The Skinny July 2011

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ISSUE 70 • JULY 2011

UNITED FRUIT & T BREAK’S C L A S S O F 2 0 11

INTERVIEWS:

PLUS:

TOM VEK

UNBOUND PROGRAMME 2011

LEFTFIELD

DEGREE SHOWS IN REVIEW

CHRIS O’DOWD

INTRODUCING GRAFFUTURISM

JAMIE THRAVES & AIDAN GILLEN

6 DEGREES OF JULIA THIRTEEN

CAPITOL 1212

DANANANANAYKROYD

MUSIC|FILM|CLUBS|PERFORMANCE|DIGITAL|BOOKS|COMEDY|ART|FASHION|TRAVEL|LISTINGS

DF CONCERTS AND EVENTS PRESENTS THE EDGE FESTIVAL

ATION DAMN 2011 MONDAY 22nd THE GARAGE

TUESDAY 23rd O2 ABC

OVER 50 GIGS THROUGHOUT AUGUST DURING THE FRINGE IN EDINBURGH...

CORN EXCHANGE 23rd

+ The Xcerts + I Am Giant WEDNESDAY 24th O2 ABC

+ Flood Of Red THURSDAY 25th THE GARAGE

FRIDAY 26th THE GARAGE

THURSDAY 25th O2 ABC

+ Rolo Tomassi THURSDAY 25th KING TUT’S

25th

HMV PICTURE HOUSE 15th

22nd 23rd 24th

SATURDAY 27TH KING TUT’S

25th 26th

+

SUNDAY 28TH KING TUT’S

LightGuides

+ We’re Only Afraid Of NYC

MONDAY 29th KING TUT’S

+ Static Cult + The Paradox

All Things Bright and Beautiful Tour

F R I E N D LY FIRES GlaSGOW BARROWlaND

FRIDAY 18TH NOVEMBER

ELI PAPERBOY REED C.W. STONEKING 6th PROUD MARY 7th GUILLEMOTS 8th+ 9th NEWTON FAULKNER 13th HEATHER PEACE 14th ADMIRAL FALLOW 15th,16th +17th STEVE-O (STAND-UP COMEDY) 19th MORCHEEBA 20th SHARON CORR 24th CAGE THE ELEPHANT 25th THE TWILIGHT SINGERS 28th MONA 30th JAMES BLAKE 31st JOAN AS POLICEWOMAN 5th

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

THE ALBUM PASSIVE ME AGGRESSIVE YOU OUT NOW FEATURING YOUNG BLOOD, PUNCHING IN A DREAM AND GIRLS LIKE YOU WWW.THENAKEDANDFAMOUS.COM

WARPAINT

4th

www.rocknrolldamnation.co.uk

TUESDAY 15TH NOVEMBER

23rd

LIQUID ROOM

Tickets: 08444 999 990 www.gigsinscotland.com

O2 ABC GLASGOW

27th

EXAMPLE WIZ KHALIFA + RIZZLE KICKS GOMEZ THE VACCINES AMANDA F**KING PALMER (OF DRESDEN DOLLS) CAST PANIC! AT THE DISCO

THE QUEEN’S HALL

22nd-29th August, Glasgow A DF Concerts Presentation

THE NATIONAL JIMMY EAT WORLD

O2 ABC UNICORN KID GLASGOW + LONG LOST SUN WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

WED 7TH SEPT

THE NEW ALBUM ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL OUT NOW owlcitymusic.com owlcitymerch.com

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW

FRIDAY 14TH OCTOBER DEBUT ALBUM ‘ON A MISSION’ OUT NOW

2 SPECIAL CLUB SHOWS

CABARET VOLTAIRE 5th ANDY MCKEE 7th RAGHU DIXIT 8th BEN HOWARD 9th CHARLIE SIMPSON 11th JACKIE LEVEN 12th BRIGITTE APHRODITE 13th BIG DEAL 15th KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS 17th THE CAVE SINGERS 18th KRISTIN HERSH 19th

22nd+ 23rd 24th 25th 26th 31st

(PARADOXICAL UNDRESSING)

SOMA RECORDS 20th BIRTHDAY NIGHT

with SLAM, GARY BECK & HARVEY McKAY (live) 11pm-4am

LUKE HAINES

(THE NORTH SEA SCROLLS)

SEBADOH WILLY MASON JACK SAVORETTI ROD JONES AND THE BIRTHDAY SUIT

THE BONGO CLUB

30th

BEST COAST

PART OF THE EDINBURGH COMEDY FESTIVAL

edcomfest.com

FOR FULL LINE UP AND DETAILS, LOG ON TO...

WWW.THEEDGEFESTIVAL.COM O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER

THE WOMBATS PROUDLY PRESENT… THIS MODERN GLITCH OUT NOW THEWOMBATS.CO.UK | MYSPACE.COM/THEWOMBATSUK

TICKETS IN PERSON: TICKETS SCOTLAND & RIPPING RECORDS

24HR TICKET HOTLINE: 08444 999 990 plus special guests

O2 Academy Glasgow Thursday 3rd November www.informationhurts.com

O2 ABC GLASGOW TUESDAY 12TH JULY

Tickets 24hr credit card hotline: 08444 999 990 Online: www.gigsinscotland.com | www.ticketmaster.co.uk new album out now!

InTheperson: GLASGOW SECC B/O, Tickets Scotland | EDINBURGH Tickets Scotland, badreligion.com Ripping | ABERDEEN B/O, One Up Records | DUNDEE Grouchos.

FRINGE 2011 AT THE QUEEN’S HALL

FRIDAY 5 - SATURDAY 27 AUGUST 2011 THE BEST MUSIC LINE-UP ON THE FESTIVAL FEATURING:

DAMIEN DEMPSEY/JO MANGO TREACHEROUS ORCHESTRA PEATBOG FAERIES RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS THE BIG SING-A-LONG WOLFSTONE/MÀNRAN ELIZA CARTHY BAND LOVEBOAT BIG BAND HEIDI TALBOT & FRIENDS DOUGIE MACLEAN SKERRYVORE/JILL JACKSON THE POOZIES/DAIMH RACHEL SERMANNI BAND

HENRY ROLLINS: SPOKEN WORD ELSIE COSTELLO BARB JUNGR SINGS BOB DYLAN BERT JANSCH THE TONY BENNETT SONGBOOK DICK GAUGHAN & FRIENDS WARPAINT THE BURNS UNIT WITHERED HAND & FRIENDS BATTLEFIELD BAND SHOOGLENIFTY MARY COUGHLAN SALSA CELTICA

Tickets & Information www.thequeenshall.net • 0131 668 2019 www.facebook.com/queenshall • www.twitter.com/queens_hall

PJ HARVEY SUN 4TH SEPT

GLASGOW CONCERT HALL

CONTENTS

0141 353 8000 0871 220 0260

WWW.TICKETMASTER.CO.UK WWW.SEETICKETS.COM

EDINBURGH S c o t t M a t t h e w s

voodoo rooms

SEAN ROWE

Tues 23 Aug Fri 02 Sept Liquid Room O2 ABC EDINBURGH GLASGOW

plus special guests

O871 22O O26O

SPECIAL GUEST

SAM BROOKES

TUESDAY 28 JUNE

Thurs 15 Sept

GLASGOW

Glasgow Oran Mor

captain's rest WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE

0871 220 0260 www.seetickets.com

RAINY BOY SLEEP

WILCO

VINTAGE TROUBLE PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

P.18 DEGREE SHOWS

MON 24TH OCTOBER

0871 220 0260 WWW.SEETICKETS.COM

WWW.SEETICKETS.COM 0141 353 8000 WWW.WILCOWORLD.NET RICKY, JULIAN & BUBBLES PRESENT...

P.24 JULIA THIRTEEN

THU 04 AUG O2 ABC GLASGOW

GLASGOW CONCERT HALL

TRAILER PARK BOYS’

KATHRYN RODGER PHOTO: ROSS MCLEAN

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH X-RAY www.pjharvey.net

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE GLASGOW JAZZ FESTIVAL

LEON RUSSELL

FRIDAY 01 JULY GLASGOW THE CITY HALL

WITH GUESTS RANDY & MR. LANEY

Glasgow O2 Academy Wed 7 Dec

0871 220 0260 WWW.SEETICKETS.COM a REGULAR MUSIC/GOLDENVOICE presentation In association with SYNERGY CONCERTS

THUR 18TH AUG & FRI 19TH AUG

2011 Show 7pm (8:30)

0131 668 2019 THEQUEENSHALL.NET A REGULAR MUSIC & MZA PRESENTATION

MOGWAI PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

GLASGOW BARROWLAND THURSDAY 22 WWW.SEETICKETS.COM DECEMBER 0871 220 0260 in association with The Agency Group

BrianWilson IN CONCERT

PHOTO: EDMUND FRASER

EDINBURGH QUEENS HALL

P.22 LATITUDE FESTIVAL

P.20 CAPITOL 1212

THE SKINNY JULY 2011 Issue 70, July 2011 © Radge Media Ltd.

Editorial

Get in touch: E: hello@theskinny.co.uk T: 0131 467 4630 P: The Skinny, The Drill Hall, 30-38 Dalmeny St, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG

Editor Music & Online Editor Art Editor Clubs Editor Comedy Editor Competitions Editor

The Skinny is Scotland's largest independent entertainment & listings magazine, and offers a wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business. Get in touch to find out more.

E: sales@theskinny.co.uk

TUESDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 02 ABC GLASGOW

GLASGOW Concert Hall Sun 11th Sept 0141 353 8000

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the printer or the publisher.

Printed by Mortons Print Limited, Horncastle ABC verified Jan – Dec 2010: 32,147

O871 22O O26O WWW.SEETICKETS.COM

TOM TOM CLUB Wednesday 20th July 02 ABC Glasgow

www.seetickets.com www.ticketmaster.co.uk

0871 220 0260 or in person from Ticket Scotland: Argyle Street Glasgow, Rose St Edinburgh & Ripping Records and all usual outlets 4

THE SKINNY JULY 2011

Digital Editor Deviance Editor DVD Editor Fashion Editor Film Editor Food Editor Heads Up Editor Listings/Cyberzap Editor Performance Editor Books Editor Travel Editor

Rosamund West Dave Kerr Andrew Cattanach Luke Dubuis Lizzie Cass-Maran Adeline Amar & Louise Robertson Alex Cole Ana Hine Keir Roper-Caldbeck Alexandra Fiddes Jamie Dunn Peter Simpson Anna Docherty Anna Docherty Gareth K. Vile Keir Hind Paul Mitchell

Production

printed on 100% recycled paper

Production Manager Designer Chief Subeditor

Peter Marsden Lewis MacDonald Paul Mitchell

Sales/Accounts Head of Sales & Marketing Advertising Sales Execs Accounts Administrator

Lara Moloney Jan Webster Solen Collet

Publisher

Sophie Kyle

6: Opinion: Skinny on Tour heads to Wales; Pics of the Month – Festival Special; Vic Galloway Hero Worships Adam Ant; Introducing the new Food Editor; Deviance targets male lesbian bloggers.

8: Heads Up: Things to do every day, from festivals to bake sales.

FEATURES 10: Foo who? T Break offers an alternative to the main stage onslaught. We take a look at the contenders.

12: A resurgent Leftfield lead the charge on T in the Park's Slam tent.

14: He’s crossed the pond to appear in new box office smash Bridesmaids – now Chris O’Dowd tells us about his desire for a masturbating stalker.

15: James Thraves and Aidan Gillen talks us through new movie Treacle Jr. 16: Tom Vek explains his own mysterious retreat and return to music.

17: Director Liz Garbus on Bobby Fischer's significance in the bipolar times of the Cold War. 18: Degree Show roundup: Our highlights of the Edinburgh and Glasgow degree shows. And yes we know other art schools are available, before you all start.

20: Auld Reekie collective Capitol 1212 take us back to hip-hop's old school.

21: Recoat gallery are introducing Graffuturism to the UK – we've got the lowdown on what it actually is.

22: Who found Theatre at a rock festival? The enigmatic GKV, that’s who.

23: There’s also a lot happening in Glasgow with the Merchant City Festival and all. GKV has the lowdown on that too.

24: One Glasgow band to unite them all, Julia Thirteen be thy name.

A centre for the arts and creativity

FRE ENTR E Y*

LIFESTYLE 27: FOOD & DRINK: Going Global – Eat your way around the world without leaving Glasgow. Or Edinburgh.

37: TRAVEL: Oz is well expensive right now. Broon’s not impressed.

38: FASHION: Merchant City Fest, Magpie Market, Heriot Watt Textiles – July has a host of stylish treats for you delectation.

39: DEVIANCE: Why can't gay men give blood? We debate the case.

40: SHOWCASE: Kit Leffler’s just graduated from ECA – here are some of her immaculate works, prints inspired by our problematic relationship with the natural world.

REVIEW 43: MUSIC: Dananananaykroyd take on the July singles, clinch album of the month, and reveal a secret love of Linkin Park.

49: CLUBS: Is much more polysyllabic that usual – must be those legal highs.

50: FILM: Reviews and events of the month, as well as DVD recommendations.

Highlights include Hobo With A Shotgun and Tree of Life, at last.

52: BOOKS: Need holiday reading? Look no further.

DIGITAL: You can buy drugs online. We're not recommending that you do, merely pointing out the fact that it's possible.

53: PERFORMANCE: Celebrating a decade of Bard in the Botanics.

54: COMEDY: Jo Caulfield in profile, and introducing Richard Hanrahan.

55: LISTINGS: 2,000 odd listings, not one mention of the Rod Stewart flashmob happening at The Last Drop on the 9th.

63: Starter for 11 with Craig Roberts, and Crystal Baws... hell upon hell.

29-36 UNBOUND PROGRAMME 2011 30: Introduction from Programme Manager Roland Gulliver.

31: An interview with world-famous literary journal The Paris Review.

32-3: Full listings plus interviews with James Yorkston and Literary Death Match.

34: An interview with psychologist / magician Richard Wiseman.

Australian publishers Sleepers introduce themselves and their Unbound event.

35: Des Dillon introduces his act, which involves vast amounts of thinly disguised swearing.

36: In anticipation of a night of tribute to the late Paul Reekie, Irvine Welsh, Vic Godard and Gordon Legge remember a friend.

JULY 2011

THE SKINNY

5

Editorial Welcome to the ‘summer’. Ha. We open our July issue with a look at the bands you should be watching out for at T in the Park, that inescapable behemoth of the Scottish festival calendar. Others may be zoning in on the Foos / Beyonce side of the line-up, but we think they’ve had quite enough press – what about all those exciting new bands you haven’t even heard of yet? Thus we have focussed our attentions on giving you a first look at the T-Break stage, leading with an interview with our picks of the crop, United Fruit.

We also spent some time with Leftfield, hearing about the relative merits of the different festivals’ soundsystems, and what prompted a return to the live arena. Tom Vek continues the theme of returning to the spotlight, discussing his eagerly-awaited second album and what happened in the five year gap between releases. And, as a bit of respite from festival mania, we’ve found the time to give you a bit of an education (not that you need it, of course), with a special feature on Julia Thirteen, unsung heroes of the early 2000s Glasgow music scene whose influence can be seen in a startling array of subsequent bands. 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon? 6 muthafuckin’ degrees of Julia Thirteen more like!

Ahem. In Film, we’ve had a wee talk with Chris O’Dowd of IT Crowd fame about his appearance in Bridesmaids, and why it’d really cheer him up to see someone having a wank on his window in the morning. Director Liz Garbus tells us why Bobby

THIS MONTH’S COVER

Martin Barker is an up and coming Glasgow-based photographer who specialises in portraits, fashion and you when you're not looking. He is one half of Barker McLean fashion photography. He can

Fischer was the perfect subject matter for a movie, and Jamie Thraves and Aidan Gillen give us a bit of insight into Treacle Jr. In Art we take a closer look at 2011’s batch of central belt degree shows, and provide you with some tips of which fine art graduates’ final shows impressed and moved. This is of course highly subjective, so feel free to completely disagree. We also look forward to Recoat’s Rudimentary Perfection exhibition, which brings ten international Graffuturism artists to Glasgow to paint murals around the city. We can tell you what Graffuturism means here.

In Travel, Ally Brown follows up his account of trainhopping in Japan with a big moan about backpacking in Australia. It’s dead expensive, apparently. We’ve got a new Food and Drink editor, who relaunches his section with a guide to where to go to eat food that will make you feel like you’re travelling if you have chosen to hop on the staycation bandwagon. And Deviance returns with a debate on the current ban on gay men donating blood.

Finally, excitingly, we’ve got a very special pull-out supplement this month, with Unbound (Edinburgh International Book Festival’s series of late night events in the Spiegeltent) once again choosing to release their programme through us.

Our centre eight pages provide you with a beautifully illustrated guide including listings, interviews with some of the writer-performers and even a short article by Irvine Welsh in tribute to his friend Paul Reekie. Yes, Irvine Welsh has an article in The Skinny.[Rosamund West]

usually be found plotting to take over the photography world with Ross Fraser McLean, running, eating and, when he gets time, sleeping.

You can see more of his work on his Flickr www. flickr.com/photos/martindbarkerphotography

SKINNY ON TOUR

Oh, look - it's the sea! Last month, The Skinny took a trip to the self-proclaimed “Land's End of Wales”. If you can guess the name of that rather picturesque village, go to www.theskinny.co.uk/ competitions and you might win a bottle of wine, courtesy of our expert friends at VINO WINES.

Closing date: Sunday 31 July 2011 Terms: www.theskinny.co.uk/terms and www.drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.

Over 18s only. The prize isn't redeemable for cash and is to be collected from one of the Vino Wines stores.

ShotS of the month

Grinderman @ Primavera By Chris Butler

6

THE SKINNY july 2011

Pulp @ Primavera By Chris Butler

Insider Festival By Kenny McColl

DEVIANCE

LESBIAN BLOGGERS EXPOSED

ILLUSTRATION: JAMIE JOHNSON

OPINION

HERO WORSHIP SPECIAL

ADAM ANT

Long-standing new music champion VIC GALLOWAY worships at the altar of Adam Ant CRITICS, TASTEMAKERS and elitists may simply turn their noses up at my figure of worship in this piece, casting him off as nothing but a novelty, pop act from the New Romantic 1980s. Naturally, I beg to differ.

Adam Ant (born Stuart Goddard) may well be the reason I’m involved in this whole music malarkey, 30 years after listening to his music for the first time in 1981. Much like other young boys discovering their own minds, tastes and views on the world, I was smitten immediately. He was the first pop-star that made me imagine the endless possibilities of music, art, performance, fashion and sex.

Here was a man dressed as a pirate in Native American Indian make-up, fronting a band with 2 Burundi drummers and heavily distorted guitars, yodelling ‘A new royal family, a wild nobility – we are the family’ – what’s not to like? This was, and still is, some of the most exciting pop music ever made.

Compare that to the dreary landfill mediocrity of Take That, the faceless R’n’B of Ne-Yo or the banal euro-disco of Lady Gaga. They either have catchy tunes and look terrible, or look great and sound terrible. They all lack any sense of real insurrection, humour or wit in their lyrics and outlook. None of them come close to Mr Ant. A spark lit the touch-paper and so began my journey into the obscure worlds of punk, post-punk, indie, glam, reggae, hip-hop, electronica and everything in between. A journey that continues today of course…

His massive pop stardom is well documented, and even the uninitiated will no doubt be familiar with Ant Music, Stand & Deliver, Prince Charming and the other massive hits. But the REAL story begins years before.

Having witnessed the Sex Pistols play live at St. Martin’s Art College in London in 1975 supporting his own band of the time Bazooka Joe, Goddard had an epiphany and transformed himself into Adam Ant. He threw himself into the heart of the London punk scene, taking to the stage dressed in Japanese kabuki make-up, leather, PVC and a kilt (nodding to his Scottish ancestry). He was initially managed by Jordan – the Vivienne Westwood model and iconoclast – and became a cult figure in those caustic times.

His lyrics were confrontational, explicit and often seditious, but all delivered with a knowing wink and a tongue in cheek. Search out Catholic Day – a distasteful take on the slaying of JFK; Whip in My Valise – an ode to bondage and sexual punishment; Animals & Men which name-checks the Italian Futurists of the early 20th Century; or Plastic Surgery about, well, you guessed it.

These early singles and the Dirk Wears White Sox LP are unique examples of real art-rock and sound surprisingly fresh and obtuse to this day – every bit as odd and angular as XTC or Devo.

As he built underground momentum and hinted at breakthrough success, infamous prankster, pseudo-svengali and friend Malcolm Mclaren stole his ‘Ants’ from him and put together Bow Wow Wow. Incensed, Adam combined forces with Marco Pirroni and formed a dynamic songwriting duo, intent on taking the pop charts by storm in the most glamorous and outrageous ways possible.

They succeeded, making three of the greatest

pop albums ever in Kings of the Wild Frontier, Prince Charming and Friend or Foe. These pompous, excessive and lovingly crafted collections won outright the hearts and minds of kids across the UK, giving teenagers a pure-pop-sugar-hit whilst also introducing them to the earlier, darker works.

Have I mentioned that Adam Ant was also voted the ‘World’s Sexiest Man’ by MTV viewers in the USA? Well yes, he was highly sexually charged and extremely attractive… to both sexes. All in all, he was the ultimate pop-star and is still adored wherever he appears, despite mental-health troubles and tabloid scaremongering.

Nowadays, like many others, Adam Ant is on the comeback trail. However, rather than piggy-backing on some hackneyed, 80s nightmare nostalgia-trip, he has recruited a young band who he’s named The Good, The Mad and the Lovely Posse. They play all those inspired punk anthems, b-sides and subversive hits, while Adam looks fit and healthy once again. Apparently the incredulously titled new album Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar in Marrying The Gunner’s Daughter is ready to go too.

I saw him live recently and was astonished at how good he sounded. My own girlfriend was quaking at the knees, repeatedly proclaiming him as an older, sexier Johnny Depp… dressed as a pirate naturally! The gig was outstanding.

So put away your Joy Division box-sets, your Bob Dylan bootlegs, and your Velvet Underground out-takes for now, because I’m controversially worshipping at this altar. As the man himself sang… ‘Ridicule is nothing to be scared of’!

VIC GALLOWAY – BBC BROADCASTER, JOURNALIST, MUSICIAN AND MUSIC FAN. BBC RADIO SCOTLAND – MONDAYS 8.05PM 10PM (REPEATED FRIDAYS 10.05PM – 12AM) WWW.BBC.CO.UK/VICGALLOWAY

YOU MAY have heard that a man has been caught ‘impersonating’ a lesbian activist online. Tom MacMaster, currently studying for a masters in Middle Eastern policy at Edinburgh University, claims he found that online he would not be accepted into discussions about the Middle Eastern situation because of the connotations surrounding his name – so he chose a female, Arabic sounding alias so he might fare better. He decided to blog under this avatar and soon his character, Amina Abdullah Araf al Omari, a Syrian/American, had a plausible backstory.

He also decided to make her gay – which, when you read his blog (no longer online but accessible through other Middle-Eastern LGBT activist blogs like www.minalhajratwala.com/blog/) seems to have been due to a mix of a genuine desire to highlight the LGBT situation in Syria and a bit of anonymous internet voyeurism and gender bending experimentation – neither of which I can actually fault (there is a long tradition of gender bending online, which this situation actually highlights the value of).

When the Arab Spring hit and the Syrian crisis erupted MacMaster found himself in the spotlight.

Seeing a chance to comment even more he accepted the attention but eventually it all got too much so he pretended he (Amina) had been captured. What he seems not to have anticipated was the widespread call for Amina’s release. After nearly a week and a half of denial he confessed that Amina was just an online persona and not a live girl in danger in Syria.

The big problem I have with MacMaster is that in his efforts to raise awareness he stole photos of a woman in London to use as Amina’s ‘face’. This has done a lot of damage to his case.

Even so, his blog and his opinions were doing good work. When the identity theft was revealed (but before Amina was conclusively proven not to be a Muslim, lesbian blogger), Mahmoud Hamad, a Syrian human rights activist said on Newsnight: “It doesn’t matter who you are really if you are a political cyber activist... What matters is your alterego character… Her intricate knowledge of Syrian society and what is happening right now, politically in Syria compels you to believe that this person is a genuine political activist and homosexual and trying to get all those issues, personal and political into the blog in a very sophisticated way.”

Mahmoud Hamad is completely right – if someone is speaking the truth about a situation then it shouldn’t matter who they are. What is important about this story is that the issue of LGBT rights in the Middle East has been a focal point of discussion all week. [Ana Hine]

WAFER THIN LET THE FOOD TIMES ROLL

HELLO THERE. I’m Peter, and I’m the new food sheriff in town. I’m excited about sharing a lovely culinary dialogue with you lot, but we’d best do some housekeeping first.

I’m approaching the Food and Drink pages as a fan rather than a player. I’m not much of a cook, and my kitchen exploits are best described as ‘plucky’ and ‘endearing’. But food is for everyone, with as many facets as you can imagine. It’d be a shame to exclude anyone from the fun on the grounds that their soufflés won’t rise, so we won’t.

We all need to be fed and watered, like plants or household pets. Most of us actually rather like it. We enjoy a nice meal out or a responsible drink in nice, responsible surroundings. We like to learn about new places we can hit, and new things we can try, and where we really should be going. This is what the Food and Drink section will be all about, as well as having fun with food and taking it in interesting new directions.

We’re going to be straight with you, call a spade a spade, and avoid clichéd metaphor wherever possible.

Needless to say I have some great ideas for our Food and Drink pages, but if I was to tell you exactly what they are, I’d have to kill you.

This would take ages and just distract from the important business of writing the section, as well as somewhat defeating the point of this editorial.

Suffice it to say, we’re back. [Peter Simpson]

JULY 2011

THE SKINNY

7

TUE 28 jun

WED 29 JUN

THU 30 JUN

New York art rockers TV On The Radio bring the noise with their frenetic electro-punk rhythms and that reverberated thrash that could only come from Dave Sitek’s guitar. The new album ain’t half bad either. O2 ABC, Glasgow, 7pm, £17.50

The official Oxjam Edinburgh 2011 Launch is being held in the muddy urban surrounds of Gorgie City Farm, and helping them mark the occasion will be Scott Hutchison (of Frightened Rabbit), I Build Collapsible Mountains, and Trapped Mice – all doing acoustic outdoor sets amongst the wildlife. We’re sure there’s a frightened rabbit joke in there somewhere, but we’re clearly better than that. Gorgie City Farm, Edinburgh, 6pm, £5

Some of Edinburgh’s finest talent join forces for Music Boutique, a two-room special of everything from hip-hop to minimal, with Riddim Tuffa Sound, The Black Diamond Express, Indra, Jacou, Ali-T, and, of course, Young Fathers and their self-styled DIY rap complete with synchronised dance moves. The Caves, Edinburgh, 10.30pm, £8 advance (£10 door)

YOUNG FATHERS

TUE 5 Jul

WED 6 jul

THU 7 jul

Setting up home in The Store, crafty clubber’s delight After School Club is a live art-cum-club crossover, where punters get to doodle as they go. You can come armed with your own project, or join in with the regulars and their guests, which include live art hellraisers The Too Much Fun Club and the chaps behind Scottish fanzine Muckle Sandwich. The Store, Edinburgh, 8pm, Free

Edinburgh resident Alex Cornish has been simmering along quietly for some time now, with his laid-back DIY folk-pop songs sewn together for a live setting with some pretty skilled musical trickery (which may well involve string quartets, drums and double bass).

Go get aquainted. 13th Note, Glasgow, £tbc

Cryptic Nights play it as delightfully obscure as ever with Inhabitants, an intentionally creepy piece of live contemporary dance, where the dancers become feral creatures abandoned in a haunted derelict building, intended to explore what might happen if we’re left isolated for too long. CCA, Glasgow, 8pm, £5

Photo: Takeshi Suga

From farmyard gigs with the Frightened Rabbit mainman to T in the Park and Wickerman, it’s set to be a muddy old month. Wellies at the ready, y’hear...

Photo: ED FRASER

HEADS UP

COMPILED BY: ANNA DOCHERTY

TUE 12 Jul

WED 13 Jul

THU 14 Jul

Because sometimes we reckon there’s just not enough jazz in the month, we give you the Jazz Bar Big Band: a higglety-pigglety collective of four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and four rhythm, making a big ol’ jazz racket. That do you? The Jazz Bar, Edinburgh, 10pm, £4 (£3)

Back touring the live circuit together, former Belle and Sebastian vocalist Isobel Campbell’s sweet tones chime alongside the sub-baritone rasp of Screaming Tree’s frontman Mark Lanegan. And, quelle surprise, it’s as dark, shimmering and beautiful as ever.

Grand Ole Opry, Glasgow, 7.30pm, £17.50

Dovecot Studios present Rotor, an ambitious and impressive ensemble of performances, craft, sound installations and artworks created by Siobhan Davies Dance, which uses a piece of choreography as the core from which eight commissioned artists create their own new pieces of work. Dovecot, Edinburgh, 12-16 Jul, 10.30am-5pm, Free

Time for another Pecha Kucha, the fast-paced and gloriously eclectic image-led discussions, where 11 speakers are allowed a quota of 20 slides, to show for just 20 seconds each. It’s essentially a quickfire rammy of a thing, with animator Jessica Ashman and writer Kirsty Logan amongst the speakers trying to keep pace.

Tramway, Glasgow, 7pm, £4.50 (£3.50)

Photo: ANDREW KYLE

Photo: crimsonglow

MON 11 jul

WED 20 Jul

THU 21 Jul

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule (y’know: 15 nights, over 70 bands, one shell of a human at the end) continues in full swing with Edinburgh skewed-pop collective FOUND headlining proceedings, alongside Bermuda, Cancel The Astronauts, and Verse Metric. King Tut’s, Glasgow, 8pm, £6. Summer Nights runs from 14-28 Jul

Making heavy metal for the masses, Iron Maiden return to the live circuit with their Final Frontier World Tour. Having formed way back in 1975, and with some 36 albums in their repertoire, we’re expecting this to be a suitably epic beast of a thing, seeing as it’s also their last world tour, like, ever. SECC, Glasgow, 6.30pm, £limited

Few bands better epitomise the ruddy health and energy coursing through the contemporary underground hardcore scene than Glaswegian trio Citizens, who unleash their usual live rammy of raw aggression and rhythmical DIY inventiveness. Bloc+, Glasgow, 9pm, Free

Photo: SOL NICOL

Photo: Takeshi Suga

TUE 19 Jul

TUE 26 Jul

WED 27 Jul

THU 28 Jul

As King Tut’s Summer Nights nears the finish line, they pull out the big guns with a headline set from Meursault and their reformed live line-up. Neil Pennycook’s howling tones are still very much at the helm, but, essentially, everything is bigger, louder, and shinier (including Pennycook’s bonce). Support comes from Over The Wall, Capitals, and Miaoux Miaoux. King Tut’s, Glagsow, 8pm, £6

We are regularly to be found giving over our Tuesday evenings to Hillhead Bookclub’s boozy sewing and DIY fashion club, hosted by the ever-lovely Iona.

It’s basically cocktails with a side of cross-stitch. Praise be. Hillhead Bookclub, Glasgow, 5.30pm, Free

Joe Acheson and his Edinburgh based outfit, Hidden Orchestra, do their cinematic jazz-noir thing to nuanced perfection, with guests including Mary McMaster, Fraser Fifield, and Su-a Lee joining the ranks for a special Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival performance.

Queens Hall, Edinburgh, 8pm, £10 (£15 seated)

An Edinburgh Fringe favourite way back in 2005 (where it first premiered, before touring off down to London), Immaculate makes its way back up to Scotland with its modern-day tale of an immaculate conception, with four would-be fathers claiming parentage, including an ex, an angel, and Satan himself. The Arches, Glasgow, until 30 Jul, 7pm, £7 (£5)

Photo: David Mcgowan

MON 25 Jul

8

THE SKINNY July 2011

FRI 1 jul

SAT 2 jul

SUN 3 jul

MON 4 jul

In one of our favourite team-ups of recent years, Jonny sees Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake join musical forces with Welsh musician Euros Child.

And the result? Perfectly sugary-sweet pop, stuffed with some of the sunniest melodies ever to lodge themselves in our nuggin. King Tut’s, Glasgow, 8pm, £8

Offering up two days of musical hi-jinx in a fairytale setting, Kelburn Garden Party kicks off July good-andproper. And the line-up is pleasingly diverse, with Sons & Daughters, Hidden Orchestra, and Horndog Brass Band amongst ’em. There’s also the added bonus of treetopped surrounds, waterfalls, and a painted-bloody-castle.

Kelburn Castle, North Ayrshire, until 3 Jul, £55 (weekend)

Expect a little dose of magic as New Zealand comedian-cum-magician-cum-ninja (you get the idea: he’s a wizard of a talent) Javier Jarquin turns the humble playing card into a deadly ninja weapon. Watch and learn, kids. The Stand, Edinburgh, 5pm, £10 (£8).

Part of Edinburgh’s International Magic Festival

For their major summer exhibition, the National Gallery are showing a retrospective of beloved Scottish artist, Elizabeth Blackadder, who turns 80 this year.

There will be a vast collection of paintings, watercolours and drawings on show. And you can play count the cats.

National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh, until 2 Jan, £8 (£6)

FRI 8 Jul

SAT 9 Jul

SUN 10 Jul

Come this weekend of the year there’s only one place we want to be, beer in hand, all muddy-wellied and woozy with music: T in the Park! It’s a predictably huge line-up, with Skinny faves The Phantom Band and Conquering Animal Sound jostling alongside a supersized list of biggies, including Foo Fighters, Pulp, and Primal Scream. Balado, until 10 Jun, £sold out

Members of Twilight Sad and Take A Worm For A Walk Week turn DJ for the night at Digital W.I.N.C.H., given free rein of the decks to unleash what will likely be an anarchistic musical hurricane. Going by past events, punters can also expect nudity, broken furniture, and burning clothes. Bloc+, Glasgow, 10pm, Free

Pretty much our new favourite way to spend Sunday evenings, Quids In is the Buff Club’s newest club night, where a quid’s entry gets you a good dose of electro, funk and disco, plus the chance to win the door fees. Can’t say much fairer, really. Buff Club, Glasgow, 11pm, £1

FOOS YER DOOS

SAT 16 jul

SUN 17 jul

MON 18 jul

Throwing up the big guns as per, Death Disco play host to Paris-based underground electronic artist, designer, and all-round hottie, Uffie. She’ll be joined by Vancouver electronica chap Felix Cartal, and the usual long list of DD regulars, cementing this as our alternative disco of choice. The Arches, Glasgow, 11pm, £14

Over 40 independent makers and sellers add their colourful wares to Magpie Market’s summer fair, with rare vintage finds, handmade jewellery, quirky homewares and all kinds of handcrafted lovelies in the mix.

