The Skinny May 2009

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ISSUE 44•MAY 2009• FREE

A BREAKDANCI NG SPECTACULAR BREAKIN' CO NV COMES TO EDIN ENTION BURGH

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MICHELLE YEOH

REFLECTS ON FI LMING IN THE ARCTIC

BAT FOR LASHE S

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EMILY WATSON

ON WORKIN W ITH CHARLIE KAG UFMAN

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THERE is a clear theme of getting away from it all this issue. Several of the artists we interview have had their gaiters on, or at least been out of town.

Hyper-talented New York psychedelicists Grizzly Bear (page 10) and thoughtful rocker Jason Lytle (ex of Grandaddy, page 38), both describe the benefits to their work of having taken time out from the hustle and bustle. And, with refreshing openness for an international star, Michelle Yeoh reveals how she was awed and inspired by the experience of filming Far North in the arctic (page 22).

Another part of this theme is altogether daft, in that, when we all found out that Ruth was planning a very useful 'where to picnic' feature this issue (page 16), we figured we'd try to work the idea of picnics into our editorials if possible.

Now, picnics are a tricky subject. When Ruth asked me for my top tip, I was reluctant to give it precisely because I didn't want everyone to know about it. Meanspirited? Maybe a bit. But part of the whole fun of the picnic is the getting away from it all (it all = other people), and enjoying the beauty of nature (enjoying the beauty = usually, hitting on the person you're with, whether they're yours already or the object of woo). So it's necessarily quite a secretive pursuit. Ironic in a way that we go into the 'great outdoors', partly, to hide.

This sense of escape is very much backed up by the musicians we speak to on this topic. Lytle in particular speaks about his appreciation for the open-spaces of Montana, as a way to escape the more courtly machinations of the music industry, and as a way to find the appropriate headspace for composition (though many outdoors purists, myself included, will balk at the idea of strolling around to the strains of the try-hard Kaiser Chiefs – though who are we to question what works?).

And while Grizzly Bear speak more about the out-oftown recording spaces they've used, than full retreat, their brilliant new album Veckatimest was very much inspired by the isolation and beauty of Cape Cod, and is in fact named after an uninhabited island there.

There is of course a strong tradition of seeking the

wild in American culture. Having found early manifestations in the writings of Henry David Thoreau (who sat by a wide pond to compose the brilliant Walden), Jack London (whose influential adventure stories included The Call of the Wild), and even Herman Melville (who was much more obsessed with the sea, but nevertheless developed a powerful impression of the unique quality of spiritual adventure to be found out-the-house).

From here the connection to popular culture is most strongly made with the Beat generation writers, and in particular Jack Kerouac (from the gung-ho spirit of On the Road to the mountaintop nirvana-seeking of The Dharma Bums and the personal-crisis-in-the-woods of Big Sur, the outdoors is a constant presence in Kerouac's psyche). Famously, Kerouac spent weeks of a long summer season, alone in a tower in the woods (on ‘Desolation Peak’ of all places!), looking out for forest fires and taking time.

From this lonely grandeur I’d like to bring you back to the trickiness of picnics. Because, let's be honest, they're never going to be cool (like Kerouac undoubtedly was; Thoreau too, in his way).

Cool is easily spotted. It's in remaining calm under pressure (the easy-going return to the big-stage for Glasgow's The Vaselines, page 35); making the difficult look easy (Huntleys and Palmers Audio Club having fun while consistently booking unique acts for their world-class micro club night, page 57); and, if we're honest, in the narcotic near-desperation of a brilliantly talented creator (Chilean author Roberto Bolano, profiled on page 27).

One of the problems with picnics is they're inherently healthy. You eat, you get fresh air, you look after yourself.

None of which is imbued with much of the devil-maycare confidence of cool.

But for me, the main reason they're never going to seem cool or edgy is because they're so tied to the idea of a day out. Or, more abstractedly, of day. You could have a picnic at nighttime, but it'd still feel like day. And day is the centre, the conscious, the light. You need day like oxygen; and you can't overdose. There’s no excess of day.

But is it really so very wholesome? See, if you acknowledge that there's a basic human need served by hiding in a wide open space in the daytime, you've got, to admit that's at least a little kooky. Just maybe, picnics are where we bare our souls.

THE SKINNY May 2009 Issue 44, May 2009 Š Radge Media Ltd.

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4 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

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Contents

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

COVER FEATURE

Grizzly Bear On the release of their new album, Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear take a look back over the ride so far.

» 10

6 8 14 18 20 22 26 27 28 31 32 34 54 59

+ MASTER SHORTIE

EDINBURGH CORN EXCHANGE

Showcase

Painting, collage, and sculptural installation from Dan Miller.

SATURDAY 2ND MAY

Heads Up

www.basementjaxx.co.uk

Finding out what the people on the street reccommend, and Outsider Festival and Show Scotland previews.

Fashion

Edinburgh College of Art Fashion MA goes banana cape, and bags. Shoppers to be precise.

Food & Drink

Picnics and whisky.

Deviance

Pheobe gets some outside, and queer-icon Divine David talks about his Drop-in Centre.

Film

Check out May's film events in Scotland, Michelle Yeoh on Far North and Emily Watson on Synecdoche, New York

Games

KRISTINHERSH

+ CHRISTOPHER REES + BEERJACKET (GLAS & EDIN ONLY)

glasgow king tuts

Getting to know Chilean writer Roberto Bolano's works now they'r being translated into English.

SUNDAY 10TH MAY

monday 18th may

aberdeen lemon tree

tuesday 19th may

edinburgh cabaret voltaire

+ special guests.

wednesday 20th may

GLASGOW ABC ------------Fri 12th JUNE

Post apocalyptic racing in Fuel gives us a speedy glimpse of the future.

Books

GLASGOW ABC2

EDINBURGH BONGO CLUB

The album “Further Complications.”

MAY 18th ------Rough Trade

Tuesday 16th June

Records

Theatre

Yo YO! Breakin' Convention hits Scotland this month.

Plus previews of the hottest theatre tickets on the block: Hoors, Les Ballets C de la B and After Mary Rose.

Comedy

You might think "Elgin? Where?", but they actually have a funny festival this month. Plus, The Stand stands up against hens and stags.

Art

Recent trend goes "mend and make do"? Glasgow artists have been making ace creative spaces in Eastvale Place for yonks. Over it.

Music

Bat for Lashes, The Gothenburg Address, pAper chAse, Hudson Mohawke, The Vaselines and hunners of other brill musicians.

Clubs

Punks Jump Up and Crookers storm DD, plus we take time out with Huntleys and Palmers Audio Club.

Listings

Fancy it? Just you an' me? C'mon baby... I wanna go out!

GLASGOW ORAN MOR

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MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 5

Showcase Dan Miller

Dan Miller’s works meticulously pursue duplicities, mapping their inherent mutations. Through a variety of forms and materials including painting, collage and sculptural installation, Dan produces and re-produces facsimiles of his own and appropriated works. In Still Life 2008 (above) he takes two ‘paint-your-own’ canvases, working simultaneously on both, mark for mark, carrying out a chain of futile exercises to create ‘twinned’ paintings rather than a traditional diptych.

Often using found or appropriated imagery Dan’s collages plunder meanings from historical motifs and architectural designs to form compositions that hover uneasily within space, avoiding the taming influence of narratives or context.

Assemblage 2007 (right) like many of Dan’s sculptural works takes its conception from a

6 THE SKINNY May 2009

previous work, the rubbing being the residue of another collage. Recent works have been inspired by the exhibition designs of Frederick Kiesler, an architect and theatre designer who pioneered exhibition displays for Peggy Guggenhiem in the 1940s. Although spanning a range of materials the works demonstrate a practice moving in multiple directions. Inevitably they conjoin into a rigorous and calculated exploration of production and failure.

Dan is currently exhibiting in Leger Trager with Kevin Pollock at the Grace & Clark Fyfe Gallery at Glasgow School of Art until 2 May and is scheduled to show at the Southside Studios, Glasgow this autumn. [Jamie Kenyon] www.danlmiller.co.uk

May 2009

THE SKINNY 7

Heads Up

Previews Outsider Festival: Now There’s An Idea...

Go and Tell: Show Scotland 2009

Rothiemurchus Estate, near Aviemore

various venues

27-28 Jun

1-4 May

Those on the hunt for a bit of individuality among the throng of summer festivals taking place in 2009 will no doubt be delighted with the newest additions to the Outsider weekend, which kicks off on 27 June in the Highlands. In addition to outdoor pursuits (bush craft, anyone?), comedy, cabaret and music from the likes of headliners Teenage Fan Club, the Fence Collective and The Skinny’s February cover stars The Phantom Band, the weekend will also feature The Outsider Forum, Scotland’s first public debate on green issues.

For attendees in need of that little bit of encouragement to recycle their milk bottles, the setting for the forum, and festival, is the rather picturesque Rothiemurchus Estate near Aviemore. Along with heavyweight speakers such as Eden Project CEO Tim Smit, James Thornton, CEO of Client Earth and Virgin Galactica Chairman Will Whitehorn, it will be chaired by journalist Iain MacWhirter and eco-campaigner Rosie Boycott. Imagine your dad was chairman of Virgin Galactica! Sorry, got distracted a bit there. Still, this should be a fascinating series of discussions and represents an imaginative extension of a typical festival’s remit.

With tickets for many major festivals growing rapidly over-priced, and early-bird tickets for Outsider currently costing just £60 for the weekend including camping, it may be a good shout for those on a tight budget. However, if you really fit into this category, you should probably avoid Tangerine Fields, who are offering fully equipped and ready-pitched tents, and get down to Tesco for a cheap and cheerful £4 number beforehand. If the eco-warriors ask, we didn’t say a thing. [Jenny Grant]

Looking for something to do over the bank holiday weekend? Show Scotland 2009 have a few suggestions to save you from Ikea queues and repeats of Wallace and Gromit. The Museums and Galleries Big Events Weekend, now in its fourth year, takes place from 1-4 May and boasts over fifty performances, extended openings and family activities in a variety of venues across Scotland.

The weekend aims to attract new faces to Scottish galleries and museums, and rejects the all too familiar ‘do not touch’ signs many associate with these places. Highlights include ‘A Night of Tango’ at the Aberdeen Art Gallery, ‘Beyond Drag: a Performance Workshop’ at the Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow and ‘Tales the Town Crier Didn’t Tell’ at the Peoples’ Story Museum, Edinburgh. The majority of events are free, so go on... You’ve already seen The Wrong Trousers eight times anyway. [Jenny Grant] For full listings go to showscotland.com/events

ALSO ON...

More stuff to get your teeth into this month:

The ECA Fashion Show is strutting its wares on 6-8 May … Sick Kids Sunday is doing good deeds at GRV pretty much all day on 10 May, featuring a rash of brilliance including: Come On Gang!, Withered Hand and Jesus H Foxx … Ladyfest presents a lecture and discussion by Sabrina Chapadjiev, editor of new feminist book ‘Live Through This’, on 12 May at St. Paul’s Hall … Rockaburley Burlesque celebrates its 1st birthday at Classic Grand on 16 May and Rumble in the Jungle takes over at 13th Note with a day of craft, jumble, food and live music on 30 May …

A full line-up including activity programme will be released later this month.

For more information: outsiderfestival.co.uk

Gutter Talk

Jerome What are you into at the moment?

Staying away from it all. Music mostly.

What would you recommend for other readers of The Skinny?

Ska music. The Specials.

passions in life?

Music: I’m in a ska band called This Are Two Tone, which is a tribute band to The Specials.

Natalie What would you recommend for other readers of The Skinny?

Alba Flamenca bar in Edinburgh has great flamenco and jazz jam sessions on Fridays. They have good musicians and dancers and people from different age groups.

What are your passions in life?

Music in general, I’m a singer and songwriter myself.

'I am the chairman of the board...'

Katie & Danielle What are you into?

Katie & Danielle: Museums, exhibitions.

recommend?

Katie & Danielle: The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

passions in life?

Danielle: Skating and painting.

Katie: Drawing and films.

promised yourself something?

Michele What are you into at the moment?

Cuddling.

What would you recommend for other readers of The Skinny?

Cabaret Voltaire and bisexuality.

Have you promised yourself something for summer?

Ulrike What are you into?

I’m mostly into music events and films.

What would you recommend for other readers?

Religulous and the Cameo.

passions in life?

I’m an animator and I make films.

Story-telling really, in any form, is my passion.

Have you promised yourself something for summer?

John What are you into at the moment?

I keep an eye on the art and music scenes in general.

What would you recommend for other readers of The Skinny?

The National Gallery and its JMW Turner exhibition.

Have you promised yourself something for summer?

Holiday in the sun.

I’m going to San Francisco to meet my sister.

Danielle: I am going to grow two inches taller, hopefully. I have been planning this for years. Also I would like to visit as many festivals as possible.

Katie: I’m probably going to the Egg a lot and start the college.

Summer motto?

Summer motto?

Summer motto?

The Queen Elizabeth, because she

Summer motto?

Follow your heart and have a good

Be true to yourself.

Live in the light.

Katie & Danielle: Go team!

has got more hats than ideas.

Sun to Edinburgh!

summer.

Have you promised yourself something for summer?

Have you promised yourself something for summer?

8 THE SKINNY May 2009

I want a lot of cuddles and sunshine.

Who’s the alpha female of the moment?

I’m working on a project in Glasgow.

It’s a unique chance to work with other animators.

I’m meeting my friends in France.

Summer motto?

Out Of Hibernation Flouting conventions, Grizzly Bear’s ‘difficult second album’ is actually their third. But never mind the chronology. Darren Carle gets chatting to singer Daniel Rossen in the here and now as the Brooklyn quartet bare their teeth ahead of the release of Veckatimest.

Houses of the Unholy

Plenty of artists trade the luxury of a traditional recording studio in favour of something a little more homely, but not all come with the calm, idyllic sanctuary that Grizzly Bear enjoyed. Darren Carle gets all Yvette Fielding on our ass.

BETTER THAN A HUNGRY CASTLE Yeah, yeah, so Grizzly Bear had themselves a wee holiday in a nice country home in the middle of summer to record Yellow House. Big deal. Check out singer-songwriter Justin Vernon who, as Bon Iver, dropped For Emma, Forever Ago on us last year. When his college rock band dissipated and his relationship ended, not to mention suffering a bout of liver disease, Vernon did the only sensible thing and isolated himself in his parents' remote log cabin in Wisconsin where he set about writing and recording For Emma. The results impressed us to the point where we have to stop ourselves wishing Vernon more bad luck in the run up to his next album.

DON’T MAKE WAVES Popular culture’s macabre fascination with murderer, Nazi sympathiser and all round bad man Charles Manson is well documented. In 1993, Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor seemingly became another convert when he recorded The Downward Spiral in the house where actress Sharon Tate was brutally murdered by The Manson Family in 1969. Reznor initially denied he had chosen the location specifically because of its grizzly past, though tracks like Piggy and March of the Pigs seemed to say otherwise (Tate’s murderers daubed Le Pig on the house door in her blood). A chance meeting with Tate’s sister later caused The Rez to rethink his actions, moving out after the album’s completion then later having the house demolished.

WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND Invoking the occult is something of a habit for The Mars Volta, highlighted by the Ouija board hokum surrounding 2007’s The Bedlam in Goliath. But even with their storming debut album, 2003’s De-loused in the Comatorium, the band were privy to some ghostly goings on.

Recorded in the former home of Harry Houdini, The Mansion has been rumoured to be cursed after the previous owner to Houdini had pushed his homosexual lover from the balcony. Singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala commented on doors that would open of their own accord whilst the whole band avoided the bell tower room completely.

Such superstition would probably not have sat well with Houdini however, who devoted part of his later life to debunking the supernatural.

THE BOG TO OVERCOME Lightening up our tour with a little toilet humour are heavy metal quartet Machine Head, just to show that some domestic home-recording can come from necessity rather than artistic fancifulness. Recording the demo that would eventually snowball into debut Burn My Eyes, the hard-up future metal pioneers recorded in a friends’ house with the amps set up in the bathroom, approximating a studio sound as best they could. However, frontman Rob Flynn later admitted that he enjoyed the acoustics in his mate’s crapper so much that it had become his vocal booth of choice. No shit!

Photos: Tom Hines

The backstory to Grizzly Bear’s 2006 ‘sort of’ debut seemed to fill as many column inches as anything else about the band. As mundane as it may be, four friends fleeing the myriad distractions of New York in favour of an upstate country house in glorious sunshine to write and record without deadlines or expectations, caught the attention of those listening in. The fact that the resultant album Yellow House sounded more like it had been written during a glistening Nebraskan winter than in summery upstate New York further fuelled romantic notions of Grizzly Bear as being completely isolated from the constrictions of any kind of scene.

Thankfully though, Yellow House spoke for itself.

A slow-burner of lo-fi indie, grand country, ever-soslight experimentation and even a hint of Disney sparkle, it spearheaded its way to various best-of lists that year. Combined with being signed to, oddly enough, the largely electronic label Warp, it brought them to a much bigger audience than their official debut Horn of Plenty (really a solo project by founding member Ed Droste) had ever hinted at. Still, even amongst the rave reviews there were open questions about what better production, outside guidance and a more conventional track-listing would reap for Grizzly Bear. In many ways, follow-up Veckatimest is the answer to such ruminations.

From opening track Southern Point - which, in Grizzly Bear terms gallops along on cascading piano, rousing strings and theatrical vocals - quickly followed by the startlingly simple piano pop melody of Two Weeks, it seems that the sleepy fug of Yellow House has cleared for what must assuredly be the bands’ open arms embrace of their growing popularity. As if on cue, The Skinny patches in a call to singer Daniel Rossen as he bunkers down in a Paris hotel room ahead of Veckatimest’s release. “It’s the first time we’ve ever really done a trip like this,” he begins of the bands interview-only tour. “We didn’t do this the last time around.”

No surprises there, given that Yellow House crept up on most of us with a quiet little shuffle. However, Rossen’s main concern is that such attention ultimately proves warranted. I put it to him that I think it will be, especially given that Veckatimest sounds like a big leap forward for the band. “We really wanted a more

10 THE SKINNY May 2009

dynamic and clear record with a more immediate sound,” he admits. “There’s some pretty weird stuff on the record too, but it’s nice to have the variation of the simpler pop songs, to have the happier songs and moodier songs together. It’s much more dynamic.”

Rossen puts this change in mood and tempo down to several factors, with the recording venues being top of the list. Rather than the singular isolation of before, Veckatimist was recorded in three different locations.

However, in what may perhaps prove to be typical Grizzly fashion, they remain somewhat unconventional venues. Yes, they did record a considerable amount in Allaire Studios, outside New York, but there is a twist. “It’s actually a defunct studio,” laughs Rossen. “But they have this beautiful old sixties board that I think was built by George Martin – that was pretty interesting. But it’s just too difficult to maintain.

Its got all this vintage recording equipment, but it takes too many staff to keep it going because it’s constantly breaking.”

With a cathedral-sized room, vaulted ceilings and a view overlooking the Catskill mountains, it’s perhaps not surprising that the results from recording sessions at Allaire differed from those at the titular ‘yellow house’. It was here that the “loud, dynamic stuff” as Rossen puts it, took shape. “Everywhere we went we did different material,” he elaborates. Fans of Yellow House, feeling uneasy at talk of ‘pop tunes’ and ‘accessibility’, may take comfort from one of the other sanctuaries that Rossen and co. found inspiration.

Singer Ed Droste’s grandmother’s house in Cape Cod, Massachusetts saw the band retreat from the city once again. “It was similar [to Yellow House] in that we didn’t have any set schedules,” says Rossen of their time spent there. “We’d live in the house and some of us would be cooking whilst others would be recording. On this record you can hear the fire crackling and stuff that’s going on around the house a little bit.”

As the band took an active interest outwith their domestic confines they became enamoured by a nearby, uninhabited island. Its remoteness struck a chord with the band, going on to shape the album they were working on. In fact, the island’s name is Veckatimest.

“It just appealed to us and it really reminded us of where we were recording,” explains Rossen. “We have a fondness for that area. ‘Veckatimest’ seemed to really

Grizzly Bear

May 2009

THE SKINNY 11

the pressures that such a spotlight brings. Despite sounding like they exist in their own little anachronistic time-period, the power of the internet has not miraculously passed Grizzly Bear over. In February, with an almost depressing inevitability, Veckatimest was leaked to the world. The band were understandably upset but with its proper release now imminent, Rossen has obviously had time to reflect. “It let a lot of people hear the record and it reached a lot of people that wouldn’t necessarily have heard it,” he admirably concedes. “But the downside I guess is that people download so much music so fast these days that it’s impossible to digest most of it. Actually taking an album as an album and sitting down with it is a little more difficult now and we’re into making full records that work as a whole.”

Rossen needn’t worry though. Sure, we all carry more music in the palm of our hands these days than we could ever properly listen to, but the Grizzly Bear fan seems to be a peculiar beast. One who will actually take time out from the fleeting distractions of the modern world to focus on the craft of a great album. And in that vein Grizzly Bear have delivered their most satisfying long-player yet. Further still, it sounds like they’re only just starting to flex their creative muscle.

Rossen, however, remains unflinchingly modest still the same man who quietly went about recording an album with some friends for no one other than themselves. “We just wanted to try and see what would happen if we got back together again and really focused,” he sums up. And what happened? I enquire.

“I think Grizzly Bear went in a different direction,” he offers. A direction we’ll happily follow.

Veckatimest is released via Warp on 26 May. Grizzly Bear play All Tomorrow’s Parties – The Fans Strike Back, Minehead on 8-10 May. www.grizzly-bear.net

“There’s some pretty weird stuff on Veckatimest, but it’s nice to have the variation of the simpler pop songs, to have the happier songs and moodier songs together.

It’s much more dynamic.”

Daniel Rossen

12 THE SKINNY May 2009

just work and click and go together so... it just kind of happened. It’s a little bit arbitrary after Yellow House, which was exactly where we recorded it.”

The other factor which Rossen cites in their new sound was their approach to songwriting and an increased confidence in their individual places within the band. With side-projects such as Rossen’s Department of Eagles and time-sapping tours with the likes of Radiohead, each Grizzly dude had to approach crafting the album a little differently this time around.

Various pairs and permutations arose, demos were passed around within the band and material was written on the spot. “It was much more collaborative in that way,” says Rossen. “There was a lot more free interplay. I think we were able to showcase the band a lot more, the way that we play together and what we’ve learned on tour together over the last couple of years. It was a much fresher way of working.”

With this newfound confidence, an equally exuberant effort was made to showcase the new material.

This culminated with the debut performance of ‘obvious single contender’ Two Weeks on The Late Show with David Letterman, a song that, up until that point, only the band’s family and friends had heard.

Rossen admits it was a nerve-wracking experience, but one borne of artistic frustration. “We didn’t just want to play Knife for the fiftieth time,” he sighs.

“We just thought it would be more exciting if we did something new. We knew it was a song that would work for television so we just thought it’d be more interesting for us to do that.”

It’s a gamble that seems to have paid off, wetting the lips of fans whilst opening the band up to a wider audience. It’s something that Rossen welcomes with a refreshingly optimistic outlook, in spite of

THE SKINNY

OPPORTUNITIES

CYBERZAP EDITOR

‘DIGITAL’ SECTION EDITOR

‘HEADS UP’ SECTION EDITOR

BLOGS EDITOR

The ‘Cyberzap’ is The Skinny’s weekly newsletter, and contains a selection of the best events our readers might go to over the week.

The Cyberzap Editor will liaise with the Section Editors to find out the best of what’s on, and will use basic html software to create and send the newsletter.

The ‘Digital’ section is a new section, initially to run at 1 page in the printed magazine, covering online culture and news, technology, and related events across Scotland. The section will run additional content on the website. You’ll need to be passionate and informed about digital culture, and able to communicate this to a wide readership.

The ‘Heads Up’ section is an introduction to the range of events going on across Scotland. It covers everything from charity events, festivals, workshops and other interesting goings-on. Heads Up is also where we run our cultural news content and our vox pops (short interviews with members of the public).

As Blogs Editor you will be responsible for managing The Skinny's blogs, sourcing new ones, and promoting them online. You will need a full grasp of the range and style of coverage in the magazine, and be able to bring fresh prespectives too.

This is a part-time, paid post.

This is a voluntary post.

This is a voluntary post.

This is a voluntary post.

cultural awareness is important, as is a will to make a difference in the media.

positions; if you’d like to apply for more than one, please make clear what you are applying for, and provide a few ideas about how you might coordinate them.

Further information on these posts and how to apply is available at

GENERAL INFO For all four of these posts you will need to be on the ball, well able to produce immaculate copy to deadline and write clearly and entertainingly on a range of subjects. Broad

It may be possible to combine these

www.theskinny.co.uk/jobs.

May 2009

THE SKINNY 13

Fashion

Shaping the future

1

Edinburgh College of Art’s fashion graduates bring their designs to the catwalk this month, taking their first steps on the international stage with their collections for Autumn / Winter 09.

1. Raine Hodgson 2. Sarah Martin 3. Keryn Amber McCoy 4. Joseph McGee 5. Carly Wilson 6. Kerr Watson The ECA Fashion Show, 6 – 8 May 6.30pm & 8.30pm Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, entrance from Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DF. Tickets £15. Available from Hub Tickets: www.hubtickets.co.uk; 0131 473 2000 www.eca.ac.uk/fashionshow ECA will be showing at London Graduate Fashion Week on Sun day 7 Jun. www.gfw.org.uk

Styling Ian Tod www.Iantod.com Photography Hamish Campbell www.hcampbellphotography.co.uk Hair & Make Up Jak Morgan using MAC and Frederic Fekkai www.jakmorgan.com Model Hayley Buchanan from Model Team

2

14 THE SKINNY May 2009

3

5

Fashion

4

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May 2009

THE SKINNY 15

FASHION

Totes Economical The cotton tote has swiftly established itself as the contemporary equivalent of the string shopping bag. After several decades suffocating in a deluge of plastic bags, the canny shopper has become increasingly aware that the damage and general annoyance caused by our “disposable” friends far outweighs any convenience they may afford. Therefore, the wealth of fair-trade, eco-friendly shoppers currently

available from any retailer, brand, or indeed town worth its salt have become increasingly desirable. In addition to being environmentally friendlier, the bags are far more comfortable to use (with their over the shoulder strap), and much, much prettier. Designs range far and wide, from the up-and-coming designer to the charity event to the niche bar. Here are some of our favourites.

WEE RED BAR (£1, EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART)

LAURIE HASTINGS £12, AVAILABLE FROM THE RED DOOR GALLERY, EDINBURGH

PEARLY SHOPPER DESIGNED BY LOUISE BUCHAN. £12.00, AVAILABLE FROM JUNCTION ART & GIFTS, ABERDEEN

TOO WIT TOO WOO SHOPPERS DESIGNED BY ANNA BUTLER OF CUSTOM MADE UK. £21.00, AVAILABLE FROM JUNCTION ART & GIFTS, ABERDEEN

EIF WWW.EIF.CO.UK

PORTY ONE (£2.50 FROM LOCATIONS ON PORTOBELLO HIGH STREET)

BURNS/MQOS DESIGNED BY O-STREET £4 , AVAILABLE FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE GLASGOW AMY KNOWLES $10 + PP FROM WWW.ETSY.COM

BAMBI + MUSHROOM, BY RIA ROBERTS. THE FABRIC IS PRINTED WITH FAIR TRADE ECO FRIENDLY INKS. £12.00 FROM JUNCTION ART & GIFTS, ABERDEEN

LIDL £2, STORES THROUGHOUT SCOTLAND

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON SHOPPING,

BY JAIME BEATTIE $10 + PP AVAILABLE FROM WWW.JAIMEBEATTIE.ETSY.COM

GEMMA CORRELL £10, AVAILABLE FROM THE RED DOOR GALLERY, EDINBURGH

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16 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

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MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 17

FASHION

TICKETS £6 - £14 BOX OFFICE 0141 552 4267

Fine Outdoor Places to Eat

That first bit of sunshine has started peeking through the clouds and it's more than enough of an excuse to get us tearing off our tops and downing Tennents for breakfast. Dust off the Scotch Eggs and follow The Skinny to some of our favourite al fresco hotspots

The Skinny Whisky Guide Let us take you gently by the hand on a journey exploring Scotland’s greatest gift to the world (no, not Snow Patrol or The Krankies).

andrew wheatley

Food and drink

Picnic Time:

A Lunchtime Quickie Blythswood Square, Glasgow There was a time, not so long ago, when you were more likely to go to Blythswood Square for a midnight lumber than a midday lunch. Times change and these days the area is awash with numerous recruitment agencies, law firms and stockbrockers. When the Georgian architects designed the square atop Blythswood Hill, the hope was that it would become the new centre of the city; in hindsight, it is probably a good thing that George Square retained all that popularity and traffic.

Blythswood Square has a rare lawn of fine grass, quiet roads and is largely pigeon-free, perfect for an urban lunch-hour picnic. When approached from Waterloo Street or Buchanan Street, the slope leading to Blythswood Square can be rather daunting, but the burnt thighs are worth it. It’s a pleasure to find a calm, clean patch of grass where you can throw down your jacket (a word of warning: there are no benches) and turn your face skywards. Packed out with hungry suits between 12-2pm, take along a sandwich, your CV and a winning attitude and you might just come away with a new job.

Stock Up Your Basket: On Sauchiehall Street, alongside the tried-and-trusted Greggs and Blue Lagoon Chippie, the Noodle Bar does great Chinese food at reasonable prices. Or pick up some Nuclear Beans and a Tell Me About The Rabbits George bagel from Where The Monkey Sleeps, the eclectic café on West Regent Street run by ex-Glasgow School of Art students. [Alan Gillespie]

Avoid The Crowd Edinburgh Off The Beaten Track Victoria sponge? Lemonade? The thock of leather on willow? Or a Frisbee, some cider, and blackened soles of feet? A beach and disposable barbeque? The Picnic is a wondrous and many varied thing - all we can be certain of is that an outdoor location is required. There are obvious choices in Edinburgh, but where to go if you don’t want to be trampled by the Edinburgh University Shinty Society on The Meadows or sixty year-old hill runners in short shorts on Arthur’s Seat?

Panic not! The guerrillas amongst us may want to jump a fence and snatch a furtive bite in the private gardens of the New Town, or infiltrate the picnic-intolerant botanic gardens. Active types might consider joining the kite-flyers east of Holyrood Palace, or head north from the centre to the playing fields of Inverleith Park.

18 THE SKINNY May 2009

An outing makes for more of an occasion and a trip south to Blackford Hill (the location of the Royal Observatory) rewards with views north over the capital, sans tourists. The Water of Leith deserves attention: head west past Dean Village and ignore the sign which diverts you up some steps to the Dean Gallery. Under the bridge round the corner a triangular spit of land opens up- this is for evenings, fire, and meat. There are more places to lay down that red and white checked mat than you might think.

Stock Up Your Basket: Stockbridge, the gentrified village-in-a-city, makes the perfect pitstop before plonking yourself down at Inverleith Park or striding along the Water of Leith. Herbie of Edinburgh’s Food Emporium on Raeburn Place has over 2000 goodies to choose from, including fresh pesto made with local basil and flourless Belgian chocolate cake, whilst around the corner superstar cheesemonger I J Mellis is stocked to the brim with all the truckles you could wish for. [Barnaby Seaborn]

Bellahouston Park, Glasgow Sitting in the colourful suntrap that is the walled garden in Bellahouston Park, it’s easy to forget that you are within spitting distance of Ibrox and the M8. On the Southside of the city but easily reached from the city centre by underground or train for all you scaredy cat West Enders, it’s ideal for a spur of the moment picnic on an all-too-rare sunny day in Glasgow. Picnic in a civilised fashion on the benches in the Victorian walled garden or sprawl on the grass in the surrounding areas. If the weather fails, House for an Art Lover provides a welcome refuge. Don’t spend an age searching for the intriguingly named ‘sunken garden’, as all to be found is some trackied-up neds drinking Buckie sitting on the ‘Glasgow Roots’ sculpture.

If you fancy a change from crowding into Kelvingrove Park and listening to people talk very loudly about how they haven’t been to sleep yet then escape to the Southside and tune into Sunny Govan, 103.5 FM. It’s certainly more entertaining.

Stock Up Your Basket: Cherry and Heather Fine Food, on North Gower St is a Scottish/Japanese hybrid deli where the food is indeed fine. Sandwiches include kaffir lime & lemongrass chicken with roasted red peppers and excellent veggie options such as chargrilled courgette, parmesan and organic toasted almond, plus sushi boxes and homemade cherry brownies. If you are battling a hangover a roll and sausage can be found next door at Jamiesons Home Bakery for the bargain price of 85p. [Laura Paterson]

Escape The City Arrochar Forest For the most wholesome train journey you’ll ever have in Scotland, jump aboard the Glasgow-Oban line and sit yourself amongst the cheery German tourists, lycra-clad cyclists and ruddy-faced, card-playing teenagers. Get off at Arrochar & Tarbet Station - from here, you can either walk 20 mins to the beaches of Loch Lomond, or head out into the forests on one of the easily-navigable trails. Surprisingly quiet (I’ve been there on scorchingly hot and blue Saturdays and met only a handful of people), instead of turning off the trail to go into Arrochar village, head onwards towards Glen Loin. After about ten mins you can go off-track and picnic on a lush green clearing you'll likely have all to yourself.

Stock Up Your Basket: It’s not Fortnum & Mason Food Hall, but we’re talking post-hike picnic here - what could taste better than a no-nonsense cheese sandwich and homemade flapjack, either from Tarbet Village Stores or the biker-friendly food van in Arrochar.

Getting There: First ScotRail runs three trains a day from Glasgow Queen Street. Tickets from £9.50 return. [Ruth Marsh] East Neuk Take your pick from the postcard-perfect fishing villages dotted around the East Neuk in The Kingdom of Fife, accessible from Edinburgh and St Andrews by bus.

Arrive early to the adorably-named Pittenweem for its daily fresh wet and shellfish market - perfect fodder for the barbie you can fire up later on the sandy beaches along the coast at Earlsferry. If you need more than lounging on hot sands to make your day, you can grab a bench with a view at St Monan’s or Anstruther harbours and watch the boats come and go, or go on a cliffside scramble along the physically demanding Elie Chain Walk. The latter is recommended pre-seafood platter (as in, definitely not post-seafood plater...), particularly if this is a date, and make sure you watch for tides - vomit and an air-sea rescue do not a good first impression make.

Stock Up Your Basket: Tasty homemade quiche at the dainty Mrs P’s Delicatessen at Anstruther, smoked local trout at Ru An Fhodar in St Monan’s and dressed crab at Reilly’s by Crail Harbour.

Getting there: Stagecoach buses depart regularly from Edinburgh Bus Station www.stagecoachbus. com. [Ruth Marsh]

Welcome to the first in our new monthly guide to the water of life - and we’re determined to show you it’s not all Sean Connery golfing in plus fours, honest. In fact, surely the most pleasurable way of supporting local producers and cutting down your food (well, drink) miles is by putting down that imported vodka and tonic and having a wee dram instead.

So, what better way to kick off our romp around the best distilleries in the country than a look at arguably Scotland’s most impressive blend, Sheep Dip. From the same makers as Pig’s Nose (whilst the latter is so-called because of its silky smoothness, you’ll be pleased to know the former is named after a pre-Oddbins time when farmers would hide their home-made brews from the taxman in barrels marked ‘Sheep Dip', rather than any taste comparison), Sheep Dip is woven from sixteen (count ‘em) single malts gathered from across the four traditional malt whisky regions. Blended

by Scotland’s only third-generation Master Blender Richard Paterson, this pale, straw-hued whisky is a perfect introduction for the malt-curious. Whilst the sheer number of blends packed into one bottle means it’s a complex mouthful, it is also disarmingly easy to drink, its mellowness leaving a cosy afterglow rather than a throat-tingling afterburn.

Its surprisingly light citrus smell comes through in the taste, together with an offsweet touch of honey and a final, slightly salty smack of the seaside, presumably from its Isle of Islay contingent.

My bottle went on a spring trip to Rowardennan on the east banks of Loch Lomond, where it only lasted one trip around the campfire. Indeed, it’s an incredibly warming and swiggable accompaniment to Scottish sunsets, singsongs and stargazing.[Ruth Marsh] Sheep Dip, RRP £25.99 70cl, available from Peckhams and specialist whisky shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow or online at www.spencerfieldspirit.com

FOOD AND DRINK

REVIEWS JOSEPH PEARCE’S 23 ELM ROW, EDINBURGH EH7 4AA 0131 556 4140

Joseph Pearce’s is my German flatmate’s favourite Edinburgh hangout. I think the affection is based on a sense of loyalty to the northern (continental) European way of doing things - J.P. is one of a quartet of Swedishrun Leith-area pubs. Forget Deuchars and Caley 80, think pear cider and weissebier.

On arrival we were advised to try the ‘Joseph Pearce Cocktail’ (a very sweet, very red kir royal - rose cava and crème de mure). Thus armed we made our way through the mêlée of tables, chairs and cushions to our corner behind the skinny-jeaned DJ (unobtrusive psychedelic rock. Imagine!). This convivial muddle of styles adds to the sense of cool, attracting chattering, young professionals getting used to their newly found disposable income: badly drawn boys, pashminas, asymmetric haircuts and flat-caps abound.

The menus (arriving within children’s books, très droll) occupy restaurant rather than pub territory. We shared beetroot and spring onion risotto which was kindly provided on two plates (the young staff, who mirror

the clientele’s aesthetic, are bright and welcoming), and featured the first instance of the near ubiquitous sweet balsamic jus. Seabass (described by my companion as ‘a bit wet’) turned out to be an Atkins main, a shame considering how good the potatoes which came with the meatballs and black pudding were. On the plus side it did feature some more balsamic jus… Sweetness is a running theme in J.P. -the pear cider, the logan jam with the meatballs and the roasted veg with the fish were all sweet. The desserts were no different; I can’t remember much about my sundae, but the heavyweight toffee chocolate cheesecake definitely put up a fight.

A traditional Scottish pub it ain’t. There are no hand pulled ales and weather-beaten locals here, but nor is there any suspicion of microwaved, pre-prepared food.

If you have a sweet tooth and want to eat well in a bar rather than a restaurant (and plan your May Day rioting on your iphone), Joseph Pearce’s is for you. [Barnaby Seaborn] WWW.BODABAR.COM

THE LIVING ROOM 150 ST VINCENT STREET, GLASGOW 0141 229 0607

At the heart of Glasgow’s business district, the Living Room is worth seeking out. The menu is seasonal and each restaurant in this national chain is under the direction of its own chef. Knowing we were in for a treat, we tried to pick light appetisers. To start, I had teriyaki chicken skewers with a satay sauce, which were lightly roasted with a side salad with chilli and a warm peanut dip. My friend had beer-battered tiger prawns which were served with a sweet chilli sauce and wasabi – plenty of spices to whet the appetite.

The food was both artistically presented and generously-sized in portions, so quality and quantity are well-matched. For mains, my friend chose tender slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with creamed potatoes & rosemary. I went for fish with maple-roasted organic Shetland salmon, Bombay potatoes & sun-blush tomatoes, the unusual combination of delicately sweet fish

with Indian potatoes working well together.

Leaving our plates almost emptied, and with just enough room for dessert, we plumped for the most intriguing names: Eton Mess with mascerated strawberries and ‘Banoffee in a Bag’. For those not-in-the-know (and we were none the wiser ourselves), mascerated strawberries are sugared and freeze-dried, then mixed with crushed meringue and lashings of cream. My bagged dessert contained roasted bananas and hot toffee sauce served with smashed ginger snaps. Both came topped with vanilla bean ice-cream.

The décor is more gentleman’s club than living room, but aside from a few ill-fitting nude paintings, the modern metropolitan look is well-placed, and the seating is excellent – intimate but not intimidating. A good venue for relaxed dining. [Yasmin Ali] WWW.THELIVINGROOM.CO.UK

New live music night featuring the best of local talent at The Forum, Aberdeen Thursday 4th June 09, featuring:

THE DEBUTS LADY MERCEDES THE SOCIAL CHAMELEONS The Forum, 3 Skene Terrace, Aberdeen, 01224 633336, events@pbdevco.com, www.pbdevco.com Doors 8.30pm - Entry £3.50 – Advanced tickets available from Attic, One Up, The College, The Forum or on the door.

Probably the best live music night in the world…

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY www.drinkaware.co.uk

MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 19

DEVIANCE

PREVIEW MIND MATTERS

THE GREEN ROOM VENUE

BRAND NEW NIGHT! 11pm-3am free EVERY Wed

CALLI MOJO NOCHE SIN TREGUA•NIGHT NON STOP

6TH MAY LAUNCH NIGHT! Bruno FK (Compakt/Split)

13th May JD PYZ (Split/Access) 20th May Barry O’ Connell (Kapital/Split) 27th May INGEN (Split/Tribal Waves) support: AMELDRUM Chris Touch and INGEN.

FRI 1ST CREATIVE INDUSTRIES: IT’S TECHNO TIME AGAIN, AND THIS MONTH PHIL KIERAN WILL BE GRACING THE DECKS WITH RESIDENTS STEPHEN BROWN & WOLFJAZZ. 11-3 £8 ENTRY SAT 2ND JAM THE BOX: BRING YOU THE MOST DELICIOUS DISCO, ELECTRO & HOUSE, WITH SOME ASS SHAKIN’ FUNK, SOUL AND HIP HOP IN THE BAR. 11-3 £4 ENTRY.

SUN 3RD TASTE:

PERVERTS & EXTROVERTS HOUSE MUSIC MAGIC! FEAT. FISHER & PRICE, & THE LAST STOP ON THE ECCF BIG DAY OUT. 11-3 £5 MEMBERS £6 NON

THU 7TH AD-LIB: LIVE MUSIC:FUTURISTIC RETRO CHAMPS, STANLEY ODD & NORTH ATLANTIC OSCILLATION. AD-LIB DJ’S SPINNING ALL THINGS DEEP HOUSE, ALL NIGHT LONG. 9-3 £4 ENTRY. FRI 8TH SERGEANT: ONE OF SCOTLAND’S MOST TALKED ABOUT BANDS, SERGEANT ARE SET TO STORM THE GRV! DOORS 7PM £7 ADVANCE £8 ON THE DOOR. FRI 8TH DIRT: JD PYZ, MIKEY SKILLING, DFRNT & PARANOISE JOIN DIRT TEAM ON A NOISE ADVENTURE! MIX OF ELECTRO, TECHNO, BMORE, GHETTO & HIP HOP.11-3 £2 B4 12 £4 AFTER

APROGRAMME OF MENTAL HEALTH EVENTS FOR LGBT PEOPLE LGBT CENTRE FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING, EDINBURGH, 7 MAY - 9 JUL 2009

Research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can experience significant health problems – such as mental ill-health and illnesses related to smoking, drug and alcohol abuse – which are strongly linked to social exclusion, prejudice, discrimination and ignorance. The LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing opened in 2003 as a unique initiative to address these health inequalities by promoting the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living in, working in and travelling to Edinburgh. The Centre runs events, workshops and courses promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting LGBT communities, as well as providing a wide range of information on health, LGBT issues and community groups. Over the next couple of months, Edinburgh’s unique (it is the only such Centre in the UK) LGBT health and wellbeing centre is running a series of events aimed at promoting the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

The Mind Matters programme aims to address mental ill-health and to give LGBT people the tools to develop positive mental health, in an environment which helps to address the issues that contribute to these problems.

LGBT people experience mental ill-health at a rate far higher than the mainstream. In the Centre’s own needs assessment, 69% of people said they had experienced poor mental health, including depression, anxiety and stress. 23% had attempted suicide, and 20% had self-harmed. In the same survey 70% of people had experienced verbal, physical or sexual assault as a result of being LGBT, and 7% had experienced homelessness for the same reason. LGBT people also report experiencing discrimination in accessing mainstream health and other services.

The second Mind Matters programme, a follow-up to a similar 2007 series of events, will include workshops on

COURSES AVAILABLE Talking about Depression, Tue 7 May, 16.30-20.00 Managing Change, Saturday 16 May - 11 Jul (trans women 14.00-16.00, trans men 17.00-19.00) Healthy Sleep, Tue 19 May, 18.30-20.00 LGBT Carers Focus Group Thu 28 May, 18.30-20.30 Talking about Anxiety, Tue 9 Jun, 18.30-20.00 Assertiveness Course, Sun 14 Jun - 9 Jul, 13.00-14.00 Talking about Anger, Tue 23 Jun, 18.30-20.00

managing depression, anxiety and anger, and a workshop on healthy sleep, as well as an assertiveness course and innovative Managing Change life coaching course for transsexual people, and work supporting LGBT people who are carers. Future work lined up for Mind Matters includes a course on managing self-harm, and work on developing healthy relationships. [Paul Mitchell] LGBT CENTRE FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING, 9 HOWE STREET, EDINBURGH, EH3 6TE TEL: 0131 523 1106 WWW.LGBTHEALTH.ORG.UK

SAT 9TH SUBSTANCE:

HANNO HINKELBEIN [AEOX] // NULL RECORDS/TRESOR/UGLYFUNK, BERLIN // DJ ESPEE BASS GUN RECORDS/ PEST CONTROL // ECLAIRFIFI LUCKYME // GAVIN RICHARDSON SUBSTANCE/CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MYSPACE.COM/EDINBURGHSUBSTANCE

SUN 10TH SICK KIDS SUNDAY: THE RUBIX TEAM RETURN FOR A WHOLE DAY OF LIVE BANDS, FEAT. CHUTES, KID KANAVERAL, JESUS H FOXX + WE SEE LIGHTS. PROCEEDS TO SICK KIDS. DOORS 1PM £7 IN ADVANCE, £8 ON DOOR.

WED 13TH HORSE

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THE CHALLENGING WORLD OF DISSOCIA Yesterday I spoke with the flamboyant and talented Patrick Wolf (for next month’s Music section).

Commenting on his intense dedication to his craft (he plays roughly 5,000 instruments) and extravagant performances he stated that his drive to succeed stemmed from always feeling like an outsider. In this issue’s interview the thrillingly ornate David Hoyle speaks of a similar perception; the notion of belonging to a community of any description was, simply, for other people. Both of these artists encouragingly suggest that this sense of being different is what drives them to succeed, and Hoyle in particular suggests a cosy life of conformity is something which has never appealed to him.

I’m guessing it’s a safe bet that almost everybody experiences dissociation in their lives but these

two highlighted the fact that being hectored in their youth regarding their sexuality was a major factor in engendering this sentiment. OK, so they now make a career out of ‘being different’, but the psychological fallout of being targeted for being ‘otherwise’ resonates, and was certainly 'no picnic' for either. Little is officially known of the mental health of the LGBT community in the UK, as health authorities don’t record the sexuality of its users. The suggestion is that anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicidal feelings are more common among LGBT people than among heterosexual people. If, as likely, this is true, then it comes as a shock to find that Edinburgh plays host to the only LGBT Healthy Living Centre in the UK. That can’t be good enough, can it? [Paul Mitchell]

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Deviance

David Hoyle:

Still Really Rather Divine The controversial and genuinely hilarious hackle-raiser is back in action. But it turns out the killing off of the Divine David was almost more than just a metaphor, discovers Paul Mitchell David Hoyle enthusiastically explains the premise of his new show at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London, which, depending on reception, he hopes to go on tour with. “There’s a big mental health content in the shows. Dave’s Drop-in Centre is based loosely on a psychiatric daycare centre with lots of activities, and hopefully empowerment and group catharsis. It’s centred around the idea that we all come together in a supportive atmosphere and have a good time, without being too worried about life because laughter always makes us feel better. It’s very healing, so hopefully it will be quite a holistic experience.”

Readily admitting that the content of these shows draw heavily from his own personal experiences, he charts his own depression as having become “quite serious” towards the end of the nineties, when he was performing as a character called the Divine David. “At the end of it I really didn’t know who I was. There was just a husk of a person there. It took time to recover, and I was a lot gentler on myself, taking time out from the frenetic lifestyle I’d had. I had a little bit of therapy which was beneficial, but really I needed to change the way I lived and get out of London. At that stage I wanted to be a recluse and never speak to another human being as long as I lived and cut myself off from everything - because it had all gone a little too far.”

The Divine David had built up a huge following on the gay scene courtesy of some riotous, unpredictable and confrontational on-stage behaviour (he once took a shard of glass to his back in an attempt to rip his own spine out). Two Channel 4 series brought the ‘transgender culture terrorist’ somewhat into the mainstream but suddenly, and without warning, the Divine David was dead, having ‘committed suicide’ in an ice-show spectacular at Streatham Ice Rink. “I’d done the Divine David for ten years. The only option I felt after exhausting that vehicle (I’d done a lot of things, crossed a few lines) was to kill myself on stage. I didn’t see any other option as I was quite burnt out.”

The 46 year-old suggests however, that there is little to distinguish between his current onstage persona and that of the Divine David. “What’s in

a name?” he asks, “We’re not that different, I just don’t do as much drink and drugs.” Indicating that the character was created as a coping mechanism for low self-esteem, he goes on to say that he’s always felt like an outsider. “You sometimes feel that you’re alive but you don’t seem to be participating, or that you’re excluded in a way. I don’t know where it comes from but that was definitely a sense I had.

It’s like you’re watching life from a distance, and that happiness is for other people. I think there were a lot of self-confidence issues which is why I relied on booze a lot, all self-medicating. I think it was to make up for not liking myself very much.”

Hoyle hasn’t quite worked out if this negative selfimage is related to traumatic younger experiences as an obviously gay man growing up in Blackpool. “I don’t really know if it’s directly related to my sexuality or if it’s just one of those mental things. I felt a bit alienated from my own community too. I was no good at all that gym business and wearing the right clothes and all that carry on. If you’re no good at that, you’re automatically on the outside. There’s a certain conformist strand that goes through the gay scene and if you don’t fit in with that you’re on your own. It can make you feel very unattractive, undesirable and not part of it.”

With target firmly sighted Hoyle does what he does best, speak his mind. “There is a conformity within the gay scene sometimes which can be quite irksome. I think we have the potential to be much freer than we actually are. I think in some ways people are aiming for hetero-orthodoxy, that we’re normal all along, work nine-to-five and buy a comfortable place to live which is depressing, and not something I’ve ever wanted. I just think that we’ve got the potential to widen our parameters, instead of constrict them and become like straight people. I’m not interested in that, I want to be a bona fide 100% queer person.”

Dave’s Drop-in Centre is at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London SE11 Thursdays from 30 April 30 to 4 June. After that, he really wants to play Glasgow. www.theroyalvauxhalltavern.co.uk

Let's Go Outside, I Know You Want To!

alasdair boyce

The Skinny's have-a-go sex columnist Phoebe Henderson answers the call of the great outdoors I’ve spent most of my sexual life on my back in bed: nice and safe, away from prying eyes and completely risk free.

As I write this column and look back at previous sexual partners and encounters, I seem to have gravitated towards the same kind of sexual bore (no toys, no bottoms, no fun) which makes me want to scream and screw the nearest deviant. I want an element of risk but more importantly, I want some bloody excitement.

I’ve always fantasised about having sex outside; I’m not talking about dogging or anything too risqué, but the thought of being watched or even caught sends a naughty little shiver up my spine. The closest I’ve ever come to outdoor activities is fumbling around in a phone box with an ex boyfriend.

It was cramped, smelly and he

was hardly Superman.

So my next plan was simple (as all good plans usually are).

Sex. Outside.

