The Skinny July 2009

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can indulge in random idiocy without always getting wet and cold doing it, and in Britain the weather is often the line between genius fun and a miserable waste of time. With this in mind, we've planned a special Excursions themed issue to give you plenty of ideas for getting out amongst it (feature starting page 14). Here you'll find tips for all kinds of activities from around Scotland, from birdwatching (we were a bit dubious, but Ruth Marsh convinced us we were missing out) to sailing to one of the world’s biggest whirlpools (which sounds un-wise, but looks amazing).

Looking further afield, I was lucky enough to get the chance to scope out Norway as a holiday destination (it’s a winner; see page 17 for further convincing), while Gareth K Vile looks forward to the commendably diverse contemporary dance and theatre programme at one of this month’s other big festivals, Latitude in Suffolk (page 34).

Whether you missed out on tickets for T, or are simply more disorganized/chilled than the rest of us, there are still plenty of opportunities to get your rave on: Chris Duncan offers a round up of some of the best dance festivals around the Central Belt, Central Europe, and beyond (well, Bulgaria: see page 59 for more).

Reading between the lines of this introduction, you may well have got the message that besides the big hitters July is something of a quiet month in the Scottish cultural sphere. No worries, it’s simply more than ever a question of making your own fun. Apart from hollow words of encouragement to invent new Michael Jackson jokes, break into national heritage sites, or anything else you might do to pass the time, we have some practical assistance to offer, with the help of our T-shirt design competition. It’s not a lot more complicated than it sounds – turn to page 19 for all the info – but should be a great chance to get your imagination fired.

And that magical feeling, when something inspires you, is, really, is the only thing better than sitting in the park with a beer. So seek it. rupert@theskinny.co.uk

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THERE'S not much point in making a magazine that just tells everyone what they already know (though you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise, looking at the newsagent's shelves). So, as ever, this month we try to give you the alternative take on summer options - for you to make informed decisions about whether there is in fact any better way to spend the weekend than sitting in the sun with a beer and a smoke. We'd like to think there is, but we'll treat that as our 'cutting-edge' benchmark for July: if it beats the absolute leisure of relaxing in the park, alright, we're in.

First thing on the agenda this month has to be T in the Park (extended feature from page 8).

One of the world's most affluent music festivals, there's no escaping the fact that it's a ton of fun.

With a line-up as deep as a fjord (more on which later), there will be sets to please almost any fan of contemporary pop. Naturally, we think we know our music better than anyone, so have prepared our own guide to getting the most from the line-up, which features among others modern legends from Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction to The Specials and the Pet Shop Boys.

In these pages, we have an in depth catch up with some of the very best of the line-up: TV on the Radio, The Horrors, The Mars Volta and of Montreal. We also get some T-specific context, as Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos reminisces about Ts gone by, while we take a wry look at the ongoing rivalry between the cheekily doublebooked Blur and Mogwai.

Personally I'm looking forward to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs followed by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as a winning double bill for the Friday night, though curiosity also has me keen for The Game followed by Eagles of Death Metal for a hazy Sunday afternoon.

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4 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

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Contents COVER FEATURE

T in the Park The main event in Scotland in July. We talk to The Horrors, TV on the Radio, and give you a heads up on the bands to catch, whatever state you end up in.

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6 14 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 34 37 38 40 58 61

Heads Up

Jenny gives you the skinny on the Optimo and Melting Pot Riverboat Shuffle and the Hebridean Celtic Festival.

Excursions

Looking for something to do this July in the wilds of Scotland? Have a peep at our bumper guide to the best in out-there activities.

Food and Drink

A chat with Brewdog and some yum whisky.

Fashion

Couture for the Future. Nothing matches a pretty white dress in summer.

Deviance

A blind date with a sex ban; read about the consequences. Plus, radical art at Sh[out].

Showcase

Sarah Muirhead's powerfully human images from the ECA Degree Show.

Digital

Love and machines in the Mutsogoto experiment, and gamey internet download upload stuff.

Reading

Preview of the delights on the newly released Edinburgh International Book Festival programme, from which The Skinny is presenting two special author talks.

Film

Michael interviews director Duncan Jones about his scifi debut Moon and Gail talks to hottie actress Andrea Riseborough, star of of Mad, Sad and Bad.

Theatre

Glasgow's festival of Cabaret explodes all over, well, Glasgow, and Gareth looks forward to Latitude Festival.

Comedy

A review of the funnier side of the Leith Festival, including upcoming Glaswegian comic Kevin Bridges (left).

Art

(No) Reflections on the Venice Biennale, and Art takes on the ever-lasting debate over who's better, East or West?'

Music

Previews of The Edge, Wickerman and Supersonic festivals, and Mastodon give us their take on July's singles. Plus interviews with Engineers, Nile Rodgers, Miss the Occupier and There will be Fireworks.

Clubs

Following on the excursions theme, we take a look at some of the club oriented weekends away. Plus Soulwax's Steve Slingeneyer, and the Sunday Circus.

Listings Ok. So July's pretty quiet with TITP monopolising the bill, but hell, it's Sophie's birthday, surely that's worth celebrating? Get up and see some shit.

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 5

UPMONTH AHEAD Optimo and Melting Pot present the Waverley Riverboat Shuffle

Pic ‘n’ Mix

There's so much on this month, we're like kids in a sweetie shop...

Departing from Glasgow Science Centre, 24 Jul

Generally speaking, there are two types of steamer. One, you’ll find in most chain pubs in Scotland come 10pm on a Saturday night and is best avoided. The second plays a pivotal role in one of the most eagerly anticipated nights in the summer clubbing calendar.

Optimo’s JD Twitch and JG Wilkes are joining forces with Melting Pot’s resident Simon Cordier and writer, recording artist and DJ Bill Brewster to bring the enthusiastic first mates of Scotland the Waverley River Boat Shuffle, taking two of Scotland’s best nights and launching them – quite literally – onto the open water.

“Following on from the success of previous Barn Dance events, we felt that it was time to shake things up for 2009, rethink the possibilities and come up with something fresh,” said the Optimo duo. When the opportunity presented itself for the club to be the first in history to make use of the iconic Waverley steamer for a party, they naturally jumped at the chance.

The last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, the Waverley retains a legacy of thousands of trips “doon the watter” to Dunoon and Rothesay for Scottish holidaymakers. The help of generous lottery funding has returned The Waverley to 1950s glory, allowing the ship to take her rightful place in social history – and now, a place in the social lives of hundreds of dancefloor enthusiasts.

Passengers are urged to book their tickets quickly (20 per cent sold out on their release day in June). The boat launches from Glasgow Science Centre at 8pm on 24 July, with passengers instructed to arrive sharp at 7.45pm.

Following three hours of what is a rare opportunity to claim the dancefloor is really swaying underneath you, revellers will be dropped off at a warehouse party in a secret location to see the night out.

At £25 in advance for a night guaranteed to get you rocking the boat, it seems the Optimo and Melting Pot boys have pulled out a winner on the open waters. We recommend you find your sea legs and go along for the ride.

See our Clubs section for further details.[Jenny Wallace]

It is claimed that an idea can become successful purely based on a great title.

If this is the case and it works for events, then All The Young Nudes (The Flying Duck, Glasgow) should hit the top of the going out charts pretty quickly.

Described as ‘life drawing with a twist’ £4 will get you a life model, a teacher, a DJ and a fully staffed bar from 8pm until 10pm every Tuesday in July. If your appetite for nudity isn’t whetted by this, the Electric Soup Cabaret (Sloans, Glasgow, end of July) promises a top line up of live music, circus and burlesque, combining cheeky glamour and play for a discerning audience looking for cabaret with a difference.

For those who love their summer festivals but have kids in tow, the Stonehaven Folk Festival (Stonehaven, near Aberdeen, 9-12 July) offers the cream of Scottish musical talent against a backdrop of attractive coastline – perfect for sandwiches and sandcastles in between sets. And rounding off what appears to be the season for the high seas, the Glasgow River Festival (River Clyde, 25-26 July) returns to provide a colourful opportunity to celebrate the past, present and future of Glasgow’s historic waterfront with two days of free family entertainment around the SECC, Glasgow Science Centre and The Tall Ship.

Tickets (£25) are on sale from Aspecto on West Nile Street (Glasgow) or from Ticket Scotland at www.tickets-scotland.com.

Hebridean Celtic Festival Stornoway, 15-18 jul

With low-cost flights shuddering off from airports around the country, it’s forgivable – if saddening – that most of us forget the stunning destinations that lie right on our doorsteps. Luckily, such destinations – I refer to Stornoway in this instance – are giving city dwellers a fine excuse to throw on chunky knits and experience the exhilarating beauty and talent of the Outer Hebrides with the Hebridean Celtic Festival this summer.

Now in its fourteenth year, the festival (running from 15-18 July) welcomes top Celtic music artists including The Sharon Shannon Big Band (who has recorded and toured

with everyone from Bono to Sinead O’Connor, and most recently Shane McGowan), La Bottine Souriante, the Michael McGoldrick Band and a wealth of other performers from as far as Quebec, Australia and the USA. With the main programme hosted in a 5500 capacity festival tent under the grandeur of Lewis Castle, supported by a variety of both Stornoway town centre and rural venues across Lewis and Harris, the festival generates substantial sums for the local economy, although compared to some summer festivals, tickets come at a comfortingly reasonable price (£59 covers Thursday to Saturday, with individual night

tickets on sale from around the £17 mark).

This festival offers an eclectic mix of local musicians, top Celtic artists and a real mix of exciting international music. If this is your thing – and even if it’s not – we recommend that this feel good event with strong focus on local heritage is included in your summer festival calendar. [Jenny Wallace] The Hebridean Celtic Festival runs from 15-18 Jul. See website for ticket booking details and more information. www.hebceltfest.com

With all the big summer fun, it wouldn’t be right not to mention the regulars that return with a bang for July – iBop (Pollock Ex-Servicemen’s Social Club, Glasgow, first Friday in July) returns to serve the music starved residents of Glasgow’s Southside with a night of tear-inducingly good dancefloor magic. When there’s tape holding the seats together, you know it’s expected most people will be on their feet…

Vegas! (The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow) returns on 4 July to celebrate American Independence Day with a bang! Combining two of Scotland’s most decadent dancefloor experiences – High Tease and Vegas – the vinyl villains promise an intoxicating concoction of luscious lounge, jumpin’ jive and sanctified soul for the attending hipsters and kitsch kittens. With the usual dress up and addition of a limbo competition, it’s best you start your stretches early…

Art Noveau (Recoat Gallery, Glasgow, until 19 July) gives credence to Inkie, one of the best know graffiti artists to emerge from Bristol, with a solo show.

With Inkie’s work (a series of screen and giclée prints, drawings and paintings) heralding a real coup for the dynamic duo behind Recoat, this one is worth a look on a lazy summer weekend.

[Jenny Wallace is Director of Ventures at Dada.]

6 THE SKINNY July 2009

illustration: Nick Cocozza

Lifestyle

HEADS YOUR

The Panel Here at The Skinny, we like to think we’ve got our ears to the ground when it comes to telling you the best events to check out in the coming month. But even if we had our heads glued to the pavement (which, looking at the amount of chewing gum lying around these days, could be a grim reality if you were to venture close enough) we couldn’t possibly cover everything that’s happening around town, especially when it comes to those blink-and-you’ll-missthem nights.

With this in mind, we’ll be recruiting the top experts across a variety of sectors each month to give you the lowdown (or the heads up) on our behalf. Let your social life for July commence…

Major Events Louise Boyd Louise works with the Red Bull Wings team, who are involved in some of the biggest summer events in Scotland.

RedBull Xfighters (Glasgow 11/12 July) – a motorcross bonanza that’s going to tear up Glasgow on 11 and 12 July. This event is leading up to the final in London on 22 August, and is set to be a weekend of mad freestyle motorcross. Not to be missed.

Wickerman Festival (Eastkirkcarswell, near Dundrennan 24/25 July) - Scotland’s independent music and arts festival. There’s a fantastic line-up – The Zutons, Idlewild, Utah Saints…

Clubs David Barbarossa Daddy of the dancefloor David Barbarossa has played alongside greats including Black Devil, Pilooski, and James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem).

David is regularly found stirring up the scene with his own nights including Nice n Sleazy’s Damaged Goods.

Ballers Social Club presents Dam Funk (Stereo, Glasgow, 24 July) – those mighty Ballers drag Stones Throw’s rising star from sunny LA to a dark basement in Glasgow. I would recommend getting right down the front for the get-down.

Slabs of the Tabernacle (The Twisted Wheel, Glasgow, 4 July) Casionova will undoubtedly bring a serious dose of disco discharge with his summer Italo cuts. I love warm basements and cheap Red Stripe...

About Town Shantha Roberts Ex-MTV presenter Shantha Roberts is now the face of www.itison.com, the place to be for complementary invitations to a host of free events around Scotland.

Button Up (Research Club, Glasgow) – a top new monthly night in Glasgow, offering a splendid mix of soul, nu-rave and tropical psych until 2am.

Guaranteed rare ol’ times… keep your eyes peeled for the posters giving details of the July night.

Argonaut Sounds (various dates in July, check out myspace/ argonautsounds for details) – playing in various settings of beery sunshine this July, or bringing nights of blissed-out party vibes.

Perfect in the Scottish sunshine!

Arts Lucille Burn Lucille Burn is Scotland’s leading sultry cabaret diva, known for her soulful show tunes up and down the country.

And The Devil May Drag You Under (Glasgow, Tron Theatre Vic Bar, 10 July) – the Devil himself holds court at the Tron Theatre this month in this critically acclaimed cabaret where performers of the highest calibre fight to save their souls in a diabolical delight of a show.

Itsy’s Kabarett (Edinburgh, The Voodoo Rooms, 24 July) – this “Kabarett” presents a veritable pick ‘n’ mix of home grown and international talent, with everything from grassroots burlesque to dark comedy and macabre musical performances.

Film Jon Melville As well as keeping local Edinburgh and Glasgow cinemas in business, Jon writes his own weekly film column and runs a film blog at itsonitsgone.wordpress.com French New Wave 50th Anniversary (Eden Court, Inverness, 5 July) – Le Doulos, The Four Hundred Blows and Pierrot le Fou are just some of the films showing in this great short season at the always impressive Eden Court.

Take 2: Whistle Down the Wind (GFT, Glasgow, 11 July) – OK, so these screenings are technically for people with kids, but if you know of any children who like to see films made before Hannah Montana was born, this Bryan Forbes gem is worth trying out.

photo: RwP Photography (lucille burn)

[Compiled by Jenny Wallace]

We ask the experts what they're doing in July

July 2009

THE SKINNY 7

tTHEin the park 2009 preview BANDS. THE BEATS. THE BANTER. WELCOME!

Far from the one-dimensional vessel for pop chart fodder that the cynic assumes it to be, T in the Park has turned into a bit of a cream egg over the years. That’s not to say we’ve ever physically witnessed somebody trying to slurp on the Slam Tent or inhale Jim Gellatly whole, but now more than ever there are countless ways to chow down on the original titan of the Scottish festival circuit. Previous years have seen The Skinny team try – usually in vain – to get caught up in the main stage pint-throwing bluster of The Killers and The Fratellis, sure, but the music that gets us by the skull is more often found nestled away in the shadows, just left of the guy peeing against a burger van. If a date with Lady Gaga is not for you, then look no further than our alternative T in the Park guide to shine a light. Careful now, it’s dark down here… [Dave Kerr]

The Key Players T in the Park's 2009 line-up is an embarrassment of riches. But how to sift the gold of talent (Blur, M83 et al) from the silt of mediocrity (Starsailor)? The Skinny's sized up what's on offer, and here we pick out a few promising nuggets sure to be well worth the entry fee.

cuts above

The undisputed gobfather of beat-boxing will undoubtedly put on one of the most entertaining shows of the weekend. Using a variety of equipment, Beardyman loops his own vocals to create humourous and unique sounds. The result is a mesmerising display of the human voice being worked to a whole new level, with Beardyman’s tongue remaining firmly in his cheek.

Chicago house DJ and producer Felix Da Housecat makes a welcome return to T in the Park. After decades of producing some of the most influential and long lasting tracks in the house and electroclash genre, he’s certain to turn the Slam tent into the dark and wonderful corner that it always is at Kinross by the mid-afternoon. Taking control of the turntables straight after him is Green Velvet, who returned to the music scene in 2006 as a born again Christian.

Now living a drug and drink free lifestyle it is ironic that he will be best received for his anthems ‘Flash’ and ‘La La Land’, which cover wild teenage hedonism and excessive pill consumption respectively.

Let’s not flaunt our sinful ways too much over the weekend. Boys Noize appears on Sunday afternoon, due to unleash his new material before his second album arrives in early August. Expect jarring electronic sounds and enough bass to erode the walls of Atlantis. Likely to fill the tent to the level experienced by Justice last year. Closing the Slam tent, Jeff Mills, the overlord of Detroit techno music heads the Sunday night line up. Not only will he bring sackfuls of obscure house, techno and classic new wave records, but his skillful ability to beat-juggle and operate four turntables simultaneously will bring some much needed fresh air to a dance culture that is quickly becoming dominated by laptops and Serato. Come and see the original Wizard work real magic.[Chris Duncan]

8 THE SKINNY July 2009

THE PHANTOM BAND (T Break Stage, Friday) What’s in a name? Plenty, if The Phantom Band are anything to go by. The hauntingly original Glaswegian sextet are known for their elusiveness: flitting between musical styles, skimping on personal details, they’re impossible to pin down. What we do know is that they’ll struggle to hold onto their low profile after this mettle-testing T Break set. [GW] Tune they’d better play: Folk Song Oblivion

THE HORRORS (Radio 1 NME Stage, Saturday) Everyone seems astonished that The Horrors are suddenly ‘credible’ again; that’s what a Portishead member’s involvement can do for you. Geoff Barrow produced Primary Colours, their really very good second album, which has seen a revival of interest in a band many had previously dismissed as substance-less image hawkers. Not so now. [AB] Tune they’d better play: Count in Fives

EDWYN COLLINS (King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent, Friday) Following his miraculous recovery from a brain haemorrhage, Scottish indie godfather Edwyn Collins’ gigs have become near-religious experiences. His shockingly overdue Balado debut promises to be another life-affirming event: go to see what the next step is in a thirty-year-and-counting career that gathers momentum as the man regains strength. [GW] Tune he’d better play: A Girl Like You

FRANZ FERDINAND (Main Stage, Friday) Franz Ferdinand brought their third album out a few months ago, but you’d be forgiven for forgetting considering critics seem to be prioritising the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ new synth-heavy art-pop record instead. Friday night’s line-up looks like a straight choice between the two, between Ulysses and Zero; but think of Twilight Omens, Live Alone and Lucid Dreams too. Don’t forget Tonight. [AB] Tunes they’d better play: All of the above

NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS (Radio 1 NME Stage, Friday) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have an imposing back catalogue – 14 studio albums, 15 if you include Grinderman, 16 if you count Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus as two – and every single one worthy of effusive praise and recommendation.

Whatever they choose to play on Friday night, there’s bound to be a few of your favourites in there, among a whole slew of new-to-yous to explore at a later date. [AB] Tune they’d better play: Tupelo

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS (T Break Stage, Sunday) Hailing from Edinburgh but based in Glasgow, We Were Promised Jetpacks are a band whose reputation is built on their live shows, because they focus on movement and momentum rather than melody.

They’ve just released their excellent debut album, These Four Walls, on FatCat, so this T-Break stage Sunday show should see a home-ish crowd fresh off the excitement of that release, yelling along with every holler from singer Adam Thompson. [AB] Tune they’d better play: Quiet Little Voices

BRONTO SKYLIFT (T Break Stage, Saturday) Worried you’ll end up covered in mud by Saturday night? Fear not: Glasgow post-grunge power duo Bronto Skylift are bringing their skin-scraping noise to the T Break stage. Don’t call this lot the Scottish Nirvana: they make the Seattle trio look like pussies in comparison. Who needs bass guitars anyway?

[GW] Tune they’d better play: Danny Glover Isn’t Dead

M83 (King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent, Saturday) If there’s dignity to be found sandwiched between Iglu and Hartley and the Noisettes, then M83 will find it. Promising the perfect antidote to Friday night’s hangover, expect his dreamy pop-haze to temporarily transport punters away from the mud, sweat and beers to the coolest eighties discothèque their heads can conjure. [CB] Tune he’d better play: Kim & Jessie

JANE’S ADDICTION (Radio 1 NME Stage, Saturday) NME once called Nirvana the Guns ‘N Roses it’s OK to like, but surely Jane’s Addiction better fit the bill? Judge for yourself when the Los Angeles legends drop some epic guitar riffs, histrionic solos and quintessential rock posturing to a Balado crowd over-excited by this long-overdue, original line-up reunion. [DC] Tune they’d better play: Been Caught Stealing MANIC STREET PREACHERS (King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent, Saturday) With their somewhat unexpected return to form via Journal for Plague Lovers, this years’ appearance at T in the Park by the Manic Street Preachers should elicit more than just nostalgic curiosity from their old faithful. Use this as your excuse to don your feather boas and glam make-up. [DC] Tune they’d better play: Faster NINE INCH NAILS (Radio 1 NME Stage, Saturday) If the sight of Brandon Flowers in a peacock costume is enough to give you the night terrors, seek respite across the park as industrial rock godfather-cum-world’s scariest digital nerd Trent Reznor bows out from the live arena with a set chocked full of thrash, glitch and cyberpunk hits from his two decades as Nine Inch Nails. I’m still on the lookout for that Strobelight collaboration he released with Timbaland on April Fools’ Day. Wait... [JL] Tune they’d better play: Closer BLUR (Main Stage, Sunday) It’s T and scones all round as a reunited Blur, that most quintessentially English of bands, satisfy our nostalgic longing for when Britannia was still cool and people bought singles. This reunion promises to be more than a retroactive cash-in, though; it’s worth remembering that Blur at their peak were intelligent and unpredictable in a way that few mainstream acts have matched since. We suspect that, Noughties upstarts notwithstanding, the big story of the weekend will be Albarn and Co reclaiming the Celtic fringe. [GW] Tune they’d better play: The Universal

photo: dean chalkley (manics), text: Ally Brown, Chris Buckle, Darren Carle, Gillian Watson& Dave Kerr

The best in breaks, beats and blips over the weekend

From Cable to Network

In a rare interview, TV on the Radio's Gerard Smith talks to Paul Mitchell about keeping a leash on their career and buying Beyoncé's wardrobe.

It was a routine opening question, designed to get the conversation flowing to some degree. “So, how are the band coping now that you are a global phenomenon?”

Pretty standard, but only if you happen to be a global phenomenon.

Gerard Smith pauses for a second. “Things are going terribly, man. Every day seems to bring a new facial sore and we’re still getting used to the drug addictions.” Then he segues straight into “I’ve heard Madonna, or Beyoncé, I’m not sure which, has something like 72 costume changes on her new tour.

Holy Fuck!” Is this something TV on the Radio are considering? “We’re just looking into the budget right now. You’ll find out at T in the Park”.

Bassist Smith, who joined TV on the Radio as they were recording their first full-length album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, happily admits that he’s not used to dealing with the media – though evidence already suggests he should speak out more often. “I usually only do that once in a while. I’ve made that a point because as an instrumentalist I’ve tried to make that my focus. I usually take a back seat when it comes to a lot of things in the band”. He goes on to suggest that this is because he (and drummer Jaleel Bunton) joined when the band had already established its modus operandi under the leadership of Dave Sitek, Tunde Adebimpe and subsequently Kyp Malone.

“I think when Jaleel and myself joined we were interested in understanding the role that we’d just

taken on, and that we weren’t necessarily shaping the sound of the band or forming the ideas. These were ideas which had been long established, and they just got built upon”. Does this suggest a certain hierarchy in the band, one that might be oppressive at times?

Smith is having none of it. “Whilst I have nothing to do with the lyrics, vocals and melodies, I’m a big fan of their content and narrative arc. But as a band, we’ve definitely evolved together nicely.

“Myself, I’ve been working a lot more on the technical end in terms of drum sampling and drum programming, stuff like that, while trying to become a better musician. But when we get together we really attack things in the studio and everyone hears each other out, it’s definitely not about ego battles.” Smith certainly sounds like he won’t be developing an ego anytime soon, and this group harmony is what led to the production and release of last year’s Dear Science – album of the year in many a publication, number three in this one – then long may it continue.

But back to the original ‘icebreaker’. Surely, being pushed quite rapidly into the ‘mainstream’ collective consciousness brings its own pressures? Smith is fairly circumspect. “The response to the new record has been great, we’ve been fortunate as a band in those terms. How we’re structured as a band hasn’t changed much since however. We’ve maybe added one extra crew person and a few extra pieces of equipment, that’s about it. But it’s been so great, I feel it’s really

difficult to complain, so I won’t.”

So well-grounded is the Brooklyn-based musician that he remains perfectly aware, that despite TVOTR’s continued upward trajectory, it could all come apart quite quickly without a sense of vigilance. “Aside from being in a band we’re still also running a business so we have to treat it as such. We get involved in all aspects like dealing with the equipment, stage set-up, the parking of our van and things like that. Ok, it’s not like a nine to five job but if you just left it all entirely up to fate and whoever you could be paying to do certain jobs you might just end up ruining your business and crushing yourselves. We’ve always tried to stay within arm’s reach of every aspect of what is ultimately our job.”

Not that his sights aren’t set high; Smith cites the Rolling Stones as a prime example of what he’s talking about. “Those guys are like fucking Apple, they’re billionaires. And they affiliated themselves with Budweiser and the likes, and those are motherfucking business people, you know? Their merchandising is amazing. The lips with the tongue out, that’s genius.

Look at Coldplay! I’m not making any statements about their music, but they’re doing the same and people are obviously concerned about what the new business model is for the music industry. It works for the hippies too. I mean, the Grateful Dead, how many of their T-Shirts have been sold? And all their old bootlegs are now available on iTunes. These are

the new ways, and you need to keep on top of them. I think if anything it’s arrogant and childish of an artist to imagine differently, to perhaps say ‘Oh well, I don’t have to worry about the business, all I gotta do is make art and it’s fine’.”

Smith is perceptive enough to recognise that these issues are not limited to the realms of art and culture.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s obvious that a lot of things are going to change in the world. At least in terms of how businesses are run and finances are dealt with. How that equates to the little guy, who has very little say, and smaller companies, who knows? In our industry it’s getting more difficult to make money unless you’re in the live realm and focus on your audience and get them wrapped up in what you’re doing.”

It then seems pertinent to ask what exactly TV on the Radio are doing right now, and where their next record might be headed. Almost contradicting what he’s just said about the industry he responds with “No idea, there’s never a plan or anything.” Then, ending with the levity he began with, he offers Skinny readers an exclusive preview. “There’ll probably be some drums on it, and some bass. I think there’s also definitely going to be some guitar on the next album too.”

You read it here first.

TV on the Radio play king tut's wah wah tent, T in the Park on sun.

July 2009

THE SKINNY 9

DARK tTHEin the BANDS. THE BEATS. THE BANTER.

Shock Horrors

the

of the

Like Radiohead and Blur before them, The Horrors have followed a flawed debut with a superb second album that few saw coming. But frontman Faris Badwan tells Nick Mitchell that it wasn't the complete shift that some would have you believe

10 THE SKINNY July 2009

I

t’s a comeback that has already provoked a collective volte-face in the British music press, spawning endless reviews and blogs smattered with the words ‘shocking’, ‘surprising’, ‘remarkable’. So here’s the abridged version of how one band went from cartoonish irritants to respected artists.

Back in 2006, The Horrors’ emergence seemed like a carefully planned publicity stunt dreamed up in a Starbucks-fuelled strategy meeting by a gaggle of Shoreditch media gurus. There were the haircuts (Edward Scissorhands with fringes), the stage names (Faris Rotter, Spider Webb, Coffin Joe), the NME cover (awarded on image alone, reputedly) and later, the affair with the vacuous socialite (Faris and Peaches Geldof). If you managed to stomach all this and still listen to the music, it could easily become as tiresome as the band who produced it appeared to be.

Debut single Sheena Is a Parasite was a 110-second garage-punk mélange of grating guitars, circus organ and combative yelling that left unsuspecting listeners groping for the stop button.

Skip forward to March this year. Sea Within a Sea, the first glimpse of The Horrors’ new album Primary Colours, begins on a clockwork Motorik beat. After a full minute Faris Badwan (the artist formerly known as Rotter) croons “some say we walk alone, barefoot on wicked stone, no light”, and gone is all the gnarled fuck-you stance of yore; in its place a cool, calm, confident vocal. After four minutes the song takes a new direction, with a bright electronic arpeggio extending over a lengthy outro. You could have listened to Sheena Is a Parasite four times by the fading of the last chord.

Of course, the band themselves deny the ‘reinvention’ analysis outright. Badwan is talking to me from

a cab en route to a London airport from where the band jet off to Germany for one of the first festivals of the summer season. “Between the first and the second album people see two points and none of what happens in between, so it can seem like a big jump, but really it’s just a natural progression of time passing,” he says in that deep Estuary accent. “You know, the records are two years apart so it stands to reason that they’d be different. I wouldn’t want to listen to a band if they went away for two years and came back with exactly the same record.”

blaze of hype. “They don’t have any ideas,” he says.

“Really there are so few bands with ideas of their own that it’s a big ask for them to make two records, and when they go to make the second they just do exactly the same thing. There are loads of examples, I don’t really need to be specific about them. A lot of music is disposable, so where one band disappears another one appears to take its place. I don’t really agree with music being throwaway.”

I

T

he story of The Horrors begins in the Essex seaside town of Southend, home to the world’s longest pleasure pier – and, for a time, one of the UK’s most interesting underground music scenes. It was here that keyboardist Rhys Webb co-founded the Junk Club, a Mecca for young misfits and an incubator for bands like The Horrors, These New Puritans, The Violets and XX Teens. But it was also the eclecticism of the club’s playlist, ranging from 60s garage to italo disco, that set it apart. “There were a lot of kids who’d go to that, and what they’d play was quite different to what you’d hear in London, so I guess a lot of bands came out of that,” Badwan recalls matter-of-factly, like a man who has long since moved on.

But Badwan’s own obsession with alternative music dates back further, to his adolescence: “The first conversation Tom [Cowan, bassist] and me ever had was when we were at school and we were probably about 16. He told me about this site called garagerockradio.com that had a load of MP3s of obscure garage 7 inches. We’d spend the whole afternoon downloading them and then looking for them in record shops. Back then we decided that once we’d left school and moved to London we’d start a band.”

The proximity of the metropolis meant that the members of The Horrors could indulge in either scene when they saw fit, but even when they’d moved to London Badwan would relish the trips back to the seaside. “I’d get the train down and it was only 45 minutes, and you’d end up having a really good night,” he says. “Far better than one you’d actually have in London, and it was always worth the trip. And you could hang out on the pier in the daytime and go back to peoples’ houses after the club and listen to records.”

else,” he replies, defensively. “Of course it is, it’s our first record. It’s a step just like Primary Colours is another step. We hope that the third record will be better than the one it follows and so on.”

But when the spotlight fell from The Horrors at the end of their touring in 2007, it looked like they could well fade to black after album one, like countless other flavour-of-the-month acts before them. Badwan is adamant that this was never going to happen, and is scathing about bands who disappear after the first

P

rimary Colours has outperformed its predecessor Strange House in both the commercial and critical stakes. There have been complaints that it wears its influences rather too brazenly on its sleeve (especially on the Spiritualized sound-a-like I Can’t Control Myself) but aside from this the reviews have been resoundingly positive, extolling the band’s new-found maturity, their easy adoption of the shoegaze aesthetic, and their ability to keep a track going for longer than three minutes without running out of ideas. Badwan is delighted with the reaction, although ‘slightly less morose’ would be a more accurate description of his tone: “We couldn’t have really asked for a better reaction. It’s really cool because we put a lot of time into it and a lot of ourselves into it. We think it has got its own personality and it’s kinda different to other stuff around, so yeah it’s going really well.”

A cynic would surmise that in the interim they must have thrown out their Cramps and Birthday Party records and replaced these with a shelf-full of My Bloody Valentine, Neu! and the Psychedelic Furs, but the band’s musical awareness runs much deeper than that, and Badwan is quick to reject any notion that one day they just happened upon a new sound. “It was just a natural thing,” he says. “For us it doesn’t seem that weird because we look back on that first record and we can see a lot of the ideas present there expressed in a different way. The sound of the first one was primal and raw, and this one is maybe more of a controlled attack.”

Keen to extract from him what he actually thinks of Strange House in retrospect, I ask Badwan if he sees it as a stage of development on the way to where they’re at now. “I don’t really see how it could be anything

t sounds like a cliché, but seclusion can do wonders for a band with a point to prove.

After the whirlwind of photoshoots and column inches, the only way a serious band can refocus on the music is to detach itself from that world. A determinedly serious band, when The Horrors had written an album’s worth of demos and won the signature of Portishead’s Geoff Barrow on production duties, they entered into their own social exile, living upstairs from the studio in Bath and keeping a very low profile. “I think it’s important to immerse yourself totally in something,” Badwan says.

“When I’m doing something creative I don’t want to be thinking of anything else. When you get the chance to set up all your gear and just leave it there and go in every day and really just work at something every day you get the best results. And also, it’s good to be out of your comfort zone, to forget about everything, your friends, family, anything, no distractions. So that all you care about is making the record.”

When they moved into a Bristol studio with Geoff Barrow for the final cut, the tension was only amplified by their surroundings. “It was just a really kinda nasty area,” Badwan recalls. “According to Geoff there were a load of CIA cars [he means CID, presumably] outside because it’s got a really weird drug trafficking problem.

He said that once he saw about ten unmarked vans roll up outside this house and a load of officers burst out and went in.”

When Barrow wasn’t acting as a source of local knowledge for The Horrors, his job was to rein in their tendency towards the overblown. “It was cool, his real main point of input was stopping us from going too far with the songs,” Badwan says. “We’d written and arranged them and like I said when you’ve immersed yourself in something it’s easy to lose perspective. He made sure we kept the perspective of what we were doing and captured the atmosphere of the demos.”

Enthused, Badwan continues: “If you take a record that you really like that has a certain magic about it, more often than not it’s more than the sum of its parts.

What makes it so great are the little eccentricities, individual sounds made by the way you play the instrument and the effects you put on it, and that was a key thing for us. The magic you get from actually playing rather than studio trickery.”

N

"THE SOUND OF THE FIRST ALBUM WAS PRIMAL AND RAW, AND THIS ONE IS MAYBE MORE OF A

CONTROLLED ATTACK"

ow that they’re back in the full glare of the media, I ask if image is still important to The Horrors. “I think it’s important for a band to have an identity,” Badwan replies.

“The way they look, sound and what they believe, it’s all important. It’s all a reflection of the music you like, the things you’re into, your personality. Your identity should be strong, visual and sonic. Everything should be taken into consideration.”

And while the music may have progressed, The Horrors don’t look markedly different. If you’re at T in the Park this month and spot a gang of pale-faced, blackclad Englishmen with photogenic hair and drainpipe jeans, it’ll probably be them. Or you could just follow the debris: “I remember T in the Park as being a really great one last time,” Badwan laughs. “Yeah actually, that was the one where I smashed a disco ball!” Can he elaborate? “Eh... no. I smashed a disco ball. That’s all you need to know really.”

A few years ago Badwan may have taken that chance to relate a tabloid-ready anecdote of rock’n’roll debauchery. But times have changed. The Horrors let the music do the talking now.

THE HORRORS PLAY THE RADIO 1/NME STAGE, T IN THE PARK ON SAT. PRIMARY COLOURS IS OUT NOW ON XL. WWW.THEHORRORS.CO.UK

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 11

tTHEin the park 2009 preview BANDS. THE BEATS. THE BANTER.

Wild Mood Swings After several universally lauded LPs, psych-pop outfit of Montreal unleashed the divisive Skeletal Lamping on the public late last year. Jason Morton steps into the expressive world of Kevin Barnes.

12 THE SKINNY July 2009

Will a decades' old rivalry rear its ugly head once again?

Seconds Away… Round 1

In 1999, heavyweight cheeky champs Blur were basking in the success of their album 13. Having successfully defined their singles title against Oasis, Albarn’s likely lads were looking forward to an unchallenged headlining slot at T in the Park. Enter Mogwai, fronted by mouthy Glaswegian contender Stuart Braithwaite, fresh from their successful sophomore album Come On Die Young and headlining the opposing Radio 1 tent. Braithwaite took umbrage at Albarn’s apparent use of his break-up with Justin Frischmann for many of the songs on 13, stating flatly: “Using the break-up with your girlfriend as a marketing tool is one of the most disgusting things I’ve heard in my life. Blur are fucking pish.” Braithwaite duly printed up T-Shirts stating “Blur: Are Shite”.

Blur, and the rest of the world outside of Scotland, went “Mog-who?”

Seconds Away… Round 2

recently included the singer being led to stage on a white horse or being hung from makeshift gallows – incorporates video and dramatic performance, at a level of production that has been building for years.

“At the very beginning, we were driven by the indie rock/punk rock mentality of ‘Don’t dress it up. Be as real as possible’.” says Barnes “Ever since [2004’s] Satanic Panic in the Attic, we decided we were going to try something visually interesting, and it built up from there, tour by tour, adding new elements.”

With the time and thought put into each tour’s production – mostly by Kevin’s brother David, who designs much of Montreal material (albums, posters, lamps) – the band thinks of it as “two separate productions that are lopped on top of each other. It’s not just throw a bunch of people on stage and goof off for three minutes; it’s definitely a planned skit.”

Barnes concedes that in the US, the larger crowds create an easier setting for stage play, but hopes the band creates a similar experience for UK audiences as well: “Over here, we’re still building something, so we still play smaller places

and we’re bumping into each other. There are people falling off the stage, bumping over keyboards. But we want to do something visually cool, so even if there’s no room for it, we’ll do it anyway.”

And while for the band’s past four albums Barnes has been the principle songwriter, he maintains that in performance and many other aspects, it’s a cooperative approach with everyone pitching in: “of Montreal has become like an art collective. Everyone’s invested, everyone wears a bunch of different hats. Everybody is involved. You’re not just going to do one thing.”

This is why, in Barnes’ world, you might be scouring music stores for equipment one minute – or investigating the phenomenon of neeps & tatties - only to be cavorting around stage in a pig mask or skin-tight red bodysuit the next. And when the dual performance finally comes, you can tell even though it may take a lot of work and coordination, the band’s getting as much out of it as the fans are. of Montreal play Futures Stage at T in the Park, on sun.

Mogwai, undisputed post-rock champions, have had ten years to move from genuine innovation (2002’s Rock Action), to treading water (2008’s The Hawk is Howling).

Blur, originally deposed of their title by inter-band feuds, have now reformed and retrained with the original line-up: they’re hungry like Balboa before he won that belt.

Braithwaite has duly responded by offering a stunningly original wordplay on his previous T-Shirt, asking “Anyone fancy a ‘Blur: Are Shite Once Again’ T-Shirt?” Blur have yet to respond with their own Mogwaithemed merchandise range, but the two go head to head all over again as Sunday T in the Park headliners on the main stage and King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent respectively .

[Ewen Millar]

Main photo: jenny anderson

Soundcheck isn’t going well for psychedelic popsters-cum-performance artists of Montreal. Kevin Barnes, mastermind of the oft-brilliant group, calls off the testing of the waters with An Eluardian Instance – a new single from 2008’s Skeletal Lamping, which, with its emphatic, brassy sound, would take pains to not sound enthused. But the rapture ends prematurely and the warm-up session at Òran Mór grinds to a halt as the tour manager leaves to scout the West End’s music shops for a proper adapter to cater for one of the group’s myriad musical implements.

When he returns empty-handed, it’s up to Barnes to rework the section of the song for which the equipment is necessary, eating away time for rehearsal, relaxation, make-up and, well… eating. Giving testament to the band’s prolific nature (they’ve released a seven-inch/DVD combo and a remix EP since November’s Lamping), he wraps it up quickly, ready to talk about one of last year’s most divisive records, the follow-up to the acclaimed Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

“I think it’s kind of funny when someone says ‘Oh, it’s too schizophrenic, too fragmented…’” Barnes says. “But yeah, that was the point. It’s like collage music, genre-hopping – some stuff is pretty progressive and some is extremely derivative, but intentionally so.”

With wild mood swings taking the record from depressed acoustic introspection to the sexed-up electro-pop of closer Id Engager - whether bad or good, the LP certainly keeps a listener on their toes.

“It can be rewarding to listen to something unpredictable: That was the goal, for better or worse. Obviously it’s not the best record ever, but it’s an interesting record.” Barnes sounds like neither plaintiff nor defendant when talking shop; rather than an apologist, he comes off more like a true believer: “It’s sort of indicative of the time we’re in right now, where people are looking for more creative music and artists are taking more chances.”

According to Barnes, sessions for the record started off in practical mode, applying a verse-chorus-verse theory, but this soon collapsed. “I abandoned that approach and just made one piece at a time. I was trying to make them, and it didn’t really flow - it sounded awkward. I felt like there’s no real reason. So many people are trying to do it the other way: write the perfect pop song. I would rather make awkward pop music than predictable pop music.”

The album’s ‘narrative’ – a term used loosely here – could be described as equally erratic. While previous albums have woven stories or confessionals to the melodies, the emergence of his transgendered, middle-aged alter ego Georgie Fruit as a vocal character marks a step in a different direction for Barnes.

“I think the whole Georgie Fruit thing is sprung from my depression period,” he says. “I didn’t really think about it at the time, but looking back on it, I think that maybe I just needed an escape from that: the darkness of the Kevin Barnes reality. When I balanced things out a little bit, this other character just rose to the surface.”

While this unleashing of an alter-ego has occurred throughout pop culture’s androgynous past, perhaps most prominently with Ziggy Stardust, it’s not exactly common in the indie community. But this is something Barnes describes as getting out of his “comfort zone”, though he indicates that it was a natural process.

Their leader’s songwriting methodology seems to have paid off for the Athens, Georgia outfit, with increased sales and graduation to higher-profile venues, at least in their native US, coming with the new record. Barnes doesn’t dwell on this long, however, preferring instead to highlight the opportunities afforded to the band by the exposure: “This last tour that we did we actually played good-paying festival shows. We squirreled the money away, knowing we’d need a big budget if we put on this production.”

The ever-evolving of Montreal live show – which has

The Main Event: Blur vs Mogwai

Life On Mars

Having already danced with the supernatural on their last album, 2009 finds The Mars Volta dogged by another old ghost. But Omar Rodriguez-Lopez tells Dave Kerr that he won’t be press ganged into reforming At the Drive-In. As I sit down to talk to the Mars Volta’s Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, it dawns on me that this interview can’t be some big chin-stroke about the way he’ll condense his unwieldy jams into a 40 minute set at T in the Park; I’d be an idiot not to clarify his position on the topic that’s got everybody from the music pages of the local Courier to the gossip inches of Rolling Stone in a funk: “Will you reunite At the Drive-In?” An innocuous slip of the tongue by bandmate Cedric Bixler-Zavala recently confirmed that the El Paso quintet were on speaking terms again, but then it was Cedric himself who once suggested in song that ‘a single spark can start a spectral fire…’

“The fact of the matter is that we’re in our thirties now and that breakup happened ten years ago,” Omar starts. “As a human being you just don’t want that kind of karma. They did a lot of shit talking, and we did a lot of shit talking, so I just called everybody up and invited them to my house and said ‘hey, listen, we’re in our thirties now, I’m sorry for whatever I said, I’m sure you guys didn’t mean what you said – you guys were upset because I split up the band and we were upset because of whatever. Let’s be friends again.”

So far, so dinner and a Columbo marathon. “But do I want to reunite and play fucking 15 year old songs?” he lingers. “Well, it would be like asking you, ‘do you want to get back together with your first girlfriend?’

You learn some amazing things together, but I just shudder at the thought.”

With the common perception being that At the Drive-In bowed out at the height of their powers under the ambiguous slogan of an “indefinite hiatus”, it’s little wonder they’re thought to have unfinished business. Not so, Omar clarifies: “We were a band that went out on top, which is good, but it’s just a coincidence. We were also a band that had been together for seven years, and for six of those years played to nobody and had a great time but were also on the verge of splitting up many times before that. It’s an old relationship. People would like to think of it as unfinished business because to them we went out when we were most popular, but that has nothing to do with the creative element. As far as the creative element went, it very much was finished business. That’s why I ended the band! Now, thank god, fucking ten years later, we’re not holding a grudge and we’re all cool with it.

People pick up on the difference of attitude and think ‘oh, this could mean a possible reunion’, but that’s just them projecting their own desires upon us.”

However, after such a resolute dismissal of the idea, he still tantalisingly concedes that “we’re both smart enough to never say never, because you just end up putting your foot in your mouth.”

Although Omar appears to have made peace with this pivotal chapter of his career, the lyrical matter of the fifth Mars Volta album recalls an unresolved phenomenon first highlighted by Relationship of Command’s Invalid Letter Dept. Past story arcs have ranged from narratives wrapped up in outer body experiences and heretical folk tales, but Octahedron engages a very real concern which is consuming the band’s hometown.

“The main theme on this record is of disappearance: kidnappings and unexplainable things of that nature,” says Omar. “In El Paso and Juarez – its sister city right across the border – there are 900 kidnappings a day, just a gust of women. When you drive down the freeway there’s gigantic poster boards that say ‘Are you being held against your will?’ with a hotline to call.

So yeah, it’s a pretty crazy phenomenon. It’s still the biggest problem in Mexico, where I live.”

Doing it for the franz: Alex Kapranos's T Memories

Since they shot to fame five years ago, Glasgow's Franz Ferdinand have become veterans of T in the Park. Frontman Alex Kapranos explains to Gillian Watson why they keep coming back

Alex Kapranos, charismatic frontman of local art-rock heroes Franz Ferdinand, is excited. The Glaswegian quartet’s return to the Main Stage at T in the Park in the year of Homecoming reminds him of another previous homecoming for the band. “It was the first big gig we did in Scotland after our first record came out and the welcome that we got is going to stay with me for the rest of my life. It was such an amazing, uplifting experience.”

The band now tailor their performance to suit the T crowd: “There’s such a massive amount of energy, [so] you perform in a completely different way.” According to Kapranos, “a gig depends on two performances: the performance of the band and the performance of the audience. It’s obviously a different kind of performance that you get from a massive festival.” He acknowledges that the festival set has to be a bit of a crowd-pleaser; there’s less room for B-sides and obscurities to diversify the set, as “not everybody at a big festival knows you as well as your hardcore fans do”.

As a reflection of the human face that Cedric paints for Octahedron with his lyrics, Omar shed the excess of previous releases and stripped the songs down to their core, leaving the usual bells and whistles one associates with a Mars Volta release well off the menu.

“A lot of discipline went into this record,” he affirms.

“A lot of discipline goes into every record, but a lot of holding back and enforcing limitations was a big part of making this one.”

Dubbed their “acoustic” album as often as their poppiest by critics, purists will argue that this is precisely the kind of focus that The Mars Volta need, having previously created progressive rock that’s equally appealing to aficionados as it is alienating to fans of their old punk band. Yet they still exist on their own plain.

“We’ve always been out there on our own,” Omar

acknowledges. “We’ve always had this feeling, especially coming from El Paso. We didn’t have a scene.

It’s not the same as being a band in San Francisco or DC or Washington where you could just be a band and somebody would put out your record, or part of a collective of lots of bands that were sharing ideas, y’know, we were just on our own. It’s always felt that way, and we tour on our own – we don’t have opening acts. Definitely, there are people like Mastodon, M.I.A and Battles who feel like kindred spirits, but at the same time we’re in a little bubble of our own out there in the universe.”

The Mars Volta play NME/ Radio1 Stage at T in the Park on Fri 10 Jul.

So how do the band keep things fresh?

“We like to leave a certain amount of space for something unpredictable [at] every gig - spaces in songs where you don’t quite know what’s going to happen, so that you’re on your toes. ‘Cause if you know exactly what every step is going to be, it’s going to become plodding and boring.

You have to make sure there’s a bit of an edge to it.” He doesn’t get tired of playing the old material, provided it’s in the right context. “If I was playing only our first ever songs five years later, then I’d be pretty pissed off, but if a song’s a good song, then of course you don’t mind playing it… [We’re] certainly not one of those bands that has that perverse resentment of the material that introduced them to the world – that’s crazy.” He issues an important reminder to the novice festival band: “You have to remember you’re not just playing the gig for yourself as a performer”.[Gillian Watson] Franz Ferdinand play the main stage, T in the Park, fri.

Octahedron is out now via Mercury. www.themarsvolta.com

July 2009

THE SKINNY 13

feature

Excursions Special LET'S GO OUTSIDE...

Tenniis, travel and making memories I once shared a tiny shack on the northwest coast with one lumpy bed, one saucepan, one fork and one million woodlice with one grumpy compadre some years back. Never mind that we had ignored the majestic scenery all around us in favour of an ever-intensifying rivalry on our makeshift ‘tennis’ court; we managed to let our competitiveness simmer right up to the sound of racquet (wooden, thankfully) on rib and then... laughter, the ideal soundtrack to mutual idiocy being stopped dead in its tracks.

It was to prove the making of a solid friendship (though it could have gone the other way) which has benefitted greatly from the occasional,

brief, sojourn to a different environment, usually on a tight budget.

With due deference to all the large-scale goings on in a Scottish summer (Edinburgh Festivals, major music events etc), we’ve highlighted a selection of activities and smaller scale happenings which we think merit some consideration outwith the big PR blitzes. These are pretty arbitrary, and we tried to keep them diverse yet generally affordable.

Maybe one suggestion will catch your eye and you’ll go and make memories to last a lifetime. Maybe those memories will include some fractured bones and a ‘former’ friend. Still, better to try, no?[Paul Mitchell]

Linlithgow Palace Scotch Hop

Wednesdays 15, 22, 29 July and 5, 12 August

Actually, we thought it was ‘Hopscotch’ at first, which, in an opulent palatial setting sounds too good to be true, but one could always bring one’s own chalk I suppose. That said, if ceilidh dancing is your thing, then there can’t be many more exhilarating dance venues than an ancient castle, laden with centuries of Scottish history. Open to all age groups and all levels of dancing ability, dancing takes place in the courtyard (weather permitting) and there are tea and biscuits included in the price.