There’s also a pop-up cafe stocked with sugary treats, a happy tunes playlist, and free goodie bags. It couldn’t really be any cuter. The Hub, Edinburgh, 11am, Free

Hitting that perfectly imperfect soundscape dead on, Brooklyn’s the Vivian Girls return to Glasgow’s Captain’s Rest with their kit-bag of clatter-bang-wallop drums and loose riffs, sewn together by Cassie Ramone’s grubby little angel vocal harmonies. Captain’s Rest, Glasgow, 8pm, £8

alasdair gray, may on striped coverlet

Photo: heidi kuisma

FRI 15 jul Paying due respect to their elders, Glasgow School of Art host Live Your Questions now, a survey exhibition of Scottish, UK and international contemporary artists over 60-years-old, and set to include work from a certain Mr Alasdair Gray. Glasgow School of Art (in the Mackintosh Museum), Glasgow, until 1 Oct, Free

Ship’s Crew Russian Dolls by hole in my pocket

SAT 23 Jul

SUN 24 Jul

A whole lot more civilised than your usual Friday night, the Glasgow Night Hike is essentially a moonlit meander through Glasgow’s artistic and architectural hot-spots, with unique buildings like the Briggait, Cottiers Theatre, and the Glasgow School of Art opening their doors, before ending with tea ’n’ cake at Maggie’s Centre (for whom the event will raise funds). Various venues, Glasgow, 7.30pm, £30 registration

Wickerman up the luxury by offering a Cloudhouse, Yurt, or even Squrt (?!) as accommodation possibilities, but, let’s be clear, the music’s still the main draw, with Echo & the Bunnymen amongst the headliners, alongside the likes of Endor, RM Hubbert, Citizens, and Trapped In Kansas in the expertly-curated Solus Tent. Eastkirkcarswell, 22-23 Jul, £90 (weekend)

As part of Merchant City Festival – and as a last goodbye to the Ramshorn Theatre, which closes after this current schedule – Strathclyde Theatre Group serve up an à la carte Shakespeare formula, with a selection of scenes, sonnets and soliloquies performed outside in Ramshorn Graveyard. Ramshorn Theatre, Glasgow, 2pm, Free

RM HUBBERT

Photo: Kenny McColl

FRI 22 Jul

Fri 29 Jul

Sat 30 Jul

Sun 31 Jul

Mon 1 AUG

Flee the city for the day (a wise move pre-festival madness, we say) with a trip to Little Sparta, the late Ian Hamilton Finlay’s magical garden containing over 270 of his artworks in specially created settings. It’s a hard to find gem of a place, made accessible on this day with a minibus service running from Edinburgh (also operating four dates in August). Dunsyre, Dunfries, £25 (return)

Electric Frog are at it again, not that we’re complaining mind. They host another of their two-day clubbing spectaculars, in the form of Summer Weekender. And, yes, it’s another suitably impressive line-up of international and homegrown talent from the likes of Dubfire, Nitzer Ebb, Mount Kimbie, Chrome Hoof and Errors. SWG3, Glasgow, 3pm-11pm, £40 (weekend)

Cheeky Scottish comic Vladimir McTavish plays a special preview performance ahead of this year’s Edinburgh Festival, based around the fact he’s currently trying to fund his Fringe by placing outrageous bets.

Go support the cause. The Stand, Edinburgh, 6.50pm (doors 6.30pm), £7 (£6)

For our last little bit of sanity before the city explodes into festival madness, we’ll be nestling our head in between Beefy and Wolfjazz’s fuzzy hotch-potch of tunes, at eclectic Monday night-er Trade Union.

Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, 11pm, £2 (£1)

DUBFIRE

July 2011

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9

MUSIC

FIELD OF DREAMS

Concluding the annual hunt for the best unsigned talent that Scotland has to offer, just a handful of bands made the cut from over a thousand entrants to play the T Break stage at Balado this July. We assisted with the judging, so you know quality’s there! Here we present the final sixteen WORDS: Darren Carle

songs and better performances. The audience can expect to hear some cracking pop tunes played loud and fast, with only a very small number of mistakes.”www.canceltheastronauts.co.uk

Carnivores

Aerials Up

If the name doesn’t give it away, then let us inform you that Paisley trio Carnivores are a beast; a beast with pummelling drum tempos and angular Fugazi guitar lines. They are also unsurprisingly straight talking. “We’re a proper rock band with proper riffs and no deliberately silly haircuts,” rails singer and guitarist Kenny Leckie on why you should go see them. They are, however, unafraid of a bit of ostentation it seems. “The phrase we’ve been using to get ourselves ready is ‘Queen at Live Aid’,” he adds. We suspect that Carnivores do have ‘a kind of magic’ and will indeed be rocking you. Get it? We Will Rock You. Eh? Oh, fuck off then! carnivores.bandcamp.com

It wouldn’t be T Break without a bit of Celtictinged, rustic anthemia. Glasgow septet Aerials Up ticked these boxes and more with their marvellous Superglue E.P. in May and it seems fair to assume that their stock in trade will transfer effortlessly to the larger arena. They’re also masters at getting a rousing jig on as highlight Stay Awake proves, so be ready to get your bounce on too. “Come party with us at 10pm on the Friday night,”says drummer Chris Grant. “We’ll get you into the festival spirit.” www.aerialsup.com

Hailing from Edinburgh and Glasgow, exuberant quartet Boycotts will be converging on Balado to drop their precision indie-pop with a wee twist.

“We’ll be playing a bunch of songs that we haven’t recorded yet, so people coming along will be really surprised if they’ve only ever heard our E.P.,” says guitarist Joe Gillies. Things could also get a bit cathartic for Boycotts on their big night. “We’re on last on Saturday, so we will definitely be up for a bit of madness after having to restrain ourselves all day Friday and Saturday.” www.myspace.com/ startaboycott

It only takes a scant few seconds of hearing COWTSHTF to realise they stand on a podium of their own at T Break. “We do not sound like anyone else on the bill,” confirms Alasdair Maloney, one-half of the enigmatic duo. “Underground hip-hop clashes with banging electro, all wrapped up in a surrealist sensibility tainted by too many horror cartoons.” And if that sounds pretty fucked up, wait until you hear the man’s plans during his downtime.

“I am doing a sponsored impregnation of Jessie J,” he warns. “Get in touch if you want to chip in.” Er, we’ll pass all the same. soundcloud.com/cowtshtf

10 THE SKINNY July 2011

There’s already a maturity to Crayons that can elude many bands. Not a maturity in the pejorative sense, but rather in that they can pen cracking tunes without sounding like they’re trying to pen cracking tunes. Think of Foals or the ghostly surf-pop of Crystal Stilts and you’ll be somewhere along the right lines but still a ways to go. Yet whilst there’s an intelligence to Crayons, cuts like The Future Is Deaf prove they can still be lots of fun. Much like their namesakes then. www. myspace.com/crayyyons

Discopolis Discopolis’ euphoric electro, with traces of epic shoegaze, will certainly stand them out from the final sixteen at T Break this year. “I long ago came to accept that not all music is for everyone,” says synth player Dave Lloyd. “But I think our sound may appeal to quite a high number of people.” The Edinburgh trio should certainly turn a few heads with their decidedly old-school yet contemporary take on all things disco. And if their set should contribute to the dreadful T hangover the next day, heed guitarist Laurie Donald’s advice. “Take a walk to Somerfield in the mornings,” he champions. “It has pretty much saved my life at past T in the Parks.”soundcloud.com/ discopolismusic

Auld Reekie lads Lady North seem to be a band’s band. “Three instrumental mentalists from Edinburgh with the most catchy, danceable mathrock fun you’ll hear all weekend,” gushes James Scott of Conquering Animal Sound. “I’d recommend even the nutters from the Slam Tent to be checking these guys out.” The band themselves aren’t averse to a bit of flattery either. “As average musically as we may be, we are definitely the sexiest band playing,” states Jamie Steel of his T Break competition. The modesty of course is that Lady North are anything but ‘average musically’.

Judge their musical abilities and on-stage sexiness for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. www. facebook.com/weareladynorth

Marrik Layden Deft with Scatabrainz “It’s not just hip hop I’ll be doing,” states Marrik Layden Deft categorically. “I’m playing with a live band, doing a crossover of punk and hip hop, so if you want to see and hear something different, come and see me.” Marrik will certainly provide a different flavour to T Break if his Lawful Rebellion E.P. is anything to go by. Reggae jams, electro squiggles, colloquial rapping – it’s all there. “The last time I went to T in the Park I said the next time I come here I will be playing,” claims Marrik. “And I am so it’s great.”

We certainly agree. mldmusic.bandcamp.com

Fatherson

Cancel the Astronauts Poised to be clashing with a mighty pop sensation, Cancel the Astronauts are at least modest in their appraisal of such a daunting situation, “We promise to be good, if not as good as Beyonce,” claims Matthew Riley. Yet the progression of second E.P. Funny for a Girl will ensure that one of the local scene’s best kept secrets will make a serious alternative to those less swayed by the bright lights of the main stage.

“As a band we’ve come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years,” Matthew continues. “Better

Lady North

Crayons

Church of When the Shit Hits the Fan

Boycotts

Saturdays will drop hit single Just Can’t Get Enough from their set-list this year. Fear not, as James Scott of Conquering Animal Sound has alternative plans. “We will be performing a thirtyminute version, complete with battling football hooligans down the front,” he jokes. Much more likely is that the Glaswegian duo will lull and enliven listeners with their looped ethereal vocals and bucolic electro underpinnings. Here we fucking go! conqueringanimalsound.tumblr.com

Conquering Animal Sound Due to Celtic Football Club connections and nervous promoters fearing a riot, girl group The

“This is the biggest event Fatherson have played so far and we are going to put on the best show physically possible.” It’s no doubt a common sentiment felt by many on the T Break list but bassist Marc Strain certainly has the clout behind him with Fatherson. There’s a distinct home-grown sound to the Kilmarnock trio, having toured with the mighty Idlewild amongst many others. “I would advise anyone going to T in the Park to head over to the T Break stage as much as they can,” advises Marc of the bill. “Every year I’ve been I have discovered bands that I still listen to daily.” Fatherson could become one such band. www.myspace.com/ energybookings

Otherpeople It’s not difficult to hear why Otherpeople made the T Break list. With propulsive guitar riffs, clear cut melodies and lyrics that jam into your head after one listen (try Ghosts on for size and we’ll get back to you next week when you’ve recovered) they are a band destined to catch the attention of

PAWS Glaswegian garage trio PAWS don’t sound short of energy on record, so it’s hardly surprising that singer/guitarist Phillip Taylor is promising a Herculean effort for their T Break performance.

“We are delighted to have made the cut and we intend to embrace it and give it 1000%,” he claims. With excellent tracks like Salem likely to elicit some rousing approval, we can believe it.

Phillip meanwhile is preparing for the arduous weekend in unconventional style. “I could take some survival tips from (90s American sitcom) Kenan and Kel when they climb to the top of the Sears Tower” he jokes. “Kel brings a fruit juicer with him...you never know.” www.myspace.com/ pawspawspawspaws

Reverieme Reverieme is the nom de plume of Airdrie dweller Louise Connell who, with accompaniment, will be looking to get T Break tapping along to her gorgeous, bucolic acoustic fare. “We’re the perfect mixture of uppers and downers so we’ll sort you out regardless of what you got up to the night before,” claims Louise. From what we’ve heard, Reverieme are more in the ‘uppers’ category, particularly the toe-tapping Lost At Sea. “Seriously though, the music is very jolly and enjoyable,” she agrees. “But if nothing else sells you, we will bring baked goods.”

Sounds delicious. reverieme.bandcamp.com

The LaFontaines Motherwell and hip hop; not the cosiest of bedfellows perhaps but it’s a situation that The LaFontaines are trying hard to rectify. These boys are also too cool for school it seems. “Hi, we’re on at half one on Saturday, nuff said,” replies bassist John McGinely when asked to entice you dear reader to their T Break cause. He is, however, more vocal on landing the hallowed slot. “We were all well chuffed to be selected. It’s a nice ego boost when you’re vetted from so many other talented acts.” Nuff said indeed. www.myspace.com/thelafontainesmusic See them all play T in the Park’s T Break Tent, Balado on 8-10 Jul http://www.tennents.com/tbreak/

UNITED FRUIT Interview: Johnny Langlands & Darren Carle We’ve already noted in these pages the musical kinship that Glasgow’s United Fruit share with Texan rockers Trail of Dead. Heck, the excellent Go Away, Don’t Leave Me Alone sounds more like Trail of Dead than Trail of Dead do these days.

But enough already, here’s the story so far from one of the bands we dig the most on this year’s T in the Park bill. Sunday night in out-patients anyone?

Back in 2009, you told us that United Fruit is what you want to do for a living. Do you feel any closer to achieving that goal?

Marco [bass]: Our first full UK tour in May definitely affirmed that this is our passion and it really did help break new ground for us, to get out of Glasgow and play in distant lands. The recent line-up changes have been key to our progression and the tour opened our eyes to what it takes to be in a hardworking band.

We were always working to this point and we’re delighted that it seems to be coming together.

What were the highlights of the tour? Were the crowds down South receptive?

Stuart[guitar]: Getting to meet all these new people and see so many different places was great. A few shows stick out in our minds though, namely Bristol, Sheffield and Brighton. The response we got from everywhere was excellent but the people that were at those particular shows seemed to really get what we’re trying to do with our music.

Are you looking forward to playing T Break?

What does this particular gig mean to the band?

Marco: We can’t wait! It’s been a long time coming for us. Stuart: To be picked is a great feeling – to know that you have made the last 16 bands out of the hundreds that entered makes all the hours and hard work that we have been putting into this over the years worthwhile.

You have a full album of material to bring to the festival; clearly a lot of passion and refinement went into making it. How did you find the process of writing and recording?

Stuart: It was a long, drawn-out process that had its fair share of stress, but we wouldn’t change a thing. We paid extra attention – re-listening to the songs and tonal sounds we were creating and doing anything it took to get the best performance and sound that we could. We were still writing as we were making it and some songs were taken out of the final album, not because they were not good but because we really wanted to have a totally consistent sound throughout the record.

Iskandar’s lyrics seem quite personal. What are these songs about?

Iskandar[vocals/guitar]: They are a collection of thoughts riddled with teen angst. A lot of the songs are about past heartbreak and all that jazz.

It can be difficult to be truthful to yourself when you write songs; when you give an honesty in how you feel, there is a vulnerability that follows. It was sometimes quite painful to bring old feelings of hate and unhappiness to the surface, but it feels good to have released a few demons.

You emerged with other Glasgow rock bands like Hey Vampires, Bronto Skylift and Citizens, while the more seasoned Hey Enemy seemed like kindred spirits at the time. Who do you identify as your peers nowadays, up and down the country?

Marco: We would still include all of those bands as our peers! We loved them from the first time we saw them and nothing has changed apart from their tunes have gotten even better. So many great bands have emerged since we formed though, bands such as: Pensioner, Lady North, PAWS, Black International, Verse Metrics and Salo. On tour we also had the pleasure of coming across some truly epic bands such as: Kept By Casino, P For Persia, Helsinki 7, Fickle Twin, Holy Stain, DZ Deathrays, Spectres and Late Night Fiction. All of whom we played great shows with and became real good friends.

Are there any fellow T Break bands you’re particularly looking forward to seeing come the weekend?

Stuart: Lady North would be a treat. We missed a recent gig they did in Glasgow but heard lots of good things about their live show.

What would you say to entice readers to

Photo: MARTIN BARKER

even beer-addled, sleep-deprived punters as they trundle through that big red tent. ‘Otherpeople are bored of acoustic guitars’ reads their bio. Sounds like a battle-cry so be sure to be stage front when things kick off with this Glasgow quartet. www. myspace.com/otherotherpeoplepeople

check you out at T in the Park?

Stuart: Our gigs are normally pretty full on and there’s always some blood, sweat and tears, but mostly sweat. We’re not the sort of band who just stand around and play the tracks – there’s always some medical attention needed by one of us after the show.

What has been United Fruit’s finest/messiest/most hazardous hour on stage so far?

Marco: We played a show in Bloc just before Christmas 2010 that descended into sheer archaic madness. There were glasses being smashed by the crate load, beer flew over the ceiling, people flew over the floor and each other.

I’m pretty sure I saw a guy do a forward flip over the monitors and land on his head. We were all scrambling and going wild for most of the set but Iskandar ended up in the crowd and cut up his hands on the floor. He was covered in blood and in turn covered Stu in it! It all ended with Isk and a few punters jumping into the kit at the end of the last song and almost killing Ross! Since that night, Bloc do not allow glasses at their gigs... We are fucking proud of that.

Dedicated festival stages for unsigned bands are a solid step on the steep climb to wider recognition. From your perspective, what’s the most difficult aspect of being in an independent Scottish rock group today?

Ross[drums]: Not sounding like Biffy Clyro! And money – we’re skint!

What would you be doing if you weren’t in a band?

Stuart: Nothing. It’s really weird when you’ve been so focused on a project for ages, you kind of forget everything else that is going on around you. You wake up in the morning and the first thing you think about is the band and when you go to sleep at night it’s still on your mind. I couldn’t see any of us doing anything that wasn’t related to music in some way.

The commercialisation of music is commonplace these days and – for good or bad – it’s increasingly considered a necessary measure for the longterm survival of a band. Have you been approached to license your songs out, or would you consider it?

Ross: Personally speaking we don’t have a problem with underground bands getting a helping hand, whether it be for an advertising campaign or for help with touring. I can understand why people

get upset with it. But think about it; if advertisers want to use underground bands to sell something what does it matter? That band can afford to make a record now. That’s not selling out. Selling out is writing music to please advertisers.

As long as the bands continue to make the music they want to then no one’s integrity has been affected. What’s wrong with a band being able to make money doing something they love? I know there’s a whole romantic idea to being a poor artist but it just doesn’t work that way if you want to make a decent go of it these days. By the way we’d just like to say our new single Drink Coca-Cola And Eat KFC will be out in the near future.

And beyond the T Break stage, who will you be checking out?

Stuart: Beyoncé, Pulp, Weezer and Tom Jones are big draws for us. See, we’re quite an eclectic bunch of chaps, and we all fancy Beyoncé.

Do you have any advice for surviving the weekend at T? Stuart: Stay away from all drugs unless you’ve been told they’re really good. Bring your own toilet (if possible), always use protection – we find machetes and mace are most effective.

If you could collectively curate your own festival, who’d be the headliner?

Stuart: Mew would be an incredible headliner.

They really appeal to our pop sensibilities but have also got that hard groove which we love on a lot of their tracks. Their songs are total anthems in our opinion. I think bands like Coldplay are really striving to create that huge euphoric sound but fail miserably. Mew actually have soul and feeling and would be worthy to headline any festival.

What’s next for United Fruit?

Marco: We’re in the middle of booking our second tour this year – finally branching out to Europe for the first time, which we have been dying to do for ages. We will also be playing King Tut’s summer nights on 20 of July alongside Bronto, Carnivores and Jackie Onassis! I think it’s safe to say, that gig should not be missed by anyone.

Playing T in the Park’s T Break stage, Balado on 10 Jul at 12:50. Don’t you bloody dare miss it You can also see United Fruit at King Tut’s Summer Nights on 20 July and help them celebrate the end of their first European Tour at Glasgow Captain’s Rest on 23 Sep Fault Lines is out now on UF Records / Predestination unitedfruit.bandcamp.com

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MUSIC

Headlinism

Dance culture pioneers Leftfield show the young 'uns how it's done at the top of this year's Slam Tent lineup Interview: Paul Mitchell

“To me, originally, festivals would be seen as a hippy thing. For years and years we wouldn’t have been seen dead at something which we just felt was not something we’d ever want to do.”

Leftfield’s Neil Barnes isn’t pulling any punches, but then again, we’re twenty years down the road since then, and wondering what, if anything changed his mind. “Well, we started playing some. Early dance festivals and newer festivals like T changed my view of the whole scene. It was all about communication, and could be a really valid experience.” With all that experience, he is well-placed to talk about what he does and does not like about the festival scene.

“Some festivals remind me of fairgrounds, sponsorship everywhere. Obviously, you need that, but I don’t like it so much. I prefer the more underground festivals, or the ones which have kept their original identity.” So what’s his opinion of T in the Park then, where he and his Leftfield ensemble headline the 2011 Slam Tent? “I don’t know, I haven’t played there in so long, so I’m not judging that at all. I’ll let you know after I’ve done it.”

Leftfield, formed in 1990 by Barnes and Paul Daley (formerly of Brand New Heavies), became one of that decade’s best known electronica acts, regarded as pioneers in the fields of intelligent dance music and progressive house. The duo left a lasting impression on the electronic scene as a whole; the fact that both of their albums (1995’s Leftism and 1999’s Rhythm and Stealth) were nominated for the Mercury Prize indicates how much they did to broaden the appeal of the genre(s). Tunes like Phat Planet and Release The Pressure became ubiquitous soundtracks of the era, whilst the band also contributed the memorable A Final Hit to Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, the piece soundtracking the unforgettable shooting up scene. The band went on hiatus in 2000, and their reformation as a live act only last year (minus Paul, plus array of musicians) means Neil hasn’t had the opportunity to witness the growth of T into the behemoth of today.

“There’s nothing wrong with being massive as long as it’s ‘good massive’. If the system is good and people have spent money on what’s important, which is the music, then I’m not averse to playing the big festivals. I think we’re playing in a tent again this time, which happened the last time we played there. That’s always good for our type of music really.” So, based on his considerable expertise in the area, what does he feel are the best and worst aspects of being part of the ‘festival circuit’? “Best of all is the variety. With all those different cultures meeting, you’re part of a big, strange family. If it’s well-run, festivals are brilliant and serve as a means for people to be introduced to music. We played Coachella this year. A lot of people came to see us that wouldn’t have been to see Leftfield before and I think we picked up quite a lot of new interest as a result.”

Admitting that he does take time out to see as much as possible when he does attend festivals, Barnes is adamant about the one sure thing that’s guaranteed to ruin the whole experience from his perspective.

“The worst of the festival scene is when you’re playing on sound systems that are appalling or just below the spec that you’re used to. People just can’t get into the music because it’s too distant and you’re losing control of what you do and you can’t soundcheck either. For some bands that’s very important, to feel confident on stage that everything’s going to work. Especially for us, I’m particularly pedantic when it comes to technical specifications. I’m not going to pinpoint the

12 THE SKINNY July 2011

bad ones, but there are some that are so appalling I just don’t know how they get away with it.” Oh come on, you surely can’t say all that without outing at least one of the prime offenders? Barnes laughs: “Well, I’ll mention one then, Glastonbury, but maybe I shouldn’t have done that.”

Barnes isn’t particularly bothered about burning certain bridges, as the revival he initiated last year draws to an indefinite close. “We’ve got about eight festivals to play and then that’s it as far as this is concerned. I’ve got a great group of people, all the work we’ve put in has paid off, I’m really pleased at the way we’re putting it across, and generally speaking it’s been awesome. I didn’t expect it to be as good as it has been; it’s almost sad to let it go in a way.”

The refusal of Daley to participate in the process did cause initial misgivings and account for the fact that he’s not tempted to revive the name on a longer-term basis. “Really, initially when I set the tour up I was hoping that this was something which might happen, that we might compose some new music together and that was why I wanted to do it. But it wasn’t to be and I ended up having to do it on my own. I’ve sort of done the best I can and I’m very pleased with it.”

Is there any chance the duo could reunite in the future? Barnes pauses for a moment, then: “There won’t be... well, we won’t work together now I don’t think.” So it’s pretty safe to suggest the pair don’t get on anymore? The instantaneous cachinnation is punctured with “You can put that down.”

He laughs before reverting to a more serious tone.

“I wish I could say otherwise. It’s a sad story but

❝

There’s nothing wrong with being massive as long as it’s ‘good massive’ Neil Barnes

❞

maybe that’s the tale of a lot of relationships, things go wrong. I wouldn’t say things are never... who knows, I wish it could happen. Paul gave his blessing absolutely for the Leftfield revival; he just didn’t want to be part of it.”

Although the Leftfield legacy is certainly assured, Barnes admits that he sometimes wonders if this current revival acts as more of a nostalgia trip, or whether or not the music they created still holds its own in today’s environment.

“Sometimes, when I’m standing up there, I think ‘Cor blimey, this is thirteen years old, why aren’t I doing something new’. And on other occasions I think ‘Yeah, this is alright, people are liking it, this is good’. I do think it stands up largely, and it’s a credit to Paul and me that we’ve made something that we can go back to after all these years and there are people interested and young people coming.

“I feel quite honoured that I can do that. I’m sure a lot of people think ‘Oh here we go, bloody stadium techno’, but I think it’s still got legs. There was a lot of that last year, some quite cruel reviews. I’m quite happy to take it on the chin but it seemed people weren’t willing to give it a chance because it isn’t stadium techno. In fact, there’s hardly any techno in the set whatsoever. There are elements of it, but it’s the story of Leftfield, the story of the 90s and early 21st century’s dance culture and it goes into the future I think.”

Headlining the Slam Tent, T in the Park on 9 Jul www.tinthepark.com

© 2011 Jack Daniel’s. All rights reserved. JACK DANIEL’S and OLD NO. 7 are registered trademarks.

THE SPéN† GRAIñ F®OM ýVíRY BåTC˙ øƒ JAçK DåNêEL’ß †éNñíSßýE WHIß˚E¥ IS FE∂ †O ¬øCAL ¬ê√EßTøçK. (BE ASßUR´D, Wé HåVí SOME øF T˙í μO߆ CONTéñT LIVESTøCK êN †H´ßE På®TS.)

Your friends at Jack Daniel’s remind you to drink responsibly.

July 2011

THE SKINNY 13

FILM

Far from the IT crowd From IT slob to Hollywood love interest – The Skinny chats to Chris O’Dowd about his winning role in Bridesmaids Interview: Jamie Dunn

There’s a scene in Bridesmaids, the new comedy written by and starring SNL alumna Kristen Wiig, that everyone’s talking about. It involves six women, including Wiig’s character Annie, the maid of honour to her BFF Lillian (Maya Rudolph). Annie has organised a dress fitting for Lillian and her bridesmaids at an exclusive bridal shop, an immaculate palace of white walls, cream carpets and very expensive wedding apparel. Unfortunately, before the dress fittings Annie treated the girls to some authentic Brazilian cuisine at a restaurant in a rough part of town – the kind of place that terrifies the local cat population and where the kitchen sink is likely to double-up as a urinal. The resulting dress fitting is, shall we say, explosive.

If I were to choose a scene that was deserving of more attention, however, it would be the one where Annie has just spent the night with Nathan, a highway patrol officer with puppy-dog eyes and a charming Irish brogue, played by Chris O’Dowd.

In the morning Annie wakes up in Nathan’s bed.

It’s an alien experience as her current boyfriend / fuck-buddy, Ted (a deliciously smug Jon Hamm), sends her on the walk of shame after their vigorous but pleasureless sex-sessions. When Nathan asks her to spend the morning with him, Annie, not used to being treated as anything other than a door mat, runs for the hills. It’s a scene of toecurling awkwardness and heartfelt pain, and with it O’Dowd, best known as slobbish office drone Roy in The IT Crowd, steals the film and melts a few hearts.

I spoke to the Irishman ahead of Bridesmaids’ UK release to talk about producer Judd Apatow’s impact on the American comedy landscape, Hollywood’s new found love of actors from across the pond and masturbating stalkers.

In the last few years there has been a wave of actors from these parts breaking into Hollywood – it seems like the perfect time for you to do the same?

I suppose it is. There are a lot of British actors doing really well, and a bunch of Irish actors.

It’s nice because it does have a snowball effect: suddenly we can be trusted to not nick stuff, and also to do okay in films.

Not only is it a great time for actors from the British Isles, it seems like a great time for comedy in general. Judd Apatow has completely changed the American comedy landscape.

I think he really has. For a long time there was a certain kind of comedy happening: it was a lot of Farrelly Brothers kind of stuff, which is really funny, but at the same time it didn’t really connect with me in any way. So when Judd started that kind of truthful comedy – bromance or whatever you want to call it – it was great. They’re films that people can relate to, about actual relationships. It’s a kind of British sensibility, in a way. If you look at the relationships in a lot of British comedies, they are often very real, particularly in the last decade. So thanks, Judd.

Did you have to adapt to a different comedy beat for Bridesmaids?

To be perfectly honest I think that American comedy is as much aligned to Irish comedy as Irish comedy is to British. British comedy can be, sometimes, a little bit uptight, and there isn’t really that in Irish comedic circles.

Take something like Knocked Up or Superbad: I just fucking love those films – that’s exactly what I think is funny. You can be worried about whether you’re not going to be funny enough, but not necessarily whether they’re going to get you or not, if that makes sense. I knew I was playing the right game. I’d turned up with the right racket. I hadn’t turned up to a tennis court with a badminton racket.

14 THE SKINNY July 2011

How did you get involved in the game, then?

I stole the racket – from an old guy in the street trying to bat flies, and just ran with it [laughs]... I got the job, really, because of Paul Feig, who’s the director of the film. He had been a big fan of The IT Crowd, so when I auditioned I kind of knew that people in the room were aware of me, even if most of them were staring at me blankly wondering why I was talking in a weird accent.

Let’s talk about the accent – was your character, police officer Nathan Rhodes, always going to be Irish?

No it was never written like that. I went in like everyone else. There were a bunch of American guys who auditioned too, and I auditioned in an American accent, and it went fine, but because Paul had seen me in other things he suggested that I try it in my own accent just for fun, and I did it and it kind of worked. And it’s a fucking lovely accent. It’s the same in Scotland, it’s a charming fucking accent, you know?

And did it charm Kristen?

I don’t know if she was charmed or not, but we got on very well. She’s a very cool woman, very funny – they were all really welcoming, and

❝

There are a lot of British actors doing really well [in America], and a bunch of Irish actors. It’s nice because it does have a snowball effect: suddenly we can be trusted to not nick stuff, and also to do okay in films Chris O’Dowd

❞

inclusive. She would try the accent a lot. Which was embarrassing, not only for me, but, like, every dead relative. But the fact that she tried says it all.

There’s a real comedic chemistry between you both, too. All your scenes seemed really natural. Were they improvised?

We improvised a lot, but in a way that we don’t really do here in this country: we start with the script, and the script was really strong, and then do a load of improvising, and then we do the script again. I’m a big fan of improvising, and all that, but I love great scripts even more so. So if there’s a good script there – which isn’t always the case – then use it.

And that script was written by two women [Wiig and her regular writing partner, Annie Mumolo]. What did you make of all the ‘can women write comedy?’ debates that were sparked by the film?

I was very aware that that whole debate was happening in America when I was over there for the film opening. I found it bizarre. I found that the people were talking about it like we were honestly saying, ‘can cats write?’. I mean of course women can write comedy. This is the main difference: they

write women better than men write women. And that’s kind of it. They’re as funny, if not funnier. And they probably write relationships a bit better. That for me is as simple as it is.

How’s the attention been from the US media, being on American chat shows and getting recognised in the street?

It’s weird, to tell you the truth. This is a big spurt forward, career-wise, but I've been lucky in that it has all happened very gradually. I don’t know what it would be like if I was 21 and it just kind of happened like that. And it’s easy because people are so fucking nice. I always find it weird when celebrities go all, “Oh it’s awful, I get people coming up to me on the street.” People just come up and tell you that they like you.

So you’d be happy to have a stalker?

I could really do with one or two more stalkers in my life for those mornings when I’m feeling a bit down. On those days I want to see someone wanking on my window. Men or women, I don’t care. Is that too much to ask?

Bridesmaids is on general release, Out now www.bridesmaidsmovie.com

FILM

The sweet and the low down

Treacle Jr. reunites director Jamie Thraves with his leading man from The Low Down, Aidan Gillen. The Skinny talked to the pair back in February when they were in Glasgow for the Scottish premiere of Treacle Jr. at the Glasgow Film Festival Interview: Jamie Dunn

Aidan Gillen

It’s half an hour before Jamie Thraves’ third feature film, Treacle Jr., is to make its Scottish debut at the 2011 Glasgow Film Festival and I steal the director and his film’s star, Aidan Gillen, away from the busy bar of a nearby hotel where the pair are enjoying a few drinks before introducing the film. I say enjoy, but for one of my interviewees this isn’t quite the right word. While Thraves is a flutter of excitement at showing his independently produced film – he remortgaged his house to finance it – Gillen cuts a far more demure figure; he’s clearly not a fan of speaking about himself or his work. In this respect he’s like the photonegative of his character in Treacle Jr. (also called Aidan), a wild-eyed extrovert with a thick Irish accent and even thicker Daffy Duck lisp.

Treacle Jr. opens with Tom (Tom Fisher), an average suburbanite with a loving young family and a comfortable home, setting off on his usual commute to London, only this time he inexplicably decides not to come home again and begins sleeping rough. After an incident with some gay-bashers and a tree, Tom is left concussed and is taken in by Gillen’s character Aidan, who he meets in A&E. At first Tom’s Florence Nightingale seems certifiable, a looney-tune whose landscaping business involves going door-to-door brandishing a pair of scissors and telling unsuspecting housewives that their massive bushes need seeing to, but as Tom warms to Aidan’s good heart so too will the audience. It’s the sweetest, funniest, maddest role that Gillen has ever played on screen.

It’s a character that Gillen has obvious affection for. “I’ve always been drawn to people who are kind of pushed to the side, or who are considered ‘borderline mental cases’, who nobody wants to know. I’ve always wanted to hang out with them,” the Dubliner tells me. Despite their diametrically opposed demeanours, Gillen reveals that his personality is not too far from his Treacle Jr. namesake. “It’s weird, because this is a very eccentric, extreme kind of character, but it’s amazing how much of myself I can see in him. It’s a bit fucking worrying actually.”