Jeremy is a busy boy and having left several “ravage me in a car park” voicemails on his mobile one day with no response, I gave up and went out for drinks after work with Stuart, my very handsome colleague and ex-boyfriend of my friend Lynne. Stuart has the most perfect mouth and nervously bites his lip every so often, which drives me insane. It usually takes all my strength and willpower not to jump across the desk and lick his face. We had been friends for a while and always had a bit of a spark between us but he was always a no-go area, given his history with my friend and the fact that I try not to sleep with people I work with in case it’s god-awful or they think I’m fat and tell everyone.

So to cut a long, Jack Daniel’s filled, story short, I ended up in an alleyway behind a club, jeans round my ankles, grabbing on to a jaggy wire fence, having a very public shag. It was exciting, passionate, deliciously quick and absolutely, effing freezing. I felt incredibly sexy and very, very naughty. I’m impressed he managed, given the sub-zero temperatures, but he did. Exceptionally well.

So with a vow of discretion and a goodbye look which lasted a little too long we parted company and have gone back to idle chit-chat in the office. Well, along with the occasional filthy email.

This has definitely been my favourite challenge so far and was better than I’d expected. I’m not sure if it was the danger element, the booze or just Stuart’s lip biting which thrilled me the most but as soon as I track down Jeremy, I intend to make this a regular event.

May 2009

THE SKINNY 21

Film

Being Emily Watson One of Britain’s most distinguished actresses, Emily Watson returns to our cinemas this month in Charlie Kaufman’s baffling directorial debut Synecdoche, New York. Gail Tolley interviewed her exclusively for The Skinny

Emily Watson is delightful – she comes across as both gracious (she even thanks me for taking the time to interview her, something of a rarity in most interviews) and spirited (her speech is littered with exclamations). She also swears quite a lot, which makes her all the more likeable, “it’s all a bit fucked” she says of the world her latest film is set in.

The swearing is probably justified - this isn’t just any film, it is of course the much anticipated Synecdoche, New York – the singular Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut.

The film follows a theatre director, Caden (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who, following the breakdown of his marriage, embarks on a project that will gradually consume him. As the theatrical performance he is directing and his real life become

increasingly intertwined the audience are drawn into a ‘Kaufman-esque’ world of the surreal and surprising. It is a work that is incredibly baffling and wholly fascinating, or as Watson puts it, “completely insane”.

What did she think when she first saw the script?

“I found it difficult to finish, I have to be honest! I was thinking ‘wow!’ and who’s playing that part?

And who’s doing that?” As with Kaufman’s previous films the cast is more than a little impressive, alongside Watson stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton and Michelle Williams. “Makeup was like being in one of those dreams where everyone in your dream is famous. You turnaround and ‘oh my god it’s so-and-so!’”.

Hoffman, as expected, gives an impressive performance, “he is such a life force as an actor”

Pee and oh!

Maybe it’s sod’s law or perhaps some higher being’s attempt at a cruel joke, whatever you call it, there’s one thing in life that is almost guaranteed.

When out for a trip in the countryside, as soon as you reach a nice, open space (a perfect picnic spot perhaps) you’ll realise you need to pee.

And there won’t be a bush, rock or conveniently secluded spot for miles around. I found myself in just such a dilemma this Easter, although this time it was complicated a little. Having walked along the South Wales coastline and found a section of beach which was almost deserted, my friend and I set about unpacking our culinary delights. It was at this point that we noticed, in

22 THE SKINNY May 2009

the distance, what appeared to be a group of nudists. After much craning of necks, scrunching of eyes and attempts to get a closer look with the zoom of a camera we concluded that yep, they were definitely nudists. Now, surely this should have quenched any fear of dropping your pants for a quick pee, what with several naked people around – what would they care about seeing a quick flack of arse, hey? It in fact had quite the opposite effect - caught between the nudists and the deep blue sea I decided to keep my legs firmly crossed and wait until half a mile up the beach where a particularly useful rock formation meant I could pee in peace. [Gail Tolley]

explains Watson. His presence gave what she describes as “an incredibly intensity” at the centre of filming.

Most intriguing of all, perhaps, is Kaufman himself. As one of the most high-profile screenwriters in recent years, he wrote several TV shows in the 90s before the success of Being John Malkovich in 1999. Who would have thought that this bizarre, low budget film, based around the idea of a doorway that leads into the head of a Hollywood actor, would mark the emergence of such a distinctive talent.

Adaptation in 2002 was a similarly surreal tale of a struggling scriptwriter, and like Being John Malkovich earned Kaufman an Oscar nomination for best screenplay. But it was his close collaboration with Michel Gondry for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind that really got audiences and critics excited.

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet gave remarkable performances in this beautifully realised, melancholy exploration of what relationships might be like if we could erase our memories. And it was for Eternal Sunshine that Kaufman won an Academy Award for best screenplay – third time lucky, as they say.

Unsurprisingly, I’m keen to ask Watson what it was like working with such a distinct talent?

“Charlie is quite fantastically neurotic, in a really sweet, smiley sort of way” she says. “He was very connected to the actors and the acting and what it was all about, within the context of this totally nuts situation. He creates his own universe and his own world and you buy into it and get on the spaceship and off you go.” Was she a fan of his work before working on the film? “Absolutely. Thank God for him! There are people actually going to see movies like that and there’s a place amongst all the shit for somebody who makes us laugh, think and see things differently.”

Watson’s character, Tammy, is a character playing a character – an actor hired to play out the life of the

‘real’ character of Hazel (played by Samantha Morton). Surely it must have been tricky to approach such a character? “I just kind of picked something out of the air; I wanted to make her a really shallow person, a fake tan and bangles, actress type.

Someone who would be quite happy being famous for doing nothing. It was quite a lot of fun to do.”

It’s remarkable looking at Watson’s career, what a varied and impressive number of roles and films she has been in. Where many British actresses have found themselves caught between costume dramas and gritty realism (which frustratingly often seems to be the standard stock of the British film industry) Watson has been fortunate enough to work on such projects as Hilary and Jackie (1998), Punch-Drunk Love (2002) and Red Dragon (2002). She’s also worked with such acclaimed directors as Lars von Trier (Breaking the Waves, 1996) and Robert Altman (Gosford Park, 2001). It was, in fact, her powerful performance as Bess in Breaking the Waves that made many people sit up and take note. She was subsequently nominated for an Oscar - a rare feat for what was her debut film performance.

Outside of acting Watson has two small children with her husband Jack Waters, also an actor, whom she met whilst working at the Royal Shakespeare Company. She also writes, something which she focuses on between jobs. It’s intriguing to think how her experience working with the eccentric Charlie Kaufman might have inspired her. So will we be seeing anything she has written coming to our screens soon? Watson is keeping her cards close to her chest, “there are always several things in the works… some more advanced than others” she says somewhat secretly. Perhaps along with gracious and spirited we can call Emily Watson enigmatic too.

Synecdoche, New York is out on 15 May. www.synecdocheny.co.uk

reviews

Star Trek

Director: J J Abrams Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Zoe Saldana Released: 8 May Certificate: 12A

Film

Scotland's Dance Film Festival

21– 30 May 2009 FILMS I WORKSHOPS I SPECIAL EVENTS dancefilmscotland.com

rrrr Following an explosive opening sequence, Star Trek sees director Abrams and writers Orci and Kurtzman neatly introduce a prequel plotline that takes us back to the beginning – the birth of James T Kirk and 13 years later, Kirk (Pine) training at Starfleet with a young Spock (Quinto) and Uhuru (Saldana). The Enterprise, with its young recruits, then hurtles into space to tackle feisty tattooed Romulan baddie Nero (Bana) whose spiky warship might look like a hedgehog’s backside, but is mighty enough to terrorize the planet Vulcan in a vengeful action that will

take some stopping. It’s a treat to see Leonard Nimoy as an older Spock and most will enjoy a script littered with in-jokes, the decent special effects and the nostalgia-fest of favourite characters returned to their youth. Baddie Nero may be underwritten, but there are great wisecracks between Kirk and Spock, until Simon Pegg arrives as Scotty to steal the show. A return to form that bodes well for Trekkies. [Matt Arnoldi] www.startrekmovie.com

FILMS I WORKSHOPS I SPECIAL EVENTS

Fermat’s Room Director: Luis Piedrahita & Rodrigo Sopena Starring: Lluis Homar, Alejo Sauras, Elena Ballesteros Released: 29 May Certificate: 18

dancefilmscotland.com

rrr Spain’s answer to the Saw franchise sees its victims forced to use their brains rather than their bodies to survive the game. In Fermat’s Room, five mathematicians must solve a series of riddles and puzzles within a specific time frame in order to stop the walls of their room closing in and crushing them. Some of these conundrums may sound vaguely familiar to viewers, but the quick-thinking of the characters is always impressive, while writer-directors Luis Piedrahita and Rodrigo Sopena achieve a taut, tense atmosphere and a gripping plot with a tiny budget and a limited, enclosed space. This claustrophobic setting puts an unforgiving focus on the actors, who successfully create believable, desperate characters. However, while it keeps viewers guessing, Fermat’s Room is let down by its conclusion, which is unsatisfactorily sudden and not as clever as the initial premise suggests it ought to be.

[Becky Bartlett]

Awaydays

Is Anybody There?

Director: Pat Holden Starring: Nicky Bell, Liam Boyle Released: 22 May Certificate: 18

Director: John Crowley Starring: Michael Caine, Anne-Marie Duff, Bill Milner Released: 1 May Certificate: 12A

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When Paul Carty (Nicky Bell) meets Elvis (Liam Boyle) each sees in the other the chance for escape. For Carty, Elvis is his passport into the violent camaraderie of “The Pack”, an infamous gang of football casuals; for Elvis, Carty’s middle-class ways and art school friends are a glimpse of a life beyond the one he has always known. Awaydays at times dwells too indulgently on the wild, often infuriating, vicissitudes of their relationship. But this is more than compensated for by the sympathetic performances of the two leads; by the sparse and evocative recreation of the North West in the late seventies; and by the film’s clear-sighted portrayal of the lure and the ugliness of casual violence. Awaydays is an impressive portrait of the thousand agonies of the late teenage years, when every decision seems forever, and where a new pair of trainers is the key to a new identity. [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]

Following Intermission and Boy A, director John Crowley shows his diversity with his latest venture, Is Anybody There? Dark humour permeates this tale of Edward (Bill Milner), a young boy living in an old people’s home, obsessed with death and the afterlife, and his unlikely friendship with Clarence (Michael Caine), former magician turned grumpy old man. Peter Harness’s semi-biographical script has plenty of memorable moments, from Dad’s cringe-worthy attempts at flirting with a young nurse to a magic trick that goes horribly, excruciatingly wrong. Clarence is a character with real depth, and after some mediocre supporting roles, Michael Caine’s performance is one of his best in recent years, while Milner continues to show promise after Son of Rambow. The elderly supporting cast also deserve a mention, portraying various degrees of dottiness in poignant scenes tinged with an accepting sense of inevitability, but Crowley succeeds in creating a film that celebrates life in the face of morbidity.

[Becky Bartlett]

www.awaydaysthemovie.com

theskinny.co.uk May 2009

THE SKINNY 23

Film

Michelle Yeoh:

The Big Adventurer A truly international star, Michelle Yeoh has gone from fight scenes with Jackie Chan to love scenes with James Bond. Michael Gillespie spoke to her about her career and her new film, Far North.

May Film Events

Loads of kick-ass stuff coming up...

The Unwinking Gaze

There’s plenty to see at cinemas across Scotland this month. The Filmhouse in Edinburgh continues its festival run with the Tibet Film Festival from 8-14 May. This is a unique chance to catch some insight into life in Tibet, featuring a range of diverse topics from the life of the Dali Lama in The Unwinking Gaze to how momos (steam cooked dumplings to you and I) are made in the short History of Momos. One to watch is Jigdrel: Leaving Fear Behind. This documentary, showing Tibetans speaking about their country’s Chinese occupation, resulted in its two filmmakers being arrested and tortured, while the film itself had to be smuggled out of the country. All proceeds for the festival go to fund the work of the Tibet House Trust.

It’s the Glasgow Film Theatre’s birthday!

To celebrate its doors being open for thirty five years the GFT is screening a 1974 film, as voted for by the public, free on 10 May. On the same day the Cosmo, the GFT’s predecessor, is also being commemorated with a public screening of a 1939 film. The films will be announced after the voting closes on 1 May.

Nearly twelve years ago, Pierce Brosnan (long before he displayed his licence to kill Abba songs) took his second bow as that Ian Fleming character in Tomorrow Never Dies. It went up against Titanic at the box office and lost, the closing credits song was better than the opening titles, it set new lows for product placement, and it had Teri Hatcher in it. But despite all this, the film went on to break Bond box office records and featured a car chase choreographed to the Propellerheads. Most significantly, however, it introduced western audiences to the not inconsiderable wonders of Michelle Yeoh.

After studying ballet at the Royal Academy of Dance in London, Yeoh would later be crowned Miss Malaysia. Rather than going on to create world peace, she would begin a film career in Hong Kong, working alongside the likes of Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung and Sammo Hung. Despite having almost no martial arts experience, she would quickly establish herself as the queen of kung fu cinema, performing and choreographing many of her own stunts and fight scenes. That may not be something she’d throw herself into so readily now, though. When I asked her about filming Supercop (1992), in which she can be found clinging to the roof of a speeding bus, she said that the “petrified” look on her face was completely genuine.

“I remember when we went in to dub the film for the American market and I just thought, “Is that really me? I can’t actually believe I did that!” I must have been crazy back then”. Crazy, maybe, but this kind of multi-tasking, guerrilla approach to filmmaking has proved a fertile training ground for many an actor and director, hasn’t it?

“Coming from a Hong Kong background, I’m used to shooting a certain way. Things are done much faster, there’s often no script and

24 THE SKINNY May 2009

you’re basically shooting from the hip. Those factors make it unsettling, but also a lot of fun, so filming this movie was not so unusual for me”.

The movie in question is Far North, released on DVD this month. A strange and meditative picture, it tells the story of two women, seemingly mother and daughter, alone in the Arctic tundra (Yeoh and Michelle Krusiec of Saving Face). Yeoh’s character, Saiva, “has been cursed, shamed, and abandoned in the wilderness. So when she encounters this much younger woman, their bond is pure. There is real warmth and companionship between them – not just some childish, flaky kind of friendship – but one of emotional purity. It’s not a simple mother-daughter, young and old thing. They really maintain a pure devotion, because they cannot afford to have nothing”.

This warm companionship begins to thaw, however, with the arrival of Sean Bean’s wandering soldier. To reveal much more would be disservicable, but the film’s opening sequence, which the actress describes as “bitter and stark”, sets the tone for the “mixture of beauty and horror” to come.

Far North is directed by Britain’s Asif Kapadia, whose BAFTA winning The Warrior was enough to convince Miss Yeoh to freeze in the North Pole when she could have been enjoying the perks of one of the many Hollywood blockbusters she now stars in.

“While it’s great to make movies with directors like Rob Cohen (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor) or Rob Marshall (Memoirs of A Geisha), it’s also great when someone like Asif, with all his passion and enthusiasm, comes along. He may not have the experience of those guys, he may have made only one movie: but what a movie!”.

The shoot itself was “cold and dark!” and Yeoh had

no illusions about her star status. “Mother Nature is undeniably the star of our film, and on this film she was a diva! You felt so insignificant against it; one sudden blast of energy or wind could knock you flying! But I was happy to be there, playing this fascinating character, like nobody I’ve played before.

As someone who is very cosmopolitan this was incredibly daunting, but I’m a big adventurer! I really only took my knapsack and filled it with books, but I didn’t even read the whole time I was there. I just sat in awe of the place”.

When Michelle Yeoh says she’s a big adventurer, you really believe it. Having conquered Asia, the actress would go onto Bond and beyond, garnering a BAFTA nomination for Ang Lee’s Oscar winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She has since split her time between east and west: “My thing is, where is the story coming from? Why does this story need to be told?”

There are many stories being told in Hollywood, but not many of them require Asian actresses. Geisha and The Mummy have shown that audiences have a taste for all things eastern, but the star feels there is still progress to be made for Asian actors. “There’s so much room for improvement. I was lucky to get this big international role in the Bond movie, and what was really great about the role was that Wai Lin was on equal footing with James Bond, she wasn’t just decorative. It’s something we’re trying to push in Hollywood: we’re trying to show them that we’re not just Ming vases: we’re made of silk and steel! Finding good roles is always difficult - how many Suzie Wongs or Last Emperors did we have? - but we love the challenge, and it’s getting better”.

With her reputation as a serious actress now intact, what’s next for Michelle Yeoh? “I’ve just started a production company with Terence Chang, and we’re working on a martial arts project. I can’t wait to get in and kick butt again!” And neither can we.

Far North is out on DVD on 25 May. www.farnorththefilm.com

Les Ballets de Ci de la

Also in Glasgow is a chance to see some of Europe’s art films, as part of What’s Art Doc? at the CCA from 21 April - 8 May. This series of documentaries portrays artists who challenge the boundaries of their art, showing their inspiration and place in the world. One such film is Les Ballets de Ci de la, celebrating one particular dance troupe. The documentary, showing on 6 May, includes a special appearance by the dancers of Les Ballets C de la B.

Suspiria

There are several opportunities to see retrospectives in Scotland this month. In Dundee the DCA is screening some Hitchcock classics throughout the month, including Spellbound, which features Salvador Dali’s famous dream sequence. Back in Glasgow, the GFT is showing Dario Argento’s horror classic Suspiria on 26 and 27 May - watch it on the big screen before its remake arrives in the multiplexes!

Finally, for the opera fans out there, the DCA is offering a chance to see La Traviata, one of Verdi’s most famous and celebrated works, on 24 May, while the Belmont in Aberdeen is broadcasting La Cenerentola live in HD from the New York Met on 9 May. This classic take on Cinderella is the last opera of the Met’s season, and promises to be a worthy final feature. [Becky Bartlett]

The Celluloid Closet

Common Threads

Getting Any?

Director: Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein Starring: Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, Armistead Maupin Released: May 4 2009 Certificate: 15

Director: Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein Starring: Dustin Hoffman (narrator) Released: May 4 2009 Certificate: E

Director: Takeshi Kitano Starring: Dankan, Takeshi Kitano, Moeko Ezawa Released: May 11 2009 Certificate: 15

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rrrrr With films like Milk and Brokeback Mountain achieving Oscar wins and mainstream success, it’s easy to forget that in the dark days of Hollywood gone by, homosexuality in American cinema was strictly forbidden. During the reign of the Orwellian Legion of Decency, any reference to homosexuality had to be quietly hidden from the censors in code or hastily rewritten. The Celluloid Closet, based on Vito Russo’s award-winning book, explores that secret history and charts the evolution of homosexuality’s depiction in Hollywood during the last century. Filled with dozens of film clips and frank and often funny contributions from writers, actors and directors, this release is a timely companion piece to Sean Penn’s Oscar speech. It’s where it all began. The astonishing battles behind the scenes of some of Hollywood’s classic movies are where the documentary strikes gold. But the story ends in 1994 and this new DVD badly misses commentary on recent hits or the huge strides Hollywood has made in the last ten years. Nonetheless, compelling stuff. [Scotty McKellar]

When the AIDS epidemic first hit America, the conservative Reagan administration hid their heads in the sand and did their very best to ignore it. Inspired to take action, Cleve Jones (a friend of Harvey Milk) developed the NAMES Project Memorial Quilt as a monument to celebrate the lives of those who had died and draw attention to the crisis. Each of the Quilt’s 91,000 panels represents the life of one person. Using archive footage and interviews, the Oscar winning Common Threads tells the stories of people from all walks of life now commemorated on the Quilt and how awareness of AIDS developed through the 1980s. The interviews make it impossible to ignore the significance of AIDS and it’s often very difficult to watch, every name and statistic given a deserved humanity. Particularly hard-hitting is the heartbreaking story of David Mandell, a young hemophiliac who contracted HIV through infected blood products and who we hear from as his condition steadily worsens. An incredibly powerful and unforgettable piece of work. [Scotty McKellar]

Getting Any? follows the antics of sex crazed and woman deprived Asao (Dankan), as he throws himself into increasingly madcap ways to try and get some action. Sitting in his porno-plastered apartment, he conjures up Emmanuelle style sex epiphanies, before setting about turning these wet dreams into reality. Cue some slapstick Frank Spenseresque farce, as his attempts to woo women with a car, attract amorous interest as an actor, play the danger card as a yakuza hitman or become an invisible spy (with the help of Kitano’s mad scientist) - all inevitably end in tears. The surrealist slant of the film and some ambitious choreography from director Kitano just about lifts the whole thing from Benny Hill territory. At 100 minutes though, Getting Any?’s marathon series of sketches becomes as trying as a tantric sex session without the climax. No doubt Rob Schneider is ironing out the contract for an American remake. [Alastair Roy]

How To Be

Sonatine

Stuck

Director: Oliver Hardy Starring: Robert Pattinson, Rebecca Pidgeon, Jeremy Hardy Released: May 18 2009 Certificate: 15

Director: Takeshi Kitano Starring: Takeshi Kitano, Ren Osugi, Susumu Terajima Released: May 11 2009 Certificate: 18

Director: Stuart Gordon Starring: Stephen Rea, Mena Suvari, Russell Hornsby Released: May 11 2009 Certificate: 15

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rrr Currently turning teenage girls to jelly in the Twilight franchise, Robert Pattinson gives a decent stab (or should that be stake?) at another kind of existential angst in this low budget Brit flick. He plays Art, a privileged but depressed musician who manages to do all the things characters in these kinds of films always do: he loses his job, his girlfriend dumps him, his friends get bored with his whining and he moves back in with his folks (including Mrs David Mamet, Pidgeon). In order to better understand his situation and become “normal”, he hires a Canadian life coach (the late Powell Jones) and lets him in on every waking moment of his life. Director Irving has clearly been watching a lot of recent ‘quirky’ US indies, resulting in a film which looks wonderful, but lacks the grit and misanthropy of, say, Wes Anderson. The performers lack experience and the underwritten script is only ever mildly amusing. However, the potential of the undeniably talented filmmakers is very apparent. [Michael Gillespie]

‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano is a nihilist at heart, but he still knows how to play the clown. While Sonatine begins with an archetypal introduction of brooding gangsters and spasms of violence, Kitano gradually saturates the film with affection and a wry sense of humour. A loose band of Yakuza, led by disillusioned boss Murakawa (Kitano), are ordered to curb tensions between two rival gangs in Okinawa. As the situation quickly becomes a disaster, Murakawa retreats to a remote coastal safehouse with the remainder of the group, where they slowly befriend each other and shed their rote Yakuza posturing. The kernel in Sonatine’s tragedy lies in this idyllic kinship; the director makes it clear that we’re only daydreaming a glimpse of what an otherwise improbable redemption might look like. That he elicits genuine empathy for such damaged characters is quite remarkable, especially for someone with an outlook as taciturn as his. [Ray Philp]

Out of work and turfed onto the street by his landlord, Tom (Stephen Rea)’s day goes from bad to worse when he’s hit by the car of nurse Brandi (Mena Suvari).

Her hit and run is hampered by Tom’s broken body, thoughtlessly wedged in her windshield. Fearing that heat from the police will scupper her chances of a work promotion, she drives home and parks the hapless Tom in her garage.

Trooper that she is, Brandi carries on with her evening’s partying and even fires into work the next day. On her return however, she’s appalled to find Tom still alive, a man who even has the gall to try and thwart her and her boyfriend (Russell Hornsby)’s attempts to dispose of him. Cue some gruesome slapstick as Re-Animator director Stuart Gordon hammers home the gore, portraying the human capacity for survival to its bloody extreme. Stuck is relentlessly grim, but you’re compelled to slow up, roll down the window and stare. [Alastair Roy]

17-28 June 2009 edfilmfest.org.uk

For two weeks, we’re stealing the Castle’s thunder.

If the thought of groundbreaking, thought-provoking, unconventional, challenging and even outright weird cinema floats your boat, we have twelve days crammed full of it. Not to mention there’s also a good chance you’ll be sitting next to the cast and crew.

May 2009

THE SKINNY 25

Film

DVD Reviews

Games

Fuel For Your Anticipation Post-apocalyptic racing?

Heard that one before. Tina Turner? To be confirmed.

Either way, Phil Harris is very excited about Asobo Studio's new epic, Fuel.

With a rich flurry of racing games under their belt, such as Colin McRae: Dirt and Racedriver: Grid, gamers may be concerned that Fuel is merely being published - as opposed to fully developed - by Codemasters. The developers of the game are Asobo Studio who have a short track record on game titles which, so far, haven’t had resoundingly positive reviews.

In Fuel, we’re offered a post apocalyptic view of the future. Accelerated global warming (caused by vehicle pollution no less) has caused the seas to rise. Add to this heavy weather, with tornados, sandstorms, blizzards, lightning and thunderstorms, and much of the USA has been abandoned. What’s left are normal roads, dirt tracks, damaged tarmac and the new unexplored wilderness for racers to cover.

Races are checkpoint-based, but how you get from point to point is up to you. No really! Completely up to you. Asobo insist that there will be complete freedom of environment and this will be due to the Asobo Concept Engine (ACE) making anywhere drivable as long as the vehicle has something to grip to.

Original concepts saw Asobo wanting to replicate the whole of the States using ACE, itself utilising licensed satellite data and imagery. Reasons for reduction to a mere 5000 square miles plus of wilderness have - they say - nothing to do with the sheer area of the landmass, but to ensure there are enough exciting things to engage the gamer.

So all you’ll have is a wavepoint marker at the top of the screen that’ll point to the next checkpoint wherever you are on the map. You then criss-cross the States taking risks on jumps, short cuts and varied weather systems which can be seen coming on the horizon and avoided. These weather detours will obviously add time but weather can alter the environment. Tornadoes can throw items into your path, sandstorms deter your vision and rain and snow make surfaces far slicker than they may have been before. No need to worry about the public. They’ve gone hidden somewhere else leaving you to concentrate. Travel from dusk ‘til dawn and on into the night to meet your objective.

Seventy plus vehicles are promised ranging from bikes, cars, quads, trucks, buggies and dragsters in both on and off-road styles. There are even hovercraft.

Initially it’s rumoured that you’ll start with a single bike but as you complete races gaining gold, silver or bronze you’ll receive currency which buys faster, more varied rides. Vehicle attributes allow you to pick and choose the best for each race. Although not available for tuning we’re told that there will be customisation that can make your vehicle look just right, and will make sure that online your opponents will know who dissed them.

Given the vastness of this environment some may be worried that they’ll be undertaking massive race events akin to doing the Le Mans 24 hour in Gran Tourismo. Asobo have pinned the maximum race time on a much more acceptable hour-long duration though. What they want is a more arcade feel to the

game with more of the fun put back into racing. Thus racers don’t have to worry about driving across vast tracts of land to get from race to race if they don’t want to, there’s a handy dandy helicopter that’ll give you an airlift. The option is still there to drive off into the wilderness though!

Online we’re expecting about fifteen people to be able to enter a session. They’ll not be limited to racing with you but can just go off and do their own thing if they want. You’ll be able to build multi checkpoint circuits to challenge others with, and as always the on-line player is far less predictable than the AI player, adding a whole different level of challenge.

There is some trepidation here. There has to be when any company unknown in a certain field steps

up to the challenge. In Asobo’s defence the imagery they’ve realeased looks stunning. Many videos of gameplay look amazing and you can see a satisfying level of development from earlier to later footage. Add to this the fact Codemasters are backing them with their track record of racing games which is hard to beat and you’d consider, given their longevity, they know how to make the right choices.

Fuel promises to be everything that’s been suggested.

An arcade racer that’s fun and frantic with enough to please both single and multiplayer audiences. The clock is ticking and the end of May approaching. Bring it on! www.fuel-game.com

reviews Ninja Blade

Wuggle

Out now on Xbox 360, £39.99

Out now on iPhone/iPod Touch, £1.89

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Games are supposed to be fun right? The minute players start to rate games based on visuals or gameplay alone, it’s no longer about the fun anymore. This is perhaps why Ninja Blade is doomed to fail. However — hold onto something — the game is actually not that boring and while it may not be the most competent title out there, it offers more fun and bang per buck than many releases can attest to.

The concept is absolutely ludicrous. Tokyo is under siege by a worm virus that turns carriers into mutated freaks with a taste for human blood. So who you gonna call?

The most logical answer is a crack team of urban ninjas with a penchant for free falling out of planes and riding motorbikes.

The game is broken down into fighting and platforming sections. The combat is easy enough, but the absence of a lock-on feature grates. Close and ranged sword attacks can be chained for some great moves, but you are always so much more powerful than the mutants you fight so

Wuggle is set to shake up the world of word games; it’s a solid title, which is soaked in style and massively addictive, in a way few word games have managed before.

Taking inspiration from the ultimate word game (Scrabble, blatantly) Wuggle has you chucking around a bunch of tiles, in a manner far from the traditional end game Scrabble hissy fit. The aim is, unsurprisingly, to try and make the longest words possible (and so score the most points).

The beauty of Wuggle is in the control scheme (easily said on any iPhone title) - tiles are literally thrown around the screen, using the phone's touch sensing magician (or however it works) brilliantly. Most simply, words are formed by lining up tiles and bashing them together, easy peasy. The brilliant part comes when you get used to everything and start to use two hands. This serves to make things twice as fast and twice as hectic, but potentially massively point-lucrative. Not only this, but scoring a long word, after chucking the tiles about the

26 THE SKINNY May 2009

you never really feel all that challenged.

Boss fights, on the other hand, are superb, with some truly epic and inventive battles. Once you have whittled down the enemy’s health, you get the chance to do a finishing Todome strike, executed by a string of sequenced button presses. These really are the icing on the cake, with one fight against a mutated helicopter ending with our man Ken surfing on a missile, grabbing some phat air then redirecting it back to the chopper. Kaboom.

It’s this kind of fun sequence that makes the game’s faults easy to overlook, although some players may find these alone aren't enough to warrant a purchase. [Dave Cook]

screen to organize them, whilst getting ready to score yet another word, is incredibly satisfying. Pulling off this tile-based lunacy effectively is difficult, but brilliant fun when you do.

Sadly, somtimes its a bit too easy to hit an errant tile by accident and score a word which, not only are you sure doesn’t exist, has used two crucial letters and broken your multiplier chain (bye bye high score!) This infuriating niggle aside, there is a great and addictive game here. One which everyone can grasp easily and will keep coming back to. Wuggle is not only enjoyable for the words, but also for the way in which you score them. [Josh Wilson]

Roberto Bolano's reputation as one of the best writers of our times is already established in the Spanish speaking world. And now that his works are gradually being rolled out in English, Keir Hind is getting to appreciate him for himself...

CHILEAN author Roberto Bolano is the literary discovery of the minute. His works are just now being translated in to English, and so English language critics are just now raving about him. The biggest impact he’s had was with his last book, 2666, an 800+ page phenomenon that appeared in shops at the end of last year, and which won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Not bad considering that Roberto Bolano died in 2003.

Bolano died of liver failure aged 50, with heroin abuse named as a contributing factor by some sources, though his wife denies that this was the case. Details of his life are sketchy, but we know that he was a supporter of Salvador Allende’s socialist government in Chile, and almost certainly a witness to General Pinochet’s military coup that overthrew it. It’s useful to know these details as background before reading Bolano, because it does affect the books.

Bolano wrote poetry almost exclusively until the age of about 43, when he decided, apparently, to write books to help support his family. His first book to appear in English was By Night in Chile.

This book is narrated by a priest, Father Sebastian Urrutia, who is also a bad poet. We see how he becomes a critic under the name Ibacache, and supports Pinochet’s regime whilst turning a blind eye to its atrocities. Bolano has a clear contempt for Urrutia because he loses himself in artistic considerations as a way of avoiding the cruelty all around him. It has been noted that Bolano’s work departs from the earlier Latin American tradition of Magical Realism in that he refuses to avoid politics through his art. Magical Realism by no means excludes politics, but it has been criticised, especially lately, for obscuring a sense of reality by heaping on literary devices. Bolano seems to regard artistic endeavour as a practice that all too often becomes a distraction.

Bolano took this a stage further in Nazi Literature in the Americas, a mock encyclopaedia of fascist writers, many of whom use their works to eulogise

the lost Third Reich as some sort of lost ideal, without giving any details of its policies and crimes.

Bolano then expanded the last chapter into a novella, Distant Star, about a poet called Carlos Wieder who gets ahead by writing poetry at the behest of Pinochet’s military, often using a plane to sky-write his work. The coup is portrayed in this book as it affects a group of poets who knew Wieder, and it’s as shocking and terrifying as you’d expect.

Bolano’s big critical hits were to come though. The Savage Detectives uses multiple narrators to tell the story, or stories, of two poets, Arturo Belano (an alter ego) and Ulises Lima, and also the fictional visceral realist poetic movement, which is affectionately portrayed. It’s freewheeling, carnivalesque, and somehow about a Latin America you’d never quite read but knew was there all along. It confirmed Bolano’s reputation when it won him the Roman Gallegos Prize, previously won by Garcia Marquez and Vargas Llosa, and it’s highly recommended as a place to start reading Bolano.

The last five years of the author’s life were spent writing and researching 2666. It’s a five part novel beginning with ‘The Part About the Critics’ where four literary critics are drawn together by their appreciation of an obscure and reclusive German novelist, Archimboldi. Eventually they search for him, and it’s the reader who finds him in the fifth part, called, of course, ‘The Part About Archimboldi’. Inbetween the novel centres around a Mexican town called Santa Teresa where women have been disappearing for years in a series of unsolved crimes.

What relation this has to the other parts of the book is for readers to discover…

It was well known that this was Bolano’s last book, and his crowning achievement. But much remains untranslated, and so books with fantastically promising titles like The Skating Rink, Monsieur Pain, Antwerp, Assassin Whores and The Insufferable Gaucho will be appearing as quickly as they can be translated – which is over the next two or three

GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT 2666 and The Savage Detectives are published

by Picador and are available now.

Distant Star is available now, from Harvill Press.

A collection of Bolano’s short stories, Last Evenings on Earth is available now, on Vintage.

Nazi Literature in the Americas will be available on import at the end of this month on New Directions, and By Night in Chile will be available at the start of July, on Vintage.

A selection of Bolano’s poetry, The Romantic Dogs, is available on import from New Directions.

List prices of all of these books range from £6.99 to £20, but most are available more cheaply.

years. This is cause for celebration, because to read Bolano is to enter his world, with unreliable narrators, poet adventurers and their crazy movements, disappearances, art used (badly) as a distraction and art used (occasionally) as a compliment to action, all part of the mix, with Arturo Belano wandering in and out of stories and Ibacache mentioned with undisguised scorn here and there too.

There was more cause for celebration for Bolano fans last month when a set of previously unseen manuscripts was uncovered. A novel called ‘The Third Reich’ had already been shopped around publishers at the Frankfurt book fair last year, but this discovery was of two new short novels.

And perhaps most tantalisingly of all, something described as the sixth part of 2666… we shall see.

REVIEWS AN ANARCHIST’S STORY: THE LIFE OF ETHEL MACDONALD

BY CHRIS DOLAN

THE CORNER

BY DAVID SIMON AND ED BURNS

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THE UNKNOWN KNOWNS

THE BURMA CHRONICLES

BY JEFFREY ROTTER

BY GUY DELISLE

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Ethel MacDonald (1909-1960) was a girl from Motherwell who became an anarchist, went to Spain to witness the anarchist movement’s extraordinary influence in Barcelona in 1936, and then became a witness to, and reporter on, the Spanish Civil War, which made her name known around the world. This unlikely story is one that might have been forgotten. Chris Dolan has done a fantastic job of uncovering Ethel MacDonald’s life story given that the documentation of her life is scarce to nonexistent in places. Further, his evocation of the anarchist movement in thirties Spain, ideologically driven by the ideas of Bakunin over those of Marx, and far from the contemporary image of chaotic rage that anarchy is often taken to be, is fascinating and enlightening. Dolan’s reconstructions of scenes from Ethel MacDonald’s life as if he was in the room can be jarring though, contrasted with the impressive historical investigation we find elsewhere, and occasional errors slip through (e.g: Houdini can’t really be said to have been a spiritualist, as stated here, and labour leader ‘Kier’ Hardie often has his name misspelled). Nitpicking aside, this is a great and true story. In the pages of this book, MacDonald’s story is a compelling and extremely well written one. [‘Kier’ Hind]

After his first book, Homicide, a Year on the Killing Streets looked at the lives of a squad of detectives in Baltimore, David Simon chose to take a different perspective on the same town as a follow up. Working with former detective Ed Burns, he looked at a year on the streets of one of Baltimore’s toughest areas. This book may alienate some readers for the same reasons that Simon and Burns’ TV show The Wire was said to.

For example, the authors don’t go out of their way to explain street slang, because that would be condescending to the reader – and you’ll pick it up. There are a lot of characters to keep track of – and you’ll learn to. The larger story of how all of the scenes and people we read about here only gradually starts to appear – and if you take the time to tune in to that, you’ll be absolutely hooked. It’s a harsh story, but it doesn’t strain to achieve a front of false harshness – it’s that way because of Simon and Burns’ commitment to the truth of the story.

Don’t expect a happy ending. Do expect an outstanding book. [Ryan Agee]

Everybody says they know an eccentric, but most of these supposed oddballs don’t really rate. The lead character of this book, Jim Rath, is the kind of eccentric that everyone says they know, but for real. He has a well kept comics collection (not that odd) a tendency to do weird experiments (getting nuttier) and dreams of setting up a museum based on The Aquatic Ape theory of evolution (nuts, but at least he believes in evolution). His wife leaves him, which is understandable, and that leads him to suspect that a mysterious figure is in fact an emissary from a lost underwater race, the Nautikons (now he’s properly nuts). This figure is actually a CIA agent who is rather implausibly (even here) inspecting swimming pools for some sort of anti-terrorism reason. The agent, Les Diaz, ends up suspecting Rath is a terrorist. And the two are, of course, about as crazy as each other. This can be a very funny book at times, but satire of a departed administration (the title is from Donald Rumsfeld’s “There are known knowns” speech) can be wearying. Still, it’s smoothly written, and the plot is worth following to what is a very appropriate conclusion. [Nat Smith]

Guy Delisle previously wrote and illustrated the nonfiction graphic novels Shenzhen and Pyongyang, which were about his time working as an animation supervisor in China and North Korea respectively. Delisle seems to have a knack for ending up in countries suffering under totalitarian regimes, as he now finds himself in Burma (aka Myanmar), an ex-colonial country ruled by ‘senior general’ Than Shwe. This time Delisle’s not working – his wife is, for Medicine Sans Frontiers, whilst he takes care of their infant son Louis. This gives him plenty of time to wander the neighbourhood seeing the sights, baby in tow.

Newspapers are censored, shops are full of empty shelves and an army presence is everywhere. Just down the road (and turn right) the elected leader of the country, Aung San Suu Kyi lives under house arrest. Delisle writes about cultural differences using a familiar tone – “Every morning at around 8am a guy passes by the house, tapping on a bell” and so on. It’s his personal view, and it’s very engaging. The art is simple, but the book isn’t. You’ll end up learning a whole lot more than you thought you would from a comic. [Ryan Agee]

OUT NOW, PUBLISHED BY CANONGATE,

RELEASE DATE 7 MAY, PUBLISHED BY

OUT NOW, PUBLISHED BY JONATHAN

OUT NOW, PUBLISHED BY BIRLINN, COVER PRICE £9.99.

COVER PRICE £12.99

JONATHAN CAPE, COVER PRICE £12.99

CAPE, COVER PRICE £14.99

MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 27

BOOKS

The Master of Tragic Realism

Theatre

Breakin’ Convention:

Spreading the Word Fiona Campbell catches the non-stop rush of hip hop's jamboree of beats and breaks and poppin' Breakin’ Convention began in 2004 when British hip hop artist and MC, Jonzi D, was approached by current Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sadler’s Wells, Alistair Spalding, to direct a fresh and innovative international festival of hip hop dance theatre. The intention was to create a festival that would celebrate the complex diversity of this art form and unite hip hop communities from all over the globe. Above and beyond these aspirations he wanted to create an event that ‘broke the convention’ of performance commonly associated with proscenium stage, and so began the annual Breakin’ Convention.

Jonzi D recognised from both his training at London School of Contemporary dance, as well as his hip hop background, that, very often, hip hop can be pigeon-holed as a genre deemed “less sophisticated and more commercialised” than other dance forms.

Realising that “hip hop and the theatre tend to be polarised” he sought to use Breakin’ Convention as a means to present hip hop within a theatrical context, and to dispel any misconceptions concerning the credibility of this art form. In doing so it exposed the highly skilled, multidimensional techniques that make up the vastly intricate dance genre commonly referred to as hip hop. Aware that the lack of social – and chronological – mobility within the theatre needed addressing, Breakin’ Convention became his vehicle to “resuscitate a flagging theatre scene and inject it with a fresh, new, young, zesty energy”.

The 2009 tour will begin in Sadlers Wells theatre in London, before travelling throughout the UK, culminating in Edinburgh on 18 and 19 May. Held in Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, Breakin’ Convention will be hosted by the prolific, ever charismatic Jonzi D and local B Boy Tony Mills. The line up, bursting with talent from all over the world, includes the original 80s B Boy, Ken Swift referred to by Jonzi D as “the epitome of the B boy”, recent winner of French talent contest Incroyable, Solah (“the most enigmatic, multifaceted hip hop performer out there”) commonly known as “the Charlie Chaplin of hip hop”, and from Korea, Myosung, “the most technically advanced nation of B Boys in the world”.

The aforementioned performers will also be delivering workshops alongside their tour dates, and foyer demonstrations will start at 6pm providing a taster of the acts to follow.

When selecting performers, Breakin’ Convention look for more than mere technical ability. Performers must display a theatrical talent as well, with a style and approach that engages an audience.

Frequently, dance can fail to successfully fulfil all three criteria, yet the fusion of these qualities serves

to transcend one dimensional performances taking dance to a magical, new and exciting realm.

What really makes Breakin’ Convention so unique is the way it foregrounds the formidable sense of community intrinsic to the hip hop world. The artists work together, striving to achieve shared objectives: to raise the profile and awareness of their art form and deliver a vibrant and exciting celebration of hip hop dance theatre. The convention provides an ideal platform for new and established artists to present work, share ideas, and more importantly build networks, with a view to expanding an already thriving community. The importance of this cohesion among artists in these times of economic downturn is essential to the longevity and maintenance of creativity. When funding from corporate sponsorship and charitable giving becomes unpredictable and costs of bringing in artists from overseas are steadily increasing, artists must draw from internal sources and work together.

Breakin’ Convention provides the ideal structure for the hip hop world to do so; a structure that is unique to hip hop, and one that other dance forms could learn from.

In Scotland alone there is much burgeoning talent of the sort events such as Breakin’ Convention seek to highlight. It provides the ideal opportunity to nurture home grown talent, when so many dancers tend to gravitate south in pursuit of increased opportunities. Breakin’ Convention can actively help to reverse this trend, “giving people working in Scotland support; creating a network of hubs throughout the country so that resources can be shared and touring networks can be formed, and helping to stoke the fire that’s already burning”. Scottish crews, Random Aspects and Psycho Stylez are two examples of local talent that are likely to thrive from such exposure.

So whether you are locking, popping, grinding, crumping, or, like me, just happy watching in awe of the sheer talent and technical feats on display, come to Breakin’ Convention. In the words of Jonzi D: “if you haven’t been to Breakin’ Convention before it is guaranteed to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen or experienced before”. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting and unique events in Scotland’s theatrical calendar, Breakin’ Convention 09 will exceed all expectations and ensure a hyped evening of widely diverse music, dance and aerosol art all encapsulated by an unyielding fun and boundless energy that you cannot help but succumb to.

Breakin’ Convention, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Monday 18 - Tuesday 19 May, £15/£10 www.eft.co.uk

Scotland: the Continental Fringe Scottish theatre is more European than England’s is. European Prize winner Rodrigo Garcia’s Scatter My Ashes Over Mickey would not surprise The National Review of Live Art. And Krystian Lupa’s eight hour meditation on Warhol could succeed at the Edinburgh Festival: this vital exploration of moral relativism, creativity and drug abuse was as concise as the best script, even though improvised. English Theatre - unrepresented at the Europe Theatre Prize in Wroclaw, which I attended this month - celebrates script, plot and proscenium.

On the continent, performance jumps from the stage.

Radical tactics don’t abandon quality for novelty.

Lupa eschewed a writer for Factory 2 and continues

28 THE SKINNY May 2009

to scare audiences with live direction, but his actors inhabited the 1960s’ screwballs with panache. Lupa is not subtle - his critiques of materialism would be effective without expensive sets and didacticism - but he addresses serious themes. And since his Accidents led to a police raid, it’s fairly safe to say acceptance hasn’t blunted his aesthetic.

The Europe Theatre Prize poses questions. Given the energy of contemporary performance in Scotland, including the National Theatre, should we look to Europe or to Britain? Scotland offers scripted and experimental work; we are lucky to have the best of both. Yet which direction can open up the theatre to provoke, engage and make drama more than a middle-class night out? [Gareth K Vile]

Top Five: Theatre Events Leave to Remain Thu 7 - Sat 9 May, 7pm, Scottish Storytelling cen., £10

An exploration of grieving. Jo Clifford and actor Suzanne Dance collaborate as writers and performers to create a piece operating between drama and ritual.

Peer Gynt Tue 26 - Sat 30 May, 7:30pm , Dundee Rep From £14

An exhilarating tale of a life on the edge, Peer Gynt is full of trolls, madmen, dancing girls and live music.

Errol White Dance - Three Works Fri 5 - Sat 6 JUN, 8pm, Traverse, £8

A sophisticated study of identity and human vulnerability, featuring a score by Tiago Cerqueria, this trilogy questions how we relate to others, art and to ourselves.

Rockaburley birthday celebration Sat 16 May, 8pm, Classic Grand, £10

A blazing stage show featuring Glasgow star Miss Hell’s Belle, dance duo The Kitsch Kats and the sultry vocals of Lucille Burn. Plus Edinburgh’s Wild Card Kitty, Fancy Chance, and special performances from Rockaburley Girls Cat Aclysmic and Daiquiri Dusk.

Martin O'Connor InnerCircle Sat 16 May 2009 - Sun 24 May 2009, various times £7 including subway ticket

Starts at Bridge Street Subway Station. Another passenger is travelling to work when the day takes an unforeseen turn. His routine interrupted, as he is forced to make difficult choices. www.subwayfestival.com

Michael Cox discusses the updating of a late play by the author of Peter Pan: from lost boys to the lost mother.

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Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company and West Yorkshire Playhouse in association with Centreline UK Ltd presents

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A work that will endure for generationsâ&#x20AC;?

Daily Telegraph

Thu 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sun 24 May Adapted from Philip Pullmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three novels into two full-length plays, Nicholas Wrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stage version of His Dark Materials was a triumph when it premiered at the National Theatre in 2004.

This new production directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and Sarah Esdaile also promises to be a truly exciting theatrical event. Part One and Part Two can be enjoyed alone or together on the same day.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It started with Hitchcock,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; says Nick Bone, artistic director of Magnetic North. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I had read an interview with Hitchcock and was intrigued by this play that had fascinated him. And I had a very strange reaction to it when I read it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The play is Mary Rose, written by famous Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan. Written late in the playwrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life, it tells the tale of a young woman who mysteriously vanishes from a secluded island twice in her life with no explanation. She returns both times without signs of aging and with no memory of having ever been gone. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a challenging work that is hardly ever performed.

Director Alfred Hitchcock, a major fan of the play, had wanted to turn it into a film but never managed to do so. Bone thinks he knows why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seldom seen on stage. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I felt that if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d gone to see it [in modern times], I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t buy into the mystery. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set up like a ghost story but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work like a ghost story.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; He also finds fault with Barrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s female protagonist, calling her a middle-aged manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantasy, and odd. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an innocence in what heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trying to capture, but I found that he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite find a way of getting that across.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; As a solution, Bone proposed to create a brand new play, one that would honour Barrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s characters and plot but would resonate with a modern audience.

He met playwright D. Jones and gave her a copy of the play to read. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We both felt there was something disturbing in it and darkly imaginative that we wanted to develop, staying true to Barrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s themes of grief, loss and disappearance,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; says Jones.

Speaking about the writing process, Jones says â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I struggled early on with wanting to stay true to Barrie but at the same time wanting to make the script our own.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; In speaking about her script, Jones says that there is a resemblance in setting and structure but that

the characters are emotionally richer, an aspect she found lacking in Barrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s script. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I think the end result is that we have hopefully done something original.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This end result is the new play, After Mary Rose. The play still follows the rules set forth in Barrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original and follows two stories, that of Roseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disappearances and the parallel story of her son Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quest for understanding. Of duality, Bone says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mary represents mystery and things that cannot be explained, while Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey is one of explanation.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; There are also parallels to the regrettable losses of war; Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disappearance occurs at the end of the First World War whereas Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story takes place after the Second.

In speaking about the upcoming production, playwright Jones said she now realises that, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We had really set ourselves a big challengeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but remains convinced that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;there is still something darkly emotional and moving in this play that has a timeless quality and will translate to a contemporary world.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; [Michael Cox] Thursday 30 April & Friday 1 May, 7.30pm, Lemon Tree, Aberdeen ÂŁ10(ÂŁ8) 01224 641 122 / www. boxofficeaberdeen.com Saturday 2 May, 7.30pm, Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, ÂŁ10.50(ÂŁ8/under 18s ÂŁ6) 0131 665 2240 / www.thebooth.co.uk

THE ICONIC ROCK OPERA Tue 26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sat 30 May Set in London and Brighton at the height of the Mod era, Quadrophenia is told through the eyes of Jimmy, a hedonistic style conscious teenager who sets off on a trip to Brighton in search of a place to belong and a girl to love.

This compelling coming of age story is brought to life in this original stage adaptation of the legendary album.

The evocative world of sixties Britain provides a colourful backdrop to Jimmyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey.

MUSIC, LYRICS AND CONCEPT by PETE TOWNSHEND Stage adaptation by Jeff Young, John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara and Tom Critchley Also touring to the Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre Glasgow 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 June Visit www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

Wednesday 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday 9 May, 7.30pm [audio described 7 May], Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Wed/Thu ÂŁ13(ÂŁ8/ÂŁ5 unemployed) Fri/Sat ÂŁ16(ÂŁ12) 0131 228 1404 / www.traverse.co.uk

Tickets 0131 529 6000 "KGĂ´&EEĂ´!PPLIES

Wednesday 13 May, 7.30pm, Dundee Rep, ÂŁ12(ÂŁ10) 01382 223 530 / www.dundeereptheatre.co.uk Monday 18 May, 8pm, Eden Court, Inverness ÂŁ10.50(ÂŁ8.50) 01463 234 234 / www.eden-court.co.uk Wednesday 20 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday 23 May, 8pm, Tramway, Glasgow ÂŁ9(ÂŁ6) 0845 330 3501

Ă´.ICOLSONĂ´3TREET Ă´%DINBURGHĂ´%( Ă´ &4 4HEĂ´+ING SĂ´ANDĂ´&ESTIVALĂ´4HEATRESĂ´%DINBURGHĂ´Ă´ AREĂ´MANAGEDĂ´BYĂ´&ESTIVALĂ´#ITYĂ´4HEATRESĂ´4RUST Ă´ 2EGISTEREDĂ´#HARITYĂ´3#

Groups (8+) 0131 529 6005

www.festivaltheatre.org.uk

"KGĂ´&EEĂ´!PPLIES

May 2009

THE SKINNY 29

Theatre

Magnetic North: After Mary Rose

h ottis

Theatre

Previews Hoors Traverse Theatre, edinburgh 1-23 May, 8pm, various prices

“I mean we were all nutters. The things we used to do. I think back. Fucking hell. Scrapes and japes and nonsense and that, ay... I don’t know how we never got killed sometimes. Suddenly it all seems so long ago.”

