwriter known for crafting his own instruments. ERASURE

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:00, £49.50 - £71.50 Show a little respect to synth-pop legends gracing the stage for their eighteenth studio album. CHILDREN OF ZEUS

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £14 - £15.40 Futuristic classic soul from Manchester.

Fri 08 Oct

GIN ANNIE

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £10 - £13 High energy rock with irresistible swagger. LAURA MARLING

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £27 Folk legend Laura Marling plays songs from her acclaimed back catalogue.

Sat 09 Oct

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

USHER HALL, 19:00–22:00, £38.50 - £55 Iconic voice and lyrics from one of the ballad’s greatest stars.

Sun 10 Oct

KILLED A FOX (BLAC STAR JACKALS + ENGINES OF VENGEANCE)

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £6 - £10 Four-piece band hailing from Zagreb walking the line between alternative metal and psychedelic rock. JOHN MCCUSKER

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £21 - £24 In celebration of his 30th anniversary as a musician, John McCusker showcases his extensive output.

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 Jazz quartet with roots in the Shetlands. DO NOTHING

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £10 Nottingham-based four piece with catchy, acerbic lyrics.

Tue 12 Oct

NEWTON FAULKNER

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £25 London-based singer/songwriter known for his guitar playing, which involves rhythmically tapping and hitting his guitar’s body.

Wed 13 Oct

[SPUNGE]

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £15 - £18 Legendary ska-punk outfit come to Edinburgh for their only Scotland show. FATHERSON

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, TBC Scottish alternative rock band who have toured with the likes of Biffy Clyro, Frightened Rabbit, and Panic! at the Disco. JORDAN MACKAMPA

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, TBC Coventry raised singer blends Congolese roots with a midlands upbringing for a soulful, authentic sound.

Thu 14 Oct

SCOTT MATTHEWS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:00, £17.50 Ivor Novello-winning artist drawing from the likes of Simon and Garfunkel.

Fri 15 Oct

GLASGOW (JASON SWEENEY)

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £12.50 - £15 A double-bill of Scottish hard-rock nostalgia. THE TOMORROW BAND

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:00, £8 Scotland’s newest R&B supergroup who recorded their debut album Inside/ Outside during lockdown. MAD DOG MCREA (OLD SEA LEGS)

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £16.50 A toe-tapping mixture of folk rock, pop, gypsy jazz and bluegrass.

Sat 16 Oct

GEORGIA CÉCILE

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, £12 - £23 Georgia Cécile and her quartet play homage to great jazz influences of the past. SEA POWER

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £16 Alternative rock band famed for their live shows and introspective lyrics. CAMERON BARNES

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £8 - £8.80 Multi-instrumentalist with folk rock roots.

Sun 17 Oct

JOHN BURGESS + BRIAN KELLOCK + MAX POPP

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 Playing joyful and unforgettable 20s and 30s pop songs, with a dash of fiery Dixieland.

Wed 20 Oct

KREEK

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £9 - £12 UK rock’n’roll band celebrate their second birthday.

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:00, £11 Vibrant, flamboyant live show from Glaswegian indie-pop stars. BRIAN MOLLEY

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 Brian Molley pays tribute to tenor sax titan and jazz icon Dexter Gordon. BEN RAILWAY ROBEY

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:00, £14.50 Heartfelt blues from seasoned musician.

Thu 21 Oct

THE CITY KIDS (THE SUICIDE NOTES)

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £10 - £12 Rising stars in the hard rock scene with support from the latest outing from sleaze rocker Billy Tee. ALL WORK TOGETHER: WITHERED HAND + CARLA J. EASTON + JAMIE SUTHERLAND

SUMMERHALL, 19:00–22:00, £14 Summerhall’s new series of songwriters’ circles brings together three of Scotland's best.

Fri 22 Oct

WISHBONE ASH

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:45–22:00, £27 Iconic British rock band from the 70s retake the stage. VANISHING TWIN

THE BONGO CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £12 Experimental psychedlic folk from mesmerising band. NIMBUS SEXTET

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 Innovative jazz group emerging from the new wave of UK jazz. THE ECLECTIC ELECTRIC UKELELE BLUES BAND (WILLIE DUG AND THE COSMIC GENTS)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:00, £12 Subversive guitar and ukelele riffs abound. SKIDS

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £25 Scottish veteran punk rock band.

Sat 23 Oct

A RITUAL SPIRIT (CONCRETE KINGDOMS + JEANICE LEE + RENOVATIONS)

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £5 A Ritual Spirit head to Edinburgh for the home leg of their 2021 tour. STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, £34.50 Rock from one of the most charismatic live performers out there. THE VAPORS

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 English new wave and power pop band from the early 80s.

Sun 24 Oct

JACK J HUTCHINSON

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £7 - £10 Acclaimed British blues guitarist with accompanying band. KING KING (WHEN RIVERS MEET)

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 18:30–22:00, £28 Glaswegian blues rock group play from their most recent album.

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £10 - £11 Taking inspiration from Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club, five-piece Whitburn outfit are the latest product from a thriving West Lothian music scene.

Mon 25 Oct

JOANNA CONNOR + EAMONN MCCORMACK

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £16 - £19 Two international blues heavy weights team up for this collaborative show.

Tue 26 Oct

THE BOO RADLEYS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 Alternative rockband that came of age in the Britpop of the 90s. LUCY SPRAGGAN

SUMMERHALL, 19:30–22:00, £19 Complex, emotionally rich lyrics from former X Factor star.

Wed 27 Oct

THE COURETTES

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:00, £10 Ferocious rock with a bubbly pop edge.

Thu 28 Oct

MICHAEL GRANT & THE ASSASSINS (BLOODY HEELS + BRANDON GIBBS)

BANNERMANS, 19:00–22:00, £15 - £18 Energetic rockers make their Bannermans debut. WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:00, £12 - £16 Intimate album launch from local indie band. THE MYSTERINES

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £8 - £8.80 Liverpool-based rock band with a great live presence.

Fri 29 Oct

HANDS OF GRETEL

BANNERMANS, 19:30–22:00, £11 - £13 Fierce, melodic style punk rock makes for a memorable live show. JON GREEN SEXTET

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 A beguiling mix of jazz, rock, country, electronica and avant-garde.