Jamie Thraves

“Well, I’ve seen you in all kind of situations,” Traves interrupts with a knowing laugh. “I always knew Aidan had a propensity for comedy, but anyone who knows him, or thinks they know him, might be surprised with this role. Aidan can come across as quite quiet at times for those who don’t know him, but, actually, he’s this amazing raconteur and has a very funny sense of humour, and I’ve been itching to try to get a character like that from him on screen. We tried to do that with The Low Down [Thraves’ excellent debut where he first worked with Gillen] but it kind of didn’t quite work.

Why was that again?”

“I think I was just depressed,” Gillen replies dryly, as if to prove Thraves' point.

What gives Treacle Jr. its emotional, as well as comedic, kick is the relationship between the glum giant Tom and the irrepressibly upbeat Aidan.

“Because we were making it with very little money I wanted to come up with something that was very simple – a real two-hander, in the vein of Midnight Cowboy or Withnail & I,” Thraves explains.

Like Withnail & I, and indeed The Low Down, Treacle Jr. is also a great London movie; there’s a real veracity to its milieu. These are not the postcard settings of Richard Curtis or recent Woody Allen. “All the locations are very familiar to me,” says Thraves. “I shot where I lived, I shot around the corner, for cost reasons, but also because I’m in love with the environment as well.”

Although Thraves admits there are things he would have changed if he had a bigger budget (chiefly he’d have shot it on film rather than digital) there’s a freewheeling verve to Treacle Jr. that’s a result of him having total creative freedom. “I wanted to get back to that time when I was in college where it was me making sure the script was as good as it could be and we just went off and shot it very fast. There was just a great spirit and a great energy, and I think that sort of shows in the film.”

Treacle Jr. is distributed by Soda pictures and is on release in key cities 15 Jul Soda Pictures: www.sodapictures.com www.treaclejr.com

July 2011

THE SKINNY 15

MUSIC

Nothing But Green Lights

Incommunicado for five years, Tom Vek has a pretty good go at explaining why he’s kept us waiting – it’s complicated Interview: Paul mitchell

It’s not quite on the scale of the 17 years it took Mr A. Rose to solve the conundrum that was/is Chinese Democracy, nor is it quite on a par with the ridiculous level of expectation generated by the wait for The Stone Roses’ Second Coming, but the six-year hiatus Tom Vek has treated himself to does seem particularly odd given the impact his debut release We Have Sound was to have on the music scene.

The bright, breezy electronic pop punk and odd lyrical non-sequiters bringing to mind (if only for the sake of homonymic convenience) the polymathic idiosyncrasies of Beck and seemingly heralding the start of an innovative career. Then, radio silence. Nary a peep nor a tweet and so began the rumours. Tom Vek had been abducted by aliens/relocated to San Francisco (same thing)/extradited/developed a crippling addiction to World of Warcraft. But now, he’s back, with sophomore effort Leisure Seizure, and seemingly wondering what all the fuss was about. We caught up for a quick blether, mainly to ask him where the Vek Tom’s been.

We bet you’re getting heartily sick of being asked what you’ve been up to in the past five years [since he stopped touring We Have Sound. Have you felt the need to come up with an ‘official line’?

I haven’t really established an official line because there was no overriding plan at any point.

I’ve just been taking every day as it comes, and after every day I would ask “Have I finished my album today? No. OK then!”

Five years is a long time to make one album.

We’re going to speculate that you’re really quite the perfectionist?

I suppose so, but I’m not going to suggest that it really takes that long to produce 45 minutes worth of music. There was a lot of production and mixing involved; the last year or so has been incredibly busy, but the hard thing about it is getting to that point where you want something, or you’ve got a situation whereby you want to work. I’m not interested in finessing something that wasn’t that good in the first place. I guess I was waiting for inspiration; it’s hard to recreate it or demand it.

We really, really hope you’re happy with the results?

Yeah, of course I am. I don’t mind that I have to reiterate it, but in my mind, I’ve always been in love with the idea of artists believing in their work, and that was what had to happen. I needed to be ready to do things that I like and wanted to release. I don’t want to operate under the scenario whereby I am heavily influenced by others, or have people to blame if something goes wrong, or do something that someone has suggested would further my career. That would shock me if it happened to me. The integrity is there in keeping with my naïve music fanboy teenager ideals, I trust that point of view – it’s important.

Does Leisure Seizure imply a specific theme or are you just hugely aware of the American market’s penchant for rhyming titles?

It does indeed rhyme in American, that was pointed out afterwards, but it’s not meant to be a rhyming thing. I think it’s just an interesting couplet of words that can mean wildly different things.

One of them is agitative, the other descriptive. You can be like, “One is doing it to the other, or vice versa,” I’m sure there’s a word for that. But really it’s just two words together.

16 THE SKINNY July 2011

way. Does that make it contrived if you’re thinking about it? The thing I really wanted with this record was to make it a career reality without affecting the musical side of things at all, which is why I spent a long time looking for the right studio space – very similar to how I imagine people might decide that they like or don’t like a job because it’s got nicer offices, what kind of commute you have to do, whether you get to sit next to a window and these kinds of things that are quite important in the scheme of things.

I just like the idea of the cleaning the desk scenario. You know you’ve got a lot of work to do, but you clean your desk and then you can do your work quicker. I wanted to have a studio where I could feel creative, and I was spending more and more time in it. When I did feel I had everything in place I felt quite excited.

❝

I’ve just been taking every day as it comes, and after every day I would ask: Have I finished my album today?

No. OK then!

TOM VEK

❞

Your return has generated quite the fanfare.

But why so silent in the interim?

[Somewhat sheepishly] Obviously I’m incredibly flattered. I think that … it makes me proud in a way. I really think that in the internet culture, that if you’re not doing a lot of things then you’re seen to be actively not doing stuff if that makes sense [mibbe]. I feel like I didn’t hassle anyone in the meantime; I came back when I thought I had something exciting enough with which to request people’s attention again. I like to think that it was a matter of politeness or etiquette or something like that. [Laughs] Talk about the processes involved in making the album; when you got down to it, did it vary

much from the first time around?

It’s hard to say really. With the first album, I had just finished studying and we were doing it in stolen time and in a way it was quite a relaxed thing. That’s what’s sort of cool about doing music with no pressure or presumption. It can be whatever it wants to be and that’s a really positive thing because you only care about establishing your own style, and doing stuff you like doing. I was very pleased and excited that the record retained so much of that.

This time around, of course I spent a lot of time thinking about it. You can’t help but be aware that it’s a completely different scenario and the question is whether or not you try to emulate the situation you were in the first time, or try a new

Forgive us if this seems a little premature considering your recent five year absence but do you have a musical blueprint for the next five?

To be pretty creative there’s an obligation to promote yourself and it does take up a lot of time.

You play shows, travel a bit, but we are living in the age of overall communication now and I’m excited to be pretty busy with stuff but the key is to continue working. I feel a lot more quick because now I’ve established a certain skillset and approach. It’s mainly just a mindset matter, I’ve managed to validate it in my mind as an adult now, and so I’ll continue to do it.

Leisure Seizure is out now (honest) on Island, New single , Aroused is released on 15 Aug www.tomvek.tv

FILM

The World and Bobby Fischer

The Skinny talks to filmmaker Liz Garbus about her documentary Bobby Fischer Against the World, which charts the turbulent life of the legendary chess grandmaster Interview: David McGinty

COMPS

Bobby and boris

WIN TICKETS TO THE UDDERBELLY

Still considered one of chess’ greatest world champions, Bobby Fischer Against the World follows the idiosyncratic Brooklynite from childhood to the height of his Cold War era fame, and into his later years when he was better known for anti-Semitic and anti-American rants. Prior to the film’s European premiere at the EIFF, its director, Liz Garbus, sat down with The Skinny to talk about Fischer and the world with which he frequently found himself at odds.

“The idea came to me on January 18, 2008, the day I was reading his obituary in the newspaper,” says Garbus. “I think most people know a little bit about his life; he was such an iconic figure.”

The events of Fischer’s life are consistently intriguing and beguiling, disparate and tangential. Garbus employs a subtle yet firm approach, creating a non-linear narrative with the various thematic strands weaved throughout and anchored by his notorious 1972 world championship match with the Soviet Boris Spassky.

It’s fair to say chess is not a subject renowned for sending moviegoers into cinema seats in droves, yet the film highlights the artistry and genius of Fischer’s playing, assisted by context provided by other former champions. “They educated us about what were the beautiful moments, what made this game [against Spassky] so special… like game six which Anthony Sadie called a ‘Symphony of placid beauty’” Garbus explains. “I think [for] some of our interviewees, chess, because they cared so much about it, made them very poetic. So we were there to support that and tease that poetry out.”

The game provides a perfect metaphor, which Garbus uses to expound not only the themes of the Cold War but also the conflict taking place within Fischer’s mind and his ambivalence towards his environment. “It was the Cold War, it was organised in a bipolar sense. It was black and white, it was good against evil, it was us against the commies, and chess is a game of war,” says the filmmaker. “I think that the reverberations of the Cold War, of Bobby Fischer, and of chess make it an exquisite topic.”

However, chess meant much more to Fischer than the politics of the Cold War. Garbus clarifies

that whilst Fischer didn’t like the Russians, he felt that way “not because of politics, he didn’t like the Russians because he believed they cheated at chess.” The bi-polar nature of the game provided a structure within which Fischer could function and without it his world ceased to make sense. “I think in a certain way the chessboard kept Bobby sane because his whole world was organised around it and his whole world was organised around becoming world champion. So then when he became that and he no longer had the same goal in his life, everything started to unravel for him.”

Fischer was always a polarising figure, seen as unusual and egotistical in his heyday, and, by the end of his life, as paranoid and delusional. Due to the nature of his public outbursts there was obviously concern over the film's representation of those views. “There were many people who were very suspicious: what type of film were we going to make; what were we going to say about Fischer? They seemed to want us to plant ourselves in a camp of, ‘Was he a saint or was he a sinner?’ And of course no one is one thing only: Bobby was American, Bobby was Jewish, Bobby was a chess player. I think Bobby rejected all of those things, and he became very paranoid and convinced about conspiracies, and he used all of those systems to fuel those ideas.”

The film’s overall representation of Bobby Fischer is of a man tormented and representative of the close relationship between genius and madness.

The director says of her subject: “I felt an enormous responsibility to really connect, I felt empathetic to him and I think that is important, I couldn’t have done it if I hadn’t. I think by the time you see all that fulmination, you see that it’s not someone who is plotting or could be violent, you understand that it’s someone who is actually experiencing this violence in their own mind and you hopefully feel empathetic.

That’s certainly how I felt.”

Bobby Fischer Against the World is released nationwide 15 Jul by Dogwoof bobbyfischermovie.co.uk

Q: What fruit is used to make Magners Golden Draught?

Deadline: Sat 30 July Terms: www.theskinny.co.uk/terms. Prizes aren't redeemable for cash.

Fancy some udderly brilliant comedy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe? We’ve teamed up with Magners to offer 4 readers a pair of tickets to the show of their choice at the E4 Udderbelly in Bristo Square.

The year’s line up includes acts such as Fringe favourites Frisky and Mannish, Barry and Stuart and Scotland sunniest man Craig Hill. To add some flavour to the listings international stars Soweto Entsha and the infamous Ruby Wax have been brought in.

Before the hilarity ensues, be sure to head to the Magners Pasture bar and partake of a cool pint of new Magners Golden Draught. Different to Magners Original, Magners Golden Draught is crafted using more of the small, harder to crush Dabinett apples which give it its distinctive, crisp, refreshing taste and lighter colour.

For more information and further chances to win tickets to some hilarious E4 Udderbelly shows, visit www.facebook.com/Magnerscider

July 2011

THE SKINNY 17

ART

Less is more

Perusing the offerings of tomorrow’s art stars is always overwhelming. We make our annual pilgrimage to the Central Belt degree shows, hoping to emerge with some senses intact Photos: Edinburgh by ROSS McClean & Glasgow by MARTIN Barker

Tommy Stuart, ECA

ECA Degree Show 2011 Over on the East coast at the Edinburgh College of Art Fine Art degree show it seems like business as usual, despite all the upheaval the college has reportedly been experiencing in the past year. Undergraduates in Sculpture, Painting and Intermedia present a mixed bag of work that is occasionally heart-stoppingly unique, more often somewhat average, and sometimes laughably derivative; post-grads frequently create exhibitions that are markedly more finessed and considered than the majority of the undergrads; and someone has devoted at least part of their show to latex casts of their pet dog. The only disappointing omission is the traditional room of rotting meat, the annual degree show archetype which symbolises the transitory nature of our human existence. No one has chosen to display this particular work this year, although there are some foetuses in jars, which form another pleasant annual event.

In Sculpture, the stand-out space is the Mural Room, the 1st year workshop transformed into a gigantic white cube gallery for the end of the year show, its high walls and distant glass ceiling giving the exhibited works the scale to expand and breathe. The most prominent piece in the room is a collaborative work by Mike McCallum and Tommy Stuart, a huge steel and wood construction by McCallum complemented by a sound work by Stuart, an occasional industrial thrum emitting from the structure to animate the work, lending an otherwise impassive piece a pulse and prompting a visceral reaction in the viewer.

Next to it sits Stuart’s solo work, a considered and skilled installation, both a document of labour and a finished artwork, with a hollowed-out obelisk of stone accompanied by expanded foam casts of its interior growing in size as the artist chipped away from the first, the size of a melon, to the last, a great boulder. The obelisk has been put back together, concealing the fact that it has been reduced to a hollow shell.

Elsewhere in Sculpture, Peter Simpson prompts a smile with his various artworks: a shadow structure of steel and thread with a brickwork pattern mimicked by the thread in the void; heads made out of brick forms; a lion made out of carved pine bricks. If the link isn’t initially apparent, his personal statement sheds some light: “I hope to have created an engaging and lighthearted showcase that provides a unique perspective on bricks.” A noble aim indeed.

18 THE SKINNY July 2011

Ailsa Lochhead’s markedly mature installation, subtitled ‘Form and image at play’, displays a high technical skill and attention to detail in its construction. The floor has been stripped to form a geometric shape of exposed timber; orange chipboard steps curve like a fragment of a spiral staircase; a pentagonal chipboard platform has been topped with a painstakingly joined pattern of geometric carpet shapes in a variety of muted tones, a kind of furry marquetry. An umbrella reflector in the corner shines brightly while two TV monitors one atop the other flash between images of flat colour planes and the occasional elusive rubber plant, which confronts the viewer once

❝

The only disappointing omission is the traditional room of rotting meat

❞ again in the corridor outside. The installation does what it sets out to do, creating a pleasing interplay of form and image, with a little bit of colour.

In Painting, former Skinny Showcase Kathryn Rodger’s final college show lives up to expectations. Her vast canvases skilfully blend abstract expressionism and figurativism to depict the Bacchanalian release of contemporary boozing.

Their compositions are reminiscent of the writhing, conjoined forms of Picasso’s Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. Their scale is such the they can only fully be taken in from the opposite balcony of the Sculpture Court.

Postgraduate student Kit Leffler and this month’s

Ailsa Lochhead, ECA

Skinny Showcase presents a series of immaculately finished photo lithographs and screenprints exploring themes of man’s relationship to the natural world, from genetic mutations in the series Meat Entrepreneurs to pristine dreams of an imminent apocalypse in the series Mirage. Turn to p40 to see her work.

The Intermedia department seems to be evolving at an impressive rate, leaving far behind embarrassing memories of when it was still called Tapestry and churned out both video art and actual weaving. Artists here are tech-savvy and inclusive, with several creating works that step out of the frame to engage with wider ideas of community, identity, place. Olivia Crocker and Elizabeth Hurst’s collaborative endeavour is particularly immersive.

They’ve made a 4-seater dining table from some palettes and crates, with each seat equipped with a headset and a different recording of an Edinburgh restaurateur discussing their business, their cuisine and their cultural identity. The artists set out to create a work that explored the city of Edinburgh, taking as a starting point the notion of multi-culturalism and how it squares with a historical city with a strong national heritage. The result is an engaging and provocative piece, well worth the time it requires to explore.

Sophie Fegan aims to engage with the community and make the world a better place. For this show she’s exhibiting her Alternative Census 2011, asking visitors to fill in a census form that asks the questions we’re actually interested in, ones that will help to build relationships between strangers.

What is your favourite place? What is your favourite song? The answers are collated, and redisplayed at a later date. Alongside the mock polling desk sits a windowsill of Diskmen, with playlists defined by previous participants’ answers to the song question.

Back in Painting, Rosamund Garrett, a graduate of the MA Fine Art course, has created an intriguing project that uses historical exploration to pose timely questions of the internet. Virtually Nao documents the artist’s recreation of the route of the Nao Victoria, the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the globe. 12 volunteers around the world used data to mimic the path that originally took from 1519 until 1522 to complete, now digitally circumnavigating the globe in 9.353 seconds. Much of the project exists only in online documentation, which can be perused at http:// virtuallynao.wordpress.com All in all, 2011’s degree show is the usual sensory overload, with an increased standard of curation

within the departments (most notably in Intermedia) lending a little guidance to the experience of exploring the show. There’s plenty to divert and entertain amidst the chaos, and if you look closely the promising beginnings of a host of art careers are clearly discernable.[Rosamund West]

GSA Degree Show 2011 And on the west, it’s Degree Show time again at Glasgow School of Art. Students showcase the fruits of four years’ hard slog, and we get to see who has cracked under the pressure, abandoning their masterpiece at the last moment to caper about The Mack building with a chicken on their head.

It must be tempting, after being chivvied along from one project to another, to display every work you’ve ever made. But as the poor besieged viewer knows, less is most definitely more. Better to go for one roomy old wardrobe and fit it out with a section of church pew and an audio recording of familial confidences, as Amy Dolan has done. With the chastening reek of zealously polished church wood, her discreet confessional is cathartic after you’ve been party to Euan Ogilvie’s DIY dead mouse slicing contraption. On opening night a small unwholesome crowd amassed in the basement to cheer as each turn of the wheel brought a mouse nearer the blade.

Strange pleasures are similarly afoot in Silja Strøm’s miniature collage-style paintings. Not unwholesome but otherworldly, the scenarios depicted feature anthropomorphic beings and creatures engaged in curious situations. Polar bears and a beach ball-like swirl are recurrent motifs, convincing us of a whole world beyond the page – a nod to Scottish-born artist Charles Avery’s project The Islanders, which charts a fictional universe so extensive it requires an encyclopaedic guide.

Just as Strøm’s works are notable for their compactness and precision, so several photographers stand out for having method amidst the madness.

Mounting photographs of varying sizes and subjects in a scattered arrangement with a nearby sculpture and a TV monitor has become something of a house style for GSA photography.

Going against the grain, Thomas Hatton’s photographs are pleasing for their order. The black and white series exploring the topography of Egypt and Morocco features dark rock formations and whitedout landscapes, the result of sandstorms. This

EMILY ILETT, GSA

interesting study of contrast reflects on the medium of photography as well as on the subject matter.

Meanwhile, Simone Kubik has deliberately employed a whiteout effect in her arresting images. In a series of headshots against a white background, faces gaze directly at the camera. Intensity of gaze and the edge of a t-shirt neckline are all we have to characterise the individuals.

Some sculpture is also striking in its simplicity, such as Emily Ilett’s projection onto a plaster sphere suspended at head height. The projected image shows a woman standing on a shoreline wearing on her head the self-same plaster sphere, while an audio recording supplies the sound of the wind. Similarly subtle are Michelle Roberts’ explorations into the material properties of wax and etching ink: slabs of wax taken for supple canvases bend gently against the wall.

In Fabien Marques’ photographs the opulent interiors of a German brothel lie empty, our attention on their richly detailed furnishings rather than the deeds that take place there. Juxtaposed with this are images of the Basilica at Lourdes. The devil being in the details, here it is not the architecture but the crowds of pilgrims who offer a ripe opportunity for a study of human nature.

There are some less-polished works that nevertheless make an impact. Beth Hughes’ office installation is particularly hard to put your finger on. With hand-printed wallpaper patterned with hotels and palm trees, an abandoned Hoover, showers of glitter and a plug-in air freshener, it is carefully considered and yet unconvincing. Who may inhabit it and why remain unknowns, but after the abundance of affirmations, questions and uncertainty are quite refreshing. [Jac Mantle]

29 JUNE-26 JULY 2011

royal scottish academy

EUAN OGILVIE, GSA

Devil in the Deck

Love Magic Adventure Nightly

HEATHER ROSS CONSTANTS IN PRACTICE

THE ALASTAIR SALVESEN ART SCHOLARSHIP - JAPAN 2010

RSA PROJECTS ROOM. ADMISSION FREE. MON TO SAT 10-5PM, SUN 12-5PM THE ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY, THE MOUND, EDINBURGH EH2 2EL. T 0131 624 6556 WWW.ROYALSCOTTISHACADEMY.ORG Image: Heather Ross: The Story of the ‘Little Boy’, 6 August 8.15am.

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DevilintheDeck.com JULY 2011

THE SKINNY 19

CLUBS

Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Capitol 1212, Scotland’s kings of old-school hip-hop are working on a big Summer album...

Interview: Bram Gieben Photo: Edmund Fraser

Capitol 1212 are DJ Fly-T and Professa Fresh: producers, DJs, record label managers and international jet-setters who have worked with some of the greats of old school and golden age hip-hop, from The Jungle Brothers and Grandmaster Caz of Cold Crush, to Dizzy Dustin of Ugly Duckling and UK stars like Serocee.

Their recent collaborations with reggae and dancehall greats such as Tenor Fly and Edinburgh’s Daddy Scotty have hinted at a move towards a more soundsystem-oriented method of production, and with powerhouse emcee Profisee a regular guest on their tracks, the duo are planning an assault on the live scene in Europe. In addition to this, they have been releasing records by Professa Fresh’s other band, From The Cradle To The Rave, a genre-mashing punk versus drum and bass juggernaut. We caught up with them to get the lowdown on the successes of the last twelve months, and their plans for the future.

We last caught up with you in 2008, what’s been happening?

Fly-T: There are three records that we’re making at the moment... Since the last time we spoke to The Skinny, we’ve been putting out records on our own label [Capitol 1212 Records]. The three we are working on now will drop towards the end of the summer.

How’s it been going, pressing your own vinyl?

Fly-T: Yeah, it’s been good actually. Surprisingly good.

You’ve worked with emcees from all over the world. Has that helped you conquer new territory?

Professa Fresh: Yeah, definitely. It helps get your beats noticed. You could be sitting making the finest beats in the world in your own bedroom, but if you don’t get anyone on them then nobody is ever gonna hear it. You have to be active, try and get it out there. The first thing to do is try and spread the audience.

Fly-T: In some ways the collaborations we have done have been to draw attention to the band, and also they’ve been with artists who we’re big fans of. It’s all about what songs go on what record...

There is a thought process that goes into which tunes go together, and what that also pushes is the tracks we have done with underground artists, local artists and UK artists. We feature songs by them, and then on the same record you might have say, The Jungle Brothers or Dizzy Dustin of Ugly Duckling. So hopefully people might buy the record for the Ugly Duckling connection, and then they will also be exposed to these underground artists from Scotland and the UK. It works, like!

Do you still identify really strongly as a Scottish band?

Fly-T: I suppose we do!

Professa Fresh: There are a lot of artists up here who are really talented, and we feel proud to have been a part of that while growing up here and putting on nights.

Fly-T: I wouldn’t necessarily say we’re part of the hip-hop ‘scene’ in Scotland any more, but that is not because of any concept of division or anything...

Professa Fresh: I think we would have been part of the scene say, five years ago. But people who were part of the scene then, hopefully they’ve moved on to a different circuit, and new folks have come on the scene, doing free nights at Henry’s Cellar Bar and stuff like that. Hopefully in two or three years, they’ll be getting gigs in different countries too. There are always different levels, in any scene.

What about the old school hip-hop connection – all these dudes like Grandmaster Caz, Dizzy Dustin (of Ugly Duckling) and The Jungle

20 THE SKINNY July 2011

Brothers – how did these collaborations come about?

Fly-T: A lot of it was luck... With some of these guys it was connections I had made years ago while DJing.

I just sent out mixtapes to a couple of people in the States, just showing what’s going on in Scotland, hip-hop-wise. So one or two connections came from that, and then I think the mixtapes spread around these guys, because they all know each other: that’s one thing you find. It’s quite a small world.

You’re also involved in the band From The Cradle To The Rave, who play a mutant hybrid of drum and bass, ska and punk. How do these influences fit into your approach?

Professa Fresh: I guess that comes from listening to punk bands and thinking ‘I can do that too.’ I started out playing in a live punk band, and that led on to DJing and getting more involved in putting on nights and things like that. So punk has always been part of the music that I’ve listened to.

But over time, I just wanted to bring everything together and put it into one project: drum and bass, reggae, ska, punk, dubstep. If I drop a punk song in a set and someone comes up and says “Why aren’t you playing a hip-hop tune?” my response would be: this is a hip-hop tune – I’m playing it in a hip-hop set, in a hip-hop style, cutting it up. We come from that old-school mentality: Kool Herc cutting up breaks at block parties, you know? You could play anything.

To what extent are you hip-hop purists?

Fly-T: I’m not a hip-hop purist at all. I’ll put my hand up: I think I was. When we made the first record we approached it in a very traditional hip-hop way. We

wanted to use breaks that had never been used before, so we spent hundreds of pounds on records we knew no-one else had ever touched. But now we’ll throw on, say, the Aerosmith Walk This Way break [laughs]. A lot of the hip-hop purists really liked the single we did with Tenor Fly for instance, which is on a much more dancehall vibe, and I don’t have an answer for why that is... I think the older I get, the more I listen to.

Going back to your collaborators, let’s talk about Profisee. Are you committed to promoting and pushing him towards an international audience?

Fly-T: Absolutely. We’ve been gigging in Holland and Germany recently, and one of the clubs picked up on the mixtape we’d done for Profisee, and gave out hundreds of copies before the gig.

Everywhere we played seemed very interested in us coming back with a full live show back around Europe again, and Profisee would definitely be a big part of that. The next EP has got a real ‘soundsystem’ vibe to it – it is in the tradition of the big UK soundsystems – so it will include jungle, hip-hop, dancehall, ska... This time round, we’re both in the same place. Summer’s coming! So we’re making a big soundsystem record!

It looks like the summer belongs to Capitol 1212 – hold tight Scotland!

The 7 Deadly Sins by from the cradle to the rave is out on 4 Jul www.capitol-1212records.com To read more of Bram’s writing, visit www.weaponizer.co.uk

❝

We come from that old-school mentality: Kool Herc cutting up breaks at block parties, you know? You could play anything Professa Fresh

❞

ART

Birth of a Movement

Mark Lyken says Rudimentary Perfection is the UK’s first ever Graffuturism exhibiton. But what is this Graffuturism?

And what exactly is happening?

Interview: Rosamund West

Nawer

Matt W. Moore

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films worth talking about

HOME OF THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

recommends this month...

Incendies 27 June to 12 July

Morten Andersen

This July, Recoat Gallery in Glasgow are presenting an exhibition that promises to be the first of its kind. Entitled Rudimentary Perfection, it features the work of ten international artists united under the banner of Graffuturism, who’re being flown in from around the world to create murals on walls across the city. Recoat will provide a map, so visitors can travel around and view all the sites in the week leading up to the opening event. The hope is that the majority (or fingers crossed, all) of the murals will remain long after the exhibition ends.

It’s a major undertaking, and one that will hopefully provide Glasgow with some permanent urban art. Mark Lyken, artist and mastermind behind the operation, certainly hopes so. “For Glasgow to have this happening around the city is incredible,” he says. “To have all these guys in one place is pretty unbelievable – there’s already a buzz about it just because they’re all together. They’ve been quite disparate up to now – this is the first Graffuturism show so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of impact that has on the whole genre.”

But what is this Graffuturism of which they speak? Says Lyken, “It’s a new emerging movement that’s an offshoot of graffiti. It’s a term that’s been coined by an artist called Poesia, who’s in the show. He has a blog called Graffuturism that showcases work by graffiti artists who’ve done some more abstract work. It’s not a collective, more a loose term to describe what’s happening anyway – what’s been happening for years.”

This banner word reflects a development on the graffiti scene, with the adoption of a name christening a movement and thereby giving people

Mark Lyken

who aren’t immersed in that world the opportunity to see and understand what’s going on. As Lyken says “This is the first time the term has been sort of formalised. It’s quite hard to formulate an opinion on something really new. If it was graffiti – people would know what that is. We need to find a way to present this new idea to people. I always struggle with naming things and them having labels but if you don’t name it then how do you present it?”

How indeed. Perhaps with an exhibition showcasing ten of the brightest lights of this new (or newly named at least) movement?

THE ARTISTS SheOne (www.blackatelier.com) from London Duncan Jago (www.mrjago.com) from Bristol Jaybo Monk (www.jayboisms.squarespace.com) from Berlin Poesia aka the man who named the movement (www.grafuturism.com) from San Francisco Derm (www.dermographix.blogspot.com) from Edinburgh Morten Andersen (www.m-andersen.com) from Denmark Mark Lyken aka the curator (www.lykenlove.com) from Glasgow Nawer (www.streetfiles.org/nawar) from Krakow Matt W. Moore (www.mwmgraphics.com) from Portland, Maine Augustine Kofie (www.keepdrafting.com) from Los Angeles Rudimentary Perfection, Recoat Gallery 2-31 Jul Opening event Fri 1 Jul Murals throughout Glasgow – maps are available from Recoat Gallery

At the reading of their mother’s will, twin siblings are given letters which will profoundly change the direction of their lives. They are set the task of returning to the Middle East to track down a father and brother they have never known. An incredibly powerful film that unfolds in unique and unexpected ways.

A Separation 1 to 21 July This gripping, brilliantly acted domestic drama set in modernday Tehran won six awards at the Berlin Film Festival. Simin has arranged to leave Iran with her husband Nader and daughter Termeh. Nader, however, is having second thoughts, and, when he decides to remain in Iran, Simin sues for divorce at the family court.

Bobby Fischer Against the World 15 to 28 July Considered by many to be the world’s greatest chess player, Bobby Fischer was propelled from child prodigy to world chess champion at the age of 29 and then into a nosedive of delusions and paranoia. This captivating documentary exposes the disturbingly high price Fischer paid to achieve his legendary success, and the resulting toll it took on his psyche.

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July 2011

THE SKINNY 21

PERFORM

The Latitude Connection There's theatre in them there tents - looking forward to performance highlights at the summer festivals Words: Gareth K Vile

The first hints of sunshine send thousands out into the fields and streets searching for entertainment, and the in boxes of theatre editors across the country fill up with the hopes and dreams of actors and writers. Burlesque dancers emerge from darkened halls and parade under canvas; opera singers find solace in the upper halls of bars. The festival season has begun.

In recent years, various festivals have sought to define themselves beyond the typical: the success of Glastonbury as a multi-arts event has encouraged others to offer more than music. Latitude has staked a claim as the ultimate middle-class festival: child-friendly, it has specific tents for cabaret and theatre, and even the National Theatre of Scotland are sending their award-winning musical play The Strange Undoing of Prudentia Hart.

Latitude has become a trail-blazer for a more inclusive festival. Capturing many acts before they hit The Fringe in August, the weekend is notable for both eclecticism – cabaret femme fatale Camille is on the same bill as Rambert Dance Company – and quality: the dance programme is driven by Sadler’s Wells, London’s home of cutting edge dance.

By using the festival platform to showcase more than bands, Latitude has developed an identity and aesthetic that suggests the meaning behind the festival fun. Rather than just trot out a series of crowd-pleasing rockers, it sets theatre, dance, cabaret, poetry and pop together, exploring connections and offering more moods than the glorious sing-along or mass mosh. It also cuts to the spirit of the festival, where experimentation thrives and possibilities open up.

Neil Murray, Executive Producer National Theatre of Scotland, explained why the NTS was heading south to Latitude. “Because they asked us!” he laughed. “It also coincided with a desire to remount Prudencia for the Edinburgh Fringe, so the timing was right.”

Re-imagining ancient Scottish ballads, through the haunting refrains of Kylie Minogue and David Greig’s rhyming rhythmic script, Prudencia was originally staged in bars across Scotland. Murray observes that “the strong musical element of the show felt a good fit for Latitude, as well as the inherent comedy. Also, it is not a precious theatre show to begin with – for example, we encourage the audience to have a drink! It felt robust enough for a festival.”

Down in London, Sadler’s Wells producer Emma Gladston is equally enthusiastic about leaving the theatre for a weekend – in their case, onto the beautiful Lakeside Stage. “The festival is a good way to get some of the great artists we work with to be seen in a different way,” she says.

“Although it’s risky to perform outside (we have lost several performances to rain...) it also gives it a special feeling, more physical in a way, and we can make the music really loud which I love. The sound helps to wrap the dancers up when they have no lights or set.”

For both the NTS and Sadler’s Wells, it is not so much a case of creating new work, but finding new audiences for the work that they already support and create. “Much of our work tours into England,” explains Murray. “It is an important market for us. There were no immediate plans to tour Pru to England, so this will be a good testing ground.” And Gladston adds, “Three quarters of the bill are directly linked into our main programme

22 THE SKINNY July 2011

– Rambert are regularly programmed here, and have been for years; ZooNation are showing a sneak preview of their new show, that opens here this autumn; and the many and wonderful performers in Fela! go straight from Latitude to a long run here over the summer. The one exception is the duet by Tommi Kitti, which I saw last year and felt would work a treat on that stage, especially as the music is by John Lee Hooker.”

The influence of Latitude is even being felt in that venerable Scottish institution, T in the Park.

After a preliminary foray last year, Glasgow cabaret dynamo – and theatre company in their own right – Rhymes with Purple are taking the sublime decadence of cabaret to a wider audience.

“We love a challenge,” says compere Rufus T, “and when it comes to cabaret we like to think we are garnering a rep for challenging perceptions.

TITP probably has the most diverse audience of any music fest in the UK so what better place to showcase cabaret?”

Rufus insists that there is an audience for cabaret at rock festivals. “Just looking at Glastonbury and Lattitude shows that there’s a demand for alternative entertainment. Scottish audiences are the most demanding in the world so they deserve the best.”

RWP have always been engaged with expanding the public understanding and definition of cabaret – they are behind the Glasgow Cabaret Festival, have been called the Godfathers of the cabaret revival, but Rufus’ words could as well apply to the programming at Latitude.