Hoors is the new play by Gregory Burke, author of the National Theatre’s smash hit Black Watch. Capturing the stag-night antics that won’t stay abroad, Hoors examines the horror of modern mating rituals, complete with failed weddings and the terrible sense that the party is finally over. Burke is one of the new generation of Scottish authors who combine black comedy with terse insights on modern society. And while Hoors has been in gestation since 2005, its bleak mood and dark comedy exposes the come-down being felt by a generation high on economic ecstasy. Although even Burke has complained that this show will remain in Black Watch’s immense shadow, it promises ripe language and an adult, humorous take on adult problems. It also represents a brave attempt by the author to avoid grand statements, preferring to examine domestic disharmony over national politics. It is also a rare example of a modern play grappling with modern anxieties: exactly the sort of work that the Traverse’s remit for new writing ought to encourage. [Margaret Kirk] www.traverse.co.uk

Michael Moreland as Stevie Lisa Gardner as Vicky Euan Myles

Les Ballets C de la B: Ashes Tramway 1, Glasgow 8–9 May, 7.30pm, £12

Chris Van der Burght

Les Ballets C de la B are the most important dance company in the world. Between Alain Platel’s increasingly religious meditations - his VSPRS induced a spiritual experience in both cast and certain members of the audience - and the more humanistic choreography of Koen Augustijnen, C de la B are relentless in their search for radical ways to communicate and surprise. Tramway has supported Augustijnen throughout his latest trilogy - one reason why this venue is so precious - which climaxes with Ashes, a confrontation with grief, loss and the human desire to recapture what has been lost. The first two pieces of the trilogy revealed Augustijnen’s approach: live classical music, balletic technique filtered through adventurous movement and a sombre, sincere pacing that captures both melancholy and high drama. Capable of condensing entire cycles of human behaviour into simple series of movements, Augustijnen demonstrates the ability of dance to bypass the intellect and directly communicate profound ideas and emotion. Despite their dominance of European dance, C de la B remain controversial in the UK. Perhaps because of their willingness to incorporate all manner of styles, they are often regarded with suspiucion by the British dance press, disparaged as a circus troupe. They are visually stunning, but this categorisation ignores their direct, emotional power, as it hankers for a classicism that is often dry and elitist. Ashes will destroy preconceptions, touch on essential human experience even as it opens up the manifold possibilties of choreography. [Gareth K Vile] www.fransbrood.com

reviews Richard Campbell

Copenhagen

Interiors

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

Tron Theatre, Glasgow

until 9 May, 7.30PM, various prices

12-16 May 2009, 7.30pm, £10/£6

rrr

rrrrr

How interesting is science? In Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen, it’s riveting. Frayn, like Stoppard, is not afraid to make his audience think; writing plays of ideas, he keeps just within the grasp of our understanding to continually stretch us towards the truth. The characters, seeking to understand the past, pose the question: why did Werner Heisenberg visit his mentor Niels Bohr at the height of war in 1941? Bohr and Heisenberg can’t agree, so with Bohr’s wife Margrethe, they revisit the past, cleverly using their scientific concepts as a guide for debate.

Frayn prevents the play from drifting into lofty theory by grounding it in human relationships: that of father and son, husband and wife, observer and the observed, with acute insights into morality, ambition and most importantly science’s potential for destruction in certain hands. Stilted by memory, the arguments and accusations fly as randomly (or perhaps as predictably) as electrons and photons, but

In an unnamed place in the far north, seven people gather at a table for eight to celebrate the winter solstice. Performed behind a living room window, our experience of the play takes place in near silence. This is risky, yet Interiors delivers a gentle meditation on friendship and humanity that is thoroughly entertaining, funny and engaging.

While it’s possible to follow the gist, a female narrative voice means this silence never alienates. The characters eat, drink and party; the narrator comments. Our complicit voyeurism is intensified through her access to their private thoughts. We not only see the interior of the house but of the characters’ minds.

Small gestures and expressions become eloquent. There is great joy in reading the expression behind the thought; the rolling of eyebrows, the small smiles, the sniffs and squirms are a delight. One character pauses at the window, and his expression is heartbreaking. The narrative

30 THE SKINNY May 2009

while it’s possible to calculate the movement of electrons and photons, it transpires that it’s nigh on impossible to reduce human motivation to the level of an equation.

Set against the backdrop of war, Copenhagen never fails to provoke and engage. Tony Cownie’s production is a solid one and the three actors make light work of the dense scientific principles. The final image of a possible future is brilliantly ghostly, ghastly and theatrical, however the ideas generated by this play are what linger most. [Susannah Radford] www.lyceum.org.uk

voice translates this movement without lessening the delight of discovery.

There is a Chekhovian mood here, distilling life in all its bitter sweetness. One person is laughing whilst another’s heart is breaking and worse (and here funnier): someone’s laughing at another person because their heart is breaking. Interiors nails the reality of the human experience, tragedy next to triumph, pain next to joy, pettiness next to generosity. It’s Chekhovian too as it captures the mortality lurking behind every life.

Light in tone, the instances of tragicomedy and pathos build weight and substance. It’s also the play most likely to win the best comedy involving a lettuce and a contact lens. Absorbing, beautifully nuanced with superb acting and direction, it is the best play I’ve seen this year.

[Susannah Radford] INTERIORS WAS REVIEWED AT THE TRAVERSE THEATRE, EDINBURGH

COMEDY

It's not a zoo...

The Stand turns away rowdy stag and hen nights and the comedians are definitely in favour.

THEY won’t sit still, they won’t shut up and they won’t leave. Hen and stag parties are a nuisance for anyone close to their crash sites, be it in pubs, in taxis or weaving their way down the street. That is, to me they are. I suppose it’s possible some people find them charmingly mischievous.

But The Stand Comedy Club has now taken the bold step of banning these annoying clusters of idiocy from their audience, to give the rest of their patrons a chance to hear the act the comedians have spent time and effort on. The club’s director, Tommy Sheppard, explains that that they are in danger of losing regulars who get fed up at the antics of drunken groups.

It has been a couple of weeks now since the ban, so we talked to some comedians about the difference it makes playing to a crowd free of farmyard animals. Edinburgh comic Dee Custance sums up the feelings of many we spoke to.

“The odd heckle is ok, but a party has a shared brain. If one person in the group is unhappy, then they all get unhappy like one fat, giant, drunk baby. The pack mentality can really turn a gig on its head. I’m glad The Stand have worked hard to create a fantastic atmosphere in their clubs”.

Siân Bevan, who has performed many times at The Stand, agrees that hearing about the ban was a relief: “Comedians are torn between giving the party the attention they want, often to the irritation of the rest of the audience, or ignoring them and risking them yelling out stuff ”.

Innocence. Excess. Heartbreak.

Everyone sees something different.

Opera. It’s what you make it.

Manon May-June 2009 A ZZ CO CO K NIC

Stags and hens are still catered for at more corporate clubs such as Jongleurs, but as for Scotland’s longestrunning club, it seems a hard line is the best route to the punchline. [Edward Whelan]

T H E

COMEDY CLUB THESKINNY.CO.UK/BLOGS

LIVE COMEDY

7 NIGHTS A WEEK

PREVIEW

333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

ELGIN COMEDY FESTIVAL EIGHT ACRES HOTEL AND LEISURE CLUB

0870 600 6055

22-24 MAY 2009

Scotland might not be the biggest of countries but if you live a fair distance from Glasgow or Edinburgh you might feel a bit distanced from the centre of comedy activity, where getting the last train back often means missing the end of gigs, if you can make them in the first place. So it’s great to see little festivals popping up, dotted all across the country like spring bulbs, taking away the emphasis from the Central Belt. Coming up at the end of May is the Elgin Comedy Festival, a long weekend of quality stand up hosted by the swanky Eight Acres Hotel and Leisure

scottishopera.org.uk

WWW.THESTAND.CO.UK

THE DULLEST BLOG I hate Tuesdays. All the adrenalin that kicked you into the office on a Monday morning has worn off, and yet Friday is still so damned far off.

In fact, a recent survey identified 11:45am on a Tuesday as the most stressful part of the week. so starting Tuesday 5 May, we will be bringing you The Dullest Blog: Comedy ramblings to inspire the most tedious minute of your week. A range of the best Scottish-based and touring comics will bring you a series of their thoughts, musings and anecdotes around monthly themes (this month: picnics!) published at 11:45 every Tuesday. The full line up of our blogging team will be announced online at the end of April, but rest assured it comprises a host of brilliant and talented comedians from around this fair nation. Let them brighten your week. [Lizzie Cass-Maran]

Get £10 tix if you’re under 26. Any seat. Any performance.

Club. There will be a veritable international collection of comedians in attendance from Rowan Campbell “Australia’s best ever export” to Scotland’s “best Afro/ Caribbean comic”, Bruce Fummey. Not to mention a tasty selection of Scottish talent including Jojo Sutherland, John Ross, Stu Who? and lots more. Shows kick off at 8.30 with four different acts every night, so you’re bound to find something there to tickle you. And with the chance to get a bar meal included in the ticket price, staying at home just starts to look really boring. [Edward Whelan]

5 York Place, Edinburgh

0131 558 7272 www.thestand.co.uk

MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 31

Art

reviews Francesca Woodman Ingleby Gallery, 4 Apr - 13 Jun

rrrr Posthumous 1986 touring exhibition ‘Francesca Woodman, Photographic Work’ marked the first point of widespread public awareness for the work of the American artist. The published body of Woodman’s prints – some two hundred, out of an archive of eight hundred - has since remained a hot bed for critical and art historical posturing. This small collection of both vintage prints, a selection of which are currently on show at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art’s Artist Rooms, and prints re-released in editions of 40 by the artist’s estate, a curated selection of which are here presented by the Ingleby, is not only drenched with the critical residue of predominantly feminist debate, but saturated by the artist’s tragic biographical circumstance. The 22-year-old’s 1978 suicide interrupted a nine-year period of making – an epithet that undoubtedly prefaces our engagement with the works.

The theorising of feminine subjectivity that took place in the art discourses of the 1980s secured the relevant recall of 1970s art by women. It can be argued that the work of the late 70s consequently suffers under such codification, but Woodman’s works, whilst coloured by the critical theories that they have evoked, present a particularly strong resistance to canonisation. As exemplified by Lynne Cooke’s critically acclaimed 2008 DCA exhibition Ellipsis, the first joint exhibition of work by 1970s artists Woodman, Chantal Akerman and Lili Dujourie, such re-visitations can make for rich departures. Crucially

omitting the ‘F’ word from the gallery interpretation, Ellipsis surpassed the urge to define the artists using the gendered terms of a different age, whilst simultaneously inviting a reappraisal of the works and their contexts. A robust matrix for the discussion of various abstractions and ‘isms’ – ‘post’, modern, feminine, surreal, and minimal – this ebullient, tricky collection continues to rouse and intrigue.

The Ingleby’s generous and straight presentation allows for a relatively unfettered view of the works. Wrung of their critical inheritance, these small square black and whites proffer a disquieting effect. Woodman pictures her often-naked body obscured, blurred and imprisoned by dilapidated interiors and furnishings. Merging with her scene, and perpetually refusing the constraints of the frame, Woodman’s technically astute photographs stage palpable torment. Offering an unnerving challenge to both medium and genre, these photographs appear to belie their time of conception: they seem old. Shells, flowers, feathers, dusty attics and mirrors – the archaic stuff of feminine myth, are here fearlessly pictured. And we are faced with what feels like source material, the original ground for the creation of such metaphorical associations.

These resilient images thus work to fold, double and divert our expectations – plucky, shining and important works that appear to grow exponentially more interesting with every hang. [Nancy Katz] Self Deceit No.1_Rome,Italy,1978_Gelatin Silver Estate Print

www.inglebygallery.com

Edwyn Collins - Wildlife 1 Glasgow CCA Intermedia Gallery until 9 May

rrr When former Orange Juice man Edwyn Collins was hospitalised in 2005 following a major cerebral haemorrhage, his family were initially told to brace themselves for the possibility of permanent brain damage, with a slow, limited recovery posited as a best-case outcome.

Four years down the line and Collins has already released a new solo album, made a return to record producing and even started gigging again. Although he remains partially paralysed on his right side, his progress has been astonishing by any standards.

Presesnted chronologically, these wildlife drawings - undertaken with the artist’s non-dominant left hand - track the progress of Collins’ rehabillitation as he slowly learned to reconnect with the world around him by rekindling his passion for illustration - a lifelong pursuit that had been marginalised during his years as a successful musician.

Although these images clearly illustrate the gradual improvement of Collins’ motor responses, it is in fact the early drawings, those most proximate to his haemorrhage, that are the most visually fascinating. In his profile illustrations of a Pintail duck and Whooper Swan we find a kind of brittle beauty; a spare, childlike elegance that is hard-won yet perfectly articulate. It’s an enchanting quality, and one that many artists who have not suffered Collins’ misfortune seek to capture.

One is reminded of the age-old art school practice of having students draw with their charcoal attached to

32 THE SKINNY May 2009

Glasgow CCA Intermedia Gallery until 9 May. Free. www.cca-glasgow.com/home

top 5 art events in may

Art rant With all the talk about the creative boom expected to come out of the recession (the last one created Oasis, I believe. God bless that recession), I’ve lately been wondering about what that will mean for visual art. There is a certain type of exhibition that I have always found it very difficult to relate to, a type which has in fact lent a certain ambivalence to my relationship with contemporary local art. They’re the shows that are beautifully put together, aesthetically pristine, accompanied by a carefully worded handout analysing the works in highfalutin theoretical terms which ultimately lead to a suspicion of the works’ utter vacuity. A recent example was a

the end of a long piece of bamboo - a tactic intended to disrupt their habitual methods of thinking and introduce an element of unfamiliarity into their formal approach.

As we move from picture to picture Collins’ dexterity grows, and within a year of starting the series he is producing impressively confident work. In Seahorse, from October 2006, we find a significant advancement in his range of technique, together with a deft use of directional lines which give his images a robust, voluminous quality. By the start of 2009 he has introduced colour to the works: Common Tern Feeding featuring a subtle blue background in front of which the terns are rendered with fluid, powerful lines.

Although some may find it churlish to criticise the drawings of a man recovering from such a serious illness, I think it would be patronising not to mention their faults: specifically that once Collins appears to regain his confidence in mark-making his work does lose some of its peculiar, awkward beauty, the sense of creative drive striving to overcome physical adversity.

Masterpieces they may not be, but as documents of a singular individual’s therapy through art, they’re quite remarkable. [Mark Shukla]

Washington Garcia show, an exhibition which I found initially intriguing, but grew to hate upon reading the self indulgent accompanying essay.

Then it struck me that perhaps this type of work, this overblown, costly and inscrutable work that seems to have so little bearing on life, is actually a symptom of a time of boom, and is now the last vestige of a now departed zeitgeist . And that more people will now start making work that has a meaning outwith their own personal practice, and maybe get into art because they want to change, or at least reflect, the world.

That’s what I’m hoping, anyway. On the subject of picnics, I like the Meadows. [Rosamund West]

1. DUNDEE DEGREE SHOW

4. Sh[OUT]

VISION @ SEABRAES, DUNDEE. 23 MAY – 6 JUN

GLASGOW GALERY OFMODERN ART. 'TIL 1 NOV

In the year when Dundee and its graduates have become something of a focal point for Scottish art, time to see how the next wave are shaping up.

Part of GOMA’s social justice programme, a group show dealing with LGBT rights and history which avoids didactic worthiness through a stellar array of contributors.

2. FRANCESCA WOODMAN INGLEBY GALLERY, EDINBURGH. 'TIL 13 JUN

Works from the archive prove that the Francesca Woodman’s photography surpasses the analysis determined by her tragic end.

3. BUILT, LACKING (NEIL CLEMENTS) DOGGERFISHER, EDINBURGH. 'TIL 6 JUN

Works in paint, neon, and painted neon blur the traditional lines between sculpture and painting.

5. HOW NOT TO COOK COOKBOOK COLLECTIVE GALLERY, EDINBURGH

Not an event, per se, but artist Alexandra Mir is looking for contributions on the subject of cooking disasters, to be published in a limited edition book in August. Go to www.hownottocook.co.uk to share your stories.

On the weekend when Glasgow art explodes, Rosamund West takes a walk down to the newest gallery district on Eastvale Place.

It is relatively rarely that the Glasgow art world lives up to its reputation as a glittering rival to high-profile art hubs like London and Berlin. On the occasions that it does, however, it is something of a sight to behold.

April’s Gallery Weekend is just such an event.

Exhibitions and performances mushroom all over the city, but surely the most excitement is to be found in the burgeoning artist community of Eastvale Place, the nascent gallery street of Washington Garcia, ten til ten and Glasgow Sculpture Studios that has grown up around the existing SWG3 in the course of the last year.

In the GSS car park, Lowsalt have taken over with two shipping containers, a barbecue and a trestle bar on the cusp of an overgrown wasteland and a railway line. Of such makeshift materials dreams are made. Artist Will Foster uses one container to create a viewing platform, part of his project of encouraging the audience to investigate the realities and potentials of this peripheral location. Tin can telephones are strung across the scrubland, while binoculars lie on plinths beside toy chalk boards, playfully encouraging the viewer to take an exaggeratedly close look at their environment and respond. In the other container, Lowsalt present a (very) mini retrospective of their back catalogue of programming. The tiny space filled with video and photo documentation of 3 years’ worth of events is pleasingly incongruous, the sense of restricted means being stretched to their very limits appropriately reflective of the self-determination of Lowsalt’s ethos.

Next stop on Eastvale Place is ten til ten, transplanted from its Tradeston warehouse to a much more intimate (yes, smaller) white cube-like space. Bobby Niven’s

Dawson City, works created by the artist during a residency in Dawson City, Yukon, in the frozen North West of Canada, is complemented by this space. The white of the walls reflects the white of the dazzling snow of his video works and photos. The artist combines materials man made and animal to create humour, reflection, a meditation on the relationships between us and them. In one photgraph an icy dog turd looms in a snowbound scene, icicle legs and the suggestion of a face creating the odd impression of a giant frozen shit sculpture. On a plinth rests a vast moose antler covered in expanding foam, its tips painted in nail varnish. This strange desecration creates a tension between humour and guilt, the form of the finished work parodying a cartoon monster, as the reality of the materials involved leaves the viewer feeling complicit in the humiliation of a mighty beast.

Last on the street is SWG3, the Studio Warehouse that seems to be constantly transforming itself into something more innovative. On this particular night it hosts ‘Jamie Radcliffe’ The Exhibition, featuring

works by over 50 artists local and international for one night only. The theme is one Jamie Radcliffe, an ‘upholsterer and part time football player from Hartlebury, England’. Each artist strives to celebrate this average-looking and sounding man, obsessively repeating his image into the shape of a vast wall-based tongue of the Stones variety; breaking apart his name and melding it with another; presenting the suddenly sinister Royal Mail notification of undelivered mail for one Jamie Radcliffe at a Glasgow address. The exhibition playfully explores crushes and desires, at times imitating the ritual of the teenager attempting to find a meaning in these unknown, overpowering emotions, at times alluding to something darker in the realm of stalking and obsession. Engaging and stimulating, Jamie Radcliffe proves a fitting ending to a night of Glasgow galleries, providing serious work infused with a sense of humour. [Rosamund West]

It has become increasingly clear of late that Dundee has successfully refuted the traditional Central Belt dictatorship of Scottish art. As DCA turns ten, The Associates show celebrates the art and music of the city and its graduates (Luke Fowler, Katy Dove, Scott Myles amongst many others) with an example of the original curation for which the gallery has become renowned. Evidence of this curating spark can also be found in DCA’s selection

by Scotland and Venice as the team behind the Scottish Pavilion at the 2009 Venice Biennale.

Proof of the skill present at a grassroots level came in the form of the 2009 RSA New Contemporaries show, when Duncan of Jordanstone graduates presented work that dominated the exhibition. While at degree show time last year the major Scottish colleges presented shows largely similar in terms of diversity and skill, when the RSA came around, 9 months on, it was clear that the Dundee crew had been the ones making the most of their time, skills and ambition. Works by Euan Taylor and Fraser Gray dominated the galleries, works which had been made fresh and marked a development on their undergraduate pieces. As graduates from elsewhere re-presented their degree shows, or struggled to elucidate a whole new spectrum of research, it was clear that a wealth of ambition and quiet industry lay a little further north than the capital.

With that in mind, we look to the 2009 Duncan of Jordanstone degree show. This year it takes place outwith the college itself, in the Vision building at Seabraes. The college is raising the bar by challenging the students to exhibit in a commercial building, rather than the cosy surrounds of their own studios. Disciplines include Fine Art, Design, the idiosyncratic Time Based Art, Philosophy and many more. Specific details of works remain elusive at this point, as the students have yet to finish making them. We can safely assume, however, that there will be much to see. [Rosamund West] Vision @ Seabraes, Greenmarket, Dundee DD1 4QB Mon - Fri (Sat - Sun) 9:30 - 20:30 (16:30)

www.tentilten.co.uk www.swg3.tv

(excluding Sat 6 Jun when the exhibit will close at 2pm)

‘This is the kind of show that makes you feel glad to be alive’ The Scotsman on Bâche, 2004

Les Ballets C. de la B.

Ashes

Fri 8 & Sat 9 May 2009 7.30pm £12 / £8

Box Office: 0845 330 3501 www.tramway.org 25 Albert Drive Glasgow G41 2PE

May 2009

THE SKINNY 33

Art

Glasgow Gallery Weekend

Dundee Degree Show 09

Vision @ Seabraes 23 May – 6 Jun

MUSIC

Hide the Kitchen Knives Having produced everybody from Smog and The Thermals through to Marilyn Manson and Celine Dion, John Congleton tells Chris Cusack why they all inspired him to strike out on his own and resume the pAper chAse WHEN John Congleton formed the pAper chAse in 1998 it was initially as a means of controlling the intrusive and frequent panic attacks he was suffering at the time. Whether it was a desperate last resort or not, he attests that it was a remarkably effective treatment.

Since that time, whether through fear of what might happen if he quit his “medication” or a growing love of the increasingly brilliant music his band gave voice to, Congleton has piloted that band across the ensuing decade with sinister aplomb.

As they prepare for the release of latest opus Someday This Will All Be Yours: Part 1, the pAper chAse looks set to expand the devout circle of fans its brilliantly tuneful, morbid reflections on existence have accrued. No prizes for guessing that the forthcoming record has a sequel, due out within the next year.

“Both records were written simultaneously but we still have a lot of tweaks to make to the second part,” explains Congleton between takes in a Texas studio.

Someday... parts 1 and 2 have initially been touted as concept albums by UK distributors Southern Records, yet that phrase is enough to send chills up many spines and Congleton himself is quick to offer a fuller explanation.

“The songs are all talking about natural disasters and calamities in one way or another, looking at how we are all really powerless in the face of some situations and occurrences. People are pretty egomaniacal; we’re obsessed with the idea of how we can have a massive impact on our surroundings but I kind of take comfort in the idea that we often are pretty insignificant, you know? Events just show us to be tiny creatures on a very big planet in a very big universe and we’re really not as big a deal as we’d like to think. It is certainly something that helps with the panic attacks. The ability to recognise that some things are beyond worrying about: completely outwith our control. Then the anxiety goes.”

Track subtitles including The Comet, The Epidemic and The Human Condition give some insight into the kind of helplessness Congleton is referring to. All are delivered in the pAper chAse’s typical, malevolent cabaret fashion. Crunching bass, razor sharp guitars, wryly delivered vocals and unsettling piano take turns leading the way in each song. Elaborating on the writing process, Congleton explains “When you tear it all away, these are really very typical songs. I used to write a lot on the piano, but most of the new record came together on acoustic guitar. In fact, Kill Rock Stars (their US label) had originally asked me to put together a solo album. The pAper chAse had sort of wound down and seemed like it might stop being an ongoing thing so I was working on this record by

myself. That is until Jason [Garner, drums] joined the band. Man, he was a real shot in the arm. He gave a new breath of life into the whole group. We all started playing together again and the ideas just kept coming.”

With atmospherics playing a significant role in all of their previous work, he offers: “I love the sound of non-musical things in a musical context so I spend a lot of time working on that part myself.”

Given that his reputation as a musician is easily equalled by his reputation as a producer and engineer (see Grammy nominated work with the unlikely disparates such as Bono, Marilyn Manson and Celine Dion as well as many underground luminaries,

34 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

expand to five for a forthcoming trip to Europe, enabling the addition of more keys and the easier use of live samples. As to when this trip might be exactly, he only says “some time in early Fall”. Having run off with the cup for their show-stopping performance at All Tomorrow’s Parties last summer, anticipation for that very tour might well reach epidemic proportions of its own pretty fast. Just make sure you do something about it early. While you still can.

SOMEDAY THIS WILL ALL BE YOURS: PART 1 IS RELEASED VIA SOUTHERN ON 5 MAY. WWW.THEPAPERCHASEBAND.COM

A MUSO’S TOP 10: DANANANANAYKROYD

BEARING UP In the classic Yogi Bear episode, Bear on a Picnic, our protagonist is halted in his tracks by the dreaded Ranger Smith as he and Boo Boo make a grab for some tourist's 'pic-a-nic basket'.

That's just how they do it in Jellystone Park. Yogi returns to the scene later (sans Smith) to find a baby sitting on a banquet, leaving him with a dilemma: return the child, or tan the feast.

But what the hell does any of that have to do with Music? Well, there's some vague relevance

including 90 Day Men, Smog and Explosions In The Sky), Congleton confesses to having been motivated back into musical action by some of his recent recordings. “I’m inspired all the time. On my own projects I try to only work with artists that I like, respect or have time for as good people. I always want to be inspired by that work.” His recent credits on Explosions In The Sky’s last album attracted industry praise for his ability to capture their spectacular bombast. That session also saw his own band go on to tour with the Texan instrumentalists across the USA. To date, the pAper chAse has generally performed as a four piece, but Congleton outlines plans to possibly

to our cover feature and the fact it's nigh on pic-a-nic time (see our 2009 Festival calendar).

And then there's the hope that "the man" can't govern your fortunes forever. So forget the budget, buy some tunes and get yer summer planned.

We're probably all going to hell in a handbasket anyway.

Fortunately he's got AC/ DC on the stereo. /Dave

In their few years together, this Glasgow sextet has managed to create a uniquely energetic sound (often self-described as ‘Fight-Pop’) and make a name for themselves - no matter how ridiculous it may seem - subsequently earning comparisons to the likes of Les Savy Fav and Fugazi. But which tunes really make them tick?

Before jetting off to Texas for his band’s virginal stint at SXSW, Guitarist Duncan Robertson offers ten tracks - from Glasgow bands to personal classics - to give us some insight into the inner-workings and inspiration behind at least one sixth of the sublime mess that is Dananananaykroyd. [Ryan Drever]

1. Plaaydoh - Oh Jay 2. Tiple School - I’m In Slayer 3. Macrocosmica - V For Vendetta 4. Life Without Builidings - New Town 5. Dutch Uncles - Face In 6. Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed 7. The Mae Shi - Run To Your Grave 8. Jonathan Fire Eater - Give Me Daughters 9. Sebadoh - Spoiled 10.Kenickie - Come Out 2nite DANANANANAYKROYD PLAY STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL,GLASGOW ,23 MAY

After a twenty-year “tea break”, legendary Scottish indie-pop miscreants The Vaselines are back with a reissue, US tour and new material. Gillian Watson talks to Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee about their legacy, Nirvana and next steps In December 2008, The Vaselines packed out the Glasgow ABC with a hushed crowd of awed indie fans practically rubbing their eyes to make sure they weren’t dreaming. In May, the resurgent Bellshill legends will undoubtedly garner a similarly adoring response on their first US tour. The band’s pivotal duo, Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, are pleased, but thoroughly freaked out. “The adulation has floored me a wee bit,” admits McKee. “I’m pleased playing to ten people anywhere I go... It’s just really unexpected.” Kelly sounds a similarly nonplussed note: “The Glasgow show was a bit odd. It was such a big show, and we were headlining it – we just didn’t know where it had come from.”

This modest response may sound surprising from a pair responsible for the only Scottish band with a very real claim to underground superstardom – a group who supernovaed in the late 1980s with a pair of superlative singles and one album, before splitting, the records going out of print until one Kurt Cobain discovered them and propelled The Vaselines’ 19-song catalogue back into print and worldwide recognition with a few wellplaced covers. Yet the band’s near-mythical status belies the fact that in real life they are overwhelmingly down to earth, and that their records were not borne from the ambition to make history, but rather with the goal of “having a laugh”, according to Kelly. Touring back then was very different. “Back in the ‘80s we were a bit more rough and primitive live, messy and shambolic… you couldn’t get people to shut up! It was just people talking and ignoring us. They didn’t really know who we were back then, so we were just another band on the bill… we didn’t really get any respect.”

This is a far cry from The Vaselines’ current string of dates across the globe. McKee finds that she is enjoying herself much more this time round: “People already know the songs so well, so you don’t have to break an audience: they know what they’re getting, we know what we’re giving, and it just makes for a really easy night.” Kelly credits the Nirvana connection with bringing the Vaselines this wider attention: “I’ve always said this – if it wasn’t for Nirvana recording our songs, we would just be another band who came along and disappeared and no one would have ever been talking about us now.”

Yet, as the musical tide swells and ebbs, a host of other bands are claiming The Vaselines’ influence.

Kelly has read about new critical darlings Vivian Girls and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who appear to be the musical children of The Pastels and The Vaselines, but is uneasy about pinpointing their influence: “there’s definitely bands out there who must be sounding a bit like us, but it’s a bit bigheaded to think that your music’s influenced people. I don’t really see it, and a lot of those bands would probably deny they’ve been influenced by us as well.” Besides, he’s uncomfortable with placing the band within an indie tradition, as he feels that they were never really part of the scene with The Pastels which everyone supposed. “I don’t know where we stand,” he explains, “and I find it hard even being connected to all those bands [The Pastels, The Jesus and Mary Chain et al] because they were before us and they kind of inspired us. Maybe to other people it’s like we were part of the same scene, but to me, we were always slightly younger and distanced from them.

It’s kind of hard to see where you are in the scheme of things when you’re inside it.” McKee, in contrast, sees The Vaselines almost “as an entity outside of myself… it doesn’t actually feel like me, so sometimes I can hear influences.” She cites Adam Green and Kimya Dawson’s perv-pop duo the Moldy Peaches as an example of a group who have taken The Vaselines’ sound forward.

Kelly and McKee’s differing attitudes to the role The Vaselines plays in their lives perhaps has the development of their respective songwriting confidence at its root. Although the pair collaborated on the group’s songs, The Vaselines was to be the crucible in which Kelly’s idiosyncratic songwriting talents were fired, while McKee was content to work with him on songs

the vaselines, back in the day

"We actually limit ourselves as individuals so much, and we always think we can’t do this or we can’t do that, we can actually do anything… that’s the sort of feeling that I want others to have" Frances McKee

he had brought to the table until she found herself with later project Suckle. As the band write new material, McKee is taking more of a lead, explaining that “because I’ve written so many songs on my own, it’s obviously given me confidence to be a bit more forthright with what I want the new songs to sound like”, and Kelly is enthusiastic: “It’s great, because it means we’re both sort of working at the same level… it’s good to get a different perspective on life and music and writing, to just be equal with someone and say let’s split everything and let’s work together”.

Arguably the strength of Kelly and McKee’s working partnership, which has survived a romantic involvement first time round and twenty years of doing other things, is based on the common influences which encouraged them to form the band. A tentative question about the extent to which their home in the west of Scotland has influenced the records provokes an enthusiastic response from Kelly. “That’s the biggest influence on us and probably a lot of people who are musicians. Where you are from, your upbringing, your family, it all influences you, ‘cause the music you’re introduced to is first supplied through your family. Me and Frances, we’ve got very similar upbringings and the music that’s played in our houses which was kind of country music, and then glam rock and punk rock, that all trickles through – you can’t help but be influenced by it. That’s totally shaped the way we were because everything I’ve heard, I’ve heard through growing up in Glasgow.”

Arguably, this is the key point at which bands such as Vivian Girls diverge from The Vaselines’ sound. Any musician with a limited grasp of the guitar will make a similar kind of racket; the unique nature of these

bands comes from the personality and local colour in the vocals and lyrics. The Vaselines reveal what makes them special through the rainy majesty of the countrified Slushy, or the minimalism of Son of a Gun, a plodding rocker rendered a transcendent manifesto

by McKee’s unabashedly Glaswegian vowels.

This gleeful insistence on being wholly themselves is what renders them unusual. In 1986, the NME released a landmark compilation tape, C86, that defined the naive indie pop sound of the era. While other bands like The Pastels opted to push the boundaries of what they were capable of, The Vaselines created havoc from within their limited musical palette, trading wide-eyed innocence for lyrics that exploited innuendo and daring to make a joyful noise on tracks like the freewheeling Dying for It. The uniqueness of their approach and their reference points is impossible for the new breed to replicate; so we can still find a place for the Vaselines in our (painfully pure) hearts twenty years on.

Yet their most important legacy, which will outlast their slim catalogue and whatever additions may be made to it in the coming years, is arguably the spirit of their endeavour. McKee concurs: “the legacy for me would be that anyone can do anything. We actually limit ourselves as individuals so much, and we always think we can’t do this or we can’t do that, we can actually do anything… that’s the sort of feeling that I want others to have.”

Enter the Vaselines, a 2CD retrospective compilation, via Sub Pop on 4 May. The Vaselines play Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona on 28 May. www.subpop.com/artists/the_vaselines

May 2009

THE SKINNY 35

Music

Re-Enter The Vaselines

Music

The Path of Khan With her second album in the can, Bat For Lashes are the talk of indie town. But what's with the hippydippy vibe? And where did that Scott Walker duet come from? Natasha Khan explains all to Nick Mitchell In a music business wherew female artists are so often forced into pigeonholes – Duffy the doe-eyed kitten, Lily Allen the feisty brat, Kate Nash the kooky every-girl – it’s only the true individuals who stand out over time. The talent of non-conformists like Kate Bush, Bjork and PJ Harvey burns far brighter and longer than the aforementioned chart dwellers, and now we can add another name to that list: Natasha Khan.

The silken voice of Bat For Lashes paints from a palette of influences and inspirations that extends far beyond that of the current crop of pop tarts. Like countless musicians before her, the creative diversity of the half-Pakistani, Brighton-based Khan stems from an art school background. “I did artwork before I ever considered music so I think it couldn’t help but imbue what I do,” she says. “When I was at university I did a 50% music, 50% art degree and it was all about how music and visuals relate to each other. So it’s always been natural for me to express the universal concept rather than just keep to isolated mediums.”

It was this all-encompassing ambition that led to the stylistic panache of her debut album Fur And

Gold in 2006, the bookmakers’ favourite to win the Mercury Music Prize of the following year. In the end she lost out to The Klaxons’ music tabloid friendly ‘new rave’ debut. I ask Khan if that was a blessing in disguise. “Definitely,” she replies without pause for thought. “I mean I’d already been touring the album for two years and I was dead on my feet by that time. It was lovely as a little affirmation and to be thrust into the spotlight and give it that final sort of bang before I stopped and went on to make the next record. But I think if I had have won it would have been a good excuse for the record company to send me off on another tour for a year and I probably would have died! I think I was really ripe and ready to move on creatively at that point, it was like the perfect outcome really.”

What the nomination did do was turn heads, and one particularly famous noggin was that of Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, who asked Bat For Lashes to support his band on last year’s In Rainbows European tour. And according to Khan they’re not the irritable chin-strokers of Meeting People Is Easy yore. “It was great. We danced a lot every night, drank

A Summer Wasting Stag & Dagger

Rock Ness

23 May, Various venues across Glasgow

7–8 Jun, Dores, Inverness

The Phantom Band(pictured), Black Lips, The Twilight Sad, Meursault £15, www.staganddagger.com

May

The Flaming Lips, Biffy Clyro, Placebo, The Prodigy, Orbital, DJ Yoda(pictured), Frightened Rabbit £7 per day or £12 weekend ticket www.rockness.co.uk

The Aliens(pictured), Bonobo, FOUND, James Yorkston & The Athletes Kelburn Castle, near Largs

Weekend camping ticket: £69, www.kelburngardenparty.com

June

goNORTH

5–6 Jun, across Inverness

St. Deluxe, Nacional(pictured), Spyamp, Hey Enemy, Bronto Skylift

Knockengorroch World Ceilidh

21-24 May, Carsphairn, Galloway The Orb, Roni Size, Orkestra Del Sol, Joe Acheson Quartet

Four day camping ticket: £80 (Adult), £36 (11-15 yrs), £0 (Under 11) www.knockengorroch.org.uk

36 THE SKINNY May 2009

Wickerman Festival

The Garden Party

19-21 Jun, Kelburn Castle, near Largs

24–25 Jul, East Kirkcarswe Dundrenndan

Idlewild(pictured), Billy Bragg, O' Death, Remembe Death

Weekend camping ticket: £75, www.thewick

July

Two Days in Stereo

Outsider Festival

19–20 Jun, Stereo, Glasgow

27-28 Jun, Cairngorms National Park

£7 per day or £12 weekend ticket myspace.com/2daysinstereo

Weekend camping: £60, www.outsiderfestival.co.uk

United Fruit, Vcheka, Loss Leader

Fence Collective, Teenage Fanclub, Drever, McCusker & Woomble, We Were Promised Jetpacks

Glasgow International Jazz Festival

T In The Park

10–12 Jul, Balado Air

Blur(pictured), Nine Inch Nails(picutred Seeds, Passion Pit, Franz Ferdinand, H Crystal Castles

Day tickets for Friday and Sunda www.tinthepark.com

Stonehaven Folk Festival

19-28 Jun, venues across Glasgow

9–12 Jul, Mineralwell Park, Stonehave

Ticket prices vary, www.jazzfest.co.uk

Weekend camping ticket: £50, www.stonehavenfolkfestival.

Kyle Eastwood Quintet (pictured)+ more

Peatbog Faeries, Heidi Talbot, John McCusker

really funky and was something I never could have come up with. Chris [Keating, singer] added a lot of African-style drum programming to the second half of Pearl’s Dream that moves it to a really happy, dancey place. We were dancing around the studio being silly, enjoying the pop-ness of it!”

Khan’s hedonistic collaboration with Yeasayer was a world away from her experience of working with Two Suns’ other guest star, the reclusive 60s icon Scott Walker with whom she duets on album closer, The Big Sleep. “It was totally different,” Khan confirms.

“And that’s what’s interesting about collaborating if you choose wisely. I knew Scott Walker would be perfect for that kind of brooding song. We emailed each other because he’s so shy but we discussed the song and talked about the characters and the imagery and he sent me his amazing part. So I never met him and I’m not sure I’d want to really. It was nice to write for each other and communicate on that level without all the embarrassment and awkwardness. It was really special.”

Now that her album has been released and critics are striving to sum up its myriad qualities, Bat For Lashes are on the road again, with a revamped line-up that includes former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley. “I loved the last tour because we had all the strings playing and the girls were just so well disciplined,” Khan says. “It was powerful in some areas but there wasn’t much opportunity to dance.

This time there’s still all the dark, magical elements but there’s also the drumkit and electronic drumpads and beat machines. The beat’s really big now so you get that real dynamic during the set, up down and all over. And Charlotte’s kick-arse. She’s singing, playing guitar, bass, synth and drums. I like multi-instrumentalists, so we can all move around. She’s very diverse and quite feisty.”

The same could be said about Khan, and although she’s amiable in conversation, she doesn’t like to give too much away. It’s when I ask a dry, non-personal question about the production of Two Suns that she actually hints at a deep-set concern over how she is perceived: “I had a massive say in the production. I like to make that clear because some people think ‘oh she just sings’ but I’m quite proud of my technical abilities.” Unlike your standard-issue chanteuse, it’s safe to say that Khan does more than just sing.

rswell,

Remember Remember, Drums of

Bat For Lashes plays Latitude Festival, Suffolk on 17 July.

Wizard Festival

w.thewickermanfestival.co.uk

Innerleithen Music Festival

The Charlatans(pictured), Buzzcocks Weekend camping ticket: £65m, www.wizardfestival.com

Eddi Reader, Karine Polwart Band(pictured)

Weekend tickets: £40, www.innerleithenmusicfestival.org

k

ils(picutred), Jane's Addiction, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Mogwai, Nick Cave and the Bad rdinand, Hockey, The Mars Volta, Of Montreal, Foals, Manic Street Preachers,

nd Sunday are still available, priced at £60 and £72.50 respectively

Retrofest

29–30 Aug, Glasgow Green

Sister Sledge, Rick Astley, Aswad, Showaddywaddy

Weekend camping ticket: £95 (Adult), £40 (Child), £47.50 (Teenager), www.retrofest.co.uk

Tartan Heart Festival

ehaven

7–8 Aug, Belladrum Estate, near Inverness

festival.co.uk

Weekend camping ticket: £80, www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk

DeVotchKa(pictured), Sons & Daughters, British Sea Power, Lau

KATE BUSH

Disenchanted with safe female artists like Carole King, Kate Bush wanted to push the bar without sacrificing her music’s mainstream appeal.

This approach bore fruit when in 1978, aged just 19, Bush became the first woman to reach number one in the UK chart with a self-written song, Wuthering Heights. Although that is still her signature track, she continued to make challenging music and remains a huge influence on successive waves of female performers.

BJORK

Despite making music throughout the 1980s in an assortment of Icelandic bands, it was when Björk Guðmundsdóttir moved to London and teamed up with Massive Attack producer Nellee Hooper that she scored her breakthrough with Debut. Since then she has turned her utterly unique soprano to countless styles and sounds, from the chilly electronica of Homogenic to the a capella tapestry of Medúlla, while being an outspoken critic of American foreign policy and China’s treatment of Tibet.

PJ HARVEY

Polly Jean Harvey can quite easily be described as England’s most important female solo artist of the past two decades.

From her 1992 debut Dry onwards, she has been responsible for a series of critically acclaimed LPs, without a trace of compromise. A serial collaborator with the likes of Mick Harvey, Thom Yorke and Mark Lanegan, Harvey recently scored another success in A Woman A Man Walked By, in tandem with long-term cohort John Parish.

M.I.A.

August

do Airfield, Kinross

l

28–29 Aug, New Deer Showground, Aberdeenshire

14–16 Aug, Innerleithen, Borders

The lineage of fiercely independent solo females that leads to Natasha Khan is a long one, but here are a few of our favourites.

Two Suns is out now via Parlophone.

Wellies - check, Factor 50 - check (optimistic much?), £13.99 tent from Asda - check, frayed Showaddywaddy t-shirt - apparently. Then you know what time it is: Your trusty one stop guide to festival season 2009 is here...

ival

an army of She

The music of Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam mirrors her displaced, cross-cultural background. Son of a Tamil activist, the girl who would become M.I.A. moved between England, Sri Lanka and India in her early years, before studying art in London and eventually settling in Brooklyn. Her 2005 debut Arular is a potent mix of hip-hop, punk and politics, and she followed that with the musical melting pot that is Kala two years later. M.I.A. recently hit the mainstream with her work on the soundtrack to the Oscar-laden Slumdog Millionaire.

May 2009

THE SKINNY 37

Music

lots of wine, had lots of fun,” she recalls. “I was quite nervous playing to so many people, like up to 50,000 people, but after a while I realised that the Radiohead fans were being very patient, interested and quiet during my set and that was really cool. So if it was going to be a big band Radiohead was the one. It was a big learning curve but a good one.”

With such endorsements, the pressure was on Khan to follow the rather bare-boned Fur And Gold with a second LP that took Bat For Lashes an artistic step forward. So there was probably no better environment for creative inspiration than the epicentre of indie that is Brooklyn, New York, where Khan lived for a time during the conception of Two Suns, her new album. “I think in Brooklyn and America there’s a lot more interesting stuff coming out than in England,” Khan says. “I’m glad I was there when that was kinda incubating.” But she wasn’t just holed up in one studio the whole time: “The proper recording started in Wales, and then a bit in New York. I also did quite a bit of field recording, like the subway trains in Brooklyn and my friends sitting around a campfire in the forest that comes at the end of Sleep Alone.”

A campfire in the forest? It sounds almost too new-age to stomach, but Khan happily revels in her own brand of 21st century mysticism, an outlook that extends to the primeval cover art and vaguely pagan overtones of Two Suns. I enquire about the duality that the title suggests. “This record is based on a personal relationship I went through. I wanted to call it Two Suns because it’s the analogy of two personalities crashing into each other. I wanted to make sure that it wasn’t just a romance album, that the concepts were quite universal, on a personal and on a big, cosmic level.”

It was this particular approach that drew Khan to another band with a penchant for out-there lyricism and ethnic beats. “When I heard Yeasayer’s album I was really excited because I knew it was along the lines of what I was doing,” Khan says. “I asked if they could enhance that and help me push it even further, which they did. I liked their album because it had that element of spirituality and mysticism but it was quite rootsy and dancey and I love that combination.”

Although the Brooklyn band focussed their energies on the song Pearl’s Dream, their sound permeates the album’s more kinetic moments. Khan elaborates: “I wrote the bassline for Daniel but I had done it on a little bass synth and Ira [Wolf Tuton, Yeasayer bassist] kindly replaced quite a few basslines for me, and added his own to Pearl’s Dream that was

When Grandaddy dissolved in 2005, their lead singer disappeared to the mountains in Montana, essentially turning his back on the industry to reinvigorate his relationship with music.

Jason Lytle sits down with Matthew Young to explain how he found the road back.

JEFF HAWE

MUSIC

Lytle, by Lytle

KING Creosote didn’t just vanish for ten years in between the fall of the Khartoum Heroes and the release of his first album on Domino Records. Micah P. Hinson wasn’t saved from self-destruction simply by the redemptive power of music. And Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle didn’t just run away to the wilderness to live in a cave for three years after the demise of one of the most successful indie bands of recent memory.

This is the vague story that percolated through to my mind when, after more than ten years of what any independent band would consider wild success, Grandaddy finally imploded. Lytle moved out to Montana and made a clean break ostensibly, it seemed, to retire. But like Hinson and Anderson before him, Lytle seems to bristle slightly when faced with the simplistic version of his own life story.

He didn’t, of course, just vanish. “I did a lot of collaborative stuff, a lot of back seat things. I contributed a lot to M. Ward.; the Dangermouse and Sparklehorse record - I’ve got a couple of songs on there. I’ve done some commercial stuff, some remixes of old songs. I kept the studio moving, and kept myself busy which is a good thing, in between spending a lot of time outdoors and just enough time indoors to pay the bills.

“I wasn’t sitting trying to find myself under the guide of some guru in India” he says, rather insistently.

“I wasn’t completely removed, but I was definitely on the backburner. I was like ‘how do I fit into all this?’”

38 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

How indeed. For someone who has had a lot of success, Jason Lytle doesn’t, in a sense, seem like a music person. Even at the height of Grandaddy’s fame, he says, when they were playing all the big shows like Letterman and so on, it was “like we snuck in the back door. We were not designed to be overachievers. It was like Revenge of the Nerds.”

In interview, Lytle doesn’t really talk much about music, either - at least not directly. And that’s a good thing, because it’s when you hear him talk about his life now that you start to get some sort of feeling for why Grandaddy fell apart.

“I moved to this town in Montana to be surrounded by mountains, basically. I’ve always read about expeditions and mountaineers and the outdoors, and that’s what fascinates me. I don’t read memoires of Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. I don’t chain smoke, sitting on some dirty couch in a backstage area talking about the latest exploits of the Stooges, although I do appreciate the occasional Keith Moon story.”

“I was always reading outdoor magazines, and it’s a big part of my life, actually to the point that I avoid it because it’s not very rock ‘n’ roll; it’s like my own personal, secret thing. But at some point I realised that this is what makes me tick, I need to be outdoors.

In the grand scheme of things it’s my balance. I can easily go on some four hour nature hike and listen to Kaiser Chiefs and Neon Neon on my iPod and it makes no sense with my surrounding environment,

"THE MUSIC INDUSTRY BREEDS PEOPLE WHO JUST LIKE TO STAND AROUND AND TALK SHIT ABOUT STUFF" but somehow I’m making my own sense, and then I go home and work on music.”

So contrary to what tends to be the received wisdom, Lytle wasn’t turning his back on music at all.

He was simply, it appears, turning his back on what his life had become in order to repair his relationship with music. It was, basically, so he could continue, not so he could stop. “I like it when I can put a cap on things,” he muses. “In big cities with too many stimuli

I can’t put a cap on it and I start blowing fuses.”

During our conversation Lytle takes a long time to formulate his sentences; the pauses are occasionally so long that I start talking again, only to realise that I’m actually interrupting. I think of someone that thoughtful and deliberate, and I think of the relentlessly intrusive side of life as a famous musician, and the two simply do not go together, and this is where I start to understand.

Lytle most definitely does not, in look or personality, come across as someone who would feel very comfortable with the industry side of the music business, or indeed with the celebrity side of success.

“In my personal life I’m very on top of my own finances; I love tools, I love accountability. I didn’t get into this line of work to escape work. I like being on top of things. I think it carries over into the art. At some point you need a little help, but the people I end up really looking up to never got into this line of work so that eventually all they do is go to cocktail parties, give readings, and get flown around and hang out in Monaco. I love getting my boots dirty.”

This comes back once again to the industry itself.

How much does it take, especially nowadays, to actually make a record? Not much, but to support the entertainment industry, which is what a lot of popular music gets subsumed into, you end up with an amazing system of hangers on, managers, handlers, organizers and assorted other fluffers circling around the single essential body: the band.

“My friend has a dad who is a car mechanic, and there’s always three or four guys standing around, and one guy’s doing the work and all these other guys are just standing around the cracker barrel telling stories, and I’m just not comfortable with that. And for some reason the music industry breeds it, people just like to stand around and talk shit about stuff. I just want to do good work, and I get in, and I can network to a degree, and then I’m out. Later.”

At the time of this interview Lytle’s band has just returned from a stint at South by South West in Austin, Texas. I wonder how he took the sheer frenzy of the festival, especially taking into account that he seems like a man who has taken a long time and a lot of thought to push the music industry to a safe distance.

Lytle’s solo project is at a different level, however, and he tells me that playing in small, full clubs again was really enjoyable. In any case, he has learned his lessons. Instead of just flying in, playing the shows, and flying out again, he and the band took four days to drive from Montana to Texas. They listened to books on CD and stayed at shitty motels. They found a few skate parks along the way and stopped to go skateboarding.

Skateboarding figures pretty heavily in Lytle’s life.

He reckons that Grandaddy got out of the music biz at the right time, because just as they did, the whole industry seemed to descend into chaos, and he explains it by comparing it to skateboarding: “If anything, these are trying times but in a good way. I saw this with skateboarding. Skateboarding has seen three or four big public ‘Hey, skateboarding!’ times where it’s trendy again. I’ve seen big peaks and valleys, so it’s easy for me to fall back on the skateboarding thing and see the same thing going on with music as well. A perfect example is Tony Hawk: he has probably seen three of these big peaks, and he remained credible throughout all of it; he never lost his head.”