Sat 30 Oct

WET WET WET

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:00, £34.50 - £36.50 One of the most successful bands in British pop history show no signs of stopping. THE BLOW MONKEYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £20 New wave pop band from the 80s.

Sun 31 Oct

LAU

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £19 - £24 Pioneering Scottish folk trio experimenting with sound and form. ALI AFFLECK’S SPEAKEASY SESSIONS

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:15–23:30, £8 - £10 Heavy doses of old-time pop and the rarest of trad and blues.

Mon 01 Nov

ECHO MACHINE + OPUS KINK

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £8 Peddlers of thunderous glam-pop.

Dundee Music

Sat 09 Oct

SHAMBOLICS

CHURCH, 19:00–22:00, £11 Four-piece dreamy rock’n’roll band hailing from Fife, inspired by some of the best indie bands of the last decades.

Sun 10 Oct

PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT

CAIRD HALL, 19:30–22:00, £30 A mellow live show from two longtimers on the scene.

Tue 12 Oct

FATHERSON

FAT SAM’S, 19:30–22:00, £15 Scottish alternative rock band who have toured with the likes of Biffy Clyro, Frightened Rabbit, and Panic! at the Disco.

Tue 19 Oct

THE MAGIC GANG

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 19:00–22:00, £16.50 Hopelessly romantic indie vibes make for a charming, heartfelt show.

Wed 20 Oct

THE NINTH WAVE

CHURCH, 19:00–22:00, £10 Dark goth-pop from 2020 SAY Award nominees.

Sat 23 Oct

STEVE HACKETT

CAIRD HALL, 19:45–22:00, £38.50 - £42.50 Previous Genesis member plays their full live album Seconds Out. MARK SHARP & THE BICYCLE THIEVES

CHURCH, 19:00–22:00, £11 Taking inspiration from Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club, five-piece Whitburn outfit are the latest product from a thriving West Lothian music scene. NEON WALTZ

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 19:30–22:00, £8 Joyous indie pop from the uppermost northern reaches of Scotland.

Edinburgh Clubs

Fri 01 Oct

ELEKTRIKAL: ARIES + KELVIN373 + BISH + ELEKTRIKAL SOUND

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6 - £10 Big bass sounds with the DJ booth right on the dance floor. MISS WORLD: INDIA JORDAN

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £8 - £12 Emerging as one of electronic music's most exciting producers and DJs, India Jordan is a true disciple of high-energy, fast-paced dance music.

Sat 02 Oct

MUMBO JUMBO

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £4 - £8 A heady mix of everything from disco, funk and soul to electro and house. EHFM

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £7 Edinburgh's community radio station throws their first post-pandemic party, jam packed with the best local heat.

Glasgow Clubs

Fri 01 Oct

PERPLEX: AFLOAT

BROADCAST, 23:00–03:00, FREE La Cheetah residents AFLOAT bring the party to Broadcast. JAIVA (BUTHOTHEWARRIOR + OPTIMISTIC SOUL)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £10 THE FENIX RESIDENTS JAM

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00, £5 Buzzy vibes from the Berkeley booth.

Sat 02 Oct

SUPERMAX PRESENTS A HISTORY OF D.I.S.C.O

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00, £10 A dance extravaganza from two disco-crazed DJs.

Fri 08 Oct

ANNA & HOLLY’S DANCE PARTY

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, TBC 60s garage, rhythm & blues, and popcorn rock make for a buzzy dance party.

Sat 09 Oct

OPTIMO RAVE ENERGY

ROOM 2, 23:00–03:00, £12 Does just what it says on the tin.

Regular Glasgow club nights

Sub Club

SATURDAYS

SUBCULTURE, 23:00, £10 Long-running house night with residents Harri & Domenic, oft' joined by a carousel of super fresh guests.

Cathouse

WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS, 23:00, £4 DJ Jonny soundtracks your Wednesday with all the best pop-punk, rock and hip-hop. THURSDAYS

UNHOLY, 23:00, £2-4 Cathouse's Thursday night rock, metal and punk mash-up. FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE FRIDAYS, 22:30, £5-6 Screamy, shouty, posthardcore madness to help you shake off a week of stress in true punk style. SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS, 23:00, £5-6 Or Caturdays, if you will. Two levels of the loudest, maddest music the DJs can muster; metal, rock and alt on floor one, and punky screamo upstairs. SUNDAYS (FIRST OF THE MONTH)

HELLBENT, 23:00, £TBC From the fab fierce family that brought you Catty Pride comes Cathouse Rock Club’s new monthly alternative drag show.

SUNDAYS (SECOND OF THE MONTH)

FLASHBACK, 23:00, £TBC Pop party anthems & classic cheese from DJ Nicola Walker. SUNDAYS (THIRD OF THE MONTH)

CHEERS FOR THIRD SUNDAY, 23:00, £TBC DJ Kelmosh takes you through Mid-Southwestern emo, rock, new metal, nostalgia and 90s and 00s tunes. SUNDAYS (LAST OF THE MONTH)

SLIDE IT IN, 23:00, £TBC Classic rock through the ages from DJ Nicola Walker.

The Garage Glasgow

MONDAYS

BARE MONDAYS, 23:00, £3-4 Lasers, bouncy castles and DJ Gav Somerville spinning out teasers and pleasers. Nice way to kick off the week, no? TUESDAYS

#TAG TUESDAYS, 23:00, £0-4 Indoor hot tubs, inflatables as far as the eye can see and a Twitter feed dedicated to validating your drunk-eyed existence.

SAMEDIA SHEBEEN AT THE MASH HOUSE

THE MASH HOUSE, 22:00–03:00, £6 - £8 Residents play global club sounds while DJ Yemstar brings afrobeats to the bar.

Thu 07 Oct

VOLENS CHORUS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 - £5 A collection of resident DJs playing the hottest tunes from around the globe for a night of quintessential UK sounds: grime, dubstep, garage, speed garage.

Fri 08 Oct

SSL

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, TBC Curiously bringing together garage and reggae.

TONTO TECHNO PRESENTS: NUSHA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 23:00–03:00, £12 - £12.50 Dance techno from Romanian artist making her Edinburgh debut. HOT MESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £6 Hot Mess is a night for queer people and their friends. BANGIN TUNES: ANU + JAMIN NIMJAH + YER MAW + TONY JUNGLE

THE MASH HOUSE, 22:00–03:00, TBC Multi-genre dancing beats.