Ship Inn

Elie, East Neuk The Ship Inn, Toft, Elie, Fife KY9 1DT 01333 330 246

Guildtown Bluegrass Music Festival

Guildtown, Perthshire July 31 – August 3

Perthshire goes all Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? with its annual four-day festival of Americana. Guildtown Village Hall plays host to the best of Scottish and US Bluegrass, guitar-picking talent including evening concerts from The Georgia Flatpickers and local heroes Dapper McDans, plus afternoon workshops and open mic sessions. £35 gets you an all-events pass, plus camping. Beers and good local food available from neighbouring event sponsor, The Angel Inn. www.scottishbluegrass.com

The recent T:20 World Cup may have kickstarted a revival of populist interest in cricket, but it’ll have to go some to beat the magic ingredients that the Ship Inn in the East Neuk village of Elie has introduced - sand, sea and Pimms on tap. Every summer its all-conquering Ship Inn XI take to the picture-perfect Blue Flag beach to bat against big-name opposition including, in the past, the all-star Lashings World XI. Look on from the pub’s beer garden with a glass of that fruity punch or, if you’re feeling flush, indulging in an ice bucket of Bollinger, the club’s official sponsor.

Red Kite Feeding Station

Contact: 01506 842 896 www.scotchhop.co.uk

Argaty Farm, Stirlingshire Ranger Led Visit to Hide £4

Sitting silently by a muddy riverbank for 17 hours in the faint hope of spotting a Velvet Scoter? No ta. A surefire way of guaranteeing a bird sighting is heading just north of Stirling to Argaty Farm. Here, at 2.30pm each day (farmwork permitting so best to book ahead), dinner (ie dead bunnies) is set out for the local wild red kites to come feed; kick back in the comfy hide and watch up to thirty of these stunning raptors tear Peter Rabbit a new one.

Hebridean Celtic Festival

Stornoway, Lewis 15-18 July

This event has grown in popularity since inception in 1996, with past headliners including the Waterboys, the Proclaimers and Van Morrison. This year, the theme is homecoming, with acts from around the globe (North America, Australia, em...

Ireland) migrating to one of Celtic culture’s spiritual homes. As well as music, there’s street art, photo exhibitions and ceilidh dancing and workshops on all of the above. Tickets are priced per event, though it is possible to buy a weekend ticket for the main arena.

Mainstage weekend ticket £59 www.hebceltfest.com

www.argatyredkites.co.uk Tel: 01786 841 373

Gourock Outdoor Swimming Pool

Albert Road, Gourock, PA19 1NQ

One of Scotland’s last remaining outdoor saltwater pools, the baths at Gourock offer swimmers surprisingly beautiful views across the Clyde Estuary and – praise be!- water heated to 84 degrees. 2009 sees the lido celebrate its centenary and, with al fresco swimming venues a real rarity in Scotland, don’t wait for a scorcher to take the plunge - as the website endearingly states ‘rain really enhances the swimming experience!’. Summer extras include Midnight Swims in July & August - every attender gets their own certificate.

Adult Swim £3.90 Open 7 days a week; Mon, Weds & Fri 9am-8pm; Tues & Thurs 8am-8pm; Sat & Sun 10am-4.30pm

Largs Viking Festival

29 Aug- 6 Sept

The annual festivities, which commemorate the final Viking invasion of the UK (the 1263 Battle of Largs) will open with an RAF Typhoon jet display above Glasgow’s favourite seaside haunt (be warned - in 2005 this apparently caused a War Of The Worlds-esque panic of mass car alarm triggering and freaked locals calling the police), before launching into a week-long family-friendly spectacle including a Viking Village, fun fair and food tents. It culminates in a full-on battle re-enactment complete with sword fights, ceremonial burning of a full-scale longboat and ye olde, totally-authentically-13th century fireworks display. www.largsvikingfestival.com

14 THE SKINNY July 2009

Five Sisters Zoo Park

Gavieside, West Calder

Conveniently located between Edinburgh and Glasgow, what started out as a small pet farm to entertain children has grown into a large collection of mammals, birds and reptiles (presumably, children will be ever more entertained).

Annie, the Golden Eagle, happily resides with a selection of kookaburra and parrots, tree frogs and scorpions, leaping lemurs and some West African dwarf crocodiles.

Zoo entrance £6.00 (£4.50), Children £4.00, Family (2 adults, two children) £18.00

feature

Swimming with the fishes

(in this case, SHARKS) Deep Sea World, North Queensferry

He’s a 12 foot long Sand Tiger Shark, and he’s MEAN...possibly. And if you do want a scare-induced overload of adrenaline outwith A&E on a Saturday night then he’s ready to get up close and personal with you.

Apparently, no experience necessary, har har. Good luck!

Packages include overnight hotel stay and start from £199) Contact: 01383 411880 www.deepseaworld.com

Get Me Away From Here...

Best Place For A Quiet Pint Britain’s most remote mainland pub, the journey to The Old Forge at Knoydart is half the fun- drive alongside the white sands of Morar through Harry Potter and Breaking The Waves filming locations (something for all the family there), sail on the Mallaig to Knoydart Ferry or break in those boots by hiking in via Glen Meadall. The website even has cheery directions for those arriving via sea kayak or helicopter. Once you make it, indulge in seafood caught by the owners’ mates, trad music nights and seriously jovial locals mingling with visitors. On second thoughts, better take that pint out to the water’s edge if you want it to be quiet.

The Old Forge, Inverie, Knoydart www.theoldforge.co.uk Tel: 01687 462267

Best Guilt-Free Getaway ‘Eco’ is a seemingly ubiquitous buzzword often used with the minimum of qualification - but Ossian Eco-Hostel in the heart of the heather-coated wilderness of Rannoch Moor is the real deal. Arrive by train at Courrour Station (you’ll not get the 4 x 4 anywhere near) - the easy one mile stroll will warm you up nicely for some Munro bagging a little later. A converted boatshed, the hostel is run entirely on solar and wind power, boasts its own water recycling system and a roaring communal fire to keep your toes as comfy as your conscience.

Book online at www.syha.org.uk Tel: 0845 293 7373 Best place to work up a sweat without anyone seeing a sunny day is not for hiding in the gym - make like Huck Finn and paddle along the whole of the Spey, recognized as one of the world’s great canoe journeys. Flowing through the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, you’ll pass the towers of Tamdhu distillery before finishing up at remote Spey Bay. The going ranges between flat and calm to ‘entertaining’ Grade II whitewater rapids, so if you’re doing it unguided make sure you’ve got some experience under your lifebelt.

Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool Scott Hastie

Until 6 September, opening times vary.

Zorbing/Sphereing

Perthshire

Yes, we’ve seen Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips roll around an adoring crowd strapped into a Bloody Big Beach Ball, but it’s not just international music stars who get to have all the fun! You too can strap yourself into your own personal hamster wheel, and as it says on their website - finally find out what it’s like to be inside a washing machine, if you haven’t found that out already.

Well, it makes sense doesn’t it. The North sea is not really designed for casual dipping at any time of year, but 75 years ago, the folks at Stonehave hit upon the idea of building an art deco 50m pool, and heating up the water. Genius.

This year, they’ve also opened a paddling pool for the little ‘uns, along with a series of events to celebrate that 75th anniversary. £4.60 (£2.60)

£45-£65 per person

01569 762134

Contact: 07884 492 920 www.activityscotland.co.uk

www.stonehavenopenairpool.co.uk

Stobo Castle Health Spa Stobo, Peebleshire

Beecraigs Country Park

near Linlithgow

Once you’ve parked the caravan or erected the tent it’s time to engage in the myriad of outdoor pursuits that are hosted in the picturesque environs of the Bathgate Hills.

Archery, kayaking, orienteering and even winter pursuits such as skiing and snowboarding should be enough to work up an appetite or the Beecraigs Restaurant. Venison comes recommended, and there’s a good chance you’ll have petted your own Bambi Burger earlier in the day at the red deer herd that live in the park.

Open all year, park admission is free. www.beecraigs.com

A health spa that comes equipped with a forest, a loch, oh and a wellmaintained Scottish castle, has to be pretty good, no? You can choose the option of relaxing with a Swedish massage, or a full body oil treatment (no idea). There’s also a pool and a gym for those extra strenuous among you and lots of last-minute deals to be had.

Vibe Tours

Prices vary between £450 and £750 for one weeks sailing

Vibe Tours are a new tour operator with a fresh approach to seeing the sights of Scotland. Although they specialise in trips to music festivals and other special events, it is also possible to customise a tour according to taste or budget (from inexpensive walking tours all the way to cruises down the Caledonian Canal and 5 Star accomodation).

Exclusively for Skinny readers, they’re offering a 10% reduction for their Wickerman festival tour . Just say our name, SAY OUR NAME when you call or email.

Contact: 0845 260 2677 corryvreckan@dunsfold.net

Contact: 0131 226 1514

£39.50 for a half day, overnight stay (plus meals) from £89.50 pp.

Contact: 01721 725300 www.stobocastle.co.uk

Yacht Corryvreckan Hebrides

Named after the gulf of Corryvreckan (with its infamous tidepool) south of Oban there are a wide range of cruises available on this 10-person yacht. From tracking down puffins, guillemots, dolphins and whales along the west coast, to a Classic Malts Cruise around the distilleries in the Hebrides, the owners Chris and Von Lindesay also have the noble aim of making an exciting holiday a sustainable one.

Canoe Hire from £35 per day, plus guide to access points, accommodation (including wild camping) and code of conduct, from www.boots-n-paddles.co.uk .

Five-day guided trips from www.speydescent.co.uk

isle of Kerrera

Best Place To Escape Rush Hour A couple of miles south of Oban you’ll spot the ferry slipway to Kerrera. Move the sign as instructed to signal you’d like to come on over and the small ferry will chug across the narrow stretch of water to come fetch you. The only vehicles allowed are those owned by the 30-something permanent residents. A circular walk of the entire island, taking in cliff-tops, coves, the ruined Gylen Castle and views across to Mull can be done easily in a day, but if you fancy extending the peace, limited beds are available at the 18th century bunkhouse.

Accommodation and travel advice at www.kerrerabunkhouse.co.uk

Best Place To Cosy Up Solitude is all very well, but most times it’s nicer to share it with that special someone - if only to stop you tipping over into Howard Hughes territory. Shiant Cottage is a cosy retreat for two on a family croft in Kildonan, on the geologically jaw-dropping Isle of Skye.

Sure, you could walk to the spectacularly-named Loch Snizart, but with your own Jacuzzi, woodburner and canopy bed with stargazing skylight above it, you’ll probably just stay in and, well, you know…

Shiant Cottage, from £240 per week. www.staywithusonskye.co.uk Tel: 01470 592219

[Ruth Marsh]

www.thevibescotland.co.uk

July 2009

THE SKINNY 15

FEATURE

EXCURSIONS SPECIAL

THE SKINNY IS NOW DISTRIBUTING ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS!

LET'S GO OUTSIDE...

A Map of Scotland Nothing inspires a feeling of anticipatory restlessness like a good map. Here's a fun map you may wish to cross reference with a good map.

Inverness Youth Hostel One of Scotland's top Hostels, this modern and comfortable 4 star Hostel offers superb facilities in the capital of the Highlands. With a warm welcome and buzzing atmosphere the hostel is popular with guests from all over the world. Many rooms are ensuite and the excellent self-catering kitchens make it popular for groups and families. Free parking is available and the hostel is only a few minutes walk from Inverness town centre. The local area is awash with great marine and wildlife, as well as many interesting mountain bike routes.

LOCH NESS

B~ckp~cket"5fLodge

Loch Ness Backpacker's Lodge Situated in the village of Lewiston near Drumnadrochit and just a few minutes walk from Lock Ness and Urquhart Castle, the Monster Exhibition Centre, pubs, restaurants and shops - a perfect location for activity or relaxation near Inverness City.

Ideal for groups or individuals.

Available activities include boat trips on the Loch, horseriding, fishing and cycling and more.

Prices start from ÂŁ15 per night including use of all amenities.

Saucy Mary's Lodge Situated just over the Skye Bridge with stunning views of the surrounding mountains and coastline, travellers receive a very warm welcome at Saucy Mary's in Kyleakin. Our hostel can accomodate up to 80 guests in small bunk rooms and private rooms, (some ensuite) and we are directly on the main transport routes from Inverness and Glasgow with buses stopping at our door!

WWW.SAUCYMARYS.COM

WWW.HOSTELLINGSCOTLAND.COM

WWW.LOCHNESS-BACKPACKERS.COM

Glen Nevis Youth Hostel This 3 star hostel is situated in a stunning location at the foot of Ben Nevis - in fact the path to the summit begins right here! The river Nevis flows serenely past the front of the hostel, and beautiful views can be enjoyed in all directions. Many low level walks snake through the beautiful glen and the hostel is conveniently based at the end of Scotland’s most famous long-distance walk, the West Highland Way. The bustling town of Fort William and the acclaimed snowsports and World Championship mountain biking area at Aonach Mor are within easy reach.

WWW.HOSTELLINGSCOTLAND.COM

LEGEND:

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= Skinny distribution locations = hostel locations = Hebridean Celtic Festival = zorbing = the sort of puffin you might see from Yacht Corryvreckan = Guildtown Bluegrass Festival = Argaty Farm Red Kite Feeding Station = Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool = Ship Inn, Elie = Largs Viking Festival = Five Sisters Zoo park = Linlithgow Scotch Hop = archery at Beecraigs Country Park = Gourock Outdoor Swimming Pool = Stobo Castle Health Spa

There are no roads on the map because you can't SCALE:

The map is not really to scale (especially the puffin). Shetland is further away than that; locations are approximate.

North is still up though.

16 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

Loch Ness Youth Hostel Situated on the banks of the famous Loch Ness, you will have plenty of opportunities for Nessie-watching from our cosy dining room, and many bedrooms.

Fall asleep to the sound of waves lapping at the shore then wake to watch the sunrise from our own wee beach (a great sun trap in the summer). The Great Glen walking track passes the door whilst the end-to-end cycling route is nearby. Drumnadrochit is 12 miles away, where you can visit historic Urquhart castle and take one of the many boat cruises. We are only 30 minutes from Inverness and the beautiful Isle of Skye is around 2 hours away.

WWW.HOSTELLINGSCOTLAND.COM

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Aviemore Youth Hostel Surrounded by woodland, this 4 star hostel is situated on the boundary of the Cairngorms National Park, a short walk from Aviemore town centre and its bustling nightlife. The hostel itself is extremely peaceful, with great facilities making it suitable for individuals, families and groups of all ages. We are ideally located for many outdoor activities all year-round, such as snowsports, watersports and mountain biking. Most activities take place in the nearby Rothiemurchus Estate or on the Cairngorm mountain range..

WWW.HOSTELLINGSCOTLAND.COM

NOW GO BACK TO THE CIT Y AND DON'T BOTHER ME AGAIN.

Norway has some of the most incredible scenery in the world, and it's only just around the corner. Think about it, suggests RJ Thomson

feature

Fjord Sierra

ICEBREAKERS Tips for Norway Novices GETTING AWAY

Norwegian airline Wideroe (www.wideroe. no) are now flying from Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and also Newcastle, to Bergen and Stavanger. Flights cost from £120 return.

Wideroe also offer connecting flights all over Norway during the summer season, that can be accessed through the excellent ‘Explore Norway’ pass (sort of like inter-railing, only in planes); these are available for travel between 22 June and 27August, and cover the whole of Norway by taking in 36 different destinations.

They divide the country up into 3 regions: a one-zone ticket costs £289, two zones £350, and all three zones £415. With an Explore Norway pass your connecting flights from the UK to Stavanger are free of charge, making this a viable option for an extended trip to this massive country.

STAYING AWAY

Mid-price: The Thon Hotel Bristol is situated on the Torgalmenningen, a major pedestrianised street bang in the middle of Bergen, and well priced for a high level of comfort (www.thonhotels.no/bristolbergen, from £130 for a double room). Low-price: Also centrally located, the Bergen YMCA Hostel offers beds from £15 per night (www. bergenhostel.com). Everything in central Bergen is easy to walk to, from the train station to the art galleries, all of which are within 10 minutes of each other on foot. Do bring an umbrella though: it rains a lot!

THINGS TO DO

from Wideroe – a branch of the biggest Scandinavian fleet SAS – for around £60-£70 each way. They’re not a budget airline, so you get comfort, and delivery direct from Edinburgh or Aberdeen airport to Bergen or Stavanger. Hassle is minimal, and both destination cities are extremely well placed to access some frankly awesome scenery.

Many of the options for cutting on costs are the same as anywhere: couchsurfing is well established in the country, and the quality of accommodation is likely to be excellent; stocking up in supermarkets rather than eating out makes a huge difference; as does getting away from the obvious tourist spots (Bergen is a fun city of World Heritage cultural standing, well worth a visit in its own right, but you won’t be the only visitor in town).

One fundamental trick for cutting costs on a trip to Norway is surprisingly simple though: don’t go for long.

I went to Norway recently to investigate options for a short break, and it’s safe to say you can see an enormous amount in a short space of time, and still have time for relaxing. I have no doubt that a fortnight of trekking and camping in Norway would be an incredible experience, but for a three day trip that’ll cost you all-in about as much as a UK festival weekend of the same length, you’ll see some magical scenery and feel like you’ve had a full-scale holiday – such is the change of pace and the sheer differentness of what you’ll see (did I mention the height of those cliffs?).

We’ve put up a gallery of shots online to give you a sense of what the fjords are like, in addition to images here. All I’ll say further to this is that – as with all

experience – you really have to be there, immersed in it, to ‘get’ it.

As for practical details, I’ll just try to fit in as much as I can.

‘Norway in a Nutshell’ may well be the worst name for a day-trip I’ve ever come across, but as a one-day mind-blower it’s right up there with your first ever proper binge. You take the train east from Bergen, through what seems like more tunnel than fresh air, before changing to a bus that drives down the steepest road in Western Europe (steeper than a Norwegian ale, so it is) and past one of the twenty highest waterfalls in the world (Norway has five of the top ten) to the ferry; the ferry takes you along about 20 miles of ‘fuck-me!’ fjords; and then you take the steepest non-funicular railway in the world up to the height of a Munro, on the way back towards Bergen. They even throw in a daft wee sketch involving stopping the train and blaring out Grieg next to one enormous waterfall, while a pair of distant blondes in blue dresses dance about like mythical siren types – all quite amusing and a nice kitsch touch to the otherwise impressively credible wonder of the landscape.

Bergen is a treat too: beautiful to walk around and dramatically set, it also has a sizeable population of international/travelling young people, so with a bit of general chat you should be able to find folks to hang out with if you want a locally-based guide.

That’s more likely to apply to a longer trip though.

And all I really intend to convey here is the germ of an idea: short flight, fjords, short flight – you won’t be disappointed.

Evening on Karl Johan Street, 1892

WHERE TO EAT

Vågen fetevare (Kong Oscarsgate 10, a one minute walk from the fish market) is a hippie-ish café cum restaurant that serves excellent breakfast and lunch in a friendly relaxed atmosphere, for a bit less than the going average (a mere £2.50 for a cup of tea!).

In the evening there are often good-quality music performances, of the more ethnic/ chilled variety. www.wideroe.no

July 2009

THE SKINNY 17

photos: anu selva

When it comes to natural beauty, Norway takes the piss. I should say first, before launching into a full-fledged sales pitch, that I’m a massive fan of the Scottish Highlands. If you’re planning a weekend away, and you have yet to spend a weekend roadtripping/ walking/cycling the Highlands – and the Far North in particular – then you really need to go. The Outer Hebrides, too, are genuinely phenomenal.

But while Scotland’s wild places have that powerful ruggedness, that humanising sense of history, those incredibly atmospheric colours – all of which are in a worldwide class of their own, Norway still takes the piss. And it’s really close – just over the North Sea. What I mean is more grand than mere geographical and geological one-upmanship though: the fjords are like nothing else you’ve ever seen, something that’s hard to believe is even real, something simultaneously humbling and inspiring: not so much ‘out of this world’ but for sure this world at its very apotheosis.

Sure, New Zealand has fjords too. And Yosemite National Park in California has those dramatic rock formations to add to the glacier-carved drama. But these incredible destinations share the scale of wonder we’re talking about in Norway – kilometre high cliffs plunging into the sea, waterfalls dropping from the heavens every way you turn – and, to reiterate, it’s really not far away; an hour and a half on a dinky but comfortable propeller plane.

Famously, the real obstacle to getting to Norway is the price. And realistically, it’s a factor. A decent dinner is going to set you back at least a tenner, a beer – not even a pint – over £6. Happily flights aren’t too much of a burden: book a bit in advance and you can tickets

Apart from seeing the fjords, Bergen is worth spending time in. The Floibanen Funicular (www.floibanen.no) climbs a steep hill for great views over the harbour; and walking along the wharf – where you can see the famous fish market (for expensive but delicious salmon, or expensive and morally dubious whale), medieval Bryggen, or the selection of boats (from elegant tall ships to phallic oligarch’s über-yachts). The Bergen Kunstmuseum (art gallery) contains the Rasmus Meyers Collection, which itself contains a significant selection of Edvard Munch’s finest works, including a number of straight-up masterpieces (www.kunstmuseene.no).

Lifestyle

FoodPOSH NOSH AND CHEAP EATS

& Drink

Shaken and Stirred Ruth Marsh chats to two maverick young Scottish companies changing the way we drink.

It seems a little churlish to visit a brewery and ask for a cup of tea. Having battled the elements along Fraserburgh’s esplanade to make it to BrewDog’s HQ on an industrial estate in sight of the North Sea, despite that inviting hoppy aroma, I needed to warm up and dry off with a softer kind of brew.

Once based in just a single unit, BrewDog recently ousted their neighbouring council offices (beer always trumps bureaucracy) to expand across three units and see further growth on the horizon. The plant is thronging with people – they employ sixteen locals full-time and, as director Martin Dickie points out, ‘there aren’t many happy business stories in Fraserburgh’.

Yet it didn’t always seem such a surefire winner.

Martin – who studied brewing at University in Edinburgh where he met BrewDog’s Managing Director James Watt – was determined to channel his passion for beer into creating his own craft brewery rather than following the more conventional career path of working for one of the giant conglomerates.

In April 2007, BrewDog was born and their signature beer, the fierce 6% Punk IPA, was launched on the world with a brazen statement of intent. ‘This is not a lowest common denominator beer’ is the label’s bold cry. ‘We don’t care if you don’t like it’. This was a company determined to set itself apart from both gassy, bland lager and the ‘paunch-and-beard-andcableknit-sweater’ CAMRA-style image of real ale.

‘The British beer market is pretty stagnant’ says Martin ‘Most craft breweries are shooting themselves in the foot by producing exactly the same things – bitters and blondes at 3.5-4.5%. They’re all packaged with images of steam engines and things on the label – it’s not particularly inspiring to anyone under 50’. Asked if they were inspired by any UK beers, Martin plainly says ‘no’; rather it was the potent, complex beers of Belgium and experimental US microbreweries like Florida’s Dogfish Head and Stone Brewery in California which provided their role models.

But it was a frustratingly long struggle to get the market interested in something outwith the norm.

James and Martin would stock up their car boots with cases, one heading north and one south, and try and get buyers to take a chance on a £30 case, sometimes only shifting 3 or 4 cases a day. To save shoe leather, they began sending samples to influential beer bloggers across the world – and their ecstatic feedback was the real turning point. They cracked the Swedish and US markets and, when they entered the Tesco Drinks Award in 2008 and claimed first through to fourth place, the UK trade eventually sat up and took notice.

Determined not to ‘clutter up the BrewDog brand’ they currently produce 6 core beers which are supplemented by seasonal specialities and limited releases.

Taste often takes precedence over economy and they use US and New Zealand hops, much bolder, headier and citric than milder English hops, which comes at a price. ‘We don’t really seem to ever do things cheaply’ admits Martin. There’s a really giddy, playful side to their small batch experiments – past ‘mad professor’ efforts include cramming in nearly ten times as many hops than usual to make the super-bitter How To Disappear Completely and Atlantic IPA, which lived in oak casks on the deck of James’ dad’s trawler for a twomonth trip around the North Atlantic, a journey video blogged for their website. The most recent is Zephyr, an audacious 750ml strawberry-infused Imperial Ale that’s spent the last 21 months in 1965 Invergordon whisky casks before being decanted into champagne bottles; just 100 bottles have been released – yours for £25 each, all profits to the RNLI. Not everyone, however, is charmed by their enthusiasm for breaking convention. When they

18 THE SKINNY July 2009

The Skinny Whisky Guide

By Ruth Marsh THIS MONTH:

Balblair '89

What Is It?

Balblair ’89 Highland Single Malt Where’s It From?

"The British beer market is pretty stagnant. Most breweries produce exactly the same thing." launched their 12% stout Tokyo as ‘aggressive’, press and alcohol awareness groups, blinkered by the a.b.v, heroically grabbed the wrong end of the stick and accused the company of encouraging irresponsible drinking. Anyone with common sense would see that a 330ml bottle being sold at £4 a pop (Oddbins will flog you 750ml of stronger table wine for that and give you change for crisps) is not going to be chugged back in bulk, but the kneejerk ‘blame the little guys’ reaction understandably depressed Martin.

‘The problem lies in large consumption of cheap beer’ he states, yet supermarkets that shift 8 cans of Carling for a fiver manage to escape blame. BrewDog ultimately want to educate the palates of drinkers, get their tastebuds out of their comfort zone and start sampling beers with friends, pairing it with food and saving the strong stuff for a special occasion – an ethos that surely stands more chance of countering people drinking themselves into oblivion than writing ‘Please Enjoy Responsibly’ as a microcosmic afterthought on whatever million pound booze campaign is currently plastered over the city.

Down in another industrial estate (this time Broxburn in West Lothian) is another recent addition to the independent Scottish drinks scene with a similarly evangelical pursuit of perfection. Whilst Scotland’s previous contribution to the vodka market seems limited to a quart bottle of Grant’s that you’d take to a party you’re not that bothered about, Pincer Vodka is a swooningly stylish spirit operating at a whole other level. Created from Scottish mountain

water, botanical and herbal infusions including wild elderflower and unfiltered grain (filtering destroying the subtlety of flavour), it is distilled to 38% – the ‘perfect’ volume for vodka according to Dmitri Mendeleev, the creator of the periodic table (and who are we to argue?).

But Pincer’s really eyecatching USP is that, thanks to its use of renowned restorative and detoxer milk thistle, it is the world’s first hangover-combating vodka – music to the ears of school night partygoers everywhere. The brainwave of former Glasgow architect Jonathan Engels, the prototype was road-tested

by Stravaigin’s bar manager (and creator of the best Bloody Mary around) James Atkinson; once it got his seal of approval Jonathan knew he was on to a winner.

Jonathan, however, can sympathise with BrewDog’s initial stalling – ‘nearly everything took at least twice as long, was twice the price and was twice as difficult as I would have imagined’ he admits. ‘The bottles arrived 8 months late...that wasn’t a nice time’. Similarly, again, to the BrewDog boys, Jonathan decided to initially market outwith Scotland – ‘most drinks companies test out their new products in Glasgow or Edinburgh before launching in London, so we thought it was about time we tried the opposite’.

Thanks to strong branding and that creative, architectural eye – the bottle has a dark blue, vintage pharmacy vibe with trailing floral motifs – Pincer was soon in the hands of some of England’s most influential tastemakers. Sampling at the Free Range Art & Design grad show off Brick Lane, London Fashion Week and the Square Mile party atop of the Gherkin meant it rapidly became the buzziest spirit to mix with your slimline. Thankfully, it’s now available in home soil style bars, proudly nestling next to the Stoli at Glasgow’s Black Sparrow and Tigerlily in Edinburgh. Like BrewDog, Pincer is a company routed in Scotland but looking outwards – in a real ‘coals to Newcastle’ moment, they have recently had an order from the British Embassy in Moscow, creating interest in vodka’s spiritual home.

It’s a long way from a dreich Fraserburgh to Kate Moss’s martini glass, but these two cheerfully iconoclastic companies suggest the future of Scotland’s drinks industry is looking rosy.

For exclusive Skinny Pincer cocktail recipes created by some of Scotland’s best mixologists visit www.theskinny.co.uk www.pincervodka.com www.brewdog.co.uk

Balblair Distillery nestles on the shores of the Dornoch Firth in the far North village of Edderton, in the shadows of the Clach Biorach sacred stone, erected by the Picts four millenia ago. The distillery has been in use since 1790.and continues to be supplied by the same pure waters of the Ault Dearg burn. The end product supports the use of traditional methods- last year Balblair won the Icons of Whisky International Distiller of the Year.

What Does It Look Like?

Balblair is a strikingly pale, naturallycoloured malt, with a straw-gold, honeyed hue like a perfect sunset.

How Does It Taste?

Uncorking the gorgeous bottle (designed to mimic a stone smoothed by flowing water and covered in swirling Pictish Script) releases a big, bright nose that lingers pleasantly. There’s nothing peaty or smoky in this malt- instead it bursts with sweet treats. Think spicy dried vine fruits, ripe citrus and vanilla fudge all bundled together in a fresh, summery mouthful.

This is clean, slick and smooth- just a wee splash if icy water would turn it into an ideal and unusual BBQ / picnic/ camping expedition accompaniment.

Where Can I Get It?

You can pick up a bottle of tres swankilypackaged ’89 vintage (the box has magnets!

Coo!) online at www.singlemaltsdirect. com for £39.99 or try Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh. Vintages ranging from ’97 to ’65 also available.

THE SKINNY WHISKEY GUIDE IS SPONSORED BY:

DESIGN A T-SHIRT FOR US

AND WE'LL MAKE YOU FAMOUS! Well, not exactly, but we do have a fantastic opportunity for any of you designers and visually-minded types: the chance of a feature in The Skinny on you and your work, and people all over Scotland wearing your latest design.

THE COMPETITION We are seeking two new T-shirt designs, and want you to help!

The Skinny would like two new T-shirt designs: one for our staff to wear when we go to events (not like, any events, but certain work-type events) and one for us to be able to give to readers. Both should be badass, and convey the ethos of The Skinny through your own creative interpretation of our shizzle. Send in a design for each - which can be as similar or as different as you like - because we're only going to pick one winner! If you want us to consider one design for both categories, that's fine - just make it clear on your application.

DESIGNS Thanks to our partners at Edinburgh's top-notch T-shirt printing shop Fabrick, the field is wide open for your design: designs can be up to A3 size, and will be printed on the front of 50 highquality white T-shirts (a mix of both sexes). The only parameters are that the 'Staff' T should have The Skinny logo on it quite big, and the 'Freestyle' T should have the logo on it somewhere.

THE PRIZE The winner will receive 5 T-shirts with their design printed on, plus a feature in the September issue of The Skinny profiling them, their work, and the process that went into creating the winning design. Plus then you'll be our pal, and anything you want us to do for you... well, you can ask. We will be hosting a gallery of some of the best entries, with full credits to designers, on theskinny.co.uk.

HOW TO ENTER Email a jpeg of your designs to competitions@theskinny.co.uk. The deadline for entries is 10 August.

- designs can be for printing up to A3 size. Maximum file size for entries is 1 megabyte per image.

- you can download a copy of our logo from theskinny.co.uk/tshirt - you must enter both categories - the judging will be done anonymously, so anyone is welcome to enter (even our grannies will get the same unbiased appraisal) - if you want to see what your design will look like on a T-shirt, visit www.fabricktshirts.co.uk to use their custom T-shirt creation software

FABRICK - Fabrick create custom T-shirts that can feature any artwork, photo or logo - they've got a range of fonts so you can write 'free sex here' (yes that man, we saw you at Rock Ness) in almost any style you want on your chest, back, sleeve - almost anywhere on a T-shirt that you can see - they're centrally located in Edinburgh, but offer free postage to anywhere in the UK or EEC Fabrick, 50 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1 1PB 0131 226 7020

WWW.FABRICKTSHIRTS.CO.UK

Regular Skinny T&Cs apply, available on request.

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 19

LIFESTYLE

FASHION

COUTURE FOR THE FUTURE

P ure MORNING STYLIST Ian Tod / www.iantod.com MAKE UP Jak Morgan / www.jakmorgan.com PHOTOGRAPHY Andrew Moore / www.andrewmoore.com MODEL Katarzyna Kacik from / Model Team

CREAM DRESS

BY YUMI @ JENNERS, £50

20 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

WHITE MAXI DRESS BARNARDO'S VINTAGE, £22.99

NATURAL DRESS AND NECKLACE JESIRE @ JOHN LEWIS, £159.00

VERNONA FRILL DRESS BY COAST @ JOHN LEWIS, £150.00

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 21

SEX, TRUTH AND POLITICS

The Dating Game Our sex columnist Phoebe Henderson goes on a date with another writer. Can she stick to her self-imposed sex ban? No, she cannot.

PHOEBE: FOR me, dating has always been about as much fun as a smear test: undignified, uncomfortable and usually wishing halfway through that I’d worn more spectacular pants. I’d love to be one of those girls who relishes the prospect of dating, but my inability to look interested when bored or fill in the painful silences with anything other than undecipherable nonsense tends to make me run screaming in the opposite direction.

So for my next column the idea was simple: I’d have a date with another writer (Thomas) and we’d write about the same date from different perspectives as honestly as possible. This took the dating pressure off slightly, as I managed to convince myself it wasn’t a ‘real’ date as such. As Thomas was familiar with my column we’d thought it best to issue a sex ban, ensuring we’d concentrate only on the actual date - so we wouldn’t be too distracted should we find each other attractive, and no feelings would be hurt if one found the other repulsive.

I approached this date as I approach most things: leaving everything to the last minute and then panicking. Getting ready for a date usually requires planning however, as all clothing/make-up/jewellery is chosen, applied and worn with one very specific question in mind: “Will this make him want to shag me?”

So when I finally met Thomas in the flesh, my heart sank and the first words that popped into my head were “For fuck’s sake”.

He wasn’t what I’d imagined he’d look like from the couple of cheeky pictures I’d seen - he was much, much better. Rather delicious in fact and, of course, all wrapped up in a big old sex ban. Typical.

The date itself was rather fun, I have to say; I didn’t feel too nervous and after a couple of drinks we seemed to get along well. We met his friends and his flatmate, went dancing, got rather drunk, and apart from the only slip-up (I kissed him. Mainly because he was handsome) the sex ban remained in place.

However, a few hours later we were at his place naked and in bed. We didn’t shag but I got the best oral sex of my life. Several times. If he uses the rest of his anatomy as well as he uses his mouth, I’m in trouble.

The downside of someone having a flatmate however

is when they catch you kneeling in the blowjob position and there’s nothing you can do to make it look like anything other than it is.

If this had been a ‘proper’, more conventional date, I’d have been torturing myself with the whole “Do you think he’ll call? Why hasn’t he called? Was it my hair? I’m going to die a spinster” nonsense. As this was purely for ‘research’, the same pressure didn’t exist

FROM PUBLIC SEX TO PHONE SEX VIA LANGUAGE I RECENTLY joined goodreads.com. 'Another social networking site?', you might well ask: 'Aren’t there enough of the bloody things already?' This one has a specific purpose, though, which I rather appreciate – reviewing and discussing books. Rather than go overboard by cataloguing everything I’ve ever read, I focused instead on what I’d looked at recently. I reviewed Best Sex Writing 2008, and listed Skin Deep 2 and Jane Sexes It Up among books I’m currently reading. Actually, in the past week or so I’ve also dipped in to Public Sex by Pat Califia, Phone Sex

by Miranda Austin, and Rent Girl by Michelle Tea, but I decided to overlook them for now, in the interests of not cluttering.

22 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

All this put me in mind of someone I was seeing a few years ago. She inspected my bookshelves and, putting them in the context of my work, my studies and my activism, asked rather timidly: “So basically everything in your life is about sex?” I don’t believe this to be the case, but when your sexuality is ostensibly displayed through your books, people sometimes draw certain conclusions.

It’s tempting to protest that I have plenty of books on other subjects (I do!), but what interests me is the fact that sexuality stands out so much more. It’s generally assumed that most of us are having sex, so why shouldn’t we be reading about it? [Nine]

and there was no worry about phone calls or whether or not I should have let him see my bottom on a first date.

This little challenge has made slightly braver when it comes to dating and led me to evaluate all of the pointless, negative concerns I may have had. It’s not all bad really … Wonder if he wants to try the sex ban again?

THOMAS: ABOUT five minutes after meeting her for the first time, Phoebe asked if I had felt nervous about the date. To be honest, I hadn’t been at all, but did ponder why that might be in the days that followed.

Fact is, I’ve not been on too many blind dates before.

Those that did occur tended to involve me appearing as wingman to keep someone’s sister occupied, thus giving my friend a clear run at his intended target.

Also, I’d been chatting with Phoebe via e-mail on work-related matters for some months prior to actually meeting up, and we had conversed quite amiably. So, no, on this occasion I wasn’t at all worried, though it did bring to mind some previous first dates where the conversation had dried up quicker than Lindsay Lohan’s movie career, the subsequent silence punctuated only by empty glass hitting wood and the words “So, would you like another drink then?”

Phoebe had done a good job of describing herself, so meeting her also proved no shock. Pretty, and after the first drink had been ordered and we settled a little, delightfully cheeky and friendly. It was very comforting to know there wouldn’t be any awkward silences; in fact, neither of us shut up thereafter.

Of course, I’m aware of Phoebe’s sex column.

Whilst that in itself doesn’t make me in any way uncomfortable, I thought it might be more relaxing to take actual sex out of the equation for the evening, and not have to worry too much about being ‘reviewed’ later on (one facet of the occasion which probably was slightly odd).

Naturally, our first proper topic of conversation was the bloody sex ban. And indeed sex in general. Fair enough I guess - Phoebe is on a mission to discover as much as she can, and good luck to her. And it is nice to talk about sex in a frank and fun way, without ever getting too prurient.

It’s probably not too conventional to bring a first date along to meet your mates after just an hour or so, but they’re good chat, and great fun without being overbearing, so I figured (correctly) that we’d all have a laugh together. So we went clubbing, then drinking until all hours back at mine. By this stage of course, Phoebe and I were quite relaxed in each other’s company, and so neither of us had any compunction about getting naked in bed together, with all the consequences that this entails. Having spent the evening talking incessantly, I’m glad to report that this didn’t stop once we were in the sack. Sex is so much more fun with a suitably filthy running commentary.

We really should have been tired, but hours later, there was no end in sight, until eventually, Phoebe had to leave and I was left to wonder how that wet patch got there, and there, and there and there ... Sex bans? Highly recommended!

PHOEBEHENDERSON.BLOGSPOT.COM

REVIEW HUSTLER WHITE DIRECTOR: BRUCE LABRUCE, RICK CASTRO STARRING: BRUCE LABRUCE, TONY WARD, ALEX AUSTIN RELEASED: 29 JUNE 2009 CERTIFICATE: 18

rrrr According to Hustler White star and Madonna muse Tony Ward, “the only difference between porn and art is the lighting”. Try explaining that to detractors of Canadian artist Bruce LaBruce. It’s been ten years since his and Rick Castro’s combination of hardcore sex, underground satire, nonlinear narrative, agit-prop posturing Sunset Boulevard first appeared. Since then, LaBruce the film-maker has produced work comparable to the early experiments of Kenneth Anger, Jean-Luc Godard, John Waters and Derek Jarman. With this film, his unsimulated exploration of sexual extremism (razor-blade fetishism, bondage, asphyxiation) is often mediated by political intent (see the “Black Power” gang-bang)

or sincere romanticism (an amputee sodomy scene is laced with heartfelt sentiment). If many find this to be delusional, that’s because they are blind to irony: folks, it’s supposed to be funny! And it’s this humour which gives his films genuine entertainment value, while his use of porn aesthetics is as crucial to his stylistic concerns as the world of advertising is to Sam Taylor-Wood. Hustler White may not have the urgency or discipline of Otto, or Up With Dead People (his critique of the increasingly bourgeois status of LGBT society), but its formal daring and sexual fearlessness remain exciting. Baise-Moi, 9 Songs, Shortbus ... the revolution began here! [Michael Gillespie]

ILLUSTRATION: ALASDAIR BOYCE

LIFESTYLE

DEVIANCE

Orange Deb , Deborah Kass, 2000. Silkscreen on Canvas. Courtesy of the artis and Paul Kasmin Gallery

Holly Woodlawn Dressing II, Sadie Lee, 2007.

Oil on canvas. courtesy of the artist.

Memorial to a Marriage, Patricia Cronin, 2004.

Bronze cast of Carrera marble sculpture, 2/3 size.

sh[OUT]: Contemporary art and human rights Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow

rrrr GoMA’s social justice exhibition this year is sh[OUT], on the topic of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex life. With such a broad remit, it’s a surprise to begin with Ins A Kromminga’s series of intimate, visceral drawings on the forced and very often harmful gender reassignment of intersexed children by the medical profession. It’s a delight to see art which manages to be insightful, explicit and political at the same time.

The main area hosts an impressive and diverse collection of works ranging from Patricia Cronin’s unexpectedly moving Memorial to a Marriage, a funerary sculpture of embracing lesbian lovers, to Robert Mapplethorpe’s highly explicit Jim and Tom, Sausalito 1977. The sheer variety of work ensures that there is something here for everyone, including plenty to be offended by if so inclined. The majority of the exhibits are centered around portraiture, an approach which focuses sharply on the humanity of each subject and on levels of intimacy - with self, with friends, family and lovers, and with the viewer – but which puts the body centre stage and can place too much emphasis on the superficial.

Nan Goldin’s photographs memorialising her friend

Greer Langton are truly touching, but leave the viewer wanting to know more about Greer’s art and her personality rather than the sheer fact of her transsexuality. Lizzie Rowe’s self-portrait has the virtue of being a work by, rather than about, a transgendered artist, though one reviewer found this tame depiction of her body so extreme that it was labelled “radical art”. It’s surprising that, in the 21st century, the mere existence of a transsexual woman has the power to shock.

The exhibition is rather devoid of the Scottish connection until reaching the annexe, where Kate Charlesworth and David Shenton’s involving and funny comics, together with a series of films by Scots LGBT youth, add a more grounded touch. Next to this is the feedback section which includes an affecting book of comments: individual Scots, almost all young, who have felt moved, reached out to and less isolated by their gallery visit. This exhibition tries to be all things to all people and, surprisingly, succeeds at this impossible task, leaving any ‘controversy’ firmly in the eye of the beholder.[Celeste West] Mon - Wed 10am - 5pm, Thu 10am - 8pm, Sat 10am - 5pm, Fri & Sun 11am - 5pm

July 2009

THE SKINNY 23

Lifestyle

SHOWCASE

ECA DEGREE SHOW SPECIAL: SARAH MUIRHEAD

24 THE SKINNY July 2009

“I am fascinated by people, their attitudes, preconceptions and self image. I have been focusing on peripheral characters, quiet observers, people with whom I find some degree of understanding, although this may remain verbally unexpressed. I try to recall an ephemeral moment working from my photographs. Concentrating on the texture and translucence of the flesh, the build and demeanor and the physicality and pose of each figure, I try to remain truthful in their portrayal avoiding idealism or stereotypes.

I like the contrast between the blemished, varied and flawed texture of skin and the flatness of everything we use to disguise, decorate or distract from it. Sometimes the very things we use to express ourselves effectively act as a barrier. I don’t want to make vacuous copies of photographs but to try to recount a moment of empathy between strangers. I want to show vulnerability.”

-Sarah Muirhead Sarah has been nominated by a panel of luminaries including Conrad Shawcross, Tracey Emin, and Tim Marlow, to take part in an exhibition organised by murmurART between 30 June and 14 July in Selfridges, Oxford Street, London. Between 1 and 13 July she will be taking part in a public art campaign in the London underground organised by Art Below, a group which uses advertising space for art work. A poster of one of her paintings will be displayed in Euston station, platform 6.

July 2009

THE SKINNY 25

Digital

Drawn Together by Mutsugoto What does the future hold for long-distance lovers? Director of New Media Scotland Mark Daniels thinks he's found the answer in a tech experiment that combines light and love.

Sixty points for a ‘SPANK’? Bring it on. I play a word game app with a certain, rather clever person that I care about. So I’m loosing 2:1, that’s not the point. It helps to maintain a connection to a special someone who’s more than a simple commuting distance away. We were never a couple, but as notions of how to maintain a long distance relationship have become part of my working life, it’s got me thinking.

We support the work of Distance Lab, a creative research team focused on the theme of distance.

Together we’ve set up an experiment called Mutsugoto, which loosely translates as ‘pillow talk’. Somewhere in Scotland we’ve constructed a bedroom. Behind veils of red silk organza lies a prototype communication device that enables two lovers to express the feeling of touch over distance through lines of light they draw on to their bodies.

We are about to start trials of the system: the best Etch A Sketch you could possibly imagine, and then some. Think Ewan McGregor in the Pillow Book, but no ink required. Projections onto the body and bed gently bubble to indicate presence, and when the two lines cross, the colour slowly changes from white to red. Start drawing your selves together.

Couples are being sought. We’ll bring a Mutsugoto system to the home of your partner, whilst we invite you to join us at the base station.

Now if you were wondering why I’m being a secret squirrel about where the base station is, there is a reason. It’s our tenth birthday, so we decided to play a game, a game of love, war and telepathy. We’ve invited a choreographer to create a playful but longing networked dance piece

26 THE SKINNY July 2009

"it's the best EtchA-Sketch you could possibly imagine." using Mutsugoto. It will be performed live in two locations in Scotland at 8pm on the 2 July. One bedroom is at the CCA in Glasgow, but the game is to also locate and enter the base station bedroom before 9pm, as there are custom iPods to be won.

Love is not a game, and long distance relationships take some work even in this age of multimodal communication systems. But that’s the rub: these systems change our perceptions of space and proximity. We feel closer for sharing an experience, however abstract it may be. Be realistic, stay connected and keep things interesting is my advice.

Alt-win.ning, 2 July, 8pm, £5 www.mediascot.org

DOWNLOAD: E3 ECSTASY WHILE the words ‘convention’ and ‘geek’ seldom make for a happy union, at the very least the fallout from LA’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) and Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) yield the occasional amazing toy for the rest of us to play with. This year much of the E3 buzz surrounded Microsoft’s best-kept secret Project Natal, a motion sensing bit of kit for the Xbox 360 that has the rare Microsoft distinction of doing exactly what it says on the tin. Picture the crazy gameplay you can do by waving a Wiimote around: playing tennis, swinging a sword, punching an adorable boxer. Now get rid of the Wiimote, and there you have Natal in a nutshell: a sophisticated camera that tracks your entire body and turns you into a controller: you golf by golfing, punch by punching, and hold on to a pretend steering wheel to drive a car. If you can get over the silliness (and the Wii did wonders for curing that kind of self-consciousness), it looks like the days of button-mashing might be numbered,

CALL them Davids against Goliath, call them underdogs, but don’t call them short on ambition. Two new search engines hit the tubes this month, looking to take on Google’s search engine dominance with grassroots support and bloggers’ enthusiasm for all things new. First up is a traditional-style offering from a traditional brand: Microsoft Bing (http:// bing.com). The successor of Microsoft’s ill-received MSN Search and still in beta, this newcommer sports a clean, ad-free front page, real-time search suggestions, and a large offering of related searches served up on the results page. Specialized searches like maps, translation, images, travel, videos and even a celeb-ranking system let you customize your search and get tailored results, all of which benefit from years of watching Google test the water and improving on what works. The image search, for example, has a dedicated search for desktop wallpapers, but one-ups the search by tailoring the results to your screen size and currently-running resolution. It’s also very adept at skimming contact info and phone numbers from corporate websites without ever having to visit the page and hunt it down.

Bing is definitely more of an evolutionary step rather than a search revolution, but it’s hard to not admire

THE FEED

if only we had a release date.

Apple, not to be outdone, hosted their annual conference just a short drive away immediately following E3. Awash in speculation about a new iPhone, MacBook, tablet, or cure for ebola, blackclad acolytes of Steve Jobs unveiled a raft of updated tech and software, but few surprises. Chief among the new toys was a revamped iPhone 3GS, adding a faster processor, compass, movie move, new OS, and a hefty new price tag. O2 will start selling the phone in the UK on17 June, and will slash prices on the existing 3G model – which may finally make it a viable option for us mere mortals. Also unveiled were a 13” MacBook Pro, a new version of their Snow Leopard operating system, a new Safari browser, and, for many, a distinct lack of innovation. C’mon, guys, we know times are tough, but let’s see some of that old Apple crazy-talk, like when you said we could fit 500 songs in our pocket or use a mouse without buttons. Ah, memories. [Alex Cole]

Microsoft’s low-key, “let us know how you get on with it” approach, contrasted with the inflated expectations of the Windows Which Must Not Be Named.

In the revolutionary corner, however, comes Wolfram|Alpha (http://wolframalpha.com). The brainchild of techno-guru Stephen Wolfram, this search oddball bills itself as a “computational answer engine.”

Able to run with raw data or full questions (be sure to ask it “Are you Skynet?”), Wolfram|Alpha grabs whatever calculable, quantifiable data it can from your search and throws up an impressive array of facts, figures, charts and graphs about your search.

That goes for dates, stock comparisons, weather, historical facts, algebra, finance, and the occasional philosophical quandary. It is exceptionally good at guessing and has plenty of power under the hood, directly answering questions where Google can only delegate to other sites. The impressive coding behind this unassuming site makes it far more than a decider-of-wagers. The results come so fast and furious there’s almost no reason to slog through Wikipedia if all your want are the bottom-line facts.