It’s when he talks like this that I remember how long Lytle’s music has actually been part of my life.

Grandaddy formed in 1992, when I was in high school. I first bought their music about five years later, in 1997, so I’ve been listening to them for over ten years now. And it’s when I think about just how much has happened to me in those ten years that it becomes really obvious why musicians find it so irritating to hear people trot out the two-sentence version of their biographies: they don’t even begin to tell the story.

And this is particularly true of someone like Jason Lytle, who isn’t a ‘rock star’ and who doesn’t seem to define himself by what record label he’s signed to or how many albums he’s sold or even, really, by his success. Consequently, we weren’t really talking about the break-up of a successful band and the subsequent re-emergence of the lead singer, we were talking about the last fifteen years of someone’s life.

YOURS TRULY, THE COMMUTER IS RELEASED VIA EPITAPH ON 18 MAY. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/JASONLYTLE

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THE SKINNY 39

MUSIC

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MUSIC

Resistance is Futile FOR those in need of a little entertainment, today’s music industry is often the wrong place to be.

Saturated with po-faced, generic Indie rockers tripping over their mile-long frowns, it’s a climate obsessed with the bottom line. There’s no room for quirky showmanship, audience interaction or, god forbid, rock ‘n’ roll tomfoolery; it’s a wham, bam, thank you for buying our merchandise man era. And, boy, it sure ain’t fun.

What this dawning of banality needs is an antidote, an act to bowl us over with pervasiveness and honesty.

A band like Glasgow duo Over the Wall, perhaps?

“We just want people to enjoy what they are watching as much as possible and a lot of what we do would be classed as gimmicks,” says co-conspirator Ben Hillman as he discusses the group’s core principles. “We also manage to talk a lot as well. This instantly makes us very un-cool because as soon as you open your mouth on stage you are no longer mysterious.”

But the strong silent type does not constitute esoteric cool (just look at Glasvegas), what Over the Wall have is something that can’t be taught in rock school strategy meetings: Character. After years of scouring alone for the perfect sound, Hillman and cohort Gav Prentice hooked up while putting on shows at Glasgow venue Stereo. As Prentice tells it, the chemistry was immediate: “It was the response to the two of us onstage that made us think we’d obviously stumbled into something really good, plus the freedom afforded by just having the two of us made it really fun.”

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40 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

The lure is in their ear for arrangement. Bold in both structure and content, the pairing skewer starlit symphonies with cerebral themes to create a thrilling mixture of textured, clued-up pop. “We discuss politics a lot and I was brought up in a house where politics was important,” explains Prentice. “A lot of our lyrics are about finding your place and coming to terms with getting older...so it makes sense to reference the political legacy of the years that immediately followed our births, especially seeing as that legacy is something we’re still paying the price for to a large extent now.”

Yet as refreshing as these intellectual leanings are, Over the Wall seem distinctly out of step with their more docile contemporaries. “I’ve always felt like we’re kind of outsiders and have had to work harder than some” says Prentice. Hillman continues: “It is true that many bands around have a much bigger sound than we do, but then there are ones with a much smaller sound doing very well too. We wouldn’t try and change anything simply to sound like a successful band, or an unsuccessful one for that matter.”

Success, however, is there to be grabbed. Recently signed to Motive Sounds, Over the Wall have garnered steady acclaim since their ebullient EP The Rise and Fall of late last year (which sees a re-release this month). “I guess everyone in the media and entertainment industry probably feels like they are beating their head against a wall a lot of the time,” says Hillman, wearily accepting his band’s new status.

“More frequently than not, the tables won’t turn your

21/4/09

11:10:07

COLIN MACDONALD

In an industry bloated by the mundane, Glasgow’s Over the Wall make for a refreshing slap in the jowls. Billy Hamilton catches up with the entertaining duo to discover why they break the mould

way and everything is not hunky dory but sometimes they do. It’s great when people take an interest, but nothing lasts forever.”

As for the future, well, it seems to be mapping out perfectly for Over the Wall: “An album before the end of the year will obviously make us worldwide superstars,” half-jests Prentice. “The affairs, coke habits

and complete Star Trek: The Next Generation box sets can follow that.”

OVER THE WALL SUPPORT THE BALKY MULE AT CAPTAIN’S REST, GLASGOW ON 10 MAY AND THE BOWERY, EDINBURGH ON 11 MAY BEFORE APPEARING AT STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL, GLASGOW ON 23 MAY. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/OVERTHEWALL

MUSIC

The Modern Dilemma WHETHER you want to talk about The Travelling Wilburys, Audioslave, Zwan or Velvet Revolver - the ‘supergroup’ label hangs often like a noose around the neck. Supergroups inevitably have the faint whiff of disappointment permeating their very existence as fans damn them with that same old crestfallen praise: “they’re...OK.” These bands often confuse musical alchemy with a maths equation- if guitarist X and singer Y were good in different bands- won’t they be twice as good in the same band? History, it seems, has answered that question quite decisively in the negative.

Instrumental Scots act The Gothenburg Address -composed of former and present members from Sans Trauma, Arab Strap, The Zephyrs and Raising Miss June- are the intriguing exception to prove an otherwise failing rule. While not selling out arenas (well, not just yet), after forming early in 2008 they have soundtracked a short film (Alex Boyd’s Sonnets from Scotland) and played to a crowd of thousands on Glasgow’s George Square as part of Winterfest.

Fortunately, the diva-like behaviour that often curtails the meteroric rise of the supergroup have thus far eluded the Address. “There have been no ego clashes so far,” reports guitarist Luke Joyce. “Though being on a tour bus for months does turn you into the caretaker out of The Shining.” They have, however, witnessed some prima donnas on tour, including “one guy from a local support band in Spain who couldn’t play unless

he had a full length mirror to watch himself.”

The quartet attribute their success so far to the contacts they have built up in previous outfits, admitting that they’ve “been quite lucky with the people who have taken an interest in the band from the very beginning.” They also allude to a philosophy of brutal self-analysis in regard to the quality of the material they’re writing and playing: “You have to be honest and ask yourself if you would pay to see your own band- if there’s any doubt, then why would anyone else want to?” This no nonsense approach extends to their advice for any new band looking to make a go of it: “Don’t take any shit.”

Of course, playing purely instrumental music in 2009 comes with the price of having a ‘post-rock’ sticker slapped on your back. Admirably, despite any negative connotations, this doesn’t trouble the band.

“The post-rock label is something we accepted just to please the social networking sites,” says Joyce. “But if it allows someone to understand what you’re about, then it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Most people are intelligent enough to listen to music on its own merits.”

While there’s no singing to be found on their first EP (or forthcoming single The Lesser Coming Home, for that matter) Joyce in particular foresees a time when they might dabble. “Having no vocals was a very conscious decision, as the plan was to play music that moved people emotively, although, after hearing Chris

SIMON LAMOND

In just over a year, The Gothenburg Address have come out of the starting trap to play a gig in front of thousands and soundtrack a short film alongside Mogwai. Ewen Millar sniffs out the secret of their success, and asks how far they're willing to go

[Bathgate]’s vocals on the recent Sans Trauma album, I wouldn’t rule out a vocal track or two in the future.”

Although the genre they’ve been identified with is often accused of scoring films that don’t exist, Joyce suggests The Gothenburg Address are hands for hire since their experience on Boyd’s project. “It’s such a natural place for our music to be heard.” Such high falutin artistic principles are fine, but you can’t eat them, as the band collectively acknowledge: “We want as much success as we can, and if someone wants to use our music and pay us then fine. There is this selling-out argument, but living off music is hard.

Any success is a good thing, and if it brings us the opportunity to expand our listening audience, then we’re happy to receive it.”

And if this means supergroup style world domination, then we say so be it.

THE GOTHENBURG ADDRESS SUPPORT AMUSEMENT PARKS ON FIRE AT CABARET VOLTAIRE ON 6 MAY AND PLAY THE SKINNY DIP AT THE BONGO CLUB, EDINBURGH ON 28 MAY. A LESSER COMING HOME IS RELEASED ON 5 MAY AND IS AVAILABLE VIA THE BAND’S WEBSITE. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEGOTHENBURGADDRESS

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MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 41

Music

More Brilliant than the Sun After over a decade of playing monstrously heavy art-metal, a genre which many attribute to having been created by them, Isis release their finest yet - a pseudo-best of. Guitarist Bryant Clifford Meyer talks to Ali Maloney about the band's journey.

R Laananen

Epic, sprawling and crushing yet still delicate and subtle, Isis have never been a band to court mainstream conformity. So it’s a bit of a shock to hear singer Aaron Turner describe their new album as “the closest we will get to pop”.

But metal heads need not worry: Isis haven’t turned out a collection of three minute verse-chorus-verse ditties about boys and bubblegum. Not just yet.

Wavering Radiant is a monsterous album, simultaneously Isis’ heaviest and their most measured record that draws upon all of the techniques the band have utilised, refined and made their own over their career.

“It kind of works as a ‘greatest hits’ in some ways,” suggests guitarist Bryant Clifford Meyer. “We’ve been making records for 11 years and we wanted to try and push ourselves a little harder. We re-wrote the songs hundreds of times before they were up to par. If there was 15 seconds of a song that didn’t work, then we took it out, if there was a whole song that didn’t work, then we took it out.

“There was a lot of discussion about how the album would work,” he continues. “For the last few records we were spread out between LA and New York, but this time around we all lived in LA so were able to go down to the rehearsal space every day and sift through all of the crap and the parts and the songs. There was a much more communal writing process and it worked out very well this time around. We expressed ourselves much better and all of our influences came through.”

Equally at home playing for a goatee beard stroking experimental crowd as they are in front of beer swilling headbangers in faded Metallica t-shirts, Isis’ strength has always been their ability to crossover between crunching metal with the spiralling totalimmersive ambience of post-metal.

“When we first started making music, we were trying to get away from just having guitars and keyboards,” says Bryant. “We were jamming these long passages and guitar riffs that just didn’t make any sense in those sections. Then we started buying all these pedals and experimenting with what noises they

42 THE SKINNY May 2009

could make and added them to our music, we were especially influenced by textural music and the more ambient side of things.

“With all our side-projects - whether you’re talking about Mike’s NGR or Aaron’s House of Low Culture - everyone has different techniques and ideas that they bring to play with Isis. I guess those ideas marry each other in some weird, incestuous way, which is totally appropriate for the music we’re making. And one thing’s for sure: effect pedals and Isis music go together very well.”

Having taken a lot longer writing and recording Wavering Radiant than previous full-length efforts, this record works more as a whole, harking back to days when albums were listened to in their entirety, rather than simply downloading a few choice tracks to bury in a playlist. However, the band are keen to stress that this isn’t a concept album that they’ll be performing ‘on ice’. Although Isis have a history of not discussing lyrics in interviews – singer Aaron Turner recently told MTV’s Headbangers Ball that this was because he didn’t “like to think during interviews”.

“As far as a lyrical theme or overarching concept, that really didn’t come into play, but we did wanted it to be an album, rather than a collection of songs,” says Bryant. Their long standing commitment to making music that’s as transcendental and meditative as it is ferocious and ‘kick-ass’ has seen Isis credited by many as one of the pioneering groups to develop the ‘post-metal’ sound.

“When we started out we were looking up to bands like Melvins, Neurosis and Mogwai,” remembers Bryant. “We didn’t set out to start some tangent genre, we certainly did our fair share of looking up and borrowing from other bands. But that’s cool, and if people are looking up to us and borrowing from our sound, then long may it continue.”

Wavering Radiant is released via Conspiracy Records on 4 May. www.isistheband.com

MUSIC

Notes from the Danube

Nomads, vagabonds - call them what you will - this month A Hawk And A Hacksaw return with their fifth album in advance of a whistlestop Scottish tour in June. Heather Trost sends Ali Maloney a postcard.

Unusual and innovative music from Scotland & beyond Compiled by Milo McLaughlin Come May we ought to be preparing ourselves for four months of long hot days lounging about in beer gardens in a sun-drenched reverie, complemented

by Grease-style summer nights of holiday romances and other such debauchery.

However given the unpredictability of the typical Scottish summer it might be best to rely more heavily on decent music - and this month’s podcast features just the right mix of slightly off-kilter summery indie pop with a dash of folky goodness thrown in for when the heat gets too much.

The Vaselines Son of a Gun Classic songwriting genius from Glasgow, but it took a certain Seattle band to bring them to most people’s attention. First released back in the 80s, it’s rare that a re-release makes this column but this is still instantly thrilling in the way that only a perfect pop song can be.

Jason Lytle Brand New Sun/Flying Thru Canyons Y’know when I told you Grandaddy had gone to “a better place” and wasn’t coming back no more? Well he’s back. Ok, he’s not quite the same Grandaddy you used to know, he’s more sprightly, carrying less weight, and though he has a haunted look in his eyes he’s finally got his shit sorted.

He gives you a big, comforting hug and reeks of tobacco and polo mints just like he always used to.

Meursault William Henry Miller Part 1

MICHAEL EVERETT

ALONG with Beirut, A Hawk and a Hacksaw [AHAAH] provide a musical travelogue far deeper, more reverent and relevant than any Lonely Planet or Rough Guide could ever hope to achieve.

Traversing the world, they amalgamate sounds, styles and musical disciplines, making them their own without ever degrading or patronising them.

This is world music, but not in the sense of some crass, bland categorisation, more as an approximation of the common heart beat heard around the globe. “We don’t pretend to be an authentic folk band,” says Heather Trost, one half of the band (completed by former Neutral Milk Hotel drummer Jeremy Barnes). “There are so many traditions we try and learn or just play for fun. The ones we end up recording are the ones we are able to make our own, or add our own melodies to. Sometimes there’s a certain melody or song we just fall in love with playing.”

Many could be forgiven for thinking that the music of AHAAH falls into the ever bludgeoning renaissance of Eastern European folk music – simultaneously mournful and celebratory – some of which ignores the rich heritage of the music for a quick buck on a snappy melody. This is the true music of the outsider and of the downtrodden, a far cry from the glossy mainstream.

“We were playing our music long before this trend came about,” Heather explains. “By ‘our’ music I mean that while we do play some traditional songs, most of the songs we play are written by us, but influenced by the music we love and listen to, whether it be Romanian or Turkish influenced. I think often what becomes popular in the mainstream has its roots in underground and fringe culture. The mainstream takes artistic and fashionable cues from the ‘other’. Take for example high fashion taking stylistic ideas from ‘gypsy chic’, or ‘boho’. The mainstream takes what is beautiful about outside cultures and tries to put it in a nice package for Western audiences. Hopefully people will take this sort of tip of the iceberg interest in Eastern European music and Gypsy music that is being celebrated in popular culture and really take the time to investigate it further.

If people want to listen to authentic folk music, they should listen to the records that influence us, and if they want to listen to us, they can listen to us.”

As seasoned travellers, the band continue to search out new sounds while on tour. “We are totally inspired by our surroundings and travels,” says Heather. “It’s nice to feel that surge of creative energy that comes from finding yourself in a new exciting place, surrounded by new people. We usually get to meet a lot of people from the different places we play in, and sometimes nice people put us up, and so in a way we probably get to see, taste, try and hear things that most tourists with a Lonely Planet don’t get to, which we feel very fortunate to experience.”

This fearless embracing of exciting and moving music, regardless of roots or locale, has served AHAAH in making a wonderful concoction of a boisterous and magnificent songbook, the fifth chapter of which arrives in the form of Délivrance this month. “Our songs are also very influenced by stories,” suggests Heather, particularly of the surreal march of Vasalisa Carries A Flaming Skull Through The Forest towards the end of the new album. The song is based on a Hungarian folk tale revolving around a young girl sent out to the forest by her cruel stepfather to gather wood for the fire, accompanied by a magic doll who comes to life and helps her when fed crumbs of bread. She is captured by a wicked witch who intends to cook and eat her. She tricks the witch and escapes with the aid of her doll, stealing the perpetually burning skull which heats

“I THINK IF PEOPLE WANT TO LISTEN TO AUTHENTIC FOLK MUSIC, THEY SHOULD LISTEN TO THE RECORDS THAT INFLUENCE US. AND IF THEY WANT TO LISTEN TO US, THEY CAN LISTEN TO US.” HEATHER TROST

the witch’s cottage to scares away her stepfather and keeps herself warm with. “It is a very theatrical fairy tale, and I wrote the melody with this story in mind,” Heather says. “But I decided I liked it as an instrumental better.”

For travellers, clubbers, romantics, folk diddlers or the just plain curious, AHAAH’s music is a treat to be appreciated by all. “We are just doing what we love,” says Heather coyly. “And hoping that someone else might get something else out of it as well.”

There are a few William Henry Millers on Wikipedia. Which one of them, if any, this song is about will hopefully be revealed by this month’s podcast guest, Matthew of Song By Toad Records, who re-released the stellar debut album by this excellent Edinburgh band late last year. They’re perhaps better known for their blistering electronica-based live sets but here they excel in the acoustic realm with impassioned vocals, banjo, handclaps and deeply endearing harmonies.

Grizzly Bear Cheerleader Not to be confused with Grizzly Man, whose love for big furry not-so-cuddly real-life teddies was perhaps taken a tad too far, resulting in the untimely death of him and his girlfriend. No, Grizzly Bear are a highly-rated (but understated) melodious band from Brooklyn. And Cheerleader is nothing to do with the jailbait from Heroes - it’s a blissed out indie animal, lumbering about a peaceful mountain forest full of honey-laden beehives.

DÉLIVRANCE IS RELEASED VIA THE LEAF LABEL ON 18 MAY. A HAWK AND A HACKSAW PLAY THE TOLBOOTH, STIRLING ON 20 JUNE AND GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL AT THE ARCHES ON 21 JUNE.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST ATTHESKINNY.CO.UK OR SUBSCRIBE VIA ITUNES.

WWW.AHAWKANDAHACKSAW.CO.UK

MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 43

Music

Last of the Mohawkes Rosie Davies speaks to "Warp Records' secret weapon" Hudson Mohawke about his sound, the Scottish hip-hop scene and the Luckyme collective.

When record label/art collective/party-makers LuckyMe found themselves trying to put on a club night in a bar with no licence, they went back to the start, and held it in a West End tenement. Furniture was pushed to the side, minimalist prints hung from the walls and gelled striplights were carefully positioned to light the DJs and hallway. Ikonika (Hyperdub) started lining up her minimalist ‘emotronic’ dub. An invitation was sent, tongue-in-cheek, detailing drugs policies and demanding the flat’s owner was duly thanked. But, unless they knew your face, no invitation meant no entry.

Whatever you’re thinking, LuckyMe is not about exclusivity. You just have to be lucky enough to know one of them.

“It was something I have always wanted to do,” says rapper/promoter/manager Dominic Flanagan. “There’s a big afterparty culture with us - the whole thing’s a big house party. Because these things are kept so low-key and based around people who all know each other, we do risk being seen as exclusive. But nothing is done to try to make us look cool, we always try to make it very approachable.”

Dom is the father of this Glasgow-based extended family. “Some are beautiful. Others, ugly”, promises their slickly styled press. Don’t be fooled: the usual commune connotations do not apply. Between the DJs, promoters, visual artists and vocalists, there are no ugly ducklings here.

The label is home to DJ/producers like Hudson Mohawke and Rustie, two names bathing in their own

44 THE SKINNY May 2009

coolness right now, as well as less well heard of, but equally cherished, members - Mike Slott, Mr Copy, Nadsroic. There are many interrelated collaborations HudMo, for example, has recorded with Mike Slott as Heralds Of Change, was the DJ half of the DJ/MC duo Surface Emp with Flanagan (aka Dom Sum), produces for Nadsroic, and plays with Rustie. The others are similarly incestuous. Their website offers a family tree of everyone who is involved. It entirely sums them up.

I could throw about the names of some of the excellent club nights - the monthly Ballers Social Club, at the Glasgow School Of Art and The Ivy - or perhaps the labels their artists release on - Warp, Soma, Wireblock, Dress2Sweat - and you’ll probably recognise them. But while their many achievements and projects could be listed all day, you can find them all online. What’s more interesting is how this DIY family emerged, and what it means for the scene they emerged from.

Although with affiliations to hip-hop, dubstep and electro, the music they produce is, as you’d expect, indefinable. A group of people this devoted to music and fashion couldn’t just follow a style. But rather than pinpoint their music as indefinable or, worse, make up a lazily inappropriate adjective - “wonky” - it’d be best if people just relaxed and enjoyed the sound.

Ross, aka Hudson Mohawke, seems relieved when I tell him I don’t want to discuss this. “I think people try to define it so much because you just can’t, so there’s a constant discussion on it. It’s not trying to be anything, I don’t have any new genre in mind when I’m producing.”

"The result has been an interesting juxtaposition of low culture and fine art... I like the idea of mixing up the elements" The group started out when a few friends decided to make music just for them - they were, and still are, “just doing [their] thing”. They started doing their thing in public in 2002 at Stereo, now The 78, with a hip-hop night where the atmosphere was anything-goes, and people who loved music could share this love, maybe by getting on the decks and showing it aurally.

Ross ended up a resident by the time he was 15. “At the time there were lots of average hip-hop nights. I don’t want to be disrespectful to them, but we always wanted to do something more than just another standard night.”

This respect for other scenes is typical of the one they have created; and it emerged from a Scottish hip-hop scene more likely characterised for its bitchiness and rivalry, modelled on the American precedent. Their nights and their music weren’t intended to be innovative, or original, but they were. Surely the ultimate definition of effortless cool.

“FreakMenoovers was good but they were quite different to us”, continues Ross. “They put on a party night and ours was... more of a participation listening night.”

He looks a bit embarrassed when I pick him up on this phrase. “I suppose what I mean is that it was a bit more involving. It wasn’t anybody’s direct intention to put on nights like that - there wasn’t a collective or anything then – it was just people putting on records they liked. I was too young to be going to any clubs at the time, really - I’d go to FreakMenoovers when they had a big guest on, which they often did. But Stereo wasn’t meant to be a night like any of the those.”

Their website, which began in 2007 when the label was formed, thanks the “somewhat mystical musical environment of Glasgow and its art school” for providing a home, but their emergence is probably one of he defining examples of the magic of this musical environment.

In 2002, the hip-hop scene in general was dominated by the cocky MC, dressed to impress, taking centre stage, while the earnest DJ spun behind him, subtle, undecorated. In Scotland, hip-hop “was never really credible,” says Flanagan. No longer a rapper himself - “it’s a bit cringeworthy, looking back” - he agrees that the collective, whether intentionally or not, has changed the expectation of what hip-hop can be.

“What happened wasn’t a statement against the MC. There was a certain zeitgeist for the role of producer which happened around the time of the producer becoming so important. In electronic music, which is also a big part of what we do, the producer has always been king. But in terms of hip-hop, the producer became more important around the time of Jay-Z’s Blueprint album. The reason Jay-Z became credible was because of the production on his record. Suddenly you could be a superstar producer.”

HudMo is the classic example of a star who has been allowed to shine because of the way the scene’s become.

“Ross is a shy guy, or he certainly was, but things moved away from this sense that there had to be a frontman. It’s a good thing because it means it’s all about the music. It’s more honest as well. You don’t have to pretend to be something you’re not.”

The latest buzz name in the worldwide hip-hop scene, he’s also a classic example of the down-to-earth ethos of the group: just turned 23, still lives with his mum in the Glasgow flat where he began to make his music while still at school. A DMC UK finalist at the age of 15, he had the Stereo night, among others, to showcase his turntable skills. But his biggest help has been the internet, and this shift in the scene.

“Oh, it’s definitely been the best thing for me,” he says. “I’m the last person who was going to be going out giving people demos or anything. I’m lucky, I’ve not had to do much of that. A couple of years ago I’d have had to sell myself to bigger artists.

“I just put some stuff online, gave things away, and it totally worked out for me. It was in no way planned, I honestly wasn’t even out to get noticed; it was just for my friends and myself really, to have a collection of what I’d done somewhere.”

His beat tape, Hudson’s Heaters, started life as a collection of tracks for MCs, who got hold of it and liked it. “It got a really good reaction, but they all said there was too much going on over the top, and they wouldn’t be able to rap to it. That’s how I progressed into the more instrumental stuff I’m doing now.”

This idea of accidental progression, of ideas and concepts coming together haphazardly, is the DIY essence of LuckyMe. “We weren’t trying to create a huge relationship between, say, the music of Rustie and Christina Kernohan’s photography,” says Flanagan.

“I was just doing stuff when it needed doing, I didn’t know anything about how the industry worked. It was like, my friend does this, another does this, so I’ll ring them up and use their skills.

“The result has been an interesting juxtaposition of low culture and fine art. It’s never been my natural taste to go for graffiti fonts and the expected iconography. I like the idea of mixing up the elements.

“There’s this whole feeling that we are sort of young and naive and there’s strength in numbers.”

HudMo’s Polyfolk Dance EP is out now on Warp.

He appears with Kode 9 at Stereo on 8 May.

As the sun takes its annual break from hiding behind the clouds, Emma Kilday looks forward to Rock Ness festival, with highlight appearences from The Prodigy, DJ Mehdi and Rob Da Bank.

P.O.S. breaks the contemporary rap rulebook once again on latest album, Never Better. David McNamara catches up with the rapper at his Minneapolis home to discuss the pitfalls of hip-hop and the difficulties of being a musician trying to raise a child.

maxim reality of the prodigy Wes Kingston

Ask many folk in Scotland about music festivals in their homeland and the first response you’re likely to receive (aside from inevitable mutterings about rain and mud) is the habitual bellow of “T IN THE FUCKIN’ PARK, ‘MON!” For over a decade the big T has dominated the Scottish festival scene, and was starting to look like it wouldn’t have to face muscly competition any time soon, even replacing Glastonbury as the UK’s biggest music festival when Michael Eavis decided to give the fields a rest one year.

However, a contender from the Highlands means there is an alternative for enjoying big-name musical produce in the great outdoors. More than ever before, Rock Ness festival is bringing some of the world’s best DJs and live acts to one of the most stunning locations Scotland has to offer.

Although relatively new to the festival circuit, having only been running for three years, Rock Ness has already hosted the likes of the Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim and Mylo, with this year’s line-up already looking super-strong.

For the first time in the festival’s short history the main stage acts will run across three days, and rave-rock legends The Prodigy are set to round off the weekend on the Sunday main stage. With nearly 20 years worth of incredible back catalogue, they have now sold over 16 million records worldwide – a figure unparalleled in the electronic music world. Their latest album, Invaders Must Die, smashed into the sales charts at number one earlier this year and the fusion of recent hits like Omen and Warriors Dance with dancefloor classics like Firestarter and Voodoo People is guaranteed to form an unmissable setlist.

Also topping the bill are the newly reformed Orbital.

After an incredible 15-year stint of producing roofraising anthems, fraternal duo Phil and Paul Hartnoll bowed out of the music scene in 2005. They are now scheduled to make a welcome return on the Rock Ness stage, and festival director Jim King says “Orbital are legends and they are a great addition to the Rock Ness Saturday night line up. Listening to tracks like Chime and Belfast in such a dramatic setting is going to be a highlight of the weekend.” It will surely be a moment after which you can smugly tell your friends ‘I was there’.

Also bringing the electric feel to the shores of Loch Ness will be Crookers, Erol Alkan, David Guetta, Pete Tong, Rob da Bank and Zane Lowe. But fans of a more indie persuasion will not be disappointed either: alternative rock enigmas Placebo will also

be performing, marking their only Scottish festival date. Multi-Grammy-winning kings of psychedelica The Flaming Lips will headline the mainstage on the Friday night, and welsh rockers Super Furry Animals, who have just completed their ninth studio album, will also be bringing their own brand of offbeat melodic rock to the Highlands.

Basement Jaxx and Dizzee Rascal will also take to the stage to tempt even the most hungover festival goers out of their tents and into the sunshine.

But it’s not just the headliners on the mainstage that are worth getting excited about. As well as attracting big international names, Rock Ness also manages to maintain a distinctly local feel. The Bollywood Arena will see two of Scotland’s most exciting musical institutions, Soma Records and the Sub Club, showcasing some of their finest from Optimo and Subculture, as well as Funk D’Void and The Black Dog. Soma Records will kick off the weekend in style on the Friday while the sound of the Subby will close the Bollywood on the Sunday.

On the Saturday the Highlands will present friends from further afield as the much adored and relentlessly hip Ed Banger Records assumes control of the Bollywood soundsystem. With DJ sets from DJ Mehdi, Feadz, Busy P and Crazy Baldhead, festival goers will surely flock to hear some of the trademark Ed Banger anthems that are rapidly becoming the soundtrack to a generation.

Three day tickets will set you back £139, which is great value considering the line-up, and considerably less than some of the competition. And as festivals nowadays are much shinier and sleeker than their murky pagan ancestors, you’ll be able to splash out the cash you’ve saved on a pre-purchased sleeping pod, beach hut, or on some tasty gourmet cuisine. Or you could get properly into the spirit of things, forget to bring suncream or bottled water, drink nothing but beer for 3 days straight and wake up in a muddy field wearing nothing but someone else’s shoes. Either way Rock Ness is guaranteed to be a festival the nation can be truly proud of. After all, lying on a hillside gazing out over breathtaking scenery while watching your favourite bands lay waste to the main stage is surely as close as you’ll get to taking the very best from a summer weekend in Scotland.

Rock Ness Festival takes place on 12–14 June with campsites opening at 10am on the Friday and closing at noon on Monday. Full details of line-up, ticket prices and travel options can be found on the website: www.rockness.co.uk.

Rhymesayers Entertainment has built a solid reputation for being the definitive independent rap label, thanks to the cult following of label founders Atmosphere and their impeccable roster of artists. Stefon Alexander a.k.a. P.O.S. is easily one of the strongest weapons in their arsenal and the proof lies in his latest offering, Never Better.

Following on the success of the critically acclaimed Audition, the Minnesota wordsmith proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that his unique brand of hip-hop is nothing short of revolutionary. On that sophomore release, P.O.S. received lavish praise from critics and earned legions of fans due to his sharp wit and self-deprecating sense of humour. Alexander utilised his hardcore punk background to create a fiercely independent sound. Half Cocked Concepts became an instant underground anthem, voicing Alexander’s disdain for the bravado of mainstream hip-hop and the atmospheric love story of Bleeding Hearts Club became an underground classic.

Never Better sees P.O.S. produce a lot of the beats and play many of the instruments to create a truly innovative album. When discussing what he hopes to achieve with his latest effort, Alexander states, “With Audition I took a lot of risks as a musician and a rapper. A lot of people respected it for being different so I am just trying to keep it going.” He advises there is a recurring theme running through all of the songs on this album: “Never Better is about doing your own thing, being your own person and not falling victim to what other people think it cool.”

Like his previous two releases, Never Better crosses limitless musical boundaries. It is undeniably brilliant but pretty much impossible to categorise. At times the album is a flurry of distorted guitars and furious drum rhythms, especially on Drumroll and Terrorish, where Alexander combines urgent delivery with beats so intense they have the ability to loosen tooth fillings. At the other end of the spectrum, Goodbye is a bouncing call to arms that asserts the importance of staying positive throughout everyday struggles.

Alexander is aware that many people consider him a hybrid artist but asserts, “The music I make has got a lot of vibes to it but it is still rap music. When people ask me what kind of music I make I tell them I make hip hop.” On the latest single, Optimist, the Minnesota emcee shows a mellow, introspective side to his diverse repertoire and incorporates plastic cups to create a delicate beat.

When asked what inspired such a unique percussion

choice, he says, “Alegra Oxborough is a friend of mine and one of the first P.O.S. fans. Backstage at one my shows she taught me a cup game with a couple of her friends. I loved the rhythm of it and knew I had to make a beat out of it.”

Perhaps what makes P.O.S. such an interesting hip-hop artist is the fact that he grew up immersed in hardcore punk culture. He was actually given the name Pissed Off Stefon whilst playing in a band called Om, and still performs in punk outfit Building Better Bombs.

In the past he has been openly critical of mainstream rap, claiming, “Hip hop music has reduced itself to being either completely worthless or a guilty pleasure, and no one wants to be a guilty pleasure.” When asked about his punk background and the resentment he once held for the rap, the Minnesota rapper clarifies, “I didn’t hate rap music. I just couldn’t get behind some of it.” He continues, stating, “There’s rappers I like but I won’t sing along to some of the words because I don’t want to say that horrible shit.”

Never Better is the third P.O.S. release on Rhymesayers and breathes a little fresh air into a genre that has become infested with clones boasting about wealth and glorifying crime with the aid of a vocoder. Alexander highlights the absurdities of a world where people obsess over material possessions. Instead, he concerns himself with the importance of being a good person and a good father to his son, Jacob.

When asked about the difficulties of being a travelling musician and a father, Alexander asserts, “It’s the hardest part of my life. I want to be there for him but I have to go away all the time to provide for him. He’s been to my shows though so he understands what I do.”

P.O.S. will spend the summer on this year’s Warped Tour and plans to follow this up by promoting his album in Europe. When asked to provide specific details of the proposed tour dates, he cautiously states, “I am just waiting for the ink to dry on the contracts before I announce anything but I should be in Europe this year.”

Of course, if there was any justice, groundbreaking artists like P.O.S. would be making a good living from their craft whilst the gangster rap clichés that dominate the charts would be shown the trapdoor. However, Alexander lives in hope, summing it up best on Goodbye when he claims, “Giving up is like Latin: It’s dead.”

Never Better is released by Rhymesayers on 27 Apr www.myspace.com/posisruiningmylife

May 2009

THE SKINNY 45

Music

Playing by his We Salute You Own Rules Rock Ness:

RECORDS

THE DIRTY DOZEN

Spoilt little popsters, soft rock poseurs and 12 stone toddlers. Nick Mitchell assesses a strange batch of singles Lily Allen’s continuing success is a mystery to this writer. Granted, when she first emerged with her headstrong girl-about-town shtick, she seemed a bit different to the gag-inducing American pop prancers. But latest single Not Fair (*, 11 May) takes the high school lyricism to new depths, with such timeless classics as “He’s not like all them other boys.” So what of the new ladies nipping at her heels? First up, the BBC-tipped Little Boots, aka 24-year-old Victoria Hesketh, must be aiming for some of Lily’s glory, given that she uses the same producer. But debut effort New In Town (**, 25 May) is a blandly commercial tale of her first visit to LA, set to cheap sounding beeps and squelches. Marginally better is Please Don’t Touch (***, 4 May) by quirkier-than-thou songstress Polly Scattergood. Again, it’s all fairly inconsequential and frothy, but at least she recognises the need for some semblance of originality.

I wasn’t holding out much hope from a double A-side penned by a band called 12 Stone Toddler. But they combine tight, boppy indie rock with an ear for a pop singalong on both sides of Batten Down The Hatches / Broken Hearts & Battle Scars (****, 25 May). The sound of a band having a good time.

By contrast, everything about Goldhawks is carefully tailored to a ‘we mean business’ style, from the Bon Jovi-esque vocals to the overblown production.

Where In The World (*, 4 May) receives the lowest rating, if only to slow their inevitable rise to stardom in my own tiny way. Like buses, you wait all day for one excremental soft rocker to pan and two come along at once. Co-written by ex-Neighbour Natalie Imbruglia (instant kudos then?), Apologise (*, 3 May)

by London band Ben’s Brother is guff of the highest order, sorta like when record labels force a boy band to hold guitars.

With the rancid smell left by those two still wafting in the air, what better

way of clearing it than with the musical Febreze that is Passion Pit? The Americans worship at the shrine of synth, and can rightfully take up the mantle of Giogio Moroder on the evidence of the giddily uplifting The Reeling (****, 11 May). Team Waterpolo practice a similar brand of innocently joyful pop, albeit with about six fewer synthesizers. They appeared in this column over a year ago, and while new single Room 44 (***, 18 May) could well catapult them to success, it’s not much of a step forward in musical terms.

Another band who have been kicking around the periphery for a while is Glaswegians The Cinematics. But their time may finally come, because while Love and Terror (***, 4 May) is rather backward in its Interpol-meets-Arcade Fire sound, it contains more than enough kick to make a few radio playlists.

Unbeknownst to less savvy bands, the cool sound has apparently moved on from post-punk; or more accurately, moved backwards. As evidence, Atlanta hell-raisers Black Lips take on board the primitive hooks of 1960s doo-wop, which they hurl against their wailing garage rock on new single I’ll Be With You (****, 18 May). Another hyped American band, Grizzly Bear, herald a forthcoming third album with the bright and breezy Two Weeks (****, 18 May). Built on a stark piano line and meaty drums, its glorious chamber pop falls somewhere along the road between Brian Wilson and The Shins.

We Were Promised Jetpacks, the latest Fat Cat-signed Scottish band, are about to unleash their debut album on the world, but before that comes lead single Quiet Little Voices (*****, 4 May). List its constituent parts and it appears ordinary: an incessant, rusty guitar line, rushed drumming and repetitive lyrics. But add it all together and the effect is exhilarating in an entirely charming way; a resounding single of the month.

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/WEWEREPROMISEDJETPACKS

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS, 4 MAY

SINGLE REVIEWS OVER THE WALL

THE RISE AND FALL OF OVER THE WALL OUT NOW, MOTIVE SOUNDS

rrrr Originally released last November, the worldwide demand for Glasgow-based duo Over The Wall’s debut EP after The Skinny named them ‘ones to watch in 2009’ (obviously) has led to this re-release ahead of a UK tour. The Wall’s myriad references are matched only by their expansive instrumentation, all done with a lo-fi, carefree whimsy. Floods, for instance, sounds like King Creosote armed with his toybox doing Sigur Ros in his bedroom. The lack of a drummer, often an issue for such bands, here only means a shift towards more inventive percussion and, on A Grand Defeat, some deft, un-intrusive drum machine action. Lovely stuff. [Darren Carle] OVER THE WALL SUPPORT THE BALKY MULE AT CAPTAIN’S REST, GLASGOW ON 10 MAY AND THE BOWERY, EDINBURGH ON 11 MAY BEFORE APPEARING AT STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL, GLASGOW ON 23 MAY.

EX WIVES

ANDREW BIRD

THE ELVIS SUICIDE

FITZ AND THE DIZZYSPELLS EP

SWEETHEARTS

11 MAY, BELLA UNION

18 MAY, COWBOYS IN PAIN

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Chicagoan prodigy Andrew Bird is still riding the wave of acclaim that followed the release of Noble Beast earlier this year, to the extent that he now returns to that spurt of creativity with this new EP, which, if it were a software release, would be called Noble Beast Version 1.5. But Bird’s music is as far removed from mechanistic sound engineering as it gets, and here he provides more evidence, if it were needed, of his ornate talents. The raw reworkings of Noble Beast tracks like Tenuousness (Ten-You-Us) and Anonanimal (See The Enemy) cast subtly different hues on familiar melodies. But with no new material to mull over, this is likely to pique the interest of committed fans only. [Nick Mitchell]

The themes that Glaswegian quartet The Elvis Suicide deal with are unashamedly rock ‘n’ roll, humorously laid out by singer Chris Devotion in the liner notes and hit home with whirlwind force over this seven-track, eleven-minute EP. “All I need in this world is the sound of guitars and my girl,” chants Devotion on All I Need with enough conviction to allow you to overlook the hamminess of such proclamations in 2009. But there’s more to The Elvis Suicide than sharp poppunk melodies, with brief finale I Should Have Changed For You betraying some obvious country roots. All in, a well-rounded, thrifty little EP. [Darren Carle] THE ELVIS SUICIDE PLAY STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL, GLASGOW ON 23 MAY.

ANDREW BIRD PLAYS ÒRAN MÓR, GLASGOW ON 14 MAY

GEORGIA’S HORSE

WWW.THEELVISSUICIDE.COM

JOKER’S DAUGHTER

STAVE/DIKTAT

SHEPHERD EP

WORM’S HEAD

OUT NOW, SELF-RELEASED

4 MAY, FIRE

11 MAY, DOUBLE SIX

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On the shelf somewhat for the past couple of years, since being recorded back in ‘the bastard cold summer of 2006’, this self-released double A-side single was quite simply worth the wait. At barely a minute and a half long, Stave is an expletive ridden, screaming monster of a tune, appropriately ripped directly out of Shellac’s book of ugly beatdowns. Next track, Diktat, takes it’s time by comparison. Building on solid rhythms and a gigantic bass groove, it’s a little sparse, but never brittle, and sounds brilliantly anguished throughout.

With the combined length not even touching five minutes, you’ll play this ‘til it breaks. [Ryan Drever]

Since he first emerged with his black market mash-up of The Beatles and Jay-Z, self-proclaimed musical auteur Danger Mouse has handled his projects shrewdly, achieving chart success with Gnarls Barkley while producing acclaimed albums for the likes of Sparklehorse, Gorillaz and Beck. So his new studio partner, relatively unknown London-based singer Helena Costas, has already received an almighty boost to her profile. Worm’s Head, their debut single as Joker’s Daughter, sounds like a dream with a nightmarish edge, with Costas’ 70s British folk leanings backed by the lush orchestration of the star knob twiddler. The end result, however, fails to completely satisfy. [Nick Mitchell]

EX WIVES PLAY 13TH NOTE, GLASGOW ON 28 MAY.

In the dusty backstreets of the deep South, tumbleweed clogs drains and cowboy boots pound the ground, while tension, as thick as the dust scorched by the midday sun, is around every corner. This is the backdrop which Teresa Maldonado, aka Georgia’s Horse, wants you to picture when you listen to her music. And how vividly she depicts it. Distant echoes of guitar pluck their way through Shepherd as what sounds like hooves on the gravel form the percussion, then Maldonado’s voice, with her Southern sneer shot through dirty radio feedback, relates stories about death in the barren streets she calls home. If you ever want to get lost in another world, Georgia’s Horse is ready to take you there. [Gordon Bruce]

WWW.XWVS.COM

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/GEORGIASHORSE

WWW.JOKERSDAUGHTER.CO.UK

KATLOW

ALEC EMPIRE

SPARROW AND THE WORKSHOP

GORGEOUS/57 MANCHESTER ROAD

SHIVERS

11 MAY, PLAYGROUND

4 MAY, EAT YOUR HEART OUT

SLEIGHT OF HAND EP

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25 MAY, DISTILLER

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Consider how sharing a few vowels with another vocalist is enough to be condemned to a lifetime of unfair comparisons, and it’s unsurprising that most singers ditch their regional accent in favour of the transatlantic standard. Such is the quandary with Katlow, who apparently sounds enough like Alex Turner to warrant ‘girly Arctic Monkey’ labelling. In fairness, Katlow’s music sounds more like stage songs; Gorgeous bustles with West End enthusiasm, and 57 Manchester Road - a tale of X-Factor victims - is more Blood Brothers than cheeky observation. Her songs may not be to the edgier listener’s tastes, but Katlow proves that her talent deserves to be assessed on individual merit. [Joe Barton]

Having lost his way creatively in recent years, Alec Empire desperately needed to deliver on his latest mini-album. Instead, Shivers is definitively the worst record of his career. The vapid electro-workouts such as Control Drug and Baby Skull are embarrassing enough, but the title track itself is verging on the unlistenable: a soporific piano ballad layered with swooshing synths over which Empire mumbles interminably, his vocals at this point approximating William Shatner with a thick Berlin accent. Empire even sounds bored during the two live tracks on offer, which serve only as a pointless addendum to another spectacularly misjudged experiment in the aesthetics of electro. Bafflingly bad. [Mark Shukla]

The current Scottish music scene is healthily diverse, and now Sparrow and the Workshop bring another genre to the mix: country and western. Having only formed last year, the Scottish-Welsh-American trio’s debut EP opens with a brooding vocal harmony between singer Jill O’Sullivan (formerly known as Dead Sparrow) and drummer Gregor Donaldson, before Devil Song kicks into life with a Rawhide scuffle. That dustbowl-Americana sound is pervasive: O’Sullivan twists her vocals with a Tennessee twang, and tracks like The Gun and I Will Break You revel in olde world, hard-livin’ romanticism. But don’t dismiss this band as a dug-up musical time capsule; with this first release they have woven their unique strand into the fabric of the sound of Scotland in 2009. [Nick Mitchell]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/KATLOWMUSIC

ALEC EMPIRE PLAYS IVORY BLACKS, GLASGOW ON 3 MAY AND STUDIO 24, EDINBURGH ON 4 MAY.

SPARROW AND THE WORKSHOP PLAY CAPTAIN’S REST, GLASGOW ON 14 MAY WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SPARROWANDTHEWORKSHOP

46 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

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The Back Room:

Do it Yourself (...or Consider Yourself Swallowed) From his formative days as one half of the Chuck Norris Machine to releasing future classics as Y'all is Fantasy Island, Adam Stafford is not averse to a bit of DIY to get the job done. Here he writes about the genesis of his band and the organic success they've found on the Scottish circuit.

Derek M Chapman

"It’d be nice to go on tour, make an album in a proper studio instead of bathrooms and kitchens..."

I made a film in 2003 with Tommy Blair, one that never got finished. He did the sound, naturally because he had the equipment and was known to be good with that sort of thing. He was the quiet guy that lived round the corner from me, who was five years younger than me and made weird Autechre-y ambient electronica and warbled remixes of Dot Allison songs which made her sound like she was singing in some inter-dimensional cathedral. He was getting into Gang of Four and I was getting into Black Dice, so there was nothing left to do but start a band which we’d call Chuck Norris Machine (I wish we’d kept the name).

The rules were simple: anybody who wanted to join in could, Tommy would set up the mics and press record, then we’d play for an hour or until it felt right to stop. True punk rock. We recorded three albums in two years and didn’t really do anything with them. I had some songs that had been lying about that I’d written new lyrics for that summer (2005) and had asked Tommy to record them, then, that turned into Y’all is Fantasy Island and the first record In Faceless Towns Forever. We were bemused that it was so well received at the time but it gave us encouragement to carry on.

The recording process for me is where it’s at. I love planning it and watching it evolve out of nothing, like the moment when you develop a picture in a darkroom and the image suddenly appears in the last bath, out of nowhere and you don’t know if it will be any

good or not. Personally speaking, I’d spend 20 hours a day if I could, in a studio creating things from scratch, mixing and experimenting and watching Tommy intricately set up his hand-built German mics.

Playing live has been a blast over the last few years too, with more people coming to shows now than ever before as was evident in the last few Edinburgh gigs we’ve played at the Caves, Cabaret Voltaire and Limbo. Amongst the vast amount of gigs we’ve played some of my favourites have to be The Cry Parrott/ Winning Sperm Party gig last summer with Sparrow and the Workshop in a tiny venue, playing right in the middle of the floor with the crowd going mental; a gig we recently played in Strathaven with De Rosa where we were heckled throughout (“Falkirk’s full ae Ratttts!”) and when The Handsome Family kindly allowed us to perform an acoustic set with them in Stirling in 2006.

The DIY approach suits us for now - writing, recording, releasing everything ourselves. But maybe it will change one day. It’d be nice to go on tour, make an album in a proper studio instead of bathrooms and kitchens and maybe some money? But… these are just minor gripes and really, you can’t complain.

Y’all is Fantasy Island play Hinterland Festival, Glasgow on 1 May and Halt Bar, Glasgow on 23 May.

Music to your ears (we've got tents, tepees, sleeping bags, ponchos, wellies, torches, just show us your student card)

10% student discount (in-store only on selected festival essentials, student ID required).

Visit your nearest store or shop online at tiso.com

www.myspace.com/yifimusic

May 2009

THE SKINNY 47

RECORDS

ALBUM OF THE MONTH: GRIZZLY BEAR VECKATIMEST 26 MAY, WARP

rrrr Reading between the lines of praise bestowed upon 2006’s Yellow House House, it seemed there were just as many listeners left indifferent to its slow-burning charms as there were those who championed it into various end-of-year lists. Follow up Veckatimest will almost certainly see such a gulf between camps triumphantly reduced. Opening duo Southern Point and Two Weeks are the unmistakable calling cards of a band renewed with the confidence to pull off such a tracklisting where once they would have hidden such gems within the album’s darker crevasses.

Yet Veckatimest’s main bulk will satisfy those who stuck by that last LP, particularly the haunting melodrama of Dory and the experimental lullaby Ready Able, which, over repeated listens, reveal themselves as

equal highlights to the quartet’s newly-found pop smarts. While You Wait For The Others meanwhile is a perfect distillation of all this, entering with an unassuming waltz, quietly building up on the band’s four-way pitter-patter vocals, then succumbing to singer Ed Droste’s spine-tingling cry. At a time when Grizzly Bear could have rested on their laurels and still brought in the plaudits, Veckatimest is a bold step forward that should finally turn those sitting on the fence while exceeding the expectations of those already converted. [Darren Carle]

WWW.GRIZZLY-BEAR.NET

ALBUM REVIEWS CLUES

A HAWK AND A HACKSAW

THE FIELD

CLUES

DÉLIVRANCE

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

18 MAY, CONSTELLATION

18 MAY, LEAF

18 MAY, KOMPAKT

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Epic is what you’d want from an Arcade Fire offshoot, and epic is what you shall have. But for an act of such bombast, Clues are remarkably confused about what it is that they want to play so loudly. The first five seconds of aping Death Cab are swiftly steamrollered with half a minute of skewed guitar noise, and both are then abandoned for the remainder of an album of sprawling guitars and the best drum sound this side of Dirty Projectors’ Rise Above. Six Organs of Admittance-esque histrionics flash with the gothic polka of the Dresden Dolls and more than a few of their own ideas, and though it is jaded and it is confused, it remains highly listenable. Clues’ debut is loaded with singalong content and unpredictability, and if you dig bands that raise their dirty guitars, with skinny fists, to heaven, then Clues are for youse. [Jamie Scott]

In not striving to be an authentic Eastern European folk band, A Hawk and a Hacksaw become, conversely, as triumphant, resilient and uplifting as the most archaic folk music from deep in the Carpathian mountains. Theirs is not the superficial emulation of a culture but rather a masterful assimilation of glorious international rhythms and melodies much like Beirut’s. Unlike their previous full-length, which tended towards introspection, Délivrance is an absolute blast, wall-to-wall with rambunctious horn blasts. Even when the whirlwind eases up, it moves towards a sublime ethereal joy, such as on the soaring lament of Raggle Taggle, the awkwardly loping march of Vasalisa Carries a Skull Through The Forest, and the socio-surreal lyrics of I’m Not a Gambling Man. Music like this, as intelligent as it is irresistibly danceable, is a genuine treasure. [Ali Maloney] A HAWK AND A HACKSAW PLAY THE TOLBOOTH, STIRLING ON 20 JUNE AND GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL AT THE ARCHES ON 21 JUNE.

WWW.CSTRECORDS.COM

GALLOWS

WWW.AHAWKANDAHACKSAW.COM

JASON LYTLE

An artist pushing the envelope when the audience least expects it can make for some astounding results. Like a techno Ys, Yesterday and Today immediately puts its predecessor in the shade with such abandon, joy and effortless craft that is a delight to contemplate, yet it almost alarms me to wonder how on earth Axel Willner is supposed to follow this up. The elements that made 2007’s From Here We Go Sublime so effective surface in a rush of ultra-compressed grooves; the minute, glowing melodies that seem to emanate from each drum pulse excite with every subtle nuance. But in a quest for a more organic concept, Willner adds guitars, vibraphones, and most importantly, John Stanier of Battles, creating a wider band-like template for his electronic compositions. Making like a minimal Hebden & Reid, Willner and Stanier dice Kraut-pop and ambience in an exhilarating hour of music, leaving the listener in a state of awe. [Jamie Scott] WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEFIELDSTHLM

GOMEZ

GREY BRITAIN

YOURS TRULY, THE COMMUTER

A NEW TIDE

4 MAY, WARNER BROTHERS

18 MAY, EPITAPH

4 MAY, EAT SLEEP RECORDS

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After a sinister opening gambit, Gallows get down to growling with a little more political venom than we’ve been accustomed to from the Herts quintet.