Sat 09 Oct

PULSE: DARRELL PULSE

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6 - £10 Bi-monthly Saturdays are back with DJ Randomer.

Sat 16 Oct

HIJACK 007: TODD EDWARDS

ROOM 2, 23:00–03:00, £10 - £15 The godfather of UK garage plays a late-night set.

Fri 22 Oct

CALVIN LOGUE PRESENTS OKTVE: T78

ROOM 2, 23:00–03:00, £10 - £15 The new resident from Calvin Logue takes the floor for a night of deep grooves.

Sat 23 Oct

INTERCHANGE X RAVE: DYEN + ØTTA + MINDBREAK

ROOM 2, 23:00–03:00, £6 - £12 Three DJ line-up with hard industrial sounds.

WEDNESDAYS

GLITTERED! WEDNESDAYS, 23:00, £0-4 DJ Garry Garry Garry in G2 with chart remixes, along with beer pong competitions all night. THURSDAYS

ELEMENT, 23:00, £TBC Ross MacMillan plays chart, house and anthems with giveaways, bouncy castles and, most importantly, air hockey. FRIDAYS

FRESH BEAT, 23:00, £3-6 Dance, chart and remixes in the main hall with Craig Guild, while DJ Nicola Walker keeps things nostalgic in G2 with flashback bangers galore. SATURDAYS

I LOVE GARAGE, 23:00, £5-7 Garage by name, but not by musical nature. DJ Darren Donnelly carousels through chart, dance and classics, the Desperados bar is filled with funk, G2 keeps things urban and the Attic gets all indie on you. SUNDAYS

SESH, 23:00, £3-4 Twister, beer pong and DJ Ciar McKinley on the ones and twos, serving up chart and remixes through the night.

SHY FX (STAMINA)

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, TBC The might SHY FX brings his drum n bass to Edinburgh.

Mon 11 Oct

HWTS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 Heriot Watt Techno Society make their return to Sneaks.

Thu 14 Oct

CONDUCTA’S CRIB: CONDUCTA ALL NIGHT LONG

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £8 Artist, DJ, producer, and label head Conducta, known fondly as the Prince of NUKG, embarks on his first ever headline UK tour this autumn.

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, TBC Garage, house and bass downstairs, old school hip hop upstairs. RONI SIZE + LTJ BUKEM

THE LIQUID ROOM, 23:00–03:00, £9.50 A headline double of drum n bass. ATHENS OF THE NORTH

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £8 Sparkly modern soul and disco music from one of Edinburgh’s finest labels.

Sat 16 Oct

SOULSVILLE INTERNATIONAL

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £1 - £8 Warm afrobeats and irresistible boogie tunes. HEADSET’S GAY GARAGE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £8 Headset bring their Gay Garage party to Sneaky’s for their new residency, playing garage, house and UK funky.

Thu 21 Oct

CHURCH 5.2: LSB & DRS

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £9 - £14 Beautifully crafted liquid beats and thought-provoking lyrics.

Fri 22 Oct

DISCO MAKOSSA

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £8 Irresistible dance vibes from African funk and disco.

THE CAVES, 23:00–03:00, £10 - £15 An insanely skilful digger and accomplished selector, Artwork’s impact on London's electronic music scene has been felt for more than 20 years. SPECTRUM PRESENTS: JON DASILVA (HACIENDA) + ANDY CARROLL (CREAM)

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £10- £15 Two iconic house DJs come together to celebrate Spectrum’s second birthday.

Sat 23 Oct

MESSENGER

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 - £8 Club stalwarts Messenger programme a night of reggae and dub. CHASE & STATUS

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:00–03:00, £22- £28 DJ set from one of the most successful British bands of the past decade. CLUB MEDITERRANEO

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £8 Celebrity rehab and luxury holiday resort Club Mediterraneo opens its doors for a new season of cruise packages at Sneaky Pete's, designed to sweat your troubles out.

Thu 28 Oct

CLUB SYLKIE: LCY

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £10 Innovative and weighty sound design has quickly earned LCY a place amongst the UK’s most exciting producers and DJs.

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £8 - £14 Fancy dress is a must in this Halloween-themed drum and bass night. SHANE CODD

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:00–03:00, £12.50 DJ and producer plays his first ever Scottish show. TELFORT’S GOOD PLACE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5 - £8 Edinburgh DJ and producer Telfort returns to Sneaky Pete's, marking five years of his residency at the club.

Sat 30 Oct

MUMBO JUMBO

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £4 - £8 A heady mix of everything from disco, funk and soul to electro and house. FIRST EDITION: YOUNG MARCO

THE CAVES, 23:00–03:00, £10- £16 One of the Netherlands’ most exciting DJs bursts onto the Edinburgh scene. SMASH HITS HALLOWEEN THRILLER

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £10 Spooky throwback anthems from the likes of Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga.

Sun 31 Oct

BONGO HALLOWEEN: BAILEY IBBS (J WAX + SKILLIS)

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £4 - £10 Dance tunes from one of the most exciting rising stars from the London scene.

Regular Edinburgh club nights

The Bongo Club

TUESDAYS

MIDNIGHT BASS, 23:00, £3-5 Big basslines and small prices form the ethos behind this weekly Tuesday night, with drum'n'bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage aplenty.

Sneaky Pete’s

TUESDAYS

POPULAR MUSIC, 23:00, £1-3 DJs playing music by bands to make you dance: Grace Jones to Neu!, Parquet Courts to Brian Eno, The Clash to Janelle Monae. WEDNESDAYS

HEATERS, 23:00, £TBC Heaters resident C-Shaman presents a month of ambiguous local showdowns, purveying the multifarious mischief that characterises Sneaky’s midweek party haven.

SATURDAYS (LAST OF THE MONTH)

SOUL JAM, 23:00, £5-7 Monthly no holds barred, down and dirty bikram disco. SUNDAYS

COALITION, 23:00, £FREE Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion.

The Liquid Room

SATURDAYS (FIRST OF THE MONTH)

REWIND, 22:30, £5 Monthly party night celebrating the best in soul, disco, rock and pop with music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and current bangers.

The Hive

MONDAYS

MIXED UP MONDAY, 22:00, £FREE Monday-brightening mix of hip-hop, R'n'B and chart classics, with requests in the back room.