Or the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow. [Alex Cole]

BY ALEX COLE

-DIGITAL BRITAIN CONSIDERING LEVYING 50p/MONTH BROADBAND TAX PER HOUSEHOLD -FACEBOOK UNVEILS VANITY, USER-DECIDED URL FOR YOUR HOME PAGE -NEW HYBRID SOLAR/MICROTURBINE POWERPLANT GOING ONLINE IN ISRAEL -PALM PRE AND KINDLE DX HIT THE SHELVES THIS MONTH, EARLY ADOPTERS REJOICE -NEW VOICE FOR TOMTOM SATNAV DIRECTIONS: HOMER SIMPSON -MICROSOFT IS DONATING EIGHT MEALS TO CHARITY FOR EVERY INTERNET EXPLORER 8 DOWNLOAD

REVIEWS STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE

BEJEWELED 2

OUT NOW ON XBOX 360 , £24.99

OUT NOW ON PSN

rrrr

rrr

The latest chapter in this often overlooked role-playing series is a sprawling epic, standing comfortably alongside the best the genre has to offer. In a clever move by developer Square-Enix, this new game acts as the opening chapter of the series, a way of introducing first-time players to the rich word of Star Ocean. Sometime in the not too distant future, mankind triggers World War III and with it, renders the planet near-uninhabitable, and so the human race prepares for the first galactic expedition to find new planets to live on. Lead character and all-round good guy Edge Maverick is part of this first mission into the uncharted depths of space in a sprawling journey to save mankind from destruction. Star Ocean favours real-time combat as opposed to random encounters and turn-based menu systems. This format only works in some cases, such as the exemplary Lost Odyssey, but here the fighting system works well, whilst still retaining a tactical edge. The game is an aesthetically stunning and thoroughly enjoyable experience that makes other, more recent SquareEnix releases pale in comparison. With likeable characters, an engaging plot, and production values that are through the roof, it never gets tiresome: something that any role-playing game with staying power must achieve and The Last Hope pulls off with finesse.[Dave Cook]

Bejeweled 2 is a puzzle-based game that is huge on the web, extremely addictive, and now available to download from the PS3 Network. The main basis of the game is swapping gems around on a predetermined board looking to chain three or more of the same gem together, horizontally and/or vertically. A move is only allowed if it will combine three or more gems of the same type, and must be adjacent to the currently selected gem. When a combination is created the combined gems disappear from the board and all the gems in that column shift down. The free space at the top is then filled with new, random gems.

The game consists of four different modes of play: classic, action, puzzle and endless, and there are unique versions of commons gems that are created when certain conditions are met. The control scheme is simple to master. However, it’s not as easy flowing and quick as the original PC version and though the sound effects are crisp the music feels a tad stale at times. If you’ve played before and fancy playing Bejeweled 2 on your big screen then this is a deserving download, but you might as well go online and check out the free version first.[John Truesdale]

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 27

DIGITAL

UPLOAD: THE SEARCH WARS CONT.

REading

Time To Get Booking...

Next month the mighty Edinburgh International Book Festival returns from 15 – 31 of August. Tickets are on sale now, so with that in mind, here’s our guide to the best at the fest.

The highlight of any book festival is, of course, the events that The Skinny sponsors. This year we’re sponsoring David Sedaris and David Simon, both of whom we preview in more detail below.

Any David Simon fans should note that another one of America’s foremost crime writers, Richard Price, will be appearing on the 28 August. Not only has Price written crime classics like Clockers and Freedomland, but he was also a contributing writer on The Wire.

In fact, fans of crime writing have writers galore to choose from. Henning Mankell, writer of the Wallander novels, which were adapted for television with Kenneth Branagh last year, will appear on 22 August.

David Peace, who wrote the Red Riding quartet will be appearing on the same day. He’ll be talking about his new book, Occupied City, but will almost certainly touch upon the Channel 4 adaptation of Red Riding, and his controversial novel about Brian

Clough, The Damned United.

Scotland’s own crime specialist, Ian Rankin, will be launching his debut graphic novel Dark Entries, part of the ongoing series of John Constantine graphics. He’ll be appearing in conversation with one of the masters of the form, Neil Gaiman, on the 20th. Established comics great Mark Millar will be appearing on the 29th, to talk about his work for Marvel and DC, as well as works like Wanted (filmed with James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie) and his ongoing American Jesus trilogy.

Plenty of other big names are appearing at the festival. The new Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, will appear on the 15th and the 18th, and is sure to attract a large audience. As will Richard Dawkins on the 31st, and Garrison Keillor on the 15th, and neither require any introduction here. Anthony Beevor, writer of the history bestseller Stalingrad will be talking about his new book D-Day: The Battle

for Normandy on the 18th, and novelist William Boyd will be launching his – no doubt excellent – new novel, Ordinary Thunderstorms, on the 28th.

Many of those events will be sold out quickly, but excellent writers are always to be found. Look, I’ll rattle some off: Cult American novelist Douglas Coupland, of Generation X fame, is appearing on the 30th, to talk about his new book, Generation A. The even more cult – and incredibly highly recommended – Nicholson Baker will be launching his new book, The Anthologist, on the 24th. Emmanuel Jal, who was once a child soldier in Sudan and is now an acclaimed rap artist, will be telling his story on the 15th. The world’s best poker writer, Anthony Holden, will be appearing on the 20th. Daniel Kehlmann, writer of the buy-it-before-you-finishreading-this-sentence classic Measuring The World will be appearing with Ukranian comic novelist Andrei Kurkov on the 26th, a double header that’s

previews David Sedaris and David Simon

The Moth Edinburgh Book Festival, 22 AUG

Edinburgh Book Festival, 22 aug and 29 aug

David Simon is best known as one of the creators of the TV show The Wire, praised to the skies by anyone who’s ever seen it. David Sedaris is an American writer, sometimes described for want of a better term as a ‘humorist’.

Simon started out as a journalist and somehow ended up running TV shows, and Sedaris was discovered by a radio producer whilst reading his diary out at a comedy club. These beginnings are a good thing – much like politicians, anyone who wants to work in the broadcast media shouldn’t be allowed.

As well as being a TV genius, David Simon is an excellent prose writer. After he spent a year covering the Baltimore Homicide squad, he produced his first, excellent, book, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.

This was followed by a further, excellent, book, looking at Baltimore from almost the opposite angle: The Corner: A Year In The Life of An Inner City Neighborhood. This book was written in collaboration with Ed Burns, a sometime Baltimore police officer who later became a teacher, and who would go on with Simon to create The Wire. The Wire, propelled by Simon and Burns’ writing talents, has been widely and wildly praised, with Salon. com calling it “a Homeric epic of modern America”, Charlie Brooker calling it “the best TV show of the last 20 years” and even Barack Obama has said it’s his favorite television show.

28 THE SKINNY July 2009

Though it’s not his stock in trade, David Sedaris made one of the best television programmes I’ve ever seen – an extremely persuasive show about how everyone would benefit from not watching television. Essentially this was a filmed essay, and essays are his stock in trade. He’s best known in America for the witty essays, and short stories, he writes and reads out on National Public Radio’s This American Life programme. He’s been described as ‘caustic’, ‘mordant’, ‘droll’ and ‘sardonic’, all good things, and the spoken word versions of his work have been nominated for three Grammy awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy album. He’s a great reader, and watching him perform promises to be a treat.

We’re extremely pleased that The Skinny is sponsoring these events – both David Sedaris and David Simon are accomplished, talented writers who are very able speakers in front of a crowd. We wish them well for their events, and hope that as many of our readers as possible have got tickets. [Ryan Agee] Those lucky enough to have tickets can see David Simon on Sat 29 Aug from 8-9pm, and David Sedaris on Sat 22 Aug from 3.30-4.30pm Both events are now sold out.

Returns may be available.

So, what’s the best kept secret at this festival? Well, we’d have to say it’s The Moth. Author George Dawes Green began this storytelling evening in his New York apartment in 1997, as a way to recreate the lazy summer evenings he’d spent in his youth in Georgia, telling stories amongst his friends. It was a roaring success, and interest grew to such a level that it started to take place in front of an audience, and then grew further so that it took place in progressively bigger venues, until it reached a point where tickets sold out within hours of appearing on their website, unadvertised.

The apparently unstoppable event that is The Moth is now primed to make its international debut at the book festival on 22 August (a short time after David Sedaris finishes, in fact – a great double bill if you’re interested.) In the States, contributors included everyone from Frank McCourt to Julia Stiles, from Ethan Hawke to the wonderful George Plimpton. For the event here, we’re promised storytelling of the highest order, and special guests too. If you’re at all interested then we’d advise booking NOW, because tickets will go like wildfire. And we hope you enjoy yourselves too.

[Keir Hind] The Moth takes place on 22 Aug, from 7.00pm to 8.30pm. Tickets are just about still available!

not to be missed. American crime writer George Dawes Green launches his new book, Ravens, on the 21st, but also brings his highly rated, and highly intriguing sounding storytelling evening The Moth on the 22nd – about which, more below.

If none of that appeals, what about seeing comedians launching their books? Arthur Smith, of Grumpy Old Men fame, is doing his thing on the 21st.

The always appealing Dave Gorman will be talking about his travels on the 16th. And Frank Skinner will be launching a second volume of memoirs on the 23rd. Please remember though that in the time it’s taken you to read all this, tickets have been selling fast. You want to go see any of this? Get booking now!

Tickets for all events are on sale now.

Bookings can be made by phone at 0845 373 5888 or online, at edbookfest.co.uk

BAD BOY DRIVE

THE FIRE GOSPEL

BY ROBERT SELLERS

BY MICHAEL FABER

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rrrr

David Lynch’s 2001 film added much to the surreal and schizophrenic nature of Mulholland Drive, a long and winding beauty spot outside Hollywood, and home to many of the movie industry’s iconic characters, including legendary lotharios Warren Beatty, Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper -thus, allegedly, lending the stretch of road the star-struck sobriquet ‘Bad Boy Drive’. Sellers is in no way subtle about setting the scene, with a seeming endless supply of quotes from (often anonymous) Hollywood insiders leading him to declare early on that this was the “epicentre of the era’s drug-soaked social scene” and that the aforementioned were “men for whom rules did not apply.” The book does provide entertaining back stories, shedding, for example, new light on Brando’s early career struggles, but the purpose of the whole thing seems to be to strongly reinforce perceptions of the men that we already had. Sellers’ prose is generally lowest common denominator, rendered in this case as sycophantic hero-worship. Ultimately, a bit dull. [Paul Mitchell]

Remember The Da Vinci Code? Consider this the antidote.

In The Fire Gospel Michael Faber has fun satirizing that book and its horrible ilk. His plot involves a translator called Theo Gripenkerl stumbling (almost literally) onto some ancient scrolls in Aramaic, the language he happens to be expert in, while in Iraq. This sort of luck may seem familiar to readers of bestsellers. Then the scrolls turn out to be a fifth gospel, but it’s written by a total bore, and is too short to publish by itself. Nonetheless, Theo finds a publisher who makes him pad out the text with an overdone, hysterical account of its discovery. Despite the obvious deficiencies, any news about Jesus sells, and so the book flies off the shelves. And there Grippin’s (he has to change his name) troubles begin. This is a very amusing book, for anyone who thought too much fuss was made over The Da Vinci Code or its imitators. It targets the publishing industry more than anything else, and though it’s short its worth picking up. [Keir Hind]

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY PREFACE PUBLISHING. COVER PRICE £17.99

RELEASE DATE 2 JUL. PUBLISHED BY CANONGATE. COVER PRICE £7.99.

LENNOX

BY CRAIG RUSSELL

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DON’T RHYME FOR THE SAKE OF RIDDLIN’: THE AUTHORISED STORY OF PUBLIC ENEMY

BY RUSSELL MYRIE

rrrr

Lennox is, we are promised, the first book in a series about a ‘fixer’ in 1950s Glasgow, by author Craig Russell who once served as a police officer in Scotland. It’s odd then that his protagonist is not in the police – Lennox is some sort of shady middleman, and the plot of the book involves him having to solve a murder he’s a suspect in. Naturally, the police and various criminal elements get in his way, and he plays them off entertainingly against each other.

The problem with the book is that the setting is incredibly overdone. Lennox seems to have a geography fetish, and a road map will help readers in passages like: “I swung across the Albert Bridge. Crown Street was empty of cars. From here he could have taken the Carlisle road or…” and it goes on. References to the fifties are similarly laboured: “I found myself thinking that if newly appointed General Secretary Dag Hammarskjöld...” is not the language of a Glasgow hard man. Or anyone else. A pretty good crime thriller, if you can ignore the odd laughable detail. [Ryan Agee]

This is a fairly standard biography that’s lifted above the norm by having a fascinating subject. Public Enemy are one of the greatest hip hop acts ever, and that’s because they (and Chuck D in particular) actually had something important to say. They thrived on rapping about political or public issues, and created huge controversy as a result. This is an authorised biography, which is usually a sign of an anodyne, cleaned up story. But Public Enemy have nothing to hide, and their collective contributions to the book almost always seem open and honest, down to (mercifully briefly) discussing Flavor Flav’s child support payments. The author occasionally overcooks his writing, like when he describes The Bronx as ‘the borough that mothered this rap shit.’ He’s usually more controlled and his contribution as a researcher outweighs any occasional lapses. It’s aimed at existing fans, but PE’s story is compelling enough to have some crossover appeal. [Ryan Agee]

RELEASE DATE: 2 JUL. PUBLISHED BY QUERCUS. COVER PRICE £12.99.

RELEASE DATE: 18 JUNE. PUBLISHED BY CANONGATE. COVER PRICE £9.99 PAPERBACK.

SUM

DAISYCHAIN

BY DAVID EAGLEMAN

BY GJ MOFFAT

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This slim volume is a cult book waiting to happen.

For starters, David Eagleman is described on the jacket as a ‘neuroscientist and writer’, a curious combination. The book itself is very curious. It’s made up of 40 short stories, all of which feature a different afterlife, and they’re only linked by all being written in the same style – second person, and summarizing a vast concept. So here you may die and find yourself in a waiting room before you can properly get to heaven, or elsewhere. You’ll only be released when you are forgotten on earth – and so will all the others waiting there. Or, we are all the product of one sentient elementary particle rushing about incredibly rapidly. Or, as in the title story, your afterlife is the sum of your experiences and so you take all of the times you were hurt one after another, then all of your sleep, then all of your boredom, and so on. It’s a very clever book, perhaps too clever by half in places, but it’s fun to dip into over time. [David Agnew]

This is Moffat’s first novel, and it shows. Daisychain focuses on the trials of Logan Finch, and the death of his former lover and long lost daughter, set against the standard post-industrial cityscape of Glasgow. Any Scottish writer carving out their niche in crime fiction is bound to come up against the big guns of Rankin and MacDiarmid, but Moffat’s constant need to prove his credentials gets tiresome. Continually overegging the detail, he often crosses the line between forensically accurate and falls into irrelevant rattling off of facts, and is at pains to establish the thriller as a literary work, with unnecessary references to Burns and To Kill a Mockingbird. Daisychain feels most natural when utilising the procedural language of the police force, and once the reader gets past Moffat’s occasionally clunky prose, we are treated to a taut, fastpaced thriller with a precise plot of (mostly) believable characters. Stick with it and be rewarded with twist upon twist, and a final resolution that warrants looking forward to Moffat’s subsequent, and hopefully a little more refined, offerings. [Caroline Crew]

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY CANONGATE. COVER PRICE £9.99.

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY HACHETTE SCOTLAND. COVER PRICE £12.99.

Edinburgh’s

Music and Audio Library a world of music …

Answer the following and you could win an iPod shuffle or vouchers for Avalanche Records: 1. Which Cuban Collective, produced by Ry Cooder, had one of the best selling ‘world’ recordings in the 1990’s?

2. World’s best known Fado singer with an interesting coiffure?

3. Who sang about Sunshine on Leith?

4. Which Bollywood composer shot to international fame with his music for Slumdog Millionaire?

5. On what famous American Road are you guaranteed to ‘get your kicks’?

Answers can be found on our blog at: http:// talesofonecity.wordpress.com or come into Edinburgh’s Music and Audio Library and find out for yourself!

E-mail your answers with contact details to: central.music.library@edinburgh.gov.uk by 24 July.

Edinburgh Music and Audio Library 9 George IV Bridge Edinburgh www.edinburgh.gov.uk/libraries http://talesofonecity.wordpress.com Why not check out our wide range of travel books available throughout all Edinburgh City Libraries?

Largest music library in Scotland • Order and collect music via any library • Diverse • Specialist • Knowledgeable staff

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 29

READING

REVIEWS

Film

Total Eclipse of the Art Duncan Jones has gone from directing commercials to being the toast of Sundance.

Moon, which received its British premiere at this year's EIFF, is an ambitious and assured take on the 'hard' science fiction genre. Michael Gillespie met the director to discuss his film, his career and his somewhat famous father.

july Film Events Coming to a cinema near you

in bruges

June was such a busy month that it seems the cinemas across Scotland are largely on their summer holidays. Perhaps July is the month to relax, take a break and succumb to the mindless bliss of the blockbuster.

However there are a few events to be found, if one is willing to hunt for them.

The always reliable Filmhouse in Edinburgh has a selection worth visiting.

There the Made In Edinburgh season draws to a close, completing its celebration of the city’s connections with the film industry with a selection of animated films from Ko Lik Animation on 29 July. Three short films are included to give viewers a sample of the company’s work – from the Bafta selected The Tree Officer to Haunted Hogmanay, previously seen on the BBC. The night finishes with a Q&A session with some of the filmmakers.

waveriders

Some of you may recall a minor scandal some years back caused by an FCUK commercial entitled “Fashion vs. Style”. The film featured two female models in aggressive kung fu combat, tearing at each other’s clothes before engaging in a passionate kiss. Its notoriety brought to attention its director, Duncan Jones. Not only was he a genuine talent unafraid of controversy, but he was also the son of some singer who sold a few records in the seventies called David Bowie.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the artist formerly known as Zowie Bowie, now making his feature film debut with Moon, a mystery (and the less you know going in the better) set, coincidentally, in the outer reaches of space. “It’s been predictable but also fascinating to see how different elements of the press would talk about the film and that aspect of my family life. The number of pun headlines is astounding!”. This refreshing lack of pretension and arrogance is typical of the director, frequently joking and laughing, and giving detailed and thoughtful answers to even the most banal of questions. In other

words, he’s a top bloke. It’s no wonder Sam Rockwell wanted to work with him. “I’d actually sent him a script for a completely different film. He loved it but I wanted him to play one of the villains and he wanted to play the lead. It didn’t work out but we got on incredibly well and he started telling me about the kind of roles that interested him as an actor, and this started a conversation about this period of science fiction films in the late 70s and early 80s where you had these blue collar people working in space and how that was so different to the kind of lantern-jawed, heroic archetypes you get in science fiction films today”. Jones then began writing a script for Rockwell, their discussions about character, genre and budget becoming “a cascade of ideas which came from how one thing was going to affect another”.

The central conceit, however, came from somewhere more specific: “I’d read this book quite a few years ago called Entering Space by Robert Zubrin, and that book was all about how you’d go about colonising the solar system, doing it in a financially viable way because you don’t have the Cold War anymore

film: JUSt do it As I write this it is day 7 of Edinburgh International Film Festival and there seems to be a trend emerging. I’ve come straight from interviewing Shane Meadows who spoke so passionately about encouraging people to make films you couldn’t help but be inspired.

His message was simple: get off your arse and do it, no excuses. And to prove that it’s easier than you think, him and Paddy Considine have brought their film Le Donk (which they made in 5 days and with a tiny budget) to the festival.

American indie director Bob Byington, whose ultra low budget flick Harmony and Me showed at the festival, had a similar message: “If you

have an idea for a film you should just make it” he said. And last Saturday when I sat in a sold out, midnight screening of Modern Love is Automatic there was proof that making a film on a miniscule budget doesn’t mean it won’t reach audiences. And more than that, watching Modern Love was exciting; it felt daring, stylish, broke all the rules and got people talking.

Video equipment is the cheapest it has ever been, most people have videos on their mobile phones: surely it must just be a matter of time before we see an explosion of creative and innovative low budget films hitting our screens.

Let’s hope so.[Gail Tolley]

to spur the costs of space exploration on. One of the early chapters in his book was about setting up a mining base on the moon in order to mine Helium 3, which he was theorizing would become incredibly valuable once we got fusion power working back here on earth”.

Many directors with a commercials background move directly into big budget features, but the appealingly humble Jones recognised his limits and lack of experience. “On a technical level they prepare you, but with a commercial, you only have to shoot thirty seconds! With feature films you shoot just about what you need and then you move. I could live with it but there were times when I had to stop Sam after the third take because, even though I loved what he was doing, we just had to move on. On commercials you don’t really work with actors, as cruel as that sounds. That’s the biggest difference”. Shot over 33 days (with 8 days of model miniature photography), Moon was made for £2.5 million on just two sound stages (“I wanted a controlled shooting environment, I didn’t want problems with weather, travelling between locations, all those kinds of things”) at the world-renowned Shepperton Studios. “The catalyst for me going to film school was working with Tony Scott briefly. He and Ridley once ran Shepperton, so he gave me some great contacts there, so from that point onwards I’d always had this great relationship with the place. Once I was getting bigger commercials, I took them to Shepperton, so they told me I’d be more than welcome once I decided to do a feature”.

Moon has received the kind of reception many veteran directors would die for, but is there an increasing pressure on first time filmmakers to deliver the goods or risk being discarded? “I only began to feel that pressure as we were making the film, when the budget rose to being expensive for a first time British independent film. But I think if you make a film for under a million you can still work your way up from that. The most important thing is always a good script”.

Moon is released on 17 Jul

30 THE SKINNY July 2009

In Aberdeen the very first Aberdeen City and Shire Film Festival will be taking place from the 27 July to the 2 August. Keep an eye on www.aberdeenfilmfestival.com for forthcoming programme and venue details.

Those people at the Filmhouse, after hosting the highly successful Edinburgh International Film Festival in June, remain busy. From 27 July until 2 August the Irish Film Festival lands in the city, with a selection of contemporary Irish films. Included are Once, telling the story of a Dublin busker and a Czech immigrant’s encounter, and the black comedy In Bruges, with a special retrospective screening of the John Ford classic The Rising of the Moon.

priscilla, queen of the desert

The Irish theme is continued with Waveriders showing at the Dundee Contemporary Arts centre from 3-9 July. Narrated by Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins) it traces the history of Ireland’s connection with surfing. So for those unable (or unwilling) to experience the real thing, it is a much safer and calmer way to see people take on mother nature. Included is footage of surfers attempting to ride the biggest swell ever captured in Ireland, with waves up to fifty feet.

Finally, unleash your inner drag queen on 13 July and take advantage of the Monday Classic at Cineworld. Yes, it’s a rare chance to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert back on the big screen, so get the size 10 high heels and the sequinned dress on and make a day of it!

[Becky Bartlett]

Gail Tolley chats to Andrea Riseborough, an actress who has done far more than make Maggie Thatcher look quite hot.

FILM

Riseborough Rising

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BEFORE I interviewed Andrea Riseborough I was chatting to a journalist who found her performance as the young Margaret Thatcher in BBC 4’s The Long Walk to Finchley quite disturbing. Why? Because she made Thatcher quite sexy. Well, at least it’s a testament to the rising star’s onscreen presence. And indeed she is a ‘rising star’; in fact, everyone I talk to won’t shut up about how she will be the ‘next big thing’. Riseborough was born in Newcastle and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. To date she has worked on several TV projects (Party Animals, The Devil’s Whore and of course Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley) but her foray into film has been less significant, although this could be set to change with the projects she has in the pipeline.

Riseborough can be seen this month in Mad, Sad and Bad, a somewhat slight drama about three siblings and their relationships with their needy mother, their partners and each other. The cast includes a host of TV names (including Meera Syal and Nitin Ganatra) and while there’s a sense that perhaps this is a film more suited to TV than the cinema, Riseborough’s performance is strong and the film touches on some interesting issues about inter-racial relationships and mental illness. The film doesn’t make the issue of race its central concern although the two couples that struggle the most in the film are those whose relationship crosses cultures, including Riseborough’s character Julia and her boyfriend Atul. Does she think the film is trying to make a comment about the challenges of such relationships? “I think when any relationship breaks down you can go looking for the reason for the lack of connection between a couple in all sorts of different areas” says the actress, “but it [culture] is not what makes the relationships.”

One of the more unique projects that Riseborough has worked on is the short film Love you More by Sam Taylor-Wood. Conceptual artist Taylor-Wood, known for her involvement in the

YBA scene, was nominated for a Palme D’Or at Cannes for the short which has since been shown at numerous festivals and Future Shorts’ regular screenings across the country. Set in the summer of 1978 it’s a stylish throw back to punk (with a Buzzcocks’ song being the focal point of the film) experienced by two school uniform clad teenagers.

One is Riseborough, the other is Harry Treadaway, soon to be seen in Andrea Arnold’s excellent Fish Tank. While the two main actors look far too old to realistically be portraying high school students the film exudes coolness like nothing else. “It was a whole different world” says Riseborough, “it was blissful really because it was a week of imagining you’re in love for the first time and that this whole revolution is just on the cusp of happening. And also imagining it was July when it was actually December and sucking ice cubes so there was no breath on the camera! It was a really valuable experience and I’ve never known a short to be so well received!”

The actress also had a small role in Mike Leigh’s well received Happy-Go-Lucky. Leigh’s approach to rehearsal and character development (which is something his actors are not allowed to talk about) was an experience which she calls “a privileged process”. Riseborough will be working with Sally Hawkins (who played the central character in Happy-Go-Lucky) again in the upcoming We Want Sex, a film about the 1968 protest by female workers at the Ford Dagenham plant in Essex. The cast list looks particularly impressive and includes Rosamund Pike, Miranda Richardson and Bob Hoskins. Perhaps this will be the project where Riseborough will stop being referred to as a rising star and become a star in her own right.[Gail Tolley] MAD, SAD AND BAD IS RELEASED ON 31 JUL

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THE SKINNY 31

Film

FILM Reviews Mad, Sad & Bad Director: Avie Luthra Starring: Meera Syal Nitin Ganatra, Zubin Varla, Andrea Riseborough Released: 31 July 2009 Certificate: TBC

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Director: Rebecca Miller Starring: Robin Wright Penn, Blake Lively, Alan Arkin, Winona Ryder, , Keanu Reeves, Monica Bellucci Released: 10 July 2009 Certificate: 15

rr Mad, Sad & Bad is about a family that pulls no punches: “Crap skin, crap hair, crap body,” a man tells his sister, before trying to seduce his brother’s girlfriend. It’s about a family who are so self-involved that they don’t even notice their mother is trying to kill herself. Meera Syal, Nitin Ganatra and Zubin Varla play the siblings in this gentle if somewhat torpid debut from writer/ director Avie Luthra. Exploring the difficult issue of mixed-race relationships, gender inequality and family loyalty Mad, Sad & Bad is at times insightful, when Rashmi (Meera Syal) declares to a stranger that she may not in fact like men and funny, when Atul (Nitin Ganatra) tries to compose a song about cheese. The performances from the three leads are subtle and engaging but the overbearing mother (Leena Dhingra), who spends the whole time chastising her daughter and moaning about being abandoned puts a dampener on an otherwise broadly enjoyable film.

[Marjorie Gallagher]

rr Many films have explored the neuroses of middle-class American life. From American Beauty to the best of Woody Allen, the message is often the same: we’re all far more screwed up then we let on and money isn’t going to solve that. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is on similar terrain – Pippa (Robin Wright Penn) finds her carefully controlled life unravelling at the seams when her (much older) husband insists on moving to a retirement village. Pippa looks back at her younger years and wonders where on earth the wild child of her youth went to. The film has a terrific cast who play a range of suicidal, depressed, unfaithful and generally hung-up individuals, but unfortunately they all feel like the most clichéd of characters who we’ve seen a million times before. The result is a film that leaves your head as soon as you’ve left your seat. [Gail Tolley]

Shirin Director: Abbas Kiarostami Starring: Juliette Binoche, Golshifteh Farahani, Taraneh Alidoosti Out Now Certificate: PG

rrrr The human face has fascinated artists and filmmakers for centuries. It has inspired some of the most memorable moments in movie history, from the closing scenes of City Lights and The Long Good Friday, while Dreyer, Warhol and Douglas Gordon have dedicated entire projects to the beauty and emotions of a great performer’s visage.

Abbas Kiarostami’s latest experiment consists entirely of faces, focusing on individual women’s responses to a film screening dramatising a Persian folk tale. In other words, he invites you to attend a cinema and watch a cinema audience. At times poetic, hypnotic and strangely dramatic, Kiarostami understands the equal importance of sound, so while the story may prove difficult for an outsider to follow, the melodramatic music, intonations and sound effects are universal. Yes, the film outstays its welcome and can be repetitive, but there is no denying Kiarostami’s audacity and assurance: he remains one of the true modern innovators. [Michael Gillespie]

More film reviews

online theskinny.co.uk

Antichrist Director: Lars von Trier Starring: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg Released: 24 July 2009 Certificate: 18

rr Lars von Trier’s films have frequently been criticised for their misogynistic undertones.

There are no misogynistic undertones in Antichrist – a hatred and disgust for women pulses through the very core of this film.

An unnamed couple (William Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) retreat to their woodland cabin following the death of their son, only for madness and violence to ensue.

Von Trier’s exploration of female sexuality and mental illness implies that there is some inherent evil, not just in Gainsbourg’s character but in the very nature of being female. Even putting such offensive politics to one side, the tone of the film fails to be consistent, wavering from disturbing to comedic (look out for the talking fox). On top of this the scenes of graphic genital mutilation only work to disrupt any coherence in tone that the director was aiming for. Despite this, there is some merit to the atmospheric cinematography which saves Antichrist from being completely unwatchable. [Gail Tolley]

35 Shots of Rum Director: Claire Denis Starring: Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Gregoire Colin, Nicole Dogue, Julieth Mars-Toussaint, Ingrid Caven Released: 10 July 2009 Certificate: 12A

rrrr A pivotal scene in Claire Denis’ latest film, 35 Shots of Rum, takes place with almost no dialogue. Yet, in its quietness, it perfectly captures the complex relationships and emotions of the family that are the focus of this film and does so with sensitivity and beauty.

The scene in question is set in a bar where the four main characters have ended up after their car has broken down. Lionel (Alex Descas) watches as his daughter Joséphine (Mati Diop) dances with their young neighbour, Noé (Grégorie Colin), hinting that their close father-daughter relationship is soon to change. Lionel in turn chooses to dance with the beautiful owner of the bar whilst his former lover Gabrielle looks on. The relay of looks is subtle but shows Denis’ total command over her medium – such an effective portrayal of thoughts unsaid and hard-to-define feelings is rarely so well accomplished in cinema. [Gail Tolley]

32 THE SKINNY July 2009

VIVA

LOLA MONTES

HUSH

DIRECTOR: ANNA BILLER STARRING: ANNA BILLER, JARED SANFORD, BRIDGET BRNO RELEASED: JULY 6 2009 CERTIFICATE: 18

DIRECTOR: MAX OPHULS STARRING: MARTINE CAROL, PETER USTINOV, ANTON WALBROOK RELEASED: JULY 6 2009 CERTIFICATE: PG

r

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DIRECTOR: MARK TONDERAI STARRING: WILL ASH, CHRISTINE BOTTOMLEY, ANDREAS WISNIEWSKI RELEASED: JULY 20 2009 CERTIFICATE: 15

The ‘ironic’ bad acting gets old approximately three minutes into Viva, and there are still 117 minutes to go. Director, editor, writer, producer, costume designer and animator Anna Biller is also the lead actress, going some way to prove the maxim that multitasking means doing a number of tasks badly. A seventies housewife, Barbie looks like Winnie from The Wonder Years’ slutty aunt. After getting dumped, she changes her name to Viva and goes on a journey of sexual self discovery, becoming a model, call girl, artist’s muse and lipstick lesbian along the way. The opportunities for farce, satire, and social commentary come thick and fast, but Biller picks up not a good goddam one of them, preferring to treat us to another flash of her crotch and a whine of her monotone. The only good things about Viva are the sets and costumes: a riot of kitsch that never lets up, and the sole reason for this review’s single star.

Truly dire. [Cara McGuigan]

How many classics flopped on release? Citizen Kane, It’s A Wonderful Life, Vertigo, Raging Bull...the list goes on. What is also true is that great art is often never appreciated at the time of release. Like New York, New York, The Big Red One or Blade Runner, this, the final film by Ophuls, was chopped against the director’s wishes, forced to languish until the Cinémathèque Française’s 2008 restoration returned it to its original state. So, how does Ophuls’ vision fare today? There are many good things to say about Lola Montes: the performances are excellent; the production and costume design are suitably and substantially opulent; while the film’s progressive approach to female emancipation is commendable. What is truly astonishing, however, is the direction of a man truly ahead of his time. The non-linear structure, self-reflexive imagery and narrative devices are ingenious, and the masterful intercutting takes full advantage of both visual and aural possibilities. As the Nouvelle Vague recognised, this is where modern film form began. [Michael Gillespie]

A CHILD IS WAITING

GLASS: A PORTRAIT OF PHILIP IN 12 PARTS

DIRECTOR: JOHN CASSAVETES STARRING: JUDY GARLAND, BURT LANCASTER, BRUCE RITCHEY RELEASED: JULY 6 2009 CERTIFICATE: PG

DIRECTOR: SCOTT HICKS STARRING: PHILIP GLASS, CHUCK CLOSE, WOODY ALLEN RELEASED: JULY 6 2009 CERTIFICATE: E

rrr

rrrr

This is a very odd film: because of its subject matter; because of the way it’s handled; and because we perceive mental disability so differently today. Back in 1963, the stigma of having a child with learning difficulties must have been intense. These were the days before political correctness and assisted living, when abandoning a child to an institution was the ‘right’ thing to do. John Cassavetes’ take on this is set in an idyllic Californian colonial house, run by a heroic psychologist (Lancaster) and his new helper, a rough looking Judy G oozing high-strung neuroses in her penultimate film. For all the lily-gilding sentiment, however, it’s an undeniably daring film: disability is rarely touched on in the movies, and although the film is outdated, within the context of the period it’s extremely sympathetic. With its fabulous cast of improvising extras plucked from real institutions, A Child is Waiting is fascinating as a social document...and unmissable for Judy fans. [Cara McGuigan]

The general rule is that style or form should always match subject matter, but by that logic, a documentary about composer Philip Glass would amount to an onslaught of minimalist repetition. Thankfully, Shine director Hicks takes a different approach, but one that is at least unconventional and hugely entertaining. One of the true pioneers of minimalism, Glass is a genial, self-deprecating and understated subject, Hicks’ roving camera following him around the world as he talks sincerely about everything from his influences, his personal life, his working days and his spiritualism. We also hear from his friends and collaborators. The film offers fascinating insights and should convert more than a few non-believers, but what is truly arresting is Hicks’ method. Never settling for talking heads, he keeps things casual, quizzing the composer as he bakes a pizza, allowing mobiles to be answered during interviews, or agreeing to make tea for his subjects. Charming stuff, and nowhere will you hear more jokes about Glass’s music than from his family. [Michael Gillespie]

rrr It’s ironic that a film with this title doesn’t have much to say, but Radio 1 DJ Tonderai’s directorial debut fair cracks along and is an efficient little low budget British thriller. A young couple are driving down the M1 on a rainy night when the back of the truck in front of them opens for a moment, exposing a chained and screaming woman. What would you do? How far would you go to help?

It’s a beautifully simple idea, garnering terrific mileage from the fact that the characters are ordinary people in a nightmarish situation, with everyday locations like a motorway service station and a car-park turning into something menacing and dangerous. Unfortunately the realism which is so immersive at the beginning is eventually abandoned for standard thriller logic and stock horror film locations and gore. There’s also not much more to the thin plot than the premise, but despite being lightweight and totally throwaway, Hush is nonetheless an exciting and very enjoyable ride. [Scotty McKellar]

HIGH ART DIRECTOR: LISA CHOLODENKO STARRING: RADHA MITCHELL, ALLY SHEEDY, PATRICIA CLARKSON RELEASED: JULY 13 2009 CERTIFICATE: 18

rrrr Photography’s one of those things which looks simple, but there’s something about a great picture that can’t be denied. Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art is similar.

On one level, it’s just a story about two women, one an aspiring magazine editor (Mitchell) and the other a drugged-up damaged photographer (one-time 80s brat packer Sheedy), who become involved during a project before things fall apart.

But, like art, the real beauty is in the details. The film intimately understands the characters and we never doubt what we’re watching. These feel like adults who live in the real world with their own baggage and history, and the fragile relationship that develops, from lust and confused ambition, has to exist and survive as part of their lives. Sheedy is a revelation here with sterling support from Clarkson as her longtime ex, a destructive and manipulative addict whose emotional hold on her leads to tragedy. Despite a slow pace, the mature script and strong performances make this a bit of a masterpiece. [Scotty McKellar]

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JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 33

FILM

DVD REVIEWS

Portaloos and Performance Art Gareth K Vile shows his age once again: rather than going to a festival for drugs and relentless partying, he can't wait to see the opera.

Most festivals are for music. Great bands, all night dancing and terrible toilet facilities: could anything be further from the gentle world of theatre? Admittedly, there is crossover between the sort of performance that thrives in Glasgow and more experimental musicians, but even Glastonbury is more likely to showcase hard house than ballet and opera.

Latitude rectifies this tragic oversight. “I’m interested in the fusion of a theatre festival with a music event. Latitude is the only festival I can think of where the two forms are given equal weight,” clarifies Simon Dizraeli of Rebel Cell, performing in the Theatre Arena. “I think there is a huge appetite for a festival that isn’t simply about getting off your face and sitting in a field. The theatre presence at Latitude makes the whole festival feel more front-footed.”

Rebel Cell is a political satire: half hip-hop poetry and half old school agit-prop theatre. For writerperformers Dizraeli and Baba Brinkman, Latitude is an obvious venue: they are situated between rap and drama, borrowing from script and slam to take on a future totalitarian state. Yet Latitude offers space to more ‘traditional’ pleasures.

There are three stages for performance fans: the Cabaret and Theatre Arenas and the On The Waterfront Space. Major players – the RSC, The Bush Theatre – rub shoulders with familiar names from burlesque and comedy, many of whom have a connection with a certain event north of the border.

Emma Bettridge, the programme Coordinator of the Pleasance is offering anyone who can’t make

it to Edinburgh this August a special preview. “We have four spanking picks from the Edinburgh Fringe under the heading Pick of the Pleasance. It really is the cream of the crop – from a middle aged lady playing you a concert from her living room, to an ice dance performed on the only stage left; a wooden one.”

And On the Waterfront, Sadler’s Wells, one of the few English venues that can compete with our Scottish dance programming, offers, amongst a sparkling triple-bill, a new work from Hofest Schechter.

Schechter has enlivened Scottish Dance Theatre’s repetoire and has a reputation for choreographing modern dance that refuses to sell soul for style. On the same stage, the Royal Opera House presents ROH2 – contemporary opera that parallels Scottish Opera’s Five:Fifteen series by attempting to develop new voices and new ideas in this most traditional of western arts.

As producer Emma Gladstone observes, Sadler’s Wells was a surprise success at last year’s Latitude.

“We had over two thousand people watching ballet at one point. It’s good to get out of the theatre, and reach audiences that we wouldn’t usually reach, catch people walking by and show the range of work we present.” This year, they are offering Schechter alongside b-boys and the pas de deux from Swan Lake – set against the backdrop of the festival’s own real lake.

In the gap between comedy and contemporary dance, arrive The New Art Club. “We’re going to bring our particular brand of intelligent,

scottish theatre conquers the world In a national newspaper, I was captured by the headline: "British Theatre Takes Over the World”.

Expecting Sarah Kane revivals cutting swathes across Europe, or a photo of Al Seed performing to thousands against an African sunset, I was disappointed to find an article celebrating the triumph of Billy Elliot – The Musical on Broadway.

This isn’t aesthetic snobbery – I haven’t seen the show, and it can’t be more painful than Legally Blonde – the Musical (sample chorus: ‘Oh My God, You Guys!’). However, the fusion of feelgood movie and Elton John is hardly a surprise box-office smash. It just doesn’t really represent the cutting edge of UK drama, either.

Although honest, Popular Musical Wins A

34 THE SKINNY July 2009

Few Awards isn’t the most exciting headline. Last month, a secret conclave of critics gave out their awards for Scottish Theatre: Skinny favourite Vanishing Point won three and David Leddy’s excellent Sub Rosa gained multiple nominations.

Looking at the range of productions, from a one-man meditation on paternal love through to a full-blown Beauty and the Beast musical, Scottish Theatre spans styles and scales, ideas and emotions. Maybe British theatre isn’t conquering the world – but it is diverse and vibrant.

This month is quiet as the Festivals get ready to overload the reviewers: perhaps all we can learn from Billy Elliot is never to trust a headline.[Gareth K Vile]

"I’m interested in the fusion of a theatre festival with a music event.

Latitude is the only festival I can think of where the two forms are given equal weight"

philosophical, physical, silly comedy and dancing.”

New Art Club have kicked up a storm at The Arches’ Behaviour Festival and The Fringe in the past year, affectionally mocking the excesses of experimental dance. “Our new show will be fairly new and raw so people can expect some moments of revelation and some improvising,” they admit. “We have planned to do our show for the people gathered. We think that’s pretty special.”

The Bush, a London theatre renowned for supporting new writers, brings the appropriate Sudden Loss of Dignity. Inspired by stories from audience members, the play sets the company’s authors to work on secret tales of shame and disaster. Promising to redeem shocking stories of failure and shit-faced phonecalls, it follows up audience-based success Fifty Ways to Leave your Lover.

Pippa Evans, who offers “a good old knees up and old fashioned entertainment” in the Cabaret Arena admits, “I liked the quote last year: if Radio 4 were to do a festival, this would be it.” This conjures up a polite image, a festival for families who find Glastonbury a bit rough. It might capture the diversity and intelligence of the programming, but ignores the intensity and adventure of the performance stages.

Latitude draws the connection between rock’n’roll and theatre.

16 – 19 Jul, Henham Park Estate, Southwold, Suffolk www.latitudefestival.co.uk

Top Five: Theatre Events Because July’s a quiet month for performance, we’ve selected a top five of classes for this month, offered at various locations across Scotland.

Beginners Burlesque Dance House (Glasgow) and Dance Base (Edinburgh) Viva Misadventure offers the step into the glamorous world of fan dance, posing and peeling.

Butoh Dance House (Glasgow) Lindsay John is a soft-spoken Scottish legend: his works shock and amaze, bringing the Japanese art to venues across the country. His classes are a complete revelation, both mind-bending and intelligent.

Alexander Technique Dance Base (Edinburgh) Not one just for the professionals, Robert Robertson and Sarah Bonner Morgan bring the body into focus at a bargain price. Gentle, meditative and enriching.

Ceroc Learn to dance like the French! Workshops take place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen.

Check tinyurl.com/lfql7w for classes and locations.

Banchory Ternan Morris Crathes Hall (Aberdeen) Not technically a class, but deserving of inclusion here as a rare breed: Cotswold-style dancing in Scotland. Their website invites prospective members along to join: tinyurl.com/nkv3uf

photo: Matthew Andrews

Theatre

Latitude Festival:

Purple Haze Clare Sinclair gets the lowdown on the Festival of Cabaret exploding across Glasgow

‘all festivals are about

IDEAS’ JONATHAN MILLS, DIRECTOR, EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, 2008

Love it or loathe it, the recent climax of Britain’s Got Talent has brought traditional cabaret and variety back into the mainstream, taking it out of the distant setting of the Royal Variety Show and up close and personal with audiences. The end of the current run of shows does not, however, signal the end of variety performances for the year. Glasgow presents an incredible line-up of cabaret, variety and burlesque shows throughout July with the debut of the Glasgow Cabaret Festival 2009, directed by Louise Oliver of Rhymes with Purple Productions.

The festival is formed by 11 separate events over a week in the most atmospheric venues across Glasgow, including Glasgow Art Club and the Arches.

The family-friendly Bumble Trees Cabaret appears at the Rio Café, while more risqué performances, such as Does This Piano Make My Ass Look Big, are hosted at the Glasgow Art Club. The healthy mix of small intimate acts and larger-than-life show-stoppers to keep all cabaret and variety fans sated.

Rufus, from Rhymes with Purple Productions, says: “My real hope is that we can pull in the people who enjoy the large-scale events, and get them to see that an evening of cabaret is a wonderful variety of entertainment with something for every taste.” And with the building popularity of the neo-burlesque scene, Rhymes With Purple “wanted to bring back the idea that burlesque is only a tiny part of the variety and cabaret scene, and that you can have an incredible line-up of talented acts without the finale of every routine being someone taking their bra off”.

Cabaret is coming of age, with increasingly ambitious projects sitting alongside modern reimaginings

of classic acts.For example, the Missy and Leyla Show mashes up the gameshow format, with circus acts alongside two of burlesque’s hottest stars. And For The Love of Cutler celebrates the work of Scotland’s most famous member of the noise-abatement society.

As part of the festival, Rockaburley continues growing in strength after its recent first birthday celebrations, ran by Cat Aclysmic and Daiquiri Dusk. Speaking to Cat about Rockaburley and its place within the Glasgow Cabaret Festival, she says: “Daiquiri and I encourage variety by making sure we have something for everyone: dancing, singing, burlesque, good music, plus I’m doing a brand new fire show for the July 10th show.” And on fitting the established Rockaburley into the festival: “We do this on the premise that it’s a good show, and that the people that come to see us will have a unique experience and, most importantly, a fantastic night. The great thing about being part of the Glasgow Cabaret Festival is that Rhymes with Purple feel the same way. We’re all here to put on an amazing show; we’re going to enjoy the hell out of it, but then so are you.”

With an exciting and varied line-up over the festival, Rhymes with Purple “think people will be surprised by the sheer variety of entertainment on offer and how weird and wonderful some of the acts on offer will be”. Take yourself away from reality TV and humdrum life, and join in the Cabaret.

On 29 July The Skinny and Edinburgh International Festival will be presenting a discussion on the relationship between the Enlightenment and the avant-garde.

Jonathan Mills will join a panel of leading thinkers in anticipation of the 2009 Festival and beyond.

For more details keep an eye on www.theskinny.co.uk or follow theskinnymag on Twitter

The Festival has shows across Glasgow: check page 60. www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

July 2009

THE SKINNY 35

Theatre

Hooray for cabaret:

Theatre

Previews 3×3 Dance & Cross Art Collaboration The Universal Hall, Findhorn, 9–17 July

A spiritual awakening established the seaside village of Findhorn as a thriving and internationally renowned community. This July, it provides the setting for a another flourishing: 3x3, an exclusive series of interdisciplinary workshops developed by Bodysurf Scotland and Glasgow’s Dance House.

“Both Dance House and Bodysurf Scotland are engaged in promoting performances and training of cutting-edge relevance,” says Karldag Lewin of Body Surf. Three workshops, being held over nine days at the Foundation’s Universal Hall, push these boundaries.

In the first workshop, choreographer Jonathon Burrows and composer Matteo Fargion will discuss and explore their process and perform the UK premiere of ‘Cheap Lecture’ – “a talk in the form of a musical performance”.

For the second, dancer Eva Karczag and installation artist Chris Crickmay will use an improvisational approach; the third is led by the Gravity Interdisciplinary Dance/Performance Company- Jess Curtis, Claire Cunningham and Maria Scaroni. Cunningham, a Creative Scotland Award winner, will perform ‘Evolution’.

Lewin is excited that these workshops have a “strong team of first class and highly respected international artists, who are pushing the boundary of dance and performance and experimental work.

“Findhorn boasts a fantastic rural and coastal setting and friendly relaxed environment” he says. “The Findhorn Foundation community is conducive to study. It’s an opportunity to step outside your usual working and living environment, allowing nature to fuel creativity.” [Susannah Radford] One workshop £150, two workshops £245, three workshops £325, www.bodysurfscotland.co.uk www.dancehouse.org

Cooking With Elvis The Tron 10-15 July, 7.30PM

“Who could not love The King?” replies Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall, when asked if he is a fan of the legend at the centre of his Cooking with Elvis. Although The King is different in this dark comedy: it focuses on the domestic politics of a dysfunctional family. A vegetative Elvis impersonator father and an anorexic and sexually exploratory mother provoke their daughter to turn to cooking for solace. This concoction sets the stage for a surreal farce that leaps from ludicrous dream sequences of singaalong classics to moments of raw human pain, in a world where “humour, tragedy and the surreal coexist cheek by jowl”. Hall uses this combination of outrageousness and comedy to provoke the audience, piling on catastrophes as ridiculous as they are profound. Adapted from a 1999 radio play, Cooking with Elvis seems an experience that was always intended for the stage. Hall comments that “most audiences have a whale of a time but come out asking ‘what was all that about?’ ” as the play asks more questions than it answers.

Entertaining and touching, the hilarity is soundtracked by

Singin in the Rain Edinburgh Playhouse, 7-11 July

the immortal sounds of Presley. Andy Arnold directs the Scottish TV star-studded version heading to Glasgow’s Tron this July. So whether you’re a fan of The King or not, this comedy takes you on a rollercoaster ride that keeps you thinking long after the music has faded. And at the end of the day, “Who could not love the King?”[Sally Smith] www.tron.co.uk

Bard in the Botanics

For more than fifty years, Singin’ in the Rain has held its place as one of the most popular musicals ever. From the original MGM screenplay, starring the legendary Gene Kelly, to Morecambe and Wise’s satirical sketch, not forgetting Britain’s Got Talent’s George Sampson’s winning break dancing routine, Singin’ in the Rain has been subject to relentless change and adaptation, undoubtedly driving its enduring popularity.

The new touring production stars Laurence Olivier Award winner Tim Flaven as suave movie star Don Lockwood. Set in 1920s Hollywood, it follows the film industry’s troublesome transition from silent to talking movies, with Lockwood and his intolerable on-screen partner Lina Lamont in tow. Problems arise when Lamont’s glamorous persona is shattered the moment she begins to talk. Desperate to mask her ear-splitting voice,

casting directors enlist charming chorus girl Kathy Selden to secretly dub Lamont. Selden, however, also happens to be the object of Lockwood’s affection, setting the scene for rocky romance and many a jovial song.