Harnessing the negative energy of a society they propose is ignorant and desensitized while playing it like Refused - minus the absolute extremity Gallows deliver vitriol aplenty on this, their major label debut. But, for all their railing against the machine, the band often resorts to simply ticking the boxes of hardcore pastiche while overlooking the more melodic moments of their previous effort in the name of “intensity”. A cameo from Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil piques curiosity, but Grey Britain is disappointingly one-dimensional when you consider the originality to be found in other loud and aggressive music from around the country. For all the screaming and sloganeering, the record sounds a little tired and tuneless - casting some element of doubt on any perceived mainstream aspirations. [Jamie Scott]

Grandaddy, Lytle’s former band, were at their best when they had a kind of ragged edge to them. Lytle himself has admitted that when faced with the option of challenging his audience or going easy on them, he tends to err on the side of the latter, and if there is one criticism to make of this album then that would be it: throughout the record he plays it pretty safe. Saying that, Lytle is a really gifted songwriter, with a knack not just for evocative lyrics, but the music to match. He roots his sound in an odd combination of the technological and the organic, and the imagery of his words is similarly ambiguous, which is what makes both so captivating. This album, whilst it may not break new ground for him or his audience, has a confident atmosphere and is another fine collection of songs from one of indie music’s most uncomfortable heroes.

[Matthew Young]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/GALLOWS

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/JASONLYTLE

GRAHAM COXON

THE HORRORS

I never really cared for Gomez back in the day. Their debut album Bring It On was a decent slice of country-tinged pop, but the poisoned chalice of a Mercury Award proved enough of a counterpoint to eye the Southport quintet suspiciously from a lofty, indier-than-thou high ground. With age, and a growing realisation that you were never as hip as you once thought you were, Gomez are a more appealing proposition. Opening track Mix is a bit of a false start but by Little Pieces the lads are treading familiar territory. The highlight comes from Win Park Slope, possibly what The Verve might sound like in 2009 if they weren’t shit, while the dirty blues stomp and playground chant of Airstream Driver sounds as good as anything from their heyday. We’re far too fickle for A New Tide to set our world alight, but you know what? Gomez are alright. [Darren Carle]

WWW.GOMEZTHEBAND.COM

ISIS

THE SPINNING TOP

PRIMARY COLOURS

WAVERING RADIANT

11 MAY 2009, TRANSGRESSIVE

4 MAY, XL

4 MAY, CONSPIRACRY RECORDS

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Opening with a Nick Drake homage and proceeding in a folky vein, The Spinning Top finds Coxon having abandoned the pop-punk modes of his previous two solo albums in favour of a series of predominantly acoustic compositions. With its extended hypnotic motifs, somniferous vocalisations and pretty-but-skewed melodies, the figure of Syd Barrett looms large, and for the most part it’s a joy to hear Coxon once again embracing his own peculiarities. The album only falters when his influences overpower him, and there is an air of dilettantism that lingers for the album’s duration. However, when Coxon gets it right he proves himself capable of producing some of the most singular gems: If You Want Me is a slow-burning sardonic standout that will etch itself into your subconscious, while closing track November will leave you genuinely dumbstruck - the kind of aching, elegiac masterpiece you never knew he had in him. [Mark Shukla]

Evidently tiring of the black-fringed cartoon band they had become in the wake of the B-movie pastiche of Strange House, The Horrors shift focus to the music with album number two – even if the title Primary Colours is irony of the highest order. And they don’t hang about: the 90-second intro to opener Mirror’s Image is astounding, starting so serenely with washes of tidal synth and a subdued beat before a truly disturbing, key-shifting descent into MBV-aping tremolo drones and staccato snare. The disused-funfair-at-night vibe remains in the use of garish organ throughout, but this time producer Geoff Barrow (instrumental brain of Portishead) bolts down their excessive theatricality with elements of ‘60s psych (Who Can Say), leftfield post-punk (Scarlet Fields) and motorik rhythm (Sea Within A Sea). The Horrors may still look like a noxious gang of Camden attention-seekers, but the thrilling bombast of Primary Colours will ensure we listen, as well. [Nick Mitchell]

Post-metal seems to spend a lot of time trying to undo Fred Durst as a musical proposition and prove once again that metal can be an intellectual entity, rather than just fodder for beer-swilling, headbanging and throwing of the horns. Isis were among the first wave of bands to be branded post-rock, and twelve years later, they’ve created an album to do everything that the bankable categorisation says it should. Heavy yet delicate, epic without disappearing up its own jam-end, Wavering Radiant serves, in lieu of a ‘greatest hits’ package, as a neat overview of Isis’ back catalogue, incorporating all of the best elements of their sound: with dense, heavy ambient passages, spiralling psychedelia, vocals that veer from throat ripping howls to clean whimpers, meditative jam freak-outs and almost trad-rock breakdowns, it’s their most accomplished and complete album to date.

For all their monolithic presence, it’s doubtful that they could ‘undo’ Durst, but they certainly do an admirable job of drowning out his ‘comeback’. [Ali Maloney]

GRAHAM COXON PLAYS GLASGOW KING TUTS ON 9 MAY.

THE HORRORS PLAY KING TUT’S, GLASGOW ON 29 MAY

WWW.ISISHTEBAND.COM

48 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

MANIC STREET PREACHERS

JUNIOR BOYS

THE MACCABEES

JOURNAL FOR PLAGUE LOVERS

BEGONE DULL CARE

WALL OF ARMS

18 MAY, COLUMBIA

11 MAY, DOMINO

4 MAY , FRICTION RECORDS

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Billed as a reprisal of their darkest period’s austerity, right down to the repulsive artwork, the Manics Street Preachers’ ninth album pokes open old wounds while celebrating the poetry left behind by the long-missing Richey Edwards. “Tread carefully,” their legion whispers. However, Edwards’ musing on celebrity culture and body dysmorphia frames some of the Welsh trio’s most compelling work since, well, 1994. If you believe this dig to unearth the post-punk venom that permeated The Holy Bible is ‘4 Real’, then it should come as no surprise to find Steve Albini in the studio engineer’s chair with a bag of In Utero spice. That’s not to say the Manics have entirely taken leave of their pop sensibilities, but here the camp bombast of Send Away the Tigers is traded for a melee of barbed mantras, anthemic choruses and post-punk sparsity that might suffer from some first date awkwardness, but suggests that maybe they really were marriage material after all. [Dave Kerr] MANIC STREET PREACHERS PLAY BARROWLAND, GLASGOW ON 25 MAY AND T IN THE PARK, BALADO ON 8 JULY.

MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON

MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON

On their third album, Canadian electropop duo Junior Boys still can’t shake off the nagging criticisms that have followed them since day one. Last Exit and So This Is Goodbye were beautiful-sounding but largely forgettable, because the pristine coolness of their production aesthetic meant little without great melodies. As expected, Begone Dull Care sounds gorgeous in headphones, especially moments like the intro of Dull To Pause, where a Spanish guitar trill is decayed until it sounds like electric raindrops. It’s lovely, but the song winds down into nothing about halfway through, because Junior Boys are too cautious to take any risks. The brilliant next song Hazel steps forward with energy and feeling, yet its passion highlights their aloofness elsewhere. Like wallflowers, Junior Boys are easy to like but difficult to love, and unless they learn to loosen up a little they’ll forever be stuck in the friend zone. [Ally Brown]

THE MACCABEES PLAY STUDIO 24, EDINBURGH ON 1 MAY. WWW.JUNIORBOYS.NET

THE PAPER CHASE

4 MAY , SOUTHERN RECORDS

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MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON PLAYS CAPTAIN’S REST, GLASGOW ON 23 MAY AS PART OF STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL.

SILENI

RIDERS ON THE CONQUERING WORM OUT NOW, SELF RELEASED

rrr Arriving in a none-more-black casing and featuring only an enigmatic postcard of an alien along with the barest details of personnel, Sileni’s debut full-length seems downright baffling before the CD has been removed from its tray.

Featuring only one track over its forty-odd (very odd) minutes, it sounds like an anvil in a washing machine with a wrestler trying to talk loudly over the noise – all scraping, clunking beats and cyclical skewed and skronky melodies repeated until you feel sick. Sileni’s hip-hop is a far cry from the hockey-shirt pimps’n’hos, one-beat-for-five-minutes style that has become de rigueur for the genre. Never an easy listen, its sheer abrasiveness will have many reaching for the eject button, although others will revel in the digital glitches and distorted blastbeats. A lazy journalist may call it SunnO))) as mixed by MF Doom (oops); suffice it to say this will melt your face. [Stephen Toman]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MYTHILLOGICALSILENI

WWW.THEMACABBEES.CO.UK

PUMAJAW

SOMEDAY THIS COULD ALL BE YOURS (PART 1)

18 MAY, TRANSGRESSIVE

Few archetypes have lasted in contemporary music’s ever-changing topography like the heartfelt singer-songwriter. But if the thought of another soul-bearing, romanticised poet Laureate for the disillusioned doesn’t inspire much excitement, don’t despair - the precisely named Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson may just rescue the role from its open-mic cliché. The first clue is the patronage of half of Grizzly Bear and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio, acts that are yet to paddle in mediocre waters and who can hardly be accused of being by-the-numbers in either their musical careers, or, it seems, listening habits. The rest of the evidence lies in the record itself: from the slow-build passion of Buriedfed’s opening, through the feedback-drenched garage stomp of Woodfriend and the aching lament of Above the Sun, the album absorbs and envelops all the way to its rousing, country-tinged finale and leaves the speakers far, far too soon. Tremendous. [Chris Buckle]

The Maccabees’ first album, Colour It In, was a grower for sure. But two years on, it still feels like something’s missing. The quality of the singles, especially Toothpaste Kisses, wasn’t replicated throughout, and this is a point their second album actively seeks to address. Resultantly, it’s a rounder, more substantial record and sounds excitingly like a band fulfilling its sizeable potential. From start to finish, Wall of Arms is an intense listen – on the marauding pre-emptive strike on hacks and naysayers No Kind Words, it’s even confrontational – but there’s not a dud track to be found. With Markus Dravs on production duties, some likeness with Arcade Fire may have been expected, but the extent to which Orlando Weeks’ vocals mimic those of Win Butler is at times uncanny. Lead single Love You Better jostles with Kiss and Resolve and the aforementioned No Kind Words for pride of place on this tremendous sophomore effort. [Finbarr Bermingham]

As incredible as it sounds, the pAper chAse are probably becoming even more sinister. Whereas on previous records the staccato bass, shrill guitar and psychotically-hammered piano left listeners in no doubt as to their less than PG-certificate intentions, this album sees the malevolence subtly woven into a series of brilliant, if skewed, alternative pop songs. The kind that could almost be respectable. Someday... is thick with choruses, yet they keep you on edge.

The Common Cold could well be the sound of Suggs collaborating with Patrick Bateman and stand-out track, This Is A Rape - one of the best of Congleton and Co’s career so far, title notwithstanding - could potentially be a huge single.

The inspired use of trademark diminished chords, atonality and dark lyricism is a sign of real innovation. Both a perfect introduction to the band for new arrivals and a solid addition to their existing catalogue. [Chris Cusack]

WWW.THEPAPERCHASEBAND.COM

FAVOURITES 18 MAY, FIRE

rrr Following on from last year’s well-received Curiosity Box, perennial candidates for the title of “Scotland’s best-kept secret” Pumajaw present a timely retrospective of ‘favourites’ picked from their earlier days. The non-chronological tracklist emphasises consistency over evolution, though the picks from 2000’s From Memorial Crossing are generally less interesting than their more recent counterparts; at their best, Pumajaw’s alluringly alien compositions sound like no one elsen - on Sorcery, they run a little too close to diluted Portishead.

But by 2006’s Becoming Pumajaw the complementary pieces were in place: Pinky McClure’s incredible, vertiginous vocals - at times malevolent, at others inscrutable, yet always seductively soulful - combined with a smorgasbord of musical styles courtesy of über-talented multi-instrumentalist John Wills, including psychedelic pop, alt-folk, subtle electronica and various hybrid combinations that resist categorisation. While somewhat inconsistent (as such collections are wont to be), Favourites is a rewarding re-introduction to an excitingly idiosyncratic, but too often overlooked, talent. [Chris Buckle]

CONOR OBERST AND THE MYSTIC VALLEY BAND

ZOEY VAN GOEY

THE CAGE WAS UNLOCKED ALL ALONG

OUTER SOUTH 4 MAY, SADDLE CREEK

11 MAY , LEFT IN THE DARK

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If you’ve come here looking for a helpful soundtrack to some impending suicide attempt in a rustic shack on the edge of a steely lake in the ass-crack of nowhere, turn away. Long gone are the ‘woe is me’ laments that propelled Conor Oberst to the heady heights of melancholy folk demigod status. Outer South sees the downbeat indie king shed the Bright Eyes moniker and hitch up with the Mystic Valley Band to produce something altogether more uptempo.

Meaty, rumbling, Southern campfire riffs have filled out the poetic nihilism that characterised I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning/Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, resulting in 16 tracks stricken by an internal identity crisis. The band get a look in at some writing duties and the odd shot at vocals, consequently muddling the whole piece into a sickeningly democratic, beige affair. Frustratingly measured and cloyingly safe, Oberst seems to be a bit too happy for his own, and ultimately our, good. [Becca Pottinger] WWW.CONOROBERST.COM

Glasgow-based three-piece Zoey van Goey seem to have been about forever (that’s not a name you’re likely to forget), yet their recordings have been minimal. While ‘hotly anticipated’ might be a slightly hyperbolic term to describe this album, the band held their own with a packed tent as REM headlined T in the Park’s main stage last summer; they’ve certainly set tongues wagging.

Happily, The Cage Was Unlocked All Along doesn’t disappoint. This is intelligent, humorous, pleasant twee-pop that, from the well-crafted song structures to the wonderful cover art, possesses the warmth and attention to detail of an authentic indie collector’s item. A history of involvement with Stuart Murdoch is reflected in a palpable B&S influence, but rather than being mere pastiche, ZvG have a pronounced sound of their own. Lead single We Don’t Have That Kind of Bread stands out on an excellent album that could ably soundtrack any (admittedly rare) sunny day in Glasgow. [Finbarr Bermingham] ZOEY VAN GOEY PLAY HINTERLAND FESTIVAL ON 1 MAY, THEIR ALBUM LAUNCH IN STEREO, GLASGOW ON 9 MAY, AN IN-STORE PERFORMANCE AT AVALANCHE, EDINBURGH ON 25 MAY AND THE BOWERY, EDINBURGH ON 25 MAY.

PINK MOUNTAINTOPS

OUTSIDE LOVE 5 MAY, JAGJAGUWAR

rrrr Black Mountain found substantial success with last year’s proggy opus In The Future, though sixteen-minute psych-jams were never going to be to everyone’s taste. Now Outside Love, the third album Black Mountain main-man Stephen McBean has recorded as Pink Mountaintops, is here to try another tack, with beautifully romantic results. With Mazzy Star and Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You as its spiritual forebears, opener Axis: Thrones of Love combines guitar feedback with snare rolls and sleigh bells, setting up the album’s strung out Spiritualized-before-he-got-self-indulgent vibe. While We Were Dreaming’s heartbroken (and heart-breaking) country gospel lament and the garage rock kick of The Gayest of Sunbeams are definite highlights, but Vampire is the emotional pinnacle - as McBean sighs “You can suck out the blood but you can’t kill the heart of my love” to swooning strings, a choir join the defiant coda and the resultant heart swells are palpable. [Chris Buckle] PINK MOUNTAINTOPS PLAY ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES VS. THE FANS, CAMBER SANDS ON 8-10 MAY.

TOP FIVE ALBUMS

1. GRIZZLY BEAR - VECKATIMEST 2.THE HORRORS - PRIMARY COLOURS 3. THE FIELD - YESTERDAY & TODAY 4. PINK MOUNTAINTOPSOUTSIDE LOVE

5. A HAWK AND A HACKSAW DÉLIVRANCE

REVIEWS ONLINE rrr rrr rrr rr rr rrr rrr rr rr rr rrr rr rrr

BEN'S BROTHER - BATTLING GIANTS BLUE ROSES - BLUE ROSES BRITISH SEA POWER - MAN OF ARAN OST INDIGO JONES - DEATH OF A MATADOR JOHN VANDERSLICE - ROMANIAN NAMES KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS - DRACULA BOOTS NEW YORK DOLLS - 'CAUSE I SEZ SO PEACHES - I FEEL CREAM SIMPLE MINDS - GRAFFITI SOUL VACUUM SPASM BABIES - WHIPPING CLOWNS WILLIAM ORBIT - MY ORACLE LIVES UPTOWN WOODEN SHJIPS - DOS YPPAH - THEY KNOW WHAT GHOSTS KNOW

MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 49

RECORDS

ALBUM REVIEWS

The Prodigy SECC, 7 Apr

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Wes Kingston

Reintroducing the SECC to an inimitable brand of chaos with World’s on Fire, only Liam Howlett could wrap a sample of Jim Morrison around a twisted fairground melody with a straight face. The murky industrial thrash of Their Law makes an early appearance, leaving the crowd panting and critics (hello!) wondering what it is that The Prodigy has to rebel against in 2009. “Just fucking breathe,” snarls MC Maxim, a pointed reminder that there’s no need to over-think what your gut knows is incredible. In line with the times, Howlett dabbles with a dubstep reimagining of Maxim and Keith Flint’s most famous duet before unleashing the full force of Omen. Flint, meanwhile, may have tended to lurk on the periphery of live shows in recent years, but tonight he’s beyond starting fires - commanding every inch of the stage with anthem du jour Take Me to the Hospital. It took an artistic crisis to get here, but it’s a thrill to watch The Prodigy reclaim their mojo. [Dave Kerr] The Prodigy headline RockNess Festival Sonia Mallan

Metallica

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SECC, 26 Mar

rrrrr “Once you go ‘Tallica you never go back,” James Hetfield forewarns the uninitiated debutantes in attendance tonight. And communal experiences rarely arrive quite so enthralling, being this as it is the Bay Area thrashers’ first indoor appearance in Scotland since 1996.

However, unlike the truncated medleys and the lukewarm sludge rock that divided their fanbase back then, here we see indelible classics like Master of Puppets and Trapped Under Ice duly delivered in their entirety with a satifying (but entirely ludicrous) pyrotechnic display. Of Wolf and Man is a surprise highlight and hungrier material from last year’s Death Magnetic looms dominant, but it’s Seek and Destroy from 1983’s Kill ‘Em All that brings the curtain down on the show the Scottish metal community is going to be buzzing about, until next time. Always with the last word, Lars Ulrich hints it won’t be long: “How about we do this again real fucking soon?” Och, go on then.

[Dave Kerr] Metallica headline Sonisphere Festival, Knebworth on 2 August. www.metallica.com

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead Òran Mór, 17 April

Brel, 2 Apr

rrr Tonight Thomas Truax has more important preparations than a soundcheck - such as ensuring the Hornicator and Mother Superior are functional. These curious, self-made instruments transform stage into laboratory, and guessing each contraption’s purpose provides pre-gig entertainment. The spikey bike wheel with robotic arms?

Meet the aforementioned Mother Superior, Truax’s trusty analog drum machine. The open suitcase with extended rod from which a light-bulb dangles? Turns out to be a xylophone, with the illuminated bulb proving percussively useless but darn pretty. What about that red canister with extendable nozzle? Ah, that’s just the fire extinguisher - sometimes its difficult to distinguish instrument from non-instrument amongst Truax’s eye-catching paraphernalia. Unfortunately, his inventiveness is largely lost on oblivious, chattering boozers at the back of Brel’s conservatory, but hopefully next time he’ll get the venue he deserves. Where that might be - haunted house? Down a rabbit hole? - one can only speculate… [Chris Buckle]

From smashing guitars to plucking sitars, since splitting their fanbase neatly down the middle with the perceived apathy of 2006’s So Divided and the lackluster tour that followed it, all bets were off when it came to anticipating ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead’s next move. But from the opening bars of the lush Giants Causeway it’s obvious that Òran Mór is about to witness the worm turn. The energised vocal sparring between Conrad Keely and Jason Reece during Far Pavilions warms the cockles before the epic Isis Unveiled finds the crowd in thrall to the sextet’s knack for melding ethereal scale wandering with pure rock fury. Not to be outdone, Another Morning Stoner and a sprawling rendition of Totally Natural are embraced like old friends, whereas Caterwaul becomes a pogo dance too irresistible to sit out. You could say it’s finally coming together, in relative ways. [Johnny Langlands] www.myspace.com/trailofdead

www.myspace.com/benjaminwetherill

Dananananaykroyd

rrrrr Favours For Sailors (***) have seemingly been winning a few influential fans recently, but it’s not really apparent why on tonight's showing. They sound like a band more in thrall to Stephen Malkmus’ solo records than his more celebrated Pavement material. Regardless, their harmless pizza banter and competent show is utterly blown away by that which follows.

Glasgow’s Dananananaykroyd (*****) have been proclaimed the best live band in Britain in recent times.

Who by? Anyone in attendance at one of their shows up and down the land. Dananan need two drumkits to batter out their relentless sprawling rhythms, two singers to scream, yell and work the crowd, and just a few songs to get everyone into a frenzy. Both vocalists and guitarist break the fourth wall by spilling into the crowd and cheering along with us; it’s gallus, but nothing compared to the cuddling outbreak they manipulate like impudent preachers, or the final song that’s sung off-stage by the crowd in chorus. And it got better from there. You have to see it to believe. [Ally Brown] Dananananaykroyd’s debut album Hey Everyone! is out now on Best Before.

Fujiya & Miyagi The Arches, 11 Apr

rrrr “Sock it to me, uh!” Silhouetted by flashing short films and lights shining from behind them, their faces unseen, Fujiya and Miyagi stand before us. David Best’s whispered come-ons are a exhortation to the dancers down front, and he mixes up stream of consciousness lyrics, “like pixelated scraps of jazz mags in your head” with humourously unnecessary beat boxing: there is, after all, a drummer and sequencer already kicking out the jams. An air of irreverence circles around their kraut-funk: opener Pickpocket is one of the laziest songs ever written, and is duly lauded with muted applause. It is this inconsistency that keeps them from brilliance; the spine chilling grooves of Photocopier and Knickerbocker are tempered by the occasional dross, but live, they are able to cherry-pick the hits. Their nonchalance could lead to their downfall, but when Fujiya and Miyagi get the balance right - as they do tonight - the results are quite splendid. [Jamie Scott] www.myspace.com/fujiyaandmiyagi

They play Stag and Dagger Festival, Glasgow on 23 May.

www.thomastruax.com

More gig reviews online 50 THE SKINNY May 2009

Interestingly, tonight’s billed performers are both bands masquerading as solo artists, yet both groups contain their fair share of individual character. Rob St. John’s (****) gentle pop fixates on his soft voice, a reserved David Gedge who pulls away from the microphone constantly, afraid of sharing his secrets, as the cosying chorus of Emily Scott and Bart Owl lead him on. Serenely chiming together, the dynamic flux of St. John’s tunes becomes decidedly endearing. The (as yet untitled) final track suddenly throws all restraint aside, storming with near outright riffage, the wonderful release of shining pop.

Benjamin Wetherill (***), playing with the Trumpets of Death, steps right out of the ordinary immediately, treading a fine line between madness and marvel. His tremoringly intense persona is drowned beneath drones, scattered rhythms and quite inhumane saxophone playing, and takes persistence to follow. Constantly sinister, the crawling and depraved jazz harmony is worlds away from Rob St. John, who clutches at beauty in a way that Wetherill would find unimaginable. The Bowery is famed more for its chic ambience than live sound, and much is lost in the squall and melee, but despite it all, Wetherill pummels his chromatic freak folk with real meaning, and baffling energy. [Jamie Scott]

Cabaret Voltaire, 7 Apr

rrrr Thomas Truax

Benjamin Wetherill The Bowery, 4 Apr

peter pelosi

Music

Live reviews Pete Dunlop

theskinny.co.uk

MUSIC

WIN TICKETS TO THE STAG & DAGGER! Festival season is fast approaching, which usually means pitching your tent in the great outdoors; but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not for everyone. If facing a Portakabin is an obstacle too far and you prefer your music in a more urbane setting, then the Stag & Dagger festival, taking place across select venues in Glasgow city centre on Saturday 23 May, could be right up your street.

The Skinny are proud to be hosting a stage at Stag & Dagger, with confirmed acts including The Phantom Band, Meursault, and White Denim.

To celebrate the launch of The Skinny stage at Stag & Dagger, we're giving away 10 pairs of tickets for an event that promises good times galore.

To enter the competition, just answer the following question:

In which UK city was the Stag & Dagger festival launched last year?

Visit www.theskinny.co.uk/competitions before May 15 for your chance to win!

Regular Skinny T&Cs apply, available on request.

MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 51

MUSIC

PREVIEWS AIDAN MOFFAT & THE BEST-OFS STEREO, GLASGOW, 8 MAY

Aidan “f***ing” Moffat’s expletive-strewn lyrics have never been kind to the prudish. Which is maybe how his new album can feature such bon mots as “we’re all slaves to our erections” yet still sound like a step away from the debauched carnality of previous releases. His frankness means you probably won’t want to take granny along, but those less shockable shouldn’t miss out - the heartfelt intimacy of tracks like Lullaby For Unborn Child should translate well to Stereo’s basement, while the Best Ofs’ melodies will help smooth over the squirming if things hit too close to home for comfort. [Chris Buckle] 7.30PM, £10 WWW.AIDANMOFFAT.CO.UK

PIVOT NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 12 MAY

Pivot are another of dance label Warp’s recent forays into the world of guitar noise, and it seems that this is a successful one. The Australian trio released O Soundtrack My Heart in 2008, a melding of Battles’ instrumental crunch and Holy Fuck-esque grooves in a sonic whirl of frequencies and synths, and live, they are rumoured to be truly astounding. The gorgeous splatterfest of their video for In The Blood serves as a swift introduction to the band, but Pivot’s return to Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’s should be ideal for anyone eager to witness their full assault. [Jamie Scott] 8PM, £6 WWW.MYSPACE.COM/PIVOTPIVOT

WE ARE THE PHYSICS STUDIO 24, 8 MAY

ALASDAIR ROBERTS CABARET VOLTAIRE, 22 MAY

Forget for a moment any East of Scotland scenes, and let us look to Glasgow, for Scotland’s best kept folk lo-fi crossover has returned. Since Alasdair Roberts passed Will Oldham a demo tape back in the mid 90s, he has been releasing record after record on the Chicago label Drag City, coupling open finger picked guitars with a lavish lyricism. Soon enough, you will be able to find copies of his new LP Spoils, but until then, his UK wide tour with band in tow will have to suffice. Be sure not to miss this hugely important Scottish talent. [Jamie Scott] 7PM, £7 WWW.ALASDAIRROBERTS.COM

It’s impossible not to love We Are The Physics’ way with words. Their moniker was originally We Are The Physics Club And Therefore Everything We Say Is Fact, they have a song called You Can Do Athletics, BTW, and they describe their debut album We Are The Physics Are Ok At Music as the first album to be simultaneously good and shit. Oh, but their music’s quite good really; a thundering, angular assault, relentless and always deliciously complex. Singing along is a bit tricky as each layer of vocals is all but unintelligible, but for deranged dancefloor-filling perfection, look no further. [Heather Crumley] 7PM, £8 WWW.WEARETHEPHYSICS.COM

ANDREW BIRD ÒRAN MÓR, 14 MAY

There’s a reason they’re called Holy Fuck, and it’s not just to be nakedly controversial. When The Skinny saw these guys on the tiny Relentless stage at last year’s T In The Park, those were the words grabbed from everyone’s throats by the sheer force of the music. No-one quite knew what was going on, only that a bunch of Canadians were making some kind of transcendental, spectral racket, and that it was moving, in a very physical way. It was arm-raising, eye-watering stuff. If you’re not one for drugs, try Holy Fuck instead. [Ally Brown]

Slightly weird Illinois multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird packs up his guitar, mandolin, glockenspiel and whatever other instruments he can fit into his backpack for a month-long European tour this May. Bird’s undeniable attention to detail on latest album Noble Beast compounds his reputation as one of the least conventional singersongwriters of late, making this eighth studio effort as intricate and beautiful as 2007’s acclaimed Armchair Apocryphia, and predecessor The Mysterious Production of Eggs. An instinctive and well-toured live performer, Bird’s concerts are not to be missed; the raw nature of his acclaimed jazzy indie folk has its own wide appeal. Plus, he’s a damn good whistler. [Lauren Mayberry]

7PM, £9

7PM, £15

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/HOLYFUCK

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ANDREWBIRD

HOLY FUCK ÒRAN MÓR, 11 MAY

Live Music

Highlights

by Ted Maul

Lush, grand, but undeniably pop, A Camp get the month off to a classy start with a gig at Glasgow ABC2 on 2 May. Ostensibly the side project of The Cardigans’ Nina Persson, A Camp are a notable force in their own right, and Persson’s sublime voice coupled with such strong, melodic songwriting guarantees a great show.

With their live shows already the stuff of legend (think go-go dancers, Lightning Bolt-style crowd invasions and merciless percussive blitzkrieg), it’s safe to say that Friendly Fires will be packing them in when they play Edinburgh Picture House on 6 May and Glasgow ABC on 7 May. Supple, euphoric electro, unstoppable dance rhythms and driving pop melodies are their weapons of choice: Scotland, you don’t stand a chance!

My Vitriol are back in business and gigging again, and honestly, it’s like they’ve never been away. Still the gorgeous distorted walls of melody; still the unstoppable hooks; still the same palpable passion. By all accounts the new material is sounding spiffy too.

Quality band - Aberdeen Tunnels 17 May. Rapidly amassing a reputation as one of the most unmissable bands in the UK, Future of the Left don’t fuck around when they play live. Led by Andy ‘Heckle me at your peril’ Falkous, this captivating outfit play music that is playful, intelligent and bloody loud.

Searing venom never sounded so good. They play Glasgow Stereo on 18 May. Blimey, The Breeders are in town - for two nights!

Fronted by the unfathomably cool Kim Deal, the legendary four-piece will rock Glasgow King Tuts on both 19 and 20 May. We’d be glad to see them stay for a whole week, but hey. Good times are all but guaranteed.

Ridiculously talented Fifer James Yorkston hits up Scotland this month for a series of joint shows with Lisa Knapp. Who hell she? Well, aside from the dubious honour of having her debut named as Mojo’s folk album of the year, she’s paid her dues on the tradfolk scene and emerged with a modern, unique sound that should make these gigs something a bit special.

Dundee The Rep Theatre 14 May; Aberdeen Lemon Tree 15 May; Edinburgh Picture House 19 May; Stirling the Tolbooth 21 May; Glasgow ABC2 22 May. Google for

THE VERY BEST OF THE CURRENT SCOTTISH CROP - AND BEYOND PERFORM AS PART OF THE STAG AND DAGGER FESTIVAL ON 23 MAY. even more dates all throughout Scotland in May. Exciting news for west coast punters: The Stag and Dagger festival will take place on 23 May, and boy, is the line-up a coup. Performing as part of this one-ticket-gives-access-to-all fest are the very best of the current Scottish crop: Dananananaykroyd, The Aliens, The Phantom Band, Twilight Sad... As if that wasn’t enough, there’ll be an impressive international presence from the likes of Cursive, Black Lips, (Chris) Clark and The Mae Shi amongst others. A big bowl of superb? We think so. See www.staganddagger. com for more info.

Whether you rate the music or not, the new Horrors record is undoubtedly one of the surprises of 2009: finding them transformed overnight from pantomime punks into a serious, substantial band that people everywhere seem to be having long, heated discussions about. And with reports from recent gigs suggesting their live show has undergone a similar metamorphosis, King Tut’s is the only place to be in Glasgow on 29 May.

MEURSAULT

STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL, GLASGOW, 23 MAY Albert Camus’ Meursault is a man persecuted, and eventually executed, for his distinct inability to react with the same expanse of emotions as the rest of us. The death of his mother fails to cast a shadow upon him, and the resulting shock this causes society leads him to be ostracized.

Edinburgh’s equivalent certainly couldn’t be accused of the same dispassion: frontman and songwriter Neil Pennycook possesses the loudest voice in the capital, one that drips with passion and romance, and Meursault’s debut, Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues, was enthusiastically received by fans and critics alike. At once endearing, earnest and unpredictable, it is a record that strikes a note of both beauty and confusion, the songs slowly working their way into your heart. Live, they are unafraid to

strip away the clipping electronic beats and synths from their sound, frequently playing acoustic shows where they swap ukuleles, harmoniums and banjos.

The album artwork was done by Cammy Watt AKA Enfant Bastard; Neil also plays with Withered Hand, and with two songs about William Henry Miller, they are irrevocably an Edinburgh band, transported from the East to the West to continue building their glowing reputation. Full of passion, drama and, like their namesake, quite distinctive.

[Jamie Scott] MEURSAULT PLAY THE SKINNY STAGE AT GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART ALONGSIDE THE PHANTOM BAND, WHITE DENIM, CLARK, KONX-OM-PAX AND JACOB YATES. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MEURSAULTA701

FRIENDLY FIRES WILL BE PACKING THEM IN WHEN THEY PLAY EDINBURGH PICTURE HOUSE ON 6 MAY

52 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

MUSIC

METAL

UP YOUR

ASS

BY AUSTIN TASSELTINE

GALLOWS, ABC, 8 MAY

volleys of jeers from beer gardens full of Rugby players.

Up north, the sunshine rendering multiple layers of clothes less necessary and the granite-borne radiation still rotting their minds, an influx of riggers sees Union Street in Aberdeen finally morph into one gigantic, THUS, barely realising the distance we’ve covered, we throbbing, phallus soaked in testosterone, booze and stumble across May and with it the first real hints of North Sea Oil. summer. For some of us, May presents the opporMeanwhile the few living remnants of Dundee’s tunity for leather shorts and that black mesh t-shirt. waning post-hardcore scene scavenge under the safety Emo kids gradually find more to feel justifiably upset of night for scraps of entertainment, but the lengthenabout as wearing a hood up indoors gets increasingly ing days see them grow increasingly threatened and more uncomfortable and fragrant whilst, conversely, desperate. the skater punks slowly look less foolish for their And so it is that this colourful melee unfolds; a giant reluctance to wear anything but shorts. tapestry of life unfurling like a picnic blanket in the In Glasgow, herds of skinny-trousered, art rockers sunny noontime, driving many of society’s marginflee the slopes of Kelvingrove Park as sinewy, shirtless walkers further underground. Fortunately the world of neds pursue a reign of terror, perpetually orbited by loud music attempts to offer some consolation. pitbull terriers and four-year-olds with pierced ears, Anarcho-punks are the first to unite in solidarity as bearing names like Jordan and Britney-Marie. the less-than-subtle political misanthropy of former For the corseted, milky-skinned goths of Edinburgh, Atari Teenage Riot founder Alec Empire can be summer drops like a turd into fresh coffee. Leisurely savoured at Ivory Blacks in Glasgow (3 May, also strolls through the Grassmarket become urgently ne- PRINT.pdf playing Reekie’s 24 the following night). A few Cathouse 256x155 May Skinny Section 21/4/09Studio 10:32:18 gotiated gauntlets, with shoulders hunched, dodging days later Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh is visited by the

enormous metallic post-rock of Belfast foursome And So I Watch You From Afar (6 May).

Though they continue to release quality punk records, as evidenced by their forthcoming album, the head-scratching continues as to how Gallows, rather than any one of their many excellent peers, managed to break into the big time. Check their progress at ABC (8 May). Aberdeen’s metal contingent makes an overdue attempt to represent when native metal boys Bloodnut first visit The Moorings (9 May) with Edinburgh’s Man of the Hour and then Drummond’s (13 May).

For some as-yet largely undiscovered and thus relatively unsullied kick-ass hardcore, watch Midlands group Throats hurl themselves crowd-wards, with support from local doom-jazz duo Holy Mountain, at The Captain’s Rest in Glasgow (12 May). Then the following day see the equally exciting and feral Horse the Band vent their casio-meets-metal-core spleens all over Edinburgh’s GRV (13 May).

Ivory Blacks plays grateful host to Discharge (15 May), the band many credit with not only the original formula for hardcore but the foresight to first mix

metal and punk. Still going strong just shy of their 30th anniversary.

The Moorings in Aberdeen next plays host to Shetland’s finest racket as Metal Hammer-approved Ten Tonne Dozer drop by (16 May) to unleash some true northern fury. The very next night, hailing from even colder shores but considerably less enraged, Finnish orchestral power-metal masters Stratovarius wage righteous war in the Cathouse (17 May). Glasgow’s Black Rat Death Squad bring their pleasantly obnoxious blend of rock, roll and metal to Sneaky Pete’s (22 May) the day before Studio 24, also in the capital, hosts Mayhem IV (23 May) featuring, amongst others, Viking Skull, the pure-metal outlet for former members of Raging Speedhorn.

Some fella called Blaze Bayley then stops off, first at The Moorings (23 May) followed by Ivory Blacks (24 May), to do his post-Iron Maiden thing a few days before having his modest celebrity eclipsed when Lynyrd Skynyrd, those legendary Neil Young haters, bring their southern charm to Glasgow’s Clyde Auditorium (27 May). Free entry with every confederate flag tattoo.

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THE SKINNY 53

CLUBS

A Wee Return The Wee Chill makes a very welcome return to Glasgow's Southside at the end of this month. Colin Chapman looks at what's in store within the newly renovated Glasshouse.

AFTER a sabbatical last year, The Wee Chill makes a return to the Glasgow music calendar this month.

The event’s seventh outing sees it return on 30 May to Queens Park’s Glasshouse on the city’s South Side, following a sojourn to the Science Centre in 2007.

Placing an emphasis on home grown talent rather than relying solely on big name guests, its unusual location and relaxed atmosphere has seen it earn a place in the heart of many a Glasgow clubber. “The idea was to come up with something different from the typical club night, [something] that people could enjoy for its various creative aspects,” offers longstanding promoter, Brian Traynor. ”Though the venue was a major factor in this, our approach to lighting and dressing it, the event’s timing as well its marketing and music were equally important”.

The then owner of the Liquid Lounge joined forces with promoters of other nights at the former club to organise the first Wee Chill in 2003. Four more were held at The Glasshouse, with acts and DJs including Stereo MCs, Bugz In The Attic, Metro Area, and Chris Duckenfield, playing alongside locals such as Harri, Engine, Michael Peck, Colin Davie and Mungo’s Hi-Fi. However, in 2007, an alternative venue had to be found, as Brian explains: “The Glasshouse had fallen in to disrepair and was closed for renovation in May. At this point Sensu promoters, Barry Price and Chris Ingram, became involved and we moved to the Science Centre. The music policy also changed, becoming more upbeat, with Masters At Work headlining”.

“Previously we’d organised the Wee Chill after-parties as part of our Sensu nights”, adds Chris ‘Junior’ Ingram. “We also got the Sub Club involved that year, with owners Mike Grieve and Paul Crawford hosting a stage which featured The Bays and Jimpster”.

Now, the Sub has come on board as a full-time partner in the event.

“We were looking to take things one step further this year… with their experience and track record of continually pushing musical boundaries, it made sense to get them more involved this time round”, offers Traynor.

So, The Wee Chill is back, with arguably its strongest line-up yet.

This time around Horse Meat Disco residents, James Hillard and Jim Stanton will be hosting their own stage, the duo taking inspiration from legendary New York parties, The Loft and The Gallery for their gay/heterosexual friendly, London

Sunday night.

Joining them will be Cologne-based Kompakt Records artist, Justus Köhncke, who first came to prominence as a member of Whirlpool Productions, best known for their 1996 club hit, From Disco To Disco. After splitting in 2000, Justus went solo, releasing his first Kompakt album Was Ist Musik two years later, which combined what’s now his trademark, sci-fi-techno-disco sound and with German-sung electro-pop. Since then he’s produced a further two albums and several singles, including the underground hits, Timecode and Advance. His tracks have also featured on numerous mix-CDs and he’s also an established DJ of ten years standing.

Supporting the trio will be Optimo’s JD Twitch and JG Wilkes, as well as Glasgow’s disco don, Billy Woods.

Elsewhere, Subculture residents Harri and Domenic take control of a further stage, joined by longstanding Wee Chill collaborators Sensu, and newer additions to Glasgow’s club scene, Sunday Circus, with house music’s latest man-of-themoment, Raresh, headlining.

One-third of Romania’s much vaunted Ar:pi:ar Soundsystem, the former Bacau resident first took to the decks in his teens, later going onto establish himself on Bucharest’s club circuit. Invited to play the Black Sea beach parties in 2004, he DJed alongside the likes of Josh Wink, Steve Bug and Richie Hawtin to great success, helping him earn a slot on Sven Väth’s Sound Of The Sixth Season Tour, two years later. Since then he’s cemented his reputation with dates worldwide.

Glasgow-based DJs Pro Vinylist Karim, Michael Peck, Kev Stevens and Paul Ingram will also be on hand in the Aspecto Bar Room, while live music fans will be catered for thanks to a Hijack Records’ showcase, featuring the likes of The I.D Parade, Pop Up, The Statler Project and The Apple Scruffs, amongst others.

Throw in the Glasshouse’s tropical plants, its menagerie of lizards, tropical fish and exotic birds, not to mention break-dancers, magicians, face painters and graffiti artists, and it’s sure to be one of hell of party!

RARESH

TICKETS: EARLYBIRD - £18 + BOOKING FEE (1 MAY – 8 MAY), THEREAFTER - £20 + BOOKING FEE. WWW.TICKETS-SCOTLAND.COM WWW.THEWEECHILL.COM

ON THE SUMMERTIME JOYS OF THE LIQUID LUNCH DURING April, our usual cross-section chatter covered a variety of topics. Sci-fi writers meetings, holidaying in the island of Lesbos, and the cruel mistress that is the press accreditation process for overseas music festivals. What with the sun shining and all, the subject of picnics arose too. Being neither a West End luvvie nor a member of the Famous Five, I feel that I don't have much to contribute to 'Operation: Lashings of Ginger Ale'. Instead, the closest I get to something resembling a picnic is a lost weekend in Kelvingrove Park, where the order of the day is an overturned shopping trolley masquerading

54 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

JUSTUS KÖHNCKE

THE WEE CHILL, SATURDAY 30 MAY, THE GLASSHOUSE, QUEEN’S PARK, GLASGOW

as a table, and high stake bets are placed on whether or not that bloke with the MD 20/20 will get lifted by two o'clock. The noon until six liquid lunch is still the sign of the beginning of summer, where a sea of humanity stakes claim to every inch of grass and pushes their low quality playlist through even lower quality portable speakers. Think also: frisbee related injuries, disposable barbequeue fires, and a mass exodus when the sun goes down led by the police who insist that "it's for your own safety". Surely, the finest inner city day trip Glasgow has to offer.

[Chris Duncan]

DJ CHART DJ MEHDI Ahead of his set at this year's Rock Ness festival, Ed Banger's DJ Mehdi selects some choice cuts of black crack.

1. Drake, Bun B and Lil' Wayne Uptown (Young Money) "I own the swagger superstore and you are just the bag boy."

6. Djedjotronic - Gum Attack (BNR) "Perfect electro for 2009, and another nice French/ German collaboration."

2. Boys Noize - Jeffer (BNR) "Loud, yet so delicate."

7. Kate Bush - The Infant Kiss

3. Simian Mobile Disco - 10,000 Horses

8. Patti Drew - Stop and Listen (EMI)

(Domino) "Another masterpiece by the masters."

4. dYe - Neige 600 (TigerSushi)

"This is exactly the music I want to play at the moment."

5. Le Le - Disco Monster (Magnetron) "This is so tasty, it's like 'Breakfast'."

"Brings me back to childhood in a wink."

"You gotta do what you gotta do."

9. The Buggles - Elstree (XXXX) "It's like spring in the verse and autumn in the chorus."

10. Van Morrison - Crazy Love (Warner) "Because at night times, I'm Irish (sometimes)."

Clubs

Spirit of Punks In what will most likely be a sell-out night, Death Disco bestow a truly fine line up on Glasgow in May.

There is a school of thought that says that you can have too much of a good thing. “Utter pish” declares Death Disco, as it pours you another gin and stocks up the medicine cabinet in preparation for Sunday morning. “This month we have Milan’s number one party starters, Crookers, who bring with them not just metric tonnes of bass but also a legion of absurdly talented DJs and live acts. Don’t ever question us again.”

A valid point, only a downright fool would quarrel with May’s Death Disco line up. Local heroes RPZ leave the checked floor of the Vic Bar behind and host a room of their own in the Arches this month, presenting East London duo Punks Jump Up live on stage in their Death Disco debut. They consist of Joe Attard and David Andersson who currently boast their own record label, t-shirt range, and a history of supporting some of the biggest names in the business.

Punks Jump Up will be getting some much deserved attention this month.

The boys released their first 12” on their own label back in 2004 before unleashing Dance To Our Disco in 2007 on Parisian label Kitsuné. A plethora of remixes soon followed, as Punks Jump Up reworked the Gossip, Robyn’s With Every Heartbeat and Digitalism to great effect. Touring inevitably followed, with the pair appearing all over Europe alongside 2 Many DJs, Erol Alkan, SebastiAn, Busy P, Crookers, Joakim, Shitdisco and MSTRKRFT. Now putting the finishing touches to their album, Punks Jump Up have

several live dates lined up to celebrate it’s forthcoming release.

Headlining the evening are the Crookers, the dance world’s current remixers of choice. There’s no denying that they put in the hours, with tracks by The Chemical Brothers, AC/DC, Armand Van Helden, Bonde do Role, Brodinski, Kelis, Dusty Kid, The Whip and Diplo all getting the treatment. After their previous Death Disco performance went down a storm they return this month to drop fresh produce on the crowded floor of The Arches. Their debut album Tons of Friends is released this summer, so catch this opportunity to hear the beats that will be the soundtrack to the season. When Tons of Friends is finally available in the shops economic experts have predicted that it may well sell enough copies to single-handedly pull us out of the recession. Italo-hip-hop-house is indeed Alistair Darling’s best pal.

Crookers are presenting Congo Rock as part of their ‘Tons of Friends Tour’ and Ed Banger export Krazy Baldhead joins them to spin all manner of dirty grooves. Continuing from last month’s Death Disco is the incorporation of theatre into the club night.

Performers Firebox Dance Theatre and Action Hero will pick up the pieces left behind by the infamous Ann Liv Young to ensure that your attention doesn’t wander for a second. [Chris Duncan] Death Disco, The Arches, Saturday 16 May, 11pm-3am, £14/£7 www.deathdisco.info

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

May 2009

THE SKINNY 55

Clubs

Previews

the 15th birthday party harri & domenic with dixon and M.A.N.D.Y. [10.30 – 5am]

Caspa

Cryotec feat. Soman

Glasgow School of Art, 24 May

Cathouse, 28 May

There’s no time to rest your dancing feet. After a bassridden two months, West London’s dubstep giant Caspa rounds off the killer May line-up from Glasgow’s foremost purveyors of bass, Mixed Bizness. Following Thunderheist and Ghostface Killah, Caspa’s Glasgow debut promises pure dubstep beats and grime-y treats. His latest album, Everybody’s Talking, No-one’s Listening - which had special guests Skream and Benga dropping in on the launch at Fabric last month - has reignited his fans, building on the much-adored 2007 FabricLive mix with dubstep playmate Rusko. Caspa doesn’t just deliver dubstep: he’ll hit you with layers of grime and dub, decorating a relentless bassline with with trance-inspired melodic vocals that push the music onwards. This is dubstep for the dancefloor, and you know resident Benny Boom (Solid Steel) and Subcity’s Djamba will honour it with their enviable dub and hiphop collection. Get your dub well and truly on. [Rosie Davies]

Kolja Trelle produces music under the alias Soman, and is one of Germany’s most influential industrial dance music artists. He began his career as a sound engineer with Absurd Minds, Hocico and Terminal Choice, and progressed into the field of remixing, re-rinsing tracks

by VNV Nation, Red Sand and Tom Wax. He entered the scene under the name Soman with the album Sound Pressure back in 2003. His music blends a strong fusion of industrial beats and rhythms and combines them with melodic trance sounds. Featuring the hit track Divine, Sound Pressure quickly began storming DJ playlists across the globe. Soman now arrives at Glasgow’s well loved institution the Cathouse for a live club show on 28 May at rising industrial night Cryotec. Expect the heaviest of sets from Infacted Recordings’ weapon of choice. [Chris Duncan] 11pm-3am, £5

harri & chris duckenfield

11pm-3am, £3/£4

[swag]

harri & crazy p live [2020 vision]

harri & 2000 and one harri & domenic – the wee chill after-party till 4am

door tax; £8 b4 12, £10 after except 02/05: £12 all night 16/05 & 23/05: £10/£12

www.myspace.com/soman

DJ Funk & Shadow Dancer

Dimitri From Paris

Sub Club, 1 May

Melting Pot, 3 May

When Numbers first brought DJ Funk and his accelerated ghetto-tech to the Sub Club, sweat literally dripped off the walls. It dripped off the ceiling and ran down people’s backs. No-one cared. Two years on, still satisfying Glasgow clubbers’ thirst for all things loud and offensive, the tenner ticket fee is worth it just to hear classics from Ghetto House Anthems 2 on the Subby soundsystem, nevermind his indulgent remix of Justice’s Let There Be Light. Support comes from Shadow Dancer, whose debut album Golden Traxe is out now on Boys Noize, much to the delight of pretty much every hot name about. Modeselektor, A-Trak and the Ed Banger crew apparently can’t get enough; think all those artists, cut and pasted together, and you’ve got an idea of their very ‘now’ electro-tech sound. Get down early enough for free clothing from cult New York label Mishka. You’ll need it for the walk home. [Rosie Davies]

Glasgow is spoilt for choice this coming coming May bank holiday, with every night worth their salt presenting a special event. Melting Pot brings the King Of Disco to the city for a very rare three hour vintage disco set, an offering made all the better when you take into consideration the intimate nature of the venue. As the French Ambassador of house music, Dimitri from Paris is everything his nation could be proud of: a DJ, producer, and remixer of the highest standard, and a stylish snake-hipped pin-up with French reserve. This event will be part of a weekend of Melting Pot shows at The Admiral with the Saturday night being hosted by resident DJs Andrew Pirie and Simon Cordiner in the Hold, and Jamie Thomson and Derek Smith in the Lounge. This will be the first residents only night in over a year, so expect a return to the roots of Melting Pot itself. [Chris Duncan]

11pm-3am, £10

www.meltingpotglasgow.com

11pm-4am, £15 (full weekend access to The Admiral)

Den Haan Wrong Island, stereo, 16 may

After two successful releases on both Dissident Records and the newly created Optimo Music, Dan Haan have opted to start their own label called Courier of Death. The label takes its name from a straight to video 80s movie, the soundtrack of which will be released through Courier of Death later this year.

Den Haan appear live at Wrong Island on 16 May to celebrate the launch of the label and its first release, The Heist EP. With an incredible live reputation Den Haan will

provide a show complete with cosmic visuals inspired by the Erik Von Danniken book ‘Gods From Outer Space’, about intergalactic aliens’ visits to prehistoric Earth.