Theatre

Glasgow Theatre

Oran Mor

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: A NEW LIFE

27 SEP-9 OCT, 1:00PM - 2:00PM, £12.50 - £15 A warm, surreal take on parenthood that may or may not feature a tapdancing baby.

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: THE TALE OF TYPHOID MARY

4-9 OCT, 1:00PM – 2:00PM, £12.50 - £15 Inspired by history's most infamous super-spreader, this play examines ideas of freedom and collectivity against the typhoid epidemic in New York.

TUESDAYS

TRASH TUESDAY, 22:00, £FREE Alternative Tuesday anthems cherry picked from genres of rock, indie, punk, retro and more. WEDNESDAYS

COOKIE WEDNESDAY, 22:00, £FREE 90s and 00s cheesy pop and modern chart anthems. THURSDAYS

HI-SOCIETY THURSDAY, 22:00, £FREE Student anthems and bangerz. FRIDAYS

FLIP FRIDAY, 22:00, £0-4 Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and noveltystuffed. Perrrfect. SATURDAYS

BUBBLEGUM, 22:00, £0-4 Saturday mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics thrown in for good measure. SUNDAYS

SECRET SUNDAY, 22:00, £FREE Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indiepop you can think of/ handle on a Sunday.

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: MY NAME IS SARAH, AND...

11-16 OCT, 1:00PM – 2:00PM, £12.50 - £15 A one-woman musical about chucking the booze before it chucks you. A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: EXQUISITE CORPSE

18-23 OCT, 1:00PM – 2:00PM, £12.50 - £15 Following a grim discovery on the grounds of Sugar Plum Park, attendant Iona and her manager Frank find themselves torn between propriety and self-preservation.

25-30 OCT, 1:00PM – 2:00PM, £12.50 - £15 A story of life after retirement starring two unforgettable 70s superheroes.

The King’s Theatre

BLOOD BROTHERS

5-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY Exhilirating musical about the fateful intwined lives of two brothers separated at birth in 1960s Britain. BAT OUT OF HELL

19-30 OCT, TIMES VARY, £15 - £72.50 A heavy rock musical featuring songs from Meatloaf’s extensive back catalogue.

Theatre Royal

PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT

1-6 NOV, TIMES VARY, £13 - £55 A life-affirming jukebox musical about three drag queens traversing the Australian outback. GROAN UPS

25-30 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY From the creators of The Play That Goes Wrong comes this anarchic, sidesplitting tale of coming-ofage. Matinee performances also available. SCOTTISH OPERA: THE GONDOLIERS

16 OCT-6 NOV, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY Chaotic, irresistible fun abounds in this opera about two gondoliers who discover one of them may be the air to the throne of a distance kingdom. SCOTTISH OPERA: UTOPIA, LIMITED

20 OCT, 7:15PM – 10:30PM, £16 - £41 A fresh, long-awaited return of Gilbert and Sullivan’s penultimate opera.

Tramway

JIAN YI: WEATHERVANES

9 OCT, TIMES VARY, £6-£8 A performance by Jian Yi and JTTE productions, this trancelike dance piece explores ideas of queer love and bodies. Presented as part of Dance International Glasgow. LIGIA LEWIS: STILL, NOT STILL

9 OCT, 7:00PM – 8:30PM, £6 - £8 A choreographic composition by Ligia Lewis exploring the centuries-old and ongoing exclusions of Black people from the historical record. Presented as part of Dance International Glasgow. FERNANDA MUÑOZNEWSOME: LET THE BODY

13 OCT, 7:30PM – 8:30PM, £6 - £8 This liberating dance piece explores the pleasure of bodies sharing space and music. Presented as part of Dance International Glasgow. HEATHER AGYEPONG: THE BODY REMEMBERS

15 OCT, 7:30PM – 8:30PM, £6 - £8 A powerful new solo performance examining how trauma lives in the body, particularly for Black British women across different generations. Presented as part of Dance International Glasgow. SCOTTISH DANCE THEATRE: ANTIGONE, INTERRUPTED

20 OCT, 7:30PM – 8:30PM, £6 - £8 A reimagining of the classical story, this intimate, devastating work has already received rave reviews. Presented as part of Dance International Glasgow.

22-23 OCT, 9:00PM – 9:45PM, £6 - £8 A wry, vivid performance of queerness, exploring the intersection of modern gay male identity and capitalism. Presented as part of Dance International Glasgow.

Tron Theatre

THE TEMPEST

29 OCT-13 NOV, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY This all-female, movementbased performance of Shakespeare’s classic examines the play’s environmental undertones. KRAPP’S LAST TAPE WITH GO ON

1-9 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY Merging Samuel Beckett with new writing by Scottish playwright Linda McLean, this double bill take a raw, darkly humourous look at mortality.

Edinburgh Theatre

Assembly Roxy

SPUDS

2 OCT, 7:30PM – 8:30PM, £10 - £12 A musical comedy with shades of Breaking Bad, Spuds is a surreal, evocative take on grief and greed. Festival Theatre

GREASE

1-2 OCT, TIMES VARY, £26.50 - £49.50 Summer may be over but this rock’n’roll tale of young summer love is anything but. SCOTTISH BALLET: STARSTRUCK

14-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY The UK premiere of an original work created in 1960 for the Paris Opera Ballet by legendary actor and choreographer Gene Kelly. SCOTTISH OPERA: THE GONDOLIERS

16 OCT-6 NOV, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY Chaotic, irresistible fun abounds in this opera about two gondoliers who discover one of them may be the air to the throne of a distance kingdom.

King’s Theatre Edinburgh

GROAN UPS

28 SEP-2 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY From the creators of The Play That Goes Wrong comes this anarchic, side-splitting tale of coming-of-age. Matinee performances also available. LOOKING GOOD DEAD

5-9 OCT, TIMES VARY, £23 - £40 Crime abounds in this new play by multi-million bestselling author Peter James. THE WOMAN IN BLACK

12-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, £19.50 - £36.50 One of theatre’s most chilling plays, this classic Gothic horror has been terrifying audiences for decades. THE ENEMY

20-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, £15 - £33.50 A radical reimagining of the classic Henrik Ibsen play by Scottish playwright and screen writer of Beats Kieran Hurley. THE SIGNALMAN

29-30 OCT, TIMES VARY, £18 - £28 Examining ideas of blame and shame, this riveting play transports a signalman back to a fateful night on the Tay Bridge.