“We are all about reinforcing the value of cabaret as a performance and entertainment discipline and the Cabaret Tent showcases our commitment to having cabaret associated with quality by doing something new and spectacular that can appeal and reach a wide audience. It will let us show the TITP audience that cabaret is a discipline woven into the fibres of our performance heritage.”

This mixture of evangelical energy and committment to originality is echoed in the words of Sadler’s Wells Producer. “The vision is really for Sadler’s Wells to commission, produce and tour work by today’s artists to reach out to new audiences both in the UK and internationally,” says Gladston. “It means we are not just presenting existing work, but helping to create new productions, to keep the art form moving forwards.”

By accessing the festivals, and harnessing the power of inspired curation, the theatre and cabaret acts at Latitude bravely enter into new arenas. Up at T in the Park, favourites like Frisky and Mannish, Vendetta Vain and Cherry Loco will step out of the intimate and into the spectacular, forging new possibilities for the art form.

Now that festivals have become such a fixture in the summer calendar, they are becoming far more than a quick fix of too many bands and not enough toilet facilities. They can become multidisciplinary events in their own right, encouraging audiences to experience the unfamiliar and drawing the natural connections between different art forms.

14 – 17 Jul, Henham Park Estate, Southwold, Suffolk. www.latitudefestival.co.uk/

tommi kitti

zoo nation

PERFORM

The Merchant City Festival Merchant City celebrates 10 years of bringing culture to the streets Words: Gareth K Vile

The Sloans Project

Hot on the heels of The West End Festival, and staging a late challenge to the East Coast’s summer of happenings, Glasgow’s Merchant City Festival enters its tenth year. Having made a crafty alliance with Conflux, Al Seed’s home for physical theatre, this weekend boasts a line up that is both lovingly curated – Conflux has a smaller version of the Surge events that dominated last July – and celebrates the best of West Coast performance.

Twenty years ago, the Merchant City end of Glasgow was horrible: a mixture of disused buildings and forbidding bars. After the Ramshorn Theatre lifted the flag for culture, and the visual artists, spurned by GOMA under Julian Spalding, made it their home, it slowly became sophisticated enough for the City Council to gentrify the galleries. The Tron, spruced up in 2000 and now undergoing a renaissance thanks to Andy Arnold’s leadership, is only one of the venues that bring culture into the streets this July.

The Tron’s programme leads with two shows set for the Fringe: Grant Smeaton’s Whatever Happened to Benny Hill? and the shortened version of Casablanca. Elsewhere, The Ramshorn Graveyard hosts both Louna, who restage their successful telling of Grim(m) Tales and the STG. Sloan’s three floors are converted into an opera house, as composer Gareth Williams and librettist David Brock weave memories of the bar into a site-specific, interactive musical pleasure.

Although the Merchant City has become a hive of creativity – Trongate 103 is the centre of one visual art scene, and the Briggait is home to many

performance companies, including Mischief La Bas – the festival presents a series of unusual events. From NOISe Opera’s ambitious take-over of Sloans through to the various Dance House related street events, the Merchant City Festival is more than just an extension of the usual business.

The presence of Conflux is important in defining a series of “Roofless” events – effectively converting the streets into a stage, where ballet dancing motorcyclists, the salmon of knowledge and a growling tent add surrealism to the sidewalk. It is this movement away from the expected venues, to something far more inclusive, that marks out the Merchant City Festival as dynamic.

With a plethora of festivals springing up, their purpose is increasingly under scrutiny. Whether they are mere distractions from the broader political climate of unrest and injustice, or can contribute towards a spirit of co-operation and community to act against the hegemony of a corrupted political system depends greatly on the nature of the curation.

The Merchant City itself is part of the broader debate about the arts – gentrified after being part of a resistance to establishment museums, it now becomes the locus of aesthetic endeavour and a place where artists enter the establishment.

Through the Merchant City Festival, the public are invited to examine the area, and consider whether a festival can be radical or conservative.

21- 24 Jul, Tron, various other venues www.merchantcityfestival.com/ Theatre-Merchant_City_Festival

www.siobhandavies.com/rotor

Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh 12-16 July

An ensemble of performances, craft, sound installations and artworks

by Siobhan Davies and eight commissioned artists.

Free entry July 2011

THE SKINNY 23

MUSIC

Six Degrees of Separation

Back at the start of this century, regular attendees to King Tut's might well have encountered a rising outfit called Julia Thirteen. Who knew that so much of Glasgow's rich modern musical lineage could be traced back to the constituent parts of just one band? words: Chris Cusack

photo: Sarah roberts

Despite having a meagre population and more than our fair share of poverty, Scotland is undoubtedly a disproportionately productive little land. That statement is especially true where music is concerned.

Inevitably, in a country with so many successful groups emerging from such a small number of people, a lot of them are friends even before they make their breakthrough. For those bands newly embarking upon a career and the fans being introduced to the hidden gems of the Scottish underground as a result, there lies an almost lost generation of world class talent that, whilst never quite cracking the greater public consciousness, have indelibly left their mark on the bands that did and the music that has emerged since.

Back at the start of this century, regular attendees of King Tut’s might well have encountered a rising outfit called Julia Thirteen. Now, ten years on from their first demo, that Glaswegian sextet perfectly illustrate the tight-knit community of Scottish music and the way its many different branches criss-cross through genres and span the various levels of prominence on the global stage.

Though the six young guys involved in Julia Thirteen met with only moderate success in that original incarnation, they’ve since gone on to weave themselves intrinsically into the Scottish musical legacy of the early 21st century. Bands such as The Twilight Sad, Idlewild, Aereogramme and even cult heroes The Blue Nile all bear the mark of the now defunct outfit.

Julia Thirteen formed in essence on the outskirts of Glasgow in 1999 and the core members, Jonathan Sellar, Martin Doherty and Craig “Brougge” Brownlie went on to join forces with Graeme Smillie, Brendan Smith and Jonny Scott, extinct youth centre-come-venue The Firehouse in Paisley playing no small part in their union (and that of fellow seminal outfit Torqamada).

Numerous appearances at some of the the city’s most prominent venues, including Nice N Sleazy’s, Barfly (or 13th Note Club for the elderly) and the aforementioned Tut’s, ensued and support slots with a youthful Idlewild and Future Of The Left precursors Mclusky brought Julia Thirteen to the attentions of contemporaries.

The Glaswegian scene was gelled somewhat in late 2002 with the release of Adorno Records’ pivotal “Rock Mess Monsters” compilation

JULIA THIRTEEN

featuring a cross section of the vibrant scene at the time. Julia Thirteen contributed the song “Lux” and joined the likes of the still-thunderous Desalvo, enigmatic Lapsus Linguae, brittle-edged Fighting Red Adair and a certain Mr Vic Galloway’s own group Huckleberry.

In 2006 the group released their only official record, the With Tired Hearts EP, originally intended as the precursor to a full album. It was recorded in part by two gentlemen named Iain Cook and Campbell McNeil, then members of Aereogramme and, at the time, also rapidly earning a reputation for their recording and production work. Though critically lauded, the reaction to the EP was sadly not enough to prevent Julia Thirteen slowly burning out. Their intended album was completed but never saw the commercial light of day and remains available online only, the publishing rights tied up

by Sony BMG for the foreseeable future. With the members already starting out in other side-projects, by the December of 2006 momentum was lost and the band finally formally wrapped things up.

Yet, as the tone of this article might suggest, that was far from the end for the six gentlemen in question. New projects, many that went on to

THE UNWINDING HOURS

24 THE SKINNY July 2011

international acclaim, were quick to rise from the ashes. Lets see where it went from there...

Aereogramme / The Unwinding Hours Before they split in 2007, Aereogramme managed to release four acclaimed albums in just under ten years and cause something of a stir in the USA in the process. Their alternating heavy/soft dynamics were instrumentally bolstered by former front-man Martin Doherty. In 2010 founder members Iain Cook (who recorded JT’s unreleased album) and Craig B released a new album under the name The Unwinding Hours which has since seen contributions from Jonny Scott and Graeme Smillie.

Bad Dancer / Olympic Swimmers Swapping synths for drums, Jonny Scott joined Graeme Smillie and the brother/sister pairing of Simon and Susan Liddell to create this simple but hugely effective post-punk group. Bridging the gap between Blondie and Interpol, Bad Dancer briefly ran concurrently with Julia Thirteen then, in 2008, wound up the former project, added Jamie Savage (brother of Chem19 maestro Paul Savage) on guitar and rebranded themselves as Olympic Swimmers, sporting a dreamier, folkier twist on the previous pop formula.

The Blue Nile Originally formed in 1981 and enjoyed a trip to the upper echelons of the UK album charts with their ‘89 album Hats. Brendan Smith joined the cult Glaswegian alternative pop band on keyboards in 2006, albeit under the slightly unwieldy name ‘Paul Buchanan sings the songs of The Blue Nile’.

Emma Pollock Delgados and Chemikal Underground founder Pollock struck out on her own after the demise of her former band. Her debut record Watch The Fireworks was released on former Pixies label 4AD and both Graeme Smillie and Jonny Scott continue to be mainstays in her touring and recording band.

The Fruit Tree Foundation Spearheaded by Idlewild founder Rod Jones and Emma Pollock of The Delgados, this project was set up to bring attention to the issues of mental health and contribute to the fine work of The Scottish Mental Health Arts And Film Festival.

Incorporating the services of a variety of familiar faces from the contemporary scene, including James Graham (Twilight Sad), Scott Hutchison (Frightened Rabbit) and James Yorkston, last year’s album was a triumph and, in Jones’ own words, “wouldn’t have happened” without the help of the dynamic rhythm duo of JT’s Smillie and Scott.

Idlewild Four Edinburgh upstarts that have grown into national treasures since their inception in 1995, expanding to a 5 piece in the early 2000s with the addition of Allan Stewart, also of Desalvo, on second guitar. Idlewild’s tour with Pearl Jam in 2003 marked a watershed in their career as they performed to capacity arenas (and notable celebrities) across the United States. Appearances on Saturday Night Live also saw them securing live audiences in the region of 65 million. Both Jonny Scott and Graeme Smillie stepped up on separate occasions to help with live performances.

My Cousin I Bid You Farewell / Jonathan Sebastian Knight Armed with a powerful and distinctive voice, Jonathan Sellar immediately pursued his own compositions when Julia Thireen folded. First going under the moniker My Cousin I Bid You Farewell, which periodically incorporated a number of other musicians including Chris Flew (The One Who Flew), Andy McGlone (Holy Mountain) and Johnny Docherty (Take A Worm For A Walk Week). Since then he has increasingly

TAKE A WORM, CLONED TO INHABIT CAPTAIN’S REST

photo: GAVIN BAIN

idlewild

photo: SOL NICOL

W! HO uly S J UP 4th ors 1 M R Do rs WA Thu 7pm

To hear Julia Thirteen’s collated works visit www.myspace.com/juliathirteen or find them on Facebook, Soundcloud or Last FM

+ EASY TIGERS

Thurs 21st July. 7pm Doors.

Sat 30th July. 7pm Doors.

EVERY WEDNESDAY fun, funk, northern soul & chilled out lounge tunes. photo: Sarah roberts

7pm Doors. Free.

THU

RSD AYS

ONLY THE LATEST & GREATEST INDIE TUNES !!

.

7pm Doors. Free JENNY REEVE, Strike the Colours

Edinburgh’s best indie & alternative night Sat 23rd July. 10:30pm - 3am

10:30pm-3am

SATURDAY 30th JULY. photo: Sarah roberts

pursued his emotive, minimalist solo project Jonathan Sebastian Knight, supporting the likes of Sleigh Bells amongst others. Two new EPs are due for release this summer under the latter incarnation along with some thus-far unavailable MCIBYF recordings.

Sons And Daughters Following the release of their 3rd album This Gift, the Glaswegian quartet drafted in JT fourstringer Graeme Smillie when bassist Ailidh Lennon took maternity leave. Two well-received earlier records and a tour with a little-known gent called Morrissey had already gone some way to help this group secure a loyal following. Now in the tenth year of their career, their fourth album Mirror Mirror is released on 13 June on Domino Records.

Strike The Colours Fronted by violinist, guitarist and singer Jenny Reeve, who has unassumingly contributed to the work of numerous Scottish acts including The Reindeer Section and Idlewild, Strike The Colours are fundamentally completed by her long-term collaborator Davy McAulay (previously of Terra Diablo) plus Graeme Smillie and Jonny Scott of JT. Their subtle folk-infused dramatic pop has already birthed two excellent albums with a third due towards the end of 2011.

Take A Worm For A Walk Week Having settled into his new role as a drummer with frightening ease, Jonny Scott joined forces with members of former Paisley Firehouse graduates Torqamada (who had split shortly after recording in Los Angeles with Amen’s Casey Chaos). What ensued was one of the most intimidating, compelling explosions of experimental hardcore to emerge from the UK. Their recently released third album TAWFAWW is something terrifying and special.

The Twilight Sad Kilsyth’s greatest export were augmented in 2008

by JT’s Martin Doherty who performs backing vocals, keyboard and additional guitar. Signed to New York’s Fat Cat label after only their 3rd gig the group have enjoyed almost unanimous critical acclaim to date. Their third album, mooted for the end of 2011, is said to more heavily incorporate keyboard into their traditionally sprawling, shoegaze sound.

SARA LOWES

sons and daughters

THE TWILIGHT SAD

www.theelectriccircus.biz 36-39 Market Street || 0131 226 4224 Tickets: ticketweb.co.uk || 08444 77 1000 Ripping Records || Tickets Scotland facebook.com/electriccircusedinburgh twitter.com/circusedinburgh

July 2011

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Fresh Local

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* Seasonal* SINCE 1962

Edinburgh’s Legendary Vegetarian Restaurant is firmly rooted in its cultural and culinary life and goes from strength to strength as it heads for its 50th anniversary.

Find us at our Hanover Street hub or at St John’s Church on Princes Street for wholesome freshly cooked food, concerts, exhibitions and live music.

restaurant café shop takeaway Bistro st.john’s

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www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk

Do you know dance, cabaret and physical theatre?

0131 225 2131

The I Hate Children Children’s Show Magic For Teens, Tweens,and Hot Soccer Moms!

3 Weeks Editors Pick “Wonderfulness”

Writers needed

Get your tickets now!

I Hate Children.com

www.theskinny.co.uk/jobs

‘brilliant visual imagination and wit… magic’ The New York Times

Princess Bari Eun-Me Ahn Company Friday 19 – Sunday 21 August 7.30pm The Edinburgh Playhouse

Tickets from only £10 eif.co.uk/bari 0131 473 2000 Under 26? Get tickets for only £8 on the day Scintillating and highly original dance theatre.

Sponsored by

Supported by

Photo: Youngmo Choi

26 THE SKINNY JULY 2011

Scottish Charity (No SC004694)

FOOD & DRINK

Going Global Summertime is holiday time, and we’re here to help you experience a planet’s worth of cuisine without all the pesky travelling Words: Peter Simpson Illustration: Peter Marsden

One of the joys of an exotic summer holiday is experiencing new cuisines, but if you have no money or any form of responsibility it’s tough to go globe-trotting. This world tour of Scotland’s eateries shows that life’s little hassles shouldn’t stop you from trying dishes from across the world. We look at the best options from five continents, from Western Europe to the Far-East, via the West End of Glasgow and the East Neuk of Fife.

AFRICA You can’t miss Edinburgh’s Khartoum Cafe (6 Gillespie Pl), other than through frustration at the Scottish weather leading you to mistake it for the sun. This Sudanese takeaway offers more than just a blinding paint job, with falafel, wraps, baba ganoush and rock-solid coffee ensuring that your eyes won’t have all the fun. From there, it’s a short trip to Morningside and the South African outpost that is the Zulu Lounge (366 Morningside Rd). Boerewors, biltong, and muffins the size of your fist are all on the menu in a cafe that rivals a Ryanair cabin for making good use of limited space.

THE AMERICAS Brazilian barbecue joint Tropeiro does meat.

Lots of meat. At their restaurants in Aberdeen (1 Golden Sq) and Glasgow (363 Argyle St),

nattily-dressed gauchos will bring you almost any meat you can think of, from juicy steaks to chicken hearts. They’ll do so until you’re fit to burst, so exercise your usual holiday level of restraint.

Think of the USA, and you think of burgers and a culture which crushes all those who step before it. So it’s ironic that the Cambridge Bar (20 Young St, Edinburgh) has outdone the imperialist pig-dogs on the burger front, with an outrageous array of toppings and some tasty pints to go with them.

EUROPE What look at world cooking would be complete without a nod across the Channel? Edinburgh’s La Garrigue (31 Jeffrey St) flies the French flag in the capital with simple, well-executed bistro cooking, and even drew the attention of the swearing enthusiast Gordon Ramsay. If you’re suffering from culinary jet-lag, head across town to the oasis of Germanic calm that is Falko Konditormeister (185 Bruntsfield Pl). Falko blend their own coffee, and serve it up with a boozy, creamy Black Forest gateau that’s not so much a cake as a feat of engineering. Or alternatively, sack the lot, head to the coast and hit the Anstruther Fish Bar (43 Shore St, Anstruther) for some world-renowned fish and chips. Well, it is holiday time after all.

INDIA Glasgow’s reputation as a curry valhalla has become something of a cliché, but with good reason. Restaurants like the Banana Leaf (76 Old Dumbarton Rd) offer authentic, delicious Indian dishes you’ll struggle to find elsewhere, and may even struggle to identify while you’re there if The Skinny’s last visit was anything to go by. Then there are the likes of Green Chilli (1293 Argyle St), which offers dishes for just a pound every Tuesday and Wednesday, making them a good shout for those of us who are stay-cationing out of financial necessity rather than to give Mother Earth a rest.

SOUTHEAST ASIA & AUSTRALASIA Despite our mediocre climate, it is still possible to get top-notch sub-tropical food in Scotland.

In Edinburgh, the outrageously-named Kampong Ah Lee Malaysian Delight (28 Clerk St) belies its basic aesthetic to serve up cheap and delicious Malay meals that justify the title. Over in Glasgow, Asia Style (185 St George’s Rd) gives a similar experience, delicious Asian cuisine in unassuming and charismatic surroundings. For those wishing for a taste of further south, Kublai Khan (26 Candleriggs, Glasgow; 43 Assembly St, Edinburgh) serve up kangaroo amongst other unusual delights such as ostrich and zebra, making a trip an appetising alternative to a safari holiday.

Fruits of the sea # 2 Created for Ondine 30 ml Sloe plum gin 20 ml Edinburgh Gin 20 ml macerated raspberry syrup 15 ml lemon juice 2 dashes of creole bitters.

Shake all the ingredients together and double strain into a glass, serve with an oyster.

Sloe plum gin Fill a jar with slightly poached and peeled red plums.

Add two teaspoons of demerara sugar, fill the jar three quarters with Edinburgh Gin, add a splash of water and shake until the sugar has disolved.

Leave in a warm dark place for a minimum of four days (the longer you leave it the stronger the flavour). Check after a couple of days and add more sugar to taste.

Macerated raspberry syrup 12 raspberries 25ml red wine vinegar 50ml red wine 2 teaspoons of caster sugar Blend them all altogether and pass through a sieve. Done!

Ondine is a restaurant known for its outstanding seafood served simply on its own or technically constructed, with ingredients served together to complement the quality of the produce. Fruits of the sea # 2 is a cocktail which not only keeps to the style of the restaurant but also acts as the perfect complement to a great oyster.

Ondine Restaurant 2 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1AD 0131 226 1888 www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk

july 2011

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UNBOUND LATE NIGHTS AT THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTI VAL

1 4–29 AUGUST 2011

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL • UNBOUND 2011

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Welcome to Unbound 2011 Unbound is back at the Edinburgh International Book Festival for 2011, offering up another free programme of late night performance, music and literature in the Charlotte Square Spiegeltent. Programme Manager Roland Gulliver introduces the guide to this year's line-up When we created Unbound at last year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival we really didn’t know what to expect. We knew what we wanted to do. What we wanted to do was create something a little different every night in our Spiegeltent, celebrate the people doing great literary stuff around Scotland and beyond, and let some of our friends and visiting authors loose on the stage for a couple of hours to see what happened. But that did mean we had a few sleepless nights worrying that it wouldn’t work and that no one would turn up!

Across the sixteen nights last August there was a bit of everything, an artistic buffet of stories and music with some unexpected dishes served up involving trombones, table tennis and even some impromptu hairdressing! What we really didn’t expect was that it would work so well, and to see how our authors and audiences responded to what we created.

So in 2011 we are very excited about being able to bring you the next instalment of Unbound, but we are also a little scared. This is ‘difficult second album’ territory. We have created expectations, but we might have also used up everyone’s good will. Even in the twelve months that have passed the live literature scene has grown at an impressive rate – something which is inspiring for the story-obsessed amongst us, but it means the competition is already getting fierce.

Thankfully, we are very lucky to have support from the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund to make this year’s programme bigger, better, bolder and – most importantly – to keep it free. We have looked to build on what we began last year, to create a programme of nights that are a little bit different from the average Book Festival event. Again we present a dynamic programme of literature, music, comedy: all inspired by storytelling and books.

This year we have brought back some familiar

faces from 2010 for a second bite of the Unbound apple – Gutter magazine are continuing their search for stimulation; the Golden Hour will be dancing the night away; Cargo Publishing will be delivering some of Scotland’s most exciting new writing; Edinburgh’s Writers’ Bloc will be putting on a damn fine show; and Five Dials will be back, possibly with those trombones, again.

Added to these signature dishes we have a mouth-watering menu of delights – on the opening night, we have Professor in Public Understanding

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We present a dynamic programme of literature, music, comedy: all inspired by storytelling and books

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of Pyschology Richard Wiseman working his magic; on the closing night acclaimed Scottish author Des Dillon will be performing his unique brand of comedy. In between we have one of Scotland’s newest and most dynamic literary nights, Words Per Minute, a wonderful evening of words and music with two of Scotland’s finest, Robin Robertson and Alasdair Roberts, and a great night of music with the Fence Collective’s James Yorkston and friends.

If that hasn’t left you sated, we have artists and authors from America and Australia. We are delighted to serve you a special night of words and music with singer-songwriter Kristin Hersh and the iconic Paris Review will host an evening of new American writing. Ringside seats will be available for the latest round of the cultural phenomenon Literary Death Match, and we welcome to the Spiegeltent one of Australia’s finest independent publishers, Sleepers.

Unbound is all about new ideas but two events celebrate the influence and inspiration of the past. Artist Matt Hulse has found inspiration in the life of James Duthie, Dummy Jim, to create a remarkable project of stories, music, film and puppets, amongst other things. And 2010 saw the death of Paul Reekie, one of Edinburgh’s unsung but iconic literary heroes who alongside Irvine Welsh and others defined the new wave of Scottish writing in the 1990s. Love’s Rebellious Joy will bring back friends, writers and musicians to celebrate his life and work.

Edinburgh in August is a unique place and in amongst all the usual Festival madness, we have created another special spot in our Spiegeltent with Unbound. There is nothing better than at the end of each day bringing together friends and new faces to celebrate all that is brilliant about the written word – what better excuse to let the Book Festival fun last just that little bit longer into the night.

Introduction to Edin b urg h International B ook Festival This summer between 13-29 August, poets, politicians, scientists, actors, economists, musicians, historians, journalists and the world’s best novelists will swarm Charlotte Square Gardens in the heart of Edinburgh, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, to participate in the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

A firm fixture in the August calendar since 1983, this year’s Book Festival will present Edinburgh favourites such as Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. Other highlights of this year’s programme include former head of MI5 turned crime writer Stella Rimington, Pamela Stephenson-Connolly discussing sex, Richard Aldrich discussing the history of GCHQ, Heather Brooke on Wikileaks and Caitlin Moran wondering just what should you call your vagina?

World class novelists this year include the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Jennifer Egan,

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author of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Festival Guest Selector Audrey Niffenegger discussing her latest book The Night Bookmobile, Gao Xingjian – the first Chinese writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature – and the launch of Michael Ondaatje’s new novel The Cat’s Table.

As the largest festival of its kind, the Book Festival has become a platform for a debate of the world in words. Under the broad theme of Revolution a whole host of topics will feature in this year’s talks at the Festival including unrest in the Middle East, human rights in China, the future of culture and books, right through to the debate on Scotland and the end of the Union.

Alongside the Adult Programme there is also the comprehensive RBS Children’s Programme featuring readings, talks, workshops and activities for all ages from toddler to teenager. Featuring the newly appointed Children’s Laureate and Festival

THE SKINNY EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL • UNBOUND 2011

Guest Selector Julia Donaldson, this year’s series of events focuses on re-imagining and reflecting classic tales. Firm Festival favourites appearing this August include Jacqueline Wilson, Darren Shan, Neil Gaiman and the Festival’s Illustrator in Residence for 2011 Nick Sharratt.

With a history of bringing authors to Edinburgh long before they achieve international acclaim and with the establishment of the Newton First Book Award, the Book Festival is a perfect opportunity to catch debut authors before they become the Man Booker, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning authors of tomorrow.

Full details of the programme can be found online at www.edbookfest.co.uk, and tickets can be bought on the website or by calling the Box Office on 0845 373 5888 www.edbookfest.co.uk

DESIGN: LEWIS MACDONALD EDITOR: ROSAMUND WEST ILLUSTRATIONS: DAVID LEMM

The Paris Review, Interviewed Interview: Keir Hind The Paris Review is perhaps the best of all literary journals, and almost certainly the most reader-friendly (yes Granta, that includes you) due to its emphasis on great creative, rather than analytical, writing. It was founded in Paris (of course) in 1953, but made a permanent move to New York twenty years later. From its founding until 2003, it was edited by the now near-legendary George Plimpton, and the roster of writers who have debuted work in its pages is second to none. This roster includes everyone from writers like Jonathan Franzen, Rick Moody and Jeffrey Eugenides to older figures like Jack Kerouac, V.S Naipaul and Philip Roth (and it’s these last three who are pictured here).

The magazine is also well known for having interviewed, in depth, a vast number of the most important writers around about their work and working methods. Starting with E. M. Forster, the Writers at Work series has managed to examine the creative processes of a huge number of literary titans from Hemingway to Auden through Updike and Mailer to Waugh, Vonnegut and… well, you get the idea. A selection of these pieces was published in four volumes by Canongate, to some acclaim, as The Paris Review Interviews.

George Plimpton sadly died in 2003, which subsequently, and naturally, led to some fears for the future of the magazine. However the Review lives on, a testament to its staff’s continuing efforts to find and publish great writing. Plimpton’s initial successor as editor was the journalist and author Philip Gourevitch, who held the position for five years until he left to concentrate on his own writing. Gourevitch was succeeded in 2010 by the current editor, Lorin Stein. Mr Stein was kind enough to answer my questions about The Paris Review as it is today, as a means of previewing the Review’s event at Unbound. (It should be noted as an aside that the style and layout of this article are patterned after Writers At Work, as The Skinny’s humble attempt at homage).

INTERVIEWER

The Paris Review has developed considerably in the last few years, particularly in its online presence (for which this reader, for one, thanks you for). Can you tell us a little about how you have gone about developing the magazine?

INTERVIEWER Are any further developments planned?

STEIN This week we’re launching a digital edition of The Paris Review. It’s just like the paper, but you can read it on your iPad or iPhone. It’s cheaper than the paper edition – especially for foreign subscribers – and it’s instant. You can buy it off our Web site.

INTERVIEWER Is it a daunting task to keep the standard of the writing up, or does the reputation of The Paris Review actually attract a high standard of submissions? My suspicion is that both are probably true.

STEIN You hit the nail on the head. We get excellent stuff, and we have a terrible time deciding what to publish. The trouble isn’t finding good fiction or poetry as such – the trouble is finding work that really demands our attention. That worries us and keeps us up at night.

INTERVIEWER I’m sure there will be people reading our piece, either in print or online, who’d like to submit work to the Review. What advice would you give them?

STEIN To use the paper post. It may take us a while to write back, but the submission is much less likely to go missing. More generally, I would urge them to read a few of our most recent issues. I think they may give some idea of what it is we’re looking for.

(Though I’d have no idea how to express it in words.)

INTERVIEWER Is there a decision process behind selecting writers to interview for the Writers at Work series, or are there enough potential and desirable candidates to interview that it’s almost decided for you?

LORIN STEIN STEIN Gentle reader, you are very kind!

We relaunched the Review and the Web site at the same time last September. Our main idea, for the Review, was to go back to the original mission: to discover and champion the most inventive fiction and poetry and essays. We think this is what the Review does best – what it’s for. We want it to be a laboratory for new writing and, through the interviews, an argument for the writers who matter most to us.

On the Web site, we started a blog – The Paris Review Daily – devoted to first-person writing about culture and the arts. The Daily serves a few purposes. It keeps us in touch with our subscribers – and, we hope, wins us new ones. It lets us talk about what we’re reading, watching, listening to.

It lets us publish writers who intrigue us but, for whatever reason, don’t fit into the quarterly. It also gives quite a different picture of 2.0 culture than you’ll find most places on the Web. I think that may be one reason that the Daily is so popular (popular, that is, for a gossip-free, insult-free arts gazette).

We get more than 20,000 unique readers each week, which is more than I, for one, expected.

There’s no special process. As often as not, someone on staff yells out, “Do you realize Soand-So has never been interviewed?” Then we find someone to interview So-and-So. In general, we interview writers who are very famous (at least among other writers) and who are favourites of the staff.

INTERVIEWER I may be wrong, and correct me if I am, but I don’t think you’ve ever interviewed a Scottish writer. Is there any chance that this could change in future?

STEIN Good Lord, you’re right. I felt sure we had interviewed Sorley Maclean – no soap. No Muriel Spark either. I have no idea why not – but it is, as we say in New York, a shanda. [Our note: ‘Shanda’ is a Yiddish word, meaning shame or scandal. The equivalent Scottish phrase would probably be ‘that’s a sin, so it is’].

INTERVIEWER Nearly all of the Writers at Work features have been made accessible online. Can you tell us why this is? (And again, this reader thanks you greatly).

STEIN You are very welcome! The interviews were just sitting there in libraries, not doing anyone much good. Which seemed a pity, since there’s nothing else like them – in many cases, The Paris Review’s interview is the most revealing interview ever given. We wanted them to be a public resource. And of course we wanted to remind the world how good they are – they are their own advertisement.

STEIN The writers will be Jennifer Egan, who just won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel A Visit From The Goon Squad, the deadpan and extremely wry Donald Antrim, whose short stories in The New Yorker are always the first thing I read, and John Jeremiah Sullivan, who just won The Paris Review its first National Magazine Award for the best essay of the year. John is our Southern Editor – a position created very much with him in mind. He happens also to be a star reporter at the New York Times Magazine.

The four of us haven’t really discussed format.

No doubt there will be brief readings. Maybe some questions and answers. In all events, I am assured there will be a tent.

INTERVIEWER What sort of format will the event follow, and can you tell us a little about the writers who will feature?

There will, indeed, be a tent. The Paris Review’s FREE event will be in the Spiegeltent, from 9pm, on 17 Aug. Get there really early to even have a chance at a seat!

The Paris Review’s lovely website is at: www.theparisreview.org/

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL • UNBOUND 2011

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LISTINGS Unbound events happen every night from 14 to 29 August in the Spiegeltent in Charlotte Square Gardens as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. All events listed below are FREE and unticketed. To get in, simply turn up and walk in. All events start at 9pm so arrive early to get a seat and the bar will be open until 1am. The Unbound section of the Book Festival is kindly supported by the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund

Experimenting with Richard Wiseman

Sunday 14 August Psychologist and best-selling author of Paranormality: Why We See What Isn’t There, Richard Wiseman invites you to take part in a series of increasingly weird and wonderful psychic experiments. Are you able to read another person’s thoughts? Predict the future? Bend metal with the power of your mind? Sceptics and believers are invited to come along and have a fun time exploring the more mysterious side of the human psyche.

Turn to p6 for an interview with the man himself.

McHigh – a Gutter evening of stimulant based writing

Let’s Get Ready To...Um,Read!

Literary Death Match is a concept that combines literature with a gameshow element and somehow manages to make the end result something other than appalling – in fact, it makes it very appealing indeed. Starting in 2006 and originally based in New York, the event quickly spread to cities all over the world, typically using local talent.

The engaging host of Literary Death Match is Todd Zuniga, who tells me that audiences can differ from city to city. “In Chicago, there tends to be a bigger focus on comedy writing, and there’s an expectation by the audience for things to skew funny,” he says. “In San Francisco, they love a cocktail of humour and salaciousness, but their interest in poetry is way slimmer than, say, London, where the raucous crowds get way quiet when someone takes the chance to read a serious piece of fiction. Same in Edinburgh, actually, which is why I’m so eager to return.”

The format is that four writers are pitted against each other, with their readings judged by a panel of three people, one on literary merit, one on performance, and one on ‘intangibles’, which is that x-facto… erm, let’s say ‘that certain something’ that makes a performance outstanding. The name ‘Literary Death Match’ could make the event seem like a stunt though. “Well, on the surface,” Todd says “we do an event with a big, scary title, that pits writers against one another. But the truth is (SPOILER ALERT!): that’s not what it is, at all. At its heart, it’s about as big, and noisy a celebration of literature as there is. We’re keen to trick people outside literary circles to come see a reading (and, ultimately, to read), and the entire show is designed to keep people’s smartphones in their pockets. And the best bit: it’s absolutely different every single time.”

That it is. There is one that particularly stands out for him though. “At our 100th-ever show, David Corbett starts off his story about how he was teaching inmates a writing course and had to read something to introduce himself, and he knew that if he read something false, they’d sniff him out and distrust him. Then he takes a breath, starts his story by raising a fist and shouts out, ‘Who the f*** do I have to kill to get my wife out of pain!?’ I do a lot of these (Edinburgh’s event will be our 160th overall) and no story has ever stopped me cold. I usually have to worry about making sure everything’s going well, but here I was hearing this guy belt out a true story about his wife dying of cancer, and I just mouthed, ‘Wow.’ I was nearly in tears! It was incredible.” [Ryan Agee] Genius judging: http://tinyurl.com/5skqe8s ; An example of a fantastic reading: http://tinyurl.com/6gdryzg ; And children’s author Bob Shea stealing the show: http://tinyurl.com/5s58wmt

Writers’ B loc profile

The Scottish literary establishment may not be particularly fond of the country’s deep-rooted fascination with the fantastical and strange, or indeed its numerous successes now in the worlds of science fiction and fantasy, but the “comrades” making up Writers’ Bloc – the Edinburgh-based ‘spoken word performance collective’ – have now been championing the Odd, the Weird and the Uncanny for almost a decade. In fact, this autumn will see the group reach its 10th birthday, with many of the original members still present – albeit slightly greyer!