Support comes in the form of a DJ set from Gardi and the usual sounds from Wrong Island resident Teamy, who promises analogue synths and italo-disco on all fronts.

[Chris Duncan] 11pm-3am, £6/£5

Subculture Turns 15

Sub Club, Saturdays throughout May

Most people only celebrate their birthday once each year. Subculture has never been like everyone else though, so they’ve opted for a month of celebrations. Founding fathers Harri and Domenic may require hospital treatment at the end of this festivity binge, as each event is set to be massive.

Then again, what better way to mark 15 years as the longest running weekly night in the UK? Over the years Subculture has hosted some truly outstanding acts, so for this series of nights they have pulled out all the stops. The festivities commence with an appearance from Berlin’s Steffen ‘The Dixon’ Berkhahn, who is considered the epitome of forward thinking house music and has worked with, among others, heavyweights Basement Jaxx and Carl Craig.

The party will resume one week later with a set from Chris Duckenfield. Duckenfield is a flawless producer of delicious disco cuts and bass lines of epic proportions. He is known for effortlessly bouncing between house, disco, downtempo and even classic disco - so expect the unexpected.

Next up on May 16 will be a live performance from

skinny ad may.indd 1

56 THE SKINNY May 2009

21/4/09 6:54:12 pm

Nottingham’s Crazy P, formerly known as Crazy Penis. The five piece purveyors of smooth electronica are fronted by the seductive presence that is Danielle Moore. Women, prepare to be amazed by her sultry tones. Men, prepare to fall in love.

The penultimate installment will feature one of the first successful Dutch techno producers, 2000 And One. That’s right: Amsterdam’s finest is back on these shores to provide a night of glorious acid house and techno. The birthday celebrations close with a Wee Chill After Party on May 30.

If the stellar line up of international talent simply isn’t enough, rest assured resident Harri will be spinning pure bliss at each event. Two of the events even have a late licence, so that’s one more hour of hedonism for the hardcore clubbers.

Furthermore, there is dual cause for celebration as DJ Mag has voted Sub Club number 14 in a recent poll of best clubs in the world. The readers answered back and voted the ‘Subby’ number ten. Take your hungry eardrums to one of these fine events and pass on your birthday wishes. [David McNamara] Subculture, Saturdays, 11pm-3am, £10/£12

Clubs

www.tentracks.co.uk

Huntley’s and Palmer’s Audio Club:

Yesterday’s Sounds of Tomorrow, Today Shortly before bringing a rare live performance from The Threshold Houseboys Choir to Glasgow, Chris Duncan speaks to the two men behind two of the city's outstanding club night's Curious Curious and Huntley's and Palmer's Audio Club.

It is important to establish something from the beginning of this article. Unless you have an encyclopedic knowledge of various genres and an open mind about music, it is impossible to hold a lengthy conversation with the minds behind two of Glasgow’s finest club nights, let alone an interview.

After a photo shoot in a nearby park and narrowly avoiding a meeting with two of the city’s boys in blue, who were no doubt wondering why three men and a female photographer where hanging around by the swings after dark, we retire to a bar to talk to Andrew Thomson and David Barbarossa about their creations.

But where to begin? Their shared love of all things cosmic, kraut and disco? David’s legendary record collection that exceeds 10,000 in number? Or perhaps their music policy that good music is good music, regardless of genre.

It is a daunting prospect, so the choosen course of action is to simply allow the dictaphone to run as Andrew and David talk at great length about the nights they both created.

“Huntley's and Palmer's Audio Club began in December 2007 and Curious Curious followed around March 2008. Curious Curious kind of started for us to play music without guests. We also had After Dark which was born with Wrong Island, we were hosting nights at the Research Club and Wrong Island were hosting nights at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy. So we had the same kind of crowd but we were dividing the crowd. We got together and it worked well for a while but we eventually went our separate ways,” says Andrew.

“I had spoken about starting a night for ages and I finally got my finger out and booked Pilooski for my first night. It wasn’t that hard [to pull off] and I enjoyed it so it went on from there. Every guest we book either hasn’t been booked by anyone else in the city before, or haven’t played Glasgow in a while. Soon I was asked to DJ in bars and things grew from there.”

“Before my first night I had so much time to plan and research everything I should be doing that I was able to make a promotional CD. I’m quite proud of it still, it’s a good CD. I left it in various shops wrapped in newspaper for people to find.”

“That’s how I came to the night,” says David, “I came across this CD and it didn’t just have the same songs that every other night was playing.”

“I’ve been DJing for years but that’s because I love playing the records I’ve got, not because I ever wanted to be a DJ. I’ve run a variety of things in both Kilmarnock and Glasgow.”

In return, Andrew offers:“I’d seen David play in both MacSorley’s and at Optimo, then got talking to him about playing at Huntley’s and Palmer’s Audio Club.”

Huntley’s and Palmer’s and Curious Curious are two separate entities, but they often come together to bring their favourite acts to Glasgow. Previous guests have included James Holden, Aeroplane and Silver Apples.

“Curious Curious has more of a psychedelic sound, what it began as and what it is going to become are two very different things. The initial plan was psyche and a mixture of everything. That has kind of streamlined out now, it’s more disco. Not stupid disco but also not obscure only-for-the-bloggers stuff. Curious Curious is a party, whilst Huntley’s and Palmer’s is more an

david barbosa and jamie thomson katie Lee young

"Outwith Berlin and London I would say Glasgow has one of the best music scenes in the world."

andrew thomson

occasion where Andrew will just book whatever music he likes.”

“Silver Apples was bizzare for me because it actually happened, Aeroplane was just great fun. No-one else really does what we do here.” says Andrew.

“I think that is the benefit of the night, it’s like giving your pal a tape, telling them to check this out.” adds David.

This month’s act is evidence of the booking policy in action at Huntley's and Palmer's and Curious Curious.

On 3 May Peter Christopherson - the founder member of Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, Coil and SoiSongappears at Stereo for an extremely rare live solo

performance as The Threshold Houseboys Choir.

“I knew that if I didn’t book them nobody else would.

That’s the outlook for every night. There have been a few occasions where some nights down south have had the same acts as us, but I think that’s them playing catch up. It used to be that if there was an act I wanted to see I would have to go down to London to see them or maybe Manchester. Nobody would ever bring them to Glasgow,” says Andrew.

“I think that’s a problem with being ahead of the curve,” says David.

Perhaps if you’re introducing people to a new sound you can’t expect them to always be aware of the acts you’re booking. Is the hope that people who come down to the night will put faith in the acts they book, and come down regardless of whether or not they know the artist being showcased?

“Yeah, and I think that is beginning to happen. With most interesting guests you’ll find that they have interesting tastes in music. Even though we run small nights we find that these guests agree to come up and play for us because they have a good time and we’re all like-minded. But booking great guests doesn’t always guarantee a crowd,” admits David.

“As clubs go we are young. I’ve found that sometimes people are not as open-minded as I though they might be and at other times they are much more openminded than I ever expected.”

“Outwith Berlin and London I would say Glasgow has one of the best music scenes in the world. There is just so much choice, but a negative side of it is that there is just so much going on and not enough people to go to it all.” says Andrew.

This is a problem familiar to any discerning Glasgow night owl. We talk about an occasion a few months back where Andrew put on James Holden at Stereo, the same evening that David was DJing alongside James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem at the CCA and Death Disco hosted Erol Alkan in their biggest event ever. Three massively successful nights catering to differing tastes and an example of how Glasgow is spoilt for choice when it comes to music.

After what is sure to be a memorable night with The Threshold Houseboys Choir on 3 May, David and Andrew join Jamie Thomson, T. Keeler, Brian D’Souza and James Pole for a Huntley’s and Palmer’s takeover of the Brunswick Hotel on 8 May. Running from 9pm until 2am, the event is free and sprawls over both floors of the hotel as each DJ brings in their enviable record collection.

After a promising start, both Huntley’s and Palmer’s and Curious Curious have quickly risen to become two of Glasgow’s club night staples, their ground-breaking guests and diverse music policy ensuring that they have quickly gained a fanbase. With Aeroplane returning to perform on 30 May and Ewan Pearson appearing on 6 June, the winning formula is being applied to ensure that they host many more great nights in the future.

Huntley’s and Palmer’s Audio Club host a regular Ten Tracks channel. Their May bundle is set to feature tracks from Ali Renault, Bot’Ox, Pilooski and Ewan Pearson. www.myspace.com/huntleysandpalmers www.myspace.com/curiouscuriousclub www.tentracks.co.uk

May 2009

THE SKINNY 57

Glasgow music Fri 01 May Hinterland Festival

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 13:00–03:00, various

Over 100 acts, 15 venues, one ticket.

Have an ogle at their website for what’s what

hinterland festival 2009: sons and daughters, striken city, remember remember, punch and the apositles, phantom, 2 door cinema club, y’all is fantasy island

The Arches, 17:45–22:00, £23.50/£42

For more information visit http://www. hinterlandfestival.com

hinterland festival

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 18:00–23:00, 2 Day Standard Tickets - £42, 1 Day Tickets - £23.50

Go to hinterland.com for more info

HINTERLAND FESTIVAL and DOMINO RECORDS presents: The European Union, Eugene McGuinness, Jon Hopkins, Wild Beasts Stereo, 18:00–23:00, various

For more info go to: www.hinterlandfestival.com

Hinterland Festival 2009 ABC, 19:00–03:00, £23.50

For more information visit www.hinterlandfestival.com

NEW NOISE POLLUTION, the limits, pilot episode, casino, until we decide Barrowlands, 19:00–11:00, £6

Indie rock

FLARES : Tigers on Vaseline, Hot Love, The 70’s Souvenirs, Electric Warriors Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Glam rock

Hinterland Festival 2009

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £23.50/42

See www.hinterlandfestival.com for more details

Sleepercurve, The Black Cherry Group, Elmo, The Tenants Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

Prog rock

Fine Lines (The Tenements) Box, 20:00–23:00, Free

Showcase gig for up-and-coming Manchester band

John Goldie

City Halls: Recital Rooms, 20:00–23:00, £12

Jazz, blues, celtic and funk inspired acoustic guitar

The Australian Pink Floyd Show SECC, 20:00–23:00, £28.50

The very next best thing we think

Denis Law Jr, Bo Deadly, freudian slop, The Jizz Rabbits 13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3

Messy, mathy and mental pop-punk pleasers

Sat 02 May Leo Forde Quartet Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

DUKE SPECIAL

Òran Mór, 19:00–23:00, £12.50

Alto Elite

HALCYON DAYS,FREUDIAN SLOP, see past perfect, dark past, badly put together

Carnoustie pop

Barrowlands, 19:00–23:00, £6

Indie rock

Major/Minor presents: Lonely Ghosts, Peter Parker, and Yoko, Oh No! (Gardiner Famille DJs) The Flying Duck, 19:30–03:00, £5

Powerpop

Bob Dylan

SECC, 19:30–23:00, £37-42

Who? We’ve never heard of him

Kimmie Rhodes

Classic Grand, 19:30–23:00, £12

Acoustic

Any Human Heart, Satellite Underground, Sinister Flynn, Kevin McGuire The V Club, 20:00–22:00, £5

Indie rock

Fryars

Electro pop

Lull, Ampersand, The Final Voyage Of The Liquid Sky, San Toy Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

Indie folk rock

Have a wee gander at our review of the indie rockers new album online

The Negatives front man pitches up for a rare UK tour on the back of a massive 59 track box set release.

A CAMP

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £12

Minimalist western swing

58 THE SKINNY May 2009

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £15

WHITE LIES, School of Seven Bells

PRISCILLA AHN

Alt. rock

Nik Kershaw

Yup, still touring. 80’s pop

Òran Mór, 19:30–23:00, £8

Multi-instrumental floaty folk whispers from a girl with good hair

Au

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Experimental psych

The Cairos, Eryka, The Dependants, General Maggie Mays, 20:00–23:00, £5

Ambient post punk

Barrowlands, 19:00–23:00, £12 (sold out)

Stereo, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

low sonic drift

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £3

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, Free

What Happened

The Arches, 19:30–23:00, Pay what you can

Experimental noise improv

Marissa Nadler

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

EP Launch

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £6

Hanoi Rocks (DJ Craig Wilson)

Michael Simons

Firewater, 20:00–03:00, £5/4

Post gig hang-out for fans and bands alike.

Oxford alt. rock

Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 19:00–22:00, £2

folk, blues and beyond

Eclectiv (Paze, Aeons and Rats of the Capital) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Weekly eclectic collective.

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Wed 06 May Marmaduke Duke: Playback King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, Free

Shoegaze americana

Have a gander at the new album, Duke Pandemonium

This City, Reemer, The Little Yellow Ukuleles

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £4

Folk punk

A Silent Film, The Lava Experiments

Acoustic session

Face melting metal from California

Mstrkrft, L.A. Riots, Art of Parties DJ’s

Mon 04 May

Òran Mór, 20:00–23:00, Free

Bluesy, alt. folk

The Twisted Wheel, 19:30–23:00, £6

RML & DFC present: Peggy Sue and the Pirates, Ben TD, Muddy Face

Canadian electro duo with penchant for hockey masks

Ross Clark

Saviours, Black Sun, Jousting With Dracula

The newly launched Twisted Wheel Showcase presents a smorgasbord of local talent

ABC, 23:00–03:00, £14

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £6

PEGGY SUE, Ben TD

Richard Colson Severe Aplastic Anemia Fundraiser

Rock

ABC, 19:00–22:30, £16.50

Psychiatric rockish pop punk to bemoan your lot too

TWS presents: Eightball, The Vendors, Enaura

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–22:00, £5

PCL presents: ART BRUT

Regular Music present: Lloyd Cole

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £12.50

Hardcore

Combat Rocks

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Safe pop for the nostalgically inclined

Death metal

THERAPY?

Rage Against the MacChine, Heavy Mama, Ruby and The Emeralds, The Colts

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, sold out

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £8

Not one to bring your nan to

Throatwrench! Feat. Citagazi

The MeatMen Razorlight

1990’s

Chasm, Doubts Cast Shadows, Farseer, Vantage Point

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £6

De Jour, Call Me Ishmael, The La Barrons, Black Hack Alt. indie and new wave

Old fashioned country and rock ‘n’ roll

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £5

Burning Earth, Cancerous Womb, Co-Exist, JMC

Prog indie

Guitar led band from Strathclyde’s BA Applied Music Course Maggie Mays, 17:00–19:00, Free

Sun 03 May

Mystical, dreadlocked dandy lyricist.

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £6

Acoustic Bazooka (Johnny Corr, Mellifluos, Noxx, Adam Naylor) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Weekly acoustic night.

Tue 05 May

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £5

Punked up disco spawn from the Bloc Party seed

AZRIEL, Brickshed

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Hardcore metal

Safetynet, Izzak and the Tinker, John Deery Rio Café, 20:00–00:00, Free

Mixed bag

MND presents: Navvy

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £5

Electro club pop

Mono Jazz (John Speirs) Mono, 20:00–23:00, Free

Sam Isaac, Cassidy, Mike Nisbet

Weekly jazz night with the resident house four-piece, plus guests.

Indie folk mainstay

SKELETONS

Revelations (Johnny and the Giros, The Zeitgeists and Falzones)

Pop

Weekly indie.

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £6

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Glasgow music Thu 07 May Amusement Parks On Fire, Atlas Skye

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £8

MORRISSEY, Doll and The Kicks

Barrowlands, 19:00–23:00, £32.50 (sold out)

Hanoi Rocks (DJ Craig Wilson)

PCL presents: pivot

Quiet Riot

Post gig hang-out for fans and bands alike.

Psych a’cappella

A weekly mixed bag

Ross Clark

Hi 5 Alive (The View)

Acoustic session

Tropical indie pop

Firewater, 20:00–03:00, £5/4

Nottingham shoegazers

The grand daddy of the punk pop legions

FRIENDLY FIRES, Hockey

Mr Kil

Tronic Presents: Frog Pocket, Mrs Jynx

Pop, disco house and shoegaze. Shifted from original venues due to phenomonal demand, original tickets still valid

Ambient rock

Intelligent dance

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £10

GHOSTFACE KILLAH

o2 Academy, 19:00–23:00, £16

Former Wu-tang man and kung fu enthusiast brings hip-hop to Eglinton Street

MORRISSEY, Doll and The Kicks

Barrowlands, 19:00–23:00, £32.50 (sold out)

The grand daddy of the punk pop legions

The Vandelays ABC, 19:00–23:00, £5

Aberdonian power pop

The Lynsey Dolan Band, Alan Murphy

Classic Grand, 19:30–23:00, £15

pop-rock and funk

Craig Ralston, Katie Stewart, Euan Platter, Shoshana

Òran Mór, 19:30–22:00, £5

Girls Aloud

SECC, 19:30–23:00, £30

Promoting the new album, Out of Control

Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Skerry Vore

The Arches, 19:30–23:00, £17/13

Tv talent show winners

Esperanza, Unknown Method, The Urchins, Slow Hands In The Bad Lands The V Club, 20:00–22:00, £5

Reggae and ska

The Vivians, The Brogues, Ewan Butler Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

Rock

Youves

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

New wave punk

Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Sun 10 May La Roux, Heartbreak, Magistrates, The Chapman Family King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £9.50

Iron your neon terry towelling jumpsuit and hit the floor. Electro pop for every beat deprived pessimist among you

Maximo Park

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, Free

Album playback for Quicken the Heart

Several Union, New Noise Pollution

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Òran Mór, 20:00–23:00, Free

Eclectiv (Skinny Villains, Free Korps, Jealous of the Stars) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Weekly eclectic collective.

Kunt and The Gang

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Pop killing ventriloquest popstar

Wed 13 May Live Jazz

Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 19:00–22:00, £2

Fortnightly offering of classics and modern standards

The Sunshine Underground, The Old Romantic Killer Band

Rock

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, sold out

Alba Gu Brath, Bonesaw, Skinkarver, Syth

GINGER, TONY WRIGHT

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £6

Indie pop

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Celtic folk

Rock

The Arches, 20:00–23:00, £15

Counting Crows

RHYDIAN

Concrete Campfire (Muddy Face)

the highlines, the deals, the merchants

Rescheduled from 18th December 2008 all tickets remain valid

Acoustic session

Alt. indie

THE DO, Moriarty

Aidan Moffat & the Best-Ofs

Indie

Sloans, Argyle Arcade, 20:00–01:00, Free

Acoustic

Brel, 20:00–22:00, Free

Maybe She Will

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Electro pop

Live at The Mill (St Deluxe, Palace Ballet)

The Mill Glasgow @ Òran Mór, 20:00–22:30, Free

Showcase double-bills for the best upand-coming acts. For more information on these gigs go to: http://www.themill-live.com

Cryptic Nights CCA, 20:00–23:00, £5

Video sound sculpture by Advanced Beauty with support from Chris Gorman

Reggae meets the Beatles

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Stereo, 20:00–23:30, £10

Sat 09 May Dias Quarte

SECC, 19:00–23:00, £33.50

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £8

The Balky Mule, Over the Wall

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Jam band pop

The MeatMen

FASLANE BENEFIT GIG: Gin Goblins, Acid Tongue + The Fuck Ups, Poverty Scum, Dip Dap, Burnout 27

Old fashioned country and rock ‘n’ roll

Alt. rock and metal persuasions

Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Brazilian rhythms

Maggie Mays, 17:00–19:00, Free

Graham Coxon

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £14

Acoustic Brit pop

Casino

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Michael Marra

City Halls: Recital Rooms, 20:00–23:00, £12

Jazz and blues piano with a Dundonian inflection

Indie rock

TWS presents: Zoobizaretta, Acutones, We Break Mirrors

Pop

Rab Noakes

Weekly showcase

Powercut Session (Baldego, Salon Society, Mike Nesbit, Gillian Christie)

Glaswegian pop

KMR presents: mike bones Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £3

Total blackout. Unplugged sets in the pitch black. Just don’t stand next to the pervy guy in the navy blue mac.

Synergy Concerts Presents: THE ACORN Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Indie folk rock

Who Shot Jonson, Always until Victory, First Steps to Failure 13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £10

The Apple Scruffs, Tango and The Attic, Any Human Heart ABC, 19:00–23:00, £6

Glaswiegen powerpop

Yann Tiersen

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £15

Minimalist French composer, best known for his work on ‘Amelie’ score

Girls Aloud

SECC, 19:30–23:00, £30

Promoting the new album, Out of Control

Sleazy Scots suck rock

Four Dead in Ohio

Quiet Riot

Psych rock

The Drawing Room, 21:00–00:00, Free

A weekly mixed bag

Fri 08 May The Butterfly Effect, To The Bones

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, Free

No Tribe (Kritikill Mass, Painfish, Krawling Home and Southpaw) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £9

Canadian electro rock

Michael Simons

Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 19:00–22:00, £2

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £8

Knitwear-clad shoegazers. Hold on to your jumpers

Kochka, The Black Rats, Kalla Heartshake, Mocker Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £6

Indie rock

Brel, 19:30–22:00, £tbc

Contemporary celtic folk

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

No Tribe

Hardcore metal to grate your teeth against

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

Dicelines presents...

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

Line up yet to be confirmed

No Tribe (Mulehog, First Steps to Failure and Turn it Red)

The Twisted Wheel, 19:00–23:00, £tbc

LADYHAWKE

QMU, 19:00–23:00, £10 (sold out)

The queen of all your dirty, casiosynthed, 80’s wet dreams. Something is burning, but I’m not sure we’d call it Paris

Saint Etienne

Heavy melodic indie

X-factor poster boy

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £16

Performing 1991 debut ‘Fox Base Alpha’

Maeve O’Boyle, Jill Leighton, Andy Patterson

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

SECC, 19:30–23:00, £23.50

Mon 18 May

Expanding Demands, Trade, The Pedantics

Michael Simons

Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

tempercalm, the kamillas

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

CAGE THE ELEPHANT

the caravel

Rock, punk and funk

Indie rock

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Rio Café, 20:00–00:00, Free

Singer songwriters

Die! Die! DIe!

Acoustic folk

Tue 12 May

Alt. rock

QMU, 19:00–23:00, £10

Mono Jazz (Konrad Wiszniewski)

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Hjaltalin

Acey Slade, Patchwork Grace, Peepshow

Scandinavian lounge pop

Electro rock

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £7

Alt. rock and pop

Mono, 20:00–23:00, Free

Weekly jazz night with the resident house four-piece, plus guests.

PCL presents: Anti Pop Consortium Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £10

Definitely not pop

Revelations (The Planes, Sneaky Pete and Still Furies) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Weekly indie.

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Thu 14 May Little Boots

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7.50

Intelligent electro pop

PCL presents: Andrew Bird Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £13.50

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £10

JOHN BARROWMAN

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 19:00–23:00, £35.00, £27.50

Yes, you read it right. Golden

PCL presents: Metric

THE VIEW

Rock, math, rock

Alt. rock

Masters of hardcore night

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £6

o2 Academy, 20:00–23:00, £23

The Temper Trap

Glasgow Americana Festival presents: Otis Gibbs

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £6/7

Storyteller extrordinaire

Indian Red Lopez

PCL presents: FUTURE OF THE LEFT

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Indie rock

Wreckin Pitt presents: The Graveyard Jonnys, Gin Goblins

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Welsh psychotic rockabilly

Alt. rock

Alt. indie

The Arusha Accord

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £4/5

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Acoustic Bazooka (Linda D, Emma Curran, Aaron Wright, Matthew Malone)

Sat 16 May JazzCo

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Weekly acoustic night.

Standards, funk and mainstream jazz

KRISTIN HERSH, Christopher Rees

Hip Parade, Danny Shah, Optional Wallace

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:30–23:00, £12.50

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7.50

Solo acoustic set from the American singer/ songwriter that healmed alt. rock outfit, Throwing Muses

Indie rock

Black Hack, The Dead Generals

o2 Academy, 19:00–23:00, £15

Concrete Campfire (Yusuf Azak, Iain Shaw)

Tue 19 May

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Rock and pop

The Hotclub of Cowtown

Hooks N Crooks

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £14

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £6

Alt. rock

Barrowlands, 19:00–23:00, £6

Bad Bad Men

Zoey Van Goey, The Second Hand Marching Band, Endor

American blues-rock

Pop

Single launch

Album launch for The Cage Was Unlocked All Along

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Òran Mór, 20:00–23:00, Free

Mitchell Museum

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £25

Crystal Antlers, Times New Viking

Ross Clark

Acoustic session

Alt. folk

American alt. rock

Weekly eclectic collective.

Little Feat

Brel, 20:00–22:00, Free

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–22:00, sold out

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £6

A’cappella drum and the bass, bass, bass

The Breeders

Eclectiv (All the Queens’ Bovine, Analog Angel, Carmen)

Rockaburley Birthday Party (DJ Sailor Tony, Miss Hell’s Belle, The Kitsch Kats, Lucille Burn, Cat Aclysmic, Daiquiri Dusk) Classic Grand, 20:00–03:00, £10/8 (in adv)

Part of the Glasgow Americana festival 2009

Electro rock

Acoustic troubadour

Celebrating their first year of rock ‘n’ roll burlesque

RML & DFC present: Alessi’s Ark

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Angerfist, Outblast and Korsakoff, Art of Fighters, Catscan, DJ D, Obsession

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £9

Sonic Boom 6, Random Hand Punk

MAJESTIC DANDELION, the standard, peski kings, sound city. lying for a living

City Halls: Recital Rooms, 20:00–23:00, £10

folk, blues and beyond

Healthy Minds Collapse

Punk rock

The Londoners perform their new album ‘Rum and Coke’

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 19:00–22:00, £2

The indie-love children of all your dirty warehouse party dreams. Roll up your checkered shirt sleeves and take back any provincial slander you ever pitched Ayrshire’s way

Stiff Little Fingers tribute act

your scarecrow, ghost of progress, manor park elite

Rock and dub club for the eternally guilty

PCL presents: CHAIRLIFT El Dog

Dub Pistols

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

Leon Jackson

The Twisted Wheel, 19:00–23:00, £5

Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–00:00, £5/1

Pop

o2 Academy, 19:00–23:00, £16.50

LYM presents: Straw Dog, Lamens Terms, 4 Past Midnight

Weekly acoustic night.

Hatcham Social, Eugene McGuinness

Eilidh Grant

We imagine that this is probably satanic deathcore and subversive thrash

Andie Neate, Uncle Nig Bad

Punk rock

Classic rock

BY MY HANDS, DEPARTURES, END THIS DAY

Retribution Gospel Choir

Indie pop

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £13

The Cathouse, 19:00–22:00, £15.50

Acoustic pop

Indie Club

Alt. rock and grunge

GALLOWS, Every Time I Die, The Ghost Of A Thousand

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

American blonde chic folk rock

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7.50

The Shermans, The Leads

Californian trash metal

Stratovarius (Firewind, Edens Curse)

Bens Brother

Vendor Defender, Monrow, Vegas Nights, The Emmas

Celtic rock

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Classic Grand, 19:00–23:00, £10

Guitar rock

Metal

Òran Mór, 20:00–22:00, £10

Acoustic Bazooka (Jack in the Green, Arctic Puffins, Muzz, David McKellar)

Bonded By Blood, Cauldron

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7

The Cathouse, 19:00–22:00, £5

Miranda Lee Richards

Ricky Warwick

Spanish pop and new wave

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Fri 15 May Attica Rage

The swooping, whistling, Canadian multi-instrumental conquistador. Absolutely, probably, not to be missed ... if you’re into that

folk, blues and beyond

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7.50

Rock

Sun 17 May Attack! Attack!, Save Your Breath, The Gap Year Riot, Pareto

Buy your gran a ticket. Now

High energy, mid-tempo rock punk

Holy F**k

Indie rock and folk

Maggie Mays, 22:00–01:00, £7/5

Quicken the Heart tour

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 19:00–23:00, £30.00, £25.00, £22.50

Acid-addled, silver capped prog genius

Mon 11 May

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–22:00, £5

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

North Atlantic Oscillation 13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

The Tenemants, Eightball, Croma

MAXIMO PARK

Wreckin Pitt presents:Classics of Love, Mike Park

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

The Drawing Room, 21:00–00:00, Free

Acoustic session

Zombina and The Skeletons 13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £4/5

Horror pop-punk

Wed 20 May

Throats, Battletorn, Holy Mountain, Jackie Onassis

the prayers, the zhyrlings, bryan drummond

Rising Son, Cyrus, Mike Sammeroff & Band

James Yorkston, Lisa Knapp

Hardcore punk and grindcore

Nu-jazz and jam

Reggae spliced with dub, innit’

Alt. Scottish folk

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

The V Club, 20:00–22:00, £5

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £12

May 2009

THE SKINNY 59

Glasgow music Anathallo

Eclectiv (Engine 7, The Lotus Project and Keser)

Someones Sons, The 1,2,3’s, The Shakes, Alan Cranney

black velveteens

Weekly eclectic collective.

‘Boy in the Corner’ single release

Alt. rock and funk

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Pop

PCL presents: mr. hudson

George Thorogood

No Tribe (Musicians of Bremem, Eddy and the T-Bolts, Psycho Babe)

Alt. R&B

Blues rock

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

Kid British, Skint & Demoralised

The Fire & I, The Detours, The LaFontaines

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £6.50

Indie ska and dancehall

Alt. indie electro

Example, Flamboyant Bella

Tukoo, I am Machine, Master Katana

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £7

the Latecomers

Wonky pop tour

Americana indie folk

Lynyrd Skynyrd SECC, 19:30–23:00, £38

Experimental acoustic Glasgow-based outfit

Iconic southern rock

Wreckin Pitt presents: Left Alone

Maggie Mays, 20:00–23:00, £5

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Mon 25 May Dr Hook

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £18

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £17.50 (sold out)

Out of the Swim, Dean Queasy, Traite Walker Rio Café, 20:00–00:00, Free

Experimental pop

Annie Keating

Brel, 20:00–22:00, £10

New York-based singer/ songwriter

Live at The Mill (Marlow, Hercules Mandarin) The Mill Glasgow @ Òran Mór, 20:00–22:30, Free

Showcase double-bills for the best upand-coming acts. For more information on these gigs go to: http://www.themill-live.com

glider, the plimptons

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Gran Ronde

Shoegaze indie

Melodramatic pop

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £7

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

PCL presents: VIVIAN GIRLS

The Breeders

Super indie rockers with super haircuts.

Bam

American alt. rock

RML & DFC presents: Great Lake Swimmers, Sharon Van Etten, Jo Mango, Anna Meldrum

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–22:00, £17.50

Hudson Fall, Casino Brag, Lost City Lights, Inner Sight Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Rock and pop

Jean Michel Jarre

SECC, 20:00–23:00, £48.95/39.16

French composer, performer and producer

Mono Jazz

Mono, 20:00–23:00, Free

Weekly jazz night with the resident house four-piece, plus guests.

PCL presents: pains of being pure at heart

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pop

Revelations (Baldego, Vendor Defender, Paul Cuthbert Band, The Arkanes) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

Weekly indie.

Synergy Concerts Presents: Deerhunter Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Original tickets still valid

Thu 21 May Bell X1, The Villagers

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £8.50

Indie folk rock

AC NEWMAN, Andrew Morgan ABC, 19:00–23:00, £8.50

Alt. indie

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS

The Twisted Wheel, 19:30–23:00, £8

Alt. folk

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £8

Folk rock

Fri 22 May Duchess Says, Little Eye

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £5

A crescendo of new, no, old and alt. waves. A veritable tide of moog-ish synthed up post punk rock for the sectarian age

STAR FUCKING HIPSTERS, The Terrors

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Potentially the most honest indie band name we’ve heard this side of Preston

WE ARE THE KINGS

The Cathouse, 19:00–22:30, £8

Milk Kan, Root System, ID Parade, The Bucky Rage Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

Hip hop, bluegrass and a wee bit of punk y’all

Stereo, 18:00–23:00, £15 early bird

De Rosa, The Aliens, Optimo. For more info see www.staganddagger.com

Nickelback

SECC, 18:30–22:00, £33.50

Promoting their new album, Dark Horse

In Case Of Fire, Telegraphs, Healthy Minds Collapse

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7

Metro prog rock with a sideline in catalogue poses

KMR Promotions presents: The Black Lips Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £11

Psych psych

Union of Knives

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £9

Indie electro

GUNSLINGER (lan Davey, Kritikill Mass, He Hates Us, Devils Rejects) Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Hooting tooting bag of holster rock

Who’s Who

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £11

Tribute act for playing the songs of..oh, work it out for yourself

Featuring Ray Sawyer

John Carson

Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Andi Almqvist

Indie

Rio Café, 20:00–00:00, Free

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £10

Neil Halstead, Lach

Rootsy, bluesy rock ‘n’ roll

Indie folk

Michael Simons

brain surgery presents: The One Ensemble Orchestra

Tchai-Ovna House of Tea, 19:00–22:00, £2

folk, blues and beyond

MANIC STREET PREACHERS Barrowlands, 19:00–22:30, £25

Alt. rock Welshies

THE BLACKOUT, Sliverstein, Hollywood Undead, The Urgency QMU, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Weekly indie.

Thu 28 May

Blues and folk

Sloans, Argyle Arcade, 20:00–01:00, Free

Concrete Campfire (The Sea Kings) Brel, 20:00–22:00, Free

Acoustic session

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £5

Sucioperro

Trigger The Bloodshed, Ingested, Khalo, Scordatura

Rock fae Ayr, like

Aussie pop rock

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Metal and hardcore

Tue 26 May Breed 77

The Cathouse, 19:00–22:00, £10

Rock and metal

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–22:00, £6.50

aloha TV, we hung your leader, belgrade, city of statues

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Alt. indie rock

Firestorm Events presents: Warship

The Twisted Wheel, 20:00–23:00, £5

DF Concerts presents: Imelda May

Metal

Irish Punk

Rockabilly icon

Folk

The Arches, 19:30–23:00, £11

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £10

Sarah Cassidy

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Californian four piece

Mid-week grindcore and salsa

Scottish Americana

Ska, funk and blues ahoy

How To Swim, The Seventeenth Century

The Twisted Wheel, 19:00–23:00, £7

Blue Man Group

SECC, 19:30–23:00, £39.50

The face painted collective of Arrested Development fame, sadly minus Tobias

Sublime Frequencies Tour: Group Doueh, Omar Souleyman

Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

STAG AND DAGGER

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Over the wall, Dananananaykroyd.

Check out www.staganddagger.com for more info

KMR Promotions Present: Black Lips

Stereo, 20:00–00:00, £10/8.50

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Akron Family

stag & dagger

Alt. prog gospel

Findo Gask, Hot Club DJs. For more info go to www.staganddagger.com

With Sublime Frequency DJs Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Da Capo, Explain This, SoulCircus

Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:00, £5

Alt. rock

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

the special edition

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Rock and powerpop

Nuts and Seeds present: Prurient, Cold Cave, Ultimate Thrush 13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £4

Influential noise experimentalist

Sat 23 May

Southern fried garage rock

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Vom, The Wrong Boyfriends, The Wildhouse, The Phantom Head 13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Sonic Youth style indie

Glasgow Americana Festival Afterparty

The Twisted Wheel, 21:00–03:00, £5

Wrap party with live acts and DJs

Soul-Fi

The Brunswick Hotel, 21:00–03:00, £5

Classic and modern soul

Sun 24 May The Hours

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7

Neo gothic punk

Marco Cafolla Quartet

BLAZE BAYLEY, Syth, Concept of Time

Folk gospel

Jazz funk

Metal

Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

60 THE SKINNY May 2009

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 19:00–22:00, £7

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Pop and rock

Firewater, 20:00–23:00, Free

Weenliz

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £3/4

Riotous noise beatniks

Fri 29 May

DF Concerts Present: Twisted Wheel, Detroit Social Club, Mr Kill

Maiden Scotland

Alt. indie

Rock

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Aesthetically concerned, punked-up goth rock

DF Concerts Present: Patrick Wolf

Classic Grand, 20:00–23:00, £tbc Lauries Bar, 20:15–23:00, Free

13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £4

Punk rock

Sat 30 May Malcolm MacFarlane Quartet Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Jazz classics and standards

the Gosssip

The Arches, 19:00–23:00, £15

Squirrel-eating punk for the lycra-bound Indie rock

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

Acoustic Bazooka (Marc Evans, Dougie Greig, Mark McAnaw, Rell) RML & DF present: I Heart Hiroshima

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–22:00, £10

Val Verde

Haight Ashbury, David Bova

Weekly acoustic night.

The Horrors

Revelations (Vegas Nights, The Cams and Noxx)

Rock

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

SECC, 19:30–23:00, £25

Stereo, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Sultans of Ping FC, Black Rat Death Squad

Skitten

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Alt. psychedelic lounge stuff

The Mix-Ups, The Little Yellow Ukuleles

Canadian jazz, folk and country

Acoustic session

stag & dagger

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–23:00, £6

The Soft Pack, Titus Andronicus

Surreal rock

Brel, 20:00–22:00, Free

Meursault, White Denim, The Phantom Band. For more info see www.staganddagger.com

Misty’s Big Adventure

Big Hand, Dead Sea Souls, Pose Victorious, The Moscow Club

Glasgow Americana 2009 and Fallen Angels Club Present: Po Girl

Concrete Campfire (Kerry Fowler, Al Shields & The Wilted Roses)

GSA, 18:00–23:00, £15 early bird

Wed 27 May

Regular Music presents: Phil Campbell

Rocky powerpop

Half Man Half Biscuit, Calvin Party

The Arches, 19:30–23:00, £16

stag & dagger - Skinny stage

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £6

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

PAOLO NUTINI

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

The Cathouse, 19:00–22:00, £7

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £6

Girls Aloud

SECC, 19:30–23:00, £30

Promoting the new album, Out of Control

White RoSe Movement, Ulterior, Romance

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–22:00, £8

Indie electronica

Casino, The Urchins, Reality Killed Us, The Gazzettas Maggie Mays, 20:00–23:00, £5

Psych rock

Cryptacize (Cryptacize) Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00

The Only Jones, Diobane McChuills, 20:00–23:00, Free

Indie blues

Would Be Kings, Hugo A Go Go, Shimmer, Rats Of The Capital The V Club, 20:00–23:00, £5

Alt. rock and pop

The Wendy House presents: The State Broadcasters, Team Turnip, Endor, Captain and The Kings 13th Note, 20:30–23:00, £4/5

Local indie

Sun 31 May Aiden, Tonight Is Goodbye ABC, 19:00–23:00, £10

Pop-punk

Phosphorescent

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Experimental two-step

No Tribe (Black Heart Fire, FNL and Tolchok) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £5/1

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

Edinburgh music Fri 01 May Bainbridge presents: The 10:04’s, The Raw Kings Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Indie

May Day Ceilidh

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £6/5

Norman Mackay’s Ceilidh Experience whacks out some frenzied fiddling for a bit of spring time reeling. Plus, there’ll be a camera crew lurking about to film footage for the movie, ‘The Ceilidh Master’. Dress up as a wedding guest and you might wind up as an extra.

THE INVISIBLE, EPIC 26, VENDOR DEFENDER

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Pop

DUTY FREE: THE RAY SUMMERS, THE VALKARYS, WILBURN SILVER

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:30, Free

Scottish indie six piece

THE MACCABEES, Mumford & Sons

Studio 24, 19:00–23:00, £10

The nostalgic indie kids whip out their second album, Wall of Arms.

Combat Rock

Citrus Club, 19:30–23:00, £10

Rock

Blessed Order Of The Fallen Stars, The Fusiliers, Hosemox, Ugly Baby, Transfer Audio The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Alt. rock, punk and metal

Crashed Out, The Axidents Bannerman’s, 21:00–23:00, £tbc

Punk rock

Sat 02 May Collosal Indie presents: Svengali ‘Start of the Scene’ Single Launch Party The Voodoo Rooms, 19:00–01:00, £5

Performances from Svengali, The Vibe, The Smoking Sundays and Kung Fu, plus a DJ Set from Kev Mac

Effenelle presents: THE BROGUES, POSE VICTORIUS, THE GOODS

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £8/6.50 (in adv)

Indie rock

Makelikemadeline

The Hive, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Hardcore rock

Sun 03 May Soul Survivor: The Ubiquitous Kings of Rhythm, Timo Gross, Who’s Your Mama NOW?, Townhouse The Voodoo Rooms, 18:30–23:00, £tbc

Blues, soul, jazz and Americana

AERIALS PRESENTS : ROSS CLARK AND THE SCARVES Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Fresh from supporting those scared indie bunnies, Ross headlines his own unruly coiff in a bid to make you sit up and take notice. You really should

Jacobs Pillow, Hannah O’Reilly, Richard Cobb, The Star Struck Troubadour, Furious The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Alt. indie rock

Mon 04 May THE FABIAN, THE HOT LIPS, THE GENEROUS THINGS

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £5

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Alt. rock punk

Au

The Bowery, 19:30–22:00, £tbc

Pyschedelic

Andorreros, Machargranite The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Prog. rock

Tue 05 May DUTY FREE: KATHRYN EDWARDS, MAEVE BOYLE

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, Free

A big dose of free acoustic folk, lovely jubbly

NAVVY

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Pop four piece

Spanish rock

Bukgarian Stambolovo music

YOUR TWENTIES, THE PLANES, SELLOTAPE

Battle Of The Bands

UK House heroes

Parallax

The Bowery, 19:30–22:30, £4

Atmospheric jazz from Oslo morphing into abstract soundscapes

Lipsync For A Lullaby, The Bum-Clocks, Sexual Objects, Gustaf Heden The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Folk rock

The Picture House, 19:00–23:00, £10

Pop, disco house and shoegaze.

Shifted from original venues due to phenomonal demand, original tickets still valid

Plunge Trio, The Discordian Trio, SuperD’Orch The Bowery, 19:30–22:30, £4

Swedish sax-bass-drums outfit with support from local jazz rock trio and experimental laptop orchestra

The Paul McKenna Band The Village, 19:30–23:00, £6

Traditional and folk

Steven Heron, Monterey Soul, The Royal Eds, The Mannequins, Dan Lowe The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Alt. pop and ghetto tech

Krawling Home, Adastra Bannerman’s, 21:00–23:00, £4

Metal

Thu 07 May Hearty old school, americana inspired singer/ songwriter

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Corn Exchange, 19:00–23:00, £19.58

FRIENDLY FIRES, Hockey

VIDEO NASTIES, JAPANESE VOYEURS, MYLES MAYHEM, THE CAPONAS

The Picture House, 19:00–23:00, £14

BASEMENT JAXX, Master Shortie

DIY alt. folk four piece

RICKY WARWICK

Ivo Papasov Wedding Band

60’s driven pop beats

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £6

EP launch night

Lurin and Andorereros

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £4

Maybeshewill, And So I Watch You From Afar, Hey Vampires

The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Pretty much what is says on the tin

out of the bedroom (Open Mic)

The Tron, 20:00–23:00, Free

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

Wed 06 May Amusement Parks On Fire, The Gothenburg Address Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £8

The Park boys promote their new EP, Young Fight

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £10

Tigerfest and Song:byToad presents: Meursault, Inspector Tapehead, The Japanese War Effort The Bowery, 20:00–22:30, £5

Edinburgh anti-folk heroes talk to the helm, with autoharp and ukelele in tow

Azriel

The Hive, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Metal

Pseudo Union, The Cosmonauts, Sweep Across The Horizons, HavAGOHero The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Acoustic pop and rock

Solas

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–23:00, £14.50, £12.50

Traditional Irish

Limbo (THE VIVIANS, THIS CITY, COME IN TOKYO)

The Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–00:00, £5

Voodoo’s weekly forray into the burgeoning music scene

Fri 08 May BANDS AHOY! (No Drive Home, Black Cherokee, Filed Under Dishonesty)

We Are The Physics Studio 24, 19:30–22:00

This Is Music 3rd Birthday Sneaky Pete’s, 20:00–03:00, £3

Feat. Copy Haho, Tie for Jack and HOMEwork. Plus DJ Vic Galloway Indie pop

Rescheduled from March, original tickets still valid

Skyless, A Day Overdue, Alburn Rock The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Classic rock

Yann Tiersen

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–23:00, £15

Master composer with the scores to Amelie and Goodbye Lenin under his belt

The Dual

Bannerman’s, 21:00–23:00, £tbc

New wave

Sat 09 May Tigerfest and Fallen Apple Events present: Ordinary Allstars, SupersonicSims, B-burg DJset Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–03:00, £7

Essential hip hop

THE SMITHS INDEED

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £10

Tribute

Manky Bastard Presents: Lions.Chase.Tigers, Swimmer One, Luxury Car Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–23:00, £5

Dirty alt. indie electro

The Glitter Band

PCL presents: Wintersleep

It wasn’t their fault

German pop

The Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–23:00, £8

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £6.50

Tigerfest, 17seconds and ZekePromotions present: Aberfeldy, Ex Lion Tamer, The Gillyflowers Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:30, £10

Folk. pop

The Picture House, 19:00–23:00, £12

Son of Dave, Moriarty Alt. blues and R&B

The Fix Fanzine launch party (The 10:04s, Ok Social Club, The Hotlips) The Hive, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

New music promo mag. www.myspace.com/thefixfanzine

Tourettes, Sad Society, Plastic Adults, Roughmute The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Sporadic bursts of metal

Sun 10 May Sick Kids Sunday (Come On Gang!, Chutes, We See Lights, Kid Canaveral, Withered Hand, Le Reno Amps, The Stormy Seas, Cancel The Astronauts, Jesus H Foxx, Miles Mayhem)

The Bowery, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Alt. techno meanderings

Beautiful psych pop people from the heady Brooklyn heights

Reemer

The GRV, 20:00–23:00, £7

Machinefabriek

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £6

Sergeant

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £5

A night of unsigned local acts

Mon 11 May AMAZING BABY

The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:30, £6

Indie rock

Limbo

The Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–00:00, £5

Regular Music presents: Devon Sproule

The Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–23:00, £10

Elfin singer songwriter

Balky Mule

Fri 15 May

The Amorettes

Bannerman’s, 21:00–23:00, £4

Classic rock

CRAZY P (LIVE)

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £9

Tue 12 May Homecoming String Band The Village, 19:30–23:00, £6

Appalachian and Celtic

The Tron, 20:00–23:00, Free

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

Your Demise, Deez Nuts, More Than Life

Battle Of The Bands The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Boys, in bands, fighting

Pagan And The Bouffants, Off The Rails, Dancing Mice, Thorns Musical Journey The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Indie

The Chris Stout Theory Queen’s Hall, 20:00–23:00, £14/12

Studio 24, 20:00–23:00, £8

Academic violin rock

Punk and metal

Sat 16 May

Wed 13 May DUTY FREE PRESENTS: ALTO ELITE

BAKA BEYOND

Euphoric, beat driven optimism

Promoting their new album, ‘Beyond The Forest’

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, Free

Killing Caeser, The Other Side, Our Smallest Adventures, The Seven Deadly Sins

The Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £13/10 (in adv)

HEALTHY MINDS COLLAPSE, THE VALKARYS, JADED PLAYBOY, DAVE?

The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

Alt. rock

Indie rock

Kunt and the Gang, Rodent Emporium

Trampoline presents: Randan Discotheque, White Heath, The Stormy Seas

Bannerman’s, 21:00–23:00, £4

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Electro punk

Electronica and folk

Thu 14 May

Un:scein Records The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Live at The Mill (Snide Rhythms, Randan Discotheque)

Graveyard Johnnies

Bannerman’s, 21:00–23:00, £5

Rockabilly

The Mill Edinburgh @ Cabaret Voltaire, 19:30–22:30, Free

Machinefabriek, D’incise, Tri/Ofon, Jodi Cave

Banjo enfused alt. country

Empires, The Fusiliers and Someone’s Sons Down-tempo metal

HJALTALIN, BENNI HEMM HEMM, ST JUDES INFIRMARY

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:30, Free

Disco disco, backed by Mancunian deep house label Paperecordings

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, Free

out of the bedroom (Open Mic)

Proceeds going to The Sick Kids Friends Foundation

DUTY FREE & TIGERFEST present: THE STANTONS, LE RENO AMPS, THE GILLYFLOWERS

Attica Rage, Ten Tonne Dozer Metal

Jam band pop

Showcase double-bills for the best up-and-coming acts. For more information on these gigs go to: http://www.themill-live.com/gigguide. aspx

Pure Scandinavian joy

Voodoo’s weekly forray into the burgeoning music scene

Bannerman’s, 21:00–23:00, £5

The Bowery, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

The GRV, 13:00–23:00, £tbc

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £6.50

The Wasted Natives, Coholic, Commercial Break, Steve Carey

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £5

Unsigned indie rock ‘n’ roll

The Canon’s Gait, 19:30–22:30, £5

Intelligent post rock and experimental electro

Laptop Lounge

The Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, Free

Sun 17 May The Remnant Kings (Tam’s Railways, Voice of the Black Knife)

Cutting-edge international and UK electronic music and video artists perform live in the venue and into the venue via the net

An Acoustic Evening with Al Stewart and Laurence Juber

Queen’s Hall, 19:00–23:00, £18.50

Stewart returns with the new album, Sparks of Ancient Light, accompanied by the former Wings guitarist

Battle Of The Bands The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

A melange of rock ‘n’ roll

May 2009

THE SKINNY 61

EDINBURGH MUSIC MON 18 MAY

BREAKING BOUNDARIES IN MUSIC

CRYSTAL ANTLERS, TIMES NEW VIKING, DUPEC

36 BLAIR ST, EDINBURGH. 0131 220 6176

Indie electro

DUTY FREE

MAY EVENTS

THU 30 APR : LIMBO THU 30 APR

JAMMIN' FRI 1 MAY

BUBBLEGUM BOOGALOO WITH THE INEPTORS SAT 2 MAY

SVENGALI

'START OF THE SCENE' SINGLE LAUNCH PARTY SUN 3 MAY

SOUL SURVIVOR THE UBIQUITOUS KINGS OF RHYTHM + TIMO GROSS + WHO’S YOUR MAMA NOW? + TOWNHOUSE

THU 7 MAY : LIMBO SAT 9 MAY

SON OF DAVE

7pm - 10pm free entry!!

1st May the ray summers; the valkarys; wilburn silver

DEVON SPROULE WED 13 MAY

kathryn edwards; maeve boyle

13th May alto elite;

DISCO INFERNO

GOING BACK TO OUR ROOTS

THU 21 MAY : LIMBO FRI 22 MAY

ITSY'S KABARETT WITH MISS BEHAVE SAT 23 MAY

SOUL SPECTRUM SUN 24 MAY

23rd May cats in paris; mitchell museum

DUTY FREE

june 09 plus more tba 4th JUNE cryoverbillionaires, over the wall, the void, lions.chase.tigers 22nd JUNE one eskimo + guests 28th JUNE lost knives + guests

NO TICKETS REQUIRED myspace.com/dutyfree2009

over 14s

11th May 7pm SIDETRACKED, Silent Ground

JAMES YORKSTON, LISA KNAPP

THE TRON, 20:00–23:00, FREE

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

WED 20 MAY

CRAZY P

22nd May 09

ALASDAIR ROBERTS

Rob St John + Randan Discotheque

DIRTY ROSE, NOZIA, OTAKU, FALL AND PERISH THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

MAYHEM IV (VIKING SKULL, MAN OF THE HOUR, FIREBRAND SUPPERROCK) STUDIO 24, 20:00–23:00, £8

Possible carnage

UN:SCEIN RECORDS THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

SUN 24 MAY COMBICHRIST

THE BONGO CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £18/15 (IN ADV)

THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

Indie folk

REGULAR MUSIC PRESENTS: PHIL CAMPBELL

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 20:00–23:00, FREE

THE MANFREDS

THE JAM HOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Rootsy rhythm and blues

Voodoo’s weekly forray into the burgeoning music scene

FRI 22 MAY ITSY’S KABARETT WITH MISS BEHAVE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–01:00, £TBC

Alternative variety like you’ve never bared witness to.