EXTREMELY PEDESTRIAN CHORALES

20 OCT, 7:30PM – 8:30PM, £8 - £12 Exploring the common experience of the pedestrian as an act of beauty, meaning and gentle comedy through 36 short dances set to JS Bach's famous Chorales.

The Edinburgh Playhouse

CHICAGO

1-2 OCT, TIMES VARY, £13 - £95 Bringing the razzle dazzle to Scotland, this sexy Jazz age musical is a prohibitively good time. BLOOD BROTHERS

5-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY Exhilirating musical about the fateful intwined lives of two brothers separated at birth in 1960s Britain. DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

21 OCT-27 NOV, TIMES VARY, £20 - £85 Beloved childhood musical gets a new lease of life with this spectacularly innovative theatre production.

The Studio

TAVAZIVA DANCE: BOY’S KHAYA

8 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £16.50 Based on artistic director Bawren Tavaziva’s early life in Zimbabwe, this entrancing dance piece explores legacies of colonialism and injustice. INNOVATIONS DANCE PLATFORM

15-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, £22.50 An evening of four contemporary dance works by innovative choreographers from across the UK. AN UNEXPECTED HICCUP

26-30 OCT, TIMES VARY, £18.50 A gothic, comic romp through a maybe-haunted house from Plutôt la Vie & Lung Ha Theatre Company.

Traverse Theatre

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: A NEW LIFE

5-9 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY A warm, surreal take on parenthood that may or may not feature a tapdancing baby.

Dundee Theatre

Dundee Rep

THE ENEMY

12-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, £12 - £25 A radical reimagining of the classic Henrik Ibsen play by Scottish playwright and screen writer of Beats Kieran Hurley. DOUBLE BILL: AMETHYST & TUTUMUCKY

29-30 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £10 - £17 Blending hip-hop, ballet and contemporary dance, these two unique dance pieces consider how we navigate ancestral identity and present-day exploitation.

Art

Glasgow Art

CCA: Centre for

CHRISTIAN NOELLE CHARLES: REFLECTIVE JESTER: IT’S JUST A FEELING

1-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE Christian Noelle Charles’ first solo exhibition takes on the figure of the jester and its continued circulation in modern entertainment and Black communities, interrogating ideas of self-expression and identity in performance. HYOJUN HYUN AND RODRIGO RED SANDOVAL: SCATTERED SIGHTS

1-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE This collective exhibition features painting and sculpture, exploring the temporalities of the present.

Compass Gallery

ANNA GEERDES: BORDERLINE

1-9 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE A compelling new exhibition exploring the liminal and symbolic power of border spaces.

David Dale Gallery and Studios

TENDER SPOTS IN HARD CODE… FRAUGHT WITH POTENTIAL, FRAGILE WITH INDECISION

1-23 OCT, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE This exhibition brings together six early career digital artists, whose practice explores how ethics, care, and power can be explored through digital and material mediums.

Glasgow Print Studio

JOHN MACKECHNIE: SHIFTING SANDS

2 OCT-20 NOV, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE An exhibition of new and existing works in print by prolific Glasgow printmaker. BRONWEN SLEIGH: CROSS SECTION

2-23 OCT, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE Showcasing a selection of prints and drawings inspired by urban environments in Uganda, Canada and Scotland, this exhibition explores attitudes to space as expressed through architecture and its relationship to the landscape.

Glasgow Women’s Library

LIFE SUPPORT: FORMS OF CARE IN ART AND ACTIVISM

1-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE Featuring activist perspectives alongside works by artists including Kate Davis and Alberta Whittle, this exhibition focuses on feminist, LGBTQ+, decolonial and anti- racist responses to the systems that are supposed to sustain us.

GoMA

DRINK IN THE BEAUTY

1 OCT-23 JAN 22, 11:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE Inspired by Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking environmental treatise Silent Spring, this exhibition features artists engaging with our connection to the nonhuman, and thinking through the ethics and aesthetics of how we record nature.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

FRANCE-LISE MCGURN: ALOUD

1 OCT-1 JUN 22, 11:00AM – 4:00PM, TBC France-Lise McGurn’s newly commissioned installation draws on her personal experiences of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, creating bewitching, almost sculptural forms that fill the museum’s gallery.

RGI Kelly Gallery

DAVID MACH: HEAVEN AND HELL

1-16 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE Dynamic, large-scale collages make use of found materials to explore the tensions that characterise contemporary life. URBAN POTENTIALS

23 OCT-13 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE Platforming the very best of the city’s architects, designers, artists, and printmakers, this exhibition showcases the creativity and freedom Glasgow’s urban landscape.

Street Level Photoworks

MANDY BARKER: OUR PLASTIC OCEAN

1-10 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE A photography series that traces the legacy of plastic pollution in our oceans, Mandy Barker’s images of found debris are eerily alive and suffocating.

Studio Pavilion at House for an Art Lover

IRENE MCCANN: EARLY MORNING SONG

1-31 OCT, 11:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE An exhibition of Glasgowbased artist Irene McCann’s dreamy, collage-like still lifes. RICHARD GASTON + LAUREN DENT + JENNIFER KENT

14 OCT-21 NOV, 11:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE This group exhibition by photographer Richard Gaston, colourist and hand embroiderer Lauren Day and textile designer Jennifer Kent explores the translation of colour through different mediums.

The Common Guild

SHARON HAYES: RICERCHE

9 OCT-6 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE A suite of three films by American artist Sharon Hayes, drawing on Pier Paolo Pasolini’s cinema as a guidepost for examining gender, sexuality and contemporary collective identifications. Exhibited at 5 Florence Street.

The Modern Institute

ALEX DORDOY: THE WEATHER CHANNEL

1 OCT-31 DEC, TIMES VARY, FREE Alex Dordoy infuses his landscapes with the nostalgia of vintage travel posters, constructing a sublime, almost artificial view of nature that resists modernity.

The Modern Institute @ Airds Lane

MARTIN BOYCE: NO CLOUDS OR STREAMS NO INFORMATION OR MEMORY

1 OCT-31 DEC, TIMES VARY, FREE

VICTORIA MORTON: SLEEP LINE

1 OCT-31 DEC, TIMES VARY, FREE Victoria Morton blends abstraction and vivid colour to create compelling, barely recognisable dreamscapes.