Currently in its final leg of the UK tour the production has been received with the warmth and enthusiasm. Flaven credits the production’s wide appeal as resulting from its fusion of “original iconic choreography, fabulous tap dancing, classic scores and live rain on stage”. Singin’ in the Rain guarantees to uplift, providing the perfect antidote to many a rainy day in Edinburgh.[Fiona Campbell]

botanic gardens, glasgow, 26 jun-1 aug

“Shakespeare’s the best storyteller in the English-speaking world.”

So says Gordon Barr, the man currently at the helm of Bard in the Botanics, Scotland’s only outdoor Shakespeare festival.

Now in its eighth year, the company has grown, working in partnership with numerous companies and implementing a mentoring scheme, along with continuously creating successful productions.

It was almost shot down at the start. Summer Shakespeare festivals are popular all over the world, but not in Scotland.

The main objection is obvious: the weather. Ignoring common sense, the original company took to the stage and were rewarded.

Speaking about why audiences should see Shakespeare outdoors, Barr is passionate. “He wrote the plays for outdoor performance. Something gets released in the interaction between audience and performers when you take them outdoors. And there’s a camaraderie that allows you to communicate those stories more clearly than sometimes you can in a traditional theatre.”

Barr has chosen three of Shakespeare’s best known plays

36 THE SKINNY July 2009

for this year’s season: The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III and Macbeth. Barr insists that “all three plays are great stories, and at the heart of each are interesting and fascinating people.”

Shakespeare died nearly 400 years ago, but Barr believes he’s as potent a dramatist as ever. “The heart of it are the stories and the connections they have with people. That’s especially what you get in an outdoor production: that immediate connection between audience and performance.

That’s why he’ll never go away.” [Michael Cox] Taming of the Shrew, Directed by Gordon Barr 26 Jun – 11 Jul at 7.45pm (no performances on Sundays or Mondays) Macbeth, Directed by Jennifer Dick 17 Jul – 1 Aug 2009 at 7.45pm (no performances on Sundays or Mondays) Richard III, Directed by Gordon Barr 16 Jul – 2 Aug at 7.15 p.m.

Main run 17 Jul – 1 Aug at 7.45pm (no performances on Mondays) www.bardinthebotanics.org

Aberdeen international Youth festival 29 Jul - 8 Aug

Theatre, dance, and a diverse range of music flood Aberdeen venues in August as Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) takes over the Granite City.

Now in its 37th year, one of the longest running festivals in Scotland, AIYF has continuously evolved, bringing fresh and innovative projects to an expectant audience.

This year’s event is no exception, with festival organisers encouraging audiences to “share the excitement, see something new.” And with a vibrant and varied programme and prices that rival the local multiplex you really have no excuse not to give it a try.

“The 2009 festival sees us welcoming an array of talent from around the world, including dancers and storytellers from Africa, ballet and traditional dance from the Caribbean, contemporary dance from China, and singers from Norway,” explained Festival director Stewart Aitken.

International youth orchestras and an extensive chamber music programme have been pivotal to AIFY and this year is no exception with groups from the Basque, Portugal and Scotland.

Following on from last year’s huge success, Festival in the City on Sunday 2 August will bring the Festival into the city streets with free performances and events alongside the Gordon Highlanders Beating the Retreat and an international market.

Stewart added: “The Festival is a unique platform for young talent and Aberdeen becomes a hub for the brightest and most talented young minds from the international arts world. It is a true celebration of youthful creativity and innovation.”[Nicole Hepburn] For full details of the AIYF 2009 programme visit www.aiyf.org.

Couldn't catch the Leith Festival? You missed a treat. The Skinny rushes to the rescue though, as we bring you our 5 star recommended shows and let you know where you can see these top acts around the country this July.

Assembly presents

under patronage from

‘PERFORMERS DAZZLE WITH THEIR BEAUTY AND GRACE - THIS IS A JAW DROPPING EXPLOSION OF A PERFORMANCE, GUARANTEED TO ENTERTAIN’ The Stage

5.05PM

6-31 AUG

Circa

(no show 17 & 24 Aug) Assembly presents

“REDRAWS THE LIMITS TO WHICH CIRCUS CAN ASPIRE” The Age, Melbourne

4.30pm

6-31 Aug (no show 10, 17 & 24 Aug)

THE BEST OF SCOTTISH THEATRE AT ASSEMBLY Royal & Derngate and Assembly present Kevin bridges

Improv with Stu and Garry I admit I was dreading this gig. Too many excruciating amateur nights has left me with a horror of improv; that mix of sweat, hyperactivity and desperation whips me right back to working in a uni coffee shop, and our manager’s idea of a moneyspinning venture. However, something unexpected happened. They were funny.

Really funny.

There are some key areas to making improv comedy work, and Stu and Gary tick all the boxes. They like each other, and work well together – the gig is refreshingly free of schadenfreude and there is no scene-stealing.

They have a shared sense of humour, have obviously been arsing about together for years, and they’re professional, keeping their improv reined in, no matter how bizarre the audience-flung suggestions, from Brazilian soap opera to extreme ironing. Add to this a fab array of accents, total confidence in their sharpness, and genuine ear-to-ear grins, and you’ve got a really good night out.

Highly recommended.[Cara McGuigan] Vladimir McTavish: 50 Greatest Scots Of All Time...Ever!

I’ve always liked comedy gigs where you get a bit extra for your ticket price. With Vladimir McTavish’s ’50 Greatest Scots of All Time’ the audience is treated to a good solid comedy show with a lot of Scottish history and sport trivia thrown in.

McTavish takes us through his favourite Scots, confidently chatting about their achievements and eccentricities. There are the usual suspects, some unknowns, some bizarre and some which take quite a stretch of the imagination to pin them to their Scottish roots.

Some are Scots commonly mistaken for English, others English commonly mistaken for Scots. McTavish makes Scottish history fascinating and regularly demonstrates how even the most lauded, pioneering and successful Scottish figure can be revealed as typically just another drunken, swearing vandal.

But none of this is done with malice, and McTavish plays with these stereotypes with plenty of self deprecating humour. Although there may have been a bit too much World Cup trivia in there for me, a surprising, and dead-on appropriate ending left me feeling aglow. [Edward Whelan] Keven Bridges: Snafu We’d heard he was good, we’d heard he was confident, and judging by the queue that wound up the stairs and into the bar, so had a lot of people. So the bar is set pretty high for Kevin Bridges, but he is unphased. He walks to the microphone and does the usual warm up; asks us how we’re doing, and yet somehow had the room in uproar in less than a minute. And this was a room soaked from the rain in hot, uncomfortable seats. I don’t how he does it, but it came as naturally to him as breathing. He easily charms the crowd with his banter, exchanging stories back and forth, seamlessly weaving in his material.

He picks stuff we’re all familiar with, ably mocking the rough side of Scottish life and dancing close to the border of offensiveness, always staying the right side and never flinching.

But what he can mostly be lauded for was both his creative imagination, bringing fresh life to familiar ground, and his skill in drawing bags of material from each in his unending stream of ideas.

He has received a serious amount of good press from the moment he hit the circuit at just seventeen, and I can now see why. A great act. [Edward Whelan] Catch them this month Stu and Garry - Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? Every Sunday at The Stand, Edinburgh from 12:30 Vladimir McTavish: 50 Greatest Scots of All Time Ding Dong Comedy at McPhabb’s, Glasgow, 9 July

‘Scenes of sheer brilliance and extraordinary magnetism’

‘You won’t see a better performance in Britain right now than that delivered

by Anna Francolini… simply mesmerising ’

The Stage

Birmingham Post

by MURIEL SPARK adapted by JAY PRESSON ALLAN

12pm 6-31

Aug

(no show 17 & 24 Aug)

Stellar Quines and Assembly present

“…SPARK’S NOVELS LINGER IN THE MIND AS BRILLIANT SHARDS.’’

THE GIRLS OF

“…THE GREATEST SCOTTISH NOVELIST OF MODERN TIMES.”

MEANS

John Updike, The New Yorker

Ian Rankin

SLENDER

By MURIEL SPARK Adapted by JUDITH ADAMS Directed by MURIEL ROMANES

2.50pm 6-31 Aug (not 10, 17, 24 Aug)

Kevin Bridges - Snafu, Aberdeen, 8 July Jongleurs, Edinburgh, 24 and 25 July

July 2009

THE SKINNY 37

Comedy

The Best of Leith Festival

CAPTIVATING DANCE AND CIRCUS AT ASSEMBLY

It's 2009 and the students of the both the GSA and ECA square up again. But who'll put on the better show?

Glasgow School of Art Degree Show 2009

rrr Degree shows are the most emotionally rife affairs on the art calendar, ripe for extended metaphors all round. If you can get past the queasy feeling that you’re watching a thousand hipsters publicly push out their first born in a bloody performance sans epidural – then the whole affair comes terrifyingly close to a trip to Primark. A headfirst dive into a physically unconsumable pit of art / sequin body-con mini skirts; followed by a series of huffing and puffing attempts to appear more equipped than your fellow viewers / shoppers; concluded 2 ½ hours later by a weary exit, convinced that you, and you alone, have found the best mixed media installation / plimsolls on offer. Sacrilegious but true.

While the high street has its recurring heroes, a certain type of work tends to survive at degree shows as well. And subtlety is rarely it. Humour often comes up trumps in the battle to woo the hungry, tired and caffeine-starved hoards that traipse through; humour and nigh perfect craftsmanship, plus a bit of good luck from the gods of space allocation.

Down a blackened corridor, Simon Gowing’s brilliantly effective neon work, Resign, captures an element of what’s at stake all round: a foreboding sense of the climate these graduates are stepping into and the reactive, adaptive approaches that’ll be necessary for survival. It seems fitting then that Gowing has stepped up to the curatorial plate for Now I Know My ABCs, the third annual Scottish graduates’ group exhibition, held at +44 141 Gallery at SWG3 from 17 July.

In the photography camp, Travis Souza’s touching piece, 20

Ruskin Square: Portrait / Archive, meticulously maps out the home of Jean Archibald, whose passing during the completion of the project transforms the book of collected images and email correspondence into a poignant epitaph of a life lived.

A similar manipulation of the complicated relation between the universal and personal is drawn out in Harriet Lowther’s humble approach to the monumentality of consumerism in The Big Thank You Project. Dominating an entire wall, in a typically minimalist / conceptual spread, Lowther has presented copies of ‘thank you’ letters shipped out to the producers of everything from Clarins moisturiser to Seven Seas Orange Syrup and Cod Liver Oil. A deft conceptual subtlety is saved from obscurity by sheer scale in Max Slaven’s expansive work, Piece by Piece.

Impeccably executed, scientifically presented photographs of geological specimens from multiple gallery buildings propose a complex stance between artist, viewer and institution. In a simultaneous act of homage and guerilla appropriation Slaven reflects the text and mortar of the art world back at itself, laying terrifyingly bare the literal ideological structures which will so condition the future of this graduating class.

On the way out, Nikolas Kalli’s Catch Me A Fairy video installations provide a fitting allegory for the tentative entry that these artists are about to make onto the proverbial high street and into the real world beyond. Big monitors huddle under tables, sheltering stooped, agitated figures that peer nervously at the feet that pass them by. [Rebecca Pottinger]

Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show 2009

rrr It’s with an unsettling sense of déjà vu that The Skinny skulks into ECA for its annual binge of art and design – two weeks of organised subversion during which consensus reality is politely refused entry on the door in order that the students within may gleefully guide us through the labyrinth of their myriad alternate worlds.

Of course this feeling of reiteration isn’t helped by the fact that the number of Edinburgh degree shows this particular hack has seen will soon hit double figures, but it’s impossible not to pick out recurring modes and strategies that are present each year – this year more so than ever.

Witness the credulous toddler gamboling happily past the scrawled obscenities and images of fellatio as his parents try to play it cool (“don’t go near those, Thomas”); hark at the droning loops that provide the ambient soundtrack to the numerous shadowy grottos; furrow your brow at the notable lack of serious figurative work. Trite comments perhaps, but nevertheless this is a degree show that lacks a sense of freshness.

In addition to this, the unspoken axiom that departmental ghettoisation is best combatted by a concept-heavy, multi-disciplinary free-for-all has led to a burgeoning sense of homogeneity within the college as a whole - an unfortunate upshot of an ideology intended to promote unorthodoxy. On a practical note, the college’s decision to turn the sculpture court into a market stall for the fashion and performance costume students is an unforgiveable

error of judgement. The removal of this traditional and always arresting centrepiece – where usually one would find the biggest and boldest installations – leaves a gaping hole at the heart of the degree show.

Griping aside, there’s still an abundance of superb work to take in throughout the college. The Sculpture department acquits itself admirably as usual: Alexander Allan’s monumental construction of bricks and driftwood has already grabbed headlines and Tori Jennings’ attempts to capture the ‘thingness’ of various animals without using literal representation has resulted in a wonderfully creepy but compelling display. In painting, Jennifer Harmer’s simple installation using yellow tissue paper is strangely moving, whilst Lottie Lindsay’s work, including some eerily beautiful photographs intended to promote optimism, is similarly potent. Film and TV is also strong this year, notably Tali Yankelevich’s poignant short which sensitively documents the life of a stoical housekeeper and the ailing Greek Orthodox patriarch she spends all her waking hours tending to.

As always, the sheer amount of work on display is intimidating: you couldn’t take in everything properly even if you spent half a day wandering around, and no two visitors will have the exact same exhibition experience.

It may not be a vintage year by the college’s own high standards, but you’ll not see another show like it in 2009.

[Mark Shukla]

top: travis souza bottom: alexander allan

just say no to art At this point in the year we’ve had the various degree shows and the Annuale. There’s been a Glasgow Gallery Weekend and festivals of Live Art, A Wee Tasty, Kill Your Timid Notion, Blockbuster shows in the RSA, and pop-up shows in clubs and flats and cupboards. And in August comes the Edinburgh Art Festival, alongside all the other festivals to descend on our fair land with the last breaths of summer.

In recognition of the generous array of artistic treats that are offered to us every month, I have chosen to make July the month to Say No To Art. As crops must be rotated to maintain the fertility of the soil, so our eyes and minds must

38 THE SKINNY July 2009

be rested to fully appreciate all that is offered to us. Therefore I think this month should be spent in more mindless pursuits. Go to a festival, run away to the seaside, or just sit in a darkened room watching terrible American teen dramas. Sit in the *fingers crossed* sun drinking cheap warm cider and burn embarrassingly quickly. Watch the sun rise over the hills after staggering out of a club.

If you must see some art I would advise taking a trip to the Changing Room in Stirling, or the HICA near Inverness, or anywhere that involves an excursion. I’m just saying no.[Rosamund West]

photo: john mcgregor (alexander allan)

Art

Battle of the Central Belt Degree Shows

The Venice Biennale: the daddy of all Biennales, the Olympics of Art. Rosamund West finds an oasis of calm in the Scottish pavilion

drained and relocated to skew perceptions of time and space. On entering the space the viewer is confronted by concrete slabs cast in angular forms, transformed into stepping stones with which to traverse the marble floor of the Palazzo Pisani. Littering the floor are meticulously folded wax paper fragments, which at first glance appear to be dried, fallen leaves blown into an abandoned room. From the ceiling, in the place of a chandelier, hangs a black metal structure, its angular form mirroring the shape of the concrete slabs and, on closer inspection, the leaves. The form, it transpires, derives from an image of concrete trees created by Joel and Jan Martel in 1925. To Boyce, this form represents the perfect confluence of oppositional ideas of the

natural and the architectural, its appropriation a nod to a modernist nature, at once idealising and undermining the natural world.

The exhibition continues across seven rooms, various items of detritus (bed frame, misshapen bird box, upended and distorted benches) alluding to an unknown history just beyond the grasp of the imagination. Signs of natural and human occupation interact and contradict, with wax paper leaves and modernist tree chandeliers repeated in each room to form a kind of unifying rhythm. Within all forms, even within the shapes of a strange, meandering typeface, are the abstracted influences of the Martel sculptures. In a sort of communion, Boyce has worked and worked on

this epitome of his influences to bring forth an array of pieces that are allusive, mysterious and meditative.

After Venice, in December, No Reflections will return to Scotland to be re-presented in the very different surrounds of DCA. The exhibition will necessarily be transformed, without the aesthetically loaded environment of the palazzo and the Biennale as a whole, the re-contextualised sculptures presumably taking on a whole new array of associations and meanings. A fascinating challenge for both artist and curators. For those visiting Venice, No Reflections exists as an oasis of calm in the heart of the madness of both Venice the city and the Venice Biennale art spectacular.

photos: Gilmar Ribeiro

Every two years, dozens of countries of the world congregate in the City of Love to put on their own blockbuster shows and generally try to out-art each other. The already glittering surrounds of the historic centre become markedly more glittering, as palazzos are given over to individual nations and artists to do what they will. In the leafy surrounds of the Giardini, the pavilions of the longer-serving countries, permanent structures that lie empty in the eighteen month periods between exhibitions, host solo shows and bespoke group exhibitions designed to represent the crème de la crème of the nation’s artistic and curatorial talent. With no expense spared, amid a surround near incomparable in its beauty, there surely can be few greater achievements in an artist’s career than to be their country’s chosen competitor. Sorry, representative.

Scotland is one of the newer participants in the extravaganza, with this year’s exhibit representing its fourth incarnation. Occurring outwith the surrounds of the permanent pavilions of the Giardini, in the “collateral events” wing of the Biennale, the nation’s representation has been nomadic and rapidly evolving, with the freedom afforded by its relative youth, without the constraints of a tried and tested formula, creating fresh, disparate exhibitions in various nooks and crannies (for nooks and crannies read lavish palazzos) of the Doge’s city. This year, curated by Judith Winter and Graham Domke at DCA, is No Reflections by Martin Boyce, the first solo artist to be granted a Scottish pavilion.

Up some stairs in a palazzo behind the Rialto, cheerfully signposted by gallery assistants provided

by Duncan of Jordanstone, Boyce has created an eerie world where a modernist nature meets the romantic surrounds of the city’s architecture. He has sought to create the impression of an abandoned garden, a pool

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Art

No Reflections, Scotland + Venice 2009

Music

Feedback:

Falco vs The Middle Class

If you’ve ordered the new Future of the Left album from the band’s website and received the legitimate MP3s in the meantime, we salute you. If you’re waiting for the actual physical release to savour one of the albums of the year, even better. But if you’ve illegally downloaded Travels With Myself and Another and are feeling a bit smug about it, frontman Andy Falkous would like a word with you

It surprises me that there’s even a debate around illegal downloading really, because it’s rather cut and dry for me. I can understand people taking something that they can get for nothing rather than paying for it, but what I can’t understand is people trying to justify it. By all means, if you’ve got away with it, take yer loot and run, but please don’t try to justify it to me.

I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently, and I think I’ve discovered a way to defeat the pro-downloading argument. It’s to accuse everybody involved of being middle class. That is the best way of doing it, because nobody wants to be called middle class, and I speak as the son of teachers.

It just strikes me that it’s such a middleclass notion to believe that music should be available for free. To believe that, you probably come from a well-off family anyway.

You just don’t get that way of thinking with people who are raised in environments where things have an actual worth, where a pound is a lot of money or where an income is valued and used for essentials as opposed to being broken up for a series of exotic foreign holidays.

It’s only middle-class hobby-band twats whose parents work in high finance who can afford to countenance music as a hobby when they put all of their time and effort into it. I’d like to see somebody sit down and try and have a conversation with a young Oasis about why their music should be given away for free and how they should just do it for the love of it. They’re not going to have that debate with them are they?

Because they know they’re going to get headbutted.

I think that’s basically the best way; that reverse middle-class guilt is the thing we’ve got to play on in order to stop illegal downloading. Somebody sent me a link to this one particularly pathetic song that this Swedish guy had written in support of the torrent site Pirate Bay. It’s basically a song about how all music should be given away for free and believe me, if my music was that bad... well, I wouldn’t give it away for free. I’d lock it in the cupboard or send it into space in an Ellis rocket.

We have to try and take the debate away from an exciting word like ‘pirate’ which implies so much more of a forward, exciting, glamorous and brave role than simply what is, in effect, theft.

But there you are.

Travels With Myself and Another is out NOW via 4AD www.futureoftheleft.com

40 THE SKINNY July 2009

New Horizons

The second album from Engineers has been four years in the making. Joe Barton talks to bassist Mark Peters to ask what's taken them so long and find out how they approach a radically changing industry.

London-based Mancunians, Engineers, released their eponymous debut in 2005, and its dreamy mix of psychedelia, krautrock and shoegaze was well received by connoisseurs of unworldly soundscapes.

Then, everything fell silent.

Four years on, Engineers are back, releasing Three Fact Fader in a musical climate that has radically changed since the band’s early days. But what’s taken them so long? Bassist Mark Peters explains: “During the making of the album, the label which we were on stopped being a label which actually released records.

We didn’t really want to wait and be shopped around after we’d made an album…so we decided just to have a rest. I went on to do some session playing, and a couple of the other guys went into tour management.”

However, it wasn’t long until public demand and record label interest drew their attention back towards Engineering. “We had a remix done by [Welsh DJ] Sasha, put a few of those tracks up on MySpace, and it spurred interest from the public. Then we were approached by the new label, Kscope, and they didn’t even know there was another album; they just wanted to see if we were still together. When we told them that there was one, they decided to license it from Echo.”

Despite having secured the backing of Kscope, Peters notes how the musical industry that Engineers returned to was “a totally different place”, and explains how the band have reacted to this. “Whether we actually sell any records now has a big question mark over it, but we definitely know now that we have a set fan base who love the tracks; I mean, there’s been certain times when we’ve been literally inundated with people telling us that they absolutely love it.”

Indeed, although the effect of downloading has forced Engineers, like all bands, to rethink their approach towards distributing music, it’s also allowed them to communicate with their fans on an unprecedented level. “People are wanting to know more details on tracks off the second album that have been on MySpace, and it’s had a bit of a mythical status, which is, for me, wonderful, because we’re losing a lot of that from the industry.”

Anyone who compares Three Fact Fader to

"Putting tracks on MySpace gives the music a bit of a mythical status, which is wonderful, because we’re losing a lot of that from the industry” Mark Peters

Engineers’ debut will realise that promotion isn’t the only area that the band have shaken up: their dreamy sound is now bolstered by a groovy, Motorik backbone. Peters argues that the change in sound reflects the band’s new approach to the recording process. “We were really set on doing the first album ourselves, and then, when we were coming to do the second one, we felt like we needed someone with a bit of experience”.

The choice was Ken Thomas, a producer whose eclectic track record allowed Engineers to be willingly pulled in several musical directions. “He was in tune with a lot of the German stuff we were into, and he’s worked on a lot of really diverse, alternative acts – the Cocteau Twins, PiL, stuff like that – and we just wanted to come at it from a different angle.”

‘A different angle’ is certainly right; Clean Coloured Wire is a Harmonia sampling gem, whilst Crawl From The Wreckage and Song For Andy are downright funky. Why so groovy all of a sudden? “One of the things on the first album that we felt we’d concentrated quite a lot on was atmosphere, so we wanted to have a lot more stronger, definite rhythms on this. Not necessarily to have a dance album, but to have audible bass grooves; something that we could have a lot more fun with live.”

Of course, Peters and the band are well aware that “because people can just get the album for nothing, it means that the live thing has to be a real experience.”

With that in mind, are Engineers now a touring live spectacle that’s here to stay? Peters lays down the law: “We’re not signed, we’re not contracted to anything we don’t wanna do, so it’s up to us, really”.

It’s a pretty adamant statement of intent, and there’s no doubt that Engineers are a refreshingly strong-willed band. If only for the benefit of our ears, however, let’s hope they’ll bend to inevitable public adoration of Three Fact Fader just a little bit more; in an age when shoegaze is no longer an insult Engineers could have the pop world in the palm of their hand.

Three Fact Fader is released via Kscope Records on 6 Jul www.myspace.com/engineers

MUSIC

The Sky's The Limit Scotland is gaining a reputation for darkly ambitious indie, but Glasgow four-piece There Will Be Fireworks are determined to carve out their own space, Nick Mitchell hears THERE Will Be Fireworks. It sounds like something a sports commentator might say before a title decider or grand slam final. It’s loaded with intent and certainty; entertainment and drama are a given.

So it’s just as well the Glasgow band who chose that name are promising to live up to it, even if it was only struck upon through drunken chance. “One night we’d all been round at a friend’s house and woke up the next day with ‘There Will Be Fireworks’ in our phone inboxes,” says singer and guitarist Nicky McManus.

“We’d been struggling to think of a name so we just went with it. There’s probably a meaning behind it that the beer haze of that night has since erased, but it eludes us.”

Although they went to school together and played “in various bad bands in various combinations with a few other guys”, it wasn’t until last February that the quartet of McManus, Adam Ketterer (drums), Gibran Farrah (guitar) and David Madden (bass) started to take their music seriously as There Will Be Fireworks (TWBF). All aged between 21 and 22 and at the end of various university and college courses, they’re now ready to unveil a self-financed debut album that is nothing short of astonishing.

From the spoken word intro by author Kevin MacNeil on Columbian Fireworks through the orchestral pomp of We Sleep Through the Bombs to the impassioned strains of last track Joined Up Writing, the album is rousing and magnificent, with an uncommon, almost Abbey Road-like consideration for the way the songs flow together. A work of lofty Garage Function Skinny Ad PRINT.pdf

ambition, it took them a year to record, although this wasn’t as indulgent or tortured as that might normally suggest.

“We were only doing a few days at a time, stolen moments away from university and work, so it took a lot longer than it otherwise would have,” McManus says. “But that was a good thing because it allowed us 26/5/09

to obsess over little details we would otherwise have ignored.” Farrah agrees: “I reckon we spent about two weeks’ worth of time recording over the course of a year, meaning that we would record something and then have the time to think about what we might add or change to the songs.”

McManus’ lyrics tend to put heartache under the

microscope, whether personal (“you’re unravelling in my arms”) or observed (“and if she dreams she dreams of the sounds you never speak”), but stay just on the right side of the fine line between earnestness and angst. “There is a kind of common thread on the album, but different songs are inspired by different people,” McManus reveals. “Basically, as horrendously clichéd and cheesy as it sounds, the lyrics reflect a certain time and place in my life. Some of the lyrics are vague and some are a bit more personal but it’s probably best to let people interpret them however they like.”

TWBF have already attracted comparisons to Scottish trailblazers The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit, in part due to a similar dynamic aesthetic, but mostly down to the mundane fact that McManus sings in his own accent. “There seems to be a fervour to lump everything with a Scottish accent together, and in doing so to gloss over any musical differences between bands,” he complains. “I’d feel daft if I was to sing in a pretend Californian or London accent or whatever. Hopefully when people hear the album in its entirety, we’ll be able to stake a claim to our own little niche.”

With critical acclaim surely around the corner and the follow-up already in gestation, There Will Be Fireworks look set to blow up in spectacular style.

THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS LAUNCH THEIR EPONYMOUS DEBUT AT NICE N SLEAZY, GLASGOW, ON 1 JULY. THEY ALSO PLAY ELECTRIC CIRCUS, EDINBURGH, ON 14 JUL AND DRUMMOND’S, ABERDEEN, ON 15 JUL WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEREWILLBEFIREWORKS

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MUSIC

The Beautiful Occupation Miss The Occupier have begun to turn heads with eye-catching style and a glam-punk sound. Gillian Watson talks feminism, far-flung touring and daytime soaps with the Glasgow trio about Davies’ image, which is proving an unsurprising focal point for journos – with her bubblegum pink bob and glam-meets-grunge look, she stands out a mile. Davies is reasonable: “It’s only going to help so far – if people come to see us, then hopefully the music stands up too.” Henderson agrees. “If I was annoyed about people focussing on Roz’s image,” he says, witheringly, “I’d be spectacularly missing the point of being in a band. I’d be better off being a dull, stool-bound solo artist.”

Dull isn’t this band’s style; they look sharp and coherent on stage. Do we detect an aesthetic? “Bands need an image, and it’s important to consider aesthetics, not only focus on the music,” says Davies. “We try to think about what it all looks like!” They didn’t always look this good, though. “We used to have a slight obsession with skulls and crossbones, and pirates… but we got over that.”

Miss The Occupier also claim bands of the 90s riot grrl movement as an influence, and even today, it’s rare to see a woman as powerful as Davies perform. Is she a feminist? “I feel that we’re all equal… I would certainly describe myself as a feminist in attitude in many ways, but I don’t really feel that women are subjugated in music any more, so perhaps there’s less of a reason to be outwardly or aggressively feminist. I don’t really think about my gender when I’m playing, although I also don’t ignore it.” Don’t be fooled, though. Pretensions of equality aside, according to Davies, Miss The Occupier is a one-woman dictatorship: “Really I’m in charge – but don’t tell the boys!”

Hopefully someone has told them about Peter Parker, Davies’ femme-punk collaboration with Jane McKeown of

LISA FERRI

DIY legends Lungleg. The quartet are garnering plaudits from the likes of Stephen Pastel, and if Henderson and Campbell aren’t careful, this superhero side project may take flight. Davies is emphatic, though: “Peter Parker are doing well, but Miss The Occupier aren’t going anywhere!”

The band’s characteristically busy schedule provides confirmation: as well as planning a gaggle of summer shows in Glasgow and one in Lerwick (Henderson, a Shetlander, explains: “none of us are from cities or obvious tour stops, so we appreciate when bands make the effort to go somewhere less obvious”), they hope to release new

music very soon. That is, unless they get sidetracked: “I think we’d be good on Hollyoaks… yeah, I can see that now,” ponders Davies. The scary thing is, we bet they could make it happen. Miss The Occupier are a band who are going places. Don’t get left behind.

MISS THE OCCUPIER PLAY CAPTAIN’S REST, GLASGOW ON 27 JUL; NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, GLASGOW ON 31 JUL; MACSORLEYS, GLASGOW ON 4 AUG; AND VENUES TBC, LERWICK, SHETLAND ON 14-15 AUG. THEIR ALBUM, RECOVERY POSITION IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MISSTHEOCCUPIER

PHOTO: HEIDI KUISMA

MISS The Occupier are the antithesis of all that’s beardy, blokey and folky about the Scottish music scene. Blessed with a frontwoman in Roz Davies who epitomises alternative glamour, and the flair of musicians Magnus Henderson and Ione Campbell, this band has the sound and vision to eat Scotland whole.

The trio have been gathering critical mass since former DJ Ione Campbell became a concrete addition to the lineup in 2007. They haven’t slouched since: playing festivals such as Wickerman and Hinterland north of the border and various Ladyfests south of it; supporting everyone from Bis to The Fall; and self-releasing an accomplished debut, Recovery Position. Davies sums it up: “We’re quite productive when we put our minds to it.”

This sort of measured energy mirrors their music. Miss The Occupier tracks are short, snappy, clever. Henderson’s guitar alternately lets out bright sparks of melody and torrents of feedback. Basslines of the school of Deal bounce along, while Campbell’s choppy drums beef things up. At times, they sound like Sonic Youth in miniature; at others, a more thoughtful Be Your Own Pet; at others again, The B-52s with less quirk and more controlled spite. “We’re influenced by popular culture, by ideas, by what’s happening around us,” says Davies. “In terms of music, there’s so many varying influences…” She unsurprisingly names S-K and SY as well as Nick Cave and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and claims that Campbell’s former profession has left its mark: “Ione’s into beats, beats, beats!”

Campbell and Henderson are overshadowed in Miss The Occupier’s growing pile of press cuttings by chatter

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Music

Cave Reappraised To mark Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds silver anniversary, Mute have reissued the group’s first four LPs. Looking beyond the spruced-up packaging, Billy Hamilton reappraises the original recordings and ponders their place in the modern day vernacular Pinning down Nick Cave’s primary occupation over the past 25 years is an unforgiving task. From musician to novelist to actor to director, the uncompromising Australian boasts a CV so multifaceted it could rival the Karma Sutra for positional variation. Cave followers may argue the payoff is equally as satisfying.

Such diversity has bestowed universal acclaim upon the former Birthday Party hellraiser; his stock escalating in both the Hollywood Hills and the British high street (that wretched baritone bellowing through Topshop incites the most curious thrill). Last year’s Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (NC&TBS) LP, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!, peaked at a career high number four in the UK album charts, while his 2005 screenplay, The Proposition, was not only the toast of Tinseltown, it somehow managed to engulf Ray Winstone in an air of respectability.

Never has Nick Cave been more acceptable or, indeed, profitable. And, despite the pretence of quarter century celebrations, it doesn’t take much to work out why Mute Records have reissued the first four instalments of NC&TBS’s 14 album-spanning career (the rest are due over the course of the next 12 months). Not that the 51 year-old will mind; he’s always been cute to commercial appeal. Remember his moribund crow impeding the reels of kid-friendly blockbuster Shrek 2?

Cynicism aside, these early recordings demand to be heard. They are, after all, audible artefacts of a protoGothic wild child reinventing himself as devout Blues statesman; LPs that have fashioned the contours of a monolithic career. If anything, this particular quartet – From Her to Eternity, The First Born Is Dead, Kicking Against the Pricks and Your Funeral... My Trial – deserves reappraisal in a more appreciative public sphere, given their initial impoverished chart remuneration.

Following Birthday Party’s smack-entangled demise in 1983, Cave and longstanding (until this year) confrere Mick Harvey were attuned to everything but unit shifting. It shows. Their debut effort as NC&TBS (the line-up completed by ex-Magazine bassist Barry Adamson, Einsturzende Neubauten’s Blixa Bargeld and axe-man Hugo Race), 1984’s From Her To Eternity, is fraught with rabid staccato arrangements that still rub the ears raw with acrid vigour. But, while Saint Huck’s blood red cut continues to ooze feral intensity, the years have depreciated many of the ghoulish stampedes as over-dramatic Halloween pastiche.

For once, blame cannot be apportioned to rank-rotten 80s production (if anything, these recordings outpunch today’s retrograde gloss). No, Cave has simply upped his game ever since. Today, he’s a larynx-busting powerhouse capable of executing bellow and croon with gymnastic aplomb, but back in the days of Berlin opium dens, tonality played little part in his violent reveries; a gutwrenching sneer being the preferred method of delivery.

In 2009, From Her To Eternity booms out like Rocky Horror cabaret.

By The First Born Is Dead’s release in 1985, the band had replaced horror-shtick with Wild West iconography.

Tales of jailers, sheriffs, droughts and outlaws bullet-hole Wanted Man and Blind Lemon Jefferson’s blind-drunk narratives, while the cinematic arrangements of Harvey et al are heaving with jailhouse clang and the brawling furore of Arizona barrooms. A creaky slow burner, the album marked a first foray into the neo-Blues balladry that underpins the group’s most revered output; Tupelo’s dank oscillations paving the way for shuddering totems The Hammer Song and The Mercy Seat.

Cave himself was unravelling as a songwriter of granite brevity, drawing inspiration from the Old Testament’s tombstone parables and the folklore of the American West. So it seemed a peculiar call when Kicking Against the Pricks (1986) fire-cracked in as a ream of cover versions. It should have been the album that shot NC&TBS stone dead. Instead it did the opposite. Cave used ...Pricks as a vantage from which to leap into the pantheon of vocal giants, appropriating numbers by Cash, Hooker, Reed and Orbison and sodomising them with a debauched, salacious tongue.

His range was vast, his intentions overt: Nick Cave

44 THE SKINNY July 2009

from her to eternity (1984)

the firstborn is dead (1985)

kicking against the pricks (1986)

was ready to unleash his very own beast. And how.

Twenty-three years may have passed since its release but Your Funeral, My Trial (1986) still snarls with accomplishment. Reeking pious soap-box preaching and the antithetical char of heroin-sick desolation, the record’s serrated incantations reveal a group gearing up for its creative overture. Vocally, Cave is in imperious form; part Bukowski-aping degenerate (Hard On For Love, Scum), part doomsaying harbinger (Jack’s Shadow, Sad Waters).

The Bad Seeds are equally enforcing, tautly reeling in wild-eyed beasts The Carny and She Fell Away with murder in mind.

In retrospect, Your Funeral... was a green light for the

schooled brilliance of The Good Son and Henry’s Dream and a record that underlines every aspect of Cave’s bulging resume: the screenplays, the film scores, the sideprojects, Christ, even the acting. It was, in every sense, a battering ram that marked the exaltation of Nick Cave.

Collectors’ editions of From Her to Eternity, The First Born Is Dead, Kicking Against the Pricks and Your Funeral...

My Trial are available now via Mute.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds play the radio 1/nme stage, T in the Park on fri.

www.nickcaveandthebadseeds.com

your funeral... my trial (1986)

Music

Gonna Make You Swoon Although still paying dues on these shores, LA’s Silversun Pickups are becoming a big name in their home country. Nikki Monninger tells Darren Carle they're all the happier for it.

There’s always a story behind an album title.

Whether it’s a good one or not is a different matter.

With Los Angeles’ Silversun Pickups, the naming of their latest offering is at least worthy of note. Walking into the first rehearsal sessions, singer Brian Aubert apparently scrawled ‘Swoon?’ with a permanent marker onto a dry-board in the studio. Bassist Nikki Monninger is still unable to illuminate what inspired Aubert to do this, though she’s confident it shaped the resultant album. “It just kind of stuck as something that worked,” she explains from her LA home. “It helped how things went from then on.”

And so, from a flippant scribble, the quartet eventually forged their sophomore album, titled, if you haven’t already guessed, Swoon. The big direction change for the group, and the one that perhaps best exemplifies the title, is the lush orchestral arrangements throughout.

Whether it’s Catch and Release’s subtle, rousing strings or The Royal We’s more immediate, driving violins, Swoon is definitely a grand album from a band unafraid of adding a bit of ostentation into the indie rock oeuvre.

“We were hoping for a quartet, but we were able to get a sixteen piece orchestra,” reveals Monninger. “That was pretty exciting - going in and seeing the ideas that we had come to fruition... we were pretty humbled by it.”

As well as its grand production, Swoon is proving a better showcase for the memorable tunes that were more fleeting or over-worked on their debut album Carnavas. Where previous singles such as Lazy Eye had the necessary ingredients to be great, it felt that the band hadn’t quite perfected their method yet. However, with stand-out tracks like Panic Switch, it sounds as if they’re getting a little more confident in cooking up a storm this time around.

Still, it would be erroneous to say that the Silversun Pickups now follow a rigid verse-chorus-verse template and standard three-and-a-half minute song length, both areas that have drawn them criticism in the past.

“I would say that as a band we don’t really follow structures,” suggests Monninger. “It’s interesting watching our producer [Dave Cooley] talk with Brian because he’s like ‘OK, is this the chorus or is this the verse?’. Most of the time we just go with what we feel is right. I don’t think you necessarily need a form in order for a song to work. The song is done when it’s done, not because we’ve finished the third chorus.”

It’s a concise answer that makes a supposedly discerning and open-minded music fan feel foolish for questioning. A more reasonable line of enquiry, and one that has loomed large over the band since their inception, is that of their similarity to the Smashing Pumpkins, something that seems equally unlikely to abate. Brian Aubert’s perpetually breathless fawn-eyed wonderment

of a voice mimics that same aspect of Billy Corgan’s to a tee. Carnavas and - to a lesser extent - Swoon certainly borrow some of Corgan’s fretwork. Heck, they even share the same initials. “We are flattered by the comparison,” claims Monninger in good nature, “but I think we’re confident enough in our own sound that we don’t get frustrated with the constant reminders.”

And it seems she isn’t the only one with confidence in the band. The release of Swoon in April saw the band land into the American Billboard Top Ten, where previously they had languished at number eighty with Carnavas. Though Monninger still pleads allegiance

“We were hoping for a quartet, but we were able to get a sixteen piece orchestra” nikki monninger with the local LA scene they cut their teeth in, and indeed still reside, they’re clearly becoming bigger fish in a big pond. However, ahead of their trip to Europe and the UK this month, Monninger is aware that success hasn’t entirely translated over to this side of the Atlantic yet. “We definitely play at smaller places in the UK but they’re gradually getting bigger,” she states, before acknowledging that their upcoming date at Glasgow’s Òran Mór is a notch above their previous one at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy.

“We feel like we’re paying our dues over there,” she concedes, but not with any resentment. “When we were over there in 2007 I was really happy, just going round and round the UK. It feels like a sort of homecoming, to see some of the same people there that come to every show.” Whether you’re one of those familiar faces or a new addition to their growing fan base, Silversun Pickups are going to make you swoon.

Silversun Pickups play oran mor Glasgow on 1 Jul.

July 2009

THE SKINNY 45

MUSIC

Good Times Guaranteed Having worked with everyone from David Bowie to Debbie Harry, Nile Rodgers' legacy to pop music is astonishing. He tells Ally Brown how ideas evolve, some more obviously than others.

NILE Rodgers has an abundance of amazing stories to tell. Some of them are about his band Chic, who were the biggest group of the late 70s disco explosion, and his side-project Sister Sledge, who had several more dancefloor filling hits. Some of them involve world superstars like Diana Ross or David Bowie or Madonna, because he produced the biggest-selling albums any of them made. Some of them involve other stars like Debbie Harry, Duran Duran, INXS and Mick Jagger, whom he also produced. And some of them involve the birth of hip-hop, at which he was present, thanks to The Sugarhill Gang’s unauthorised borrowing of Chic’s Good Times to lie under Rapper’s Delight. He enjoys telling these stories, and The Skinny enjoys letting him.

Like, there’s the one about the time Debbie Harry took him around New York to visit some hip-hops – congregations of hip youths, hopping – where at every single one, Good Times was being spun, over and over.

Some time later, he went to a nightclub and heard it again, only for the DJ to start rapping on top of it – “I said a hip-hop, the hippy, the hippy to the hip hip hop...”

– only, it wasn’t the DJ. “I looked in the DJ booth and I thought it was him and a couple of friends rapping over a musical bedtrack which they had created.” That was a reasonable assumption to make, because for a while fans had been jumping on stage at Chic gigs to grab the mic and rap. “We didn’t mind seeing this in a live arena, like what we’d seen at a hip-hop, that was cool cos it was just a performance thing, and it was interesting to watch. To know that people had rehearsed rhymes and routines to perform over Good Times - that was cool!” But the DJ wasn’t rapping in the booth, the vocals were coming off the vinyl. “The thing that was ironic was that Rapper’s Delight generated more revenue than Good Times because it was only available on 12”, so you’d pay $3 for a song that we would sell for 79 cents! When it comes to artists sharing work there’s a sort of unwritten rule that some things are cool. I always find it a little bit weird when we all know where an idea came from but the person changes it enough that, y’know, it’s cool. I’m pretty sure you can think of dozens and dozens of records you know that come from another record. I mean I do it all the time myself, we all do! But there’s a difference between inspiration and plagiarism. So, basically that happened with Sugarhill Gang, they crossed that line.”

It’s interesting to think of that in light of Rodgers’ unexpected explanation of Chic’s formation. “When you’re coming up with a band and coming up with a concept, you work with artistic ideas the same way you would do a sculpture, you mould those ideas or reinterpret them. It’s very clear in today’s musical world there’s more of a collage culture, because of hip-hop, it’s a re-interpretive culture.” In the early 70s, Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards had become fans of Roxy Music, and especially liked the glamour portrayed by Bryan Ferry’s beautiful model girlfriends on the covers.

Meanwhile their friend (and later keyboard player) Rob Sabino was hanging around with a guitarist called Ace Frehley. “This was before Kiss really blew up and got signed to Casablanca. They were still an underground band, but they were already doing the makeup thing.

So basically the concept of Chic was a fusion of those two ideas, the Roxy Music covers with the girls and the Kiss logo and Kiss’s anonymity because of their makeup. Our version of Kiss’s anonymity was putting on suits and pretending to be bankers from France or something!”

The bankers from France didn’t stay anonymous for long. “We thought in our hearts artistically we were doing the right things and it would be successful. When Dance Dance Dance forced the black station to play our music because the white station had started playing it first, we realised that, OK, we got something pretty unique here!” That transatlantic Top 10 hit was followed by more seductive grooves on Everybody Dance, Le Freak, I Want Your Love, Good Times and My Forbidden Lover. Then as Chic’s successes scattered, Rodgers and Edwards took on the struggling Sister Sledge and gave them We Are Family, He’s The Greatest Dancer,

46 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

Lost In Music and Thinking Of You. By that time, Rodgers was hot property. He resuscitated Diana Ross’s struggling career with Diana (1980), produced Bowie’s biggest ever album Let’s Dance (1983), worked with Duran Duran on their two biggest singles, and turned Madonna into a superstar with Like a Virgin (1985).

Then there was Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Grace Jones and The B-52s; sadly, there’s only so many anecdotes Rodgers can recite in a half-hour phone call.

At the end of July, Rodgers is coming to Scotland with some new bandmates for a Chic Organisation spectacular. Former core members Edwards and drummer Tony Thompson have both passed away, but Rodgers is sure that “all the musicians I know are the best people I’ve ever worked with. We do all the Chic stuff, but it’s a bigger world than that, it’s also Sister Sledge, it’s Diana Ross. Now we’ve increased the set so we do a Bowie song, we do a Madonna song, we do this song called Spacer which we wrote for a French artist called Sheila B Devotion, and this will be the first time we’ve done that. Playing with Chic is one of my big loves. To think that I never have to stand on a stage and play a song that I didn’t have anything to do with, that’s incredible to me.”

Nile Rodgers has an abundance of amazing songs to play.

CHIC FEATURING NILE RODGERS PLAY PICTURE HOUSE, EDINBURGH ON 25 JUL. TICKETS ARE £27.50 AND ARE AVAILABLE NOW. WWW.NILERODGERS.COM

HOW CHIC SHAPED THE 1980S Madonna wouldn't have been a virgin, for one thing Chic and Sister Sledge

Nile Rodgers’ main band and side-project dominated disco in the late 70s, just before its mainstream demise. But hits like Good Times and He’s The Greatest Dancer are still guaranteed floor-fillers, and the former was the foundation for the first ever hip-hop hit.

Diana Ross

Diana Ross’s solo career was fading before Rodgers & Edwards agreed to write and produce her 1980 album Diana. It was a huge comeback, selling ten million copies thanks to the Chicalike hits Upside Down and I’m Coming Out. David Bowie

Rodgers produced Let’s Dance (1983), which was Bowie’s biggest album and featured the worldwide chart-topping title track. “When I worked with him his concept was to do a really really big record, and that’s not David’s normal life.” Only in the 80s could massive commercial success be an ‘artistic concept’.

Duran Duran

“I spent a very long time working with Duran Duran after Bowie,” and 1984 duly gave LeBon’s boys their two biggest hits yet – The Reflex and The Wild Boys.

Madonna

Up-and-coming coquette Madonna chose Rodgers to produce Like a Virgin, and it launched her to superstardom. “The fact that she’s the biggest star in the world now doesn’t change the fact that when I met Madonna, she couldn’t really pay her rent!” Like a Virgin,, including the era-appropriate Material Girl, sold over 20 million copies.[Ally Brown]

Music

Futuristic Sounds

Sonar prides itself on being world renowned as an event that brings together the finest in electronic music, media and art.

Having just celebrated its sixteenth year and welcoming almost 75,000 visitors through its doors, Chris Duncan looks at what makes the event so popular.

Sonar is, at its most basic level, a music festival.

By day it takes place within the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona (CCCB) and the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), spread across three stages and this year featuring artists such as Institut Fatima, The Wizard, La Roux, Bass Clef, XXXChange, Goldielocks and Ebony Bones.

Located within a striking bright and open courtyard is the Sonar Village, the busiest of the three stages, as people gather to see artists or simply lounge around in the baking heat. But it’s almost as though these three stages, with their diverse and memorable line up, are merely a support act for what is happening inside the CCCB and MACBA. Sonar doesn’t only attract music lovers with a bit of spare cash to spend on a Ryanair flight and a hostel, but a huge number of international journalists, music industry workers and the strangely mysterious group known simply as ‘Sonar Pros’.

The latter seem to be emerging artists, audiophiles and early adopters of technology who orbit around Espai Demo, an indoor area where companies such as Native Instruments, Ableton, M-Audio and others present their latest products. Years ago Ableton showcased their Live software here, now in 2009 their program has become the industry standard, being used in music creation and live performance.

Another piece of software that has been well received is Traktor Scratch Pro. Developed by Native Instruments, the original Traktor software elevated digital DJing to the level it is at today. It allowed for up to four decks to be created on a computer screen so that DJs could manipulate and mix MP3s as though they were being used on turntables. Whilst the original program was praised for being innovative, many DJs stuck to their turntables, finding the jump from a mixer to a keyboard less than desirable. Native Instruments reacted by designing Traktor Scratch Pro and Scratch Duo, packages which are fast becoming a common sight in clubs across the world. Scratch Duo includes two specially designed records (or CDs, depending on your choice of decks) so that DJs can mix their MP3 libraries exactly as they would if they were using records. Scratch Pro and its rival Serato Scratch Live have been used by Ritchie Hawtin, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Craze and Klever and described as the way forward.

The display of Traktor Scratch Pro’s abilities at Sonar draws a big crowd, as it seems many DJs, established or otherwise are considering switching to digital.

Worries of response times between the turntables and the laptop are put to rest as DJ Turco mixes a set just as he would with records. Those in attendance who were sitting on the fence, seem to be convinced, but whilst this is clearly a valuable and intelligent piece of software there is an elephant in the room. If people who have stuck with vinyl over the years because they love the format and enjoy DJing with it now have the option of doing so without the expense of buying records or carrying record bags when touring, where does this leave the beloved format? The demise of the record has been written about a lot over the years and it has yet to happen, but with advances like this, how long can vinyl exist on love alone?

From industry standards to bold new ideas and niche markets now. Tucked away in a corner, between stall after stall of midi sequencers and USB controllers lies the Vinylrecorder T-560. For the king’s ransom of €3200 you too can own a machine that cuts records.

Enticing a massive crowd to its small corner, the proud creators place a blank piece of vinyl onto a special turntable with a customised heated diamond stylus.

Connected to the T-560, an MP3 file is played and the machine begins to cut the grooves into the record, allowing for any home music file to be preserved into vinyl. Staggering and far more coveted than anything else on display.

Except, perhaps, for the Reactable. Down in the basement, housing concept piece and artwork lies the machine that became famous after its appearance on Youtube. Bjork used one for her Volta tour and is currently the only artist to own one.