ALASDAIR ROBERTS, ROB ST JOHN, RANDAN DISCOTHEQUE CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £7

Experimental anti-folk

BLACK RAT DEATH SQUAD, UNKNOWN HAGANA, THE PARTY PROGRAM

Alt. electro and indie

THE FUREYS AND DAVEY ARTHUR

QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–23:00, £17

Irish ensemble

THE LEVINGS, MYSKIN, NIGHT NOISE TEAM, BRITTLE HEAD GIRL THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

Indie pop

SAT 23 MAY

Thrash metal

JAMMIN’ AT VOODOO

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 21:30–01:00, FREE

Live jam session pulling in a bunch of jazz, ska, funk and reggae artists

FRI 29 MAY HONEYTRAP, MEURSAULT, EX LION TAMER

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

Indie pop

METALTEK, SLOW MOTION REPLAY, CAEZIUM

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £4

Alt. metal

THE GAP PRESENTS: TANGO IN THE ATTIC, VAL VERDE, PEDANTICS & MICKY 9’S WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £4

Rock and indie pop

MUSIC ROUTES FESTIVAL: FRIBO

THE VILLAGE, 19:30–23:00, £6

Folk quintet

MIYAGI

THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

MON 25 MAY

THE NATURE BOYS

THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

More fighting still

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–23:00, £4

Alt. rock

TUE 26 MAY

Rock

More musical fighting

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–23:00, £4

Americana country rock

Drum-chop-fiddle-pop

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–23:00, £4

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, FREE

RIPPING RECORDS (SOUTH BRIDGE), WWW.TICKETWEB.CO.UK T: 08444 77 1000 TICKETS SCOTLAND T: 0131 220 3234

Folk

DECADENZE

MY ELECTRIC LOVE AFFAIR, AFTER ME THE FLOOD, THE STORMY SEAS, DAVE COURTNEY

ALSO ON SALE: 1st JUNE - Teitur + Emily Scott 2nd JUNE - The Panics + guests 23rd JUNE - Unicorn Kid + guests

THE GRV, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

MUSIC ROUTES FESTIVAL: LAURA CORTESE

R&B

Theatrical, snarling, faux-misogynistic stuff

Brodinski + Surkin

KING CREOSOTE

THE MONICANS, THE CAPONAS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

26th JUNE

Indie rock

Solo acoustic set from the American singer/ songwriter that healmed alt. rock outfit, Throwing Muses

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 20:00–00:00, £5

support Tokyo Blu

THE PICTURE HOUSE, 19:00–23:00, £13.50

BATTLE OF THE BANDS

LIMBO

LIVE!

GROUNDSOUL

KRISTIN HERSH, CHRISTOPHER REES

THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

Friday 15th May

WHITE LIES, MUMFORD AND SONS, XXTEENS

GREEN EDGE CHARITY EVENT: JAKE COGAN, THE BEGGERS GIRLS

OUT OF THE BEDROOM (OPEN MIC)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 20:00–00:00, £5

Voodoo’s weekly forray into the burgeoning music scene

BULLET VI, CASINO, KATHLEEN MARY DUFF Indie and post punk

LIMBO

Synthed-up indie dance

THE VILLAGE, 19:30–23:00, £8

BATTLE OF THE BANDS

live

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, FREE

Metal, hardcore and electro amalgamation

THU 21 MAY

WWW.THECABARETVOLTAIRE.COM

62 THE SKINNY MAY 2009

Pop, new wave singer/ songwriter

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–23:00, £12.50

FRI 29 MAY

limbo features three live bands plus the black spring djs. for full line ups and info go to http://black-spring.com/limbo/

Live drum & bass from the Kiwi legends

THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

JAMMIN'

VEGAS!

THE BONGO CLUB, 19:00–01:00, £12.50

Melody driven acoustic

THU 28 MAY : LIMBO THU 28 MAY

SAT 30 MAY

SHAPESHIFTER

KIRSTY MCGEE, MATT MARTIN

PHIL CAMPBELL

BUBBLEGUM BOOGALOO WITH THE FIVE ACES

TUE 19 MAY

Alt. Scottish folk

look left again

THU 14 MAY : LIMBO THU 14 MAY SAT 16 MAY

Folk rock

THE PICTURE HOUSE, 19:00–23:00, £12

KIN

LAPTOP LOUNGE

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–23:00, £TBC

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £15

SAT 9 MAY

MON 11 MAY

DAVID ROVICS, ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER

GLENN TILBROOK

5th May

PLUS TRAGIC O' HARA SOUL SPECTRUM

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £8.50

DUTY FREE PRESENTS: CATS IN PARIS

THE VILLAGE, 19:30–23:00, £8

OUT OF THE BEDROOM (OPEN MIC)

THE TRON, 20:00–23:00, FREE

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

WED 27 MAY BROKEN JUKEBOX PRESENTS: BOYCOTTS, THE MARTIAL ARTS WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £4

Alt. indie

MUSIC ROUTES FESTIVAL: TWO MAN GENTLEMAN BAND THE VILLAGE, 19:30–23:00, £6

New York jazz, rhythm and blues

BATTLE OF THE BANDS THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

THU 28 MAY BLACK EYES AND NECKTIES, TAKING CHASE, THE GREAT CITY SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

Ensemble punk

SKINNY DIP (ST. DELUXE, GOTHERNBURG ADDRESS) THE BONGO CLUB, 19:30–00:00, £5

90’s grunge rock smattered through with a chewy skewed pop sentiment, all washed down in a healthy glug of scuzzy lo-fi. And on a school night too? You owe it to your Thursday

LIVE AT THE MILL (CRY OVER BILLIONSAIRES, ACTION GROUP)

THE MILL EDINBURGH @ CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:30–22:30, FREE

Showcase double-bills for the best up-and-coming acts. For more information on these gigs go to: http://www.themill-live.com/gigguide. aspx

MUSIC ROUTES FESTIVAL: TOM HINGLEY THE VILLAGE, 19:30–23:00, £8

Alt. electro

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–23:00, £4

Indie punk

DEPARTURE LOUNGE (DJ VADIM FT. SABIRAJADE & PUGS ATOMZ DJ VADIM LIVE (LIVE NINJA TUNE/BBE), B-BURG FT. MC HASTA (DJ SET), ASTROBOY, MR ZIMBABWE & JIMINEZ) THE CAVES, 22:00–03:00, £9, £8 B4 12AM/ STUDENTS

SAT 30 MAY ED ROCK PRESENTS: SONNY BLUE EYES

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Alt. acoustic

POLISH UK MUSIC CONNECTION (SAXY MJ, THE RUNK COLLECTIVE, BASIC FUNK, FOX GANG)

THE BONGO CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £3

Celebrating Radio-Szkocja’s 1st Birthday

WYNNTOWN MARSHALLS, AMERICANA OK

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £5

Album launch

MUSIC ROUTES FESTIVAL: STRINGJAMMER THE VILLAGE, 19:30–23:00, £6

Multi-instrumentalist Conrad Ivitski Molleson

YEAR ZERO, ESKIMOGO, SPOTTY DOGG THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

Indie

CASH FROM CHAOS, BUZZBOMB

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–23:00, £4

Punk

SUN 31 MAY CRYPTACIZE, SKYLESS, THE RAIN KING

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

Glam pop

TEN TRACKS PRESENTS: THE ALIENS, HIDDEN MASTERS, WILLIAM DOUGLAS & THE WHEEL

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:30, £12.50 FULL PRICE, £11.50 FOR STUDENTS, £10.00 FOR MEMBERS OF WWW.TENTRACKS.CO.UK

Trio of Fife-ers from pure Beta Band stock

MUSIC ROUTES FESTIVAL: MALINKY

Brit pop

THE VILLAGE, 19:30–23:00, £8

ANATHALLO, THE STORMY SEAS, YOUR BOY BLAIR

THE FLAIRBAIRDS, VESSEL, THE BETAMAX, AMY MAC, IAN RYAN

THE SUNSHINE GETAWAY

Rock folk

Psych country

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

Celtic

THE HIVE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Pop punk

Glasgow Clubs Fri 01 May ELECTRIC GYPSYLAND (DJ ‘Miss Electric Gypsyland’)

Blackfriars Basement, 21:00–03:00, £4

ARABASQUE, CROSSING CONTINENTS, MIDDLE EASTERN, BALKAN BEATS, TRIBAL FUTURES.

Bamboo Fridays

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (free before 11pm/ 12pm with matric)

R&B, hip hop, rock, indie and electro

Casa (DJ Lisa Littlewood) Òran Mór, 22:00–03:00, £8

Friday night house party with DJ Lisa Littlewoo.

Pressure (Dubfire, Slam, Miss kittin and the hacker, Silicone soul, Damian lazarus, The black dog, Pier bucci) The Arches, 22:00–04:00, £20

Hoose & techno.

Ballbreaker (DJ Billy and Colin)

The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock and metal.

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Vice (Martin Bate + DJ Billy) The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Indie, emo, dance and party on Level 2.

Back Tae Mine (Gavin Dunbar)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4), £3 b4 12am

Eyes Wide Open (The Wildebeasts, Paul Molloy (Friday Street))

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Garage, psych, freakbeat, rock n roll.

Numbers (DJ FUNK)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £10

Eclectic electronic.

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Modrophenia (Mark Robb) Maggie Mays, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Mod classics.

Sat 02 May Vegas (VEGAS! Showgirls) The Ferry, 21:30–02:00, £10

Jumble Sale Sounds & Hunt Them Crew Stereo, 21:30–03:00, £5

Dubstep, hip hop, reggae and Jumble.

Full Sound System.

Homegrown (Big Al, Dominic Martin & Robin B)

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £7 (£5), free b4 10.30pm/12.30am students

R&B, street soul, funk, rock and pop

Infexious (Blutonium Boy (Germany) - Exclusive Scottish Debut!, Dark by Design, Stu Laurie, Rob Da Rhythm, Marc doc, Marc Loage) Soundhaus, 22:00–04:00, £12

Hardcore, hardstyle, techtrance.

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

A heavy alternative concoction involving styles from metal to emo, punk to industrial. Drinks offers all night to keep you absolved.

Cathouse SATURDAYS (DJ Eric and DJ Muppet/ DJ Billy & Framie)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £6/£4 Students or free before 11.30pm with Snapfax

Level 1: Classic rock, Metal and Nu-Metal, Industrial, Punk, Alt and Commercial Rock. Level 2: Emo, Pop Punk, Metalcore, Beats, Hip Hop, Indie and Hardcore.

The Basement (2 Manky DJs, Evilean and Dirty Basement)

Colours (Steven Angello, Chris Lake)

Techno, electro & house.

Big room tunes.

TheSection Arches, 23:00–03:00, Soundhaus, Tunnel 23:00–04:00, £7 (£5) May Skinny 256x155 PRINT.pdf£tbc 21/4/09

Melting Pot (Residents Special)

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £8

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

O///D

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Bullet:dodge

The Flying Duck, 22:00–03:00, £5

Techno, electro, house.

Disco Badger

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 11pm/12pm with matric

Junk (Marky Mark)

Audioculture (Shazza Halliwell)

Sabado Saturdays (Iain Thomson, Stuart McCorrisken, Paul Rea)

Optimo (MI AMI live!)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £9 (£8)

R&b, hip hop and indie

Slabs Of The Tabernacle (Alan Oldham aka DJ T-1000)

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £6

Detroit techno basement party.

SOLUTe (Miss Enemy (Argentina), Little Miss Mixit (Super Scientists & Eden Angels))

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Sunday Session (DJ Crocky)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Club (69), 23:00–03:00, £5

Melting Pot (Dimitri from Paris, Al Kent)

House & techno.

The Admiral, 23:00–04:00, £12

Subculture (HARRI, DOMENIC & THE DIXON)

Never Get Out The Boat (Slam, Sunday Circus)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £12

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

Rock The Shop (Lee Craig)

Maggie Mays, 23:30–03:00, £5, £3, free b4 12am

Rock, Indie, Metal Classics.

Sun 03 May Huntleys and Palmers & Curious Curious presents (THE THRESHOLD HOUSEBOYS CHOIR, JD Twitch) Stereo, 19:00–23:00, £12

Taking a leaf from the Optimo DIY page the H+P parties have attracted a global ‘who’s who?’ of eclectic producers, DJs and live acts throwing down all things left-field. 80s and Italo are at the house-core but you can also expect underground journeys into mystical places other parties would be too weak to attempt... snarf.

11:52:09 www.myspace.com/huntleysandpalmers

The Ferry, 23:00–04:00, £10

House and techno on a boat.

Get Loose Presents Maggie Mays BBQ ALL DAYER Part I (JONATHAN ULYSSES) Maggie Mays, 23:30–04:00, £10

Mon 04 May Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Passionality (Shawn Roberts) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Tue 05 May The Pudding Shop

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

A night of tunes dedicated to DIY bands - record shop and clothes swap.

Clatty Pats

Wed 06 May TONGUE IN CHEEK

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Anthemic rock, metal, emo, extreme metal.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Killer Kitsch

House, electro, techno, punk, ska, drum and bass, reggae.

Diverse music policy.

CATHOUSE THURSDAYS (Billy & Colin)

Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3

Òran Mór, 23:00–03:00, £4, free for NHS workers

Misbehavin’

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2

Cult punk, trash, rock n roll, 80s synth.

Octopussy

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Mixed Bizness (Boom Monk Ben)

Watchamacallit (Dj Bobby Bluebell)

Glasgow School of Art (Vic Gallery), 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 students free b4 12am

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Punk Flavor Funk. Caramel. Milk Psychoclate.

Hip hop, house, drum & bass, funk, dance hall, electro, garage, break beat and disco.

Thu 07 May

Morrissey Night

Mixed Bizness & Section 63 Present... (Ghostface Killah (live), DJ Vadim & Yarah Bravo (live), Cheeba (Solid Steel - Kung Fu Hip Hop a/v set), Capitol 1212 & Profisee (DJ/live))

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

RPZ (hushpuppy & bonjour boi)

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

o2 Academy, 19:00–01:00, £16

Cryptic Nights (A series of ‘video sound sculptures’ produced by the global band of artists, Advanced Beauty, Chris Gorman) CCA, 20:00–00:00, £5

Blood Club (Questa and Jonathan Snee)

The Flying Duck, 21:00–02:00, £4 (£3)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Alternative Nation (Barry and Harvey Kartel) Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Rock, industrial, metal, punk and electro

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funk, Soul, Rock, Pop.

Fri 08 May Shining Ears (DJ Mingogo and DJ Hush Puppy)

Live show from Weenliz & theapplesofenergy followed by a live open experimental jam. Bring an instrument and join in.

45 Kicks (John Ross and Alex O)

Thursdays @ Maggies (Marky Mark)

The Twisted Wheel, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3), free b4 12am

Indie, alternative.

Bamboo Fridays

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (free before 11pm/ 12pm with matric)

R&B, hip hop, rock, indie and electro

Casa (DJ Lisa Littlewood) Òran Mór, 22:00–03:00, £8

Friday night house party with DJ Lisa Littlewoo.

C

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CM

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CY

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May 2009

THE SKINNY 63

Glasgow Clubs Pinup Nights (MORRISSEY, SMITHS AND MOZ/ SMITH RELATED SONGS)

The Flying Duck, 22:00–03:00, £5

Ballbreaker (DJ Billy and Colin)

The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

White noise feedback:distortion presents… Muck

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

ELECTRO, POP, MASHUPS.

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Bankers Are W*nkers (Scott Confusion, Pussypower and Smartie)

Vice (Martin Bate + DJ Billy)

Techno and breaks.

Rock and metal.

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Indie, emo, dance and party on Level 2.

Back Tae Mine (Gavin Dunbar)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4), £3 b4 12am

Ballers Social Club (Kode 9 (HyperDub), Hudson Mohawke (Warp, LuckyMe)) Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£8)

Techno, electronica, hip hop.

Ignorant (The Wee DJs, Hektor Ruiez, Spudd) The V Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Electro, techno, acid.

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Return to Mono (Ben Sims, Slam)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£8)

Slam rock the Subbie with the aid of a rotating support of high-calibre techno and house names. Live sets a frequent highlight.

Restless (Peeko (Restless, That Night), Kenny Campbell (Restless, Teknoize), Rob Etherson (O-Couture) and Paul Loughery (Blink, Paisley)) Soundhaus, 23:00–04:00, £6 (£4)

Techno.

Glitch

Maggie Mays, 23:30–03:00, £5

Electro, House, Techno & Disco.

Inner City Acid (MILANESE versus SYNTHEME) Pivo Pivo, 23:59–05:00, £8

Sat 09 May Homegrown (Big Al, Dominic Martin & Robin B)

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £7 (£5), free b4 10.30pm/12.30am students

R&B, street soul, funk, rock and pop

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

A heavy alternative concoction involving styles from metal to emo, punk to industrial. Drinks offers all night to keep you absolved.

Cathouse SATURDAYS (DJ Eric and DJ Muppet/ DJ Billy & Framie)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £6/£4 Students or free before 11.30pm with Snapfax

Level 1: Classic rock, Metal and Nu-Metal, Industrial, Punk, Alt and Commercial Rock. Level 2: Emo, Pop Punk, Metalcore, Beats, Hip Hop, Indie and Hardcore.

El Rancho Picante (Schnapps)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £4

Garage, punk and rock’n’roll.

Half My Heart Beats

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £4

Playing current and classic indiepop, ‘60s, girl groups, B-sides and album gems.

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sabado Saturdays (Iain Thomson, Stuart McCorrisken, Paul Rea) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Soundhaus, 23:00–04:00, £4 (£1)

Rock The Shop (Lee Craig)

Maggie Mays, 23:30–03:00, £5, £3, free b4 12am

Rock, Indie, Metal Classics.

Pest Control & Solar Disco present...

(Francisco & Delphi) Pivo Pivo, 23:59–05:00, £8

Electro, italo, disco, techno.

Sun 10 May Disco Badger

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 11pm/12pm with matric

Junk (Marky Mark)

Velvet (Alex Smoke, Scott Problems, Jim Hutchinson, Paddy Max) The V Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Minimal Tech/house.

Hip hop, house, drum & bass, funk, dance hall, electro, garage, break beat and disco.

RPZ (hushpuppy & bonjour boi)

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

Thursdays @ Maggies (Marky Mark)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funk, Soul, Rock, Pop.

Counterfeit

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2

Nu metal.

Fri 15 May Mutant Music (Big Ned and Bad Bad Men’s Accoustic Carnival) Animal Farm

Diverse music policy.

Bamboo Fridays

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

The Sunday Session (DJ Crocky)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Mon 11 May Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Passionality (Shawn Roberts) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

The Kibosh (Global Goon, The Wisp, Fancy & Spook) The Big Joint, 23:00–04:00, £9

Acid, electro, Radar soundsystem.

Tue 12 May The Pudding Shop

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

A night of tunes dedicated to DIY bands - record shop and clothes swap.

Audioculture (Shazza Halliwell) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3

Killer Kitsch

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Wed 13 May TONGUE IN CHEEK

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

R&b, hip hop and indie

Octopussy

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Watchamacallit (Dj Bobby Bluebell)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Punk Flavor Funk. Caramel. Milk Psychoclate.

Thu 14 May Denim & Leather

The Flying Duck, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Alternative Nation (Barry and Harvey Kartel)

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

Glasgow School of Art (Vic Gallery), 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 students free b4 12am

Optimo (JD Twitch and JG Wilkes)

House, disco, techno.

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £10

Mixed Bizness (Thunderheist (Big Dada - live))

The Flying Duck, 19:00–23:00, £4

Rock and metal - no emo.

Subculture (HARRI & CHRIS DUCKENFIELD)

Òran Mór, 23:00–03:00, £4, free for NHS workers

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Screw Loose (HYSTEREO (Soma), Johnny Whoop (Death Disco), Dance Junkie (Orderly Disorder)) Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £6

Clatty Pats

45 Kicks (John Ross and Alex O)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Rock, industrial, metal, punk and electro

CATHOUSE THURSDAYS (Billy & Colin)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anthemic rock, metal, emo, extreme metal.

64 THE SKINNY May 2009

Black Sparrow, 21:00–01:00, Free

House, dub techno.

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (free before 11pm/ 12pm with matric)

R&B, hip hop, rock, indie and electro

Casa (DJ Lisa Littlewood) Òran Mór, 22:00–03:00, £8

Friday night house party with DJ Lisa Littlewoo.

Ballbreaker (DJ Billy and Colin)

The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock and metal.

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

DJ Barry and guests present a night of alternative alternatives, with dancefloors specialising in rock, metal, industrial, punk, hardcore and emo. The grand setting of the Classic doesn’t even come at a price, as drinks deals run all night and entry is no more than a fiver. An institution in the making.

Vice (Martin Bate + DJ Billy) The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Indie, emo, dance and party on Level 2.

Cathouse SATURDAYS (DJ Eric and DJ Muppet/ DJ Billy & Framie)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £6/£4 Students or free before 11.30pm with Snapfax

Octopussy

The Arches, 23:00–03:00, £14

Electro, disco and techno at what is now pretty much Scotland’s biggest monthly club night. Exciting new music features strongly, lapped up by a diverse, gay-friendly and fun-loving crowd.

Den Haan label launch (Den Haan, Gardi (DJ Set), Teamy (Wrong Island/ dissident.glasgow)) Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

After two successful releases thru dissident records and Optimo Music, Den Haan have decided to go it alone and start their own record label, Courier of Death*. The first release, The Heist comes out in May, so to celebrate Den Haan will be playing live at Stereo, Glasgow. As well as Den Haan’s orgasmic live show, the duo will also be playing records supported

by Teamy from dissident/Wrong Island.Expect analogue syths and Italo-disco on all fronts.

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sabado Saturdays (Iain Thomson, Stuart McCorrisken, Paul Rea) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Subculture (HARRI & CRAZY P (live))

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, £6

Techno treats.

Cotton Cake (CLAUDE VONSTROKE)

Wed 20 May Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

R&b, hip hop and indie

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Watchamacallit (Dj Bobby Bluebell)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Punk Flavor Funk. Caramel. Milk Psychoclate.

Thu 21 May Juice Box

The Flying Duck, 22:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Indie.

45 Kicks (John Ross and Alex O)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Alternative Nation (Barry and Harvey Kartel) Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Rock, industrial, metal, punk and electro

CATHOUSE THURSDAYS (Billy & Colin)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anthemic rock, metal, emo, extreme metal.

Clatty Pats

Òran Mór, 23:00–03:00, £4, free for NHS workers

Mixed Bizness (Boom Monk Ben) Glasgow School of Art (Vic Gallery), 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 students free b4 12am

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £12

Hip hop, house, drum & bass, funk, dance hall, electro, garage, break beat and disco.

Tronicsole (Sei A [live])

RPZ (hushpuppy & bonjour boi)

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Deep house grooves.

Shuffle (Terry - Pussypower, Ryan - Hell, Kerin + McD - ctrl+alt+del, Matt - Orderly Disorder and Niall, Iona and Phat Sam) The Flying Duck, 23:00–04:00, £5

Rock The Shop (Lee Craig)

BIGFOOT’S TEA PARTY (MARK BROOM, HANS BOUFFMYHRE)

A heavy alternative concoction involving styles from metal to emo, punk to industrial. Drinks offers all night to keep you absolved.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Death Disco (The Crookers)

House & techno.

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4), £3 b4 12am

Killer Kitsch

Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3

TONGUE IN CHEEK

Rectify

Back Tae Mine (Gavin Dunbar)

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Level 1: Classic rock, Metal and Nu-Metal, Industrial, Punk, Alt and Commercial Rock. Level 2: Emo, Pop Punk, Metalcore, Beats, Hip Hop, Indie and Hardcore.

Shuffle Charity Event raising cash for ‘Street Kids Night Shelter’ in India and Pakistan.

Soundhaus, 22:30–04:00, £12 (£10)

Audioculture (Shazza Halliwell)

Maggie Mays, 23:30–03:00, £5, £3, free b4 12am

Rock, Indie, Metal Classics.

Sun 17 May Disco Badger

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 11pm/12pm with matric

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

Thursdays @ Maggies (Marky Mark)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funk, Soul, Rock, Pop.

Fri 22 May Bamboo Fridays

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (free before 11pm/ 12pm with matric)

R&B, hip hop, rock, indie and electro

Casa (DJ Lisa Littlewood) Òran Mór, 22:00–03:00, £8

Friday night house party with DJ Lisa Littlewoo.

Ballbreaker (DJ Billy and Colin)

The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock and metal.

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Broadcast Beach

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

A night of indie, folk, country, reggae, punk rock, psych, new wave, lo-fi, riot grrrl, noise-pop and more.

Cathouse SATURDAYS (DJ Eric and DJ Muppet/ DJ Billy & Framie)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £6/£4 Students or free before 11.30pm with Snapfax

Level 1: Classic rock, Metal and Nu-Metal, Industrial, Punk, Alt and Commercial Rock. Level 2: Emo, Pop Punk, Metalcore, Beats, Hip Hop, Indie and Hardcore.

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sabado Saturdays (Iain Thomson, Stuart McCorrisken, Paul Rea) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Singles Night (Andy Divine and Beans)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

Subculture (HARRI & 2000 AND ONE (Heritage album tour)) Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £12

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

Zoo MuZik (GK Machine and B*Licious)

Blackfriars Basement, 23:00–03:00, £5

“B*Licious plays breaks, disco, funk, house, electro, castanets.

GK Machine plays techno, afro, acid, beats, punk, funk, disco, cyber, martian swamp grooves.

Henry Fondler plays with himself.”

Rock The Shop (Lee Craig)

Maggie Mays, 23:30–03:00, £5, £3, free b4 12am

Rock, Indie, Metal Classics.

Bleep (B12)

Pivo Pivo, 23:59–05:00, £12

Live techno & electro.

Sun 24 May Disco Badger

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 11pm/12pm with matric

Junk (Marky Mark)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Mixed Bizness & Subcity Present… (Caspa (Dub Police), Benny Boom (Mixed Bizness/Solid Steel), Djamba (Subcity))

Glasgow School of Art, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Dubstep, bass, hip hop.

Optimo (JD Twitch and JG Wilkes)

Junk (Marky Mark)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £12 (£10)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec)

Jukebox! (The Selective Service & The Rudiments)

Optimo (JD Twitch and JG Wilkes)

Symbiosis

Soundhaus, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Old Skool

Diverse music policy.

Vice (Martin Bate + DJ Billy)

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

Indie, emo, dance and party on Level 2.

spectrum (The Microsluts, Wee Cheesy, MotorPsycho)

Back Tae Mine (Gavin Dunbar)

Electro, Fidget, House and Techno.

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £5 The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sat 16 May Terrialitee

Soundhaus, 21:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

Homegrown (Big Al, Dominic Martin & Robin B)

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £7 (£5), free b4 10.30pm/12.30am students

R&B, street soul, funk, rock and pop

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

A heavy alternative concoction involving styles from metal to emo, punk to industrial. Drinks offers all night to keep you absolved.

Bottle Rocket

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, £3, free b4 11.30pm

A night for dancing to indie-pop, postpunk, motown, twee and anything else that gets feet tapping.

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

The Sunday Session (DJ Crocky)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Mon 18 May Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Passionality (Shawn Roberts) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Tue 19 May The Pudding Shop

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

A night of tunes dedicated to DIY bands - record shop and clothes swap.

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Drum & bass.

The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4), £3 b4 12am

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Primevil

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, £6

Techno.

Sat 23 May Glasgow Americana Festival Afterparty

The Twisted Wheel, 21:00–03:00, £5

Wrap party with live acts and DJs

Homegrown (Big Al, Dominic Martin & Robin B)

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £7 (£5), free b4 10.30pm/12.30am students

R&B, street soul, funk, rock and pop

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Diverse music policy.

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Blackfriars Basement, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Sunday Session (DJ Crocky)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Mon 25 May Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Passionality (Shawn Roberts) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Tue 26 May The Pudding Shop

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

A night of tunes dedicated to DIY bands - record shop and clothes swap.

Edinburgh Clubs Audioculture (Shazza Halliwell)

Wrong Island (Xaver Naudascher (Supersoul/DFA))

Killer Kitsch

Techno, beats, electronica.

Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Wed 27 May TONGUE IN CHEEK

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

R&b, hip hop and indie

Octopussy

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Watchamacallit (Dj Bobby Bluebell)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Punk Flavor Funk. Caramel. Milk Psychoclate.

Thu 28 May Croc Madame V Croc Monsieur

The Flying Duck, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

The V Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Trance Foundation

Assembly Rooms (George Street), 20:00–01:00, £10

All things trance.

Friday’s at Opal (Jez Hill)

Soundhaus, 23:00–03:30, £tbc

Sat 30 May Ballers Social Club (Samoyed and Loops Haunt) Breakdown Bands

Psychedelic disco music from beyond the stars.

Club Noir (5th Birthday Party)

Cosmic (WILL DiscOordination, ROWAN, TZOLKIN, FLOW)

Techno, electronica, hip hop.

Soundhaus, 20:30–03:30, £6 (£5)

o2 Academy, 21:00–03:00, £14

Homegrown (Big Al, Dominic Martin & Robin B)

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £7 (£5), free b4 10.30pm/12.30am students

Alternative Nation (Barry and Harvey Kartel)

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock, industrial, metal, punk and electro

CATHOUSE THURSDAYS (Billy & Colin)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anthemic rock, metal, emo, extreme metal.

Clatty Pats

Òran Mór, 23:00–03:00, £4, free for NHS workers

Cryotec

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2

Industrial, EBM.

Mixed Bizness

Glasgow School of Art (Vic Gallery), 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Hip hop, house, drum & bass, funk, dance hall, electro, garage, break beat and disco.

RPZ (hushpuppy & bonjour boi)

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

Thursdays @ Maggies (Marky Mark)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funk, Soul, Rock, Pop.

Fri 29 May Mount Heart Attack (Dave Shades, Flirt Reynolds and Cutter’s Choice) Black Sparrow, 21:00–01:00, Free

Disco, electro, wonky techno and booty.

Bamboo Fridays

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (free before 11pm/ 12pm with matric)

R&B, hip hop, rock, indie and electro

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Dance! Dance! Dance!

(Federation of the Disco Pimp & DJ Roger C)

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £5

Inside Out (Future Heroes, Frontliner, Greg Downey, A-Lusion, Joey V, Jordan Suckley and Gleave) The Arches, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Jeffries Tube +

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

(Possibly Scotland’s only??) Sci-fi music club - hosted by Nanobot.

Modern Lovers

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

60’s pop, 70’s rock.

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sabado Saturdays (Iain Thomson, Stuart McCorrisken, Paul Rea) Byblos, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Friday night house party with DJ Lisa Littlewoo.

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

Digital Harlot (LADYSCRAPER, DAN MONOX, DJ TERROR, BINARY ZERO)

Connected

Breakcore, Industrial, Digital Hardcore, Jungle, Old Skool Rave, Mashup.

Pressure (Felix da housecat, Marco carola, Slam, Joris voorn, Ivan smagghe, Johnny d) The Arches, 22:00–03:00, £18

Hoose & techno.

Ballbreaker (DJ Billy and Colin)

The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock and metal.

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Vice (Martin Bate + DJ Billy) The Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Indie, emo, dance and party on Level 2.

Back Tae Mine (Gavin Dunbar)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4), £3 b4 12am

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Pinup Nights

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Soundhaus, 23:00–03:30, £7 (£5)

Poppy electro and future techno.

Rock The Shop (Lee Craig)

Maggie Mays, 23:30–03:00, £5, £3, free b4 12am

Rock, Indie, Metal Classics.

Soundbox (Housemeister, Jackmaster, Johnny Whoop, Pro Vinylist Karim) Pivo Pivo, 23:59–05:00, £10

Sun 31 May Disco Badger

Bamboo, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 11pm/12pm with matric

Junk (Marky Mark)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

Tokyoblu

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£6)

House night with skilled house house band

XPLICIT (Phobia)

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £8

Drum’n’bass evolution feat a residents special: PAUL RESET [Nerve Recordings], ENO [Parlay], TREASON [Coalition - final UK gig], MC BZ, MELDRUM + B-RAW www.myspace. com/club_xplicit

Sat 02 May

Uniform Tackno (Trendy Wendy) GHQ, 22:00–03:00, £5

CC Blooms, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dirty bootlegs and cheeky electro.

New Idols (Hobbes)

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3 for fancy dress, idol-alikes & students

Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

Bubblegum

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

A chewed up, spat out mix of electro. pop, chart, indie and retro floor fillers.

GRAND THEFT AUDIO (Babes, Mr Meeks, BSides & The Bandit, Xtra and Monkey Boy)

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3

Hip hop and funk.

Jam The Box (Jam the Box DJs) The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £4

Hip hop, jazz, new wave, dub techno.

Mixed Bizness (Boom Monk Ben)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hip hop, house, drum & bass, funk, dance hall, electro, garage, break beat and disco.

Mumbo Jumbo (Trendy Wendy, Colin Millar & Steve Austin)

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6), £5 b4 12am

Funk, soul, electro & house.

Saturday Night Fish Fry (Sneaky, Erik D’Viking)

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3), £3 b4 11.30pm

SLIDE IT IN (DJ Nicola)

The Egg (Chis & Paul)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5, £2.50 b4 11.30pm

Indie / 60’s Garage / Northern Soul / Ska / 70’s / Punk / New Wave. www.eggsite.co.uk

Kinky Indie

Rise (John Hutchison)

Kitsch

Electrohouse and cherished club classics.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sick Note

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

From indie and new wave to fidget house, Baltimore booty bass to nu-rave.

Sneaky Pete’s, 20:00–03:00, £3

Feat. Copy Haho, Tie for Jack and HOMEwork. Plus DJ Vic Galloway Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

Mix of electro-pop, classic beats and disco.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hip Hop, RNB, Pop, Chart.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, (£1), free b4 12am

Tue 05 May out of the bedroom (Open Mic)

The Tron, 20:00–23:00, Free

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

Bubblegum Boogaloo

Funk, R&B, classics.

The Caves, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£6)

Mixed Up Mondays

Breaks and beats.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Planet Earth

Hip Hop, RNB, Pop, Chart.

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, (£1), free b4 12am

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £5, free b4 10.30pm

Trade Union (DJ Beefy & Wolfjazz)

Dirt (JD Pyz, Mikey Skilling) The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £4, £2 b4 11pm

Tue 12 May

Techno, electro, breaks, electronic.

Four Corners (Simon Hodge, Jonny Cashback & Monkeyboy)

out of the bedroom (Open Mic)

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

Misfits

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

Vintage Violence (Anastaziya Violence & Christopher FAST (FASTpunkclub), DJ guests Chrissy (Gussets) and Mike (Sara & the Sakes)) Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4

Garage / Girl groups / RnB / Dirty soul / Junk Shop Glam / Punk / Psych / Rockabilly.

Split

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Wed 06 May Chambles (Jez Hill)

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Chairman Meow (Calverto) Shanghai, 22:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

JungleDub

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

The Pit

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

We Are Electric

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 12am

The city’s leading punk-funk electrodisco party with resident electro-punk Gary Mac playing the sounds of Berlin & beyond.

Thu 07 May Ghantin

The Bongo Club, 23:00–01:00, £4

A radge blend of hard and techy d’n’b, technoid, hardtek, breakcore and hardcore.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Split

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Wed 13 May Chambles (Jez Hill)

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Chairman Meow (Calverto) Shanghai, 22:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

JungleDub

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

The Pit

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

We Are Electric

Sat 09 May Musika (Derek Martin, Jamie McKenzie, Neil Bartley)

Faith, 20:00–03:00, £10 (£8), £8 (£5) students, £5 b4 11pm

We Love Space Ibiza party.

Saturday’s at Opal (Dave Shedan)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 12am

The city’s leading punk-funk electrodisco party with resident electro-punk Gary Mac playing the sounds of Berlin & beyond.

Thu 14 May

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

Kinky Indie

Glamorous vocal house, accessible electro, past and present club classics with a hint of R&B.

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, £2 students/ £5 others

Tease Age

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Big N Bashy (David George, Beast, Deburgh & Decoy Roy)

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Antics

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Motherfunk (Fryer & Gino) Antics

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, Free

NUWAVE, ELECTRONICA, TECHNO, WONKY ELECTRO, FIDGET HOUSE.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, Free

The Tron, 20:00–23:00, Free

Motherfunk (Fryer & Gino)

Berlin, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

The Voodoo Rooms, 21:00–01:00, Free

French 60’s pop, psyche, retro.

Dirty Stop Out (DJ Andrew Taylor)

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £5, £4 b4 11pm

Az-Tech (Mr. No Hands)

Electro, fidget house, synth pop, disco, breaks, dubstep and jungle.

Funk, R&B, classics.

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

Mon 11 May

Friday’s at Opal (Jez Hill)

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £5, £4 b4 11pm

Funky vocal house, electro and club classics.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

This Is Music 3rd Birthday

Sections

Mon 04 May

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sections

Fri 08 May

Gutterpunk (CASSETTE JAM)

Dirty Stop Out (DJ Andrew Taylor)

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £4

More (MISS CHRIS and KAUPUSS)

Cheese.

New Idols is Edinburgh’s new monthly Sunday night party night, featuring club classics, dance-not-dance and, yes, of course, New Idols being played on the wheels of steel.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sun 10 May

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, £2 students/ £5 others

Fuse (Gus Armstrong, Stu Todd, Tim James)

Trade Union (DJ Beefy & Wolfjazz)

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Maggie Mays, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electrohouse and cherished club classics.

Glamorous vocal house, accessible electro, past and present club classics with a hint of R&B.

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

We Love Space Ibiza party.

The Sunday Session (DJ Crocky)

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £4

Mixed Up Mondays

Ocean Terminal, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Spill

Sun 03 May Rise (John Hutchison)

Saturday’s at Opal (Dave Shedan)

Diverse music policy.

70’s, 80’s and 90’s cult rock classics.

Punk, grunge, indie and pop.

Misfits

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £9 (£8)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £3

The Caves, 23:00–03:00, £12

Musika (LUCIANO, M.A.N.D.Y)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£6)

ELECTROsexual (QS Magazine Official 1st Birthday Party)

Optimo (FAN DEATH live!)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Ultragroove (TODD TERJE (FULL PUPP, NORWAY), GARETH SOMMERVILLE, THE BLESSINGS (LUCKY ME))

Kapital (Anja Schneider (Mobilee))

Planet Earth

Techno, house.

Level 1: Classic rock, Metal and Nu-Metal, Industrial, Punk, Alt and Commercial Rock. Level 2: Emo, Pop Punk, Metalcore, Beats, Hip Hop, Indie and Hardcore.

Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 12am with flyer

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £5, free b4 10.30pm

A night of psychedelic trance, progressive and live percussion. Resident DJs, full UV decor environment, crystal clear visuals, high vibrational, psychedelic trance dance ritual.

Cathouse SATURDAYS (DJ Eric and DJ Muppet/ DJ Billy & Framie)

The Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £6/£4 Students or free before 11.30pm with Snapfax

The Go-Go (DJs Tall Paul Robinson and BIG GUS)

“Coming out of the closet again for our annual event at the heart of Edinburgh’s gay triangle... we present another gay May Day! The theme for this night is Uniform Tackno.... so, polish you buttons privates!

Dresscode: Prefects, prisoners, posties & police.

Schoolgirls, scouts, sailors & security...

There will be rewards!!!”

Studio 24, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

Casa (DJ Lisa Littlewood)

Soundhaus, 22:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

A heavy alternative concoction involving styles from metal to emo, punk to industrial. Drinks offers all night to keep you absolved.

Subculture (WEE CHILL AFTERPARTY)

Òran Mór, 22:00–03:00, £8

Mix of electro-pop, classic beats and disco.

Club For Heroes (Fudge Fingas)

R&B, street soul, funk, rock and pop

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

The Ivy Bar, 20:00–01:00, Free

45 Kicks (John Ross and Alex O)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Fri 01 May Assembly Rooms Ceilidh (HLI & caller Ken Gourlay)

Kitsch Cheese.

Sick Note

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £6, £4 b4 12am

A 4-deck mix of dubstep, reggae, dancehall + jungle

Bubblegum

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

A chewed up, spat out mix of electro. pop, chart, indie and retro floor fillers.

StrangeBrew (CECCHINO [Italy] & DJ CHIRUCHICK [Argentina])

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £3, £2 in fancy dress

Rockabilly, surf, rocanroll, mod, ska, reggae, mestizaje & soul.

Fri 15 May

Fake

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Techno, electro, bassline, house, rave

Friday’s at Opal (Jez Hill)

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

Karnival (PAOLO MOJO)

Mix of electro-pop, classic beats and disco.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£8)

House & techno.

FRACTURED

Saturday Night Fish Fry (The Privates Hammond Orchestra, Erik D’Viking)

Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Breakcore, Drum and Bass.

Planet Earth

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3), £3 b4 11.30pm

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £5, free b4 10.30pm

Substance (HANNO HINKELBEIN [AEOX], DJ ESPEE, ECLAIRFIFI, GAVIN RICHARDSON)

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

Compakt (Perc)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £6, £4 b4 12am

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £7

Techno, electro.

Deep house, minimal, tech house and rolling European techno.

The Egg (Chis & Paul)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5, £2.50 b4 11.30pm

From indie and new wave to fidget house, Baltimore booty bass to nu-rave.

Indie / 60’s Garage / Northern Soul / Ska / 70’s / Punk / New Wave. www.eggsite.co.uk

Confusion is Sex (PLATZBLANCHE, David Mars DJs) The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5

Where David Lynch fantasy becomes reality.

May 2009

THE SKINNY 65

Edinburgh Clubs Disobediance (THE OXYGEN JUNKIES (Bistronica/ AnimalPlayMinimal), STU TODD (Fuse), ANDY HARDIE)

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £6, £4 b4 12am

Minimal, house & techno.

Misfits

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

Motherfunk (Fryer & Gino) Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, Free

www.myspace.com/messengersoundsystem

Antics

Musika

Split

Saturday Night Fish Fry (Den Collective, Erik D’Viking)

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Wed 20 May

Riddim Tuffa Sound (JAHTARI / DISRUPT LIVE & MC INSTRUKTAH D (LIVE DIGITAL REGGAELEIPZIG/GERMANY) feat.

MC’S DADDY SCOTTY & ZEB McQEEN DJ ORIGIN (EXLUSIVE JUNGLE SET/SMOKIN RIDDIMS/ CALYPSO/ROOTS RECORDSLONDON) + RIDDIM TUFFA DJS feat. MC DIRTSMAN)

Chambles (Jez Hill)

Reggae, dubstep, jungle.

We Are Electric

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £7

Stepback (WolfJazz & Keyte)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Baltimore, ghetto-tech, electro & dubstep.

Sat 16 May Saturday’s at Opal (Dave Shedan)

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

Glamorous vocal house, accessible electro, past and present club classics with a hint of R&B.

Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

Basics (Des Crombie)

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5

50’s and 60’s r’n’b

Bubblegum

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

A chewed up, spat out mix of electro. pop, chart, indie and retro floor fillers.

GRAND THEFT AUDIO (Babes, Mr Meeks, BSides & The Bandit, Xtra and Monkey Boy)

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3

Hip hop and funk.

Headspin (Headspin Residents)

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5 b4 12am)

Saturday Night Fish Fry (Gecko 3, Erik D’Viking)

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3), £3 b4 11.30pm

The Egg (Chis & Paul)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5, £2.50 b4 11.30pm

Indie / 60’s Garage / Northern Soul / Ska / 70’s / Punk / New Wave. www.eggsite.co.uk

Ultragroove (GARETH SOMMERVILLE, RICHY VALLENZ, MIKEY INGLIS)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Sun 17 May Rise (John Hutchison) Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £4

Electrohouse and cherished club classics.

More (MISS CHRIS and KAUPUSS)

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funky vocal house, electro and club classics.

Sections

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

Glasgow Comedy

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Chairman Meow (Calverto) Shanghai, 22:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

JungleDub

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

The Pit

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 12am

The city’s leading punk-funk electrodisco party with resident electro-punk Gary Mac playing the sounds of Berlin & beyond.

Thu 21 May Audacious

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £4

Breakcore, gabba, jungle, dubstep.

Kinky Indie

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, £2 students/ £5 others

Kitsch

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cheese.

Sick Note Vs. Sugarbeat (Diplo, BOY 8-BIT)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Fri 22 May

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3), £3 b4 11.30pm

The Egg (Chis & Paul)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5, £2.50 b4 11.30pm

Indie / 60’s Garage / Northern Soul / Ska / 70’s / Punk / New Wave. www.eggsite.co.uk

Sun 24 May Rise (John Hutchison) Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £4

Electrohouse and cherished club classics.

ELECTROsexual (Lucky Luciano)

Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £5

Reggae, dub, dancehall, dubstep.

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funky vocal house, electro and club classics.

Sections

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

Mon 25 May Dirty Stop Out (DJ Andrew Taylor)

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £5, £4 b4 11pm

Mixed Up Mondays Hip Hop, RNB, Pop, Chart.

Trade Union (DJ Beefy & Wolfjazz)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, (£1), free b4 12am

Tue 26 May out of the bedroom (Open Mic)

The Tron, 20:00–23:00, Free

Planet Earth

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

Motherfunk (Fryer & Gino)

Bass Syndicate (Drummatic Twins)

Antics

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £5, free b4 10.30pm

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Misfits

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

Noise Porn (Starring HOSTAGE, HIJACK, AL MAJIK, SIREN, RE:TOX)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £8

Breaks, electro, fidget and house, plus techno, dnb, grime, dubstep, drum & bass and hiphop.

Sat 23 May

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, Free The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electrolisience (Rudi Gubbarrah (GOuranga/ Electrolisence), Saltbread (Filth Sounds))

Wed 27 May

Dance to signal the start of your summer

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

JungleDub

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dirty Stop Out (DJ Andrew Taylor)

Glamorous vocal house, accessible electro, past and present club classics with a hint of R&B.

We Are Electric

Funk, R&B, classics.

Know Your Limits presents... (Freeform Five)

Mixed Up Mondays The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hip Hop, RNB, Pop, Chart.

Trade Union (DJ Beefy & Wolfjazz)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, (£1), free b4 12am

Tue 19 May out of the bedroom (Open Mic)

The Tron, 20:00–23:00, Free

To anyone who’s wanted to play to more than their cuddly toys, welcome to your first gig.

The Caves, 22:30–03:00, £12 (£10)

Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

Bubblegum

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

A chewed up, spat out mix of electro. pop, chart, indie and retro floor fillers.

Messenger Sound System

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £6.50 (£5 b4 12am)

Sweet reggae rocking with Scotland’s original roots & culture sound system, feat MC Ras Echo.

360 degrees of consciousness

66 THE SKINNY May 2009

Mix of electro-pop, classic beats and disco.

Departure Lounge (DJ Vadim ft. Sabirajade & Pugs Atomz DJ Vadim LIVE (Live Ninja Tune/BBE), B-Burg ft.

MC Hasta (DJ Set), Astroboy, Mr Zimbabwe & Jiminez)

The Caves, 22:00–03:00, £9, £8 b4 12am/ students

Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Planet Earth

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £5, free b4 10.30pm

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

Misfits

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

Sugarbeat (FAN DEATH, BOYS NOIZE)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Breaks, beats, bootlegs.

Xplicit

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Drum & bass.

Sat 30 May Vegas (VEGAS! Showgirls) The Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £5

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 12am

The city’s leading punk-funk electrodisco party with resident electro-punk Gary Mac playing the sounds of Berlin & beyond.

Thu 28 May Kinky Indie

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, £2 students/ £5 others

Kitsch

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cheese.

Sick Note

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

From indie and new wave to fidget house, Baltimore booty bass to nu-rave.

Fri 01 May The Friday Show (Alistair Barrie, Michael Legge, Billy Kirkwood and Siân Bevan.

Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 02 May

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Watch a series of short comedy sketches, presented by top actors and comedians.

Vote for your favourite, and see a longer version next month.

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Sun 03 May Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

Bank Holiday Special (With Michael Legge, Gary Little, Billy Kirkwood and Sian Bevan. Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:29, £8/£7

Mon 04 May Absolute Beginners (MC Daniel Webster and heeadliner Gus Tawse)

The Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:15, £2/£1

Showcase of new comedy talent with a top headliner to round off your night www.fitothegiggles.com

Red Raw (With Joe Heenan and Chris Forbes.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:46, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Tue 05 May

THE BANG BANG CLUB

The Sugaring-Off Cabin

Cabaret Voltaire, 22:00–03:00, £8

Mashup.

MADCHESTER!

Faith, 22:30–03:00, £5

Long-running indie, brit pop and rave night.

Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

Playdate

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Steven and Stewart’s electric knees-up

Bubblegum

A chewed up, spat out mix of electro. pop, chart, indie and retro floor fillers.

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6), £5 b4 12am

Funk, soul, electro & house.

Saturday Night Fish Fry (The Banana Sessions, Erik D’Viking)

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3), £3 b4 11.30pm

The Egg (Chis & Paul)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5, £2.50 b4 11.30pm

Indie / 60’s Garage / Northern Soul / Ska / 70’s / Punk / New Wave. www.eggsite.co.uk

Sun 31 May THE BANG BANG SUNDAY SOCIAL

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 16:00–23:00, £5

Chill out DJ sessions.

Rise (John Hutchison) Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £4

Electrohouse and cherished club classics.

Sections

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

Tue 12 May 1000 Years of German Humour (Henning Wehn and Otto Kuhnle) The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £9/£7

Saturday’s at Opal (Dave Shedan)

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm Glamorous vocal house, accessible electro, past and present club classics with a hint of R&B.

Red Raw (With Colin Owens.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:46, £2/£1 New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

The Saturday Show (Alistair Barrie, Michael Legge, Billy Kirkwood and Siân Bevan. Hosted

by Joe Heenan.)

Wicked Wenches (AL Kennedy, Lucy Oldham and Susan Calman)

Mumbo Jumbo (DJs Trendy Wendy, Colin Millar & Steve Austin)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Pit

Opal Lounge, 22:00–03:00, £5, £4 b4 11pm

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

Split

Chambles (Jez Hill)

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

Friday’s at Opal (Jez Hill)

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £4, free b4 11.30pm

From house and electro to breaks and techno.

Saturday’s at Opal (Dave Shedan)

Mon 18 May

French 60’s pop, psyche, retro.

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Forth One Floorfillers (FREEMASONS, N –TRANCE, Krystle, Iain Waugh, DJ Andy Opel)

Ocean Terminal, 20:00–03:00, £15

The Voodoo Rooms, 21:00–01:00, Free

Psychedelic disco music from beyond the stars.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Big Toe’s Hi-Fi (Barba Poppa Choppa, C-Biscuit, Papa Luca and B-Dawg)

Bubblegum Boogaloo (Five Aces)

More (MISS CHRIS and KAUPUSS)

Mix of electro-pop, classic beats and disco.

Sneaky Pete’s, 22:00–03:00, Free Underground house, electro, minimal & techno.

Kraut rock, new wave, electro, synth pop and video nasties for the jaded and sexually ambivalent amongst you

Club For Heroes (Truffle Club)

Funk, R&B, classics.

Definition (Mark Balneaves, Daragh Byrne and Martin Lightbody)

The Strathmore, 19:00–00:00, Free

Dirty bootlegs and cheeky electro.