Tramway

PAUL PURGAS: WE FOUND OUR OWN REALITY

1-10 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE An expansive mixedmedia installation spanning architecture, textiles, and soundscapes, We Found Our Own Reality explores the rich musical and technological history of India’s very first electronic music studio. FLO BROOKS: ANGLETWICH

1-3 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE A narrative of queer and trans experience in the UK, this semi-autobiographical exhibition draws on the isolation and familiarity of rural environments to explore how marginalised communities can imagine themselves in public spaces. Edinburgh Art

&Gallery

KARINE LÉGER: UNMAPPED

2 OCT-3 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE Juxtaposing textures and soft patterns, Karine Léger’s paintings reveal a delicate and thoughtful sensibility.

Arusha Gallery

FREYA DOUGLASMORRIS: HILLS OF HONEY

1-3 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE Incorporating stark, mesmerising use of colour with Modigliani-like figures, Freya Douglas-Morris’s landscapes convey a tangible, intoxicating sense of beauty.

City Art Centre

CHARLES H. MACKIE: COLOUR AND LIGHT

1-10 OCT, TIMES VARY, TBC This major retrospective of Scottish painter and printmaker Charles H. Mackie explores his dynamic experimentation with French Symbolism, Japanese art, and the Celtic Revival movement. IAN HAMILTON FINLAY: MARINE

1-3 OCT, TIMES VARY, TBC Exploring maritime themes in renowned Scottish artist Ian Hamilton Finlay’s oeuvre, this exhibition pulls work across decades and media, from stone, wood and neon sculptures to tapestry and postcards.

MINA HEYDARI-WAITE: IN SLEEP IT MADE ITSELF PRESENT TO THEM

2 OCT-21 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE Reconstructing the ancient city of Perspepolis through a CNC-machined, flatpacked kit, this installation is a dreamy, destabilising exploration of Iranian diasporic identity. ACTS OF OBSERVATION

1 OCT-25 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE Spanning Collective’s entire site, this group exhibition presents as a series of “acts” throughout Collective’s physical and digital spaces, including the transformation of the City Dome into a functioning casino.

Dovecot Studios

MAKING NUNO: JAPANESE TEXTILE INNOVATION FROM SUDŌ REIKO

1 OCT-8 JAN 22, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £8.50 - £9.50 An innovative exhibition examining the life work of renowned Japanese textile artist Sudo Reiko, Making NUNO spotlights her unconventional practice and radical play with materiality.

Edinburgh Printmakers

SONIA MEHRA CHAWLA: ENTANGLEMENTS OF TIME & TIDE

1 OCT-21 NOV, 11:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE A merging of visual arts and science, this exhibition explores the ecosystems of the North Sea, striving for an empathetic understanding of the oceans and the relationship between the human and nonhuman.

Embassy Gallery

INDIA SKY: THE LIFE CYCLE OF RAINBOWS

1-17 OCT, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE Inspired by the BaKongo Cosmogram and its permutations within Afro-Diasporic music and dance traditions, this film and installation exhibition weaves a universe of sound, sculpture, elaborate costumery, dance, and storytelling.

Fruitmarket

KARLA BLACK: SCULPTURES (20012021)

1 OCT-21 NOV, 10:00AM – 7:00PM, FREE Combining traditional sculptural material with found objects such as cleaning products and cosmetics, Karla Black’s embodied sculptures fill the walls, ceilings, and floors of Fruitmarket. The exhibition, subtitled details for a retrospective, reopens Fruitmarket after a major refurb and expansion into the former Electric Circus space next door.

Ingleby Gallery

MOYNA FLANNIGAN: MATTER

2 OCT-18 DEC, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, TBC Following an exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Moyna Flannigan continues her investigation of collage as a means of exploring the fragmentation of society and civilisation.

1-31 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £0 - £10 A powerful response to the pandemic, climate emergency, and Black Lives Matter movement, RESET is a mesmerising challenge to our society’s various hostile environments. RESET (GROUP SHOW)

1-31 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £0 - £10 A group exhibition accompanying Alberta Whittle’s solo show, featuring Sekai Machache, Mele Broomes, Basharat Khan and more.

Open Eye Gallery

ALBERTO MORROCCO: THE FAMILY ARCHIVE

2-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE This exhibition showcases largely unseen drawings and paintings by celebrated Scottish-Italian artist Alberto Morrocco, renowned for superb draughtsmanship and traditional practice. REINHARD BEHRENS: SHORT AUTUMN BREAKS TO NABOLAND

2-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE The art of Fife based, Scottish artist Reinhard Behrens inhabits the mythical world of Naboland, a place of snow, ice, and objects and ideas which transcend time and place.

Royal Botanic Garden

CHRISTINE BORLAND: IN RELATION TO LINUM

1-2 OCT, 10:00AM – 4:30PM, FREE This multidisciplinary project, featuring watercolours, prints and sculptural pieces, explores the lifecycle of flax, evolving RBGE’s 350-year relationship with the plant.

Royal Scottish Academy RSA

ANDIAMO: FORTY YEARS OF THE RSA JOHN KINROSS SCHOLARSHIPS TO FLORENCE

1-17 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the John Kinross Scholarship, which has enabled over 400 emerging artists to travel to Florence, this exhibition pulls together works by 20 artists across the scholarship’s history.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

RAY HARRYHAUSEN: TITAN OF CINEMA

1 OCT-20 FEB 22, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £5 - £14 This once-in-a-lifetime exhibition brings together the life work of a giant of cinematic history and the grandfather of modern special effects, showcasing some of his most iconic designs and achievements. ISAAC JULIEN: LESSONS OF THE HOUR

1-10 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, TBC This major ten-screen film installation from renowned British artist Isaac Julien offers a poetic mediation on the life and work of 19thcentury African-American writer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

1 OCT-9 JAN 22, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE Celebrating the life and work of the artist Joan Eardley, this exhibition focuses on her post-war works created in Catterline.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

RUINED: REINVENTING SCOTTISH HISTORY

1 OCT-13 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE Four young Scots reinvent the bloody complexity of Scottish history, drawing on and subverting works from the National Portrait Gallery to pull visitors into an immersive, disorienting, and radical reimagination of our collective past. ALISON WATT: A PORTRAIT WITHOUT LIKENESS

1 OCT-8 JAN 22, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE A body of new work created in response to celebrated eighteenth-century portraitist Allan Ramsay, Alison Watt’s paintings play with detail and ideas of femininity, exploring the art of portraiture beyond the subject. THOMAS JOSHUA COOPER: THE WORLD’S EDGE

1 OCT-22 JAN 22, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE The only artist to have ever taken photographs of the two poles, Thomas Joshua Cooper is known for working in the extremes, pushing the boundaries of both creative practice and human endurance.