Without getting too lost in the technicalities of the machine, Reactable is a circular, translucent, back lit table that is operated by placing shapes upon its surface. These shapes are called ‘tangibles’ and operate a virtual modular synthesizer. Words cannot really do it justice, so seek out a video online and marvel at what is easily the most exciting musical instrument of modern times.

With the Reactable and Yuki Suzuki’s The Physical Value Of Sound exhibiton (featuring a turntable with five tone arms so that the user can create new mixtures of sounds from a single record) it’s no surprise that so many of Sonar’s visitors shun the sunlight in exchange for the underground treasure chest of the CCCB. Full coverage of Sonar by Night can be found on our website, including reviews of Grace Jones, Sebastian, Heartbreak and that performance by Crystal Castles.

July 2009

THE SKINNY 47

The Dirty Dozen

While Nick Mitchell reclines after a close encounter with My Bloody Valentine, Dave Kerr sits down with prog metal monoliths Mastodon to devour a box of Tunnock's Tea Cakes and sift through July’s singles swag. smart people...if they’re real nerds. I can see them going apeshit in their little practice room.

Brann: This should’ve been the soundtrack to Star Wars.

Troy: I like that party now, but it was weird at first.

Brann: I’d certainly stay now. But I’d ask them to please turn it down a little bit.

Brann: I’m going to give this an eight.

Troy: I too was thinking eight, let’s do eight.

8/10

this past year.

Brann: Ever since that Cher song, where it was like: ‘Hey, it’s OK that we can’t sing, let’s do this!”

Troy: I don’t really care for this tune, though.

Brann: It’s reminding me of Britney Spears or something. End it.

Troy: Not as good as RoboCop. Brann: Zero.

Troy: Meh, I’m going to say 2. Collectively it’s a 1.

1/10

FLASHGUNS MATCHING HEARTS / SIMILAR PARTS

DAN BLACK SYMPHONIES

6 JUL

13 JUL

Troy: This is picnic music. I want to hold hands with a girl.

Dave: Where would you say Flashguns are from, at a guess?

Brann: The woods.

Troy: Manchester.

Troy: It sounds like a summer afternoon; you make a sandwich then you go outside and eat it. That’s what this song reminds me of. In that circumstance it’s very good.

Brann: Set the boombox up in the corner, then mow the lawn so you can’t hear it.

Troy: In the context of making a sandwich, it’s a good seven.

7/10

MR HUDSON FEAT. KANYE WEST SUPERNOVA

20 JUL

Troy Sanders (vocals/bass) Brann Dailor (drums) Bill Kelliher (guitar) Brent Hinds (vocals/guitar) Darren Sanders (Troy’s brother and guitar tech)

Troy: It’s got a little Bob Mould in there. A little Sugar. 10 out of 10 stars.

10/10

THE VICTORIAN ENGLISH GENTLEMENS CLUB PARROT

GIRLS

HELLHOLE RATRACE 6 JUL

Dave: What’s your position on KanYe? Troy: I think he’s awesome (sings “I don’t want no RoboCop”) Brann: I really don’t like the ultra effected vocals, though.

Troy: True, that vocal effect has been heavily abused

Dave: Some trivia for you: essentially this is a track salvaged from a session where Dan Black had spliced elements of the soundtrack to Starman with the drums to Umbrella and layered lyrics by Notorious B.I.G. over the top. Black couldn’t get clearance on the Biggie lyrics though, so he released this instead....

Brann: Why doesn’t he make his own music? Then he wouldn’t have to worry about it.

20 seconds later...

Brann: I hate it, turn it off.

Dave: Pish?

Troy: Zero.

Brann: I want to be funny about it...

Troy: But it just bums you out so bad you can’t possibly be funny.

0/10

YEAH YEAH YEAHS HEADS WILL ROLL

6 JUL

Dave: Fans of Karen-O? Brann: Yeah, yeah, yeah... I’ve always liked her voice.

6 JUL

Troy : This could come in handy at 3am in the morning, if you’re standing by yourself in a bar feeling that you just need a good cry to make yourself feel better.

Brann: Right when you realise that the woman you’ve been courting and trying to sleep with is a man.

Troy: It’s the perfect soundtrack to that scenario.

Brann: Buy that man a revolver.

Dave: Marks out of ten?

Brann: If we’re talking about playing this in a situation where you find out that your girlfriend’s penis is bigger than yours...

Troy: Then it’s a ten. We just put a sweetly positive twist on that one.

10/10

KNIFEWORLD PISSED UP ON BRAKE FLUID

13 JUL

Troy: This is the first song you play at your house party, that’ll get it going. Right, Darren?

Darren: Yeah, this’d get me going. I’d take my pants off to this.

Troy: Knifeworld, you say? I like it.

Brann: I like it too. There’s a little Foo Fighters in there, but not on purpose...sounds like they’ve been doing this for a long time.

48 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

Troy: If you have eleven syllables in your name, you already have a lot going against you. But I like this. It sounds like something my little gay brother would play all the time.

Darren: Once again, correct, I can’t believe you got that.

Brann: Sounds like the 80s. We’ve got to rate that, how many stars?

Troy: I’m going to say five and a half.

Brann: Five.

Troy: Can we just meet in the middle, say five and a quarter?

5.25/10

THREE TRAPPED TIGERS 7/1 6 JUL

Troy: They’re not as good as Journey; nobody’s as good as Journey. Sounds like you’re at a weird party with a bunch of freaks; everybody’s dressed nicer than you and they’re listening to this.

Brann: And you’re way too fucked up. You’re like ‘where’s the bathroom?’ Of course, there’s also some dude with over-styled glasses dancing in your face.

Troy: Clap your hands, everybody.

Brann: It sounds like a strobelight.

Troy: It sounds like a disco ball, French-kissing a snow globe.

Troy: Three Trapped Tigers. I wonder if they’re

PHOTOS: SARAH ROBERTS

RECORDS

MASTODON

10/10

REMEMBER REMEMBER THE DANCING

6 JUL

Troy: It’s quite like Q and Not U, this is a grower.

Dave: Can you describe the party, Troy...

Troy: Stagnant. Everybody’s just sitting down on couches, not talking to one another.

Brann: I’m thinking about messing with their drinks.

If you put this on your playlist you need to revaluate your definition of a party.

Brann: This is a jogging song...

Troy: Only if you’re going long-distance, it’s not stopping. I’d like to hear the whole album, this sounds like a piece of the puzzle.

Brann: I think it’s artistic and cool. It’s a lot fucking better than that KanYe song, or that other douche.

Troy: Mr Hudson?

Brann: That guy who stole the music from Starman. This is a seven.

THE TWANG BARNEY RUBBLE

6 JUL

Brann: I’m not familiar with The Twang...

Dave: They’re pretty big over here, not quite sure why...

Troy: Sounds like Coldplay, good make out music.

Slow kisses, right Bill?

Bill: Under the shirt, over the bra.

Troy: Or, if you were working in the garage and had some shit to do...

Brann: Stop right there, you would not put this on in a garage.

Troy: I would. That’s the only time I’d listen to it, in the garage, organising tins of paint.

Bill: It’s not bad, needs a little metal...

Brann: This sounds like some English guy in his mid 30s got stood up in a bar. He’s holding a scotch and water, eyes set on the doorway, with every person that comes in he gets all excited. But it’s not her, it’s never her. He just ends up getting wasted and

making a fool out of himself, and this song’s playing the whole fucking time.

Troy: That’s a four.

Dave [hands the single to Troy]: Take this home and warn the people of Atlanta.

Brann: If you play that on the bus I’ll kill you.

4/10

GREEN DAY 21 GUNS 13 JULY

7/10

PROFESSOR GREEN HARD NIGHT OUT

6 JUL

Dave: A collaborator of The Streets, this man.

Brann: I haven’t heard enough of The Streets to judge.

Troy: “Boing!”

Brann: This song makes me feel like I’m in the back of a car with a bunch of people I don’t really know too well, they have this music up really loud and they’re going to do something bad... probably rob somebody. Now, I don’t necessarily want to get out, but I’m asking myself ‘how did I get into this situation?’

Troy: It’s uncomfortable, but you can’t do anything about it.

Brann: It’s a good song, though; I’m just telling you where it puts me mentally.

Troy: It’s certainly dancey and upbeat. I love the ‘boing’ part; I’m going to give it a high grade because of that.

Bill [enters]: What are you doing?

Brann: We’re reviewing.

Troy: An eight, the most annoying eight I’ll ever give.

8/10

Troy: Cell phones up everybody.

Brent enters [stares at the pack of Irn Bru on the table]: Is this shit good for hangovers?

Brann: Don’t bore us, get to the chorus...

Troy: Sounds like Billy Joe had some vocal coaching.

This record solidifies them as the biggest... whatever this type of music is... they’re the biggest in the world.

Dave: Stadium Rock?

Troy: Yeah, Stadium Rock, they’re on the journey to Aerosmith.

Bill: It reminds me a little of Neil Young – Heart of Gold.

Brann: I think Green Day’s awesome, but this felt a little flat to me. It’s a five.

5/10

Dave: So what was the cream of the crop?

Brann: It’s a tie! The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Three Trapped Tigers.

Dave: And the cream of the crap?

Troy: Another wretched tie! Mr Hudson featuring KanYe, and Dan Black.

MASTODON PLAY SONISPHERE FESTIVAL, KNEBWORTH ON SUN 2 AUG.

WWW.TENTRACKS.CO.UK

SILICONE SOUL: DARKROOM DUBS

10 years on, Soma’s ultimate deep house duo may be playing the International DJ card, but their latest album still speaks of wild nights in the rainy city. Rosie Davies talks to Graeme Reedie about the future of Glasgow’s original sound.

“SO, it’s not a greatest hits, then...”

It’s the ultimate writer’s nightmare – I’ve got my research wrong. But, who better to console me than Graeme Reedie, one half of Silicone Soul, and softly spoken tech-house optimist?

Their new album, released 10 years after their first production, has been compared to the self-titled works of Orbital and Leftfield, and contains “their greatest material to date”. New material, that is.

“I think people are probably referring to the quality of the tunes, rather than it being a compilation of our stuff ”, he consoles. “It’s all new material, but in terms of quality, we are improving all the time. I’m definitely enjoying listening to it. Give me a few months and I will know which album I like best...”

After three solid and much-loved albums, Soma’s original protégées are not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Nor, it seems, is the scene which has defined Glasgow clubbing for more than a decade. There are rumours, I venture tentatively, flying about concerning Pressure’s ticket sales, and the future of one of the most important club nights in the city.

"Rubbish", says Graeme. And if he says the Glaswegian deep house and techno scene, a constant, throbbing presence in the dark Scottish nights, is still very much alive, then who are we to doubt him?

“There’s still loads of really good nights on.

The Soma parties are still going strong. I’m a fan of Subculture, but there are other good parties like Animal Farm and Sunday Circus. The festival in the south side [The Wee Chill] with the Subculture DJs was fantastic, really housey.

Glasgow’s still quite a tech-house place.

“In terms of Pressure stopping, I just can’t see that. There’s a definite effect from the economic situation, but club promoters just have to be happier with smaller crowds. That’s a bit of a shame, because personally I’m enjoying the scene at the moment.”

With dubstep hot on the heels of trashy ‘mashup’ electro, and boutique disco and funk nights cropping up down every alleyway, the huge, dark industrial house of Silicone Soul has increasingly found a home with a welcoming European audience.

“It goes down really well over there. There seem to be a few special places where it really does the job – Bulgaria, for example. It’s good to play something different to what they’re hearing all the time.”

A slave to constant touring, the act are a product of the late-90s era, dragging the image of

the superstar DJ across Europe and beyond.

True to form, we discuss travel – “a bit of a drag” – and a life of planes and airports – “at the end of the day, it’s just work” – as well as gigs up the Andes, and possible dates in Australia in September.

The duo have also set up their own record label, Darkroom Dubs, in 2003, and have a series of residencies across the continent, including a prestigious spot at Cafe L’Anvers in Antwerp, and Barcelona’s La Terrazza. Other half of the duo, Craig, has moved to France.

At a time where the disposable DIY mentality seems to dominate record sales, and fickle trends buzz and fade with the seasons, Darkroom Dubs eschews fads in favour of solid, quality house and electronica.

“The label’s been coming together really well, and we’ve accelerated a bit over the past couple of years. We’ve been being sent a lot of really good new music, it seems like a really good time for that deep techy house sound.”

But with no gimmicks, and an industrious touring and recording schedule, how do they feel about the future of the label, and independent labels in general?

“It’s a pretty worrying time in general for buying music, not just for labels. Our last single had been downloaded 650 times by the Wednesday.

It would have taken us three months to actually sell that many. It takes away a slice of the money, which is worked back by touring slightly more.

But it’s like any business; the balance is always shifting. It will work itself out.”

Judging by the new album, he may well be right. With comparisons to Orbital and Leftfield, with its sheer hypnotic magnificence, dark melodies, and complex layering of synths and looped drums, it continues in the same vein as their older work – this is music for the bedroom and the dancefloor.

There may not be the instantly catchy swirling synth hooks of 2001’s top-ten anthem Right On Right On, but there are stand out tracks: The Dogs of Les Ilhes, Midnight Man, and Hurt People Hurt People have been getting the right sort of reaction on the dancefloor.

“The album launch [at La Terrazza in Barcelona] was the start of our residency. There’s a new angle to this one, we’re bringing some guests who we work with on the label – like Sei A and Jet Project – whereas normally we just enjoy playing the whole night ourselves.”

SILICONE SOUL HAVE TWO AWESOME TRACKS TO SAMPLE ON THE SOMA CHANNEL AT TENTRACKS.CO.UK

CRACKTHESKYE.COM

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 49

RECORDS

Brann: Sounds like you’re in the shower with a pretty girl, getting all soapy. I like this song, it just sounds like bubbles floating everywhere.

Troy: I could go shopping to this.

Brann: Yeah? That’s not cool.

Troy: But it’d inspire me to do that, that’s the power of music.

Brann: Alright then.

Troy: I want to hear the rest of that album now.

Brann: Me too.

Troy: That’s a perfect ten.

RECORDS

ALBUM OF THE MONTH: ENGINEERS

THREE FACT FADER 6 JUL, KSCOPE

rrrr It’s appropriate that the droning opening track to Three Fact Fader builds out of silence, as it reflects Engineers’ emergence from uncertain times. Although their resurfacing ironically coincides with a slight return for shoegaze, Engineers have embellished their dream-pop bedrock for album number two. Three Fact Fader is an LP bookended by lush electronic grooves, beautifully captured by the Harmonia-sampling Clean Coloured Wire and the lolloping What Pushed Us Together. Elsewhere, tastefully constructed string textures are strapped on to the quartet’s core instrumentation, their chamber pop timbres sounding like Field Music on a lengthy acid trip.

The most explicit development in the band’s sound, however, is in the realm of rhythm, equally reminiscent to the scintillating syncopation of Eno as Elbow during the shapeshifting Song For Andy. Considering that public support was a key factor in guiding this long-incubated project through difficult times, you’d forgive the band for being nervous about handing over the final outcome. But this return shows that Engineers needn't have worried, having successfully introduced pop nous and a pounding backbeat to their repertoire while retaining the dreamy appeal that made them special.[Joe Barton] WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ENGINEERS

ALBUM REVIEWS EL DOG

6 DAY RIOT

6 DAY RIOT HAVE A PLAN

LP

5 JUL , LO-FI RECORDS

6 JUL, TANTRUM

7 JUL, XL

rrrr

rrr

rr

THE LAMPS OF TERRAHEAD

DISCOVERY

This is a pleasant surprise. Seemingly picking up the torch laid down during the unfortunate demise of Aerogramme, El Dog don’t so much wear their hearts on their sleeves as bleed their inner emotions out through their pores, wrapping their introverted frustrations in layers of Smashing Pumpkins-style distortion. Eschewing traditional song structures for a more cinematic scope, their songs often pass through vast chasms of huge riffs, before settling into whispered intimacies that push the quiet-loud dynamic to its very limits. While El Dog cite Death Cab’s Transatlanticism as a point of reference, the pseudopoetry spouted by Ben Gibbard is instead replaced by a to-the-point lyricism that cuts the bullshit; while Gibbard creates characters, El Dog can’t escape the strictures of their own apparently messy and awkward lives. If music is best when it mirrors life experience, then El Dog should be congratulated for putting it all on display, warts and all.[Ewen Millar]

Glaswegian singer/songwriter Tamara Schlesinger suffered a setback last year when half her band split on the eve of a tour. Luckily for us, ambition won out over apathetic resignation, and rather than mope about it she channelled her frustration into debut album 6 Day Riot Have A Plan. It’s a delightful introduction to her style, which echoes influences from out-with the usual suspects: lead single Run For Your Life and So You’re A Writer flow with a calypso rhythms, and the effect comes close to a sedate Mae Shi on an E-number controlled diet. The more straightforwardly folk-pop numbers are similarly successful, particularly Go! Canada‘s muted ukulele-led fanfare, and Be With Me, which starts a mournful ballad before giving way to giddy glee. Whether Schlesinger’s plan extends beyond getting these ten tracks into record stores and hearts isn’t yet clear, but it’ll be fun sticking with her to find out.[Chris Buckle]

Like a bizarre hybrid of slick American R&B and plaintive blue-eyed indie, Discovery is the joint product of Vampire Weekend keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij and Ra Ra Riot singer Wes Miles. It’s a stylistically simple affair, with the innocent-sounding, frequently cut-up vocals backed up by spacey, bubbly samples floating about over syncopated programmed beats, chunky keyboard chords and not a lot else. It’s the sort of music that the word “twee” was invented for, along with “fey” and “whimsical”. As a side project, it’s fairly lightweight: one track is called I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend and comes with the requisite “ooh baby baby baby”-ing. Although it’s all very pretty, LP doesn’t require too much involvement on the listener’s part. It brings to mind the electronic outings of Postal Service, whose fans will probably find more to get into here than anyone looking for what you might have expected from this collaboration. [Euan Ferguson]

PLAYING DRUMMOND’S, ABERDEEN ON 23 SEPTEMBER.

PLAYING SNEAKY PETE’S, EDINBURGH ON 21 JULY AND KING TUT’S, GLASGOW ON 22 JULY.

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DISCOVERDISCOVERY

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ELDOGMUSIC

THAT FUCKING TANK

APOSTLE OF HUSTLE

THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS

TANKNOLOGY

EATS DARKNESS

THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS

13 JUL, GRINGO

6 JUL, ARTS & CRAFTS

1 JUL, THE IMAGINARY KIND

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Let’s not beat about the bush: track three on Tanknology, Mr Blood, is surely the best thing put to tape by this Leeds two-piece. It’s a throbbing expulsion of baritone art rock and one of the most efficient uses of the two-man template to date. Petitions should without doubt be circulated, then submitted to the UN, if this does not become a staple of indie discos across the UK upon its release. Elsewhere, though never quite reaching those dizzy heights again, raw talent clearly drips from this pair’s pores. Stephen Hawkwind, despite its uncharacteristic length, is engrossing and full of good ideas. Where That Fucking Tank distinguish themselves from the pack of angular experimentalists is their shrewd sense of when is best to insert a hook. It’s brave and commendable to challenge your audience, but then it’s equally praiseworthy to know when to give a little back. Here’s a duo well on the way to mastering that balance.[Chris Cusack]

Hailing from the Arts & Crafts stable, Apostle of Hustle are a suitably patchwork ensemble of artists, most notably Andrew Whiteman of Broken Social Scene, the Canadian ‘supergroup’ who originally founded the label.

Whiteman himself describes it as “a small contribution to the articulation of a fucked and beautiful world” and, in lieu of any future BSS material, Eats Darkness is certainly worthy of entry into their multitudinous off-shoot canon. Despite a wide array of influences such as Vampire Weekend-friendly African rumba (Eazy Speaks) and dirty electro raga (Perfect Fit), even casual listeners won’t struggle to spot the links between this and Whiteman’s previous work. No bad thing, but it’s when such genres are blurred, as on Whistle in the Fog, with its driving rock welded to jungle-chant mantras, that Apostle of Hustle really shines, giving the likes of Yeasayer a run for their celestial dollar.[Darren Carle]

There Will Be Fireworks seem designed for autumn, rather than the scorching heatwave into which they release their debut album. From their assertivelyphrased moniker to the similarly-themed song titles (We Were A Roman Candle, Guising), they evoke shivers, not sunshine. Musically, they borrow heavily from peers and predecessors practicing in the nebulous field of ‘post-rock’: their dense crescendos and emotive vocals echo the Twilight Sad, the guitar lines sound borrowed from Explosions in the Sky, while the spokenword poetry layered over Colombian Fireworks (see what I mean about the titles?) recalls numerous literary-minded acts. Yet, while too beholden to generic conventions to astonish quite yet, they show genuine promise, and on a personal note I look forward to getting lost in the album again when the clocks go back; a chill in the air should cast these thirteen tracks in a new, exciting and ultimately more flattering light.[Chris Buckle]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/LANDSANDBODY

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/APOSTLEOFHUSTLE

PLAYING NICE N SLEAZYS, GLASGOW ON 1 JULY; ELECTRIC CIRCUS, EDINBURGH ON 14 JULY AND DRUMMOND’S, ABERDEEN ON 15 JULY.

THE STUPIDS

HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR

MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO.

THE KIDS DON’T LIKE IT

SIDETRACKED

JOSEPHINE

13 JUL, BOSS TUNAGE

13 JUL, RENAISSANCE

20 JUL, SECRETLY CANADIAN

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Surely the greatest musical proposition ever to hail from Suffolk – not that The Darkness and Tim Westwood present much of a challenge – John Peel’s favourite skate-punk band return after a twenty-year absence, with tongues still firmly wedged in their collective cheek. Middle Aged Punk is a blast of furious thrash, book-ended by ironic guitar licks and a sarcy reference to Miles Davis, while Drumshop Arsehole is prefaced by the declaration that “there’s no point in changing, because all they want is the same old shit”. However, although these tracks are delivered with a knowing smile, they’re still bursting with metal chuggery and frantic punk riffs, with Sons of the Beach and Charlton Heston being standouts. Even though their time away from noisemaking has seen thrash proliferate into a plethora of sub-genres, The Kids Don’t Like It sounds fresh - the perfect soundtrack for a nostalgic mosh.[Joe Barton]

New York DJ Andy Butler’s Hercules & Love Affair preceded the current disco vogue with first single Classique #2 in early 2007. Their subsequent LP was an intensely soulful collection of late ’70s disco, Chicago house grooves and early Detroit techno, accurately recreated with slavish dedication. Now, Butler has recorded an intensely soulful mix of late ’70s disco, Chicago house grooves and early Detroit techno, with a few new tracks, to show off his influences, as if we hadn’t heard them already. So, few surprises, but instead a solid blend of obscure dancefloor anthems from those carefree times before donk.

Despite the obvious emotional exuberance which bleeds from every track, it has a curiously restrained feeling, perhaps because this kind of thing never sounds as good if you’re not dancing on a biscuit-sized E, hugging a sweaty, naked stranger, lost in the smoke and mirrors of Studio 54. Good times.[Euan Ferguson]

Records borne of personal tragedy are an odd beast: tinged with pain, they’ll often contain heartbreakingly honest song-writing, but can become stifling over the course of an entire sorrow-filled album. Josephine is pitched by Magnolia Electric Co.’s Jason Molina as a concept album in commemoration of bassist Evan Ferrell, who died in an apartment fire in 2007, and the results are undeniably beautiful. But at some stage during its forty-six minutes the pervasive sadness is likely to stop haunting the listener and start to emotionally tire them instead, and despite its many successes - doo-wop waltz The Rock of Ages and Gram Parsons-esque ballad Whip-poor-will in particular - the funereal pace makes it tough not to crave more variety. But perhaps criticising a tribute to a departed friend for being too solemn is unfair; at its heart, this is achingly gorgeous country with only the most minor of faults.[Chris Buckle]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/UKTHESTUPIDS

WWW.HERCULESANDLOVEAFFAIR.COM

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MAGNOLIAELECTRICCO

50 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

THE MINUS 5

ONEIDA

RECORDS

ALBUM REVIEWS CLARK

KILLINGSWORTH

RATED O

TOTEMS FLARE

6 JUL, COOKING VINYL

13 JUL, JAGJAGUWAR

13 JUL, WARP

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The Minus 5 remain relatively obscure, which is astonishing when you consider that past line-ups have included members of Sonic Youth and Wilco, as well as E, Patti Smith, Ben Gibbard and “pretty much everyone else”. Ringleader Scott McCaughey isn’t joking either - there are over a hundred ex-members listed online. For his eighth album, McCaughey utilises the talents of various Decemberists, longtime collaborator Peter Buck and members of M. Ward’s band. The results blow a resounding raspberry at the “too many cooks spoil the broth” aphorism by being both cohesive and richly rewarding. Working largely from a classic country-folk palette and blessed with honey-smooth backing harmonies courtesy of the Shee Bee Gees, Killingsworth’s forty minutes include upbeat pedal-steel punning (The Long Hall), a banjo-backed ode to The Lurking Barrister, and various sunkissed ballads of the highest calibre. Buy a copy - they’ve a lot of hungry mouths to feed.[Chris Buckle]

As a triple-CD set released as the second instalment of a triptych of albums, Rated O could either have turned out an epic listen or an indulgent disappointment. Thankfully, it’s the former, although that’s not to say there aren’t any lulls in quality. Disc One finds Oneida firmly in electroland; Brownout in Lagos is submarine dancehall, all throbbing echoes and ragga-man vocals. The sheer amount of bass produces a weirdly enjoyable throbbing effect, but by the end of the disc, fatigue gives way to boredom.

Disc Two sees the arrival of guitars and drum kits, with This Life You Preferred re-stoking the fires, and the final CD takes a more hypnotic vibe, with the sitars of O anticipating a raga-rock jam, closing with a tasty mix of the organic and synthetic. Overall, some great moments that stand out, but perhaps some careful pruning could have made this album a mustlisten effort.[Joe Barton]

Clark’s third album treads a similar path to recent glitch-hop pioneers Mark Pritchard’s Harmonic 313 and rising Glaswegian star Hudson Mohawke. It’s a sour and darkly experimental mash of hip-hop, dubstep, ambient and wonky electronica, all propped up by a frighteningly heavy low end. This makes for challenging listening, particularly when coupled with the scattershot beats of Totem Crackerjack or the impenetrable doom of Suns of Temper. Rainbow Voodoo features a fast, half-rapped vocal which sounds like a Mighty Boosh crimp. Keeping with the Noel Fielding theme, much of the album could have been made by Jones, Fielding’s keyboard-wielding sound terrorist in Nathan Barley. The standout is Look Into The Heart Now, a more accessible, fuzzy electro number with a Detroit-style loop dipping over the top. For the uninitiated, more of this might have been quite nice, but I’m sure Clark never said it was going to be an easy listen.[Euan Ferguson]

WWW.MINUS5.COM

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ONEIDAROCKS

WWW.WARPRECORDS.COM

CELAN

JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER

ACOUSTIC LADYLAND

HALO

BALLAD OF THE REVOLUTION

LIVING WITH A TIGER

6 JUL, EXILE ON MAINSTREAM

6 JULY, FIRE RECORDS

6 JUL, STRONG AND WRONG

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This was an ambitious project from the off: Ari Benjamin Meyers of legendary Germans Einstürzende Neubauten and Chris Spencer of red-throated New York riff machine Unsane don’t make obvious bedfellows. Yet Celan, the resultant offspring of the aforementioned unlikely coupling, is a handsome and intelligent child - if a bit grumpy. With a line-up completed by members of flu.ID and Oxbow, there is an obvious bias towards the furiously heavy rock side of the relationship, but Meyers’ contributions are strong and consistently beneficial to the album as a whole, with some stark atmospherics and unnerving piano working particularly well on Sinking. Meanwhile, Spencer’s earnest vocals bring the kind of rasping sincerity that’s yet to be successfully mimicked, and almost every track provokes head-nodding of the most righteous kind. Ultimately, however, there’s no hiding the fact that this is almost an Unsane record - albeit a very good one - with a twist.[Austin Tasseltine]

During their creative lifespan, some bands morph from challenging radicals intent on beating their listeners into stunned submission, into fully-fledged pop songwriters embracing the euphoric glories of The Hook(TM) (see, for instance, Dirty Projectors). Other bands, like Jackie-O Motherfucker, are content with just being bloody awkward. Ballads of the Revolution, their tenth studio album, sees them cheerfully frolicking in a blur of DIY psychedelia, spattering their sound with a dollop of jazz improvisation layered over traditional folk. Of course, it’s all served up by a rotating membership that seems to periodically beam down from the astral plane for a spot of guitar noodling, before zipping off to appear in other collective side projects. Having no hooks to speak of, this album instead exists as a sort of musical Stockholm Syndrome, taking you hostage until you’ve not only identified with it, but placed it on a towering pedestal.[Ewen Millar]

Persistently overshadowed by their Mercury-nominated sister band Polar Bear (indeed, you may only recognise this band from their drummer’s splendid afro), Acoustic Ladyland have come out swinging with a laugh of nonchalance and a roguish twinkle in their eyes. Their mix of jazz and punk attains an unpredictable contrast between sinister and jovial moods that most surf acts would kill to attain; consequently, these gritty, high-octane pieces come across like The Fall, were The Fall fronted by a slurring, drunken saxophonist rather than a slurring, drunken poet. Flirting with freak noise and outright pop, Living With A Tiger echoes the spirit of free jazz, bursting with the healthy sound of four friends making a rock ‘n’ roll racket for the sheer hell of it. Despite not fully sustaining its punchy and aggressive energy for the duration, the record consistently calls on the listener to get up, and get down. You’d be a fool not to.[Jamie Scott]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CELANBAND

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/JOMF

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ACOUSTICLADYLANDMUSIC

SIR VINCENT LONE

KONG

NNEKA

TROUBADOUR HEART

SNAKE MAGNET

NO LONGER AT EASE

27 JUL, COOKING VINYL

13 JUL, BREW RECORDINGS

20 JUL, YO MAMA’S RECORDING COMPANY

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Jackie Leven kills off his musical pseudonym Sir Vincent Lone and consequently produces a ‘posthumous’ album that’s actually better than the kind of retrospective albums released when songwriters actually kick the bucket. The stripped-down production suits Lone’s backstory of having been a regular at the Troubadour Coffee House, London: Strolling Down The Highway displaying an authentic ‘café blues performer’ vibe, all plucked harmonics and fingerpicked twiddles. However, it’s on the track Rove On Wraith Of Raith that Leven surpasses the Lone persona and moves into the territory of sheer beautiful lyricism. A delicately delivered vocal is threaded over gentle guitar work, allowing the lyrics’ imagery to come to the fore. That collaborator Ian Rankin gets namechecked in the song is appropriate; Leven’s lyrics are as captivating as the prose of any thriller author, and the creation of Sir Vincent Lone served as a media-bucking outlet for his magnificent songwriting. A fine epitaph.[Joe Barton]

Every city has its fair share of nutters, but trust Manchester to churn out a trio who are both unhinged and musically brilliant. With their scuzzy, down-tuned guitars, manic cackles and schizophrenic time signature changes evoking early System of a Down, this is metal its most mental. Thankfully, the fine line between genius and insanity that Kong tread means that, rather than being padded out with clichéd palm-muted riffery, Snake Magnet is bursting with heavy rock innovation. Nih, for example, is an argument between Norman Bates and his mother, put to a Fugazi soundtrack. If only for dynamics, there’s also Wet Your Knives, an instrumental that starts out as jazz-metal fusion, before growing into a bleepy keyboard jam session. If you’re into twisted metal performed by people with faces wrapped in sellotape, then today’s your lucky day. If not, I suggest you toddle off in the opposite direction immediately.[Joe Barton]

WWW.JACKIELEVEN.COM

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/KONGDOM

Nneka is a one-woman melting pot, the product of a Nigerian upbringing and a German university education, but her music is where the real dizzying mix is found: a heady blend of sunny Afrobeat, US soul in the Erykah Badu vein and glacial Eurodance, with the odd rock riff for good measure.

The tension between the cultures that shaped Nneka allow her to create unique protest songs, as capable of making your feet move as they are of making you think. Although blessed with a naturally soulful voice, she has the foresight not to overuse it, straying into rap and spoken word as she delivers state-of-the-nation lyrics focusing on her beloved Africa. The only real chink in Nneka’s armour is her tendency to pack as many words as she can into each track, as if desperate to get her message across. She doesn’t need to: someone this talented is going to have our ear for a while yet.

[Gillian Watson]

KONG SUPPORT CARNIVORES AT NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, GLASGOW ON 26 JUL. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/NNEKAWORLD

DUKE GARWOOD

THE SAND THAT FALLS OUT NOW, FIRE

rrr Duke Garwood is no stranger to out-there assignments. The South Londoner’s meandering career has seen him add guitar embellishment to The Orb’s debut slice of ambient space exploration, play sax with the Archie Bronson Outfit and entertain sleazebags during a residency in a Vietnamese dive bar. It’s hardly a surprise, then, that his latest solo opus sounds as though it has been piped in from Pluto. Spindly shards of fractured guitar are backed only by the ominous beat of a bass drum while Garwood’s breathily distanced vocal style bolsters the unsettling mood. The framework yields surprisingly fertile rewards. Opener May I Rumble makes like a grungier Bert Jansch while I Bared My Chest is a meditative beauty with added gospel hums and a bicycle bell (really!). The album errs towards atonal faffery on too many occasions to win unconditional praise, but Garwood’s singular journey is certainly one worth keeping an eye on.[Duncan Forgan]

TOP FIVE ALBUMS

1) ENGINEERS - THREE FACT FADER 2) JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER BALLAD OF THE REVOLUTION

3) MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. JOSEPHINE

4) NNEKA - NO LONGER AT EASE 5) EL DOG THE LAMPS OF TERRAHEAD

REVIEWS ONLINE ANTONI MAIOVVI - SHADOW OF THE BLOOD STAINED KISS FACT - FACT SS FURY UK - VR SS SSSSS MALCOLM MIDDLETON - WAXING GIBBOUS NOVEMBER'S DOOM - INTO SS NIGHT'S REQUIEM INFERNAL REVEREND & THE MAKERS SS - A FRENCH KISS IN THE CHAOS SSSS SIR VINCENT LONE - TROUBADOUR HEART SPINNERETTE - SPINNERETTE LP SS TELEGRAPHS - WE WERE GHOSTS SSS SSSS THE MARS VOLTA - OCHTEHEDRON THE TWANG - JEWELLERY QUARTER SS TINARIWEN - IMIDIWAN: COMPANIONS SSS SS

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DUKEGARWOOD

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 51

The Thermals Sneaky Pete’s, 16 Jun

rrrr Now seven years in, it’s perplexing that the Thermals aren’t playing much larger venues by now, but it’s hard to complain when you’re standing within spitting distance.

Indeed, this particular critic catches a few flecks from Hutch Harris, even though I’m standing towards the back of the crowd in Pete’s. But the exuberant Portland trio give the impression they’d be happy to play almost anywhere, and a ten-a-penny wedding band they are not. Drawing mainly on tracks from latest album Now We Can See (which is no bad thing, given that it’s poppunk perfection), they show that however accessible and ultimately simplistic their sound is, there is an added dark edge which makes the whole package exhilarating. The fun they’re having on stage - and drummer/cheerleader-in-chief Westin Glass in particular can’t stop smiling - is very rapidly transmitted to tonight’s onlookers, who all react with a suitable mix of awe and affinity.[Paul Mitchell]

Mastodon ABC, 7 Jun

rrrr Atlanta’s Mastodon claim the ABC with a two part performance that reflects the punked mullet of guitarist Bill Kelliher tonight: business up front, party at the back. Wasting no time in delicately pitching their latest masterpiece in full with a concentrated and atmospheric reenactment of the proggy Crack the Skye album, the ferocious crowd rampage through the accelerated groove of Divinations as freely as they attack the mid-tempo grind of its soaring title track.

Part two is a much more energetic and familiar affair for the band, pulling faces and swinging wildly into the eccentricities of Blood Mountain’s Bladecatcher and continuing a chronologically reversed trip of their favourite thudding adventures, thrashing and screaming past The Wolf is Loose, plotting assorted guitar lines through Leviathan’s Seabeast and climaxing with the anthemic grunt of March of the Fire Ants from 2002’s Remission. There’s no chat, no encore, just the satisfying sound of modern metal’s finest tearing the house down.

[Ross Main]

www.myspace.com/ thethermals

www.mastodonrocks.com

Patrick Wolf

Throbbing Gristle

Classic Grand, 29 May

Tramway, 17 Jun

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Cooler-than-cucumbers Yacht (**) might sound awesome at one a.m. in a sweaty Optimo, but as early-doors support they’re exposed as no-substance nonsense.

The duo gamely gurn and gyrate to their bass-y backing track, but often look lost in front of a largely disinterested crowd, who only really waken up to play with the liberally distributed balloons.

Patrick Wolf (***) has himself been accused of style over substance, but daubed in glitter and adorned with a head-set microphone for maximum posing opportunities, he wears his narcissism well. Of the new material, Battle is the crowd-pleaser, less for its repetitive war-cry chorus and more for Wolf’s acrobatic forays into the crowd via railings and ledges, his proximity triggering ecstatic convulsions from at least one starry-eyed fan. Such devotion ensures that even appalling sound problems can’t dampen spirits, but a niggling doubt remains. Beneath the cocksure looks and amiable banter, Wolf no longer seems as weighty a talent as was once promised, his showmanship not enough to distract from a dragging first half. But when The Magic Position’s violin refrain kicks in at the close, the excellence of which he is capable reappears with conviction.[Chris Buckle]

It seems appropriate that Throbbing Gristle’s first visit to Scotland is supported by Tramway: a post-industrial warehouse, it provides the perfect backdrop to Genesis P. Orridge’s muscular experiments with electronica. The first half hour is inauspicious.

The improvised lap-top set floats a generic dark ambience over Cerith Wyn Evans’ inscrutable images, with band seeming unengaged with the audience or the material. Evans’ film- a series of distressed stills- is incoherent while the music’s menace never focuses the latent intensity. The greatest hits set, however, recalls the band’s dynamic past, racing through a series of bleak, brutal crowd-pleasers. Using modern technology to recreate harsh, raw rhythms, they punish the enthusiastic audience with a still disturbing Persuasion and militaristic romp Discipline, before disappearing without an encore. Despite their provocative reputation, the show feels inclusive; a reminder of their sharp edge that celebrates the punk aesthetic of these early-adopters of sampled aggression.[Gareth K Vile]

www.myspace.com/officialpatrickwolf

Dolcim The Admiral Bar, 10 Jun

www.throbbing-gristle.com

De La Soul The Picture House, 5 Jun

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With so little of note being served up across Scotland in the shape of extreme punk and metal for much of this year, it was a pleasant discovery to learn of this hidden gem of a gig taking place on an unassuming and otherwise fairly bland Wednesday evening in Glasgow’s yuppie district. Native post-hardcore, musical adventurers Citizens make a typically excellent (and loud) foray into the unknown, their sound continuing to evolve from its hardcore roots to something much more challenging and wonderful. Tennessee headline trio Dolcim are a far more furious proposition. Their sound is reminiscent of the progressive and hellish hardcore of late Swedish heroes Breach.

Traditional rhythm work is cerebrally augmented by clever, swirling, effects-laden guitar. It’s brutal and almost uncomfortable to listen to at points, yet infused with an intelligence and inventiveness that makes for a far more absorbing experience than the average windmilling grunt-fest.[Chris Cusack]

As the Picture House is warmed up with a safe set of perennial rap classics from the titans – EPMD, Wu-Tang, Nas, Tribe and NWA – it’s an apt prelude to an ensuing retrofest.

Although the sight (and sound) of thirty-something nine-to-fivers bawling the words to Deep Cover at their less inebriated better halves is something to behold, the 20th anniversary tour of De La Soul’s seminal 3 Feet High and Rising is the real reason we’re all here. But only a handful of tracks from that album make the cut tonight, the trio instead serving up a beginners guide with The Magic Number, Ring Ring Ring, Stakes is High and Rock Ko.Cane Flow pinpointing their four most significant eras so far. De La’s onstage presence has withered none over the years, with all three playing hype man at various stages tonight: Maseo gets his belly out and screams like a madman; Trugoy shakes his head in theatrical disbelief at the crowd’s inability to party; while Posdenous drops the compelling couplets that made us stop that party to think. Just like old times then.[Dave Kerr]

www.myspace.com/dolcim

www.myspace.com/delasoul

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52 THE SKINNY July 2009

Jarvis Cocker ABC, 12 Jun

rrrr Jarvis is in a generous mood this evening, gifting the crowd such tasty treats as a banana, jelly babies and red wine. But the most enthusiastically received gift is Jarvis himself, his comic cool ensuring that even extended jam intros (padding out a set drawn only from his two solo records) are welcomed as opportunities to enjoy his iconic, gangly vogue-ing. With his Britpop celebrity calcified into elder-statesman pop-oddity, he now works from a de-Pulped clean slate which gives him carte blanche to do, well, whatever the hell he wants. Angela’s

grungy rock-riffs and Leftover’s wry crooning show off new album Further Complications to good effect, and while Jarvis himself mocks surprise at where these explorations have taken him (“I never thought I’d be sharing the stage with a saxophone” he rues), he continues to play to his strengths throughout: big choruses, witty repartee, and, of course, plenty of loose-limbed, arse-waggling dance moves.[Chris Buckle] www.jarviscocker.net

Photos: from top left: Pete dunlop; sarah roberts; jenny anderson

Music

Live reviews

MUSIC

GIG | LISTINGS | 2009 JUNE 24th June

Unicorn Kid

£5.00 Entry *

26th June

The Debuts

£5.00 Entry *

Moshulu’s ADVENTURES IN STEREO PRESENTS

27th June

MASH w/ Steven Milne DJ Set

£3.00 Entry **

JULY Moshulu’s ADVENTURES IN STEREO PRESENTS

04th July

Heroes & Villans Party!

£3.00 Entry **

Moshulu’s ADVENTURES IN STEREO PRESENTS

18th July

Union of Knives DJ Set

£3.00 Entry **

Moshulu’s ADVENTURES IN STEREO PRESENTS

25th July

The Twelves

£5.00 Entry **

27th July

Miles Hunt w/ Dave Sharp

£8.00 Entry *

01st Aug

Red Festival

£TBC Entry *

08th Aug

Red Festival

£TBC Entry *

AUGUST

OCTOBER 02nd Oct

MacFloyd

£10.00 Entry *

03rd Oct

Pendulum DJ Set

£TBC Entry *

15th Oct

Stiff Little Fingers

£15.00 Entry *

NOVEMBER 15th Nov

AND MANY, MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED. FOR THE LATEST GIG LISTINGS VISIT

Alabama 3

£16.00 Entry *

FOR TICKET INFO PLEASE VISIT WWW.TICKET.WEB WWW.SEETICKETS.COM 24HR TICKET HOTLINE: 0844 847 2319 ONE UP RECORDS BELMONT ST ABERDEEN

* This is a 14+ show ** this show is part of our 18+ Adventures In Stereo club night.

MOSHULU | WINDMILL BRAE | ABERDEEN JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 53

MUSIC

Live Music

PREVIEWS

Highlights

by Ted Maul

WICKERMAN 2009 DUNDRENNAN, 24-25 JUL

One of the more distinctive – and fast becoming one of the most well-regarded – festivals on the Scottish circuit, Wickerman returns for an eighth year of family-friendly counterculture in Dundrennan.

Building on something of a theme, after last year’s headline show from Gary Numan, this year sees a rare festival appearance for fellow new romantic fops the Human League: an enticing prospect, the effects of the Scottish weather on their make-up notwithstanding. Other highlights include now-seasoned festival veterans Idlewild and The Zutons, as well as the legendary Candi Staton.

Away from the glare of the main stage spotlights, the Solus tent, one of the chief attractions of Wickerman, returns this year. Last year’s attendees will doubtless recall a triumphant headlining set from Broken Records, and Solus continues to accommodate the best young talent from around the country.

This year, the quality remains exceptionally high, with sets ranging from those vying to occupy a Broken Records-like position in the next 12 months, to less traditionally ambitious (but no less exciting)

young talents. Belonging firmly in the former camp are the decidedly on-the-verge-of big-things We Were Promised Jetpacks (recent signings to FatCat, with more than a whiff of ’breakthrough year’ following them around), Edinburgh’s everwonderful Meursault and the minimal, ghostly fever dreams of Remember Remember. Throw in the the unbelievable Punch and the Apostles’ manic drunken breakdowns and the unpredictable wonder of The Second Hand Marching Band, and you might find yourself taking root in the soil beneath the Solus tent for the duration of the festival.

There are countless other pleasures to be had at the festival, of course, not least a Scottish festival exclusive by none other than Billy Bragg, and a DJ set by Hot Chip, before the climatic, and by now famous, burning of the 30ft hand-crafted Wickerman. Not to be missed. [Michael Hunt] £75 (WEEKEND CAMPING TICKET) WWW.THEWICKERMANFESTIVAL.CO.UK

THE EDGE FESTIVAL

SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL 2009

VARIOUS (EDINBURGH), 7-31 AUG

CUSTARD FACTORY, BIRMINGHAM, 24-26 JULY

The organisers of Edinburgh’s Edge festival have started well by securing several big-name revival acts: ex-Talking Head David Byrne, post-punkers Magazine, and – their biggest coup – 90s alt-behemoths Faith No More, playing their first Scottish gig in over a decade. Retro junkies have an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

Look further down the bill, however, and it seems that The Festival Formerly Known As T On The Fringe isn’t sure what it wants to be. The organisers’ commitment to variety, understandable for a citywide venture sprawling across an entire month, matches up some odd musical bedfellows. Britpop fogeys (ex-Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie and LOL WTF addition The Bluetones) sit curiously next to homegrown favourites (Biffy Clyro, Frightened Rabbit) and US alt-pop darlings (Andrew Bird). Upcoming local acts Unicorn Kid and Young Fathers will joint-headine at Cabaret Voltaire, while the Your Sound event promises to showcase quality unsigned acts. But little else will excite lovers of brand new music. Instead, as the East Coast produces limitless numbers of fascinating new bands, all Edge offers in opposition to Glasgow’s musical powerhouse is established talent. While this festival looks set to serve up some quality gigs, don’t patronise us with that Edge chat: this line-up of crowdpleasers isn’t exactly razor sharp.

[Gillian Watson]

As the organisers of the excellent Supersonic festival, Capsule, are quick to point out, the independent UK music scene has suffered in the last ten years, damaging the fortunes of both musicians and retailers alike.

It’s encouraging then that this festival, sporting some of Europe’s most exciting cult acts, continues to grow in prestige annually.

This time around they’ve managed the coup of the decade, persuading Italian prog legends Goblin to perform in the UK for the first time in two decades.

That band are also one of a number of speakers doing Q+A sessions during 3 days of performances and general nutritious musical goodness.

In a line-up peppered with some seriously appetising talent, lucky punters can also witness more Italian prog legends-in-the-making, Zu, whose performance at last year’s Patton-curated ATP was nothing short of phenomenal.

It's almost incidental to point out that 65 Days of Static, Pram, Jarboe, Monotonix, Thorr’s Hammer, Skullflower, Venetian Snares and Army Of The Flying Robots will also be playing and rendering your weekend very bloody exciting. Not something often said about trips to Birmingham.[Chris Cusack]

OTHER ACTS PLAYING AT EDGE INCLUDE THE STREETS, AMANDA PALMER, MUM, BROKEN RECORDS AND CALVIN HARRIS.

WEEKEND TICKETS £70 , FRIDAY TICKET £15, SATURDAY TICKET £35, SUNDAY TICKET £35

WWW.THEEDGEFESTIVAL.COM

WWW.CAPSULE.ORG.UK

The Twilight Sad are set to emerge from their bunker with second album Forget the Night Ahead clenched in their collective fist. Due for release this October, the evidence on show so far suggests an austere beauty beckons. So we’re thrilled to tell you that their first headlining show in Scotland this year will be at The Skinny Dip on 2 July. Flanking them on the night will be Y’all is Fantasy Island’s Adam Stafford and The Foundling Wheel.

There’s a spate of bands taking cues from Balkan music right now, but if you crave an undiluted, 100% proof hit of the real deal then look no further than the Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar. This lot have been the number one brass band in Serbia for going on 20 years, so you can be damn sure they’ve got some crazy chops.

Led by a mean father and son duo, they make some of the most astonishing and expressive music you’ll hear anywhere – you won’t forget this gig in a hurry.

Flugelhorns never sounded so righteous. HMV Picture House Edinburgh 9 July.

St. Vincent aka Annie Clark knocked us off our feet this year with her astonishing second album, Actor, so we’re happy to hear she’ll be playing Glasgow Nice N Sleazy on 14 July. While her recorded work sounds relatively restrained and considered, St. Vincent really goes for it live, her band conjuring intense layers of sound as Clark herself knocks the hell out of her guitar; she really has got some of the most impressive and unique guitar skills this side of a Battles gig. You’ll feel stupid if you miss it.

There’s nothing quite as cringeworthy as mediocre industrial music, but brazen Canadian posse The Birthday Massacre manage to deftly avoid the pitfalls of the genre by marrying their crushing riffs with some of the most accomplished romantic 80s synth-pop hooks we’ve heard since the last time we rented The Breakfast Club. The result somehow manages to be epic, evocative, brutally powerful and rather moving. Dunno how they managed it, but anyone who thinks outside the Pitchfork bubble should definitely check them out at Stereo, Glasgow on 14 July.

We used to like The Distillers a lot – they made the kind of music an on-form and punked-up Courtney Love would have been making if she wasn’t so preoccupied with severing her ties with planet earth. Now Brody Dalle is back with Spinnerette, a new vehicle with which to remind folk with short memories that she

ST. VINCENT BOASTS SOME OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE AND UNIQUE GUITAR SKILLS THIS SIDE OF A BATTLES GIG deserves to be regarded as more than just Mrs Josh Homme. The material we’ve heard sounds hard and melodic, just the way we like it – with a little QOTSA flavour thrown in to sweeten the deal. Should be fierce.