If you’re looking for some thought-provoking, amusing, even chilling tales, then you’re in safe hands with Writers’ Bloc. A refreshing mix of experienced and new voices – many with work published professionally in the UK, US and elsewhere (and that’s not even including the group’s critically-acclaimed, selfpublished chapbooks) – are guaranteed to keep you entertained with their tales of the weird and wonderful that (should you be at all worried) usually have their foundations in solid ground; in their stories, often the harshest of realities are subtly entwined with even scarier supernatural phenomena!

Although the evening’s line-up is yet to be confirmed, the collective’s slogan – “Better read than dead” – perfectly describes Writers’ Bloc’s intelligence, wit and political awareness; once again, this will be an exciting opportunity for a wider audience to discover a unique feature in Edinburgh’s literary and spoken word scene. [Paul F Cockburn] www.writers-bloc.org.uk

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THE SKINNY EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL • UNBOUND 2011

Monday 15 August Published by Freight, the Glasgow based literary magazine Gutter continues to champion new Scottish writing with unnerving energy and ambition! After last year’s night of Scottish erotic writing, McSex, our friends at Gutter are searching again for further literary intoxication and stimulation. McHigh will stagger and lurch its way around the bars and boozers, dens and galleries of the literary landscape. Amongst those messing with your minds will be Alan Bissett, author of Death of a Ladies Man and the forthcoming Pack Men, as well as the remarkable American writer and paediatrician, Chris Adrian, author of The Children’s Hospital and The Great Night.

Kristin Hersh

Tuesday 16 August A very special and intimate evening of words and music with Kristin Hersh. The American singer-songwriter, founded (aged 14!) the iconic alt-rock band, Throwing Muses. Since then she has continued to record and perform both through her second band, the punk-tinged 50 Foot Wave, and as a solo artist. Her memoir, Paradoxical Undressing, is startling, poignant and funny, capturing the highs and lows of one singularly eventful year in the life of an intensely creative teenager with a budding musical career, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a baby on the way.

The Paris Review Presents New American Writing

Wednesday 17 August A pioneer of new literature from 1953, The Paris Review has introduced many important writers to the readers of today – writing by Philip Roth, V.S. Naipaul and Jack Kerouac can be found on the pages of many of the earliest editions. Editor Lorin Stein discusses the history and success of the magazine with three of the most exciting, innovative American writers at work today: Pulitzer Prize winning author of A Visit from the Goon Squad Jennifer Egan, essayist and staff writer for The New York Times Magazine John Jeremiah Sullivan as well as Donald Antrim, regular contributor to The New Yorker and author of The Verificationist.

Turn to p3 for an interview with the editor Lorin Stein.

The Golden Hour

Thursday 18 August The Golden Hour is many things. Part reading, part gig, part party, part disaster. This free monthly event, originating from Edinburgh’s Forest Café, has travelled the Highlands, England and Europe playing to sold out crowds in sweaty venues from Berlin to Applecross. And now this literary cavalcade returns to Unbound’s infamous Spiegeltent with a killer line-up of rakish words and eclectic music all in a beautiful space. This year’s epic features Joe Dunthorne author of the indie-hit Submarine, the American cult-hero Kelly Link and Scotland’s most charismatic roofing poet – William Letford. But wait – there’s more! Music from the acoustic punk Billy Liar, hip-hop from Mikel Krumins (former front-man of the legendary Abdominal Showmen) plus the show-stopping, barn-burning Earl Grey and the Loose Leaves. Rest up.

DUMMY JIM: A Monumental Effort

Friday 19 August In May 1951 a profoundly deaf man called James Duthie (fondly known as Dummy Jim) set off on his bike from Cairnbulg, rural Aberdeenshire, and cycled all the way to the Arctic Circle: a three month, three thousand mile long journey managed on a budget of just £12. Duthie’s little-known journal I Cycled in the Artic Circle came to the attention of artist filmmaker Matt Hulse in 2000 and with help from a growing band of supporters has since inspired an awardwinning website, a soundtrack album, live concerts, a feature film, tea towels, bespoke preserves and an artist’s book project – a work-in-progress, to be explored at Unbound.

With Duthie’s unique journal placed firmly at its heart, this promises to be a rich evening of live music, film, readings, interactive instruments, puppetry and elaborate knitwear, hosted by Matt Hulse and ‘Dummy Jim’ actor Samuel Dore, including performances from The One Ensemble and Sarah Kenchington. This event will be BSL interpreted.

The Sleepers Shebang

Saturday 20 August Independent Melbourne-based publishing house Sleepers is renowned for promoting the best of new Australian writing through, amongst other things, their wonderful annual anthology, the Sleepers Almanac and their Sleeper Salon nights.

Co-founder and editor, Louise Swinn is joined by an antipodean cast including Kalinda Ashton and Steven Amsterdam to celebrate their love of words, music and film. With trivia, games and giveaways!

You can read an interview with Louise Swinn on p6

Alasdair Roberts & Robin Robertson

Sunday 21 August Prize-winning London-based poet Robin Robertson and acclaimed Glasgow-based folk artist Alasdair Roberts present work-in-progress from their collaborative song cycle about St Kilda.

Having enjoyed the process of working together on The Leaving for the 2007 Ballads of the Book album, the poet and the musician have decided to take on a bigger project. This is a rare opportunity to hear some of these songs for the very first time and to enjoy solo performances of their own work with accompaniment from Rafe Fitzpatrick on fiddle and Stevie Jones on bass.

Literary Death Match

Monday 22 August Achieving cult status around the world from Beijing to San Francisco, and landing a literary punch here in Charlotte Square for one night only! The Literary Death Match sends four writers against one another with only words as their weapon, all in the hunt to win the LDM crown.

These writers will have to dazzle a panel of all-star judges and most importantly, you, the audience, with their most exciting, insightful, funny, moving writing. The top two go on to the evening’s finale, a death-defying battle of literary ridiculousness…

There can be only one winner! Join host, referee, and Literary Death Match founder, Todd Zuniga.

ELECTRIC LIT ORCHESTRA

Tuesday 23 August Why should the story stop when the band comes on? This local ‘spoken word performance collective’ are modern day champions of the often overlooked Scottish literary tradition – the fantastique. Edinburgh collective Writers’ Bloc presents an evening of new fiction about, and set to, music. Expect hidden nightclubs and soul trades, celestial harmonies and ram raids.

LISTINGS Cargo Special Delivery

Wednesday 24 August Glasgow’s Cargo Publishing are back at Unbound with a Special Delivery. New writing, music and special guests are all in the parcel.

Anneliese Mackintosh delivers the funny and sparky writing that made her a favourite on Radio 4; Allan Wilson is shipping in with his brilliant new book Wasted in Love; Tracey S. Rosenberg posts up with her acclaimed historical fiction with The Girl In The Bunker. Rahul Bhattacharya is the special guest, in via air mail, to chat diamond hunting, cricket and India while Aidan Moffat is dropping in to play some music. And a very special guest as yet to be announced will be pushing the envelope. Postman and Cargo MD will be hosting and trying to avoid any more mail based puns.

Five Dials

Thursday 25 August A new way of reading and sharing literature, Five Dials is an online, PDF formatted, downloadable and easily shared literary magazine. Produced by London publisher Hamish Hamilton and often featuring world class authors on its pages, the publication’s evening promises readings from some very special guests.

The latest edition of the magazine, The Parenting Issue is available for download at www.fivedials. com/fivedials. Hosted by editor Craig Taylor, the evening will be a mixture of readings and music – we’re wondering how they will beat last year when we had trombones, a man reading with a box on his head and that unique Five Dials song!

Words Per Minute

Friday 26 August Occurring every second Sunday of every month under the Arches; Sunday afternoon in Glasgow becomes Friday night in Edinburgh, with Words Per Minute and their fabulous concoction of spoken word, music, film and theatre. Join your hosts, Kirstin Innes, Kirsty Logan and Helen Sedgwick for an evening of special treats where all performers get 10 minutes to impress the audience – no matter how famous they are. Expect some familiar faces at WPM at Unbound including novelist, playwright and dazzling performer, Alan Bissett and American author Adam Levin.

Love’s Rebellious Joy: A Party For Paul Reekie

Sunday 28 August When Paul Reekie died in 2010, it robbed Scotland of its most maverick man of letters. Now friends and fellow travellers get together for a very special speakeasy shindig to celebrate the life and work of the poet, scholar and man of letters.

Compered by actor Tam Dean Burn and with former Boots For Dancing vocalist Dave Carson manning the decks, the night will feature readings by veterans of Children of Albion Rovers, the book that captured the spirit of Kevin Williamson’s 1990s lit-zine Rebel Inc, and redefined Scottish literature forever with the publication of amongst others, Reekie’s novella, Submission. Irvine Welsh, Gordon Legge and Laura Hird, plus Rebel Inc editor Kevin Williamson will appear in a night of music and words that will also feature a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between post-punk existential crooner Vic Godard of the Subway Sect and Edinburgh’s own strung-out guitar thieves led by former Fire Engine Davy Henderson, The Sexual Objects, with Pop Group guitarist Gareth Sagar guest-starring.

Turn to p8 to read some words from those involved.

Des Dillon

Monday 29 August Des Dillon is a poet, short story writer, novelist and dramatist writing for radio, stage, television and film. Well known for his novel Me and Ma Gal, which was chosen by a poll of readers for World Book Day 2003 as ‘summing up the zeitgeist’ of Scotland, his latest novel is An Experiment in Compassion. Des has achieved remarkable success with the adaptation of his novels for theatre, including Six Black Candles which has toured internationally, and Singin’ I’m no a Billy, He’s a Tim, which is probably the most performed play in Scotland of the last five years.

His relationship between the written word and the stage has developed further through his acclaimed stand up comedy show. He brings all this together for a special show for us. The perfect way to finish our Unbound programme.

You can read an interview with Des Dillon on p7.

James Yorkston with The Pictish Trail and Lisa O’Neil

Saturday 27 August James Yorkston will be appearing in the Book Festival’s main programme talking about his brilliant behind-the-scenes account of a musician’s life, It’s Lovely To Be Here: The Touring Diaries Of A Scottish Gent, but tonight, we are delighted that he will revert to the day job playing music in the Speigeltent. And what’s more he has invited some friends along too! James will be joined by his fellow Fence Collective artist, The Pictish Trail and a special guest from Dublin, Lisa O’Neill.

It’s Lovely to b e at Unbound

THE BEST Cargo

“Pleased to be back at Unbound this year,” says Mark Buckland, head of Cargo Publishing. “Further pleased that I don’t have to do any interviews this year that involve picking World Cup winners, guessing ISBN numbers or writing as bad a story as possible. As The Skinny’s Keir Hind had me and Rodge Glass do last year.”

You can’t prove anything, Mark. Anyway, please continue: “What’s Unbound about? Last year, we were watching McSweeney’s Eli Horowitz shaving his head and playing ping pong on stage and thinking ‘Man, we’ve got to top this tomorrow night.’” Daunted then Mark? “It’s an amazing series of events; it’s the best fun I’ve had doing live shows. With our Special Delivery show, we’ve got music, new writing, special guests and a really special headline act.” Who remains a surprise at this time... “We’re going to hang out and just have a good time. And with compering, I’m just going to keep it moving. No jokes, I promise. I’m just not funny.

So if you’ve got any jokes bring them along. And we’ll play some games.” What’ll it all be like? “It’ll be like having the best night in ever, if your house is a giant circus tent and your mates were the best musicians and writers in the country.” Fair enough. [Keir Hind] www. cargopublishing.com

SPEND TIME WITH Words Per Minute

In little more than a year, Words Per Minute has become a favourite fixture on Glasgow’s literary scene. WPM offers a smorgasbord of new and established talent, with the emphasis on accessibility and quality. Each of the hand-picked writers and artists takes the stage for a ten-minute burst of creativity, using words, film, live music or performances that are just too individual to categorise.

Kirstin Innes, one of the organisers of WPM, says the aim of the event has always been to present something more than a literary event. “When we set up in early 2010, we aimed to put on a completely curated show which, while primarily featuring writers, would also work to showcase all kinds of creative talent in Glasgow.”

The genius of WPM lies in attracting audiences to artists they know while introducing them to performers they don’t. “A musician like Adam Stafford brings a bit of a reputation and a local audience with him,” says Innes. “But it’s not necessarily an audience who might have heard of Sophie Cooke’s novels or Emily Ballou’s poems. Likewise, the literary audience pulled in by those names might then go on to discover Adam’s music while there.”

No less important is the social side of WPM. A DJ set usually brings the performance strand to a close, but everyone is encouraged to stay on for a chat with the artists and the organisers.

And now, WPM is bound for Unbound, and will be showcasing Scottish and international talent. Among the performances already lined up are Martin O’Connor with his gloriously Govan monologues, poetry and percussion from the weirdly wonderful Zorras and the always popular Alan Bissett. Then there’s Adam Levin, whose 1000 page novel The Instructions has led to comparisons with Philip Roth and David Foster Wallace.

Innes also promises some surprises: “We’re currently negotiating for one, possibly two pretty major Scottish bands to do a couple of songs and, in a total first for us, we’re also talking about a dance piece by a well-known artist.”

Famous or not, everyone still gets ten minutes. [James Carson] www.wordperminute.org.uk

Fans of singer-songwriter James Yorkston won’t have been too surprised to hear that the Fife dweller and sometime Fence Collective dabbler had become a bona fide author earlier this year. Yorkston’s lyrical style tends to be in the storytelling mould anyway, his best-known track Woozy With Cider being a spoken word, dreamy reflective piece on the awkward social situations of a struggling musician and the use of alcohol therein. It’s Lovely To Be Here, the book in question, picks up this baton, detailing with wit and charm the “thick set, baldy Scot’s” troubadour adventures across the globe. And with his upcoming stint at Unbound, Yorkston is set to combine his two worlds of writing and performance, although he claims he’ll be laying off the whisky this time.

“It’s different than when you’re on stage doing your own music that you know really well,” he begins of some recent book shows. “When you’re doing a Q&A it’s slightly trickier to answer things honestly with a drink in you because you can easily go off on a rant and end up looking like an absolute twonk you know?” Well, we’ve all been there to some extent, though Yorkston feels safe in the hands of his Book Festival question master, fellow Scottish author Ian Rankin. “I’ve met him once or twice and he seems like a really nice guy. I don’t think he’s going to try and make me cry or anything.”

In terms of the actual writing process, Yorkston champions the ever-favourite insomnia route for literary success. “I was pretty tired a lot of the time as I’d just had my first child,” he reveals. “I wasn’t getting any sleep but I found I could write a lot at these times, even though I was completely banjaxed!” Yet even when the bulk of writing had been done, there wasn’t much more time for catching a little shut eye it seems. “When the test-pressings came through I was like ‘help ma boab!’. It was just full of mistakes. I had a merry old time re-reading the thing about fourteen times.”

All of which has been worthwhile, with the finished article being a rare read that, if you haven’t guessed from Yorkston’s parlance so far, is imbued with dry Scottish, self-deprecating humour. “It does tend to go down well with Scots,” admits Yorkston in anticipation of his Unbound appearance. “It’s nice when people really get the language and the humour that I use in the book, so yeah, I’m looking forward to it.” Jings, so are we James. [Darren Carle] James Yorkston with Ian Rankin on 27 aug at 4pm in the Peppers Theatre supported by The Skinny

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The Ways of Wiseman Richard Wiseman is Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at University of Hertfordshire. But before that, he was a professional magician. He describes this transition as “pretty straightforward” Interview: Keir Hind Richard Wiseman continues, “Going out night after night and fooling people, and watching their reactions, and how they change when you do things a little differently, gets you interested in how that works.”

Even though he is now a professional psychologist, Wiseman now also performs a rather special psychological magic act. You’re advised to prepare for the unexpected – but how does one do that?

Easy. There are several ways to experience Richard Wiseman in advance. Here are some of them: 1: Audio Professor Wiseman is a prolific guest on podcasts and radio shows, many of which can be found on iTunes, including his own Afternoon Tea podcast.

Though Wiseman is the interviewer there, when he’s interviewed he’s usually very articulate about the nature of trickery. Still, he says, “There are tricks you can do on the radio, and some auditory illusions, but magic does work best as a visual phenomenon.” The audio experience will let you know a little about Professor Wiseman, but won’t exactly describe his act. Which brings us on to: 2: Print Wiseman has written several books on trickery, all of which are highly acclaimed. “All my stuff is science based and backed up by research”, he tells me, “so it’s usually a very, very positive reaction. It is lovely to know that people appreciate the books.”

Reading these might help ground you in magical or psychological theory… but no matter how adept at this you become, Wiseman says, “You can be fooled. Most magic doesn’t fool me, because when you know how most tricks are done you don’t fall for them, but you can still be fooled.” In fact, the more adept you are, the more Wiseman will relish fooling you, because “it’s a lot more fun if you can fool the experts.” But where can you experts actually get some sort of preview of his tricks?

3: The Edinburgh Secret Society Ah, we can’t talk about this one; it’s a secret. (But – whisper it – there’s nothing stopping you looking it up online…) These events, which nobody officially knows about (don’t tell anyone) somehow always sell out. “People obviously got interested in psychological magic because of Derren Brown,” Wiseman explains,

“who’s very talented and interesting. I think people were ready for something new rather than a routine based on just magic and jokes, so it was the new thing.” This particular thing, though, is one we’ve said too much about. Look instead at: 4: Visuals Now this really will whet your appetites. “They are just things I made for fun,” says Wiseman modestly of his online videos, but his amazing illusions have captured a phenomenal level of interest. “It’s lovely to know that people out there are interested in these things to the point that they’ve got good viewing figures, even compared to popular TV programmes.” You read that right – his online videos have had several millions of viewers, and counting.

This has bled over to print too. “With the new book, Paranormality, we’ve put in these tags so if you’ve got an iPhone then you can scan them and view clips. It can be hard to describe an effect, so technology has really helped with that.” It’s a great primer. But really, if you want the proper experience, the best option is: 5: Unbound Oh yes. At the event, “I’ll be doing experiments with the crowd, like testing whether people are psychic. There’ll be audience participation, and spoon bending, and it’ll all hopefully be good fun.” Wiseman says. He describes his set-up as simply “Me and a microphone. It’ll be doing experiments, and with a bit of equipment for that, but I’m a big fan of stripped down events where you don’t hide behind lots of equipment, so not too much.” If you’re a fan of psychological magic, or even psychology itself, you’d best get to this event. Professor Wiseman is keen to point out though, that “Things can go wrong, and frequently do, but because it’s a little risky, that’s what makes it interesting.” Intrigued yet?

You can see for yourself what Richard Wiseman’s act is like, when he kicks off Unbound with his FREE event in the Spiegeltent, from 9pm, on 14 Aug Richard will also be appearing in can you tell what's on my mind? on thu 18 aug in the book festival adult programme, as well as debating the future of faith with richard holloway and gregor claeys, chaired by joan bakewell on tue 23 aug. tickets £10 (£8) from edbookfest.co.uk www.richardwiseman.com/

Word Wi zards From Oz Sleepers Publishing are coming all the way from Australia to put on an Unbound event.

Founder member Louise Swinn gives us a sneak preview of what’s going to be going on Interview: David Agnew Sleepers is an independent Australian publishing house formed in 2003, who have gained a reputation for quality writing, and quality events, specifically their Sleepers Salon nights. Coming to the other side of the world to do a show is surely a daunting task, but founder member Louise Swinn tells me she has “No experience whatsoever,” of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, “or of Edinburgh at all! It’s just like in the new film Burke and Hare, isn’t it? I expect my experience to be like that of the Simon Pegg character.” Without that awkward business with the corpses and the murdering, one would hope, with that kind of thing being frowned upon at most book festivals.

Anyway, what is Sleepers about? It’s about publishing good writing, obviously, but it’s also about encouraging collaboration. There’s an intriguing, and

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rather admirable, passage on their website stating one of their aims as being to ‘create an interweaving network in which writers can collaborate with artists from other disciplines to redefine the accepted notions of literature.’ I ask Louise to elaborate on this, and she tells me “Writers love to collaborate, because writing is otherwise such a solitary endeavour, so we try to encourage all kinds of artists to mingle at our Salons, and poets and illustrators and short story writers all appear together in our annual anthology, the Sleepers Almanac.” Obviously, to find out more in depth about that publication, you’ll have to come to the event, but Louise stresses that getting writers and other artists to collaborate is a key part of Sleepers’ ethos: “It’s something we’d like more of – collaboration can produce such surprising results, and it can be fascinating seeing the world

THE SKINNY EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL • UNBOUND 2011

through a different artist’s viewpoint.”

Bearing all this in mind, what kind of event will Sleepers Publishing put on? “The night is going to be a shebang of authors and their influences, be they musical, literary or culinary.” There will also be “Some trivia; perhaps some audience participation if you’re lucky (or unlucky); and there’s the hope that we get some dirt on authors Kalinda Ashton, Steven Amsterdam and hopefully some more of the Australian crew.” Ashton and Amsterdam are the authors of the much acclaimed novels The Danger Game, and Things We Didn’t See Coming respectively. The rest of the Australian crew are yet to be confirmed – it’s almost as if it’s hard to organise a trip to the other side of the world.

Louise Swinn, though, isn’t worried, far from it.

“Australians love to travel,” she tells me. “If you offer

us a free drink and all we have to do is fly for a couple of days to get it, that’s an offer we can’t refuse.” A fine, positive, national attitude. Apart from the drinking though, what risk is there of disappointment in journeying so far? Louise is, again, positive: “I guess it would depend what my expectations are, and I like to keep them low. If there’s a hovel I can kip in, some watery porridge once a day, and a room full of readers and writers to make passes at – well, isn’t that about all we ever need?” Good point. It’s probably fair to say Australian writing isn’t something most Unbound attendees will be overly familiar with, but that’s more to do with lack of availability than reticence. It looks like a safe bet to say that for anyone who’s interested in writing from down under, or just good writing or a good night out, will find Sleepers’ event on Saturday 20 August a great place to be.

Dillon Goes Eclectic Novels, Poetry, Theatre, Television, Screenplays... what else can Des Dillon do? Stand-up comedy, that’s what!

Interview: Keir Hind Des Dillon is probably best known as the author of several acclaimed novels, starting with Me and Ma Gal back in 1995. But, not content with simply writing novels, Dillon has also turned his hand to poetry, plays, screenplays, short story collections, and most recently stand-up comedy. “I’m the only Catholic in Scotland with the Protestant work ethic, know what I mean?” is one of his comments about his output. I say ‘one of’ because Dillon tends to produce lengthy, well structured and well argued comments on any question put to him. He’s a dream to interview, but a nightmare to edit down – because I don’t want to lose any of it.

However, there are a couple of problems with writing down his comments. Swearing features regularly, but I’m told we can’t print that, so I’ve replaced the swear words in an obvious way where it’ll be clear what the originals are. Dillon’s thick Glaswegian accent is fantastic, but I’ve (mostly) resisted writing down his words in such a way as to reflect that accent – because he’s that good at writing dialect himself that my imitation of him would be a pale one. Also, though some find reading accurately rendered Glaswegian accents hard, Glaswegians, myself included, never have trouble reading ‘conventional’ prose out in their own accents – that’s how to read this piece, if you’re able. So, consider this fair warning: if you’re offended by swearing, don’t come to this gig, and you probably shouldn’t read on either. If you’re offended by Glaswegian accents, don’t come to this gig, but you probably should seek help.

So what’s a Dillon gig like? “Will I tell you how I start my act?” he asks me: “See where I come from in Coatbridge, ‘runt’ means person, one runt, two runts, three runts, four runts, five runts, skinny runt, fat runt, us runts, youse runts, I was 35 before I even knew what it meant, I was flipping pissed off man, I was saying ‘What? What? I’ve been saying that to my maw for flipping 30 odd years, maw there’s two runts at the door, she’s like, ‘bring the runts in… aw it’s youse two runts!” If there’s any walkouts, that’s when they walk out! That’s how I start my act.” FYI: he doesn’t really say runts and he doesn’t really say flipping. You see what I mean about the swearing, but get past that, please get past that – because Dillon goes on from this amusing, and necessary, start to make a point about how one person’s use of language can be used by others to enforce cultural differences. I’m not ruining that point by putting it down here – go to the show!

All this concern about the audience is not without foundation. Dillon had sworn off Edinburgh recently. “The Book Festival audience just wasn’t my audience,” he says. “They asked me to go this year, and I said, ‘That’s just not my audience’ so they said ‘Well, we’ve got this Unbound thing, so you can do your stand up comedy’ so that’s what I’m going to be doing.” Brace yourselves.

Dillon’s book readings had been evolving into performances in any case. “I’ve always been a guy that tells stories anyway,” he says, “and the stories I wrote were the stories I used to tell my pals.

Usually quite funny stories, sometimes moving.”

But a change was forced upon him. “My eyes started to go, and I couldn’t flick from the book to the audience to get the reaction, and so a lot of the time I was just coming in and going ‘I’ll just tell youse this story,’ put the book down and just tell them the story. When I was doing that it was a laugh.” He’s not wrong – whenever Dillon tells me one of his stories, I fall about. He considers the general culture of storytelling he grew up in one of the foundations of his success as a writer too.

“My maw told me a story, ‘Did you know Danny McCall had a shotgun?’ ‘No?’ ‘Well they do down in Asda…’ and then she’d go on with the story. I picked up a lot from hearing these stories.”

This didn’t mean he was a natural storyteller on stage. He admits nerves at his first gig “I walked in, right,” he says, “walked across the hall, everybody’s staring at me, I turned round, my heart was beating like frick, right. Now, nowadays in a fifteen minute session, I’ll do about two/ three stories, right. I did five stories there that I just rattled off, couldn’t stop talking. Soon as I started talking they started laughing, right, and I just couldn’t stop. It was like watching yourself from afar, like an out of body experience. Fricking terrifying, most scary thing I’ve ever done. And I’ve done some scary things by the way, in my life.” He doesn’t say frick, and he doesn’t say fricking.

Scared or not scared, he embarked on a successful tour. It’s important to Dillon that he isn’t just seen as – and here’s a Glaswegianism for you – a patter merchant. He says, “I think there’s a misconception about my writing that some of the simplicity I write with makes me simple. But I’m actually looking for simple language to create profound ideas – I’m not looking for profound language that communicates shallow ideas.” He’s working hard for profundity too - he describes his writing process to me in considerable, lengthy detail, during which he casually mentions a book in progress about the Leningrad Siege, currently in its 25th full draft. What motivates this? “I think the work ethic came to me when I stopped drinking,” he says. “You get bored flaming stiff when you don’t drink or take drugs, where you used to be out your face quite a lot. So it’s like, for me I’m obsessive with anything I do. I was obsessed with drink, then I was obsessed with drugs, then I was obsessive with women. So I’m just obsessive with anything I do.” That obviously includes stand-up too, and Unbound will benefit from that.

Because of all the work he puts into writing, Dillon ends up with stories he can explore on stage. He takes a small list of subjects on stage with him to jog his memory, and that’s it. “It’ll say ‘neds in glen’ and that’s a fifteen minute story about me meeting these neds in the glen, and I’ll put one down that’ll go ‘bunch of runts’ and that’s a story of me and my mates and all that doing a joke on this guy, and then one will say ‘Our lady’ about the time our lady appeared to me” he explains. He doesn’t say runts. “So I’ve got so many stories” he continues “I can go that, that, that and that. I’ve got all these stories with great punchlines, and so I can explore the story a bit because I know there’s a punchline coming.” His enthusiasm for these stories is such that he blasts off a couple of them for me, and he’s not wrong about the great punchlines. It’s a while before I stop laughing and get to ask him if he’s done his stand up in Edinburgh before. He hasn’t. So, I ask, how does he think it’ll go?

He doesn’t say anything. He just laughs.

Des Dillon will be the closing act for this year’s Unbound on Mon 29 Aug. As always, it’ll be in the Spiegeltent from 9pm, and as always, it’ll be FREE

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I’m actually looking for simple language to create profound ideas – I’m not looking for profound language that communicates shallow ideas Des Dillon

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Love’s Reb ellious Joy

On Sunday 28 August a host of friends and fellow travellers come together for a special speakeasy shindig celebrating the life and work of Edinburgh’s poet and scholar Paul Reekie, who died last year. Here novelist Irvine Welsh and the Subway Sect’s Vic Godard pay tribute to the memory of a friend, while Gordon Legge shares a new piece of writing in honour of Scotland’s most maverick man of letters Irvine Welsh

Edinburgh without Reekie is a strange experience for me, and it certainly made my permanent move to America easier. It’s ironic, yet sadly appropriate, given his relatively meagre output and ambivalence to ceremony, that Paul is to be celebrated posthumously at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Paul Reekie is definitely seen as the ‘one that got away’, probably the biggest talent in a gifted group of Edinburgh writers that emerged in the 90s, but the least known, and one whose influence on the others has only become more apparent through his absence.

It’s easy enough to trawl through stories of exuberant depravity over the years (one of my first close encounters with Paul involved me loading him into an ambulance at the Foot of Leith Walk one balmy summer’s night), and over the last three decades we shared everything, from the dregs of some intoxicants to dance floor space, to football stadiums to a police cell; but it’s not the plethora of colourful incidents that form my abiding memories of him. Instead I think of this monstrously creative, intellectual force, a brilliant mind whose speed and energy hopelessly outstripped any mechanism he had for the delivery of those ideas and insights. So the best times with Reekie involved sitting with him drinking tea in his Leith Walk flat, as he expounded on everything with wisdom and wit, always unveiling a new, idiosyncratic side to the subject, be it the films of Kenneth Anger, or the properties of mushrooms.

Right now Paul is remembered as someone more famous for facilitating the creativity of others. This deserves to change, and hopefully it will, when the copious material he left behind is finally edited and published. A gregarious and happy soul, Paul was also a stubborn man and a perfectionist. Even excellence was a compromise that he was unable to accept: only flawlessness was permissible. The real mystery was not why he published so little, but how Kevin Williamson of Rebel Inc was able to drag some poems and a novella out of him. I think the continuing reticence of his friends to look at the material Paul’s left behind is partly due to acknowledging his inhibitions about publishing.

It was about the only set of inhibitions he did have. Paul drew people in and won them over, from intellectuals to football thugs to jakeys. I remember introducing him to a nutter of my acquaintance, fresh out of the jail. This guy was brutalised and alienated by his experience and could barely string a sentence together. I felt his brooding resentment to the outlandish, effusive diatribes that spilled from Paul’s mouth, and was relieved when he left the company. The next time I saw the guy in question, he told me that he had bumped into “your mate Reekie” and they’d taken off on a drinking session.

He had the light of love in his eye, and couldn’t stop singing Paul’s praises. What happened on that jaunt was that the boy saw that although they were chalk and cheese, Paul, like him, was definitely not a phoney. He never talked down to anyone, and treated everybody in exactly the same manner.

It’s never easy to talk about the death of somebody who took their own life, and it’s possibly a self-justifying mechanism (the demise of someone close always makes the rest of us feel we could have done more) but I’d prefer to think his last dramatic act was concieved by a stubborn, pig-headed Paul, who had decided on his set course of action, rather than a depressed one, beaten by the world and not really knowing what he was doing. But whatever his motivations, he was wrong. And how I wish he was here so I could tell him that to his face.

8

GORDON LEGGE

viC GODARD

I first met Paul Reekie some time in the early 90s when I became aware of his heckling every time we played a gig in Edinburgh or Glasgow. He would be standing right at the front in the centre – the same position occupied by Sid at all the early Sex Pistols gigs in London. It would enliven the proceedings no end, and was not the usual brainless fare we had come to expect from a rock audience. It was more what I would call useful advice delivered in a sneering tone. In fact I can remember some of the group members being mildly irritated by him, but he seemed to have an insight into what I was attempting that went beyond that of anyone in the band. I think he was slightly disappointed with the first line-up he saw me with back in those days; his reaction was “Nice little beat group”. After one gig on a snowy night down by the Clyde his reaction was to throw the entire contents of his pint over me, causing me to use my pullover as an improvised pair of trousers by forcing my fat legs down its puny arms. This he

THE SKINNY EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL • UNBOUND 2011

loved and from that moment on his would be the first friendly face I would be searching for in the crowd. If for some reason he couldn’t make it, it would feel to me as if I hadn’t really played in Scotland at all.

Subsequently, he invited me to his place on Leith Walk where he told me about playing bass in The Thursdays back in ‘77, and played me their version of an old Television song (Poor Circulation I think). He also told me about seeing Subway Sect in early ‘77, and the effect it had, and for a time we corresponded. A few more years passed, and several Sects later I think he was finally quite impressed by what we did.

The last time we spoke was in December ’09 on Grindlay Street in Edinburgh after a gig, when we arranged to meet up round the corner at Henry’s Cellar Bar in an hour. There were roadworks all about the place and as he watched me reverse out he just said “Nice wheels man.” Scotland will never be the same for the Sect now that he has gone.

The process boy shows Gil through. “And this, Mister Scott Heron, is Paul. Paul’s been waiting for you.”

Paul’s got the papers.

Gil looks at Paul. He looks at himself. Not so much as a stitch between them. “What the...?” “‘Imagine no possessions’. Don’t say you weren’t warned. Town’s nuts for it. What about me? One minute stood outside The Arty with fifty-six layers, next thing here freezing my ’nads off. Try complaining to that.” (Process boy.) “See if he listens to you.”

Paul lets rip the expletives.

The process boy shakes his head.

Gil says, “Hold on, what, everybody’s here, yeah? Everybody? And they’re all... naked?”

“Sans poverty dodgers, porkers and erstwhile employees of the BBC.” Paul sparks up and passes it over. “Don’t know what that’s about.

“You think it’s going to be all Berryman and Bukowski, but no, it’s all pasty-pussed consciencebotherers, nipping you: ‘Paul, what you doing?’

‘What you done to yourself?’ ‘You alright?’” Paul whispers, “‘but no, really, you alright?’”

Gil picks up The Observer. “Hey, what did they say about you, man?”

Silence.

Gil asks again.

“Don’t know. Never bothered. Who’s wanting to hear folk going on about them? Never wanted it when I was thirteen, don’t want it now.”

Paul lets rip the expletives.