Stills

ALEX BOYD: PROJECTS 20

1 OCT-13 NOV, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE A presentation of work from the series ‘Tir an Airm’ (Land of the Military) by Scottish-German visual artist Alex Boyd, examining the militarisation of the Scottish landscape.

Talbot Rice Gallery

ANGELICA MESITI: IN THE ROUND

1 OCT-19 FEB 22, TIMES VARY, FREE One of Australia’s leading artists explores how performance can be used as a mode of social and political storytelling, examining ideas of colonialism and environmental collapse through dance and sound.

The Queen’s Gallery

VICTORIA & ALBERT: OUR LIVES IN WATERCOLOUR

1-3 OCT, 9:30AM – 5:00PM, £0 - £7.80 Featuring 80 watercolours collected by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, this exhibition celebrates Scottish watercolour painting in the post-Romantic, industrial age.

The Scottish Gallery

S.J. PEPLOE: STUDIO LIFE AT 150

1-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE Celebrating the 150th anniversary of S.J. Peploe’s birth, this exhibition delves into the expansive work of Scotland’s first modernist.

1-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE True to its name, this exhibition by renowned contemporary ceramicist Philip Elgin brings together the figures of the priest and pin-up to explore ideas of contrast and tension. ROBERT INNES: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

1-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE For his first solo show with The Scottish Gallery, Robert Innes uses simple still lifes to depict the hazy, gentle coastlines of Scotland. GUY ROYLE: ADORN

1-23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE This new jewellery collection uses hand-sculpted semiprecious stones to create elegant, striking pieces.

Torrance Gallery

JESSICA OLIVER + NERINE TASSIE

23 OCT-13 NOV, 11:00AM – 5:30PM, FREE Bringing together two Scottish landscape artists, each with a unique and distinctive take on their natural environments.

Dundee Art

DCA: Dundee Contemporary Arts

CHIKAKO YAMASHIRO: CHINBIN WESTERN

1 OCT-21 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE Drawing on influences as diverse as industrial landscapes and traditional Japanese theatre, Chikako Yamashiro’s filmmaking and photography practice explores themes of neocolonialism and collective memory. MARY MCINTYRE: PLACES WE THINK WE KNOW

1 OCT-21 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE Engaging with ideas of spatiality and psychogeography, Mary McIntyre’s quiet interior photographs are presented in a uniquely sculptural way that pulls the gallery space into her work.

Generator Projects

MMMMM

9-31 OCT, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE Five early-career artists form a consonant cluster in this show of newly commissioned work. Touching on themes of anxiety and isolation, memory and dreams, monsters and magic, Mmmmm sets out to amplify the intimate murmurs of drawing-based practices.

A LOVE LETTER TO DUNDEE: JOSEPH MCKENZIE PHOTOGRAPHS 19641987

1 OCT-1 MAR 22, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE Turning to black and white photography from the 1960s-1980s, this exhibition charts the changing landscape of Dundee’s waterfront and the evolution of the City’s fortunes and its people. TIME AND TIDE: THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE TAY

1-2 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE This exhibition looks at the influence the Tay has had on the city of Dundee, and the ways in which its various faces, from early settlement to industrial giant, continue to reinvent its iconic waterfront.

V&A Dundee

NIGHT FEVER: DESIGNING CLUB CULTURE

1 OCT-9 JAN 22, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £5 - £10 The perfect exhibition in the light of the last year, Night Fever explores the relationship between vibrant global club culture and fashion, architecture, and graphic design, giving an intoxicating glimpse into the art that informs our nights out. WHAT IF…?/SCOTLAND

1 OCT-21 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE Designed to be staged at the Venice Biennale, this exhibition responds to the festival’s theme “How will we live together?” by collaborating with and involving local communities, highlighting and seeking to return to the civic responsibility of design. Compiled by Tara Hepburn Rooftop bars and bowling alleys abound in our autumn round up of the most exciting new food and drink venues in Glasgow.

Image: courtesy of Vega

Vega

Doppio Malto

7 GEORGE SQ, G2 1DY Doppio Malto is a kitchen and brewhouse concept restaurant which originated in Italy and has branches across mainland Europe. Glasgow was selected as the site for the company’s first UK restaurant, taking up residency on George Square in the building which once hosted Jamie’s Italian. The menu features a lot of familiar faces (pizzas, pastas, burgers) but their loaded sizzling barbecue plates are an area of particular achievement. A wide selection of craft beers are available from their long line of rotating taps, and all the beers are devised and brewed in the company’s two breweries. Staff are in the know on taste profiles across the range of drinks, so it’s worth asking for pairing recommendations. A must visit for beer fans.

Vega

260 ARGYLE ST, G2 8QW Located just seconds away from Central Station, Vega is located on the top floor of Glasgow’s latest uber-hotel Yotel, from the recognisable chain behind Yo! Sushi and other Yotels across the globe. Vega is their rooftop restaurant/bar/bowling alley (no, really) which is open to the public, and dining at Vega is quite a spectacle. Floorto-ceiling windows offer fantastic views of the city, as far across as the river during the daytime. At night, meanwhile, the personality of the place really comes to life, with the velvet seats and marble tabletops lit up by a riot of neon. The food menu is basically bowling alley stuff done well – burgers, tacos, baskets of topped chips. It would be remiss not to try and hit some pins. As far as bowling goes, this is certainly the most photogenic spot the city has to offer. Even the bowling balls are stylish, and the bowling shoes? Optional.