King Tut’s Glasgow 18 July.

NYC four-piece Glint deal in icily emotional electronic rock music and although they’ve not been on our radar for long, we’re very impressed with what we’ve heard.

Like a sexier Kid A era Radiohead, Glint manage to mine their singer’s amazing voice for its full potential while eking out some sublime and unusual soundscapes – and they’re not afraid of giving the listener a killer payoff in the form of the occasional display of laser-guided guitar pyrotechnics. Interesting band – check them out at Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire 24 July, Glasgow King Tut’s 25 July and Aberdeen Tunnels 26 July.

Rounding out the month of July we find Baltimore oddballs Arbouretum making the journey to Glasgow Captain’s Rest for a set of immersive, spacy folk rock on 31 July. These guys have got a really unique 70sinfluenced desert-rock vibe going on and they’ve made a bunch of great records that you should also check out. Definitely a band who know their stuff. Anyone looking for an engaging gig experience outwith the usual over-hyped mulch will find rich rewards in Arbouretum.

[Mark Shukla]

ST. VINCENT, NICE N SLEAZY, 14 JULY

54 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

MUSIC KONG, ABERDEEN, 25 JUL

BY AUSTIN TASSELTINE

the wall? Recession? Apathy?

There are few excuses this month, especially given that most of the gigs mentioned here amount to less than the cost of two pints of piss-weak beer. Man up, Scotland, lest you lose the plurality and diversity of your underground scene forever.

The first instalment of metallic fortitude is served up by Stereo (4 Jul) when they host Glasgow Metal Night II, featuring Diamanthian from Liverpool and the highly regarded Valpurga from Sardinia, as well as some promising domestic talent.

The inspired and inspiring Citizens continue to take part in some of Glasgow’s most edgy post-punk shows, appearing with Logic Problem (8 Jul) then the Rapeman-esque Scul Hazzards (17 Jul) both at the 13th Note.

Another busy pair of Glaswegian exports, Hey

Vampires! and Arca Felix, bring their accomplished post-hardcore to Glasgow’s Bar Bloc and Captain’s Rest (9 & 18 Jul) and Perth’s Mucky Mulligans (17 Jul).

Potentially the highlight of July, US maniacs An Albatross unleash their frantic, thrilling racket within the gloriously cramped confines of the Captain’s Rest in Glasgow (15 Jul). Likened to a more rock and roll version of The Locust, their last trip here saw them blow the roof off Nice ‘n’ Sleazys. Support this time comes from natives Titus Gein. whose brilliant electro-progmetal racket continues to go from strength to strength and big moves beckon for the band later this year. Hotly anticipated new boys Hyper Magic Mega Fighting Robots! also lend four hands in what should prove a riotous evening.

Take A Worm For A Walk Week, Divorce and the ear-poppingly loud Holy Mountain attempting to

crack the ruddy pavement of Sauchiehall Street (18 Jul) when they cross axes at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’s. Capacity crowd assured. Meanwhile, Glasgow’s hard-gigging Flood Of Red pay a melodic but voluminous visit to Aberdeen’s SNAFU, King Tuts then the GRV (18, 19, 20 Jul) as they launch new single A Place Before The End. In more conventional territory, Oakland thrash godfathers Testament can be caught at Glasgow’s Garage (21 Jul).

The final auditory kicking of the month comes from Kong -- beware, it normally takes a week or so to regain one’s hearing after these guys get started. They make the Tunnels in Aberdeen (25 Jul) and Sleazy’s (26 Jul) their bitch. Biffy autograph hunters also be on the lookout at the latter for certain Kilmarnock-born band members strutting around the venue, their affinity for Kong is well-documented.

LOGO: AKASTUDIO.NET PHOTO: KYLE JAMES PATRICK

THERE are questions that keep me up at night. You’re reading this so I’ll assume we share some interests and therefore maybe these questions bother you too. For example, why aren’t Glasgow’s streets littered with the corpses of pigeons that died of old age or heart disease (thanks largely to a diet of dropped kebabs)? Why are they always smashed to bloody mush by taxis? Do they commit automotive suicide when they feel the reaper looming? Surely the lack of natural predators and an obvious funeral/morgue infrastructure would mean... anyway, I digress...

Another question that rattles around like the last biscuit in the tin concerns the waning fortunes of our independent venues and DIY promoters and bands.

In a country of over 5 million people, with so many excellent gigs going on outwith the SECC and Corn Exchange, why are so many promoters’ backs against

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 55

Colin Chapman helps Ronnie Muirhead and Affi Koman reflects on the rapid rise of Glasgow's daytime clubbing institution, Sunday Circus, as the resident DJs get ready to celebrate their second birthday IN A mere two years, Sunday Circus has quickly established itself on the Glasgow club scene as something rather different.

A monthly, outdoor event that makes use of The Courtyard’s terraced beer garden, it merges the three elements crucial to the makings of a great party: a distinctive venue, a dedicated, up-for-it crowd and passionate, knowledgeable DJs. “We felt like something was missing in Glasgow,” says resident DJ and promoter Ronnie Muirhead, explaining its beginnings. “We all enjoyed nights like Pressure and Subculture, but there was never really much to do on a Sunday. Myself and a couple of friends, Ian Montgomery and Dave Talbot, had often spoken about doing something in a similar vein to outdoor, daytime clubs such as Ibiza’s Circo Loco and Secret Sundaze in London, but we just couldn’t find the right venue. We discovered The Courtyard by chance one night and straight away knew it was perfect.”

Their first event went well, but Ronnie admits he was a bit nervous about how things would go, moving forward.

“We weren’t quite sure if a Sunday afternoon-toevening event would work in the longer term but word got around and things just seemed to snowball”.

Due to a relocation to London, Ian had to bow out of involvement after their first few parties, but around the same time, co-resident DJ Affi Koman was recruited.

“By coincidence, I was going to put on a similar event in the West End the same day as their first party,” he reveals. “However, the venue was shut down a few days beforehand, so I went to Sunday Circus instead. I got chatting to Ronnie and he invited me to come and play and I’ve been involved ever since.”

Rightly or wrongly, over time Sunday Circus has come to be seen as ‘minimal’ club by many looking to put a label on its music policy.

“I think the music we played starting out was probably quite minimal,” Ronnie concedes. “But this was influenced by the scene at the time, as the sound was at its peak back then. It’s never been specifically about one particular style for us. Whether it’s deep house, techno or minimal... as long as it progresses well and has a good groove, we’ll play it.”

Indeed, this is probably best illustrated by their booking policy, with guests such as Dyed Sondorom, Jamie Jones, Matthias Tanzmann and Argy, as well as local DJs Harri, Jim Hutchison and Alex Smoke all making appearances, not to mention Glasgow-based live acts Sensu and Solab.

“We’ve only got a 250 capacity, which limits our budget in terms of who we can actually get to play”, says Ronnie. “Luckily, we’re in a position where people aren’t necessarily coming to see particular names which allows us book newer, less-established producers”.

“Also, because we run for almost twice the length of a typical club night, we can play a wider variation of styles,” he adds. “I’ll often play electronica and downtempo stuff earlier on, and last summer we had Mellow Submachine play live. We don’t want to get stuck in a musical rut.”

Arguably the biggest factor in the success of Sunday Circus is its ever increasing band of followers, either those keen to extend their Saturday night partying antics or others who’ve saved themselves for a Sunday blow-out.

“The crowd obviously play a massive part in making the event what it is,” agrees Ronnie. “Come rain or shine, they’re always in the mood to have a good time, and for that we’re truly grateful. I don’t think any of us could’ve predicted how things have turned out.”

This popularity has led them to host parties at larger and sometimes more unusual venues such as the Ferry, The People’s Palace and SWG3 Warehouse,

Sun, Sonar and Slo Mo IN accordance with Rule 34, Subsection Six of the Freeloading Bastards Handbook, this month's editorial comes direct from Barcelona. Emerging from the aftermath of the sixteenth Sonar festival comes a variety of tales, from the dizzying highs of hirsute beatboxing hero Beardyman and The Wizard, to the woeful stain on the weekend's festivities that was Crystal Castles.

Turn to page 47 for a look at the Sonar

by Day events and exhibitions, including a mesmerising performance by Tim Exile on the ground-breaking Reactable machine.

56 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

Meanwhile check The Skinny website for a full round up of Sonar by Night and the Soma Records Showcase at La Terrrazza.

In other news, our podcast is due to launch this month, so hopefully by the time this issue reaches you we'll be up and running on both the website and iTunes. Expect a variety of audio and visual delights over the coming months, but lets start as we mean to go on with an exclusive one hour mix by The Revenge. Enjoy.

[Chris Duncan]

and later this summer, they’ve got plans for the Tall Ship. It’s also seen them gain recognition from other Glasgow promoters, with Ronnie and Affi playing at the Sub Club’s Hogmanay last year, The Wee Chill and alongside Slam on two occasions.

“If anyone had told me I’d be playing with Stuart and Orde or at the Subbie a few years ago, I’d have never believed them,” confesses Ronnie.

With a series of events planned for the summer, including some Saturday-Sunday double-headers and an appearance at The Wickerman Festival, the future

looks rosy, but Ronnie’s taking nothing for granted.

“There’s so many clubs starting up all the time it could be easy for us to fall away. As long as we stay focused and keep plugging away, then hopefully we’ll be able to sustain it.”

SUNDAY CIRCUS HOST THEIR SECOND BIRTHDAY PARTY ON 18 JULY, 10PM - 3AM WITH SPECIAL GUEST ROZZO. NORMAL SERVICE IS RESUMED ON 19 JULY, 3PM - 11PM AT THE COURTYARD WITH ANOTHER PERFOMANCE BY ROZZO AND SOUNDS FROM SUNDAY CIRCUS RESIDENTS. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SUNDAYCIRCUS

DJ CHART THE REVENGE 1. OOFT / The Revenge - Part Three

6. Craig Smith & The Revenge - The

"The third 12” on my label."

Soul Pt 2 (John Daly Mix) "Mr Smith and myself at the controls on this 118bpm house workout."

2. Rainer Trueby + MCDE - Ayers Rock / To Know You "Two slo-mo club bangers with trademark MCDE production."

3. Harri & The Revenge - Space Doubt "Our mental house / techno banger just out on Roual Galloway’s label."

4. Precious System - Voice From Planet Love (Marcus Worgull Remix) "Heavy, deep version of this track originally on Gerd Janson’s Running Back label."

5. Wigald Boning - Kobra Dance "The original is pretty mental, but with a surname like ‘Boning’, what do you expect?"

7. Rove Dogs - Why Don’t You Dub "An edited end-of-night club banger featuring Sting before he was in The Police. Sounds shit on paper.

But in a sweaty nightclub ... taps aff."

8. Neville Watson - Time To Lose Control "Steaming-hot acid house of the best kind. " 9. Situation - Love In Me (Situation Edit) "Just fantastic summer soul."

10. Touch Sensitive - Body Stop "Excellent package from this Australian labe."

MYSPACE.COM/SKYROCKETIDEAS

PHOTO: GREG GABLE

CLUBS

Not Clowning Around

Clubs

Just1DJ Steve Slingeneyer drums in Soulwax during the week and spins records as One Man Party at the weekends. Chris Duncan speaks to him ahead of his debut at Death Disco

From a studio in Ghent, a softly spoken Steve Slingeneyer is talking about his recent experiences of Scotland.

“RockNess was great, it’s a lovely place. We [Soulwax] played a short set but it was really enjoyable. I’m currently playing with the band and writing new material during the week and DJing as One Man Party at the weekends.”

“I’ve been DJing since the 90s, but I’ve been doing it as One Man Party for about three or four years I think. We aren’t touring as Soulwax again until August, because 2ManyDJs are on tour just now, so it’s freed up some time for me to play as One Man Party. I’m not doing any new remixes just now though, later this year hopefully.”

Teaming up with RKID, One Man Party recently delivered a remix of Dead Pixels called Words Are Poison as well as re-rinsing Mix Hell and The E.L.F. Along with this One Man Party also creates his own material, with tracks such as Creep Part I and II finding their way onto many a playlist.

But what can be expected from One Man Party’s DJ sets?

“My favourite records at the moment are Zombie Nation’s remix of Tiga, Dizzie Rascal’s Bonkers, The Phenomenal Handclap Band 15 to 20 and Royksopp’s The Girl and the Robot. What I play is entirely dependent on the crowd. My sound is... umm... the cramming of a lot of different sounds into a single set.

Rave disco I suppose. I play rock, disco, booty. Lots of stuff.”

“When I get the chance I’d really like to see Sebastian’s new live show, Ebony Bones and Jesus Lizard. I listen to all types of music.”

“I’ve enjoyed playing Razzamatazz, DURR and the Social Club in Paris. There was a club in Munich that was so tiny that people kept leaning over and messing with the mixer and CD decks. I’m looking forward to playing at The Arches, I’ve heard that it’s an amazing space. I’ve only ever been in Glasgow when I’ve been playing with Soulwax, so this’ll be my first time on my own as a DJ. Shitdisco are from Glasgow aren’t they?

Good, maybe I’ll play the Goose remix.”

One Man Party appears at Death Disco on 18 Jul at The Arches. 11pm - 3am, £14/£7

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

July 2009

THE SKINNY 57

Clubs

Previews Graeme park @ The Deep End Snafu, 18 July

The ever popular Deep End night at Aberdeen’s Snafu presents Granite City born Graeme Park, who is currently on tour celebrating twenty five years of Hacienda. Graeme was a resident at the infamous night club, after starting his career at The Garage in Nottingham, now he goes back to his roots in every sense for this special performance. He is joined by Deep End resident DJs Funky Transport.

For those unable to attend Deep End or any other Snafu shindig, point your cursor towards the website for Snafu’s newly launched online radio station.

Created with the help of Glasgow’s Open Ear, the service means Snafu is the first club to offer an online radio station service and not just a podcast. With a changing playlist depending on the hour of the day and exclusive mixes from the like of Funk D’Void, it’s the perfect warm up to Deep End. [Chris Duncan] 11pm-3am, £5/£7

Pangea BBQ Reading Rooms, 11 July

For those of us not attending a certain knees-up in Kinross on 11 July, allow for the presentation of a well worthy alternative. The well-respected drum ‘n’ bass night Pangea, which has its homes in both the Glasgow School of Art and the Reading Rooms in Dundee, hosts its fourth annual BBQ. Promising a feast of breaks, beats and burgers Pangea host a free BBQ in the beer garden of the Reading Rooms before upping the BPM and inviting everyone inside for a party that’ll last into the wee hours. Featuring fantastic sets from Kinky Roots, Big Toe’s Hi-Fi, Vinyl Eater, Craig Bruce, Professa Fresh, Special Ed, Codenine, DJ Laconic and MC AD. Live art will also be on display across the evening from Enok, JZY and Jekt. [Chris Duncan] 4pm-2.30am, £8 plus booking fee

Casionova @ Slabs Of The Tabernacle twisted wheel, 4 july

The Tabernacle boys return with a second summer slab of their favoured Italo sound, this time courtesy of Brighton-based DJ/producer Casionova.

One of the first DJs in the UK to revive Italo, back in the late nineties, he held a 2001 club residency at Molecular Breakdown at Brighton’s The Jazz Place, before teaming up with Spruxxx and Human Shield’s Ali Renault to create the Cyber Dance label, an outlet for their Italo fantasies. In 2006, he founded Magic Waves, the first UK internet radio station dedicated to Italo Disco, which he manages and programmes alongside Spruxx.

Since 2005, Casionova has also offered up several of his own takes on the Italo sound, with four vinyl releases on Cyber Dance.

He’s also become something of a globetrotter, taking his Italo mission to the clubs of Los Angeles, Rotterdam, Minneapolis, San Francisco, London, Bangkok and New York.[Colin Chapman] 11pm - 3am, £6 www.slabsofthetabernacle.com

Departure Lounge 6th Birthday The Caves, 24 July

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 4 – 30 August 2009

e c n a d give ance a ch .uk ase.co danceb

TICKETS FROM £3 Vote-winning dance & physical theatre from Scotland and beyond Venue 22 Grassmarket

Venue 195 Dance Base @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall Charity No. SC022512

The institution known as the Departure Lounge meets again in July for a self-congratulatory knees up; worthy, as six years in the club business is no mean feat. Keeping to Departure precedence, the birthday festivities are offering up local acts as headliners: Astroboy, Jiminez and Mr Zimbabwe will sprinkle afrobeat, breaks, summer time soul and funk all over your awaiting Latin inspired feet (salsa dancing optional).

Plus, after-party music is sorted as the boys will be handing out their annual mix CD titled Departure Sounds Vol. 5, for free.

They have also invited Geordie eight-piece Diddley Squat. They may give the impression of a band of gypsy rascals, ready to pillage your milk bottles straight off the doorstep. But the paradox is noticed when they take to the stage. One step away from a hick inspired ‘hootinanni’, their gregarious vibe radiates in abundance. Expect a blend of ska, dub and reggae. And drawls of drunken pleasure. [Nicol J. Craig] 11pm-3am, £7/£5 www.departurelounge.me.uk

58 THE SKINNY July 2009

Numbers 6th Birthday Sub Club, 3 July

It’s that time of year again when the Numbers crew celebrate another year of selling out the Arches and the Sub Club, getting their faces into commercial clubbing monolith Mixmag, and generally reminding us how great their emergence was – six years ago, they were squeezed in to the back rooms of restaurants and hotels.

Their birthday parties are an excuse to splash out on the finest guests, who, as every discerning Numbers follower will know, will become the words on everyone’s lips in the following months.

Berlin duo MMM, aka Eric & Fidel, are perhaps best known for Eric’s project Errorsmith, who have ripped apart the Brunswick Hotel on many a Numbers night with soul-crushing electro-tech.

Shining the light for dubstep is Bristol’s Gemmy and Guido. Forming the lauded Purple Trinity with former Numbers guest Joker, their names have become a guiding example for any dubstep listener. Playing together, expect more than the usual wobbly bass overload – Timbaland-esque RnB, 80s Funk and 90s G-Funk truly keep the kids dancing. [Rosie Davies] 11pm - 3am, £10

Kapital’s 2nd Birthday The Caves, 31 July

Kapital becomes two years old next month. So The Skinny would like to say Happy Birthday! Thanks too for your night-life contribution. So far, they’ve brought the finest of the Border Community crew (Nathan Fake, Petter, James Holden), Damian Lazarus, Anja Schneider last time and now Berliner favourite Ellen Allien. Known throughout the techno world as one of the foremost acts in experimental beat-laden sounds.

She’s recognised as being part of the Berlin minimalism scene, but Allien is better described as electronic, purposefully vague as she progressively delves from echoing percussive micro-spaces to robotic rhythms emanating the industrial feel of her homeland. But don’t let the thought of German machinery make you think it lacks emotion. Each skeletal sound dwarfs the space she’s filling and her elaborate live effects as well as her high-energy performances create atmospheres of introspection as well as enduring connection with her audiences. It’s Kraftwerk; it’s Autechre; no it’s Ellen Allien and Kapital have bagged her. [Nicol J. Craig] 11pm-3am, £17/£15

Silicone Soul @ Pressure The Arches, 31 July

Silicone Soul arrive at The Arches at the end of July to turn Pressure into a Darkroom Dubs party. The boys manage to shoehorn a Glasgow date into their extensive and far reaching world tour this month. This will be the first time Glasgow will have a chance to hear their new material live and after the warm reception the new album has received, expect a full house.

They are joined by Jet Project, Belfast duo Timmy Stewart & John McIver, two enthusiasts who have been present and involved in Belfast’s ever burgeoning club scene from its acid house beginnings to its post-troubles renaissance, holding current residencies at Stiff Kitten and Shine.

Also appearing is Gary Beck, one of Glasgow’s brightest techno stars, selected by Richie Hawtin for his M_nus label earlier this year. Being a Glasgow boy however, Gary has been in the sights of Silicone Soul for sometime now. [Chris Duncan] 11pm - 3am, £7 advance

More club previews and reviews

online theskinny.co.uk

Clubs

Lost Weekends

Chris Duncan helps you get away from it all with a selection of all day events and weekend long festivals at home and abroad throughout July and August. All designed to treat your ears and save your wallet EH1 Festival

Melt Festival

15 August

17-19 July

Royal Highland Centre and Showground, Ingliston

Ferropolis, Germany

A brand new dance festival taking place across no fewer than nine stages and spanning twenty years of music. In association with Colours, Hacienda, Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi and others, the line up includes Carl Cox, Rodger Sanchez, Adamski, Fabio & Grooverider, Lisa Lashes and Fergie. Taking place in the middle of August, the promoters have planned for the unpredictable Scottish weather, by hosting the eighteen hour event over both indoor and outdoor stages, so an onslaught of rain need not stop the festivities.

EH1’s launch year boasts a never before heard set from Carl Cox, comprising of only old school tracks, and Rodger Sanchez’s only Scottish festival appearance. Orbital, Josh Wink and Seb Fontaine are also lined up to play in what is shaping up to be a surprising end to the summer festival season.

12pm - 6am, tickets start from £39.50.

The Waverley Riverboat Shuffle 24 July Waverley Steamboat and a secret location

After hosting two barn dances, Optimo move in a new direction this year, teaming up with Melting Pot to bring The Waverley Riverboat Shuffle to the Clyde. Optimo’s JD Twitch and JG Wilkes will be joined by Bill Brewster and Melting Pot’s Simon Cordier.

Meeting at the Glasgow Science Centre, guests will be taken on a three hour journey on the only remaining steam paddler in the world, before everyone falls overboard to travel to a secret location for a warehouse party.

Special guest Bill Brewster is the author of Last Night A DJ Saved My Life. As a DJ he is most well known for curating compilations and mixes, such as the Spiritland soul and funk compilation and the deep house compilation Praxis as well as running the small disco edits label Disco Sucks. Brewster also records and releases his own material under the alias Fat Camp and World Discothéque Movement.

This looks set to be a memorable and exciting event, so get tickets early. Although, you’ll have to make up your own pun about ‘steamboats on a steamboat’.

7.45pm - 3am, £25, transport from Waverley to warehouse party is provided.

Spirit of Burgas 14-16 August City Beach, Bulgaria

Now in its second year, Spirit of Burgas takes place along the Black Sea coast for three days of techno and drum ‘n’ bass. Spread across five stages, the line up includes LTJ Bukem, Sub Focus, Speedy J, Mario Ranieri, Aleksander Kowalski, JackRock and Stephan Panev. It's a tempting opportunity to catch cutting edge music from across the globe on sun drenched beaches that won’t hit your budget too hard. What's more, Bulgaria was even recently found to be the cheapest holiday spot out of eighteen of the most popular destinations.

Flights from under €200, accommodation from only €20 and drinks on average costing just €2 each. On top of all that, the Spirit of Burgas promoters are currently offering people the chance to get a free 3 day pass in exchange for helping out at the festival. More information available at www.spiritofburgas.com €45-€50 for a weekend pass, €15-€20 for a day pass.

A strong contender for festival of the year, as Melt goes toe to toe with Sonar in terms of strength of line up. Thunderheist, Tim Exile, !!!, Diplo, Boy 8 Bit, Kode 9, Moderat, DJ Koze and Drop the Lime are just some of the names appearing this year, as these three days prove to be a highlight of the German musical calendar.

Now in its twelfth year Melt festival shows no signs of slowing down, consistently cramming as many quality acts into 72 hours as possible.

Tickets range from €50 to €110 depending on access. Camping available.

Pukkelpop 20-22 August Hasselt, Belgium

Crookers, Booka Shade, Ebony Bones, Vitalic, Busy P, Zombie Nation, Simian Mobile Disco, Kraftwerk, Bloody Beetroots, Count and Sinden, Alter Ego, Fake Blood, Tocadisco, Don Rimini and many more are booked for this Belgian festival that has been running since 1985. Yet another event that looks set to satisfy more or less any musical taste, as those already mentioned are also joined by the likes of The Jesus Lizard, Dizzie Rascal, Black Lips, La Roux and Patrick Wolf.

Tickets range from €75 to €135, camping is available.

Exit 9-12 July Petrovaradin Fortress, Serbia

The well known music critique network that is CNN recently heralded Exit as ‘one of the finest festivals in the world’. While we here at The Skinny aren’t too concerned with the American network’s attempts to cut our grass, we have to admit they do have a point.

Featuring Roots Manuva, a back to back set of Green Velvet and Carl Cox, Grandmaster Flash, Japanese Popstars, Alex Metric and Ritchie Hawtin to name but a few, it is easy to see why so many people make the annual trip to sample the Serbian fortress.

Tickets begin at just €37.

Sziget 10-17 August Budai-sziget, an island in the Danube, Budapest

Pete Tong, Armin Van Buuren, Coldcut and Grooverider headline the Party Arena whilst Nouvelle Vauge, Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy appear on the Main Stage. Squarepusher, De Staat, Tricky and White Lies take to the WanTwo stage for those seeking an alternative soundtrack to their week.

All this alongside several open air theatres and an expansive world music stage. Lose yourself in seven whole days of performances by cutting yourself off from the outside world in an island right in the middle of the Danube.

Tickets range from €42 to €180, camping available.

July 2009

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Art de Caf; The Art of The Temptress A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists Art de Caf 09:00 - 22:30 £15 www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

9 JULY

The Art of The Temptress: Exhibition Launch A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists.

Running the whole week of the Festival.

Art de Caf 13:00 - 19:00 Free www.artdecaf.com

10 JULY

Spangled Cabaret An anything goes evening of eclectic acts. A platform for the funny little acts that feel out of place elsewhere in the world.

Café Rio 20:00 - 23:00 £8 www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

10 JULY

Art de Caf; The Art of The Temptress A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists Art de Caf 09:00 - 00:00 £8 www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

10 JULY

Spangled Cabaret An anything goes evening of eclectic acts. A platform for the funny little acts that feel out of place elsewhere in the world.

Café Rio 20:00 - 23:00 Free myspace.com/spangled

10 JULY

Dusty Limits, Michael Roulston & Beatrix von Bourbon.

A one-man cabaret show inspired by the spirit of decadence. Featuring original songs and twisted takes on cabaret classic as well as Mr Limits pointed observations on life, love, sex and drugs.

The Glasgow Art Club 20:00 - 23:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

10 JULY

Art de Caf; The Art of The Temptress A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists.

Art de Caf 09:00 - 22:30 £6 (£5) www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

10 JULY

Tango Dinner A 3 course dinner followed by tango dancing in the beautiful surroundings of the Art de Caf - Tango Beginners Welcome!

Art de Caf 19:00 - 23:00 £12.95 www.artdecaf.com

10 JULY

The Picture of Dusty Limits A one-man cabaret show inspired by the spirit of decadence. Featuring original songs and twisted takes on cabaret classic as well as Mr Limits pointed observations on life, love, sex and drugs.

The Glasgow Art Club 20:00 - 22:30 £15 www.rhyme swithpurple.net/artclubcabaret

11 JULY

For The Love of Ivor Cutler A tribute to Ivor Cutler; an array of acts interpreting the deadpan eccentric works of poet & writer Ivor Cutler.

Oran Mor 20:00 - 23:30 £10 (£8) www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

11 JULY

Art de Caf; The Art of The Temptress A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists Art de Caf 09:00 - 23:30 £10 www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

11 JULY

Burlesque Show Miss Dolly Tartan, the pocket-sized pin-up princess presents an evening of Burlesque. All proceeds to the Panopticon Trust.

Art de Caf 20:00 - 00:00 £2 Minimum Donation www.artdecaf.com

11 JULY

For The Love of Ivor Cutler A tribute to Ivor Cutler; an array of acts interpreting the deadpan eccentric works of poet & writer Ivor Cutler.

Oran Mor 20:00 - 22:30 £6 (£5) www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Nynot?

Inspired by the cutting edge queer cabaret kids of New York City Markus Makavellian leads an extravagant band of performers in a show in aid of HIV Scotland.

The Glasgow Art Club 21:00 - 19:00 £7 (£5) www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

12 JULY

12 JULY

Art de Caf; The Art of The Temptress A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists.

Art de Caf 09:00 - 00:00 Guest List www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com

12 JULY

Black Tie Dinner & Dancing A 3 course dinner followed by dancing.

Art de Caf 19:30 - 23:00 £14.95 www.artdecaf.com

12 JULY

Nynot?

Inspired by the cutting edge queer cabaret kids of New York City Markus Makavellian leads an extravagant band of performers in a show in aid of HIV Scotland.

The Glasgow Art Club 21:00 - 00:00 £8 www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com And The Devil May Drag You Under The devil himself holds court and turns the Tron Vic Bar into den of diabolical delights as Cabaret stars fight to save their souls.

Tron 20:00 - 00:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Rockaburley A no holds barred celebration of singing, dancing and rock n roll in Scotland's coolest burlesque night club.

The Classic Grand 21:00 - 00:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Bumble Bee Childrens Cabaret Songs, stories and poems for all the family including the opportunity for kids to do a turn and become a Glasgow Cabaret Star.

Café Rio 14:30 - 00:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Bumble Bee Childrens Cabaret Songs, stories and poems for all the family including the opportunity for kids to do a turn and become a Glasgow Cabaret Star.

Café Rio 14:30 - 15:30 Free www.artdecaf.com Live Swing music A live swing band entertain as you drink and enjoy the artwork from our Glasgow Cabaret Festival Exhibition.

Art de Caf 19:00 - 00:00 Free www.artdecaf.com And The Devil May Drag You Under The devil himself holds court and turns the Tron Vic Bar into den of diabolical delights as Cabaret stars fight to save their souls.

Tron 20:00 -23:00 £8 www.tron.co.uk Rockaburley A no holds barred celebration of singing, dancing and rock n roll in Scotland's coolest burlesque night club.

The Classic Grand 21:00 - 23:30 £10 (£8) www.ticketweb.co.uk The Missy & Leyla Show An interactive, game show inspired variety extravaganza with award-winning burlesque, incredible circus performance and live music.

A whole lot of fun, prizes to be won!

ABC 20:00 - 00:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Art de Caf; The Art of The Temptress A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists.

Art de Caf 09:00 - 00:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Live Jazz A live Jazz band entertain as you drink and enjoy the artwork from our Glasgow Cabaret Festival Exhibition.

Art de Caf 19:00 - 00:00 Free www.artdecaf.com The Missy & Leyla Show An interactive, game show inspired variety extravaganza with award-winning burlesque, incredible circus performance and live music.

A whole lot of fun, prizes to be won!

ABC 19:00 - 23:00 £10 www.ticketmaster.co.uk Dr Sketchy Glasgow Glasgow's favourite underground art salon holds a special session for the Cabaret Festival and also celebrates their 2nd Birthday!

The Arches 16:00 - 00:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Festival Closing Party with The Skinny The exclsuive closing party for the very first Glasgow Cabaret Festival, guest list and Dr Sketchy ticket holders only!

The Arches 19:30 - 00:00 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com Art de Caf; The Art of The Temptress A delicious collection of artworks inspired by the most beautiful creatures.

An exhibit for the Festival created by some of Scotlands most talented artists .

Art de Caf 09:00 - 15:30 Free www.glasgowcabaretfestival.com The Missy & Leyla Burlesque Workshop Learn from the best. A chance to learn fandancing and shimmy-shake from two international starlets . wwSloans Ballrom 13:30 - 14:30 £20 www.myspace.com/missyandleyla

GLASGOW MUSIC WED 01 JUL SILVERSUN PICKUPS

ÒRAN MÓR, 19:00–23:00, £9

Indie rock

THUNDER

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:30, £22.00

Rock giants Thunder on their farewell tour

POP TAKEOVER:

BOX, 20:00–22:00, £TBC

Pop

JONATHAN CARR

BOX, 20:00–22:30, £TBC

Jazzy pop and rock

MONO JAZZ

MONO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Weekly jazz night with the resident house four-piece, plus guests.

THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS, LIONS.CHASE.TIGERS, WE HUNG YOUR LEADER NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Alt. rock

BLOOD CLUB

THE FLYING DUCK, 20:00–00:00, £4/3

Jam night

REVELATIONS (ALEXISBLUE, NAPOLEON IN RAGS ) PIVO PIVO, 20:00–01:00, £3

Weekly indie.

THU 02 JUL

HELLS KITCHEN

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–23:00, £4

Garage, punk, rock ‘n’ roll

PSYCHO CANDY, THE DIEYOUNGS DOVES OF DISORDER

A mixed bag of rock

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £3

Glasgow band Doves of Disorder release their self titled debut EP with support from Breakglass Emergency and Eightball

SNEAKY PETE, MAGGIE KILLED ME, RANDOM GUY MAGGIE MAYS, 20:00–22:30, £5

Alt. rock and indie folk

THE PRIVATES HAMMOND ORCHESTRA

MAGGIE MAYS, 20:00–22:30, £5

DAS FILTH, REALITY KILLED US, CALLUM MAKES NOISES, AIDEZ-MOI! IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

Local bands play electronica, postpunk and indie

FLASHLIGHT PROMOTIONS PRESENTS: EXIT AVENUE, DEAD FASHION, LIFE! DEATH! PRIZES!, TEMPERCALM, VARIETY SUITE THE TWISTED WHEEL, 19:30–23:00, £6

London synth-rock

LIVE AT THE MILL (FRANCO NEON, THE APPLE SCRUFFS) THE MILL GLASGOW @ ÒRAN MÓR, 20:00–22:30, 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

VIGO THIEVES, THIEVES IN SUITS, THE ONLY JONES, BOVINE MAGGIE MAYS, 20:00–22:30, £5

Alt. indie

CONCRETE CAMPFIRE BREL, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Acoustic session

NUTS & SEEDS PRESENTS: FINALLY PUNK, STICKS, GUMMY STUMPS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Punk

POWERCUT SESSION (SALON SOCIETY, MUDDYFACE, CARAGH NUGENT, FIRST TIGER ) PIVO PIVO, 20:00–01:00, FREE

A monthly shut down, forcing musicians to play as nature intended - unplugged

ERRINN TODD BAND BOX, 21:00–23:00, £TBC

Alternative

A WOMAN IN BERLIN (WRITTEN

BY IAIN MCCLURE DIRECTED

BY DEBORAH NEVILLE - PERFORMED BY MOLLY TAYLOR ) THE ARCHES, 22:15–23:10, £22 / £18 FOR A FESTIVAL PASS

A true story of one woman’s remarkable spirit and bravery, her openminded intelligence and focused will to survive. The revealing text and physical style is inspired by the anonymous diary of the same name published in 1954.

FRI 03 JUL ABC DIY PRESENT VINYL ABC, 19:00–23:00, £5.00

Probably Scottish plastic

BOX, 21:00–23:00, £TBC

Indie, rock and grunge

VEGAS!

OLD FRUITMARKET, 22:30–03:00, £12

Hosted by Frankie Sumatra, Bugsy Seagull, Dino Martini and Sam Jose

SUN 05 JUL TRIPLE G PRESENTS FAILSAFE Headline tour from Failsafe, promoting their debut album

IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

KING TUT’S WAH WAH HUT, 20:00–23:00, £7.50

DAYBREAK

JOCKY VENTAKARAM (MICKEY NINES )

NO TRIBE (NO FIXED ABODE, LOST PERSONA AND SEMINOLE )

Brighton-based five piece

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–01:00, £3/2

Album launch

EAT DR APE, PURPLE OHMS, MECHANICAL SMILE, SKINNY VILLAINS Indie Rock

THE ARCHES, 22:15–23:10, £22 / £18 FOR A FESTIVAL PASS

A true story of one woman’s remarkable spirit and bravery, her openminded intelligence and focused will to survive. The revealing text and physical style is inspired by the anonymous diary of the same name published in 1954.

SAT 04 JUL

Alt. hardcore

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–03:00, £3

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

JIMMY RICHARDS, LYNSEY KELLY, ROBERT BOWDEN

MON 06 JUL THE LAUGHING ASSASINS, SAMS DICE

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–23:00, £4

Rock and funk

PUNK TAKEOVER:

BOX, 20:00–22:30, £TBC

Punk

YOU ANIMALS, VENDOR DEFENDER, FRENCH WIVES

KING TUT’S WAH WAH HUT, 20:00–23:00, £5

Indie pop

WE SYNC SHIPS - DEBUTANT, CALL TO MIND, HINDLE WAKES

Rock and Emo

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–03:00, FREE

Weekly acoustic. Free pizza and a charity cause. Karmic balance, oh yes 13TH NOTE, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Dream pop and indie rock raising money for Yorkhill Childrens Foundation

TUE 07 JUL THE KEPT AND GUESTS

IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

ABC DIY PRESENTS: THE BLACK HAND GANG, ACUTONES, BRENDAN CAMPBELL

Stateside metal and hardcore

Acoustic and blues

THE RUMBLE STRIPS: ALBUM PLAYBACK

ABC, 19:00–23:00, £5.00

THE DEPENDANTS

ALL THE YOUNG NUDES - LIFE DRAWING

THE FLYING DUCK, 20:00–22:00, £4

BARROWLANDS, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

KING TUT’S WAH WAH HUT, 20:00–23:00, FREE

THE EAGLES

ECLECTIV (TOKYO KNIFE ATTACK, KENNY LAVELLE AND DLUDED )

Alt. indie rock

HAMPDEN PARK, 19:00–23:00, £88.00/71.50/55.00

A large majority of you were probably concieved to this music

THE DAZE

MAGGIE MAYS, 20:00–22:30, £5

Alt. rock

COUNTERFEIT CLASH

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Punk rock-ish reggae

DIAMANTHIAN, VALPURGA, THE ESCHATON CREED STEREO, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Deathly dooming, looming metal

SCREAMING LIGHTS, ALAN MCKIM, KALLA HEARTSHAKE

KING TUT’S WAH WAH HUT, 20:00–23:00, £6

Alt. rock

UK SUBS, FIRE EXIT, PRAIRIE DUGZ, SNIPES

IVORY BLACKS, 20:00–23:30, £TBC

Scottish punk

SWG3 LIVE: PAPER PLANES, WOODEN BOX

+44 141 GALLERY AT SWG3, 20:00–02:00, FREE

Monthly live night featuring local ‘up ‘n’ comers’

£12.50

Acoutic/Folk

A true story of one woman’s remarkable spirit and bravery, her openminded intelligence and focused will to survive. The revealing text and physical style is inspired by the anonymous diary of the same name published in 1954.

THE TWISTED WHEEL, 18:00–22:30, £6

SAT 3rd OCT

13TH NOTE, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

ACOUSTIC AID (HOSEMOX, LISA PATTON, BARRY MOORE AND JOHNNY JACK )

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER

supported by

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

A WOMAN IN BERLIN (WRITTEN

BY IAIN MCCLURE DIRECTED

BY DEBORAH NEVILLE - PERFORMED BY MOLLY TAYLOR ) THE ARCHES, 13:15–14:10, £22 / £18 FOR A FESTIVAL PASS

.. .

party with

THE DELANEYS, THE HARD LINES, THE CRAYONS, THE CELLOPHANES

THE GHOST OF A THOUSAND, THE COMPUTERS, SHARKS, HEY VAMPIRES

A WOMAN IN BERLIN (WRITTEN

BY IAIN MCCLURE DIRECTED

BY DEBORAH NEVILLE - PERFORMED BY MOLLY TAYLOR )

Alt. country, folk, americana and wonkytonk

13TH NOTE, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Surf jazz

Chart-topping dance acts

GRAND OLE OPRY, 19:00–23:30, £5/4

Hearty local upstarts and some worthy DJ’d funk and soul

SEDITIONARIES

DARREN STYLES, ULTRABEAT INVISIBLE ECHO (THE INVISIBLE REPUBLIC, SPARROW AND THE WORKSHOP, ROY MOLLER, PAUL MALCOLM)

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–03:00, £TBC

STEREO, 19:00–23:00, £5

BOX, 21:00–23:00, £TBC

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:30, £19.50

HIJACKED RECORDS PRESENTS: GRASSROOTS

edinburgh corn PRESENTS exchange

PIVO PIVO, 20:00–03:00, £3

Weekly eclectic collective.

FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST TICKETS FROM £20 BOX OFFICE: 0131 443 0404

www.ece.uk.com

R E P O PR returns. . .

JAM ON BREAD, MRBLKRSHRRRR, THE SHRIEKING VIOLETS 13TH NOTE, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Powerpop

WED 08 JUL BROTHER OF CRAIG, RINOA RINOA, DRAINPIPE, THE GROOVE, VEGAS NIGHTS IVORY BLACKS, 19:00–00:00, £TBC

Power pop and Scottish bands

BLUES TAKEOVER: BOX, 20:00–22:00, £TBC

Blues

MONO JAZZ

MONO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Weekly jazz night with the resident house four-piece, plus guests.

REVELATIONS (DE JOUR, MY FINAL WISH ) PIVO PIVO, 20:00–01:00, £3

Weekly indie.

LOGIC PROBLEM, CITIZENS 13TH NOTE, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Punk

Friday 17th July Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire £5.00 www.tickets-scotland.co.uk 0131 220 3234 www.bebo.com/posevents

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 61

Glasgow music Throatwrench (Money to Burn )

Drive carefully, Withered Hand, Jam on Bread

Eclectiv (Wiremother, Analog Angel and Ian Ryan )

Metal ... get out your Strepsils

Folk

Weekly eclectic collective.

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, £3

Duelling winos, rockburn, october sky, tonic tuesdays, COLOUR CELLS

Uncle Big Bad, 2 Wat Traffic, Overhead Kick, Soulmover, Dirty Deeds

Comedy rock

Rock, acoustic and pop

13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Timebomb Soliders Box, 21:00–23:00, £tbc

Indie

Fri 17 Jul De Soto Firefly, Komodo, Matt Mickman

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–23:00, £8

Long-haired boho busker man

Stereo, 19:00–23:00, £tbc

Farewell tour for the Lucksmiths

YRock

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:30, £tbc

YRock presents the culmination of YRock School Glasgow

Concrete Campfire Brel, 20:00–23:00, Free

Acoustic session

Firestorm events presents: City of Ships, Braveyoung, Always read the label Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £5

Prog rock, down tempo US ensemble and Glasgow-based alt. three-piece

Shut Up and Eat Your Music Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £3

Three bands of common influence/ genre take you on a weekly romp

Obscure Desire of the Bourgeoisie GoMA Aftershow

13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Experimental noise night

Denim & Leather

The Flying Duck, 21:00–02:00, £4/3

Stonewashed biker rock

Fri 10 Jul The Cat Empire

O2 Academy, 19:00–23:30, £15.00

Indie rock and alt. folk

Dexys Bootleg Runners

anny celsi, nelson bragg, Daniel Wylie

Tribute act

Powerpop, folk rock

The Flying Duck, 19:30–03:00, £5

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Information Libre Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, £5

Celtic rock poppers

Box, 21:00–23:00, £tbc

Scotland’s tribute to The Jam

Sun 12 Jul Random Hand, The Skints, The Hostiles

The Twisted Wheel, 19:30–23:00, £6

Ska punk and metal

No Tribe (Crematoria, Fight Club, Dark Hour and Annihilation ) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, £3

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

Mon 13 Jul Ne-yo (Kerri Hillson) SECC, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

American pop and R&B guru, a.k.a Shaffer Chimere Smith

Acoustic Takeover: Sleepy Sun

The Clash tribute band

Bluesy glam

The Down and Outs, The Dunderheids, The Side

Acoustic Aid (David Mathers, Fifty Thousand Explosions, Nalle and Crazy Eyes )

Nobility & Trust

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Alt. rock

crossfire, plimptons 13th Note, 00:00–23:30, £3/4

Pop punk

Sat 11 Jul Way Tangent, Diobane, Alkotron Box, 18:00–20:00, £tbc

Experimental, garage and rock

THE WRECKIN’ PIT presents: The Koffin Kats Stereo, 19:00–23:00, £tbc

Psychobilly punk rock

Lost Persona, Cnocantursa, Ghost Cartel

Wed 15 Jul

The Underground Jam, Combat Rock

Combat Rocks

R n B pop and rock

13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

The Silencers

Box, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Box, 20:00–22:30, £tbc

Weekly eclectic collective.

A, yet to be confirmed, off-kilter themed musical soiree

A joyful collision of reggae, pub-rock, hip-hop, acid jazz, ska and R&B Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:32, £tbc

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, £3

Acoustic

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £6.50

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, Free

Weekly acoustic. Free pizza and a charity cause. Karmic balance, oh yes

Tue 14 Jul Bruce Springsteen

Hampden Park, 19:00–23:00, £60.50

Nope, we’re not sure who he is either

All Shall Perish, Azriel, Matyr Defiled, Chasm Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:30, £tbc

Progressive and death metal

The Pretenders and JP Jones ABC, 19:00–23:30, £25

Chrissie Hynde brings the legendary Pretenders to Glasgow, with support from the stripped back acoustic sound of JP Jones

Òran Mór, 19:00–22:00, £15

Kylesa, La Luna Del Cacatori, Corpses, Suplex the Kid Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:00, £tbc

Metal

Flo-Rida

O2 Academy, 19:00–23:30, £20.00

ABC, 19:00–23:30, £17.50

Blending jazz, rock, blues, Latin, Eastern Indian, and other world music

Rock Takeover: Box, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Bands to be confirmed

Soft-core emo mumbler

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

62 THE SKINNY July 2009

13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Angle grinding noise

Revelry Theifs, Dennis Law Jnr Box, 21:00–23:00, £tbc

Indie and Punk

Sat 18 Jul Blair Douglas Band Òran Mór, 19:00–23:00, £15

Bad Day?

Glaswegian indie quartet

Flares presents No Dice Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:30, £tbc

Classic rock covers band

Psychedelic folk and blues

Socks off!

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Indie pop

Revelations (Always the Way, Pose Victorious )

HORACE ANDY

Weekly indie.

Backed by the Dub Asantie Band, part of the Glasgow Fair Sunsplash King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–23:00, £6

Rock and screamo

Flood Of Red

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–23:00, £6

Rock and screamo

The Laughing Assassins Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–01:00, £3

The Scanner Darkly, The Valkarys, My Final Wish 13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Alt. rock

Thu 23 Jul Shakey Shakey Promotions presents É Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:30, £5

Bands to be confirmed

Concrete Campfire

Probably funny death metal

Brel, 20:00–23:00, Free

No Tribe (The Chinaskis, Kontroband and Roughmute )

Shut Up and Eat Your Music

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, £3

Throw rocks against your ear drums.

Weekly.

Mon 20 Jul The Smittens, The Just Joans, One Happy Island, The Specific Heats and Maple Leaves

The Flying Duck, 19:00–23:00, £tbc

Acoustic session

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–23:00, £3

Three bands of common influence/ genre take you on a weekly romp

alexander murray

13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Singer/songwriter night

Juice Box

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Indie.

Fri 24 Jul

Warm-up gig for the Indietracks festival in Derbyshire

Dividing the Line

HMHB presents THE SMITTENS

Trance tinged hardcore

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, £5

A pick ‘n’ mix of indie pop

O2 Academy, 19:00–23:30, £6.00

Rats of the Capital, Soze, Senses

MXD:

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:30, £tbc

Alternative indie

Indie Rocks presents:

Box, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

The Smittens

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

indie pop

Post-rock and melancholic pop Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:30, £5

Bands to be confirmed

Synergy Presents: Growing

An Albatross

Psychedelic prog. rock

Indie

Weekly acoustic. Free pizza and a charity cause. Karmic balance, oh yes

Mono Jazz

Soviet

Initial itch

Casion, The Grove, Beautifal By Design, Kalla Heartshake, Richard Cook

Weekly jazz night with the resident house four-piece, plus guests.

Indie rock covers, in association with Indievous

Rock

Psychedelic rock and pop

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Mono, 20:00–23:00, Free

Revelations (Eat Dr Ape ) Pivo Pivo, 20:00–01:00, £3

Weekly indie.

Maggie Mays, 19:30–23:00, £5/4

Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:30, £5

Spinnerette

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–23:00, £11

Black Alley Screens, Vendor Defendor

Grime duo

Single launch

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–03:00, £tbc

lennon v’s mcartney 13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Acoustic tribute night

Thu 16 Jul Reverend and the Makers, Cosmo Jarvis, The Pangs ABC, 19:30–23:30, £10.00

Sheffield’s finest continue their UK in support of their new album ‘French Kiss in the Chaos’

Lefty McDuff Promotions presents: Inner Sight, Sol Diablos Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:30, £5

Al.t rock

Live at The Mill (Gap Year Riot, Bronto Skylift) The Mill Glasgow @ Òran Mór, 20:00–22:30, Free

Concrete Campfire

The Flying Duck, 19:30–23:00, £4

Scul hazzards, citizens

Box, 20:00–22:00, £tbc

Acoustic Aid (HaveAGoHero, Alan McKim, Philip Feenan)

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 20:00–23:00, £7.50

PCL Presents: St. Vincent

The Splendid Dead Collective strut their charming corpses around

Wed 22 Jul Psych Takeover:

Indievous Presents: Modern Faces, Da Capo, The Groove, Unknown Method

Rock

Frankmusik

Major/minor presentÉ

The Flying Duck, 20:00–03:00, £4

ABC, 19:00–23:30, £6.00

A mix of caberet, circus, music hall and burlesque in a game show format.

Part of the Glasgow Cabaret Festival

Electronica

Is This (Mutant) Music?