“Man, you put too much work into being you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Just saying, that’s all. So, help me out here, what d’you do all day?”

“Arse about. Duck the ear-benders. Watch folk.”

Paul shows Gil how to “watch folk”, folk back home.

“Wow,” says Gil. “Sure do like to tug the tadger.”

“Have a wank then watch The Sweeney.” Paul cackles. “Then watch The Sweeney and have a wank. Come on, I’ll show you round.”

They head off.

“Man,” says Gil, “the music.”

“Aye, but most of it’s all just Two-way Family Favourites shite. You need to know. I’ll keep you right.” Paul whispers. “Just don’t mention new material.” Paul touches his nose.

“I’ve got so many ideas,” says Gil. “Always had ideas. Just never... ” “Tell me about it.”

Eventually, they head back to processing.

“Wow,” says Gil. “That is one fine looking woman.”

“Flick Colby,” says Paul. “What d’you reckon?

Fancy a dip?”

“What, here?”

“No possessions. Tell you what, though, I get the arse.”

Paul cackles.

The process boy shakes his head. Town used to be so quiet, too.

Irvine Welsh Irvine Welsh is an acclaimed and often controversial writer of novels, stories, stage – and screenplays including the books Trainspotting and Porno.

Vic Godard Vic Godard was the post-punk existential crooner of the Subway Sect and is now a solo artist.

Gordon Legge Gordon Legge grew up in Falkirk. his collection of short stories, In Between Talking about the Football (1991), won a Scottish Arts Council Book Award.

TRAVEL

Hard Up Down Under Cursing the vagaries of the world economy, our necessitous nomad fails to see the value in an overpriced Oz WORDS AND PHOTOS: Ally Brown

My bags are packed, I’m ready to leave. Australia, I’m done. You’re turning me into a Scottish stereotype. Friends warned me that 23 days here – 10 in Melbourne and Sydney, and 13 backpacking on the east coast above – would be woefully insufficient.

It was plenty. Backpacking isn’t really possible here at the moment. Let me clarify – it’s entirely possible to trudge about with an overstuffed backpack on, sleep in fusty dorms of twelve and live off a relentless diet of pasta with tomato sauce every night. But it’s futile. You may be living like a tramp, but you’ll be spending like a king.

“The economy’s too bloody strong,” was the frustrated explanation of Roger, a hostel owner who was taking me and only me to his empty accommodation one night. Well, it was low season, and other hostels were busier, but it’s true to observe that Australia has never been more expensive for a visitor than it is now. A pound used to buy two-anda-half Australian dollars, now only one-and-a-half.

So a low-range hostel dorm bed, $30, used to be a reasonable £12, but is now £20. That’s only the start.

If you like to travel with a guidebook, bring one with you and guard it like a second passport: they’re $40 to $75 here. A sandwich, wee bottle of coke and pack of crisps will cost $15 (£10). It’s the same for a pack of cigarettes, and if you can find a pint for less than five quid, you’ve chanced upon happy hour.

Prepare to go hungry, sober, or insolvent.

It’s fine if you work here. Many of the travellers I’ve met here have been working, too. The minimum wage is $15 (£10), but bar staff can expect at least $20, and one former barman told me he earned $57 per hour on Easter Sunday. That’s forty bloody quid!

The main attractions on Australia’s east coast are, I should say, free. Beaches are free. Swimming is free. Surfing is free (if you have a board). I saw a lot of beaches. I lay under the sun. The sun is free.

Queensland is 'The Sunshine State' (disclaimer: sunshine may also be received or distributed in other states). Also free and occasionally available: rain. One tourist brochure gave me inspiration for how to enjoy Queensland’s beaches: “Build an old-fashioned sand castle, creating priceless memories to share with loved ones”. So I’ll build a castle with turrets and a moat, I thought, and take pictures and post them to Facebook or something? But I didn’t want to shell out for a bucket and spade. I wavered, and chose lunch instead.

I spent money to see other beaches. I paid over $300 – that’s the going rate – for two days and a night on Fraser Island, the world’s biggest sand island. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site – like the Grand Canyon and Angkor and Stonehenge and central Edinburgh – which means the UN guarantees it’s cool. I won’t disagree with the UN. The main highway on Fraser Island is 75 Mile Highway; it’s also called 75 Mile Beach. It runs the entire length of the island. Depending on the Pacific tide, 75 Mile Beach is up to 100m deep (or “wide”, if you’re driving along it) with another 100m of chaotic, sharkinfested surf, and a 20-50m wide mirror in-between, constantly shrinking and being refreshed by the sea, reflecting the sky and clouds above. I called it 75 Mile Mirror. Contrary to Biblical advice, some wise men have built hotels upon the sand; they’re perfectly stable. Three buffet meals were included in the deal, so my new friends and I stocked up on nutrients, eager to improve our calories-to-dollars ratios. At night, groaning, we trundled back to 75 Mile Beach. Twenty miles away from the nearest settlement, the sky was as clear as I’d ever seen.

While on the lookout for wild dingoes, we stood on the highway and watched shooting stars slice the Southern Cross. Stars are free. Meteors are free.

75 Mile Beach is not the best beach on Fraser Island, certainly. For a start, it’s a highway: all the tourist traffic uses it to get anywhere. One destination requiring most of its length is the Champagne Pools,

a gathering of smooth rocks which form four or five perfect little swimming pools of frothy sea water, not champagne. While most tourists were distracted by the pools, repeatedly topped-up by the gracious sea, there were two idyllic golden sand beaches just metres away, uninhabited even while tour buses were parked nearby. Inland, a hundred metres high and through miles of rainforest, is Lake McKenzie, a freshwater lake of deep blue with immaculately white sand verges. Such a beautiful spot could never be a secret, so there were dozens of other people around, even in low season. But it’s easy to walk a little and find space. We were there for about an hour.

I paid to visit another beach too, for about an hour.

Among the Whitsunday Islands, a thousand bus minutes up the coast, is Whitehaven Beach, famous for having 99% silica sand. Every travel agent in town referred to it as one of the top five or ten or three beaches in the world. CNN voted it the No.1 ecofriendly beach in the world. OK, let’s disagree with CNN. Every day, dozens of ferries make four-hour round trips shuttling tourists to this beach, bypassing many other lovely-looking and empty beaches on the way. In what way is that eco-friendly? Being a practiced skinflint by now, I bought the cheapest ticket to the island I could find. I paid sixty quid ($89) for a choppy two-hour ferry ride, on which a young boy was thrown against a bannister and lost a tooth, and lots of people vomited, to spend one hour on this beach. It was indeed a very beautiful beach, impossibly fine white sand and gently turquoise waters. I was just dozing, when a boat landed not twenty feet in front of me. “Right guys, everybody off, here it is, the number one beach in the world!

SS Maheno shipwreck fraser island

❝

Prepare to go hungry, sober, or insolvent

❞ I’ve got footies and frisbees, who wants one?” But Whitehaven cannot be the number one, ten or fifty beach in the world, because it is publicised as such.

It is immodest. The best beaches don’t gloat about themselves. The best beaches keep mum. And the best beaches don’t eject you back onto a ferry after a quid-a-minute stay. Whitehaven isn’t even the best beach in Queensland – I may, or may not, have already referred to that already; not telling.

Millions of beaches, beaches for free. What else is there to the east coast of Australia? The Great Barrier Reef – which also has the UN’s stamp of approval – is a huge attraction for scuba divers. I can’t dive, so I can’t comment. It’s probably amazing. You can snorkel too, and kayak with dolphins, and skydive. You can eat steak pies or fish and chips or pasta. You can watch the royal wedding in a pub among Union flag-waving oi-boys and tiara’d daddy’s princesses from the home counties. You can watch a bloke with a guitar setting up and predict, correctly, that he’ll kick off with Wonderwall. I am aware which Queen’s land this is and so on; but it’s still a little disappointing to be 10,000 miles from home and have days which could have been had in Margate. Sydney’s exciting. Melbourne’s really cool. I hear the west coast is wonderful.

Best of all? New Zealand is only a thousand miles away.

Return flights to Australia from the UK are easily found around £800, and can be as low as £600 See www.australia.com for more tourist information and ideas Greyhound (www.greyhound.com.au) operates the biggest and most regular long-distance bus service

Sunset over Hervey Bay

Jungle on Fraser Island

Whitehaven beach

July 2011

THE SKINNY 37

FASHION

Merchant City Festival: Fashion

Virginia Court, Glasgow 23 Jul

The Merchant City Festival is now in its tenth incarnation, taking over Glasgow’s central square from 2124 July this summer. The ever increasing popularity of the festival (topping 70,000 attendees last year) has spawned a host of new events, this year including a bespoke fashion show, showcasing some of the best established and emerging local design talent, all accompanied by a live DJ set.

On the catwalk will be designers such as Lorna Shields with her label HandmadeInPartick. Her garments take on the traditional tailoring of that Scottish staple – the kilt, and give it a re-working.

Entirely handmade, deploying a high level of hand stitched detail and created solely with sustainable, natural materials. Lorna takes Scottish traditional dress to a new level with a burgundy and indigo palette, a mix of clashing patterns, and barechested, face-painted models.

Additionally, designer Tatiana Ashakova is showcasing her offbeat interpretation of millinery

with her label Beretk!Ah and a collection of creative headpieces. She aims to reintroduce the hat as a modern fashion staple and her designs take headwear to extremes; replete with feathers, netting and elaborate floral bouquets.

Other designers included are fourth year Heriot Watt fashion student Isla Scott, who will be showcasing her graduate collection of shredded white collar shirts and heavily structured coats.

Luke & Jack Corsetry and Perfection Bridal Gowns will also be included in the event.

The catwalk show is being hosted by Parrucche Wig & Hair Boutique and according to organisers it will be “an exotic mix of Drag Queens, Princess Brides, Burlesque & New Designers all in one place.”

You can see it all first hand at 2pm Saturday 23 July at the Virginia Court, Glasgow. All proceeds will go to the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice and Cancer Research UK. [Kamila Kocialkowska] 2pm, Tickets cost £3 www.beretkah.co.uk, www.perfectionbridalandmenswear. co.uk, www.parrucche.co.uk

Nancy Mitchinson

8 Tales Of Textiles Such and Such 2-24 Jul

Hidden away on an unassuming street off Leith Walk is Such and Such studio. This part-workshop/ part-exhibition space is gearing up for July’s collaborative exhibition with Heriot Watt’s Fashion and Textiles MA students. 8 Tales of Textiles will see eight graduating students showcase their final garments along with a selection of preparatory work, in pairs, throughout the weekends of July. In this gallery environment, the public will be able to get up close and personal with the work.

The first weekend sees German textile designer Linda Wagner present her ‘Martial Arts-inspired’ knit collection. Wagner is joined by Kristen Orme, whose collection cleverly explores reversibility and sustainability in knitwear.

The following weekend Such and Such will host award winning designer Nancy Mitchinson who will be showcasing her latest fashion collection, which is influenced by the graphic beading of Maasai warrior traditional dress. Exhibiting with her is Aimi Mackay, who promises ‘a rejuvenation of the traditional image of knitwear’ through the utilisation of multi-sensory illusion.

The penultimate weekend in July features a

Kristen Orme

thought provoking presentation from Indian born graduate Neha Pawar. With a background in commercial art, Pawar’s exploration of textiles in her MA has culminated in a cross-discipline research piece. Sushmitha Ilango, also from India, will by contrast utilize ‘khadi’ (a handwoven traditional fabric) to explore the juxtaposition of traditional Indian fabrics and modern textile techniques.

Finally, the last set of exhibitions comes from Achimar Nirunpornputta and Flaviya Kaklyugina (Flaviyake). The former is a self described ‘day dreamer with Peter Pan syndrome’, the latter, an advocate of ‘the power of clothing to create a mood’.

Based on these previews alone, 8 Tales of Textiles promises to be a must-see exhibition. It’s worth trying to catch all eight artists’ work in full over the course of July, if you can. However, if you are short on time, the opening night (on 1 Jul) promises a taster preview of works from all the designers on display throughout the month. [Emma Segal] Such and Such studio is located at 105 Brunswick Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 5HR. For more information please visit www.suchandsuchstudio. co.uk or follow on twitter @suchandsuchUK If you would like to attend the preview please email hello@suchandsuchstudio. co.uk for ticket availability

Scotland Can Make It! A very exciting opportunity called Scotland Can Make It! has just been announced. This competition is open to all artists and designers living in Scotland, and will give six finalists the chance to create a series of six new Scottish souvenirs inspired by the London Olympics in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014. Not an easy task...

Initiated by Creative Scotland and in partnership with the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Scotland Can Make It! is being hailed as an important step for individual creative practitioners and the Scottish manufacturing industries to forge and strengthen their links, as each finalist involved will have the chance to work closely on the research and development of their particular design product.

Scotland Can Make It! are looking for a wide range of applicants from many different backgrounds, including emerging artists, designers, musicians and writers. The judges will be looking for a wide range of submissions which can include homewares, accessories, textiles, clothing,

38 THE SKINNY July 2011

music, stationary, books or anything else that you think of, anything that can stand out from the crowd! Collaboration between different fields is especially encouraged. Amongst the panel of jury members will be Glaswegian artist and Turner nominee Martin Boyce. Last year’s finalists Lucy McKenzie and Beca Lipcompe created a new line of womenswear produced and designed exclusively with Scottish textiles manufacturers.

An exhibition of these especially commissioned souvenirs will be produced by Glasgow based design curators Panel and will be displayed in London in September 2012 as part of the Olympic activities. As well as showing the final pieces the public will be able to see prototypes, design work and the behind-the-scenes processes involved in their making. [Roxane Haydon]

Application packs can be downloaded at www. scotlandcanmakeit.com and all submissions must be received by 5pm, Mon 25 Jul www.wearepanel.co.uk

ROWANJOY

Magpie Market Summer Fair The Hub 17 Jul

On 17 July the celebrated Magpie Market is back, bigger and better than ever before. Since a change of venue from its previous home at The LOT, for the second time the market will be setting up shop in the spectacular surroundings of The Hub on the Royal Mile, in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic old town.

There will be over 50 stalls with an exhaustive selection of clothing (both new and vintage), jewellery, toys, illustration, homewears and textiles.

Confirmed stallholders that will surely prove to be popular are Rowanjoy, whose pretty floral garments and accessories are perfect for summer, Vi Nouveau who specialises in customised vintage and Reworkd Workshop who will be showing jewellery made from antique typewriters.

VI NOUVEAU

After starting the Magpie Market in Dec 2009 and running several very successful events, Emily Chandler still aims to showcase the best in handmade, local design talent. As she says, “It’s a great opportunity for both independent businesses and for the buyers, as they get to talk to each other directly, enhancing the shopping experience.”

On the day there will be a raffle, pop-up cafe, and goody bags for the first 50 people through the door, so get along early to miss the crowds and make the most of Magpie Market. Definitely a great alternative to the usual tourist tat that can be found on and around the Royal Mile at this time of year! [Alexandra Fiddes] 11-5pm, Check out the Magpie Market blog for more details about upcoming events magpiemarket.blogspot.com There is no charge for entry to the Magpie Market

DEVIANCE

How clean is your blood?

Gay men have a lifetime ban on giving blood in the United Kingdom. The Deviance section returns with a closer look at the issues behind the Blood Ban WORDS: Ana Hine Illustration: Peter LockE

We are consistently encouraged to give blood, and rightly so – there naturally needs to be a constant supply of healthy blood in the NHS so that it’s readily available when people need it.

However, when you actually go to give blood you’re asked to fill in a form designed to weed out anyone considered at risk of having a disease or infection that may impact the quality of their blood. The National Blood Service is particularly concerned with making sure you do not have HIV or hepatitis B or C. Everyone in the United Kingdom has to fill out the same form when they go to give blood and that form explicitly states that men who have sex with men are unable to give blood. The Scottish Blood Service states on their website that there are two main reasons why you shouldn’t give blood. These reasons are: if it could affect your health; and if you could potentially transmit an infection to the recipient of your blood. They list an example of the latter as “If your lifestyle puts you at risk of HIV or hepatitis.”

The National Blood Service itself breaks this category down into a number of different parts.

Gay men and prostitutes can never give blood and someone who has had sex with a gay man or a prostitute cannot give blood for twelve months.

The service also urges you not to give blood if you’ve had sex with someone you think might have HIV or hepatitis, or if you think that you may have these diseases yourself, but it does not ban you from donating and it does not ask any further into your sexual practices.

The issue has been in the news recently because there has been talk of reducing the deferral period for men who have sex with men. At the beginning of April two national papers reported that the government was considering introducing a ten-year waiting period instead of a lifetime ban.

So why can’t gay men give blood now? The general perception is that gay men are more promiscuous; that they have unprotected sex with new partners more frequently than the rest of the population and thus their ‘lifestyle’ puts them at risk of sexual infection. There are two main problems with this assumption – one is that it is incredibly difficult to get accurate statistics of people’s sexual practices and the other is that it places the focus on sexuality and not behaviour.

If you have unprotected anal sex with a new partner you are at risk of contracting HIV (and many other sexually transmitted diseases) whether you are heterosexual, homosexual, bi-sexual or pan sexual. Whether you could (or should) call having unprotected sex with strangers a lifestyle is a different question but it is certainly a step forward in terms of language.

There have been a number of campaigns running recently to try and get the government to reduce the amount of time that men who have sex with men would have to wait before giving blood. Their argument is that the current legislation is sending out the wrong message about homosexuality, safe sex and STI infection particularly in relation to HIV. Laura Rose, the current president of Dundee University LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender) society says: “We believe the ban on men who have sex with men giving blood to be promoting the wrong message about safe sex because it reinforces a promiscuous image of the gay community.

The blood service should not assume that gay men are having unprotected sex – straight couples have high-risk sex too, they’re just not asked about it in as much detail when they go to donate!”

Some campaigners, however, have been quicker to accuse the Blood Service of homophobia.

Ben Collier, an LGBT activist in the University of Edinburgh’s Feminist Society and LGBT Society

though, HIV or hepatitis can hide in your system.

Many sexually transmitted diseases are like this – we do not know exactly how many people have an STI and are not aware of it.

This is the crux of the issue – the debate is built on educated guesses and estimating how much more at risk a particular group in society is compared to the norm. The National Blood Service sets their norm roughly as a 17 to 65 year old, in good health who weighs at least 7st 12Ib. However, this is only true as long as they are not in a ‘risk group’. The main risk groups are gay men, prostitutes and intravenous drug users. Or men who have slept with other men, people who have had sex for money and people who have injected illegal substances. You can see that there are a lot of different things going on in excluding these three groups that has nothing to do with blood.

The last group that have a lifetime ban from giving blood are people who: “Have ever had syphilis, HTVL (Human T - lymphotorpic virus), hepatitis B or C or think [they] may have hepatitis now. ” There

❝

To ban all gay men from giving blood perpetuates the idea that all gay men are promiscuous, it implies that all gay sex is risky and it encourages everyone to think in terms of risk groups and not in terms of risky behaviour

❞ blood ban campaign has this to say: “While I agree that they should measure based on accurate behavioral characteristics, that isn’t the issue which we’re debating. We’re not protesting the blood ban because it reduces the amount of blood in the system, we’re protesting it because it is homophobic, non-pragmatic and non-empirical.”

His opinion is backed by prominent gay rights campaigner Peter Thatchell who wrote in another national paper recently, “The truth is that most gay and bisexual men do not have HIV and will never have HIV. Both the lifetime and ten-year bans are driven by homophobic, stereotypical assumptions, not by scientific facts and medical evidence. For the vast majority of men who have sex with men, their blood is safe to donate and they can and should help save lives by becoming donors.”

While this line of argument seems attractive at first, two important points must be kept in mind.

Firstly it is unlikely the NBS implemented the ban out of fear or hatred of homosexuals (lesbians are able to donate blood and gay men are able to donate organs) and secondly gay men ARE at more risk of contracting HIV than other groups.

The Terrence Higgins Trust wrote in a review in 2007 that, of around 7,500 new HIV cases in the

UK, 46% of them were men who have sex with men. The problem is more to do with the way that gay men have been excluded, with the mixed messages that the blood service is sending to the whole population about homosexuality, safe sex and HIV risk. If we return to the wording of the NBS form then we can see that it says you can never give blood if you’re: “A man who’s had sex with another man, even safe sex using a condom.”

This implies that all sexual activity between two men is equally dangerous – which it isn’t. The risk of contracting HIV (or any other sexual disease) through oral sex with a condom is incredibly low.

Or to put it another way if you’re a man you’re more likely to contract HIV by having unprotected penetrative sex (even vaginal, we’re not just talking about anal sex here) with a woman than by having oral sex using a condom with a man.

Fundamentally, you shouldn’t give blood if you have had unprotected sex with a stranger until you know that you have not contracted anything from that unprotected sex. HIV and hepatitis take a little time to show up in your blood – if you get tested immediately after having unprotected sex with a new partner then you may get a false negative result. It’s the same with pregnancy tests. Unlike pregnancy,

is a huge difference between having a disease and being at risk of having a disease. It seems fairly obvious that people who have a permanent viral infection that is blood related cannot give blood.

People have all different kinds of sex. Nearly all of them can be done safely. The safer the sex, the less likely they will be to catch HIV, hepatitis or any other sexually transmitted disease and thus their blood will be safer.

Whether the lifetime ban is overturned or not, the fact still remains that the emphasis on sexual orientation is unhelpful. To ban all gay men from giving blood perpetuates the idea that all gay men are promiscuous, it implies that all gay sex is risky and it encourages everyone to think in terms of risk groups and not in terms of risky behaviour.

Buggery is not illegal anymore. The moral conversation is over. We need to move out of this being a gay rights issue into it being a safe sex issue and for that to happen the wording of the form you fill in when you give blood needs to be changed. A blanket ban on any risk group sends the wrong message to all of us.

To find out your HIV status visit your nearest GUM Clinic.

There are twenty-eight in Scotland, from Aviemore to Wick https://secure.blood.co.uk/c11_cant.asp

July 2011

THE SKINNY 39

SHOWCASE

Kit Leffler

The plurality of the word nature sets a platform for my interest in it: nature is at once environment and behaviour, reality and originality.

My work finds inspiration in nature.

I question the natural and artificial through appropriation, alteration and manipulation of digital images, recalling the worlds of advertising and science fiction. My work investigates the concept of human dominion over the natural environment. I ask, What do we owe other animals and/or our environment?

Why do we [humans] disassociate ourselves from mammalia?

What does our human conception of the environment say about us as animals?

Visual anthropology plays a primary role in my work as a result of my methods. My work uses images from my anthropological period – or experience – to create a dream of the apocalypse. In selecting and identifying pictures for appropriation I implement visual anthropological methods.

By using these methods during the process of appropriation, I identify the period within which I exist: a period where a photograph captioned Chicken Nuggets Are Made of this Pink Goop gets 125,613 blog hits, where soft toy tigers outnumber real tigers, where YouTube videos of tsunamis go viral, and where the last Pinta Giant Tortoise waits for its inevitable extinction.

This imagery saturation forces the viewer to consider the ‘big picture’. As a result, authenticity and, subsequently, truth are brought into question. In working with visual artifice I can communicate a panic for our future nature, questioning our perception of and role within the natural world. In this way, my interest in nature brings into question humanity’s second nature.

Selected for the Society of Scottish Artists Annual exhibition, January 2012 2011 Frans Masereel Centre one-week printmaking residency MFA (Distinction) in Printmaking from Edinburgh College of Art 2011 BFA (Hons) in Intermedia from the University of Kansas 2008 Leffler currently lives and works in Edinburgh, Scotland. She will be moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota in Aug 2011 kitleffler.wordpress.com

Genetic bottleneck: Pinta giant Tortoise

40 THE SKINNY July 2011

Mirage: Car Graveyard

Meat Entrepreneurs: Cornelis van der Lely

Meat Entrepreneurs: Bernard Matthews

July 2011

THE SKINNY 41

Love art? own art...

Galleries across Scotland are members of the Own Art scheme. By offering interestfree loans of £100-£2,000 through Own Art, buying an original piece of quality contemporary art or craft couldn’t be easier. A list of participating galleries is available at the Creative Scotland website: www.creativescotland.com/ownart Look for the pink logo.

(representative 0% APR)

Offer subject to age and status. Terms and conditions apply. You will need a UK bank account that can handle direct debits, proof of identity and address, and you will also need to be over 18. Own Art is operated by ArtCo Trading Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arts Council. Registered address: Arts Council England, North East, Central Square, Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PJ

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42 THE SKINNY July 2011

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MUSIC

Live Music Highlights

METAL COLUMN

words: Mark Shukla

scene – which this year includes sets by Desalvo, RM Hubbert, Miaoux Miaoux, Trapped in Kansas and Dam Mantle. Known for its positive vibe, relaxed atmosphere and midnight burning rituals, Wickerman is a great option for those looking for a unique festival experience without the usual bullshit. Visit www.thewickermanfestival. co.uk for details.

Nicolas Jaar’s Space is Only Noise is one of the

best and most unorthodox electronic LPs we’ve heard this year, blending an austere down tempo techno aesthetic with playful avant-pop motifs and delicate, limpid melodies. Eschewing the hunchback-with-a-laptop cliché of most electronic music producers, Jaar’s show includes live vocals and instrumentation, making his performance at Glasgow’s The Arches on 29 July a must-see for any open-minded music fan.

Photo: Gemma Burke

Desalvo

the computers

nicolas jaar

HOT TICKET of the month Godspeed You! Black Emperor Barrowland, 22 July

The downside of a band achieving greatness is most usually to be found in the legions of mediocre imitators that spring up in their wake. Yet despite the so-called post-rock scene having been stagnant for an age, the name Godspeed You! Black Emperor is still enough to make us bristle with excitement.

Sure, the band’s aesthetic may have dated over the years, but there’s only a handful of acts that have the conviction and the control to nail the kind of emotional crescendos that have made GY!BE’s live performances so legendary. With a handy knack for using video projection to underscore the drama of their compositions, we anticipate this being the month’s most intense and cathartic gig experience by a comfortable margin. [Mark Shukla] 7pm, £22.50 www.myspace.com/gybeconstellation

Photo: Ashley good

Taking place on the weekend of 2-3 July and marketing itself as a ‘boutique festival’, the Kelburn Garden Party provides a tantalising alternative to the larger summer festivals, whilst still offering three stages and a dance tent, as well as a unique and beautiful west coast location. In addition to must-see sets from the likes of Sons & Daughters, Hidden Orchestra and JD Twitch, the line-up features hordes of exciting up-andcoming Scottish acts including Foxgang and Earl Grey and the Loose Leaves. Anyone looking for a friendly, chilled festival experience this summer should check www.kelburngardenparty.com for more info.

Ultra-confrontational no wave icon Lydia Lunch will give a solo performance entitled Sick with Desire at Glasgow Stereo on 7 July. Never one to mince her words, we expect nothing less than a profanity-laced exploration of sex, violence, degradation and other such Lunchian staples. Polarising shit, yo – don’t say we didn’t warn you.

With a spanking new LP, Player Piano, on the racks this month, Memory Tapes (aka New Jersey native Dayve Hawk) will play The Arches in Glasgow on 8 July. With a propulsive, danceable sound that takes in electro, ‘80s pop and hazy electronica, Memory Tapes more than make up for their relative lack of showmanship through their relentless deployment of dreamy hooks and thumping technoid drum patterns.

Three albums deep and the unlikely pairing of Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan continues to bear fruit. Sure, their live performances aren’t the most rowdy affairs, but there’s few outfits that can bring these kind of sultry, noirish ballads to life with such understated elegance. See them at Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry on 12 July.

With recent album Share the Joy having surfaced to only modest fanfare, NYC trio Vivian Girls will roll up to Glasgow’s Captain’s Rest on 18 July with the intention of reminding us all why we fell in love with them in the first place. Thankfully their charmingly off-key girl-group vocals and hard-strumming fuzz-pop chops are still present and correct, now augmented with a more refined approach to songwriting. Lovely stuff.

Continuing the recent tradition of old-school bands reforming with sod-all original members, Pop Will Eat Itself have tentatively scheduled a comeback gig for 21 July at Glasgow’s The Garage. We don’t expect Clint Mansell to show his face, but we do expect a nostalgia-tastic romp through industrial-pop classics like Wise Up! Sucker and Def Con One. Combining a frenzied balls-to-the-wall ethos with a palpable reverence for classic pop and blues, Exeter’s The Computers bring a refreshing twist to the established hardcore punk template. With support coming from local favourites Bronto Skylift, their shows at Glasgow Captain’s Rest on July 19, Inverness Mad Hatters on 20 July and Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s on 21 July will be amongst the most energizing that this month has to offer.

Pulverising Glasgow crew Citizens get busy this July with a headlining show at Edinburgh’s Banshee Labyrinth on 1 July plus a couple of support gigs behind Shields Up and Broken Few at Glasgow’s Bloc on July 21 and Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s on 24 July. Hideously deformed, bastardheavy riffs and deceptively infectious grooves mark these noise-mongers out as ones to watch.

The family-friendly Wickerman Festival – taking place near Dundrennan in south-west Scotland – celebrates its 10th birthday on 22-23 July with a line-up of Brit-rock survivors including James, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Damned and many others. We’ll be down the Solus tent for their usual snapshot of the contemporary Scottish

The origins of metal belong to one of those longcontested legends that people have fought over in pubs for decades, probably since before metal even existed, but no matter what point of view you take it’s hard to argue the fact that there were two bands who turned more kids to the side of ol’ Lucifer than any others: Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, Satan bless their mighty souls.

As luck would have it, the SECC will be hosting both of these titans of metal in the space of two nights, with Judas Priest taking the stage on 19 Jul and Maiden following suit the next night before treating Aberdeen to a show at the AECC (21 Jul).

Speaking of legends, Bad Religion (12 Jul) take to the ABC for an evening of punk spirit, political polemic and fuck-the-system anthems, as well as gothic stalwarts Sisters of Mercy (7 Jul). Eyeliner, ‘midnight black’ hair dye and a glass-half-emptyand-shattered outlook on life will not be provided, so make sure to bring your own.

Italian jazz/grind/miscellaneous unidentifiables Zu pay a rare visit to Scotland as part of this year’s Glasgow International Jazz Festival with a one-off performance at Platform (1 Jul), but if that’s all a bit brain-melty then the Classic Grand will host Scandinavian aggro-industrialists Combichrist that same night. It’s only been a year since they last graced that same stage, nevertheless you should expect devastation.

Dreadlocked tribal-metal hero Max Cavalera proves that no-one can keep his reunion with sibling Iggor down, as they both show off a second LP by their Cavalera Conspiracy at the Garage (7 July).

Rumour has it that there’ll even be a sneaky Sepultura tune or two in there, but you didn’t read that here.

If you should choose to refuse/resist the charms of the brothers Cavalera, there’s always an evening of power-violence shit-kickery at 13th Note (8 July) with Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair Wheelchair, Sufferinfuck and another four volleys of brutality, all for just £4.

For those further eastwards, Bannerman’s make their own salute to anarchy, with sets from NY’s mohawk’n’studs punks The Casualties (19 Jul) and hard rockers Eye For An Eye on 1 Jul. Heavier-than-a-lead-balloon bruisers By My Hands will be tearing the roof, floor and most of the light fittings up at Dundee’s Kage Dee Day (31 Jul), with the help of the never-ending Geordie touring machine that is Lavotchkin, Lords and a ton of other top-quality bands. Dig in.[David Bowes]

Godspeed's Efrim Menuck

Cavalera Conspiracy

July 2011

THE SKINNY 43

Nice ‘N’ Sleazy, 3 Jun

photo: Rosie Helena Short

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rrrrr “Is it Monday today? Doesn’t feel like Monday,” muses Matthew Dear rhetorically, midway through a triumphant set at a packed-out Captain’s Rest.

It certainly doesn’t: it doesn’t even feel like we’re in Glasgow anymore. Great Western Road has been relocated to the Black City of last year’s brilliantly crafted techno-pop concept LP, a metropolis simultaneously alluring, funky and strangely melancholy. Dear, the US renaissance man of contemporary electronica, remains dazzingly adept at everything from melodic techno to soulful, smoky ballads.

He is, moreover, an irresistibly charming stage presence, with

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Arches, 11 Jun

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Six Organs of Admittance Captain’s Rest, 8 Jun

www.matthewdear.com/

rrrr There’s a sense of hushed anticipation in the Captain’s Rest, prior to Ben Chasny’s first Six Organs of Admittance show since the release of the critically-acclaimed Asleep on the Floodplain earlier this year.

The atmosphere suits Fabrizio Palumbo, whose Labradfordesque guitar lines and soporific beats, overlaid with unearthly processed vocals, repay the attentiveness of the crowd.

The character of a Six Organs show can vary dramatically, depending on whether Chasny’s set focuses on the fried electric soloing of the albums’ noisier sections, or on his portfolio of haunting fingerpicked psych-folk.

al, but the newer material nonetheless carries a distinct charge: brighter, bolder and evidencing sharpened song-writing skills.

Beneath surface noise they wring fresh excitement from decades-old inspirations, with the likes of Heaven's Gonna Happen Now a nigh-perfect refinement of their talents.

Closing the main set with This Love Is Fucking Right, they re-emerge almost immediately to append one final slice of textbook indie-pop and invite the Arches for a post-set White Russian or two. There’s no attempt at any pre-encore ‘will they/won’t they come back on’ nonsense – a lack of pretence neatly indicative of their unfussy aesthetic. [Chris Buckle]

44 THE SKINNY July 2011

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www.myspace.com/overthewall

Floodplain is dominated by the latter, albeit with some electric embellishment, and tonight is accordingly downtempo, with Chasny deploying a single guitar and his unmistakably wistful voice.

The new material works well live, particularly the mournful Hold But Let Go. Yet perhaps the strongest tracks are from 2009’s Luminous Night: Actaeon’s Fall and Anaesthesia, with the instrumentation used on the LP stripped away, have a new spectral beauty in this context, demonstrating that Chasny’s talents reach far beyond the role of acid-folk noisenik. Although the Six Organs project still seems oddly disparate, his performance tonight demonstrates that he has both the musicianship and vision needed to hold it all together. [Sam Wiseman]

Captain’s Rest, 15 Jun

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Nice ‘N’ Sleazy, 9 Jun

www.thepainsofbeingpureatheart. com

rrr Last year, Michael O’Neill discussed MEN’s live aspirations. “We believe a live show should be much more than playing songs on a record,” he declared, promising “multimedia, mostly in the form of visual sculptural elements.”