Broken Pony

734 DUMBARTON RD, G11 6RD At the end of Dumbarton Road, nestled in the increasingly hip Thornwood area, is the latest venture from the team behind Kelvinbridge’s iconic bar Inn Deep. Broken Pony is a versatile spot: strong bistro vibes carry this place through seamlessly from day to night, with a well-stocked bar as well as a short and considered cocktail list that gives a sense of Broken Pony’s night-time ambitions, while freshly brewed coffee and hearty brunch options showcase a daytime space that is welcoming and child-friendly. The walls of the minimal stylish interior (think Mackintosh) are lined with the work of local artists, so that Broken Pony fits right in where it sits in Thornwood, cool and communityminded with a terrific sense of place.

Abandon Ship Bar

43 MITCHELL ST, G1 3LN Founded ten years ago, things have moved quickly for this one-time T-shirt company. Abandon Ship is now recognisable as much more than just a clothing brand: they are – in their own words – an “art, ethos, lifestyle” company, with a successful Dundee bar under their belt. It was only a matter of time before they brought their distinctive nautical rock and roll stylings to Glasgow’s city centre. Located on Mitchell Street, the Abandon Ship Bar is organised chaos: arcade machines, a photobooth, a pickleback shot station, table service, a thorough cocktail menu. For fans of tequila and bourbon, there are some innovative offerings. The bar leans into the brand’s shiny and slick version of rock'n'roll: the music is loud, the drinks are strong, and the neon never burns out.

Roberta’s

140 ST VINCENT ST, G2 5LA Taking up the spot where St Vincent Street meets Hope Street, once occupied by Iberia, Roberta’s is a bold and confident Italian restaurant on one of Glasgow’s busiest dining thoroughfares. Making good use of its prime city centre real estate, the sprawling corner spot has been refit to perfection. Considering the stylish surroundings, prices are reasonable (pizzas begin at £7, pastas at £8). An open pizza kitchen takes centre stage where chefs can be seen tossing dough for their classic Neapolitan-style pizzas. The long cocktail bar where mixologists shake up espresso martinis feels like a bar within a restaurant – lined with bistro stools and open to walk-ins who aren’t dining.

The Skinny On... AiiTee

With her debut record, Love Don’t Fall, longlisted for the 2021 SAY Award, Emma Aikamhenze, aka AiiTee (pronounced ‘Aye-T’), takes on our monthly Q&A

What’s your favourite place to visit? My favourite place to visit is back home in Nigeria. The last time I was there was 2018, it was Christmas and it was amazing. The last time I’d been there before 2018 was 2006 [before I moved here], so going back was so nostalgic.

What’s your favourite colour? It depends how I’m feeling, so if I’m feeling sad my favourite colour would be black, or like darker colours... so it’s a different colour for different moods.

Who was your hero growing up? Definitely Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child. I just love the fierceness they brought to the stage whenever they were performing, and all their songs... I remember always singing along. You know when you’re young, you just wear your mum’s clothes and strut your stuff, that was literally it.

Whose work inspires you now? I won’t lie, I feel like the people who inspire me now are people that are local to me... like Bemz, Chef, Louis Seivwright, NOVA, seeing people like that come up is quite inspiring to me. LOTOS as well. What’s your favourite meal to cook at home? It’d have to be jollof rice, it’s a Nigerian type of rice with a tomato paste. It’s very popular, that’s my favourite thing to cook and eat.

What three people would you invite to a dinner party? Okay, so my dinner table would have Oprah Winfrey. I’d have Mark Zuckerberg, because I hope his knowledge would just come into me just by looking at him... and Beyoncé.

You recently released your new EP Better Days. What other releases are you looking forward to this year? I’ve got some stuff I’m working on with Chef, but I’m not sure if that will be released this year... [I’m looking forward to hearing the new] Bemz EP, and I think Louis Seivwright has a new album – Wonderland – coming out as well and I can’t wait to hear it.

How have you stayed inspired over the past 18 months? For me music is a therapeutic thing... So even lockdown [was a] better time to have the Photo: Omo Dada creative juices flowing... I think it was more a blessing than anything... I found that anybody that did anything, it blew in 2020... so being inspired wasn’t very hard for me.

What book(s) would you read if you had to self-isolate? When I was younger I had an obsession with Jacqueline Wilson, so I’d probably go back to Jacqueline Wilson and pick up Tracy Beaker or something from her series. I loved her.

Who’s the worst? I would say, I am my own worst… because I have my own bad sides... I like to look inwardly, rather than pinpoint what someone else is doing wrong, so it’s better for me to say, “Oh, I am my own worst at this”, “I am my own worst of that.”

When did you last cry? I feel like I’m very numb to situations... a lot of Nigerians I’ve found are like this because no-one really cares about your emotions... I definitely do cry but I couldn’t pinpoint the last time... It’s definitely a bad thing because I think it’s very important to express your emotions rather than suppress them... That’s why my music is therapeutic to me, because it speaks where I don’t.

What are you most scared of? I think regret is my biggest fear, because I feel like as a Nigerian there’s a lot of educational pressures, because music isn’t really seen as a career [there, it’s more] like a hobby. So the biggest fear would be following what others are telling you to do, and living for others, rather than pursuing the direction that you want to go in.

When did you last vomit? Wow. Do you know what’s crazy? I haven’t been to a GP since I moved to this country... It’s so weird! Have I vomited...? Probably when I was in Nigeria, before 2006.

Tell us a secret? Is the secret going to be a secret when I tell the secret?

Which celebrity could you take in a fight? I weigh 58kg, there’s no way I’m taking anybody in a fight. I am the one that will be running from the fight.

If you could be reincarnated as an animal which animal would it be? I would be a cheetah or a lion because they’re very fierce... they just look very like they’re constantly modelling... they’re always photo-ready.

You’ve just been longlisted for the 2021 SAY Award for Love Don’t Fall. Congratulations! How are you feeling? It’s crazy! This is music I wrote from the comfort of my home and released thinking some people might like it... I didn’t expect it to be on the Scottish Album of the Year Award longlist! It’s definitely an amazing feeling!

In celebration of ten years of The SAY Award, what’s your favourite ever single from a Scottish artist? I have a joint first place. I feel like these are two iconic [songs]... The Proclaimers’ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)... and Sweet Dreams by Annie Lennox [and Eurythmics].

AiiTee’s new EP Better Days is out now; Love Don’t Fall is longlisted for the 2021 SAY Award; the winner of this year’s award will be announced at The Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 23 Oct

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