CC Blooms, 23:00–03:00, Free

Friday’s at Opal (Jez Hill)

Opal Lounge, 21:00–03:00, £8, £4 b4 11pm

Fri 29 May Autobahn

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6/£5

Wed 06 May The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4

A dirty great, big night of weird and wonderful characters and sketches brought to you by some of Scotland’s finest new comics.

Thu 07 May The Thursday Show (With Steve Gribbin, Gary Little and Eddie O’Dwyer.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 08 May The Friday Show (Steve Gribbin, Gary Little and Eddie O’Dwyer.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 09 May The Saturday Show (Steve Gribbin, Gary Little and Eddie O’Dwyer.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Sun 10 May Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (With Jason Rouse, Ailsa Johnston, Dee Custance and Ben Verth. Hosted

by Billy Kirkwood.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £5/£4

Mon 11 May Absolute Beginners (MC Keara Murphy and headliner Niall Browne) The Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:15, £2/£1

Showcase of new comedy talent with a top headliner to round off your night www.fitothegiggles.com

Wed 13 May Melting Pot

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £5/£4

Thu 14 May The Thursday Show (With Nick Wilty, Sandy Nelson, Matt Hollins and Michael Adams. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 15 May The Friday Show (Nick Wilty, Sandy Nelson, Matt Hollins and Michael Adams. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 16 May The Saturday Show (Nick Wilty, Sandy Nelson, Matt Hollins and Michael Adams. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Sun 17 May Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

The Sunday Night LaughIn (With Sandy Nelson, Matt Hollins, Robert Parker and Ross Baillie.

Hosted by Siân Bevan.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £5/£4

Mon 18 May Absolute Beginners (MC Andy Vaughan and headliner Austin Low)

The Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:15, £2/£1

Showcase of new comedy talent with a top headliner to round off your night www.fitothegiggles.com

Red Raw (With Susan Calman and Mark Nelson.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:46, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Tue 19 May Benefit in Aid of Fast Forward (Joe Heenan, Daniel Sloss and Iain Stirling) The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £7

http://www.fastforward.org.uk/

Wed 20 May Benefit in Aid of Barnardo’s Scotland (Seymour Mace, Ro Campbell, Daniel Sloss and Stephen Callaghan) The Stand, 20:30–23:00, tbc

http://www.barnardos.org.uk/scotland

Thu 21 May The Thursday Show (With Michael Smiley, Alun Cochrane, Gus Tawse and Ailsa Johnston.

Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Edinburgh Comedy Fri 22 May

Fri 01 May

The Friday Show (Michael Smiley, Alun Cochrane, Gus Tawse and Ailsa Johnston.

Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Friday Show (Bennett Arron, Sandy Nelson and James Goldbury.

Hosted by Bruce Devlin.)

Doors open 7pm

The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Sat 23 May The Saturday Show (Michael Smiley, Alun Cochrane, Gus Tawse and Ailsa Johnston.

Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Sun 24 May Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

Bank Holiday Special (With Michael Smiley, Alun Cochrane, Gus Tawse and Ailsa Johnston.

Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:29, £8/£7

Mon 25 May Absolute Beginners (MC Jane Walker and headliner Jojo Sutherland) The Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:15, £2/£1

Showcase of new comedy talent with a top headliner to round off your night www.fitothegiggles.com

Red Raw (With Billy Kirkwood and Gus Tawse.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:46, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Tue 26 May Topical Thunder

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £7/£6

Topical comedy show with Des Clarke, Vladimir McTavish and Susan Calman.

Wed 27 May The Best of Scottish Comedy (Bruce Morton, Mark Bratchpiece, Chris Forbes and Kim MacAskill.

Hosted by Joe Heenan) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6/5

Thu 28 May The Thursday Show (With Owen O’Neill, Bernard O’Shea, Morgan Jones and Dee Custance. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 29 May The Friday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Steven Dick, Robbie Bonham and Garry Dobson. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 30 May The Saturday Show (Owen O’Neill, Bernard O’Shea, Morgan Jones and Dee Custance. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Sun 31 May Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (With Dougie Dunlop, Morgan Jones, Martin McAllister, Robert Graham and Paul Goodbrand. Hosted

by JoJo Sutherland.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £5/£4

Doors open 7pm

Sat 02 May The Saturday Show (Bennett Arron, Sandy Nelson and James Goldbury.

Hosted by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Half Price Comedy Club (Vladimir Mctavish) Uisge Beatha, 21:00–23:04, £4-£6

Sun 03 May Bank Holiday Special (With Bennett Arron, Sandy Nelson and Daniel Sloss. Hosted by Michael Redmond.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £8/£6

The Ivory (Experienced compere & up to 8 comedians) Ivory Hotel, 21:00–23:10, Free

New acts, new material

Mon 04 May Dance Monkey Boy Dance (Raymond Mearns, Paul Pirie and Allen Chalmers) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4

Monthly show featuring a mix of topical stand-up, filmed sketches and improvised games and songs.

Tue 05 May Red Raw (With Chris Henry and Sean Grant.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Wed 06 May Wicked Wenches (AL Kennedy and Susan Calman) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6/£5

GO Laugh (Sean Wilkinson, The Wee Man, MC - Billy Kirkwood) Trader Joe’s, 21:00–23:00, Free

For more details see www.thegobutton.co.uk

Thu 07 May The Thursday Show (With Jason Rouse, John Gillick, Marlon Davis and Chris Henry. Hosted by Vladimir McTavish.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:06, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 08 May The Friday Show (Jason Rouse, John Gillick, Marlon Davis and Chris Henry. Hosted by Vladimir McTavish.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 09 May The Saturday Show (Jason Rouse, John Gillick, Marlon Davis and Chris Henry. Hosted by Vladimir McTavish.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Half Price Comedy Club (Raymond Mearns) Uisge Beatha, 21:00–23:04, £4-£6

Sun 10 May Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (With John Gillick, Martin McAllister, Daniel Webster, Gus Lymburn and Jason Arnstein) The Stand, 20:30–23:00, £5/£4

The Ivory (Raymond Mearns & up to 8 comedians) Ivory Hotel, 21:00–23:10, Free

New acts, new material

Mon 11 May 1000 Years of German Humour (Henning Wehn and Otto Kuhnle) The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £9/£7

Tue 12 May Red Raw (With Chris Forbes and Ro Campbell.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Wed 13 May How Do I Get Up There?

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, tbc

GO Laugh (Vladimir McTavish, Andy Vaughan MC - Charlie Ross) Trader Joe’s, 21:00–23:00, Free

For more details see www.thegobutton.co.uk

Thu 14 May The Thursday Show (With Addy Van Der Borgh and Phil Differ. Hosted

by Raymond Mearns.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:06, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 15 May The Friday Show (Addy Van Der Borgh and Phil Differ. Hosted by Raymond Mearns.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 16 May The Saturday Show (Addy Van Der Borgh and Phil Differ. Hosted

by Raymond Mearns.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Half Price Comedy Club Uisge Beatha, 21:00–23:04, £4-£6

Sun 17 May Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (With Patrick Rolink, Michael Manley and Lucy Oldham) The Stand, 20:30–23:00, £5/£4

The Ivory (Experienced compere & up to 8 comedians)

Ivory Hotel, 21:00–23:10, Free

New acts, new material

Mon 18 May

Glasgow theatre Wed 20 May Benefit in Aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care The Stand, 20:30–22:31, £7/£5

GO Laugh (Keir McAllister, MC - Chris Broomfield) Trader Joe’s, 21:00–23:00, Free

For more details see www.thegobutton.co.uk

Thu 21 May The Thursday Show (With Neil Delamere, Seymour Mace, Sean Grant and Robert Graham. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:06, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 22 May The Friday Show (Neil Delamere, Seymour Mace, Sean Grant and Robert Graham. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 23 May The Saturday Show (Neil Delamere, Seymour Mace, Sean Grant and Robert Graham. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.)

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Sun 24 May Bank Holiday Special (With Neil Delamere, Seymour Mace, Sean Grant and Robert Graham. Hosted

by Michael Redmond.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £8/£6

Tue 26 May Red Raw (With Scott Agnew.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Wed 27 May The Best of Irish Comedy (Owen O’Neill and Robbie Bonham. With host Michael Redmond.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £7/£6

GO Laugh (Rob Kane, Gary Little, MC - Scott Agnew) Trader Joe’s, 21:00–23:00, Free

For more details see www.thegobutton.co.uk

Thu 28 May The Thursday Show (With Dougie Dunlop, Steven Dick, Robbie Bonham and Garry Dobson. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:06, £8/£7

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 29 May The Friday Show (Owen O’Neill, Bernard O’Shea, Morgan Jones and Dee Custance. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 30 May The Saturday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Steven Dick, Robbie Bonham and Garry Dobson.

Hosted by Susan Morrison.)

Monthly show featuring a mix of topical stand-up, filmed sketches and improvised games and songs.

Top acts.

Hot food.

An altogether great night out.

Tue 19 May Red Raw (With Charlie Ross and Graeme Thomas.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Tramway Ashes

19:30, 08 May—09 May, £12

19:30, 01 May—02 May, £9.50

Belgian magic inspires and moves once again: an absolute must-see.

The Arches

After Mary Rose

Watch Me Fall 19:00, 16 May, £8

daredevils, our obsession with those who attempt the impossible, the futility of their attempts and their inevitable fall from grace.

Inner Circle

Multiple times, Fri 1st, Sat 2nd, Wed 6th, Thu 7th, Fri 8th, Sat 9th, Wed 13th, Wed 20th, Thu 21st, Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd, Multiple prices

Tope Edinburgh company re-imagine JM Barrie’s awkward ghost story

Tron Theatre

11:15, 23 May, check website for details

Local hero takes to the underground, from the Arches to the Clockwork Orange. Various times: check website for details.

The Ducky

19:30, 19 May—23 May, from £10

love and death, families and homecoming, it’s about growing up and realising that nothing is forever

Love’s Time’s Beggar

The Ferry

Multiple times, 20 May—22 May, £8

Cora Bisset directs this study of making love last from company that want to prove their worth

Vegas

Multiple times, 02 May—30 May, Multiple prices

Changing House

Theatre Royal

Rehearsal Room 15

Manon

19:30, 01 May—03 May, £6

More works in progress given a pre-performance airing: a fascinating insight in the process of performance.

19:15, Wed 20th, Fri 29th, contact www.ambassadors.com for details

Opera that can resist everything but temptation: old school passion and arias from a resolutely forward looking company

Hear Me

19:30, 06 May—09 May, £8

Interesting physical theatre from this young Polish company

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Dance Monkey Boy Dance (Raymond Mearns, Paul Pirie and Allen Chalmers) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4

Citizens Theatre I’m No A Billy

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Sun 31 May Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (With Kevin Bridges, Tiffany Stevenson, Iain Stirling and Jason Arnstein.)

The Stand, 20:30–23:00, £5/£4

Edinburgh Theatre Brunton Theatre

King’s Theatre

After Mary Rose

Witches of Eastwick

Multiple times, 01 May—23 May, Multiple prices

Jolson

19:30, 01 May—09 May, not 3rd, 4th,/

Top Edinburgh company re-imagine JM Barrie’s awkward ghost story

Musical memoir of the Jazz Singer

Move it!

Grand Cirque Fantazie

19:30, 08 May, £6

Tomorrow’s stars from East Lothian

Pero Multiple times, 26 May—28 May, £8

Part of Imaginate: a bashful baker declares his love

Multiple times, 26 May—30 May, not 26th, contact www.ambassadors. com for details

Show time hilarity and skills for all ages

Royal Lyceum

Museum of Dreams

Copenhagen

14:00, 28 May—30 May, £8

19:30, 01 May—09 May, not 3rd, 4th, Call venue for details

Part of the imaginate festival

Book of Beasts Multiple times, 29 May—30 May, £8

Part of Imaginate Festival

Singin’ I’m No A Billy, He’s a Tim

19:30, 14 May—16 May, from £10

Festival Theatre West Side Story 19:30, 05 May—16 May, not 10th, 11th, from £17

The ever popular tour continues: originally intended to update the Romeo and Shakespeare tale for social relevance, it is now a period piece of itself.

Sectarian soccer drama still going strong.

The Tron Mud and Bliss

19:30, 01 May—09 May, not 3rd, 4th, from £10

Andy Arnold gets engaged with two new plays that grapple with gender, celebrity and adult language. Two plays for the price of one: value and relevance.

Breakin Convention 18:00, 18 May—19 May, £15

Jamboree of hip-hop dance with local and national b-boys convening to pop and break.

His Dark Materials, part one and part two

Interiors

19:30, 12 May—16 May, £14

Smashing new show from Scottish avant-gardists

Voodoo Rooms

14:00, 22 May—24 May, from £15.50

Two plays capturing Pulmann’s gnostic fantasy. Really, it is for children, despite the cod-philosophy and spurious big themes.

Quadrophenia Multiple times, 26 May—30 May, fropm £15

Vegas

Multiple times, Sat 2nd, Sat 30th, Multiple prices

Traverse Hoors

20:00, Fri 1st, Sat 2nd, Tue 5th, Wed 6th, Thu 7th, Fri 8th, Sat 9th, Tue 12th, Wed 13th, Thu 14th, Fri 15th, Sat 16th, Tue 19th, Wed 20th, Thu 21st, Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd, from £8

Mod classic, edgy at the time but more a nostalgia trip now, perhaps?

Playhouse

The disappointing follow-up to BlackWatch (as claimed by the author). A comedy for come-downs.

Chicago Multiple times, 18 May—22 May, from £15

19:30, 18 May—23 May, contact www. ambassadors.com for details

Glamorous and decadent, the show that revels in darkness topped off with gorgeous melodies and risque choreography

After Mary Rose

Multiple times, 01 May—23 May, not 3rd, 4th, 5th, Multiple prices

Top Edinburgh company re-imagine JM Barrie’s awkward ghost story

May 2009

THE SKINNY 67

Glasgow Art CCA

Mary Mary

Street Level Photo Works

Stage Fright

Arrival Inside

The CCA and experimental theatre group Suspect Culture present a new collaboration exploring the nature of theatricality.

12:00, Fri 1st, Sat 2nd, Thu 7th, Fri

Small sculptures

8th, Sat 9th, Thu 14th, Fri 15th, Sat

12:00, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, Not sun-tue,

16th, Thu 21st, Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd,

Free

11:00, Fri 1stSat 23rd, Free

Wildlife I

11:00, 01 May—09 May, not 3rd, 4th, Free

Drawings executed by Orange Juice founder Edwyn Collins during his rehabilitation from a life threatening brain haemorrhage.

Cryptic Nights 20:00, 07 May, £5

Collins Gallery Excess: Experiments in Living

Multiple times, 23 May—30 May, not 24th, Free

This new collection of work by Jac Scott examines the way we live today, with an emphasis on our relationship to food, wealth and materialism.

Reflecting the human condition, rather than judging it, the exhibition explores issues of consumption, traits of avarice, gluttony and narcissism.

GoMA sh[OUT]

Free

Groups show featuring Alexandra Bircken, Thea Djordjadze, Gego, Owen Gump, Alexis Marguerite Teplin, Gerda Scheepers, Sam Windett

Sentences not only words 12:00, 30 May, Free

Ricefield Gallery Cracking Twigs 10:30, Sat 2nd–Sat 30th, not sun/ mon, Free

Impressions of Hong Kong by Glasgow based photographer, Tommy Ga-Ken Wan.”...to lose oneself in a city?as one loses oneself in a forest...

Then, signboard and street names, passers-by, roofs, kiosks, or bars must speak to the wanderer like a cracking twig under his feet in the forest.” Walter Benjamin

10:00, 01 May—30 May, Free

A new exhibition raising awareness of issues faced by lesbians, gay men, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.

Artists including David Hockney, Nan Golden, Robert Mapplethorpe, Holly Johnson and Catherine Opie have all contributed works to the exhibition

GSA Leger Trager 10:00, 01 May, Free

Leger Trager represents a new body of work by Dan Miller and Kev Pollock.

The exhibition takes its title from the L+T (Leger und Trager) radical hanging system developed by the artist, theatre designer and architect Frederick Kiesler in 1924.

SWG3 Glass Museum Multiple times, 16 May—24 May, not 18th, 19th, Free

Patrick Jameson, one of the founders of the renowned Project Rooms in Glasgow, in one of the 35 resident artists working with the SWG3 Studios.

He studied at Glasgow School of Art, completing the MFA in 2001. He has exhibited internationally, with recent exhibitions at the Ginza Art Laboratory, Tokyo, AK28, Stockholm and Sierra Metro, Edinburgh

‘Small Sculptures’ is a selection of pictures depicting small artworks, all found objects or assisted ‘ready mades’ that are accompanied by short texts. Originally produced as postcards, they are now presented as large prints, lifted from the comforts of their modest proportions to an almost monumental scale, the pictures once again become objects.

Modern Institute Michael Wilkinson Multiple times, 01 May—09 May, not 3rd, Free

Wall work and drawing from the Glasgow-based artist.

Thomas Houseago, Dieter Roth & André Thomkins 12:00, 30 May, Free

Tramway Artist Rooms 12:00, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, not mondays, Free

The exhibition comes to Tramway as part of a nation wide project to launch an important new contemporary art collection assembled by Anthony d’Offay, known as ARTIST ROOMS.

James Yamada - Our Starry Night 12:00, Fri 1st, Sat 2nd, Sun 3rd–Sat 30th, not mondays, Free

An interactive aluminium sculpture studded with 1,900 lights marks the passageway to the Tramway’s Hidden Gardens.

Edinburgh Art Collective Roll it to me 12:00, 01 May—09 May, not 3rd, 4th, Free

10:00, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, noT mon, Free

Roll it to me is a new group exhibition at the Collective Gallery featuring video work by Pil and Galia Kollectiv (London), Team PingPong (Berlin) and Tim Etchells (Sheffield).

Francesca Woodman

Commonwealth Suite 12:00, 23 May—30 May, not 24th, 25th, Free

Two new film commissions, filmed in Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool, just before it is closes for renovation in June 2009.

Printmakers New Commissions 10:00, 01 May—09 May, not 3rd, 4th, Free

This exhibition showcases works by some of the UK’s most respected leading contemporary artists, all commissioned and published by Edinburgh Printmakers.

Incise

10:00, 23 May—30 May, not 24th, 25th, Free

This exhibition of recent work by Jenny Smith is an investigation into drawing in the context of memory and place.

Jenny draws using repetitive hand rendered processes, which are then developed in print using the digital medium of laser cutting and etching.

Fruitmarket Buried Multiple times, 01 May—30 May, Free

A major exhibition of films and photographs by Willie Doherty, one of the most significant artists of our times.

68 THE SKINNY May 2009

Ingleby Gallery Dummy

For this show, Grace draws on his alter-ego as a graphic designer, using the industry’s standard filler text Lorem Ipsum as his starting point for a series of collages.

10:00, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, not sun, Free

Francesca Woodman is one of the most distinctive photographers of the last 50 years.

Institut Francais d’Ecosse LA FONTAINE’S FABLES

09:30, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, not sun, Free

Watercolours and drawings inspired by Jean de la Fontaine’s short stories

Modern Art Galleries Artist Rooms

10:00, 01 May—30 May, Free

At the heart of ARTIST ROOMS is the concept of individual rooms devoted to particular artists, so that their work can be seen and appreciated in depth.

Two Horizons

10:00, 01 May—30 May, Free

Brings the works of some of the most interesting international artists to Scotland for the very first time. With challenging juxtapositions, humorous observations, and surprising new discoveries, it presents a unique chance to explore recent developments in contemporary art.

RSA Turner and Italy

Multiple times, 01 May—30 May, £8(£6)

Explores the complex and enduring relationship between JMW Turner and Italy.

Sierra Metro Cursed Sleep 13:00, Sun 3rd, Sat 9th, Sun 10th, Sat 16th, Sun 17th, Sat 23rd, Sun 24th, Free

Sofi’s Bar Whispers from a Jar 12:00, 03 May—30 May, free

Masters of Graphic Design and Illustration, Edinburgh College of Art

Stills Barbara Probst 11:00, 01 May—30 May, Free

Photography from the German artist.

Talbot Rice Desire Lines 10:00, Fri 1st-Sat 30th, not sun, mon, Free

Site specific works by a variety of artists across the Edinburgh University campus while the gallery’s closed.

Voodoo Rooms Laptop Lounge 20:00, 14 May, Free

Cutting-edge international and UK electronic music and video artists perform live in the venue and into the venue via the net

doggerfisher Built, Lacking Multiple times, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, NOT SUN/MON, Free

dundee MUSIC

Stirling Fri 15 May PANGEA

MUSIC

The Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Sat 02 May Levee Breakers

Fat Sam’s, 19:00–00:00, £tbc

DOGHOUSE FUND RAISER Fat Sam’s, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Bands tbc

Sun 03 May A Silent Film, I. R. L

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Tue 05 May MORRISSEY, Doll and The Kicks

Caird Hall, 19:30–23:00, £32.50

The granddaddy of punk pop legions

Fri 08 May REEMER

Fat Sam’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

The Smiths Indeed

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Sat 09 May eatmyface promotions! present: the echo festival of sound and light

Drouthy Neebors, 16:30–00:00, £2

Wed 13 May LOGAN

Fat Sam’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Grunge rock

Sun 17 May Sonic Boom 6, Random Hand The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Hip hop, punk and reggae

Mon 18 May Stephen Fretwell

Fat Sam’s, 19:00–23:00, £10

Post punk

Thu 28 May Muscles of Joy

DCA , 19:00–00:00, Free

Eight piece, art pop tour de force

Fri 29 May

Elecronica

Fri 22 May BLING ART SCHOOL DEGREE SHOW PARTY

The Reading Rooms, 21:30–03:00, £tbc

What? You’re not sporting winklepickers? They probably won’t let you in then. Shame

Sat 23 May PLASTIC SOUL GETS INTO TROUBLE

The Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Sat 30 May Neon Nights

The Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Jokers of the Scene DJ set

comedy Dundee Rep Extra Ordinary World 19:30, 02 May, £12

comedy with choreography on a quest to find the ultimate dance

Fat Sam’s Just Laugh

21:00, 01 May—02 May, Multiple prices

www.justlaugh.co.uk

Art The Associates

09:30, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, not sun, Free

Celebrating DCA’s 10th anniversary with a survey of work from Jordanstone trained artists

Vision @ Seabraes

IMELDA MAY

Dundee Degree Show

Rockabilly goddess

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design graduates present a wide range of work. The exhibition is running concurrently with the Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition.

Fat Sam’s, 20:00–23:00, £10

SKAFEST: Roddy Radiation, The Skabilly Rebels The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Ska we imagine

Sat 30 May SKAFEST: Skaville, Rhoda Dakar

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Ska

Sun 31 May SKAFEST: Badness

The Doghouse, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Madness tribute

clubs

09:30, 23 May—30 May, Free

Theatre Dundee Rep Extra Ordinary World

Jolson and Co

19:30, 04 May—09 May, £15

spectacular new musical direct from smash-hit seasons in New York

Jason and the Argonauts 19:00, 12 May, From £6

Fri 01 May HEADWAY

The Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Sat 02 May DAN LE SAC

The Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Fri 08 May MIXED BIZNESS (BOOM MONK BEN, POINT TO C)

The Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Sat 09 May Slam

The Reading Rooms, 21:30–01:30, £tbc

Thu 14 May Crazy P

The Reading Rooms, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Mon 04 May MORRISSEY, Doll and The Kicks

The Albert Halls, 19:00–23:00, £32.50 (sold out)

The grand daddy of the punk pop legions

Wed 06 May Eddi Reader

The Albert Halls, 19:30–22:30, £17.50

Scottish singer songwriter

Family version of Greek myth

After Mary Rose

Multiple times, Fri 1st, Sat 2nd, Wed 6th, Thu 7th, Fri 8th, Sat 9th, Wed 13th, Multiple prices

Tope Edinburgh company re-imagine JM Barrie’s awkward ghost story

Lest We Forget

19:30, 15 May—16 May, £12

commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Piper Alpha oil platform disaster

Peer Gynt

19:30, 26 May—30 May, from £14

fantastic adventures of a singular man

Whitehall King and I

19:30, 01 May—02 May, from £12

Magical Musical

Menopause the Musical

19:30, 12 May—14 May, from £14.50

An interesting way to approach health issues, starring Cheryl Baker

Tue 05 May Wordfringe 2009

Thu 07 May

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

Exposure (Dan Le Sac +Shy & DRS+ Az-I Cool + kUDAlites + DJ Massive Throne) The Lemon Tree, 19:30–22:30, £5

Dan Le Sac from the mighty Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip hosts a night of local hip hop talent, Shy & DRS, Az-I Cool, and kUDAlites kUDAlites Az-I Cool Shy & DRS

FAT HIPPY RECORDS SHOWCASE

Café Drummonds, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Elevation, Captain Face, TheatreFall, The Marionettes, Get In Get Out

The Chris Stout Theory

Bulls On Parade

Folky fiddly maths

rage against the machine tribute

The Tolbooth , 20:00–22:00, £12/10

Fri 08 May Reloaded (Maybeshewill, And So I Watch You From Afar) The Tolbooth , 19:00–23:00, £6

The Tolbooth’s platform for emerging acts

Sun 10 May Stirling Orchestra

The Albert Halls, 19:30–22:00, £8/6/2

Traditional programme

Sat 16 May Stairwell Sisters

The Tolbooth , 20:00–23:00, £12/10

Five piece from Frisco

Thu 21 May Lisa Knapp & James Yorkston

The Tolbooth , 20:00–22:30, £12/10

Fri 22 May Hans Theesink

The Tolbooth , 20:00–22:30, £10/8

Acoustic blues

Sat 23 May Lau

The Tolbooth , 20:00–22:30, £14/12

Folk

Fri 29 May

Moshulu, 20:00–22:00, £5

HELLER STATE, 4 STAR SUNDAY, DECIPHER, INDO SILVER CLUB The Tunnels, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pop punk

Sat 02 May Indian Red Lopez / A Silent Film

Moshulu, 19:30–22:00, £3

Aberdeen 5-piece with recent selfreleased EP with plenty to catch on the indier/80s side of ears.

IMP presents (Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard + Don’t Move + Reverend Shepherd) The Tunnels, 19:30–22:30, £6 advance £8 door

Jeffrey Lewis was raised in New York City and is a maker of comic books, tragi-comic folk narratives, and lysergic garage rock.

With brother Jack on bass and David Beauchamp on drums, the Jeffrey Lewis Band mixes 60s acoustic psychedelia like Pearls Before Swine with the experimental art-punk of the Fall and the urban lyricism of Lou Reed, sounding a bit like if Woody Guthrie fronted Sonic Youth.

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Music Hall, 19:30–23:00, various

Christian Zacharias directs Stravinsky’s Danses Concertantes, Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante in B-Flat, Weber’s Konzertstuck in F Minor Op79 and Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin

Le Weekend Festival

Fudge present: RICKY WARWCK, The Lorelei, Adriana

www.leweekendfestival.com for more

Acoustic

The Tolbooth , 18:00–00:00, various

Sat 30 May Le Weekend Festival

The Tolbooth , 18:00–00:00, various

www.leweekendfestival.com for more

Sun 31 May Le Weekend Festival

The Tolbooth , 18:00–00:00, various

19:30, 02 May, £12

comedy with choreography on a quest to find the ultimate dance

Fri 01 May Shell Friday Live

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Ethereal folk-ish laments

DCA

Aberdeen Music

Theatre Macrobert The Ducky

19:00, 28 May, £12,9,6

Potentially the first theatrical rom com ever to be set in Stewarton. If that’s not pull enough then ...

Art Stirling Smith Derek Robertson

Multiple times, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, NOT MON, Free

Sculptural painting, prints and drawing

Changing Room How Children Learn Part one: Killycode

10:00, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, NOT MON, Free

A two-part collaborative project exploring Scottish Folklore and culture through a progressively expanding corpus of net drawings, installation and sculpture

The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:00, £tbc

THE AMPHETAMEANIES, CONTRA, THE BROTHEL CORPSE TRIO

Café Drummonds, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Ska ah ah

Sun 03 May Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Northern Soul & Motown all-dayer

Belmont Sports & Social Club, 17:00–01:00, FREE

DJs From Dundee. Shug,Hosie,Butch, and Aberdeen Sharpy, Harry Battensby, Colin Strachan,Willox,Acky,Hadyn in this all day affair.

Maggie Bell and Dave Kelly The Lemon Tree, 19:30–22:30, £13

Soul and slide guitar coupling

ELKS, 85 BEARS, DEBUTAUNT The Tunnels, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pop

Obedience School (Candy Canes and friends)

Moshulu, 20:00–00:00, £9 advance £12 door (18+)

Fetish performer. Gorelesque Queen.

Pin-up photographer. Costume creater.

Girl Genius. Linguist. Writer. Candy’s Chat will mess your chat from behind and leave it quivering naked in the shower like a deflated rubber duc.

Mon 04 May Black Tooth Rock Lounge (MAYBESHEWILL + AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR + KARTTA) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque.

James Yorkston, Lisa Knapp The Lemon Tree, 21:00–23:00, £10

Modern folk heavyweights

Peacock Visual Arts, 18:30–22:00, free

Prometheus: A River Stained with Iron. No one dreams of civilisation in Paradise Wordfringe 2009 presents poets, fiction writers, dramatists, storytellers, comedians, translators, musicians, composers and sound artists, from North-East Scotland and beyond, in the innovative festival exploring the spoken and written word in performance. Events take place in venues in Aberdeen and many towns and villages throughout Aberdeenshire. http://www.wordfringe.co.uk/

The Drifters

Music Hall, 19:30–23:00, £17.50 (sold out)

Pop

Fudge present: SIC, TEN TONNE DOZER, Ablach, Semperfi

The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Thrash, metal and hardcore

Sun 17 May Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Music Hall, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Celebrating the release of the first official new album in 30 years

Leon Jackson, Same Difference

Music Hall, 19:30–22:30, £23.50

All of your tweeny-bopper, reality TV show fantasies have come true

Thu 07 May Julian Argüelles Trio with John Abercrombie

Mon 18 May

The Lemon Tree, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

Multi-award winning jazz saxophonist and composer

The Dirty Hearts Club (DHC DJs)

Black Tooth Rock Lounge (ZOMBINA AND THE SKELETONS + fudge DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque. http://www.myspace.com/

Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Steven Milne hosts this weekly electroindisocial that keeps the tight jeans that wee bit tighter. DJs + Live performances http://www.myspace.com/dirtyheartsclubsnafu

Tue 19 May KRISTIN HERSH, Christopher Rees

Fri 08 May

The Lemon Tree, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

Shell Friday Live

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

Sat 09 May

Solo acoustic set from the American singer/ songwriter that healmed alt. rock outfit, Throwing Muses

Wed 20 May Half Man Half Biscuit

The Lemon Tree, 19:30–19:30, £15

Wordfringe 2009

Punk rock

Woodend Barn, 15:00–16:00, free

Speak Volumes: CD launch of pop, sonic art, and spoken word, with Miriama Young and Catherine Bowman http://www.wordfringe.co.uk/

Karine Polwart

The Lemon Tree, 19:30–22:30, £15

Thu 21 May IMP presents (ALASDAIR ROBERTS + KITCHEN CYNICS + AMBER WILSON)

The Tunnels, 20:00–22:30, £6 advance £8 door

Scottish folk singer/ songwriter

Fudge present: Bloodnut, Contra, Man Of The Hour, Downfall

The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Metal

Sun 10 May Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Mon 11 May K*nt and the Gang

The Tunnels, 20:00–23:00, tbc

Exceptional lyrical prowess and modern observational brilliance about pubes and Carol Vorderman and the likes. http://www.myspace.com/kuntandthegang

Black Tooth Rock Lounge (fudge DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque. http://www.myspace.com/

Alasdair Roberts is one of Scotland’s best young singers and song writers, and as the years pass, his artistry borrows more and more from centuries before. On his fourth solo album, Alasdair brings with him a crew working with ancient instruments while supporting an album that is meted out evenly with an intense energy always in service of Alasdair’s finest melodies. http://www.myspace.com/alasdairrobertsofficial http://www.myspace.com/kitchencynics http://www.myspace.com/amberwilson

Hans Theessink

The Lemon Tree, 20:00–23:00, £10

European blues

The Dirty Hearts Club (DISASTERADIO + DHC DJS) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Steven Milne hosts this weekly electroindisocial that keeps the tight jeans that wee bit tighter. DJs + Live performances http://www.myspace.com/dirtyheartsclubsnafu

Fri 22 May Shell Friday Live

Thu 14 May

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

Royal Scottish National Orchestra

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Music Hall, 19:30–22:30, £8.50-£19

Brahms’ Second Symphony

Music Hall, 19:30–22:30, £9-20

The Dirty Hearts Club (DHC DJs)

Ravel’s Ma Mere L’Oye, Barber’s Violin Concerto and Franck’s Symphony in D Minor, featuring American violinist Anne Akiko

Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Steven Milne hosts this weekly electroindisocial that keeps the tight jeans that wee bit tighter. DJs + Live performances http://www.myspace.com/dirtyheartsclubsnafu

Sat 23 May Prague Symphony Orchestra

Music Hall, 19:30–22:30, £14-30

Featuring pianist Nikolai Demidenko

Fri 15 May Shell Friday Live

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Sat 16 May PAOLO NUTINI

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

FUDGE present: BLAZE BAYLEY, DECADENZE, SWORDMASTER

The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Metal

May 2009

THE SKINNY 69

Aberdeen Music Sun 24 May Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Let It Bleed presents: (DANANANANAYKROYD)

Moshulu, 19:30–22:00, £6.50 (age 14+)

Double drumming, double the fun.

This Glaswegian firm are well were the shout. Big ass show with support TBC http://www.myspace.com/dananananaykroyd

IMP + FENCE present (King Creosote + The Pictish Trail + Player Piano)

The Lemon Tree, 19:30–23:00, £14 + bf

Fresh from the mind blowing 3-day Homegame extravaganza we happily get to hear the two main protagonists on local shores again. http://www.myspace.com/kingcreosote

interesting music promotions and the fence collective present: KING CREOSOTE, THE PICTISH TRAIL, PLAYER PIANO The Lemon Tree, 19:30–23:00, £14

Alt. folk ‘n’ roll

Mon 25 May Black Tooth Rock Lounge (fudge DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque. http://www.myspace.com/

Wed 27 May Imelda May

Moshulu, 20:00–23:00, £10

Rockabilly, rock and blues from an Irish lass (and band) with big attitude who can boast working with Bryan Ferry and the Scissor Sisters along the ride. myspace.com/imeldamay1

Thu 28 May The Dirty Hearts Club (DHC DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Steven Milne hosts this weekly electroindisocial that keeps the tight jeans that wee bit tighter. DJs + Live performances http://www.myspace.com/dirtyheartsclubsnafu

Fri 29 May Shell Friday Live

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

FAT HIPPY RECORDS SHOWCASE (Enrapture, Set Light our Kingdom + support) Café Drummonds, 19:30–22:00, £4

Enrapture, Set Light our Kingdom + support myspace.com/fathippyrecords

Po’ Girl

Woodend Barn, 20:00–22:00, £12/10/5

Weaving a blend of musical influences, sweetness, grit & soul. These urban minstrels pen harmony drenched melodies.

Gun

Moshulu, 20:00–22:30, £12.50

For over 20 years the band have been synonomous with that Cameo cover.

There must be more. http://www.myspace.com/gunfans

Sat 30 May FUDGE present: SHORT NOTICE, MISS THE OCCUPIER, STATIC IN THE CITY, Decipher

The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Indie rock

Sun 31 May Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Aberdeen art Aberdeen Art Gallery ABERDEEN AND THE PRINTED WORD Multiple times, 01 May—17 May, not 4th, 11th, free

The culmination of a heritage and learning project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, involving people from throughout the City, marking 500 years of printing in Scotland

JOHN BELLANY – PRINTS AND WATERCOLOURS Multiple times, 01 May—23 May, not 4th, 11th, 18th, free

Prints and watercolours by the renowned Scottish artist John Bellany ranging from his famous hospital scenes of the 1980s to examples from suites of prints made at Peacock Visual Arts in Aberdeen.

ABERDEEN ARTISTS SOCIETY 75TH ANNUAL EXHIBITION Multiple times, Sat 2nd–Sat 30th, not mon, free

Annual “open” exhibition, supported

by Shell, provides professional, established, amateur and emerging artists with a platform to show an exciting range of work including painting, sculpture, printmaking, jewellery, textiles and film.

Aberdeen Arts Centre Wordfringe 2009 18:30, 04 May, tbc

Demented Eloquence Tag-Team Word Wrestling: Four heavyweight performance poets take it in turns to grapple the English language into submission

Wordfringe 2009 presents poets, fiction writers, dramatists, storytellers, comedians, translators, musicians, composers and sound artists, from North-East Scotland and beyond, in the innovative festival exploring the spoken and written word in performance. Events take place in venues in Aberdeen and many towns and villages throughout Aberdeenshire. http://www.wordfringe.co.uk/

Bridge View ALL AT SEA Multiple times, 01 May—08 May, not 2nd, 3rd

Marine themed paintings & sculptures: Brownlee Armour, David Lloyd, Deborah Wickham, James Adams, Jill Ashforth, Matthew O’Conner + Rosemary Taylor

Foyer Restaurant Mark McCracken 11:00, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, not mon, FREE

New paintings and drawings of some famous faces executed with a pixelated technique most effective on the clinical walls of Foyer. http://www.foyerrestaurant.com/ gallery.html

Kilau Kilau2 Multiple times, 01 May—30 May, FREE

New works from an exceptional local talent in Aberdeen. Expect a cross range of media. http://jogannon.wordpress.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jogannon

King’s College Conference cent.

Word ‘09 10:00, 15 May—17 May, varies (booking advised)

Massive weekend of events around Aberdeen’s King’s College campus celebrating the written world. Over 60 authors and 130 inspirational events for all ages and tastes covering poetry and prose, theatre, music, lectures, filmscreenings, workshops and exhibitions. Word 09 is truly international in scope, with world voices from America, Ireland, Spain, Bulgaria, Iran, Japan, and Guyana joining in on the Homecoming celebrations. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/word/

MUSA SILK 10:00, Sat 23rd, Sat 30th, free

An art exhibition ‘touched by silk’ with lucious works from Fiona Duckett, Ranjit Barry, Kirsty Aitken, Norma Galley and Linda Bullock

Peacock Visual Arts James Furneaux: A retrospective 09:30, Fri 1st–Sat 30th, not mon, free

A retrospective of one of the Abereen’s best loved artists as part of Peacock’s 35th birthday celebrations.

Wordfringe 2009 18:30, 05 May, free

Prometheus: A River Stained with Iron. No one dreams of civilisation in Paradise

Wordfringe 2009 presents poets, fiction writers, dramatists, storytellers, comedians, translators, musicians, composers and sound artists, from North-East Scotland and beyond, in the innovative festival exploring the spoken and written word in performance. Events take place in venues in Aberdeen and many towns and villages throughout Aberdeenshire. http://www.wordfringe.co.uk/

Project Slogan (central) Wunderkammer Multiple times, 01 May—07 May, not 3rd, free (check with venue for openings)

A curiosity cabinet of animation, photography and sculpture.

Woodend Barn Wordfringe 2009 10:00, 06 May, tbc

Poetry Workshop with Sheila Reid Wordfringe 2009 presents poets, fiction writers, dramatists, storytellers, comedians, translators, musicians, composers and sound artists, from North-East Scotland and beyond, in the innovative festival exploring the spoken and written word in performance. Events take place in venues in Aberdeen and many towns and villages throughout Aberdeenshire. http://www.wordfringe.co.uk/

Mixed Media Workshops 12:00, 28 May, £60 (4 weeks)

Marga returns to the Barn to run a painting/drawing course using mixed media, and discovering different mark making techniques with the Barn allotments providing inspiration. http://www.woodendbarn.co.uk/

Aberdeen Clubs Fri 01 May Kamikazi (DJ ADAM) Moshulu, 22:00–03:00, £3

Kamikazi is Aberdeens longest standing champion of rock. Every Friday expect 500+ folks for one of the biggest alternative nights in the north-east.

Mixtape (GILES WALKER) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, variable

Weekly club sessions in the dirty side of electronic moosick. Giles Walker resides, most of the time.

Sat 02 May The Deep End (funky transport, mr green) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £6/4

Each and every Saturday your host Funky Transport delivers house music in its purest form. Just the good stuff for music lovers. Mr Green in assistance too. http://www.myspace.com/funkytransport

Adventures in Stereo (STEVEN MILNE) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Classic Indie and 60s/70s rock tunes, to the latest Electro/ Dance / New Wave classics along with the latest Indie Seven Inches! www.myspace.com/adventuresinstereoclubnight

Sun 03 May Northern Soul & Motown all-dayer

Belmont Sports & Social Club, 17:00–01:00, FREE

DJs From Dundee. Shug,Hosie,Butch, and Aberdeen Sharpy, Harry Battensby, Colin Strachan,Willox,Acky,Hadyn in this all day affair.

May Day Special (DJ Sneak) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £10 advance

DJ Sneak takes the floor down, literally. http://www.myspace.com/sneakthedj

Mon 04 May Black Tooth Rock Lounge (MAYBESHEWILL + AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR + KARTTA) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque. http://www.myspace.com/

Wed 06 May Zombie Disco (Martin ‘T-Bone’ Jay) Snafu, 22:00–02:00, free

Martin Jay hosts the a midweek session where the finest of overground and underground gets mixed into one big eclectic pot. Student night but for the more discerning listener.

Fri 08 May DO IT! Cellar 35 , 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Cutting edge visuals + eclecticism through-out as the hippest party in town comes out from the depths. Second Friday of the month in this location and the odd date at Snafu. www.myspace.com/ethicsofaristotle

Kamikazi (DJ ADAM) Moshulu, 22:00–03:00, £3

Kamikazi is Aberdeens longest standing champion of rock. Every Friday expect 500+ folks for one of the biggest alternative nights in the north-east.

Mixtape (FAKE BLOOD (LONDON) + GILES WALKER) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, variable

Weekly club sessions in the dirty side of electronic moosick. Giles Walker resides, most of the time.

70 THE SKINNY May 2009

Sat 09 May Everything Else Sucks (Faomo + DJAMBA + GILES WALKER) Origin, 22:00–03:00, £6

Foamo has become a massively in demand DJ due to the fantastic year he had in 2008 remixing tracks by the likes of Diplo and Mystery Jets as well as producing his own material which has been played by some of the biggest names in electro including MSTRKRFT, Armand Van Helden, Kissy Sell Out, Drop The Lime, Crookers and Bloody Beetroots.

The Deep End (funky transport, mr green) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £6/4

Each and every Saturday your host Funky Transport delivers house music in its purest form. Just the good stuff for music lovers. Mr Green in assistance too. http://www.myspace.com/funkytransport

Adventures in Stereo (STEVEN MILNE) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Classic Indie and 60s/70s rock tunes, to the latest Electro/ Dance / New Wave classics along with the latest Indie Seven Inches! www.myspace.com/adventuresinstereoclubnight

Mon 11 May Black Tooth Rock Lounge (fudge DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque. http://www.myspace.com/

Wed 13 May Zombie Disco (Martin ‘T-Bone’ Jay) Snafu, 22:00–02:00, free

Martin Jay hosts the a midweek session where the finest of overground and underground gets mixed into one big eclectic pot. Student night but for the more discerning listener.

Ska Night

Origin, 22:00–03:00, tbc

Get yer ska on deep in the bowls of Market Street.

Fri 15 May Kamikazi (DJ ADAM) Moshulu, 22:00–03:00, £3

Kamikazi is Aberdeens longest standing champion of rock. Every Friday expect 500+ folks for one of the biggest alternative nights in the north-east.

Mixtape (SLAM + TONY SCOTT) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, variable

Weekly club sessions in the dirty side of electronic moosick. Giles Walker resides, most of the time.

Sat 16 May

Wed 20 May

Mon 25 May

Zombie Disco (Martin ‘T-Bone’ Jay)

Black Tooth Rock Lounge (fudge DJs)

Snafu, 22:00–02:00, free

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque. http://www.myspace.com/

Martin Jay hosts the a midweek session where the finest of overground and underground gets mixed into one big eclectic pot. Student night but for the more discerning listener.

Fri 22 May Kamikazi (DJ ADAM) Moshulu, 22:00–03:00, £3

Kamikazi is Aberdeens longest standing champion of rock. Every Friday expect 500+ folks for one of the biggest alternative nights in the north-east.

The Deep End (funky transport, mr green)

Mixtape (SOIREE FOUR: MINI KLAUS + GILES WALKER)

Each and every Saturday your host Funky Transport delivers house music in its purest form. Just the good stuff for music lovers. Mr Green in assistance too. http://www.myspace.com/funkytransport

Weekly club sessions in the dirty side of electronic moosick. Giles Walker resides, most of the time.

Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £6/4

Adventures in Stereo (STEVEN MILNE) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Classic Indie and 60s/70s rock tunes, to the latest Electro/ Dance / New Wave classics along with the latest Indie Seven Inches! www.myspace.com/adventuresinstereoclubnight

Mon 18 May Black Tooth Rock Lounge (ZOMBINA AND THE SKELETONS + fudge DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

As well as dancefloor gems from the Fudge DJs, expect touring bands, local barnyard rockstars, groupies, dark cabaret and burlesque. http://www.myspace.com/

Snafu, 22:00–03:00, variable

Sat 23 May The Deep End (funky transport, mr green) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £6/4

Each and every Saturday your host Funky Transport delivers house music in its purest form. Just the good stuff for music lovers. Mr Green in assistance too. http://www.myspace.com/funkytransport

Adventures in Stereo (STEVEN MILNE) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Classic Indie and 60s/70s rock tunes, to the latest Electro/ Dance / New Wave classics along with the latest Indie Seven Inches! www.myspace.com/adventuresinstereoclubnight

Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Wed 27 May Zombie Disco (P.E.D.S + DICKIE DRYSDALE) Snafu, 22:00–02:00, free

Martin Jay hosts the a midweek session where the finest of overground and underground gets mixed into one big eclectic pot. Student night but for the more discerning listener.

Fri 29 May Kamikazi (DJ ADAM) Moshulu, 22:00–03:00, £3

Kamikazi is Aberdeens longest standing champion of rock. Every Friday expect 500+ folks for one of the biggest alternative nights in the north-east.

Mixtape (AEROPLANE)

Snafu, 22:00–03:00, variable

Weekly club sessions in the dirty side of electronic moosick. Giles Walker resides, most of the time.

Sat 30 May The Deep End (funky transport, mr green) Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £6/4

Each and every Saturday your host Funky Transport delivers house music in its purest form. Just the good stuff for music lovers. Mr Green in assistance too. http://www.myspace.com/funkytransport

Adventures in Stereo (STEVEN MILNE) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Classic Indie and 60s/70s rock tunes, to the latest Electro/ Dance / New Wave classics along with the latest Indie Seven Inches!

@ EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!

The Edinburgh International Film Festival and The Skinny presents this year’s Mirrorball: Playing with the Past, an evening where music and film come together from 8pm on Friday 26 June.

Mirrorball and The Skinny will bring you an evening of delights from the Filmhouse national film archive, accompanied by music from three of Edinburgh’s best emerging bands: Eagleowl, FOUND, and Mersault.

Your Future

BY LARS VOLTAIRE

TAURUS

21 APR - 21 MAY

With Mercury phoning in sick and Jupiter on paternity leave, work is some heavy shit for you this month. I'd say push on through, but it's not like it's going to help anyone, least of all you.

GEMINI

22 MAY - 21 JUN

Change your ways, make the world a better place, take a look at your self.

Stop staring in that fucking mirror!

CANCER

22 JUN - 22 JUL

Edinburgh International Film Festival (17-28 June) and The Skinny are offering three lucky readers a pair of tickets to the event.

You know how life throws you curveballs? How one day, you'll find a mystery shit, a real-life dried out shit, hidden behind the shampoos in the second bathroom. This month is that shit.

Playing with the Past is part of this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival: twelve days crammed with groundbreaking premieres and fabulous parties. Further information can be found at www.edfilmfest. org.uk from 6 May and www.myspace.com/playingwiththepast.

23 JUL - 23 AUG

To enter the competition, in no more than 50 words, choose a film that you think has a great soundtrack, and tell us why!

Visit www.theskinny.co.uk/competitions before May 25 for your chance to win!

LEO

The Lion in you lashes out this month, and while you may pin your prey down they will keep trying to run away. It is because you smell but all your friends find you too fierce and no-one wants to tell you to wash.

Two words: OLD SPICE.

VIRGO

24 AUG - 22 SEP

Its your turn to buy the round, every week you 'slip out' just before it gets to you but all your work colleagues think you're cheap so get your wallet out you tight bastard and buy everyone a double. Economic crisis? It's all your fault.

Regular Skinny T&Cs apply, available on request.

LIBRA

23 SEP - 23 OCT

WIN ART AND TICKETS TO BREAKIN' CONVENTION O9!

They are watching you, very closely, you can almost feel their little eyes piercing into your brain. Beware!

SCORPIO

24 OCT - 22 NOV

Win this original piece of art created especially for The Skinny

by Edinburgh graffiti artist Dust, plus get 2 free tickets to see Breakin’ Convention 09. Dust will be appearing at a live Graffiti Demo on Sunday 17 May where you can witness him create an original graffiti mural in front of your eyes – with free refreshments while you watch! The finished mural will be displayed at the Graffiti Art exhibition in the Festival Theatre during Breakin’ Convention 09.

Breakin’ Convention is an international festival of hip hop dance theatre where crowds can witness some of the best dancers on the planet performing alongside local B-Boy crews representing the cream of the Scottish hip hop scene. With foyer activities including an open B-Boy circle, live DJ, MCs, have-a-go breakdance workshops, beat boxers, giveaways and more... This is no ordinary night at the theatre!

Live Graffiti Demo by Dust: Sunday 17 May, 1pm–4pm @ the Festival Theatre Courtyard (entrances from Nicolson Street and Nicolson Square).

Free, drop-in.

Breakin’ Convention 09: Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 May, 7.30pm (foyer activities from 6pm) @ the Festival Theatre. Tickets £15.

Visit www.breakinconvention.com for more info.

You secretive scorpions like your privacy but little do you know all your flatmates have been reading your diary, and snippets have been uploaded onto Facebook, along with a detailed description of your masturbation habits and a great photo of you sleeping with a naked wolf.

SAGITTARIUS

23 NOV - 21 DEC

You may, or may not, speak to a man this month. If you do, watch out, he want's to touch your bum and make you an internet sensation. Charge him appropriately.

CAPRICORN

22 DEC - 20 JAN

Party, party, party. That is all you can do - don't fight it just be well prepared with good banter, some rock and a few bottles of cheap cider. The socialite in you has to shine.

AQUARIUS

21 JAN - 18 FEB

Make a fire, throw your TV on, eat some beansprouts and invent something GODDAMMIT!!!

PISCES

19 FEB - 20 MAR

You will become at one with nature at Knockengorroch, decide that you are giving up all commercial pursuits, grow dreads and take to the hills. Farewell my friend and happy travels...

ARIES

21 MAR - 21 APR

If you draw a line linking your stars this month, like a join the dots puzzle, you'll end up with a perfect facsimile of the wiring system for the Glasgow subway, that is, if you join the dots at the speed of light, starting now.

MAY 2009

THE SKINNY 71

COMPETITIONS

WIN TICKETS TO MIRRORBALL

72 THE SKINNY May 2009