Presumably plans changed en route to Glasgow; a cardboard house-hat and natty homemade threads aside, tonight’s entertainment is firmly conventional.

With support acts AWOL and the room half full, spectacle might have helped spark the evening into life a little more promptly, though with hooks galore, it’s only a matter of time before limbs loosen. A midway

Who Am I To Feel So Free feels like the turning point, with Credit Card Babies building the momentum and being duly rewarded with copious shape-throwing. JD Samson and co close with a cover of Bikini Kill’s Double Dare Ya – a respectful nod to fellow Le Tigre member Kathleen Hanna which unfortunately highlights this evening’s comparative lackof lustre. [Chris Buckle] www.myspace.com/men

Battles’ stock continues to rise, and the Arches is already nearing capacity for openers Thank You. The Baltimore post-rockers take full advantage, presenting an invigorating set of Glenn Brancainspired cyclonic guitars. This swirling noise is overlaid with incongruously earnest shouted vocals, pitching the tone of the songs towards cutesy Deerhoof territory at times – no bad thing, in a field too often underpinned by macho bluster.

Stripped-down to a threepiece following the departure of Tyondai Braxton last year, Battles have been forced to adapt their sound accordingly; something the New Yorkers no doubt relish, given their formidably imaginative approach.

Tonight’s set showcases material from new LP Gloss Drop: a series of mainly instrumental pieces (although samples from various vocal contributors are

tUnE-yArDs

MEN

photo: Ingrid Mur

Last time Wake the President supported Pains of Being Pure at Heart in Glasgow, the former’s debut was only a few months old; two years later, it’s time to showcase its forthcoming successor. On tonight’s evidence, the band has corn-fed existing strengths and added moxie, rousing Potus not with a gentle nudge but an almighty clatter.

The headliners have already taken the sophomore album plunge, and the unfolding performance confirms they’ve successfully sidestepped any would-be slump. Nothing lifted from Belong jars when set against Young Adult Friction et

The Arches, 7 Jun

photo: alishia farnan

Captain’s Rest, 6 Jun

his boyish good looks, snappy dress sense and ear-to-ear grin.

This might all count for nothing, were it not for the alchemical magic of the live show, which seamlessly blends vocals, bass, trumpet, guitar and drums into the songs’ techno foundations.

Highlights are many, but You Put a Smell On Me’s lurching arpeggios and insistently seedy vocals work particularly well in this context, as does Monkey’s haunting goth-pop. Touring a techno record with a four-piece band may sound potentially perilous, but by the closing Don and Sherri, Dear has demonstrated conclusively that this is yet another task to which his prodigious talents are more than equal. [Sam Wiseman]

Battles

photo: Kenny McColl

Matthew Dear

It’s day 78 of Over the Wall’s ‘Around the Isles in 80 Days’ tour, and there’s a suitably congratulatory atmosphere building. John Knox Sex Club open tonight’s homecoming in fine fettle: Sean Cumming’s patter is equal parts hellfire-evangelist, bothy-residing bard, and electrifying beat philosopher, and just when their brooding demeanour threatens to become overly serious, he ventures forth to distribute hugs – casting the devil out but putting a little love in its place.

Over the Wall take to the stage to boos, geniality temporarily suppressed thanks

to an introduction from Richard Todd, whose dubious potted history of the band’s adventures to date includes the tragic tale of a spatula-headed boy’s cruel dismissal at the hands of Gav and Ben. But the negative vibes are in jest: Shifts disperses the mock-jeers and we’re off, through spiffing mini-epic A History of British Welfarism 1945-1984, all the way to consummate closer Thurso. As chants of ‘ONE! MORE! TUNE!’ morph into ‘KEY. BOARD! HEAVEN!’, the duo reappear to give the people what they want.

“We’re having an Arab Spring right here!” declares Gav, as their ode to deceased Casios concludes the evening’s journey victoriously. [Chris Buckle]

photo: Gemma Burke

Over the Wall

Thousands’ dual acoustic lullabies evoke gentle breezes, sun-dappled lakes, and other lovely things that unfortunately, placed against the abundant personality of tonight’s headliner, try patience interminably. File under: wrong time, wrong place for an introduction.

Do You Wanna Live? opens tUnE-yArDs’ set raucously, with a packed Captain’s Rest responding to every variation of the question with affirmative bellows.

“You are a party in a can” Merrill Garbus croons, a sentiment handily reversible: few performers are so inherently likable, whether appropriating wallets or admiring

woven in) which, if anything, veer further into the absurdly hyperactive territory staked out on 2007’s Mirrors. The band’s dizzying shifts through syncopated time signatures, coupled with an audacious repurposing of guitars as essentially percussive instruments is, undeniably, astonishing.

However, it has to be said that Battles’ approach, for all its accomplishment, lacks emotional range; there is little humour, or joy, or anger, in these pieces.

In fact, the music makes more sense heard as contemporary jazz rather than a mutant strain of rock: characterised, like much produced under that umbrella, by an obsessive fixation on innovation and musicianship for its own sake, which tends to impede the attainment of truly satisfying heights. For their dedication to pushing generic and sonic boundaries, Battles undoubtedly deserve admiration; but they’ve yet to win this writer’s heart. [Sam Wiseman] bttls.com/

Glasgow’s rhythm. Saxophone stabs and loose bass runs build the revelry, but the most important instrument is Garbus herself, who plies her malleable voice in remarkable ways.

The musical exuberance is reflected sartorially in face paint and feathers, evoking a child-like joie de vivre. But to infantilise would be to overlook how sexy these songs can be: for instance, the Prince-like groove of Powa, or the sassy odd-funk of Es-so.

Bizness predictably prompts the loudest squeals, but selecting highlights from such a consistently excellent set is somewhat arbitrary. The final lines tonight goad us to ‘watch me, watch me, watch me more’; if only that were an option. [Chris Buckle] www.tune-yards.com

photo: alishia farnan

Live Reviews

RECORDS

THE DIRTY DOZEN DANANANANAYKROYD’s David Roy and John Baillie Jr popped round ours to play Bad Cop/ Worse Cop with the July singles. What will it take to tease out their sensitive side?

INTERVIEW: CHRIS BUCKLE PHOTO: WES KINGSTON the way, it’s ridiculous.

David: He’s the ‘Forget You’ guy right? Points off for that.

John: Points off?! That’s a great song!

David: It was, until he changed it. It’s like an overdub of an ITV showing of Beverley Hills Cop. I don’t want my music edited by ITV. John: Did you see that video today of Amy Winehouse in Serbia? I love her. She’s got the most effortlessly amazing voice.

David: And she’s got that tragic side that’s always appealing. Cee Lo needs to get himself some heroin!

John: As he is, I’d give him a six.

David: Yeah, six. An enjoyable song. If it came on the radio, my mum would…

John: …give you a wee kiss?

David: …hoover like there’s no tomorrow!

Amon Tobin – Surge (Ninja Tune, 11 Jul) David: I’m sensing emotional rain. If this isn’t hip-hop I’ll be disappointed.

John: It’s only got a minute left – this might actually be all it does. This is a single?

David: It’s a BMW advert.

John: Ah, Amon Tobin – I’m kind of surprised.

For me, this kind of thing is done better by total freaks. I’m going to give it a three.

David: Yeah, it had some interesting noises.

John: We give it a three, and you think it had some interesting noises? ‘Aye, three, it was alright, eh?’

JOHN BAILLIE JR: Let’s go into it blind…

David Roy: What if we slag off someone we know, though?

David: But the drummer looks like the guy from the Bash Street Kids. That always ruins a band for me.

John: I’d score that high. Seven.

Grinderman – Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man (Mute, Out now) John: He’s well ripping off Queens of the Stone Age. The Skinny: Funnily enough, there’s a Josh Homme remix on the B-side.

David: Josh Homme was the first person to hear our new album…

John: …and we never heard from him again.

David: Is it pronounced ‘Grindermin’, like a guy’s second name? Like, ‘Alan Grindermin?’ This is rubbish. Seven for Alan Grindermin.

Verse Metrics – Modern Sleep/Oscillations (Selfreleased, 19 Jul) John: This reminds me of Fickle Public, and I fucking loved Fickle Public.

David: This would suck if the drummer wasn’t pretty good, but he’s got a groove going there. These guys have clearly grown up listening to Joan of Arc. John: It doesn’t dynamically take off…

David: This bit’s cool.

John: No, David, this is the shit bit. Six? David: We’re being too nice, let’s tear someone apart…

Mr Scruff – Wobble Control (Ninja Tune, 11 Jul) David: It’s like an episode of Spaced.

John: It’s really dated. It sounds like me when I’m drunk, messing around – he’s actually recorded it.

David: I don’t mind it.

John: I’ll remember that when we’re recording our next album…

David: This is dance music for people who don’t like dance music, and since you do like dance music, you should score this one, John.

John: Two, and that’s generous.

David: I’d give it a ‘wub-wub’ out of ten.

Pusha T – My God (Decon Records, 25 Jul) David: Now there’s a guitar sound you don’t hear every day…

John: What, a trumpet?!

The Skinny: This is Pusha T, better known as fifty per cent of Clipse.

John: He sounds like Kanye. I like Southern rappers who sound really southern, like Yelawolf.

He’s proper white trash and his whole rap is about, like, stealing couches and shit. He’s so Southern you can barely understand what he’s saying.

David: This guy looks like he’s already rich.

John: He’s shit – what has he got to say? Away ye go: One.

Wild Beasts – Bed of Nails (Domino, 11 Jul) David: Those drums remind me of Wild Beasts. It is Wild Beasts? These guys are absolute masters of their instruments.

I’m not keen on the vocals though.

John: The vocals are my favourite part! He’s got a really good hold on what he can do, which I like, because I haven’t a clue what I’m doing.

Kid Canaveral – And Another Thing!! (Fence Records, 11 Jul) David: I’m not going to slag off any Scottish bands. It’s very formulaic, but they don’t sound like they’re trying to be too cool. [chorus begins] Oh, that’s nice! I wonder if we know these guys…

John: Fuck them, it’s rubbish.

David: It’s not! That’s a nice chorus! Six, same as Verse Metrics.

John: No way, Verse Metrics was much better!

David: Fine, Five.

Maps of Columbus – Daisy (Too Pure, 11 Jul) David: I don’t know how anyone could write that chord progression and not think, ‘hang on, I’ve heard that 14 times, yesterday.’ These guys better not be Scottish because this is truly awful; the sort of band you see supporting every band for a year…

John: …and they’re fucking shit.

David: Nobody wants to sound like the bands they grew up listening to anymore. They want to sound like bands that are cool. [Shakes fist] Grrrrrr! I bet they’re really nice guys as well…

John: They’re getting a one.

David: This magazine only comes out in Scotland, right?

Metronomy – The Bay (Because Music, 4 Jul) David, immediately: Metronomy! See, they’re a great band. You can hear who they’ve been listening to, but they put their own spin on it.

John: It’s like Fleetwood Mac processed by some kind of devil machine.

David: I wouldn’t want to score this above Wild Beasts though.

John: Seven, then.

David: Yeah, it’s not something I’d listen to but I appreciate it. Man, we’re starting to sound like complete fandans…

John: Aye, we’ll slag the next one...

Cee Lo Green – I Want You (Hold On to Love) (Warner, 4 Jul) John: …No we won’t, this is amazing! Immediately I can get with this. [vocals begin]. Ah, Cee Lo. This guy can sing, by

Glasvegas – Shine Like Stars (Columbia, 18 Jul) David, eyes to the CD player: I remember when you were in a fifties doo-wop band called Glasvegas, ya trumpet.

John: Trumped-up, self-important rubbish. He’s not yodelling enough; I like it when he yodels.

David: It sounds like a bad, Scottish Babylon Zoo. Or, what’s that band, ‘Baby, I’m Ready to Go’? Republica!

John: They recorded this album the same time as we did ours, just up the road in Santa Monica.

David: But we recorded ours in someone’s house, while they were in their studio going ‘Yeah man, make it sound like Republica’. Zero.

John: Ten! David: No John, we’re making a stand, that’s a zero.

SINGLE OF THE MONTH Linkin Park – Iridescent (Warner Bros. Records, 4 Jul) David: I know who this is. Let’s just say there are a lot of baggyjeaned morons crying into their ciders. C to F to Am to G: the most emotional of all the chord sequences.

John: This is gonna kick in right?

The Skinny: Something kicks in…

John: Please tell me it’s the rapper!

David: I think only whininess kicks in. I’m getting really angry thinking of blubbering girls weeping as they listen to this. Wait, here we go… [Choir ‘kicks in’] Now it’s an anthem.

John: It’s like a baseball game.

David: I’m welling up here. This is the best song I’ve ever heard!

John: By the way, I really like this. This is pumping, it’s getting a Ten. David: Single of the month!

John: Single of the year!

David: It’s repulsive but it reminds me of a simpler time… It might be the best song I’ve ever heard.

DANANANANAYKROYD’S NEW ALBUM THERE IS A WAY IS OUT NOW WWW.DANANANANAYKROYD.BLOGSPOT.COM

JULY 2011

THE SKINNY 45

ALBUM REVIEWS

RECORDS

ALBUM OF THE MONTH: DANANANANAYKROYD THERE IS A WAY

OUT NOW, PIZZA COLLEGE

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WITH THE gut-punching intensity of their 2009 debut and those kinetic, literally bone-breaking shows, it’s perhaps not surprising that Dananananaykroyd needed a little breather. Who better to recapture their lightning in a bottle than one-time Glassjaw and At the Drive-In producer Ross Robinson? Opening track Reboot warms up the jets for a good minute before the duelling vocals of Calum Gunn and John Baillie Jr hit the boost button, giving that familiar adrenaline shot that Hey Everyone! had in truck loads.

Whether by dint of the smoother production (again, it’s all relative) or the songs themselves, there’s less immediacy to There Is A Way as a whole but it’s one hell of a grower. Seven Days Late stands as one such highlight, initially unassuming and lost in the later

BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH

THE WRONG BOYFRIENDS

4 JUL, DIRTY HIT

1 JUL, KOVOROX SOUND

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LAST SMOKE BEFORE THE SNOWSTORM

WRONG FUCKING CENTURY DARLING

folds of the album but punching through the psyche with repeated listens until you find your finger feverishly hitting ‘repeat’. It happens again and again; All Us Authors, Make A Fist, even the goofy Think & Feel all get under the skin eventually. If we count this as round two for the self-styled ‘fight pop’ exponents then There Is A Way has delivered another knock-out blow. [Darren Carle]

PLAYING LEEDS FESTIVAL ON 26 AUG AND READING FESTIVAL ON 28 AUG HTTP://DANANANANAYKROYD.CO.UK/

LAS KELLIES KELLIES 27 JUN, FIRE

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Two warmly-received EPs aside, Benjamin Francis Leftwich is best known for an appearance on Dermot O’Leary’s Saturday Sessions, the radio slot responsible for Athlete’s God Only Knows (egads) and Orson’s take on Hall and Oates (shudder). Leftwich’s Arcade Fire cover was meek, insipid and reminiscent of every acoustic guitarist who’s ever claimed an open mic free pint via a wet ‘reinterpretation’.

Thankfully, his own material is considerably better; what was trite on Rebellion proves affecting here. It’s occasionally a bit O.C. soundtrack, although Leftwich balances out the clichés: when he croons “I’m yours tonight” on Don’t Go Slow, a moody montage of Seth and Summer gurning with desire dances to mind, but lines like “My bones were wrapped around you” locate a more interesting lyrical angle. Musically, a gentle folk waltz reigns uninterrupted, but the likes of Atlas Hands have a redemptive grace, keeping Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm enjoyable throughout. [Chris Buckle]

With a packing-crate full of irreverent, if oddly relevant, lyrics and a sound that doesn’t know whether it’s worshipping Nick Cave or The Clash, The Wrong Boyfriends’ debut album is a breath of confounding air. In a sense it’s an odds-and-sods collection of distinctly Scottish gutter-punk anthems, but there’s a heady degree of wit and sinister charm to the compositions, from Bearpit’s murderous bassline to Dark Speed’s entrancing psychedelia.

Despite the initially surreal appeal of lyrics dealing with train stations and Kojak, there is always a treacherous undercurrent of violence to their delivery; never before has Kojak’s ‘Who loves ya, baby?’ catchphrase sounded quite so unwholesome. With this unsettling lyrical tone, though, comes guitars that are often so lazily unhurried that thoughts of bodily harm seem lost in some remote plain, and it’s this multiple-personality approach that drags you in and takes you on a tour of the sordid side of life. [David Bowes]

There are few words more abhorrent than ‘sassy’, loaded as it is with US sitcom clichés, but it’s difficult to find a more appropriate term for Las Kellies’ blend of flirtatious banter and middle-finger-salute boisterousness. It’s a departure from their rock’n’roll origins, tending more heavily now towards a post-punk bounce with heavy shades of Cibo Matto and, somewhat predictably, CSS, although this core is turned on its head with perverse frequency.

Bife Dos delivers a confounding but nonetheless gleeful burst of 1950s surf rock and carnival psychedelia, Bling Bling heading more towards a heavy funk danceability with a loose bass groove and back-and-forth vocal tradeoffs between the trio, before transforming the bass into a weapon of reggae destruction for the dubby instrumental Adwenture. Their often unique approaches to vocals and bass are possibly the only common factors in this unpredictable collection, resulting in an album that takes utmost pride in its aura of ‘what the hell just happened?’ [David Bowes]

PLAYING GLASGOW FOPP ON 7 JUL AND INVERNESS BELLADRUM FESTIVAL ON 6 AUG

PLAYING GLASGOW’S 13TH NOTE ON 30 JUL

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/LASKELLIES

HEY COLOSSUS

WOLF GANG

BRIAN ENO

27 JUN, RIOT SEASON

25 JUL, ATLANTIC

4 JUL, WARP

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Despite churning albums out at a startling rate, the quality control on Hey Colossus’ assembly line of acid-doom rarely dips below the magic mark of ‘skull-crushing’ and RRR, though not achieving new peaks, isn’t about to let the standard slide just yet. Taking assorted cues from Om, it’s an unnervingly restrained album where the wrought-iron riffs take a backseat to the aura of the spiritual, spiralling Middle-Eastern melodies cloaked in incense and mysticism.

Teased from the Nest turns this into an art, low ministerial chants overlaying melodies of the souk before mangled guitars creep in, subtly paving the way for The Drang, essentially one behemothian riff that gradually pours into the ears like cement. There are numerous forays into krautrock-like mantras, closer I Am Bunga Bunga achieving the greatest access with turning the whole shebang into a coherent stream, but there’s enough on these seven slabs to keep both the red-eyed toker and the whisky-guzzling headbanger happy ‘til the next album, which is probably on its way already. [David Bowes]

SUEGO FAULTS

DRUMS BETWEEN THE BELLS

Suego Faults, the debut from Max McElligott’s Wolf Gang outfit, was produced by Dave Fridmann (he of Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips fame), and it sounds like it: the first comparison that springs to mind when opener Lions in Cages launches into its sparkling synth/guitar interplay is MGMT, another Fridmann-produced outfit. The same shimmering, orchestral pop hooks are evident here, as well as the insistent disco-inspired rhythms underpinning the music.

McElligot’s lyrics are fairly superficial, and in terms of song structure Suego Faults doesn’t break any new ground. The slower songs also tend to falter, particularly the mawkish Midnight Dancers. Wolf Gang’s default mode, however, is youthful exuberance, and on the LP’s highpoints – such as current single The King and all of his Men – there’s an assuredness to the melodies that makes such criticisms seem churlish. Not the most accomplished record on Fridmann’s CV, then, but there’s still plenty to enjoy here. [Sam Wiseman]

Drums Between the Bells is the latest in Brian Eno’s long list of collaborative works, kick-started in 2003 with poet Rick Holland and featuring a revolving door of similar contributors. It is, on the whole, highbrow and seemingly humourless ponderings on innerconsciousness and the nature of reality. All fine and well, but fifteen such variations quickly gets tiresome and in the case of the six-form philosophising of The Real, near-interminable.

It distracts from Eno’s contributions which are generally fine fare, save the odd inexplicable curveball such as Sounds Alien with its industrial guitar, beats and awful brass codas. Of course, Drums is an experiment, a collaborative exploration or “three-dimensional instantiations” in Eno’s own words. Make of that what you will, and, while there certainly are elements of the experiment that work and may be worthy of a little more research time, it would be hard to call the whole endeavour a success. [Darren Carle]

PLAYING T IN THE PARK, KINROSS ON 9 JUL

WWW.ENOSHOP.CO.UK

DIVA

JUNIOR BOYS

ZOMBY

25 JUL, CRITICAL HEIGHTS

4 JUL, DOMINO

11 JUL, 4AD

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THE GLITTER END

IT’S ALL TRUE

When Beth Consentino left Pocahaunted to start Best Coast, she revealed she’d never really liked the music made with the former, and was starting afresh with a style that mattered to her: a shift from hypnogogic drone to straight-up guitar-pop about boys. Diva Dompe joined Pocahaunted shortly after Consentino’s departure, but despite being in the band for only a brief time before their split, it’s safe to assume the ex BlackBlack girl doesn’t share Consentino’s distaste for their output.

The Glitter End is Dompe’s first solo record, and it orbits many of the same stars as her previous employers: Andromeda’s Lullaby is as ethereal as its title indicates, while Glow Worm would be the perfect accompaniment to a summer’s day were we to ever experience one. But despite multiple transient pleasures, the glittering whole never quite dazzles, inviting indifference long before its last rotation: promising, if not yet mind-blowing. [Chris Buckle]

It’s All True was written and recorded in Shanghai, Berlin and Hamilton, Ontario. Hamilton goes without saying; it’s the town the Boys call home. Berlin too: what electronic artist hasn’t spent time in the city (Incidentally, Kick the Can echoes Krautrock stylings to great effect)? Shanghai is a less obvious locale, though its influence is felt on opener Itchy Fingers, particularly a middle-eight featuring Chinese musicians that interjects novel textures to the shuddering synth and bass workout.

The globe-trotting is typical – Junior Boys have never stood still. Their influences are legion, and their ability to amalgamate sharply-honed.

It is therefore unsurprising that Playtime jumps track, and though its minimal, morose ballad is less immediately satisfying that the opener, it establishes the album’s scope. But the real highlights are left for last: ep ploughs a seductive soul groove, while single Banana Ripple shimmies through nine opulent minutes of premier disco-pop. [Chris Buckle]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DIVAPROJECTIONS

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/JUNIORBOYS

46 THE SKINNY JULY 2011

DEDICATION

Despite a reputation for egotism and extreme unreliabilty in actually turning up to his own shows, Zomby has been lauded frequently as a ‘genius’ of the UK electronic music scene by fans and fellow producers alike. Although it serves as a fine showcase for his spacious, impeccably sculpted tracks, Dedication probably isn’t the kind of major statement that fans have been waiting patiently to hear.

It was obvious that Zomby’s preference for short, evocative sketch-like compositions was always going to be difficult to reconcile to the full-length album format; with his penchant for jarringly abrupt endings and fast fade-outs only adding to this problem. Despite its structural shortcomings, Dedication is a sonically exquisite record that finds Zomby refining his timbral palette to impressive effect - but only on the sublime Irina Dubtsova-sampling Natalia’s Song does he manage to craft anything that could legitimately be said to approach genius. [Mark Shukla]

SHONEN KNIFE FREE TIME

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PLAYING EDINBURGH SNEAKY PETE’S ON 15 AUG AND GLASGOW NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY ON 16 AUG

RICHARD YOUNGS

25 JUL, DOUBLE SIX

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GHOSTS OUTSIDE

11 JUL, DAMNABLY

Despite multiple line-up changes, Shonen Knife’s set up and style has been unswerving across their thirty year existence: three girls, three chords, and an irreverent streak a mile wide.

On An Old Stationary Shop, remaining original member Naoko Yamano mentions buying a notebook so she can write down lyrics, and they’re keepers alright – her first all-English set, they’re characteristically bizarre and childishly charming. “Rolled cake, I want to sleep in it” goes Rock n Roll Cake, while Monster Jellyfish turns the tables on their kaiju foes by recommending “the more you chew them, the more flavourful they become.” Amongst such fluffy nonsense, the title of Economic Crisis stands out, but fiscal soothsaying is swiftly quashed by a riff cribbed from Ace of Spades and some rough feedback. They continue to be deep as a puddle, but stupendously so; here’s hoping that they refuse to grow up for another thirty years. [Chris Buckle]

STEVE MASON & DENNIS BOVELL

rrr For those baffled by seemingly endless bass culture sub-genres (hello UK post dub-step), Steve Mason’s collaboration with Dennis Bovell is refreshingly old-school. Bovell was a one time member of British reggae act Matumbi, finding more recent success as a record producer. As such, Ghosts Outside takes Mason’s acclaimed Boys Outside album and strips it down to its dub-reggae elements (who knew?) with surprising results.

Understand My Dub (all titles are similarly ‘dub’ centric) sets the genre blueprint with throbbing bass, propulsive beats and brass trimming. Throughout, Mason’s vocals are kept minimal; a sampled line here, an indecipherable, looped enunciation there. Still, the DNA of the parent album comes through whilst sounding a world away from the source material. Perhaps an EP length would have better suited this endeavour, but for all Mason’s previous flirtations with disparate styles, it’s surprising how well this one suits him. [Darren Carle]

AMPLIFYING HOST 18 JUL, JAGJAGUWAR

Over twenty years and a ton of releases (with scores of self-released CDRs supplementing every widely-released full-length), Richard Youngs has built a solid and diverse body of work that defies easy summation. In a typically contrary gesture, Amplifying Host casts out the electronic pop of predecessor Beyond the Valley of Ultrahits, adopting a wholly dissimilar, more earthy aesthetic.

Young’s incantations cast looping spells that homage conventional folk in the Richard Thomson mould, at the same time as invoking the outsider drones of Jandek (with whom the comparably prolific Young has collaborated on numerous occasions).

Repetition is integral to most tracks here, with Holding on to the Sea demonstrating the mileage Young can wring from a single phrase, the title’s enigmatic poetry swelling with every utterance. The album’s dense weave can be difficult to penetrate on first listen, but in the right frame of mind, Amplifying Host’s idiosyncrasies hypnotise. [Chris Buckle] WWW.MYSPACE.COM/RICHARDYOUNGSMUSIC

GARDENS & VILLA

ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO

PENSIONER

4 JUL, SECRETLY CANADIAN

4 JUL, PALMETTO

OUT NOW, OLIVE GROVE

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GARDENS & VILLA

VERITAS

YEARLINGS

Gardens & Villa’s debut album is frustratingly half-baked, rendering successes such as Thorn Castles’ Shins-esque ditty and opener Black Hills’ Yeasayer-style atmosphere ultimately moot. First, the good: Orange Blossom is excellent, its peculiar timbre topped by an unlikely flute solo. But when the flute later resurfaces for Sunday Morning, the rot has long set in, yielding uninspired, plodding prog-lite.

The Californian quintet’s biggest foe is their lack of consistency, which produces an accumulative cloud of boredom despite the aforementioned flashes of inspiration. Chemtrails barely holds together, its echoey sighs recalling early My Morning Jacket to substantially lesser effect (Tennessee Fire’s rare beauty is leagues ahead of this bundle of nothingness), while Carrizo Plain could be rechristened Band of Geldings, such is its dulled placidity. Luckily, closer Neon Dove restores some spark, so while Gardens & Villa is an undistinguished first effort, they’re not to be written off quite yet. [Chris Buckle]

By their fourth album, most bands would already have the bottom of the barrel well and truly scraped, but for Alex Skolnick’s jazz trinity this is probably the freshest they have ever sounded. Their tradition of adapting rock standards has been relegated to a solitary, though still quite mesmerising, rendition of Metallica’s Fade to Black, and lying in its stead is an outrageously varied melting pot of styles and technique.

Whether taking their cues from Prince on the authentically funkalicious 99/09, paying tribute to a long legacy of Indian music on the enigmatic Bollywood Jam or even dipping their toes in pseudo-breakbeat territory on Path of Least Resistance, they take the route of death-jazz maestros Cynic in never letting their technical extravagances get in the way of a good tune, instead leaving their compositions to saunter along while Skolnick’s guitar takes care of the technical labour. Skill, soul and balls; what more could you want in an album? [David Bowes]

The debut from Dundee math-rock quartet Pensioner provides some of the most indisputably silly song titles you’ll ever encounter (this writer was particularly taken with Big Trouble in Little Richard, and Bruce Forsyth’s ‘Chin It To Win It’). That aside, however, humour is not a dominant quality on Yearlings. What the record does demonstrate is a remarkably assured grasp of dynamic possibilities, shifting rapidly between At the Drive-In-style screeching choruses and muted guitar lines.

Pensioner have a fondness for wrongfooting chord progressions and clean/heavy shifts which, combined with an unashamedly dramatic vocal style, sometimes brings brooding post-metal like Isis to mind. For the most part, though, there are too many ideas here, and too much hyperactive enthusiasm, to contain the music within that sort of template. The titles might suggest a band that don’t take things too seriously; yet Yearlings is a deceptively accomplished record. [Sam Wiseman]

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/GARDENSANDVILLA

WWW.ALEXSKOLNICK.COM

PLAYING GLASGOW CAPTAIN’S REST ON 24 JUL AND 13TH NOTE ON 9 AUG

CATS AND CATS AND CATS

WASHED OUT

VARIOUS ARTISTS

4 JUL, FUNCTION RECORDS

11 JUL, WEIRD WORLD

4 JUL, TOLBOOTH RECORDS

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MOTHER WHALE

WITHIN AND WITHOUT

THE TOLBOOTH SESSIONS 2011

Much like label-mates Shield Your Eyes, there is an underlying core of almost classic songmanship to Cats and Cats and Cats, but it lies so deep beneath the surface that it can take some perseverance to break through. Still, once it’s tapped into it’s actually quite uplifting in a breezy, folk-but-not-quite kind of way and, if anything, the occasionally pained strings and tortured trumpets just add the polish to those little crystals of melody.

The one criticism that can be laid on Mother Whale is that it does frequently descend deep into the realm of, God help us, twee – but once again they are saved by a general disregard of convention, turning The Seaweed Brother’s male-female vocal volleys away from sickly sweet trappings with rollercoaster-esque dips and rises.

Through this crippling of indie tropes with sheer bloody-mindedness, they’ve created an oddly infectious gem well-suited for summer listening, if only the sun would return from exile. [David Bowes]

Ernest Greene, alias Washed Out, released his debut EP Life of Leisure in 2009, the Georgia-based talent promptly finding favour with blogging hipsters all over the Western world. Unable to sustain his previous release’s energy over the course of a full length album, what Greene now offers is essentially a series of mood pieces, all of which exude an iciness that’s oddly appropriate for summer listening.

The record’s nine tracks are uniformly awash with programmed beats, keyboards, synthesisers and multi-tracked vocals. If a problem lies with them, it’s that the songs rarely demonstrate a sense of development or progression, excepting highlight Soft which kicks off with 30 seconds of ambiance only for it to re-emerge mid-way through the song to stunning effect. That few compositions stray too far from their beginnings is forgiveable for a ‘Chillwave’ act. It’s just that Greene may have exercised a little too much restraint on this occasion. [Lewis Porteous]

Bono and Lars Ulrich no doubt remain unimpressed with the impact of new patterns of music consumption on their LP sales; for new bands, however, the heightened exposure that the internet provides is invaluable. Compilations like The Tolbooth Sessions are a case in point: ten unsigned bands from the central belt were individually paired with seasoned players such as Rod Jones (Idlewild) and Simon Ward (Errors) to produce a track at the eponymous studio, and the results can be streamed online – or ordered on a free CD. It’s a mixed bag, providing a snapshot of a strikingly diverse local scene.

Notable contributions come from Hey Enemy, whose lurching rhythms and cheesegrater guitars here sound like Pavement reimagined by the Birthday Party; and Teklo featuring Charlotte Riley, who offers Scream, Retreat – an infectious dubstep wobbler, as inspired as anything on the recent Magnetic Man LP. There are always worthwhile nooks of Scottish bands outwith the media’s gaze, but The Tolbooth Sessions is a fine way to attract it. [Sam Wiseman]

WWW.CATSANDCATSANDCATS.COM

ERNESTGREENE.BLOGSPOT.COM

FREE CDS CAN BE REQUESTED AT WWW.STIRLING.GOV.UK/TOLBOOTH

CRYSTAL ANTLERS TWO WAY MIRROR 11 JUL, RECREATION LTD.

rrrr After a favourably received debut album and EP it was uncertain as to whether these Californian acid-revivalists could ever best it. But, in attempting to do so, they have created an oddity: an album with the colour and vibrancy of psychedelia yet not confined to a single point in time, sounding both immediate and like a biography of 20th century rock.

Fortune Telling takes a mellow, moonlit stride that would make it an apt soundtrack to a night at the drive-in with your honey, while the title track even takes a sidestep from its steamrolling rock goodness to switch briefly to jangling surf-rock (sounding similar to Rock Lobster, oddly) but it slots together about as neatly as can be expected.

Perhaps it’s the rollocking rhythms, or just Jonny Bell’s charismatic all-or-nothing approach to singing, but this is an album that simply knows how to have a good time. [David Bowes] CRYSTALANTLERS.COM

TOP FIVE ALBUMS

FOSTER THE PEOPLE

1

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2 3 4 5

DANANANANAYKROYD

TORCHES

27 JUN, COLUMBIA

THERE IS A WAY

PENSIONER

YEARLINGS

JUNIOR BOYS

IT’S ALL TRUE

RICHARD YOUNGS

AMPLIFYING HOST

SHONEN KNIFE

FREE TIME

Foster the People’s sudden popularity and indie-disco affinities have prompted comparisons to MGMT, a resemblance sustained by their debut’s lop-sidedness. Just as Kids and Time to Pretend enveloped everything in their vicinity, lead single Pumped Up Kicks (already a sizable hit in the US and enjoying considerable radio play here) has the potential to extinguish the rest of Torches. It’s a cracking summer jam (if you overlook grim lyrics detailing a Columbine-style massacre), and is comfortably Foster the People’s choicest four-minutes. But, also like MGMT, the Californians deserve credit for not clinging too tightly to a tested template, with Helena Beat rocking a Peter, Bjorn and Justice vibe; Don’t Stop (Colour on the Walls) recalling The Kinks at their most perky; and Call It What You Want entering Scissor Sisters territory.