The Derek Trucks Band

The Flying Duck, 20:00–22:00, £4

ABC, 19:00–23:30, £10.00

Post punk

Celtic folk

The Missy and Leyla Show

A night of metal and screamo

All The Young Nudes - Life Drawing

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Sunshine state rapper Flo-Rida promotes his new album R.O.O.T.S

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

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:30, £tbc

The Cairos, The Bridges, The Phaetons, Punto the Feef

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, £3

Metal

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:30, £tbc

Flood Of Red

Jack Savoretti

The Lucksmiths, The Felt Tips, The Second Hand Marching Band

Kaleb, The Resonance Theory

Wrongnote, Ketimine Disco, The Blue Lips Alt. rock, post-punk and disco

Eclectiv (Plum, All the Queens Bovine and Lad Lazarus )

Sun 19 Jul

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–23:30, £tbc

Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:30, £5

Major/minor presents: The Red Well, Skeleton Bob Blood of the Bull , Beard DJs

Box, 21:00–23:00, £tbc

The Ferry, 19:00–01:00, £18.50

Progressive metal

Thu 09 Jul

13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Brel, 20:00–23:00, Free

Acoustic session

Odeon Beat Club

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Glasgow-based happy hardcore indie for the casio generation

Take a Worm for a Walk Week Pop punk

Rock Club

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, £tbc

Curated by A Jokers Rage

Pivo Pivo, 20:00–03:00, Free

13th Note, 20:30–23:30, £3/4

Tue 21 Jul All The Young Nudes - Life Drawing

The Flying Duck, 20:00–22:00, £4

Second Hand Marching Band, Sparrow & The Workshop

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

A vast marching musical swathe of who’s who from the current alt.folk scene

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Concrete pop

Box, 21:00–23:00, £tbc

Sat 25 Jul Young States

ABC, 19:00–23:30, £6.00

Indie-tinged pop

Revolver

Maggie Mays, 20:00–22:30, £5

Beatles tribute band

Ben Sturrock

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Acoustic

Edinburgh music Wed 01 Jul TEATIME ACOUSTIC (The Bellow Below)

The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

Graeme Stephen Trio

Great Grog, 19:00–22:00, Free

Weekly jazz

126 Records and Events Present: Fall and Perish, Annihilation, Purpose:Failed, Harvest The Sun The Hive, 19:00–23:00, £4

EXPOSED

The Jazz Bar, 21:00–23:00, £3

New bands showcase

Were Not Iguanas, The Spectres

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

The Diversions

Whistlebinkies, 00:00–03:00, £4

Indie

Fri 03 Jul TEATIME ACOUSTIC (DR RUBY’S MUSICAL SURGERY ) The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

The Deal

Whistlebinkies, 18:00–21:00, Free

Hardcore punk

Bainbridge presents... (The Mine)

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

JAR MUSIC SHOWCASE

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Line-up to be confirmed

Bad Bad Men

THE APPLE SCRUFFS, Tango In The Attic, The Delaneys

Rock covers and reggae folk

Bannerman’s, 21:00–01:00, £4.00

The Hive, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Country rock and blues

Indie punkers

Late n’ Live

the Gentle Invasion presents: The Wind Whistles, Tisso Lake and Jo Foster

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

Alexis Blue

The Bowery, 19:30–23:00, £5

Indie

Myshkin, Last Man Frees All

Whistlebinkies, 00:00–03:00, Free

Thu 02 Jul TEATIME ACOUSTIC (DR RUBY’S MUSICAL SURGERY) The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Candian folk pop duo

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4

Indie rock

Fifty Calibre Smile, Glory Days

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

The Ark, 20:00–01:00, £4

BROTHER LOUIS COLLECTIVE, LITTLE KICKS

Queens Hall Ceilidh (HLI, John Stuart, Wild Geese, Willie Fraser & caller Ken Gourlay)

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Indie pop

Ineffect presents: We See Lights

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Alt. indie

JAR MUSIC SHOWCASE

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Line-up to be confirmed

Savage Sound System, Gand-Eye, Yoshi, albaROSS The Ark, 19:00–01:00, £4

Indie disco house

Rock metal

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–01:00, £10 (£8)

With ceilidh bands John Stuart & Willie Forest & caller Ken Gourlay.

Lee Patterson

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Acoustic blues

The Jazz Bar, 21:00–23:00, £4/3

Check website for confirmed acts

Cityscape, Come in Tokyo Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Indie

Paper Few, Always Read The Label

The GRV, 19:00–03:00, £5

Live music from Alfonzo, Black Canvas, Din Eydin, The Merchants and Johnny San Diego & The Naturals followed by Jam the Box DJs and Polaris.

Manky Bastard Presents: cryoverbillionaires, Thieves in Suits, I See Shapes Sneaky Pete’s, 19:30–22:30, £5/4

Dirty alt. rock

Neoviolet, Machar Granite, Hanna O’ Reilly, The Gods Were Convicts The Ark, 20:00–01:00, £4

Acoustic

Queens Hall Ceilidh (HLI, John Stuart, Wild Geese, Willie Fraser & caller Ken Gourlay)

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–01:00, £10 (£8)

With ceilidh bands John Stuart & Willie Forest & caller Ken Gourlay.

WORLD PREMIERE QUINTET The Jazz Bar, 21:00–23:00, £4/3

Improv at it’s very best, previously unrehersed line-up

Illicit Still

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Rock

Dead On The Live Wire

Bannerman’s, 21:00–01:00, £4.00

Male-female ferocious noise duo who deploy Sonic Youth-esque atonal vocals, Nine Inch Nails guitar crunch and industrial clatter to deafening effect

Indie rock

The Pictoids

Bannerman’s, 16:00–18:00, FREE

JAZZ GROUP GUEST BAND

Jam the Box Live (Live music from Alfonzo, Black Canvas, Din Eydin, The Merchants and Johnny San Diego & The Naturals followed by Jam the Box DJ’s and Polaris.)

Jazz

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Limbo

Voodoo’s weekly forray into the burgeoning music scene

Indie vs. ska

96 Tears

The Skinny Dip: The Twilight Sad (The Twilight Sad The Foundling Wheel Adam Stafford) The Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–00:00, £5

The Voodoo Rooms, 19:00–03:00, £5

Late n’ Live

Whistlebinkies, 00:00–00:03, £4

The Bongo Club, 19:30–00:00, £10

Colossal Indie Presents: ‘Indie’pendance Day (Aye n Aye, The Vibe, The Jackdaws and Svengali)

Folk

Sat 04 Jul The Rab Howat Band Covers band

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4

Saturday Night Fish Fry

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5/3 (before 11pm)

Oatbeanie

Whistlebinkies, 00:00–03:00, Free

Rock and acoustic covers

Sun 05 Jul

The Electric Circus, 20:00–23:00, Free

Acoustic sets, with pull-out folk features and the occasional witty jazz column

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Indie punk

Late n’ Live

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

Just Turn Up for a Slot

Whistlebinkies, 00:00–03:00, Free

Mon 06 Jul Open Mic

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Free open mic at Dundee’s Doghouse. 

Debrasco, Bullet VI, John Neville Junior, Easykings Bannerman’s, 21:00–00:02, £4.00

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

Funk

JAR MUSIC SHOWCASE

TEATIME ACOUSTIC (DR RUBY’S MUSICAL SURGERY ) The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

Scottish indie and emo

Line-up to be confirmed

Late n’ Live

The Goons

New Century Revolution, The Urban Poets

Jazz

Hardcore punk rock

Alt. rock

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

The Ark, 19:30–23:00, £4

Late n’ Live

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Call in Advance for a Slot Whistlebinkies, 00:00–03:00, Free

Tue 07 Jul MUSICHESS

The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:30, Free

Live acoustic performances and a chess game free-for-all. Jolly show chappy

Live Music (Auto Safari)

Maggie’s Chamber, 18:49–18:50, tbc

DUTY FREE: YOU ANIMALS

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, Free

Indie pop six-piece

Meursault

The Bowery, 19:30–22:00, £5

Sparkling electro banjo art trio

White Noise (Zoe Van Goey)

The Electric Circus, 20:00–03:00, £4/ Free after 11pm

A weekly array of up and coming Scottish acts, followed up by DJ sets from Tanya Mellotte and Gavin Glove

Band Showcase

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Late n’ Live

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

Stand Out Riot, Kickstart Whistlebinkies, 00:00–03:00, Free

Ska punk

Wed 08 Jul

Streetcar

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Jazz

The 10:04’s

Punk

Year Zero, Salut Mary

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Leeds-based vocalist

The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Soft rock

Singers Night: TERRI SHALTIEL

The Jazz Bar, 21:00–23:00, £4/3

Sad Society, Otaku

The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Celtic

Jazz

Whistlebinkies, 18:00–21:00, Free

Indie

The Hive, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Easy Rollers

Late n’ Live

A weekly Unders night featuring a melange of fine bands hosted by the Puppytooth DJs. Pip pip young sir

Blue Zinc

Weekly jazz

Bannerman’s, 20:00–00:00, FREE

WE HEART TAPES (Unicorn Kid, Talk To Animals)

The Electric Circus, 16:00–19:00, £6

The Planes

Great Grog, 19:00–22:00, Free

Cranachan

TEATIME ACOUSTIC (DR RUBY’S MUSICAL SURGERY ) The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Graeme Stephen Trio

Alernative rock

Rock, blues and funk

Bannerman’s, 21:00–01:00, £4.00

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

ACOUSTIC SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT (Jennifer Concannon, Linsday Sugden & The Storm)

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Folk rock

English Dogs, Dogsflesh, Happy Spastics

Bannerman’s, 21:00–01:00, £4.00

Punkity punk punk

Thu 09 Jul

Confusion is Sex

TEATIME ACOUSTIC

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

BOBAN MARKOVIC

Where David Lynch fantasy becomes reality.

Late n’ Live

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

The Picture House, 19:00–23:00, £11

Jazz

Big beats of brass

Buddy Greco

The Demons Eye

Famous jazz pianist and singer

Classic rock metal

Whistlebinkies, 00:00–03:00, £4

The Jam House, 19:00–00:00, £tbc

Live at The Mill (Yuill Scott and The Haight, The Debuts) The Mill Edinburgh @ Cabaret Voltaire, 19:30–22:30, Free

Sat 11 Jul The Rab Howat Band

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

Bannerman’s, 16:00–18:00, FREE

Covers band

TEATIME ACOUSTIC

The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Afterbirth, Gin Goblins

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

Punk

Blackjack Blues Band

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 19:30–23:45, £5

Whistlebinkies, 18:00–21:00, Free

Laptop Lounge

The Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, Free

Cutting-edge international and UK electronic music and video artists perform live in the venue and into the venue via the net

The Bridges, Seafield foxes, Modern Faces The Ark, 20:00–23:00, £4

Blues, roots and alt. rock

Fritz

Blue folk

MACH NAUSEA 2009 (Voltigeurs, Family Battle Snake, Jazzfinger, BBBlood, Culver, Nact Insecten, Taco Bells, Vultures and Eaten By Children, Blue Sabbath Black Fiji, Diva Abrasiva, Euan Currie and Iain Campbell) Old St Paul’s Scottish Episcopal Church, 19:00–03:00, £10/ Weekend tickets £15

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

Alt indie

Late n’ Live

The 2nd annual DIY festival of experimental music

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

Nobody Else

Beau Nasties

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Whistlebinkies, 00:00–00:00, £4

Electro

Folk rock

Crosby Stills & Nash

Edinburgh Castle, 19:00–23:00, £49.50

Fri 10 Jul

Folk, rock uber group

TEATIME ACOUSTIC

Foxgang, Injuns

The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

The Bowery, 19:30–22:00, £5

FisherPrice toting alt. folk 4-piece

Bluesoul

The Energy Plan, POL Arida

Whistlebinkies, 18:00–21:00, Free

The Ark, 20:00–01:00, £4

We are guessing blues

Punk powerpop

Threshold Sicks, Nerrus Kor, Cancerous Womb, Foetal Splatter

Hanley Hunter Trio

The Village, 21:00–22:30, FREE

Soul trio

Henry’s Cellar Bar, 18:30–22:30, £4

Size Queen

Thrash death metal

Whistlebinkies, 21:00–00:00, Free

TEATIME ACOUSTIC (The Bellow Below)

Sporadic Music Event: Louise McVey and the Cracks in the Concrete, Susanna Macdonald, Amy Duncan

Straighten Out, Cash From Chaos

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

Experimental indie, combining acoustic and electronica

Punk rock tribute bands- The Clash, Sex Pistols etc

The Jazz Bar, 17:00–20:00, Free

The Tron, 20:00–23:00, £5/3

Rock

Bannerman’s, 21:00–00:00, £tbc

July 2009

THE SKINNY 63

EDINBURGH MUSIC SATURDAY NIGHT FISH FRY

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5/3 (BEFORE 11PM)

SUN 12 JUL WE HEART TAPES (FUTURISTIC RETRO CHAMPIONS, HOLLY OGILVIE)

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 16:00–19:00, £6

EvERy TuEsDay:

A weekly Unders night featuring a melange of fine bands hosted by the Puppytooth DJs. Pip pip young sir

11pm-3am

free!!

EVERY Wednesday

fEatuRing thE bEst ElEctRonic talEnt EdinbuRgh has to offER!

FRI 3RD ETHER:

“THE DIgITal masTER FRom mancHEsTER”, KEvIn goRman, bRIngs HIs unIquE sTylE oF DIgITal manIpulaTIon. WITH suppoRT FRom local TEcHno FIEnDs, ZunI & IngEn. 11-3 £5 b4 12, £6 aFTER.

saT 4TH jam THE boX lIvE: bacK agaIn, & bIggER THan EvER! lIvE musIc FRom alFonZo, blacK canvas, DIn EyDIn, THE mERcHanTs & joHnny san DIEgo anD THE naTuRals, FolloWED by THE jam THE boX mEDlEy oF FunK, soul, HousE anD DIsco. 7-3 £5 all nIgHT

sun 5TH TasTE: 15TH bIRTHDay paRTy

FRI 10TH DIRT: aRE pRouD To WElcomE KapITal Dj’s baRRy o’connEll anD bRaD cHaRTERs, WITH TEKamInE anD anDREW nEalE In THE baR. ElEcTRo, TEcHno, b-moRE, gHETTo & HIp Hop. 11-3 £2 b4 12 £4 aFTER.

saT 11TH subsTancE:

lIvE sETs: bass InvaDERs (sub, bass InvaDERs) anD paRasITE auDIo (pEsT conTRol REcoRDs). suppoRT FRom ZunI, gav RIcHaRDson + moRE Tbc. 11-3 £2 EnTRy.

FRI 17TH RIDDIm TuFFa sounD: THE WoRlD’s FasTEsT RappER, DaDDy FREDDy joIns THE RTs REsIDEnTs. suppoRT FRom b-DaWg & aRgonauT sounDs WITH THE bass allIancE sounD sysTEm. 11-3 £5 b4 11:30 £7 aFTER.

AND OVER 600,000 FOLK THINK OUR WEBSITE ROCKS TOO...

saT 18TH THE FounDaTIon mEETs moTHERFunK:

a saTuRDay nIgHT you can’T FunKIn’ mIss! THE FounDaTIon REsIDEnTs WIll bE josTlIng FoR THE DEcKs WITH moTHERFunK’s gIno & FRyER. 11-3 £5/£7 aFTER 12.

WED 29TH mIlEs HunT & ERIca nocKalls: THE WonDER sTuFF’s FRonT man WIll bE sToppIng In To pRomoTE nEW album WITH ERIca nocKalls, “caTcHIng moRE THan WE mIss”. WITH suppoRT FRom THE alaRm’s DavE sHaRp. DooRs aT 7pm £9 In aDvancE.

FRI 31sT maRK moRRIs oF “THE bluETonEs”

FamE pERFoRms a spEcIal acousTIc sET. WITH suppoRT FRom KERRIE lyncH anD mIKE claRK. DooRs aT 7pm £7 In aDvancE.

live music info: www.myspace.com/thegrv www.thegrv.com // 37 guthrie street edinburgh // 0131 220 2987

THE BOWERY, 19:30–22:30, £5

RAG DOLL DICE

A celebration of all that is great and good in the current ‘scene’

Alernative rock

BLUE PANDA: GOTHENBURG ADDRESS, VENDOR DEFENDER, CONFLICT DIAMONDS

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, FREE

THU 16 JUL TEATIME ACOUSTIC

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Cinematic rock

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

Garage rock

THE WILDERS

Alt. folk

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, FREE

The ‘hillbilly hurricane’ from Kansa City

DURAN DURAN

ACOUSTIC SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT (EMILY SCOTT, HOLLY OGILVIE)

All of your New Romantic dreams fufilled ... for a small fortune

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Acoustic sets, with pull-out folk features and the occasional witty jazz column

RED2RED

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Reggae rock and ska

SATURDAY NIGHT FISH FRY

SOUTHERN REMEDY, SARASWATHI, VERTIS

OATBEANIE

THE ARK, 20:00–01:00, £4

Indie shoegaze

BLACK AND WHITE RADIO, GIMPANZEE

Rock

Folk rock and funk

THE ARK, 20:00–23:00, £4

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 20:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

EDINBURGH CASTLE, 19:00–23:00, £44

BLIND ASSASSINS

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5/3 (BEFORE 11PM) WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, FREE

Rock and acoustic covers

SUN 19 JUL WE HEART TAPES

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 16:00–19:00, £6

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

A weekly Unders night featuring a melange of fine bands hosted by the Puppytooth DJs. Pip pip young sir

SINGERS NIGHT

BANNOCKBURN

TEATIME ACOUSTIC

Weekly vocalist showcase

Celtic

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

BLIND ASSASSINS

LATE N’ LIVE

Rock

THE ARK, 20:00–01:00, £4

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:00–23:00, £4/3

SIMON KEMPSTON

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Celtic folk and blues

LATE N’ LIVE

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

JUST TURN UP FOR A SLOT

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, FREE

MON 13 JUL

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, £4

FRI 17 JUL TEATIME ACOUSTIC

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

USED BLUES

WHISTLEBINKIES, 18:00–21:00, FREE

Blues

LIVE MUSIC (THE BLACK LIGHTS, ARMOTTES.)

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

MAGGIE’S CHAMBER, 18:51–18:52, TBC

OPEN MIC

Prog. punk

Free open mic at Dundee’s Doghouse. 

THE BONGO CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6/5

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

DUTY FREE: CULANN

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, FREE

NORMAN MACKAY’S CEILIDH EXPERIENCE

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

ITS ALL FICTION

THE ARK, 19:30–22:00, £4

Punk-ish, rock-ish, loud-ish

ACOUSTIC SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT (LEE PATTERSON, CHRIS BRADLEY) THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Acoustic sets, with pull-out folk features and the occasional witty jazz column

CRANACHAN

BANNERMAN’S, 20:00–00:00, FREE

Celtic

SINGERS NIGHT

THE JAZZ BAR, 21:00–23:00, £4/3

Weekly vocalist showcase

LATE N’ LIVE

PRIME SUSPECT

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

5-piece line-up. Get out your tartan and fine-tune your whooping

Jazz

CALL IN ADVANCE FOR A SLOT

EPIC 26

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

LATE N’ LIVE

New wave powerpop

Jazz

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, FREE

TUE 14 JUL TEATIME ACOUSTIC

THE CORNCRAKES

THE BOWERY, 19:30–22:30, £5

Indie folkers

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

CONSTANT STATE, BIG WAVE, EMPIRES, THE WASTED NATIVES, EMERGENCY RED

MUSICHESS

Terror punk and hardcore

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:30, FREE

Live acoustic performances and a chess game free-for-all. Jolly show chappy

BRAINZ IN JARZ, THAT’S WHAT THE OLD MAN SAID & HE NEVER CAME BACK, IAN RYAN THE ARK, 20:00–01:00, £4

Industrial electro

WHITE NOISE (CRYOVERBILLIONAIRES, THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS)

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 20:00–03:00, £4/ FREE AFTER 11PM

A weekly array of up and coming Scottish acts, followed up by DJ sets from Tanya Mellotte and Gavin Glove

BAND SHOWCASE

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

LATE N’ LIVE

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

THE NEON ALTAR

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, FREE

Funk rock

WED 15 JUL TEATIME ACOUSTIC (THE BELLOW BELOW)

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

GRAEME STEPHEN TRIO

GREAT GROG, 19:00–22:00, FREE

Weekly jazz

THE JOHNSON BROTHERS

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Classic rock

64 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

SONG BY TOAD SUMMER PARTY

DUTY FREE: KATHRYN EDWARDS, MAEVE O’BOYLE, JENNIFER CONCANNON

TEATIME ACOUSTIC

TEATIME ACOUSTIC

FRom 15 mInuTEs oF FamE, To 15 yEaRs oF InFamy! InspIRED by anDy WaRHol, WHo oncE saID “EvERyonE WIll bE Famous FoR 15 mInuTEs”, TasTE WIll bE a 4 FlooR EXTRavaganZa oF glamouR! DREss as a Famous oR InFamous cHaRacTER. 11-3 £7 mEmbERs £8 non mEmbERs.

Jazz

THE BRUTES, THE FNORDS, DAVIE SLOAN, ACID FASCISTS

THE BONGO CLUB, 19:30–22:00, FREE

calli mojo nochE sin tREgua•night non stop

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

bubblIng WITH DIvERsITy To pRovIDE THE TRuE unDERgRounD sounD WITH DIFFEREnT Dj’s EvERy WEEK. gooD TImEs THRougH gooD musIc! 11-3 FREE EnTRy £1:50 DRInKs

LATE N’ LIVE

THE ARK, 20:00–01:00, £4

BRIAN CATTIGAN

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–00:00, £4.00

Acoustic and folk

DIGNAN DOWELL AND WHITE WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Alernative rock

LATE N’ LIVE

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

Jazz

3 CARD TRICK

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, £4

Rock

SAT 18 JUL

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

JUST TURN UP FOR A SLOT

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, FREE

MON 20 JUL TEATIME ACOUSTIC

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

A SHIP GOING UNDER

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–00:00, £4.00

Metal and hardcore

GANDHI’S COOKBOOK, PUBLIC REFUSE

BANNERMAN’S, 21:00–00:00, £4.00

Punk and ska

OPEN MIC

WHISTLEBINKIES, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Free open mic at Dundee’s Doghouse. 

LATE N’ LIVE

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5 - £1

THE RAB HOWAT BAND

Jazz

Covers band

WHISTLEBINKIES, 00:00–03:00, FREE

BANNERMAN’S, 16:00–18:00, FREE

TEATIME ACOUSTIC

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

OSLOW, TRAPPED IN KANSAS, FIGHTER PLANES WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Indie, minimalist and prog. shoegaze

SIMPLE MINDS

EDINBURGH CASTLE, 19:00–23:00, SOLD OUT

Stay tuned for the inevitably golden comments this’ll spawn on the Skinny site

NYOS PRESENTS: NATIONAL YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA OF SCOTLAND SUMMER CONCERT QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, £10

Directed by Malcolm Edmonstone and Andrew Bain

CALL IN ADVANCE FOR A SLOT

TUE 21 JUL TEATIME ACOUSTIC

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:00, FREE

Daily sessions featuring eastablished singer/ songwriters and bands

MUSICHESS

THE JAZZ BAR, 17:00–20:30, FREE

Live acoustic performances and a chess game free-for-all. Jolly show chappy

6 DAY RIOT, EARL GREY AND THE LOOSE LEAVES

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Americana folk rock

MIGHTY MOTH MAGNETS THE ARK, 19:30–23:00, £4

Bug-eyed indie wonders

Glasgow Clubs Wed 01 Jul

Melting Pot (DJ Cosmo)

Clubhouse Wednesdays The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Dysfunktional

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £4/£3 after

Indie and electro

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.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Orderly Disorder - LSD

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

OD is brought to you by by the letters L (light) S (sound) D (dance) and the numbers 303 and 808. - The usual eclectic mix of stunning lights and throbbing filthy beats.

Slabs Of The Tabernacle (Casionova, Andrew Ingram, Brian d’Souza, jwins) The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £6

Disco, italo, techno, electro.

Thu 02 Jul

SOLUTe (SLAM (Live), Wardy) The Club (69), 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Common Room

Common, 19:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 (students) after

Weekly hotpot of punters on the pull to a backdrop of commercial, house, pop and R&B

Electric Gypsyland (DJ ‘Miss Electric Gypsyland’) Blackfriars Basement, 21:00–02:00, £3

Mediterranean, balkan beats, middle eastern rhythms.

Student Night

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Indie anthems and skewed pop

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

Distort/Sustain

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Electro, fidgit, jackin’ bassline.

RPZ

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

Fri 03 Jul Common, 17:00–03:00, 11pm, £5/£3 after

Disco.

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O)

Mainstream chart-ish

Audiofilth

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £10

House & techno.

Subculture

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £8

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

Sun 05 Jul Snakebite Sundays

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free before 10:30pm. £5/3 after

All manner of sins, from pop to back alley funk

Liquid Cool

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 after

The sluttiest mixes this side of the Clyde

Countach Summertime Love (DJ LaserQuest, Teamy Teamy, jwins) The Halt Bar, 20:00–00:00, Free

Hi-NRG, italo, disco.

Sound Museum (DJ Hushpuppy (Art School) & Chris Geddes (Belle & Sebastian)) Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

‘My mum told me I could DJ’ The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Disco to stroke your ego to

Limitless (Matthew One More Tune)

Black Sparrow, 22:00–01:00, Free

House & techno.

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Classic Grand, 20:30–23:30, £10

A Skinny favourite- grimy rock’n’roll and the best of burlesque

Rockaburley

Classic Grand, 21:00–23:30, £10 (£8)

A Skinny favourite- grimy rock’n’roll and the best of burlesque

Sound Museum (DJ Hushpuppy (Art School) & Chris Geddes (Belle & Sebastian)) Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

‘My mum told me I could DJ’ The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Disco to stroke your ego to

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sat 11 Jul This Is...

Common, 17:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £7/£5 after

Electro indie

The Hip Drop (Robbie Rolex) Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

Reggae, funk and tekfunk.

Kinetic Blue

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free entry before 10.30pm

Indie, house and urban

Junk (Marky Mark)

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Optimo (JD Twitch and JG Wilkes)

A heavy alternative concoction involving styles from metal to emo, punk to industrial.

Drinks offers all night to keep you absolved.

House: past, present and future The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3 Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Diverse music policy.

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

Mon 06 Jul Heat

Free before

Rockaburley (Viva Misadventure)

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Trade night

Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Tue 07 Jul

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Solardisco (Maelstrom, Kevin Stevens, Craig Moogroove) Basura Blanca, 23:00–02:00, £5

Disco, cosmic, house.

El Rancho Picante

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5

Garage punk and rock ‘n’ roll

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Subculture

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £8

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

Dysfunktional

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £4/£3 after

Indie and electro

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.

Common Room

Common, 19:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 (students) after

Weekly hotpot of punters on the pull to a backdrop of commercial, house, pop and R&B

Student Night

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Indie anthems and skewed pop

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

Queer Bash

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £4

Artists with an alt. queer edge É not an organised beating

RPZ

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

Fri 17 Jul Common, 17:00–03:00, 11pm, £5/£3 after

The sluttiest mixes this side of the Clyde

Housing Benefits (Rebecca Vasmant (Pacha, Liquid Funk) and thirtytwodjs.)

Hetherington Research Club, 20:00–02:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

Jacking house.

Sound Museum (DJ Hushpuppy (Art School) & Chris Geddes (Belle & Sebastian))

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Soul Skattitude

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £6, free with flyer

Soul, reggae & ska.

Wed 08 Jul

Snakebite Sundays

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free before 10:30pm. £5/3 after

All manner of sins, from pop to back alley funk

Liquid Cool

House & techno.

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sat 18 Jul This Is...

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 after

Common, 17:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £7/£5 after

House: past, present and future

Electro indie

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

SECC, 18:30–22:00, £tbc

Tech house & techno.

Mainstream chart-ish

Optimo (JD Twitch and JG Wilkes)

Dutch trance

Arca Felix

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £4/£3 after

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Diverse music policy.

Prog. punk

Numbers (Erik & Fiedel / MMM (MMM, Berlin) LIVE Guido & Gemmy (Punch Drunk,Planet Mu, Bristol))

Indie and electro

Octopussy

Ritual (DJ Barry)

The Hip Drop (Robbie Rolex)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

Reggae, funk and tekfunk.

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Heat

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Garage, psych, freakbeat, rock n roll.

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

The Cave

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £4

Garage punk, rockabilly, rock n roll, horror, psychobilly.

The Basement

Soundhaus, 23:00–04:00, £tbc

Techno, electro & house.

Club: Censored

Ivory Blacks, 23:04–03:04, £tbc

Watchamacallit (Dj Bobby Bluebell)

Punk Flavor Funk. Caramel. Milk Psychoclate.

Thu 09 Jul Common Room

Common, 19:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 (students) after

Weekly hotpot of punters on the pull to a backdrop of commercial, house, pop and R&B

Student Night

Mon 13 Jul The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Trade night

Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Tue 14 Jul

Kinetic Blue

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free entry before 10.30pm

Indie, house and urban

Shapes (UNIQUE (ecology recordings))

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

The Flying Duck, 19:00–00:00, Free

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

The Pudding Shop

Common, 17:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £7/£5 after

45 Kicks (John Ross and Alex O)

A night of tunes dedicated to DIY bands record shop and clothes swap.

A night of indie, folk, country, reggae, punk rock, psych, new wave, lo-fi, riot grrrl, noisepop and more.

The Hip Drop (Robbie Rolex)

Alternative Nation (Barry and Harvey Kartel)

The Flying Duck, 20:00–22:00, £4

This Is...

Electro indie

Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

Reggae, funk and tekfunk.

Kinetic Blue

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free entry before 10.30pm

Indie, house and urban

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.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Rock, industrial, metal, punk and electro

RPZ

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

Fri 10 Jul Audiofilth

Common, 17:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 after

The sluttiest mixes this side of the Clyde

All The Young Nudes - Life Drawing 3Some

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm. £4/3 after

Lewd posing, with prizes

Arca Felix

Heat

The Twisted Wheel, 20:30–22:30, £5

Trade night

The Hip Drop (Robbie Rolex)

Prog. punk

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

Reggae, funk and tekfunk.

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free entry before 10.30pm

Tue 21 Jul

Indie, house and urban

Orphans and Vandals

Dance! Dance! Dance!

(DJ’s Andy Piacentini, Derek Smith, DJ Ferrero and Captain BK McVey)

The Twisted Wheel, 19:30–23:00, £5

Alt Indie

All The Young Nudes - Life Drawing

The Twisted Wheel, 21:00–03:00, £5

The Flying Duck, 20:00–22:00, £4

3Some

Lewd posing, with prizes

Streetrave’s West Coast Jam

Renfrew Ferry, 21:00–03:00, £12

Dance, EH1 Music Festival Warm-Up.

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Killer Kitsch

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

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.

Wed 22 Jul Clubhouse Wednesdays The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Black Cat Burlesque

Dysfunktional

Club night of live burlesque performers as well as music

Mainstream chart-ish

Ivory Blacks, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £4/£3 after

Evissa (Alex P)

Indie and electro

Tusk, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£8)

The Arches, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Influx (Bob Digital, Jasper)

Evissa (Alistair Whitehead) Tusk, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£8)

House, trance, main room dance.

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Subculture

Common, 19:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 (students) after

Weekly hotpot of punters on the pull to a backdrop of commercial, house, pop and R&B

Student Night

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £7

New Skool (Nick Peacock, John Ross and Alex O) The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Subculture

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £8

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

45 Kicks (John Ross and Alex O)

Deep house and techno.

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Sun 26 Jul

Alternative Nation (Barry and Harvey Kartel)

Sunday social

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

13th Note, 12:30–23:30, Free

Rock, industrial, metal, punk and electro

Rumble in the Jumble Flea market, DJs on both floors, cocktails, games and bands

Juice Box

Snakebite Sundays

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Indie.

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free before 10:30pm. £5/3 after

RPZ

All manner of sins, from pop to back alley funk

The Vic Bar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3), £1 GSA students

Liquid Cool

Fri 24 Jul

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 after Free before

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £10 (£9)

Diverse music policy.

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Disco, techno, boat party.

Damnation (DJ Barry & Dec) Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

Heat

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

‘My mum told me I could DJ’ Disco to stroke your ego to

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Mon 27 Jul

Sound Museum (DJ Hushpuppy (Art School) & Chris Geddes (Belle & Sebastian)) The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Junk (Marky Mark)

Optimo (Gavin Russom (DFA))

Glasgow Science Centre, 20:00–03:00, £25

Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

House: past, present and future The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Optimo & Melting Pot present The Waverly River Boat Shuffle (JD Twitch, JG Wilkes, Simon Cordiner and Bill Brewster.)

Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £7

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

Tronicsole (Shur-I-kan)

Indie anthems and skewed pop

Common, 17:00–03:00, 11pm, £5/£3 after

Modern Lovers

All things soul, motown, psychedelic funk, garage punk & ska.

Common Room

Techno, electronica, hip hop.

Weekly snapshot of the ever-evolving house blueprint.

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

Thu 23 Jul

House & techno.

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £8

Jeffries Tube +

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Mainstream chart-ish

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Kinetic Blue

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Tic Tac Toe (Broken, Andrew Doran)

Wed 15 Jul

Techno, electronica, hip hop.

Mon 20 Jul

Clubhouse Wednesdays

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

The Ivy Bar, 20:00–02:00, Free

Rock, Metal, Punk and Industrial tunes.

Ballers Social Club (Dam Funk (Stones Throw), 7VWWVW live (Crystal Wish), Danny Breaks (Droppin Science / Beat Dimensions), LuckyMe DJ’s)

Killer Kitsch

Ballers Social Club (Danny Breaks, Eclair Fifi)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

The sluttiest mixes this side of the Clyde

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Indie anthems and skewed pop

Electro indie

Common, 17:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £7/£5 after

Ritual (DJ Barry)

Absolution (DJ Barry and DJ Dec)

Techno, Electro and Tech House.

Broadcast Beach

Sat 04 Jul

Diverse music policy.

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Audiofilth

Alt. electro

Stereo, 19:00–23:00, £tbc

This Is...

Basura Blanca, 21:00–02:00, £6 (£5)

A heavy alternative concoction involving styles from metal to emo, punk to industrial.

Drinks offers all night to keep you absolved.

Birthday Massacre

Sat 25 Jul

Optimo (JD Twitch and JG Wilkes)

Sci-fi music club - hosted by Nanobots

Junk (Marky Mark)

Dysfunktional

Psychedelic Freakout.

Punk Flavor Funk. Caramel. Milk Psychoclate.

Limitless (Matthew One More Tune)

Clubhouse Wednesdays

Eyes Wide Open

Junk (Marky Mark)

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 b4 12am

Tattoo, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Tiesto

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

House: past, present and future

Vertigo

Watchamacallit (Dj Bobby Bluebell)

3Some

Killer Kitsch

House & techno.

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm, £5/£3 after

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free

Black Sparrow, 22:00–01:00, Free

Lewd posing, with prizes

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, Free

Liquid Cool

House, trance, main room dance.

‘My mum told me I could DJ’

ELECTRO, POP, MASHUPS.

Sun 12 Jul

All manner of sins, from pop to back alley funk

Octopussy

Whitenoisefeedback: distortion presents… Muck

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm. £4/3 after

Radio Arcade (John Cannon & Jon Virtue (Perc Trax, Sleaze, Acitone).)

Brel, 21:00–01:00, Free

Blink (Marco Loco & Martin Muir) The Club (69), 23:00–03:00, £6

Free before

All The Young Nudes - Life Drawing

The Flying Duck, 20:00–22:00, £4

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

The Viper, 21:00–02:00, Free before 10:30pm. £5/3 after

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm. £4/3 after

Disco to stroke your ego to

The Twisted Wheel, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Old Skool

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Thu 16 Jul

Audiofilth

Sun 19 Jul Snakebite Sundays

Trade night

Burn (DJs Normski, Zeus & Mash)

The Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Tue 28 Jul All The Young Nudes - Life Drawing

The Flying Duck, 20:00–22:00, £4

3Some

Common, 22:00–03:00, Free before 11pm. £4/3 after

Lewd posing, with prizes

July 2009

THE SKINNY 65

EDINBURGH CLUBS WED 01 JUL

BREAKING BOUNDARIES IN MUSIC

GUILTY (JOHNNY FRENETIC (AKA JOHN HUTCHISON))

36 BLAIR ST, EDINBURGH. 0131 220 6176

5 decades of classic pop.

DELIQUENTS

INDUSTRY SHOWCASE assoc. Maldives BreakOut Festival 2ND JUlY: Cielo Drive, Fitzroy Soul, The limits, The Modern Faces, The Seven Deadly Sins + Skyless 3RD JUlY: Kid Fire, Number 9s, Zeindl Autohaus, Coholic, Unknown Hagana + The Remnant Kings 4TH JUlY; The Stagger Rats, Jaded Playboy, Retraspective, Universal You, Dead Sea Souls + Outback Eskimos

www.jarmusicgroup.com

DUTY DUTY DUTY DUTY DUTY DUTY

FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE

7pm - 10pm free entry!!

7th July you animals 16th July maeve o’boyle, kathryn edwards jennifer concannon 17th July culann, asps 24th July asps, glint 26th July the remnant kings hippocampus

NO TICKETS REQUIRED myspace.com/dutyfree2009 themill-live.com

9th July: the debuts yuill scott & the haight July: lions.chase.tigers 23rd July paper beats rock FREE ENTRY 7PM FREE ENTRY 7PM FREE ENTRY 7PM

31st JULY 2009 doors 7PM THE NATURE BOYS THE 10:04’s MYSPACE.COM/THENATUREBOYSONTOUR

wee... ar ctric ele ugust

august birthday celebrations...

DJ T : THE FIX live st u g u a h THE RAPTURE 19t DJ set 12th a

weareelectric.net

28th 28 th AUGUST

10.30pm - 3.00am

KRAFTY KUTS & ASKILLZ

SUGARBEATCLUB.COM

RIPPING RECORDS (SOUTH BRIDGE), WWW.TICKETWEB.CO.UK T: 08444 77 1000 TICKETS SCOTLAND T: 0131 220 3234

WWW.THECABARETVOLTAIRE.COM

66 THE SKINNY JULY 2009

LULU, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £5

Two rooms of anthems and chart from residents

JUNGLEDUB

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

SUBTEXT

THE GRV, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Spanish and Latin Grooves from Juan Car.Techno, electro, breaks and minimal from various rotating guests including INGEN, Jealous Kid, C.L.B, AMELDRUM and Bruno FK.

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 02 JUL

JAM THE BOX LIVE (LIVE MUSIC FROM ALFONZO, BLACK CANVAS, DIN EYDIN, THE MERCHANTS AND JOHNNY SAN DIEGO & THE NATURALS FOLLOWED BY JAM THE BOX DJ’S AND POLARIS.) THE GRV, 19:00–03:00, £5

Live music from Alfonzo, Black Canvas, Din Eydin, The Merchants and Johnny San Diego & The Naturals followed by Jam the Box DJs and Polaris.

MUCH MORE (NASTY P & CUNNIE)

MEDINA, 22:00–03:00, £5, 2 FOR 1 B4 11PM

TEASE AGE

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, £6, FREE B4 11PM

BIG N BASHY

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

WE CAN BE HEROES!

A chewed up, spat out mix of electro. pop, chart, indie and retro floor fillers.

A kitschy intergalactic audio adventure

GRAND THEFT AUDIO (BABES, MR MEEKS, BSIDES & THE BANDIT, XTRA AND MONKEY BOY)

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–01:00, FREE

THE SKINNY DIP: THE TWILIGHT SAD (THE TWILIGHT SAD THE FOUNDLING WHEEL ADAM STAFFORD) THE BONGO CLUB, 19:30–00:00, £10

BORN TO BE WIDE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 20:00–01:00, FREE

A social night for musicians, promoters, journalists and anyone who likes a surprise selection of tunes.

RUDE

PO NA NA, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Funky house, electro anthems, hip shaking urban jams, dirty sexy mashups and reinvented club classics.

KINKY INDIE

CITRUS CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £2 STUDENTS/ £5 OTHERS

KITSCH

THE HIVE, 23:00–03:00, £2, FREE B4 11.30PM

THE SPEAKEASY @ CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £3

Hip hop and funk.

THE EGG (CHRIS & 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

THE GO-GO (DJS TALL PAUL ROBINSON AND BIG GUS )

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4), FREE B4 12AM WITH FLYER

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–03:00, FREE

SUN 05 JUL THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 16:00–19:00, £6

COALITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Drum and base, breaks, bassline and electro

KILLER KITSCH

Chart

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

GET FUNK’D (ISLA BLIDGE, MASTERCAIRD & P-STYLZ)

NEW IDOLS

MEDINA, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4), FREE B4 11PM

PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, £5, FREE B4 10.30PM

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

ETHER (KEVIN GORMAN, ZUNI & INGEN)

THE GRV, 23:00–03:00, £6, £5 B4 12AM

Techno.

Dance music.

THE SPEAKEASY @ CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £3 FOR FANCY DRESS, IDOL-A-LIKES & STUDENTS

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.

SECTIONS

THE HIVE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

FOUR CORNERS

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

Soulful party fodder for dancing from deep funk, soul jazz, and latin beats to hip hop, reggae and more.

TASTE 15TH BIRTHDAY

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5, £3 B4 12AM

TOKYOBLU

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £10

House night with skilled house house band

SAT 04 JUL COLOSSAL INDIE PRESENTS: ‘INDIE’PENDANCE DAY (AYE N AYE, THE VIBE, THE JACKDAWS AND SVENGALI)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–03:00, £5

Indie vs. ska

THE GRV, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Every week will see different genres and artists from different clubs in Edinburgh: Noizteez, Volume, Ghantin, Mutiny, Dirt, Big n Bashy, Jakn, Synthetic, Coalition, Riddim Tuffa, Pangea.

Techno, dubstep, drum and bass, hip hop.

SPLIT

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

WED 08 JUL GUILTY (JOHNNY FRENETIC (AKA JOHN HUTCHISON)) LULU, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

5 decades of classic pop.

DELIQUENTS

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £5

Two rooms of anthems and chart from residents

JUNGLEDUB

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

SUBTEXT

THE GRV, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Spanish and Latin Grooves from Juan Car.Techno, electro, breaks and minimal from various rotating guests including INGEN, Jealous Kid, C.L.B, AMELDRUM and Bruno FK.

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 09 JUL NOBODY ELSE

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Electro

A kitschy intergalactic audio adventure

THE JAZZ BAR, 23:30–03:00, £5/3 (BEFORE 11PM)

A weekly Unders night featuring a melange of fine bands hosted by the Puppytooth DJs. Pip pip young sir

OVERTIME (DJ B BURG )

HYBRID

SATURDAY NIGHT FISH FRY

From indie and new wave to fidget house, Baltimore booty bass to nurave.

FRI 03 JUL

TUE 07 JUL

WE CAN BE HEROES!

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

WE HEART TAPES (UNICORN KID, TALK TO ANIMALS)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £2, (£1), FREE B4 12AM

ULTRAGROOVE

SICK NOTE

Cheese.

TRADE UNION (DJ BEEFY & WOLFJAZZ)

THE GRV, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£7)

15 minutes of fame to 15 years of infamy! A 4 room house extravaganza! Come dressed as a famous of infamous character.

MON 06 JUL

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–01:00, FREE

RUDE

PO NA NA, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Funky house, electro anthems, hip shaking urban jams, dirty sexy mashups and reinvented club classics.

KINKY INDIE

CITRUS CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £2 STUDENTS/ £5 OTHERS

KITSCH

THE HIVE, 23:00–03:00, £2, FREE B4 11.30PM

Cheese.

SICK NOTE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

From indie and new wave to fidget house, Baltimore booty bass to nurave.

FRI 10 JUL OVERTIME (DJ B BURG )

THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–03:00, FREE

Chart

GET FUNK’D (ISLA BLIDGE, MASTERCAIRD & P-STYLZ)

MEDINA, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4), FREE B4 11PM

BIG TOE’S HI-FI (BARBA POPPA CHOPPA, C-BISCUIT, PAPA LUCA AND B-DAWG ) WEE RED BAR, 22:30–03:00, £5

Reggae, dub, dancehall, dubstep.

PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, £5, FREE B4 10.30PM

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

DIRT (BARRY O’CONNELL, BRAD CHARTERS, TEKAMINE, ANDREW NEALE)

THE GRV, 23:00–03:00, £2/4 AFTER 12AM

Techno, Electro, Dubstep, B-more, Ghetto

THE LATIN QUARTER (JIM COMBE)

CONFUSION IS SEX

MIXED UP MONDAYS

EDEN

MEDINA, 21:00–03:00, FREE THE HIVE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Hip Hop, RNB, Pop, Chart.

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Where David Lynch fantasy becomes reality.

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

Funky house.

Furburger

More

Sick Note

“For girls who like girls who like music”. With aural stimulation from the funki diva, dejaybird, boy toy and debi t.

Funky vocal house, electro and club classics.

From indie and new wave to fidget house, Baltimore booty bass to nurave.

Our House

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

GHQ, 23:00–03:00, £4/ Free passes available at Planet

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Sat 11 Jul Neon

The Hive, 17:30–21:30, £5

Under 18s club night

Much More (Nasty P & Cunnie)

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5, 2 for 1 b4 11pm

Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

Ascension (DJX, M.I.B.) Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sections

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Mon 13 Jul The Latin Quarter (Jim Combe)

Medina, 21:00–03:00, Free

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 14 Jul

Alternative goth, industrial & goth.

Hello Sailor!

Bubblegum

Arty fart cabaret and club night in aid of Waverley Care, featuring Captain Anchor and Wolfjazz

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.

Fake (Duncan Whiteley)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

House, techno, electro.

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

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5 b4 12am)

Karnival

The Street, 20:00–01:00, £5

Hybrid

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, Free

Every week will see different genres and artists from different clubs in Edinburgh: Noizteez, Volume, Ghantin, Mutiny, Dirt, Big n Bashy, Jakn, Synthetic, Coalition, Riddim Tuffa, Pangea.

Techno, dubstep, drum and bass, hip hop.

Split

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Wed 15 Jul Guilty (Johnny Frenetic (aka John hutchison))

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £7, £5 b4 12am

Lulu, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Musika

The Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £5

House & techno.

Faith, 23:00–03:00, £6

We Love Space Ibiza party.

Substance (BASS INVADERS (LIVE!) (Sub, Bass Invaders) PARASITE AUDIO (LIVE!) (Pest Control Records) ZUNI (Injun Ears records, Synthetic) Eclairfifi (Lucky Me) GAVIN RICHARDSON (Substance) ) The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £2

Techno, electro.

The Egg (Chris & 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

Saturday Night Fish Fry

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5/3 (before 11pm)

Sun 12 Jul WE HEART TAPES (Futuristic Retro Champions, Holly Ogilvie)

The Electric Circus, 16:00–19:00, £6

A weekly Unders night featuring a melange of fine bands hosted by the Puppytooth DJs. Pip pip young sir

Cranachan

Bannerman’s, 20:00–00:00, FREE

Celtic

Coalition

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Drum and base, breaks, bassline and electro

Killer Kitsch

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dance music.

5 decades of classic pop.

DELIQUENTS

Two rooms of anthems and chart from residents

JungleDub

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

Subtext

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, Free

www.eggsite.co.uk

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Fri 17 Jul The Electric Circus, 19:00–03:00, Free

Chart

Lauriston Hall Ceilidh (HLI, John Stuart, Wild Geese, Willie Fraser & caller Ken Gourlay)

Lauriston Hall, 20:00–01:00, £10 (£8)

Get Funk’d (Isla Blidge, Mastercaird & P-Stylz)

Medina, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 11pm

Bassix (Jon O’Bir)

Berlin, 22:30–03:00, £8 (£7)

Trance and House.

The Electric Circus, 19:00–01:00, Free

A kitschy intergalactic audio adventure

Danny La Rue Night

The Bowery, 19:30–22:30, Free

A night of cabaret, La Cage Aux Folles and blokes in frocks

Rude

Po Na Na, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Funky house, electro anthems, hip shaking urban jams, dirty sexy mashups and reinvented club classics.

Kinky Indie

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, £2 students/ £5 others

Kitsch

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 11.30pm

Cheese.

Po Na Na, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5/3 (before 11pm)

The Electric Circus, 16:00–19:00, £6

A weekly Unders night featuring a melange of fine bands hosted by the Puppytooth DJs. Pip pip young sir

Coalition

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Killer Kitsch

Planet Earth

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £5, free b4 10.30pm

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dance music.

More

Telefunken (Mark Farina (Om Recordings, Mushroom Jazz, San Francisco))

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

House.

Sections

Studio 24, 22:30–03:00, £12

Funky vocal house, electro and club classics.

Compakt (Gary Beck)

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5, £4 b4 12am

House & techno.

Riddim Tuffa Sound present Daddy Freddy (Daddy Freddy)

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

Mon 20 Jul

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £7, £5 b4 11.30pm

Riddim Tuffa Sound (reggae, ragga, dnb, jungle crew) present live in session, worlds fastest raper - Daddy Freddy.

Synthetic (Tekamine [Damage/Up:Start], residents Physicist, Morphos and Zuni)

The Latin Quarter (Jim Combe)

Medina, 21:00–03:00, Free

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

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £4

Proper Old Skool

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:03, £5

A night dedicated to the golden era of dance music - classic old skool rave and club anthems from the early 90s.

Sat 18 Jul

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

WE CAN BE HEROES!

Saturday Night Fish Fry

Drum and base, breaks, bassline and electro

We Are Electric

Thu 16 Jul

Ultragroove

A kitschy intergalactic audio adventure

WE HEART TAPES

Much More (Nasty P & Cunnie)

The city’s leading punk-funk electrodisco party with resident electro-punk Gary Mac playing the sounds of Berlin & beyond.

Funk, hip hop, party, soul.

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £7, £5 b4 12am

Sun 19 Jul

Spanish and Latin Grooves from Juan Car.Techno, electro, breaks and minimal from various rotating guests including INGEN, Jealous Kid, C.L.B, AMELDRUM and Bruno FK. Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 12am

WE CAN BE HEROES!

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

OVERTIME (DJ B BURG )

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5, 2 for 1 b4 11pm

Tease Age

Bubblegum

Tue 21 Jul Hybrid

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, Free

Every week will see different genres and artists from different clubs in Edinburgh: Noizteez, Volume, Ghantin, Mutiny, Dirt, Big n Bashy, Jakn, Synthetic, Coalition, Riddim Tuffa, Pangea.

Techno, dubstep, drum and bass, hip hop.

Split

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Wed 22 Jul

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)

Guilty (Johnny Frenetic (aka John hutchison)) Lulu, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

5 decades of classic pop.

DELIQUENTS

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3

Hip hop and funk.

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 www.myspace.com/messengersoundsystem

Steelworks

Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £5

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, Free

Spanish and Latin Grooves from Juan Car.Techno, electro, breaks and minimal from various rotating guests including INGEN, Jealous Kid, C.L.B, AMELDRUM and Bruno FK. Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 12am

The Egg (Chris & 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.

The city’s leading punk-funk electrodisco party with resident electro-punk Gary Mac playing the sounds of Berlin & beyond.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Steven and Stewart’s electric kneesup

Bubblegum

Audacious

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.

Classic Rock

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £4

Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Breakcore, gabba, jungle, dubstep.

Classic rock music.

Kinky Indie

GRAND THEFT AUDIO (Babes, Mr Meeks, BSides & The Bandit, Xtra and Monkey Boy)

Citrus Club, 23:00–03:00, £2 students/ £5 others

Kitsch

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, £2, free b4 11.30pm

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3

Cheese.

Hip hop and funk.

Sick Note

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

From indie and new wave to fidget house, Baltimore booty bass to nurave.

Mumbo Jumbo

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £7, £5 b4 12am

Funk, soul, electro & house.

Optimo (Gavin Russom (DFA))

Fri 24 Jul

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £13

Diverse music policy.

OVERTIME (DJ B BURG )

The Egg (Chris & Paul)

The Electric Circus, 19:00–03:00, Free

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5, £2.50 b4 11.30pm

Chart

Indie / 60’s Garage / Northern Soul / Ska / 70’s / Punk / New Wave. www.eggsite.co.uk

Lauriston Hall Ceilidh (HLI, John Stuart, Wild Geese, Willie Fraser & caller Ken Gourlay)

Saturday Night Fish Fry

Lauriston Hall, 20:00–01:00, £10 (£8)

Bubblegum Boogaloo (DJs Tall Paul & Angus)

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5/3 (before 11pm)

Sun 26 Jul

The Voodoo Rooms, 21:00–01:00, Free

WE HEART TAPES (Theatre Fall)

French 60’s pop, psyche, retro.

The Electric Circus, 16:00–19:00, £6

Get Funk’d (Isla Blidge, Mastercaird & P-Stylz)

A weekly Unders night featuring a melange of fine bands hosted by the Puppytooth DJs. Pip pip young sir

Medina, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£4), free b4 11pm

Coalition

Definition (Mark Balneaves, Martin Lightbody plus special guest Matt Edwards)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Drum and base, breaks, bassline and electro

Sneaky Pete’s, 22:30–03:00, Free

Underground house, electro, minimal & techno.

Planet Earth

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £5, free b4 10.30pm

70’s, 80’s and 90’s hits

Killer Kitsch

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dance music.

More

The Speakeasy @ Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funky vocal house, electro and club classics.

Club For Heroes (Dollskabeat (Optimo Music)) Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Sections

Departure Lounge (Astroboy, Mr Zimbabwe & Jimenez (DJ Set), Diddley Squat (Live))

2 rooms of Metal/Rock, Punk/PopPunk, EBM/Industrial, Goth/Grunge and Eighties.

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Caves, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Mon 27 Jul

Disobediance (Format:B)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Minimal house & techno.

Mixed Up Mondays

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Hive, 23:00–03:00, Free

“Pumpin’ House”

Hip Hop, RNB, Pop, Chart.

Trade Union (DJ Beefy & Wolfjazz)

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2, (£1), free b4 12am

Sat 25 Jul

Tue 28 Jul

Neon

The Hive, 17:30–21:30, £5

Hybrid

Under 18s club night

The GRV, 23:00–03:00, Free Every week will see different genres and artists from different clubs in Edinburgh: Noizteez, Volume, Ghantin, Mutiny, Dirt, Big n Bashy, Jakn, Synthetic, Coalition, Riddim Tuffa, Pangea.

Techno, dubstep, drum and bass, hip hop.

Much More (Nasty P & Cunnie)

Medina, 22:00–03:00, £5, 2 for 1 b4 11pm

Club Touch (Special Guests Vandal (LOT49), Astma (Reclaim The Beats), C.L.B, Jakal)

The GRV, 22:30–03:00, £5, £1 b4 12am

The Latin Quarter (Jim Combe)

Medina, 21:00–03:00, Free

So It Is (Tommy Kay, Jon Edwards & Claudio)

Drum & bass.

Subtext

Playdate

Funky house, electro anthems, hip shaking urban jams, dirty sexy mashups and reinvented club classics.

JungleDub

Dub, dubstep and jungle.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, £6, free b4 11pm

Rude

Xplicit

The Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Tease Age

The Electric Circus, 19:00–01:00, Free

Two rooms of anthems and chart from residents

We Are Electric

Night for metalheads.

Thu 23 Jul

The Foundation meets Motherfunk

L’ectro Love/Minimal House/Techno

Split

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Get yer listings

online

theskinny.co.uk July 2009

THE SKINNY 67

Glasgow Comedy Wed 01 Jul Frankie Boyle- Work In Progress The Stand, 18:00–19:00, -

Thu 02 Jul The Thursday Show (With Owen ONeill, Gordon Southern, JoJo Sutherland and Gordon Alexander. Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:06, £8/£7

Fri 03 Jul DAM Fine Comedy (Viv Gee, Rob Kane)

Gramofon, 20:30–22:45, £5/£3

The Friday Show (With Owen ONeill, Gordon Southern, JoJo Sutherland and Gordon Alexander. Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

Sat 04 Jul The Saturday Show (With Owen ONeill, Gordon Southern, Gordon Alexander and JoJo Sutherland.

Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Sun 05 Jul Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (With Bruce Morton, The Wee Man, and Derek Miller. Hosted

by Michael Redmond.)

The Stand, 20:30–23:00, £5/£4

The Ivory

Ivory Bar & Restaurant, 20:30–23:00, Free

New talent show with professional headliner

Mon 06 Jul Dance Monkey Boy Dance (With Raymond Mearns, John Ross and Allen Chalmers.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:56, £4

Monthly show featuring a mix of topical stand-up, filmed sketches and improvised games and songs.

Tue 07 Jul Picture of Dusty Limits (Dusty Limits)

The Glasgow Art Club, 20:00–22:00, £15

Outrageous dark cabaret fun

Red Raw (With Sean Grant and Host Billy Kirkwood.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Wed 08 Jul For the Love of Cutler (Various Artists) Òran Mór, 20:00–23:00, £5

Tribute to Scotland’s front room surrealist

Wicked Wenches (With Janey Godley, Maeve Higgins, JoJo Sutherland and Rhonda Downie. Hosted

by Susan Calman.)

The Stand, 20:30–21:38, £6/£5/£3.

Thu 09 Jul The Thursday Show (With Des Clarke, Ro Campbell, Maeve Higgins and Barry Mcdonald. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:06, £8/£7

Fri 10 Jul And May The Devil Drag You Under (Des O’Connor) Tron Theatre, 20:30–22:30, £8

The game show from hell. Set in hell.

DAM Fine Comedy

Gramofon, 20:30–22:45, £5/£3

The Friday Show (With Owen ONeill, Gordon Southern, JoJo Sutherland and Gordon Alexander. Hosted by Joe Heenan.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

Sat 11 Jul The Saturday Show (With Fred MacAulay, Ro Campbell, Maeve Higgins and Barry Mcdonald.

Hosted by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Sun 12 Jul Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (With Marcus Ryan, Andrew Learmonth, Bob Graham and Stephen Callaghan. Hosted

by Michael Redmond.)

The Stand, 20:30–23:00, £5/£4

The Ivory

Ivory Bar & Restaurant, 20:30–23:00, Free

New talent show with professional headliner

Mon 13 Jul

Edinburgh Comedy Mon 20 Jul Dance Monkey Boy Dance (With Raymond Mearns, John Ross and Allen Chalmers.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:56, £4

Monthly show featuring a mix of topical stand-up, filmed sketches and improvised games and songs.

Tue 21 Jul Red Raw (With Chris Forbes and host Susan Calman.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Wed 22 Jul Midweek Comedy Cabaret (With Keir McAllister, Bob Graham and Michael Adams .)

The Stand, 20:30–22:42, £4/£2

Thu 23 Jul Bongo’s Happy Hour (Theatre Bon Bon)

Dance Monkey Boy Dance (With Raymond Mearns, John Ross and Allen Chalmers.)

Tron Theatre, 20:00–23:35, £7

Monthly show featuring a mix of topical stand-up, filmed sketches and improvised games and songs.

The Thursday Show (With Parrot, Alex Boardman, Kai Humphries and John Gavin . Hosted by Susan Calman.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:56, £4

Tue 14 Jul Red Raw (With Graeme Thomas,and Host Steven Dick.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:36, £2/£1

Martin O’Connor teams up with Sarah Henderson and Clare McGarry on the depressing side of comedy.

The Stand, 20:30–23:12, £8/£7/4

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 24 Jul DAM Fine Comedy Gramofon, 20:30–22:45, £5/£3

Wed 15 Jul

The Friday Show (With Parrot, Alex Boardman, Kai Humphries and John Gavin.

Hosted by Susan Calman.)

Benefit in Aid of Vision

Doors open 7pm

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

The Stand, 20:30–22:40, £7/£5

Charity night raising money for the children and young people of Hazelwood School who have sensory impairments.

Line-up includes Fred MacAulay, more tbc.

Thu 16 Jul The Thursday Show (With Tom Stade, Quincy, Antony Murray and Stephen Callaghan.

Hosted by Scott Agnew.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:06, £8/£7

Fri 17 Jul DAM Fine Comedy

Gramofon, 20:30–22:45, £5/£3

The Friday Show (With Tom Stade, Quincy , Antony Murray and Stephen Callaghan. ) The Stand, 21:00–23:05, £10/£9

Sat 18 Jul The Saturday Show (With Tom Stade, Quincy , Antony Murray and Stephen Callaghan. Hosted by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:02, £13

Sun 19 Jul Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (With Quincy and Elaine Malcolmson. Hosted by Michael Redmond.)

The Stand, 20:30–23:00, £5/£4

The Ivory

Ivory Bar & Restaurant, 20:30–23:00, Free

New talent show with professional headliner

68 THE SKINNY July 2009

The Stand, 21:00–23:18, £10/£9/£5

Sat 25 Jul Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (With Mark Bratchpiece and Bruce Fummey Hosted

by Michael Redmond.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:28, £5/£4/£1

Wed 01 Jul The Sugaring-Off Cabin The Stand, 20:30–22:48, £4

Thu 02 Jul Heresy Jekyll and Hyde , 21:00–23:00, Free

Night of dark and depraved comedy

The Thursday Show (With Fred MacAulay, Marcus Ryan, Paul Currie and Elaine Malcolmson.

Hosted by Billy Kirkwood) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8/£7

Fri 03 Jul Jongleurs Jongleurs Comedy Club, 19:45–22:33, from 11

The Friday Show (With Fred MacAulay, Marcus Ryan, Paul Currie and Elaine Malcolmson. Hosted

by Billy Kirkwood) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Sat 04 Jul The Saturday Show (With Fred MacAulay, Marcus Ryan, Paul Currie and Elaine Malcolmson.

Hosted by Billy Kirkwood.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Sun 05 Jul Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

It’s Funtime The Bongo Club, 20:00–22:00, £5

Robots and ducks and an evening of confuddlement

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (With Keir McAllister, Paul Currie and Nicholas James . Hosted by Billy Kirkwood.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £5/£4

Mon 06 Jul Absolute Beginners (MC Jay Lafferty, Headliner John Whale)

The Saturday Show (With Parrot, Alex Boardman, Kai Humphries and John Gavin.

Hosted by Susan Calman.)

The Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:15, £2 /£1

The Stand, 21:00–23:25, £13

Red Raw (With Antony Murray. Hosted by Scott Agnew)

Top acts. Hot food. An altogether great night out.

Sun 26 Jul The Ivory Ivory Bar & Restaurant, 20:30–23:00, Free

New talent show with professional headliner

Mon 27 Jul Dance Monkey Boy Dance (With Raymond Mearns, John Ross and Allen Chalmers.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:56, £4

Monthly show featuring a mix of topical stand-up, filmed sketches and improvised games and songs.

Tue 28 Jul Red Raw

Showcase of new comedy talent with a top headliner to round off your night www.fitothegiggles.com

The Stand, 20:30–22:46, £2/£1

Tue 07 Jul Wicked Wenches (With Janey Godley, Maeve Higgins, JoJo Sutherland and Rhonda Downie. Hosted

by Susan Calman.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:51, £6/£5/£3

Wed 08 Jul Midweek Comedy Cabaret (With Keir McAllister, Gordon Alexander and Kim MacAskill. Hosted

by Stuart Murphy) The Stand, 20:30–22:54, £4/2

Thu 09 Jul

The Thursday Show (With Brendan Dempsey, Seymour Mace, Jim Park and John Gavin. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8/£7

Fri 10 Jul Jongleurs

Jongleurs Comedy Club, 19:45–22:33, from 11

The Friday Show (With Brendan Dempsey, Seymour Mace, Jim Park and John Gavin. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Sat 11 Jul Russell Howard: Dingledodies

Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 19:30–22:21, £15

The Saturday Show (With Brendan Dempsey, Seymour Mace, Jim Park and . Hosted

by Susan Morrison.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Sun 12 Jul

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (With Stu & Garry, Diane Morgan, Gordon Alexander and Bob Graham.

Hosted by Scott Agnew.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £5/£4

Mon 20 Jul Absolute Beginners (MC Keara Murphy, Headliner Sean Wilkinson)

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 John Ross and host Billy Kirkwood.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:45, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Wed 22 Jul Midweek Comedy Cabaret (With John Ross, Jeff O’Boyle and Alan Sharp ) The Stand, 20:30–22:55, £4/£2

Thu 23 Jul

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

Heresy

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

Night of dark and depraved comedy

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

The Sunday Night LaughIn (With Seymour Mace, Daniel Sloss, Eddie O’Dwyer and Ross Baillie . Hosted

by Susan Calman.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £5/£4

Mon 13 Jul Absolute Beginners (MC Barry McDonald, Headliner Dave Heffron)

Jekyll and Hyde , 21:00–23:00, Free

The Thursday Show (With Dougie Dunlop, Dominic Woodward, Michael Manley and Jeff O’Boyle. Hosted by Raymond Mearns.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:13, £8/£7/£4

Ease yourself into the weekend with top laughs and delicious food.

Fri 24 Jul Jongleurs

The Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:15, £2 /£1

Jongleurs Comedy Club, 19:45–22:33, from 11

Red Raw (With Andy Sir and hosted by Rick Molland)

The Friday Show (With Dougie Dunlop, Dominic Woodward, Michael Manley and Catie Wilkins. Hosted

by Raymond Mearns.)

Showcase of new comedy talent with a top headliner to round off your night The Stand, 20:30–22:46, £2/£1

Tue 14 Jul Melting Pot

The Stand, 20:30–21:58, £5/£4/2.50

Watch a series of short comedy sketches, presented by top actors and comedians. Vote for your favourite, and see a longer version next month.

Wed 15 Jul Benefit in aid of Friends of the Earth The Stand, 20:30–23:02, £7/£5

Think globally. Act locally. Laugh convulsively. www.foe-scotland.org.uk

Thu 16 Jul Heresy

Jekyll and Hyde , 21:00–23:00, Free

Night of dark and depraved comedy

The Thursday Show: Louis Ramey, Graeme Thomas, Diane Morgan,Garry Dobson Hosted by Susan Calman The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8/£7

Fri 17 Jul Jongleurs

Jongleurs Comedy Club, 19:45–22:33, from 11

The Friday Show (With Louis Ramey, Graeme Thomas, Diane Morgan and Garry Dobson.

Hosted by Bruce Devlin.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10/£9

Sat 18 Jul The Saturday Show (With Louis Ramey, Graeme Thomas, Diane Morgan and Garry Dobson. Hosted

by Susan Calman) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £13

Sun 19 Jul

The Stand, 20:30–22:35, £2/£1

Heresy

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Jekyll and Hyde , 21:00–23:00, Free

Night of dark and depraved comedy

Improvised comedy led by by audience suggestions, with Stu and Garry.

The Stand, 12:30–15:00, Free

The Stand, 21:00–23:20, £10/£9

Doors open 7pm

Sat 25 Jul The Saturday Show (With Dougie Dunlop, Dominic Woodward, Michael Manley and Catie Wilkins. Hosted by Raymond Mearns.)

The Stand, 21:00–23:35, £13

Top acts. Hot food. An altogether great night out.

Sun 26 Jul It’s Funtime

The Bongo Club, 20:00–22:00, £5

Robots and ducks and an evening of confuddlement

The Sunday Night LaughIn (With Dominic Woodward, Martin McAllister, and Kim MacAskill.

Hosted by Siân Bevan.)

The Stand, 20:30–22:38, £5/£4/£1

Mon 27 Jul Absolute Beginners (MC David Blair, Headliner Vladimir McTavish)

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

The Silence of the Trams (Martin McAllister, Jim Park, Jeff O’Boyle and Gordon Alexander.)

Traverse, 20:30–21:34, £5

Fringe preview

Red Raw (With host Stu Murphy )

The Stand, 20:30–22:45, £2/£1

New acts, new material from old acts; a classic lucky dip of comedy.

Tue 28 Jul Wild Colonial Boys Traverse, 20:30–22:30, £5

Fringe preview

Edinburgh Art Analogue A New Spirit Happening

10:00, 01 Jul—11 Jul, not 5th, Free

Collective Commonwealth Suite

12:00, Wed 1st–Sat 18th, Not sun/ mon, Free

Two new film commissions, filmed in Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool

Corn Exchange In Colour

11:00, Wed 1st–Thu 23rd, closed sun-tue, Free

Printmakers Incise

10:00, 01 Jul—04 Jul, Free

Venice

10:00, 18 Jul—25 Jul, not 19th, 20th, Free

Comprises twenty new screenprints inspired by recent experiences.

Embassy Gallery ANNUALE ‘09

12:00, 02 Jul—03 Jul, Free

Fruitmarket Buried

Multiple times, 01 Jul—12 Jul, Free

Ingleby Gallery Ian Hamilton Finlay

10:00, Wed 1st-Sat 25th, closed sun, Free

A major exhibition of sculpture and wall paintings from the estate of Ian Hamilton Finlay

Inverleith House CERITH WYN EVANS 10:00, 01 Jul—05 Jul, Free

FIRST solo exhibition in Scotland by the internationally acclaimed artist Cerith Wyn Evans. Recent works from 2006 are accompanied by several new works being shown for the first time

Modern Art Artist Rooms 10:00, 01 Jul—27 Jul, Free

At the heart of ARTIST ROOMS is the concept of individual rooms devoted to particular artists.

Paul and Nusch Eluard and Surrealsim 10:00, 01 Jul—27 Jul, Free

Two Horizons 10:00, 01 Jul—19 Jul, Free

Nationalgalleries The Discovery of Spain 10:00, 18 Jul—27 Jul, £8 (£6)

Roxy Arthouse Facade within 12:00, Thu 2nd–Sun 26th, closed mon-wed, Free

Another new venue for the Embassy, with a satellite show for the Annuale

RSA Offering on the verge Multiple times, 01 Jul—19 Jul, Free

AN exhibition of new paintings and works on paper by 2008 Alastair Salvesen Scholar, Lee O’Connor.

Glasgow Theatre Raphael to Renoir 10:00, 01 Jul—27 Jul, £4 (£3)

AN opportunity to view outstanding examples of European drawings spanning some 500 years

Stills Barbara Probst 11:00, 01 Jul—19 Jul, Free

Photography from the German artist.

The Bowery Drawing Class 19:30, 20 Jul, £3

The Jazz Bar DR SKETCHY BURLESQUE LIFE DRAWING CLASS 13:00, 04 Jul, £7

The best burlesque art class you’ve even been to.

Voodoo Rooms Laptop Lounge 20:00, 09 Jul, Free

Cutting-edge international and UK electronic music and video artists perform live in the venue and into the venue via the net

doggerfisher

ABC The Missy and Leyla Show 20:00, 11 Jul, £10

An evening of salacious entertainment from two international superstars of the burlesque world. Part of the Cabaret Festival

CCA Cryptic Nights 20:00, 02 Jul, £5

A cryptic theatrical tale of two lovers told via Twitter stream. Clues to locations and the prospect of iPods to be won. Music by Peter Gregson and a far better explanation at www.ccaglasgow.com

Cafe Rio Spangled Cabaret 20:00, 06 Jul, Free

Glasgow’s alt. cabaret circuit assembles here

Bumble Bee Childrens Cabaret 14:30, 10 Jul, Free

Songs, stories and poems for all the family including the opportunity for kids to do a turn and become a Glasgow Cabaret Star

Classic Grand Rockaburley Multiple times, 10 Jul, Multiple prices

Moyna Flannigan / Isabel Nolan / Hanneline Visnes

A Skinny favourite- grimy rock’n’roll and the best of burlesque

Multiple times, Wed 1st–Sat 18th, closed sun-mon Free

Gilmorehill G12

GROUP show of gallery favourites.

No Room for Bigotry 19:30, 10 Jul—11 Jul, £8

Glasgow Art SWG3

Goma

Now I Know My ABCs

sh[OUT]

12:00, 17 Jul—26 Jul, not 20th, 21st, Free

10:00, 01 Jul—27 Jul, Free

ANNUAL show of the fresh crop of Scottish art school graduates, this year curated by Simon Gowing.

CCA This land is your land 11:00, Wed 1st,– Sat 25th, closed sun-mon Free

Collins Gallery Cycling up the Hill with my Dad Multiple times, Sat 4th–Mon 27th, closed dun, Free

“CYCLING up the Hill” celebrates a love of drawing shared by a father and daughter, even though their principal disciplines are ceramics and textiles, respectively

Mary Mary Sentences not only words 12:00, Thu 2nd, Fri 3rd, Sat 4th, Thu 9th, Fri 10th, Sat 11th, Free

Recoat Gallery Ink Nouveau 12:00, 01 Jul—19 Jul, not 6th, 13th, Free

Sorcha Dallas I am a camera 11:00, Wed 1st–Fri 17th, Free

The exhibition juxtaposes historic works alongside contemporary artist’s use of the medium

Street Level The Animals 12:00, Wed 1st–Sat 18th, Free

The Arches Dr Sketchy Glasgow 16:00, 12 Jul, £7 (£5)

Glasgow’s favourite underground art salon holds a special session for the Cabaret Festival and also celebrates their 2nd Birthday!

The Common Guild ‘the tiniest piece of mirror is always the whole mirror’ 12:00, 02 Jul—04 Jul, Free

RONI Horn’s work sets up relationships: between images, between words and between object and viewer

The Flying Duck All The Young Nudes - Life Drawing 20:00, Tue 7th, Tue 14th, Tue 21st, £4

The story, written from the boys’ own experiences shows how, as drug addicts, they found a sense of belonging through West of Scotland bigotry and shows how it became part of the complex resentments that built up inside them.

Botanic Gardens Taming of the Shrew 19:45, Wed 1st, Thu 2nd, Fri 3rd, Sat 4th, Wed 8th, Thu 9th, Fri 10th, Sat 11th, £10

Bard in the Botanics presents the battle of the sexes al fresco.

Macbeth 19:45, 17 Jul—25 Jul, not 19th, 20th, £10

J. Dick takes on the old warhorse

Kibble Palace

Gorbals Turncoat

Richard III

19:45, 17 Jul—25 Jul, not 19th, 20th, £10

The bad king of England

Old Fruitmarket High Tease

21:40, 02 Jul, £22 / £18 for a festival pass

Tam Dean Burn invokes the spirit and songs of another Gorbals legend, Alex Harvey, to fight these soldiers of fortune, in this first exploration towards a new show for Burnt Goods.

Year of the Horse

20:10, 04 Jul, £22 / £18 for a festival pass

19:00, 04 Jul, £20

Vintage, dandy, theatrically dangerous, hipsters, hepcats & kitsch kittens.

Rio Café

Part of NWNW: political satire and multi-media mayhem

Looking for Laura

20:30, 04 Jul, £22 / £18 for a festival pass

A curious story from the 90’s is one of Helen Cuinn’s standard left field tell it at parties yarns

Spangled Cabaret 20:00, 06 Jul, Free

Glasgow’s alt. cabaret circuit assembles here

Glasgow Art Club

Bumble Tree Children’s Cabaret

The Picture of Dusty Limits

14:30, 10 Jul, Free

20:00, 07 Jul, £15

Cabaret for Kids!

A one-man cabaret show inspired by the spirit of decadence.

The Arches

Does This Piano Make My Ass Look Big

New Writing New Words Festival

20:00, 09 Jul, £10

12:00, 01 Jul, £22 / £18 for a festival pass

The Arches finds another way to get the latest trends in performance on show

Saucy punk piano entertainment

Nynot?

21:00, 09 Jul, £8

Moyo Chirnadu Ancient Echoes

Inspired by theÊcutting edge queer cabaret kids of New York City Markus MakavellianÊleads an extravagant band of performers in a show in aid of HIV Scotland

Lesser known aspects of the African experience

Cooking With Elvis

19:00, 01 Jul, contact the Arches for details

Hitch

Multiple times, 01 Jul—04 Jul, £22 / £18 for a festival pass

Misma

Tron Theatre 19:30, Fri 10th–Sat 25th, from £10

Disabled Elvis impersonations. Erotic fruit. When the going gets weird, the weird get cooking. From the writer of Billy Elliot.

And The Devil May Drag You Under

19:00, 01 Jul—04 Jul, £22 / £18 for a festival pass

Multiple times, 10 Jul, £8

The YelloWing

Latin speaking Ukelele player hosts the talent contest in hell. Part of The Rhymes With Purple Cabaret Festival

Multiple times, 01 Jul—02 Jul, contact 01415651000

Plane Food Cafe

19:35, 01 Jul, £22 / £18 for a festival pass

Leading chef Marcus Wareing recently declared that British pub food is now worse that airline food and that, “if you want a decent bite to eat, you’d be better off getting on a plane”.

The Sustainability of Sweetness

And May The Devil Drag You Under 20:30, 10 Jul, £8

The game show from hell. Set in hell.

Òran Mór For The Love of Ivor Cutler 20:00, 08 Jul, £6 (£5)

21:40, 01 Jul, contact 01415651000

Provocative and moving starring radical political imagery, comedy, high heels, Twix bars, gender constructs, racially orientated language and physicality, Barack Obama and theatricalised sexuality.

A tribute to Ivor Cutler; an array of acts interpreting the deadpan eccentric works of poet & writer Ivor Cutler

For the Love of Cutler 20:00, 08 Jul, £5

Tribute to Scotland’s front room surrealist

Edinburgh Theatre Festival Theatre The Singing Kettle 12:00, 04 Jul—05 Jul, £10.00

Scotland’s favourite children’s entertainers will be dancing and singing

Playhouse

The Bowery

Singin in the Rain

Danny La Rue Night

19:30, 07 Jul—11 Jul, contact www. livenation.com for details

Classic old fashioned feel good musical

19:30, 16 Jul, Free

A night of cabaret, La Cage Aux Folles and blokes in frocks

Dundee Art DCA Susanne Nielsen, GANGHUT and Rob Hunter & John Louden

Multiple times, Sat 4th–Sun 26th, closed MON, Free

Clubs Wed 01 Jul

Kid and Dundee’s Milk Club play a 14+ club night at The Doghouse.

Thu 02 Jul Mind the Gap Underground, 18:00–02:30, Free entry

Mon 13 Jul After T DJ Night The Doghouse, 20:00–01:00, FREE.

Thu 16 Jul

Thu 02 Jul The Boycotts

The Doghouse, 19:30–01:00, £tbc

Fri 03 Jul

before 10pm. £6/£3 after

Mind the Gap

R&B

Underground, 18:00–02:30, Free entry

DOORS ALIVE

before 10pm. £6/£3 after

Tribute act.

Thu 09 Jul Mind the Gap

Thu 23 Jul

Unicorn Kid and Milk Club: 14+

Underground, 18:00–02:30, Free entry

Mind the Gap

before 10pm. £6/£3 after

Underground, 18:00–02:30, Free entry

Vic Galloway recommended Unicorn

R&B

before 10pm. £6/£3 after

The Doghouse, 18:00–21:00, £5.00

Music

Fat Sam’s, 20:00–23:00, £9

Sat 04 Jul Hanney Fest

The Doghouse, 14:00–00:00, £10

An all day mini-festival bringing Dundee’s up and coming bands an airing.

Thu 09 Jul Pre T Open Mic The Doghouse, 20:00–01:00, FREE

Mon 13 Jul After T DJ Night The Doghouse, 20:00–01:00, FREE

A post T in the Park night of DJ sets from Dundee’s finest.

Fri 17 Jul Revolver The Doghouse, 20:00–01:00, £tbc

Beatles tribute band

Sat 18 Jul State of Emergency Live Recording

The Doghouse, 20:00–00:00, £5.00

State of Emergency play their modern take on classic rock and blues

Fri 24 Jul Jocasta Sleeps, Rush Hour Soul + A Silent Forest The Doghouse, 20:00–01:00, £5.00

Emo, power pop and indie from Dundee bands.

Sat 25 Jul Open Mic

The Doghouse, 20:00–00:00, FREE

Free open mic at Dundee’s Doghouse.

July 2009

THE SKINNY 69

Aberdeen Music Wed 01 Jul The Muscle Club, Get In Get Out, Come On Gang! + Cry Over Billionaires The Tunnels, 20:00–23:30, £tbc

Indie + alternative line-up from national bands

Thu 02 Jul Hero Next Door Fundraiser (NICKY POWEL, 14 MILES FROM HOME, 4 STAR SUNDAY, FAREWELL SINGAPORE, HEATHER LAMONT.) The Tunnels, 19:30–01:00, £3

Sun 12 Jul Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Wed 15 Jul HERE WILL BE FIREWORKS + supports

Café Drummonds, 20:00–22:30, £4

Mixing the best bits of Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad is an ambitious promoter claim. Ask for your money back if you feel aggrieved.

Thu 16 Jul

Eclectic bill of talent for local charity Hero Next Door, which is closely linked with Papyrus, preventing suicide in young people.

Martin McDonald

Barbara Karaskiewicz

The Dirty Hearts Club (DHC DJs)

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Classical piano

The Dirty Hearts Club (ACOUSTIC NIGHT FEATURING JOSEPH BULL (TEN EASY WISHES) BOB WILL (RIGHT HAND LEFT) + DHC DJS ) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Fri 03 Jul Shell Friday Live

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

Exposure (The Gap Year Riot, Avoid the Morning, Atik Star, Get In Get Out) The Lemon Tree, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Pop punk

Marie Thain

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Acoustic guitar and vocals

Sat 04 Jul SC&TURDAY LIVE (Davey Cattenach)

The Lemon Tree, 12:30–16:05, £tbc

THE CASINO BRAWL, ALLSTATIONSDOWN, ESCAPE TODAY, VERSAILLE. The Tunnels, 19:00–22:30, £4

A perfect tirade of soaring melodies and city leveling - bruising breakdown from N.E England headliners The Casino Brawl

Michael Campbell Trio MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Jazz trio

he Fighting 69th + Heller Sate + Debassed + 4 Star Sunday The Moorings Bar , 20:44–23:55, £3

Punk, metal + Ska line-up

Sun 05 Jul Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Thu 09 Jul

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Spanish and classical guitar Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Fri 17 Jul Shell Friday Live

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

Glen Le Faou

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Solo piano

Sat 18 Jul SC&TURDAY LIVE (Ceilidh On) The Lemon Tree, 12:30–16:00, FREE

Fudge Music presents (AUTOSAFARI + THE DIRTY TRICKS + Decipher + Project Zero) The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:00, £3

Come and have a go if you think you’re rock/punk/alternative enough.

Sun 19 Jul Belhaven Sunday Jazz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Thu 23 Jul The Graeme Stephen Sextet The Lemon Tree, 19:30–23:00, £10

Jazz guitar

BE A FAMILIAR, I SEE SHAPES, THE FRENCH WIVES, MARK MCCABE & THE TEAROOM POSSE The Tunnels, 20:00–23:00, £5

Very powerful band with modest selfawareness that has generated an exuberance in their music.

Blyde Lassies

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Scottish folk duo

The Dirty Hearts Club (JOCASTA SLEEPS HIDDEN LEAVES DHC DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Fri 24 Jul Shell Friday Live

THE ANSWERING MACHINE, REDFOOT THE FENCE + SUPPORT

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Mancunians influenced by their hereos The Strokes, The Radio Dept and Shout Out Louds as they unleash their melodic and joyous pop music.

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

The Tunnels, 20:00–23:24, £5

Peter Katona

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Guitar

The Dirty Hearts Club (LIMBO VS DHC Line-Up TBC ) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Fri 10 Jul Shell Friday Live

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers

The Lemon Tree, 12:30–16:00, FREE

Bonesaw (PUTREFY+ more tbc)

Sat 25 Jul SC&TURDAY LIVE (Dave Lorimer)

The Lemon Tree, 12:30–16:00, FREE

Geoff Sharp

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Acoustic guitar and vocals

Sun 26 Jul Belhaven Sunday Jazz

GLINT, ATLAS SKYE + SUPPORT Conceived by Jase Blankfort (NYC) and Mateus Tebaldi (Brazil) in New York City Glint have quickly deemed an irresistible live act in the electronic art rock scene

Mon 27 Jul Miles Hunt (Wonder Stuff) Moshulu, 19:37–23:00, £8

The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:47, £3

Singer & guitarist from The Wonder Stuff does his solo thing. With Dave Sharp

Pete Lowit

Fudge Music presents (ANTIPRODUCT )

Jazz trio

Vidal Sasoon’s permed inspiration

Not Peter Andre’s backing band.

MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Chick Chalmers

Multiple times, Wed 1st–Sun 26th, FREE

A series of American images by Scottish photographer, Chick Chalmers

FORMED: What Makes Applied Art

Multiple times, Wed 1st–Sun 26th, FREE

A selection of objects shows how makers apply design and decoration to functional items such as metalwork, ceramics, glass, textiles, jewellery and enameling.

Green Drops and Moonsquirters

10:00, Wed 1st–Sat 25th, FREE

James Giles Watercolours Multiple times, Wed 1st–Sun 26th, FREE

A new display from the permanent collection of watercolours by the Victorian Aberdeen artist, James Giles.

The Moorings Bar , 20:00–23:00, £3

70 THE SKINNY July 2009

The Tartan Lens

Crossing Cultures

A selection of prints by George Washington Wilson, one of the earliest commercial photographers, selected by Dr Tom Normand of St Andrews University.

Aberdeen and the Jacobite Rebellions

Multiple times, Wed 1st–Sun 26th, FREE

Book Illustration 12:30, 01 Jul, FREE

Lunchtime talk by Jennifer Melville, Keeper (Fine Art)

Lunchtime Talk: William Gouw Ferguson 12:30, 22 Jul, FREE

Lunchtime talk by Anne Steed, Assistant Keeper (Fine Art)

Maritime Museum Aberdeen Supported

Multiple times, 11 Jul—26 Jul, not 13th, 20th, FREE

12:30, 15 Jul, FREE

Lunchtime talk by Chris Croly, Assistant Keeper (Research) Booking essential

Harbour Views

Multiple times, 18 Jul—26 Jul, not 20th, FREE

Recently gifted paintings of Aberdeen

Belmont House Chloe Gough 13:00, 01 Jul, FREE

Kilau

Multiple times, 01 Jul—11 Jul, not 6th, FREE

Nicole Niven

Aberdeen Supported

Recent North East graduate with prints and computer manipulated designs of nature and the everyday.

Ships portraits of offshore support vessels by Robert Andrew 10:00, 01 Jul—11 Jul, not 6th, FREE

Ships portraits of offshore support vessels by Robert Andrew

Passage to Australia- Aberdeen Ships Down Under 12:30, 08 Jul, FREE

Lunchtime talk by Meredith Greiling, Assistant Keeper (Maritime History) Booking essential on 01224 337714

Multiple times, 01 Jul—27 Jul, free

MUSA

Peacock Arts 35 Years of Great Stuff!

09:30, Wed 1st, –Sat 25th, FREE

The Spring Book of Lambs 09:30, Wed 1st–Sat 25th, FREE (check details for classes)

A playful exploration of colour, pattern, image and surface in Blyth’s first suite of screenprints.

Provost Skene’s 60s Summer 10:00, 01 Jul, FREE

A fun display of costume from the 1960s

Woodend Barn Wild and Precious 09:00, Wed 1st–Fri 17th, free

An art exhibition ‘touched by silk’ with lucious works from Fiona Duckett, Ranjit Barry, Kirsty Aitken, Norma Galley and Linda Bullock

Sandra Emslie, Fran Marquis, Liz Skulina, Jane Chisholm, Emma Cooper, Judith Burbidge and Annis Fitzhugh exhibit artwork together in a variety of media including painting, ceramics, weaving, print and photography.

Mon 13 Jul

Wed 22 Jul

SILK

10:00, 04 Jul, free

Aberdeen Clubs Wed 01 Jul Electrique Boutique

Snafu, 22:00–02:00, £3 (free passes upstairs)

Wonky weekly electronic sounds. Rotating DJs include Giles Walker, Mini Klaus, Krazzy Martin, Bones & Money + more

Thu 02 Jul The Dirty Hearts Club (ACOUSTIC NIGHT FEATURING JOSEPH BULL (TEN EASY WISHES) BOB WILL (RIGHT HAND LEFT) + DHC DJS ) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Indie-rocking social with live performances from local + national bands on the up. Hosted by Steven DHC Milne.

Electric Institute (Krazzy Martin and Talcolm X ) Korova, 23:00–02:00, Free

Weekly electro, house and techno to keep Aberdeen sweaty

Fri 03 Jul Indo Silver Club

The Tunnels, 22:00–03:00, £3

Electro, disco and indie visuals

Rock Night

Korova, 22:00–03:00, free (£2 after midnight)

Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

The Tunnels, 20:00–23:00, £5

SC&TURDAY LIVE

18th century album of watercolours by Scottish artist David Allan displayed alongside new digital images of the entire volume.

Classical piano

Los Acousticos Banditos

Sat 11 Jul

Multiple times, Wed 1st–Sun 26th, FREE

Barbara Karaskiewicz

The Lemon Tree, 12:00–14:00, Free

Latin and jazz guitar duo

Art Gallery A Collection of Dresses

by David Allan Mostly from Nature

Classic rock, punk, metal, hardcore and the likes in recent addition to the nocturnal club circuit.

Weekly sessions with local blues and folk singers MUSA, 20:15–22:15, Free

Aberdeen Art

Mon 06 Jul Offshore

Offshore

Alt. indie and oil rig punter puns

Alt. indie and oil rig punter puns

The Rig, 19:00–02:00, Free

Wed 08 Jul Electrique Boutique (EB + Crush! present VAN DAMN) Snafu, 22:00–02:00, £3 (free passes upstairs)

Diverse mix of electro, house, garage and dubstep from in demand Dundonian DJ who counts Bloc Party and Artic Monkeys as party pals. www.myspace. com/vandamn

Thu 09 Jul The Dirty Hearts Club (LIMBO VS DHC Line-Up TBC ) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Indie-rocking social with live performances from local + national bands on the up. Hosted by Steven DHC Milne.

Electric Institute (Krazzy Martin and Talcolm X ) Korova, 23:00–02:00, Free

Weekly electro, house and techno to keep Aberdeen sweaty

Fri 10 Jul Indo Silver Club

The Rig, 19:00–02:00, Free

Wed 15 Jul Electrique Boutique

Snafu, 22:00–02:00, £3 (free passes upstairs)

Wonky weekly electronic sounds. Rotating DJs include Giles Walker, Mini Klaus, Krazzy Martin, Bones & Money + more

Thu 16 Jul The Dirty Hearts Club (DHC DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Indie-rocking social with live performances from local + national bands on the up. Hosted by Steven DHC Milne.

Electric Institute (Krazzy Martin and Talcolm X ) Korova, 23:00–02:00, Free

Weekly electro, house and techno to keep Aberdeen sweaty

Fri 17 Jul Indo Silver Club

The Tunnels, 22:00–03:00, £3

Electro, disco and indie visuals

Mixtape

Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £variable

Kamikazi (DJ Adam)

The Tunnels, 22:00–03:00, £3

Electro, disco and indie visuals

Big sounds from the techno, house + electro world.

Aberdeens longest standing rock clubnight does what it says on the tin, and more.

Mixtape

Rock Night

Mixtape (Kazey)

Snafu, 23:00–03:00, £5

Weekly club sessions in the dirty side of electronic moosick. Giles Walker resides, most of the time.

LATIN NIGHT (DJ YURI)

The Tunnels, 23:03–03:03, £3

Playing a heady mix of salsa and meringue that will get you dancing all night.

Sat 04 Jul Everything Else Sucks (Duke Dumont, Marc Roberts and Everything Else Sucks residents Djamba and EEZMA.) Korova, 22:00–03:00, £tbc

Electro, house, dance.

Adventures in Stereo (heroes and villians party with bones and money DJs) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £variable

Big sounds from the techno, house + electro world.

Rock Night

Korova, 22:00–03:00, free (£2 after midnight)

Classic rock, punk, metal, hardcore and the likes in recent addition to the nocturnal club circuit.

Kamikazi (DJ Adam) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Aberdeens longest standing rock clubnight does what it says on the tin, and more.

Sat 11 Jul Adventures in Stereo (Steven Milne) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Classic indie, 60s, 70s, new wave, rock + the latest hipster dance anthems all smuthered under one big rammy.

The Deep End (Funky Transport, Mr Green)

The Deep End (Funky Transport, Mr Green)

Fours to the floor with knowledgeable beats all round.

Fours to the floor with knowledgeable beats all round.

Snafu, 23:01–03:00, £6/5

Snafu, 23:01–03:00, £6/5

Korova, 22:00–03:00, free (£2 after midnight)

Classic rock, punk, metal, hardcore and the likes in recent addition to the nocturnal club circuit.

Kamikazi (DJ Adam) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Aberdeens longest standing rock clubnight does what it says on the tin, and more.

Sat 18 Jul Adventures in Stereo (Union of Knives DJ set + Steven Milne)

Electrique Boutique

Snafu, 22:00–02:00, £3 (free passes upstairs)

Wonky weekly electronic sounds. Rotating DJs include Giles Walker, Mini Klaus, Krazzy Martin, Bones & Money + more

Thu 23 Jul The Dirty Hearts Club (JOCASTA SLEEPS HIDDEN LEAVES DHC DJs) Snafu, 21:00–02:00, £3/2

Indie-rocking social with live performances from local + national bands on the up. Hosted by Steven DHC Milne.

Electric Institute (Krazzy Martin and Talcolm X ) Korova, 23:00–02:00, Free

Weekly electro, house and techno to keep Aberdeen sweaty

Fri 24 Jul Indo Silver Club

The Tunnels, 22:00–03:00, £3

Electro, disco and indie visuals

Mixtape

Snafu, 22:00–03:00, £variable

Big sounds from the techno, house + electro world.

Rock Night

Korova, 22:00–03:00, free (£2 after midnight)

Classic rock, punk, metal, hardcore and the likes in recent addition to the nocturnal club circuit.

Kamikazi (DJ Adam) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Aberdeens longest standing rock clubnight does what it says on the tin, and more.

Sat 25 Jul Adventures in Stereo (Steven Milne + The Twelves LIVE) Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Moshulu, 22:30–03:00, £3

Classic indie, 60s, 70s, new wave, rock + the latest hipster dance anthems all smuthered under one big rammy.

The Deep End (GRAEME PARK (HACIENDA/25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR) FUNKY TRANSPORT)

The Deep End (Funky Transport, Mr Green)

Fours to the floor with knowledgeable beats all round.

Fours to the floor with knowledgable beats all round.

Snafu, 23:01–03:00, £5 advance

Mon 20 Jul

Snafu, 23:01–03:00, £6/5

Mon 27 Jul

Offshore

Offshore

Alt. indie and oil rig punter puns

Alt. indie and oil rig punter puns

The Rig, 19:00–02:00, Free

The Rig, 19:00–02:00, Free

WIN A PAIR OF GOLDEN TICKETS TO THE EDGE FESTIVAL! This year marks the 10th anniversary of The Edge Festival, a dedicated popular music programme at the Edinburgh Fringe. As a very special treat, The Skinny have teamed up with the festival organisers, DF Concerts, to give one reader the chance to win a pair of ‘golden tickets’, allowing you access to every single gig at The Edge Festival*.

The festival makes a welcome return this August with a month-long series of storming gigs featuring the very best in established favourites, leftfield acts and ones-to-watch.

This year’s festival boasts the most diverse line-up yet; former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne joins fellow headliners Emiliana Torrini, The Streets, Enter Shikari, and The Stranglers, whilst home-grown acts like Calvin Harris, Malcolm Middleton, Broken Records, Unicorn Kid and Frightened Rabbit add a distinctively Scottish flavour to The Edge Festival. For more information on the line-up, visit www.theedgefestival.com.

Tickets are available by logging onto www.gigsinscotland.com or calling 08444 999 990.

To enter just answer this question :

Talking Heads are a band best known for their association with which headlining artist at this year’s Edge Festival?

VISIT THESKINNY.CO.UK/COMPETITIONS BEFORE 24 JULY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! For more information on our Terms and Conditions, visit www.theskinny.co.uk/terms. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, entry subject to availability. The promoter and the venue reserve the right to refuse admission.

WIN TICKETS TO EH1 MUSIC FESTIVAL!

WIN A BOTTLE OF ANCNOC WHISKY!

EH1, a brand new dance festival that promises to be one of the flagship events of the Edinburgh Fringe, will touch down on Ingliston’s Royal Highland Centre on Saturday 15th August. Staged across 9 indoor and outdoor arenas, EH1 will feature over 100 artists including headliners Orbital, Roger Sanchez’s only Scottish date, and an exclusive ‘old skool’ set from Carl Cox.

To celebrate their recent success in this year's Drinks International Cocktail Challenge, The Skinny have teamed up with anCnoc to give away five bottles of anCnoc 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, as well as a grand prize of a bottle of 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch.

Featuring music that has enjoyed heavy rotation over the last 20 years from international brands like Ministry of Sound, Hacienda, Godskitchen, Hed Kandi and Renaissance, EH1 promises to offer something for everyone. EH1 Festival, in conjunction with Colours and Streetrave, has teamed up with The Skinny to offer a pair of camping tickets to three lucky readers.

To enter just answer this question :

What is the name of the Orbital song that is also a city situated in Northern Ireland?

VISIT THESKINNY.CO.UK/COMPETITIONS BEFORE 30 JULY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! For more information on our terms and conditions, visit www.theskinny.co.uk/terms.

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

AnCnoc's reputation for contemporary quality and versatility continues to grow, having been awarded 'Best In Category' in the Brown Spirits category at the Drinks International Cocktail Challenge for the innovative Black Hill Breakfast cocktail, a grapefruit and mandarin concoction garnished with a triangular piece of toast. For more information on their other cocktails and offers, visit www.ancnoc.com. For the facts, drinkware.co.uk.

To enter just answer this question :

How old are the two types of anCnoc Single Malt Scotch that we're giving away?

VISIT THESKINNY.CO.UK/COMPETITIONS BEFORE 17 JULY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! For more information on our terms and conditions, visit www.theskinny.co.uk/terms.

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older.

JULY 2009

THE SKINNY 71

ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE OFFER ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE FROM PETER VARDY OFFER FROM PETER VARDY

Cherished MINIs

£99

From

per month

05 MINI Cooper 1.6

05 MINI Cooper 1.6

· Alloy Wheels · Air Con · Rain Sensors · Visibility Pack · Pepper Pack · Up to 53.3 mpg · Alloy Wheels · Air Con · Rain Sensors · Visibility Pack · Pepper Pack · Up to 53.3 mpg

MINI Cooper Finance Example

MINI Cooper Finance Example

46 monthly payments

46 monthly payments

£99.99 Amount of Credit £99.99 Amount of Credit

Customer Deposit

£1,999.00 First monthly payment

On the road cash price

£7,999.00 Total amount payable

Customer Deposit

On the road cash price

£1,999.00 First monthly payment

£7,999.00 Total amount payable

£6,000.00 Optional final payment

£6,000.00 Optional final payment

£249.99 Contract mileage

£249.99 Contract mileage

£9,771.87 Excess mileage charge

£9,771.87 Excess mileage charge

£3,023.33

£3,023.33

6000 pa.

6000 pa.

1.46p per mile.

1.46p per mile.

Typical 10.5% APR Typical 10.5% APR

PETER PETERVARDY VARDY EDINBURGH EDINBURGH 1919 Seafield www.petervardymini.co.uk SeafieldRoad, Road,Edinburgh EdinburghEH15 EH151ED 1ED www.petervardymini.co.uk TelTel 0845 0845468 4681453 1453(local (localrate) rate) OFFICIAL FUELFUEL ECONOMY FIGURES FORFOR THETHE MINI RANGE: EXTRA URBAN L/100KM).URBAN URBAN60.1-22.2 60.1-22.2MPG MPG (4.7-12.7 L/100KM).

COMBINED 72.4-32.1 (3.9-8.8 L/100KM).

CO2 EMISSIONS. Finance example on a 48-month finance agreement OFFICIAL ECONOMY FIGURES MINI RANGE: EXTRA URBAN80.7-39.8 80.7-39.8MPG MPG (3.5-7.1 (3.5-7.1 L/100KM).

(4.7-12.7 L/100KM).

COMBINED 72.4-32.1 MPGMPG (3.9-8.8 L/100KM).

CO2 EMISSIONS. Finance example based on based a 48-month finance agreement for model featured: an Approved Cooper Vehicle condition charges may apply.Figures Figuresare arecorrect correct at at time time of going toto change without notice.

All finance is subject to status and available to over in 18s the UK onlyUK (excluding the Channel Islands). Islands).

Guarantees and indemnities may be required. for model featured: an Approved UsedUsed MINIMINI Cooper 1.6.1.6.

Vehicle condition charges may apply. going to toprint printand andare aresubject subject change without notice.

All finance is subject to status and available to18s over in the only (excluding the Channel Guarantees and indemnities may beWe required. We can arrange finance and hiring facilities for you. drive subject to applicant status and availability. can arrange finance and hiring facilities for you.

TestTest drive subject to applicant status and availability.

Skinny FP MINI £99 07.09.indd Skinny FP MINI £99 07.09.indd 1 1

24/06/2009 16:43 24/06/2009 16:43