Sadly (again, alas, like MGMT), their debut is ultimately underwhelming, but they’re nonetheless off to a decent start. [Chris Buckle] WWW.FOSTERTHEPEOPLE.COM

JULY 2011

THE SKINNY 47

MUSIC

BRUTAL TRUTH

Our first date with punk-blooded scoundrels The WRONG BOYFRIENDS started as a guide to Belgian nightlife and ended as an HR crisis meeting INTERVIEW: DAVID BOWES PHOTOS: EMILY WYLDE

particularly eager to discuss. “It was very quick and painless. Basically, we had two three-hour sessions, and we were late for both of them.”

Both despite and because of this, they’re more than proud with the results. “We only had two or three takes each, so there’re a few mistakes. It’s the sound of a band playing live.”

Not only playing live, it seems, as at least one of the album’s cuts, Voodoo Corkscrew, was written mid-recording, as Pete details. “I love the riff! Sean played it and I just scribbled down a lot of lyrics, we went back, I wrote a keyboard thing and we recorded it. We’ve only ever played that song properly once, maybe twice. I think that’s kinda cool.”

Those lyrics are possibly the darkest the album has to offer, a twisted love story involving rewritten Valentine’s cards, discovering voodoo dolls in your girlfriend’s possession and fish paste. “It’s one of the most disgusting things I can think of,” Pete shudders. “I mean, fish paste…”

With such an eclectic mixture of sordid tales and scattershot influences, what would The Wrong Boyfriends like their legacy to be? Dom and Sean have no agenda, but Pete has his own, though perhaps not entirely serious, goal. “I’d like us to be perceived as really cool,” he smirks. It might be a while before Grimmy comes knocking.

❝

Our acoustic sets were crap. Really, really crap PETE KNOX

❞

WRONG FUCKING CENTURY DARLING IS RELEASED ON 1 JUL VIA KOVOROX SOUND WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEWRONGBOYFRIENDS

Supported by King Tuts Wah Wah Hut and the Electric Circus

MUSIC

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AL FILM FESTIVAL

48 THE SKINNY JULY 2011

Finally, and perhaps most memorably for the band, was Guillaume – the primary tub-thumper on their debut, whose inclusion helped to formulate the band’s sound in the most poetic of ways. “He and Dom were in love for a time, which explains why the drums and bass on the album are so good.”

The origin of this forbidden love came in the form of a poster placed by Guillaume simply stating ‘I am a drummer looking to play with a band,’ which Pete promptly followed up with a phone call. Sean picks up the story, even lapsing into an occasional atrocious French accent à la The Holy Grail for a more authentic experience. “So we met him, and he says, ‘Ah, my name is too complicated for you to pronounce, so you may call me William but my name is actually Guillaume!’ Nah, we’ll just call you Guillaume then, but thanks for anglicising it.”

While they are keen to emphasise his technical skills, describing his playing as “just fantastic,” it became apparent that his timekeeping skills didn’t match up with his performing skills, which the guitarist now retrospectively puts down to a sideline as a pizza chef.

“I didn’t realise how demanding it was. You couldn’t take a holiday; you had to be an on-call, 24-hours-a-day, pizza fucking chef!” Pete has his own thoughts on this, though, confiding “I think he was playing with two other bands as well.” The situation eventually led to numerous last-minute live cancellations on the Gallic sticksman’s part, often compensated for by Dom bringing his own instruments for impromptu acoustic sets. “Those acoustic sets were crap. Really, really crap,” sighs Pete.

Eventually, the time came for Guillaume to return to his homeland, necessitating a somewhat rushed recording schedule which Pete is

Clockwise from top left: Pablo; Callum; Michael; Sam

“SO THAT was what the first line on the album was about – saying ‘no’ to a prostitute in Brussels.” On the basis of a soundbite like that, it’d be all too easy to get the wrong impression about three-piece The Wrong Boyfriends, or at least guitarist and de facto spokesman Sean Murphy.

But finding polite ways to refuse ladies of the night is just the tip of the iceberg of this Glasgowbased trio’s lyrical inspiration.

It has led to a debut that is packed with moments of darkness and questions raised, such as: “You protest so much but is your brain really necessary” from Scientist, a song inspired by a scientific paper on the operational limits of the human mind. “It was a scientist who was questioning whether the size of your brain is really necessary for you to function properly,” says Sean, before deadpanning, “I’m sure it’s not necessary because for a lot of people I’ve talked to, it seems their brain’s not even fully engaged.”

If thoughts like this seem cynical, they are. Then again, life isn’t always pretty, a sentiment that is accurately reflected by the smashed collage that is their debut full-length Wrong Fucking Century Darling; this is 45 minutes of lo-fi sleaze, stylistic schizophrenia and punk abrasion. The origin of this is, according to Sean, the band’s wildly diverging musical tastes.

Looking pointedly at bassist Pete Knox, he tells us: “I mean, he likes Pulp, The Fall and Super Furry Animals. Dom likes Joanna Newsom and I like Burzum, Darkthrone, Girls Against Boys and Skinny Puppy.” The Dom in question is The Wrong Boyfriends’ drummer, still new to his role on the stool, although certainly not the first to find himself there.

Sean offers to elaborate, although it’s clear that personnel changes have given the band a lifetime of headaches. “It’s a lot like Spinal Tap but they don’t explode, they just go and do something much worse than being in The Wrong Boyfriends.”

Case 1: Kyle. “He left to join my brother’s band,” he says, before being superseded by Pete. “He and the guitarist left at the same time, after a gig,” something which Sean casually dismisses with “we weren’t too sad to see them go.” Case 2: Dave. “Him, I was impressed with because he was tall, physical and muscly,” Sean grins. “He was really good for heavier stuff but unfortunately even when he wasn’t playing heavier stuff he’d still be rattling the kit like he had a badger up his arse.”

CLUBS

PREVIEWS Witness presents: Sinden

The Arches presents: Nicolas Jaar (live)

Sneaky Pete's, 13 Jul

The Arches, 29 Jul

It would seem that the Witness crew cant get enough of Grizzly artists, having booked Brenmar last month for a sweaty packed out show, this month sees head honcho of Grizzly records Sinden taking to the stage.

You most probably know him from his collaborative work alongside Herve as The Count and Sinden as well as his DJ slot on Kiss FM, playing everything from kuduro, 2 step and hip hop. Sinden is definitely one of the most versatile producers on the scene, working with a huge range of producers and artists to always create something fresh and interesting.

Sinden’s recently formed imprint Grizzly has been responsible for some of the biggest underground hits from the past 12 months, with a roster of artists such as Mele, Jay Weed, Wafa, Brodinski and Distal to name but a few. Expect to hear a number of collaborations he has been cooking up with fellow Grizzly artists as well as a number of tunes with the masked Genius SBTRKT. Support comes in the form of Ross Anarkid (one half of Blackwax) and Dickie Drysdale. If last month was anything to go by this should be a great night.[Luke Dubuis]

If space is only noise that you can see, then prepare to wander into a parallel world of electronic sounds when Nicolas Jaar plays at The Arches on 29 July. Originally inspired to create music at the tender age of 14 by a Ricardo Villalobos’ album, The Au Harem D’Archimede, there is an apparent connection between the two artists for having a link to Chile, but since Jaar has said he “kind of hates techno,” then the association may just end there.

While Villalobos is commonly seen to be in a state of eternal ecstasy while he plays for his audiences in nightclubs, Jaar is put off by clubs in his native USA and has said he finds them to be “ravey and really cheesy,” so what he will make of the deep dark alcoves of the Glasgow club remains to be seen. Hard to strictly pin down into one musical genre however, the 20-year-old is very much influenced by instrumental hip-hop artists such as DJ Babu, Madlib, J Dilla and The Alchemist, as well as the highly individualistic jazz stylings of Keith Jarret. His 2011 tour sees the Jaar take to the stage with a full live band, setting free the notion that electronic music is mastered by one tempo alone. [Louise Devlin]

11pm- 3am, £3 adv/£5 otd

From 7.30pm, £8 + bf

T in the Park 2011

Electric Frog Weekender

Balado, Kinross, 10-12 Jul

SWG3, 30-31 Jul

Over the weekend, Balado will play host to RnB superstar, Beyoncé, festival sing-along favourites, Coldplay, and the ever-animated Foo Fighters.

Yet, many TITP veterans will tell you that the one place truly guaranteed to be in party mode all weekend is the Slam Tent. Here’s our roundup...

On Saturday, techno heavyweight Dave Clarke will top a bill that includes iconic duo Leftfield, the acceptably epic Vitalic, and the cheeky but affable Mike Skinner with The Streets. But the connoisseur’s choice will be Warp records’ wonder kid, Hudson Mohawke. Hud Mo, whose glossy synth-laden take on hip hop has led to critical acclaim and star-studded collaborations, will treat revellers to a live set which will showcase the Glaswegian’s flamboyant production technique as well as his musical panache.

Sunday sees electroclash survivor, Felix Da Housecat, headline a selection including residents Slam, Chicago house producer, DJ Sneak and Canada’s Matthew Johnson. Party DJ, Diplo, will warm the place up early on and the American is as likely to play Nirvana mash-ups as he is to play Baltimore club tracks. Dubstep pioneer Benga will also be on hand to provide the wobbles behind vocalist and MC, Youngman.

Whatever the weather, it won’t rain on your parade in the Slam Tent. [Ronan Martin]

The Electric Frog festival has evolved rapidly since its humble beginnings in 2009. Glasgow’s SWG3 warehouse complex has proved to be the perfect venue and this event offers the most eclectic line-up yet.

On Saturday, industrial veterans Nitzer Ebb will perform live, and front man Douglas McCarthy will exude the kind of stage presence that electronic music events often lack. Even livelier is Chicago’s ghetto house king, DJ Funk, who only has one setting: bounce! If you prefer something more subtle, Dubfire and Minus records’ Marc Houle will bring some minimalist sophistication to the proceedings.

There is also plenty of local talent on show, including Optimo and the ever versatile Pro Vinylist Karim.

Sunday’s line-up further demonstrates Electric Frog’s broadened scope. Mark E Smith will appear with the current configuration of his irrepressible post-punk band The Fall. Glasgow’s own, Errors, will also blur the line between the festival’s electronic roots and its new found appetite for guitar bands.

Yet, no electronic festival would be complete without a healthy dose of bass. Enter dubstep innovator and pioneer of the “purple sound”, Joker. London’s Mount Kimbie will also offer their ambient take on the increasingly amorphous dubstep genre.

Sunday’s bill will be added to in coming weeks.

This party is not to be missed. [Ronan Martin]

www.tinthepark.com

Day Tickets £22.50+bf, Weekend tickets - £40+bf

Death Disco: Uffie (Live)

Numbers is 8, Floating Points & Spencer

The Arches, Sat 16 Jul

Playful pop electro starlet Uffie is an act who very much polarises opinion. For some, her self-centred lyrical style and bratty not-quite-rap delivery is a source of irritation.

For others, the American girl from Paris has been the bona fide star of Ed Banger Records since her producer and ex-boyfriend, Feadz, first persuaded her to sing over his tracks. Collaborations with Feadz and Mr Oizo produced the auto-tuned favourite Pop the Glock and the loveably boisterous Ready to Uff, respectively.

Last year the 23-year-old released her long awaited first album, Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans, to predominantly positive reviews. The album combines older hits, such as Pop the Glock, with new material such as synth-pop single ADD SUV (featuring Pharrell Williams).

She also brought in a third producer, Mirwais, who previously worked with Madonna, resulting in a more refined album than many would have expected. Yet, Uffie’s cheeky demeanour shines through. Having made such a colourful breakthrough in 2006, it may prove difficult for her to develop beyond her bratty image.

We fully expect Uffie to be at her mischievous best in front of a crowd who will lap it up. Support includes Canadian electro-house producer, Felix Cartal, and Mingo-go. [Ronan Martin] Sat 16 Jul 11pm - 3am £14/£7

Sub Club, 1 Jul

Manchester’s Floating Points, aka Sam Sheppard, has already made a huge mark on the electronic music scene in a shockingly short time. His numerous releases for the likes of Planet Mu, Ninja Tune, R2 and his own label Eglo which he runs with Rinse FM’s Alexander Nut, have undoubtedly been some of the musical highlights of the past few years.

Renowned for his marathon vinyl only DJ sets, Sheppard knows how to hold a dance floor, blending elements of house, Detroit techno, soul and disco in a seamless and beautiful manner. With backing from the likes of Detroit master Theo Parrish, Benji B, Ramadanman, Kode 9 and Four Tet it is of little surprise that Numbers have brought him back again to help them celebrate their 8th year of ever growing success. Be sure to also catch Numbers resident Spencer, who will also be gracing the decks with his presence spinning a huge variety of genres in typical Numbers style. If you want to see and example DJing at its best, head down for what will no doubt be a flawless demonstration of taste and selection. [Luke Dubuis] 11pm - 3am, £5 before midnight

clubbing HIGHLIGHTS Words: Ray Philp Illustration: PAUL SMITH

Fed up of the long hours and vitamin D deficiency inherent in its proselytising ways, the Clubbing Highlights column has made a devastating concession to ‘fun’ by packing its suitcase with suncream and homemade lysergics, with the all-too-distant aspiration that it might come back from Sonar festival looking like something other than a crème brûlée lovingly prepared by Duke Nukem. Only the acid will give it the conviction to believe as much. As usual, it’s up to the rest of us at Clubs to pick up the pieces and salve its melanoma-riddled carcass with the following aftersun lotions.

LuckyMe host one third of polybass triumvirate Hessle Audio, Ben UFO, at their Sneaky Pete’s bimonthly on Fri 29 Jul. Ben UFO’s selections of warmth-infused house and UK garage mirror LuckyMe’s continued quest towards a place called Omnigenre, a realm where nothing is off-limits.

Playing out beforehand will be Leeds-based Respite, The Blessings and Eclair Fifi, the last of whom has released a typically exceptional mix for URB. Over at SWG3, Electric Frog reprise their April soiree with an inarguably stellar line-up on Sat 30 and Sun 31 Jul. Essential Saturday offerings include a live set from Minus’s Marc Houle (he of irrepressible minimal anthem On It), the Teutonic disco pastiche of Nitzer Ebb, the porno-bass of DJ Funk and the electro-techno of Instra:mental. Mount Kimbie, Optimo, Chrome Hoof and Joker should be foremost in your thoughts on the Sunday.

Clockwork are the latest sleek house act to visit Rendezvous. Much in the vein of Art Department and Lee Foss, also a former Rendezvous

headliner, the Italian duo marry sensuous basslines with pitched-down vocals played at slow, libidinous tempos. Retrophile duo Cheap Picasso augment proceedings with a considered blend of 70s and 80s NY cocaine disco and diva house (of the acceptable kind). Catch this at Hawke & Hunter on Sat 2 Jul. Slabs of the Tabernacle welcome Intergalactic Gary and John Heckle on Sat 30 Jul at Big Joint.

Intergalactic Gary’s wantonly eclectic box of tricks will be funneled into an exclusive Chicago acid setlist, something which Dutch label Rush Hour are repressing lots of if you’re keen on copping yourself a few copies. Heckle’s oeuvre looks more to the future; recently-released EP 4th Dimension rides a hi-tech jazz groove reminiscent of Space Dimension Controller.

Getting hold of a ticket to T in the Park is notoriously difficult, unless your banking is done offshore or you’re sleeping with someone in the media (you poor bastard). If you belong in either camp, then a beeline to the Slam Tent should be considered standard procedure. Of the stramash on offer, Tiga’s seamless patchwork of 80s synth pop and restrained electro house, along with DJ Sneak’s timeless disco house (stone cold classic You Can’t Hide From Your Bud being a good example), are fine starting points. Josh Wink’s epic acid techno and the ethereal 4/4 of The Black Dog should excite your adrenal glands something fierce, while live sets from Hudson Mohawke and Boards of Canada-inspired beatsmith Mathew Jonson are also deserving of your discerning ears.

July 2011

THE SKINNY 49

REVIEWS

JULY EVENTS FILM

On 25 July the Filmhouse in Edinburgh is offering a rare chance to see notorious 1932 film Freaks. The director Tod Browning (Dracula), inspired by his own circus connections, employed real sideshow performers and wanted to create a sympathetic portrait of their lives. On its original release it was met with disgust by critics and audiences alike.

It destroyed Browning’s formerly lucrative career and was banned for over thirty years, one of the longest film bans in history. Now it is considered a cult classic, and remains to this day simultaneously haunting, horrifying and fascinating.

HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN

HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN

THE TREE OF LIFE

DIRECTOR: JASON EISENER

DIRECTOR: TERRENCE MALICK

STARRING: RUTGER HAUER, BRIAN DOWNEY, MOLLY DUNSWORTH RELEASED: 15 JUL CERTIFICATE: 18

STARRING: BRAD PITT, SEAN PENN, JESSICA CHASTAIN, HUNTER MCCRACKEN RELEASED: 8 JUL CERTIFICATE: 12A

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With a title like Hobo with a Shotgun, this film has a lot to live up to – and Jason Eisener’s exploitation homage doesn’t disappoint. Ageing cult star Rutger Hauer is the hobo in question who, rather like Dave in Kick-Ass, gets tired of seeing mass apathy towards the ever-increasing scum ruling the streets and decides to take matters into his own hands. Unlike Dave, this hero doesn’t get his superhero suit online; he earns money for his shotgun by eating glass for a sadistic film director’s latest project. Hauer is a delight, playing the role perfectly straight and being all the more entertaining, and oddly affecting, as a result. Unashamedly gory, each manic moment of ultra-violence is captured in vivid, startling Technicolor and, with targets like a paedophile Santa on the Hobo’s hitlist, it revels in its hilarious, shocking, glorious bad taste. Created by a fan for fans everywhere, Eisener’s film is simultaneously original and a perfect throwback to the blood-splattered movies of the 70s. [Becky Bartlett]

Simultaneously the most ambitious and intimate work of Terrence Malick’s career, The Tree of Life is a film unlike any other in recent American cinema. At the film’s centre is a deeply personal evocation of life in 1950s Texas, with three children growing up under a stern father (Pitt) and loving mother (Chastain), but Malick rejects conventional notions of narrative, instead linking scenes through memories and emotions. As disorientating as this approach may be, the film remains enthralling because of Malick’s uncanny ability to capture serendipitous moments and elicit flawless performances from his cast. This section of the film would be good enough to earn The Tree of Life accolades on its own, but Malick daringly sets his tale of childhood innocence lost against awe-inspiring sequences of the birth of the universe and the afterlife. The Tree of Life won’t resonate with everyone, but viewers approaching it with an open mind and a curious spirit may feel it touching their soul in a way that few films can. [Philip Concannon]

WWW.MAGNETRELEASING.COM/HOBOWITHASHOTGUN

WWW.THETREEOFLIFEMOVIE.CO.UK

HORRIBLE BOSSES

CELL 211

DIRECTOR: SETH GORDON

DIRECTOR: DANIEL MONZON

STARRING: JASON BATEMAN, CHARLIE DAY, JASON SUDEIKIS, KEVIN SPACEY, JENNIFER ANISTON, COLIN FARRELL, JAMIE FOXX RELEASED: 22 JUL CERTIFICATE: 15

STARRING: LUIS TOSAR, ALBERTO AMMANN, ANTONIO RESINES RELEASED: 15 JUL CERTIFICATE: 18

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The Cameo is screening You’ve Been Trumped on 14 July, a documentary following a group of Scottish homeowners trying to preserve their local landscape from US tycoon Donald Trump, who purchased hundreds of acres in the Scottish North East with the intention of building golf courses, hotels and luxury homes. The clash is a contemporary David and Goliath story, displaying the differences between local community and big business. This screening is accompanied by a Q&A with special guests, which have yet to be confirmed. Check out the Cameo’s website for more details.

In Glasgow the CCA is hosting Inhabitants, in association with Cryptic Nights, on 7 July. The event, which fuses film and live contemporary dance, features choreography by Abby Warrilow, whose previous works can be seen in The Wicker Tree and music videos for The Proclaimers. Inhabitants has been described as similar to a horror film, and the event promises to be an interesting and unique night.

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Horrible Bosses offers a dastardly scenario — what if you could get away with murdering that obnoxious superior who makes your daily grind a misery? Three friends, Nick (Bateman), Dale (Day), and Kurt (Sudeikis), hatch a plot to off their respective bosses with a little help from a crime mentor, played by Jamie Foxx, and some meta Strangers on a Train referencing. There’s a delicious friction created by pay-grade appropriate casting: A-listers Spacey, Aniston and Farrell play the eponymous bosses, while the jobbing TV comedians are their underlings. Unfortunately, though, Horrible Bosses doesn’t have the courage of its convictions. All the vicarious thrill evaporates when it becomes clear that this trio don’t have the balls to actually go through with murder. You begin to wonder what a sardonic screen presence like Bill Murray or Ben Stiller could have done with this material. And instead of simply mentioning Hitchcock, director Gordon should have borrowed some of his menace. It’s not quite horrible, but it’s no Throw Momma from the Train. [Jamie Dunn]

In a film full of lobe-searing scenes, Cell 211’s opening – in which a tormented prisoner improvises a blade from a cigarette butt and opens his arteries – burns itself in the mind particularly strongly. It sets a visceral tone that never lets up, as rookie guard Juan Oliver (Alberto Ammann) finds himself caught up in a prison riot ahead of his first day on the job. Disguising himself as a prisoner, he quickly earns the trust of chief con Malamadre (Luis Tosar), while wardens and politicians try to protect the father-to-be and rescue the ETA terrorists being held hostage.

The results are morally complex, a quality obviously appreciated by The Goyas, who showered the film with eight awards (and if there was a ‘best casting director’ award, it would have been a shoo-in for that too – the prisoners are terrifyingly believable). Any dips into melodrama are levelled out by its unpredictability, sympathies shifting multiple times in a kaleidoscope of greys that refuses to settle into blacks and whites. [Chris Buckle]

BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD

OUR DAY WILL COME

DIRECTOR: LIZ GARBUS

DIRECTOR: ROMAIN GAVRAS

STARRING: BOBBY FISCHER, BORIS SPASSKY, GARY KASPAROV RELEASED: 15 JUL CERTIFICATE: 12A

STARRING: VINCENT CASSEL, OLIVIER BARTHELEMY, JUSTINE LEROOY, VANESSA DECAT RELEASED: 29 JUL CERTIFICATE: 18

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Recounting the life of the revered American chess master famed for his strange behaviour and seemingly unmatched ability, Bobby Fischer Against the World centres around the idiosyncratic self-taught Brooklynite’s Cold War World Championship rivalry with Soviet Boris Spassky. Combining rare archive footage and previously unseen stills by photographer Harry Benson, director Liz Garbus presents a portrait of an insular young man with extreme dedication to one ambition at the expense of all else.

Given the simplest of retelling, the events of Fischer’s life form a captivating narrative which Garbus handles with a sophisticated touch. The testimonies of those associated with Fischer, including Henry Kissinger, Malcolm Gladwell and Dick Cavett alongside a number of former chess champions, provide an intriguing glimpse into both the artistry of his playing and the psychotic effects seemingly caused by years of isolated commitment.

Fascinating and far less didactic than you might expect, Garbus’ film explores the intellectual beauty of the game balanced against the erratic and enigmatic Fischer. [David McGinty]

Enfant terrible of the music video world, Romain Garvas, writes and directs his feature debut, featuring perennial cinematic nutcase Vincent Cassel.

The result is, unsurprisingly, a bit strange — but deliciously so. Ostracised copper-knob Rémy (Barthelemy) escapes the clutches of his odious family to fall under the care of similarly follically-cursed, predatory misanthrope Patrick (Cassel). Under the wing of his new mentor, Rémy, embarks on an increasingly outlandish, nihilistic and violent road-trip encompassing his sexual awakening, an attempted liberation of the oppressed Franco-Gingers and a return to his assumed spiritual home of Ireland. Seriously.

The episodic structure of the road movie allows Garvas to work in a form with which he is comfortable – essentially a collection of bizarre vignettes.

Frequently hilarious, often difficult to watch and never less than fascinating, he’s concocted a provocative tour-de-force. Cassel is on familiar, deranged form, but often allows the youngster to take centre stage, remaining near catatonic for much of the second and third act, with the horror of his subsequent outbursts thus all the more magnified. [Chris Fyvie]

50 THE SKINNY JULY 2011

YOU'VE BEEN TRUMPED

THE ILLUSIONIST

The Filmhouse has collaborated with The MagicFest to bring Magic Cinema, a mini three-film season of magic movies between 1-3 July. The programme features Death Defying Acts, starring Guy Pearce, and two films called The Illusionist – one a love story starring Edward Norton, the other a beautifully animated tale of friendship between an elderly French magician and a young girl from a remote Scottish village. The latter, by director Sylvain Chomet, was nominated for an Oscar this year, and features stunning scenes of Edinburgh. All the screenings are introduced by magicians and illusionists, who are on hand to confuse and baffle everyone attending.

Anime fans should head to the Belmont in Aberdeen on 4 July for a special screening of Katsuhiro Ohtomo’s 1988 film, Akira. The film, which introduced the Japanese manga style to a global audience, has influenced numerous American sci-fi films, including The Matrix. The Belmont has pledged to give a portion of the profit from this screening to The Japan Society Tohoku Earthquake Relief Fund, so you can see a great film and help a good cause at the same time.[Becky Bartlett]

AKIRA

FILM

DVD REVIEWS THE KINGDOM

THE GREAT WHITE SILENCE

ROBINSON IN RUINS

DIRECTOR: LARS VON TRIER AND OTHERS

DIRECTOR: HERBERT G. PONTING

DIRECTOR: PATRICK KEILLER

STARRING: ERNST-HUGO JÄREGÅRD, KIRSTEN ROLFFES RELEASED: 4 JUL CERTIFICATE: 18

STARRING: ROBERT FALCON SCOTT, HERBERT G. PONTING RELEASED: OUT NOW CERTIFICATE: U

STARRING: VANESSA REDGRAVE RELEASED: OUT NOW CERTIFICATE: U

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Long before his bout of foot-in-mouth disease at Cannes, Danish auteur Lars Von Trier spooked everyone with a shamelessly weird miniseries set in a modern day hospital that becomes a gateway to the spirit world. It was followed by a sequel and now all eight episodes are collected in one boxed set. Nearly twenty years on, there’s still never been anything like it. Office politics sit uneasily alongside nightmarish imagery of cannibalism, murderous ghosts, tumour obsessed surgeons, and freakishly deformed babies while a nameless evil gathers strength in the shadows.

It has more in common with Eraserhead than E.R., and Von Trier is in on the joke. Despite the overt horror elements, there’s also a healthy dose of humour and the interplay between the quirky and often completely ridiculous characters makes for compulsive viewing. Something so deliberately offbeat isn’t going to be for everyone, but approached with an open mind it’s an essential and utterly unique masterpiece of the macabre. [Scotty McKellar]

When an earlier cut of Herbert G. Ponting’s remarkable record of the British Antarctic Expedition was screened for George VI in 1914, the king declared everyone should see it so as to keep “the spirit of adventure” alive in the nation’s youth. Jokes aren’t Ponting’s strong-point (“an epidemic broke out on board” an intertitle announces, “…of HAIRCUTTING!”), and the anthropomorphised penguins expend their appeal, but in all other respects, Bertie’s recommendation remains valid. The tragic outcome of Captain Scott’s ill-fated venture is well-known, but it’s never been so vividly presented as in this excellent restoration. Simon Fisher’s exceptional score enhances both the wonder and dejection of Scott’s extraordinary journey, with tinted stock emphasising the otherworldliness of the terrain.

The first iceberg encounter is truly breath-taking, while the excitement felt by crew-members watching the iron hull shattering ice floes is keenly felt.

But the fascination is as much in the details, with sub-zero soccer matches as unforgettable as the grim conclusion. [Chris Buckle]

FAIR GAME

FLOODTIDE

COUNTRY STRONG

DIRECTOR: DOUG LIMAN

DIRECTOR: FREDERICK WILSON

DIRECTOR: SHANA FESTE

STARRING: NAOMI WATTS, SEAN PENN RELEASED: 4 JUL CERTIFICATE: 12

STARRING: GORDON JACKSON, RONA ANDERSON, JOHN LAURIE RELEASED: OUT NOW CERTIFICATE: PG

STARRING: GWYNETH PALTROW, TIM MCGRAW, GARRETT HEDLUND, LEIGHTON MEESTER RELEASED: 18 JUL CERTIFICATE: 12

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rr Fair Game brings the real-life story of CIA operative Valerie Plame to the big screen. Naomi Watts stars as the spy with Sean Penn as her retired diplomat husband, Joe Wilson. Set in 2002, she’s in charge of weapons of mass destruction investigations, and high drama is paired with a preoccupation with television footage from the war on terror which fills the film but fails to add gravity.

Dropped directly into the story alongside poorly-drawn dinner table chats, this smorgasbord of “real-life” moments are at odds with intense monologues and general Hollywood bombast. The heavy tone persists with few mood-lightening moments.

The film picks up when Valerie is outed in the mainstream press by officials in the White House in retaliation for an article written by her husband. While the sudden acceleration is welcome, the film would have benefitted for this revelation to come about 20 minutes in, rather than as a sudden third act rush. [Nicola Balkind]

COMPS

Psychogeography, the form of intellectual rambling practised by writers like Iain Sinclair and Will Self, has had some prominence in recent years. At its best it has provided suggestive and surprising accounts of Britain’s marginal landscapes.

The film-maker Patrick Keiller has long been cinema’s most prominent psychogeographer, beginning with London (1994) and continuing with Robinson in Space (1997). Robinson in Ruins, the third installment in this trilogy, continues with the same technique as the two earlier films; a series of lengthy static shots of the often forgotten parts of a landscape (here Oxfordshire), over which a narrator recounts the movements and thoughts of the fictional Robinson, a cerebral and possibly subversive flaneur, who is the imagined cinematographer of the film. There are moments of unexpected beauty – a field of legally grown opium poppies, lichen growing on a motorway sign – and some fascinating historical digressions, but ultimately the film struggles to keep our attention. [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]

David (Gordon Jackson) is the son of a farmer who dreams of building ships on the Clyde. Against his father’s wishes he takes a job in the shipyards and begins his meteoric rise through the ranks. Along the way he meets Mary, the boss’s daughter. He likes the cut of her jib, if not the shape of her stern (of her yacht, ya daftie), but before love can blossom he must first overcome the oldfashioned ideas of his colleagues to build his revolutionary ship, and also escape the clutches of Judie, a Barrowlands haunting hussy.

The pleasure of Floodtide (1949) lies not in its rather underdeveloped and underpowered story, but in its portrait of a time when the Clyde was the centre of the shipbuilding world, and a place that attracted the best and the brightest. Although mostly studio bound, there is an enjoyable authenticity to its dialogue and its depiction of life in the shipyards and tenements of post-war Glasgow. [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]

WIN TICKETS TO THE FAMOUS GROUSE FESTIVAL

The Famous Grouse has teamed up with The Skinny to offer one lucky reader four tickets to each day of The Famous Grouse Festival.

Taking place at The Famous Grouse Experience on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 August this new festival will showcase some of the best musical talent that the country has to offer.

To view the full line-up please visit www.thefamousgrouse.com/festival.

Ticket prices are £30 per day and are now on sale from www.ticketmaster.co.uk . Tickets are restricted to those aged 14 and above. *Subject to licensing

You know you’re getting older when the starlets of your youth start to appear as alcoholic country music stars in terminal decline.

But the mung bean munching Paltrow surely makes the most wholesome, healthiest looking dipsomaniac in movie history. She plays Kelly Canter, a troubled singer whose career hit the rocks when she hit the bottle. On her comeback tour she is accompanied by two young singers – rootsy Beau (Garrett Hedlund) and ex-prom-queen Chiles (Leighton Meester) – whose careers and love lives become entwined with her own.

Country Strong has highs and lows aplenty, reasonable performances and some decent songs (although Paltrow’s singing doesn’t entirely convince). But by insisting that fame and authenticity are mutually exclusive it fails to understand that country is the place where tackiness meets real suffering, and rhinestones meet really good songs. As a result the film ends up as something great country music never is: a bit dull. [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]

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originated by

JULY 2011

THE SKINNY 51

BOOKS

REVIEWS AARON AND AHMED

BEAUTY AND THE INFERNO

TOP GEAR DRIVERS’ HANDBOOK

THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE BOOK

BY JAY CANTOR (WRITER) AND JAMES ROMBERGER (ARTIST)

BY ROBERTO SAVIANO

BY RICHARD PORTER

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BY UMBERTO ECO AND JEANCLAUDE CARRIERE

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Aaron and Ahmed is subtitled ‘A Love Story’, but it’s not that simple. It’s the story of Aaron, who becomes a soldier in Guantanamo Bay after his girlfriend dies in the attacks on the World Trade Centre, and Ahmed, one of the inmates whom he interrogates. It’s unlikely that these two men would ever bond in real life, and in truth the script never gets over this difficulty. The early section of the book usually has Aaron cast as a surrogate for the reader, as he is lectured by a prison scientist, and then Ahmed, about their respective viewpoints. All of this exposition nearly kills the story, but these sections are informative, and Romberger’s excellent images, slightly overlit like smuggled-out film, get the reader through. Sadly, this all builds up to an escape from Guantanamo to Pakistan that’s too jarring to believe, and what follows becomes more unbelievable still. Aaron is trained as a suicide bomber, then a mystical angle is explored, and this leads to a final twist that’s just too removed from what’s come before to be at all believable. The art, and some of the argument, makes the book worth a look, but this could have been so much better.

[David Agnew]

DIGITAL

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY TITAN BOOKS. COVER PRICE £18.99

BITE-SIZED TECH NUGGETS WITH ALEX COLE

OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY MACLEHOSE PRESS. COVER PRICE £16.99

Following on from Haynes, the Car Manual publisher who branched out into novelty books – The Star Trek based U.S.S Enterprise Manual, Dad Manual, Baby Manual etc – Top Gear decides to get in on this idea. The Top Gear Drivers’ Handbook is a spoof of similar publications by motoring associations. So it is theoretically published by ‘The Top Gear Motoringists’ Association’, and is full of car-maintenance based jokes. Now, if you’re a fan of Top Gear, you may feel a little short changed here, because there’s no content from any of the presenters, barring an introduction that’s theoretically by all three of them. The actual writer is Richard Porter, who’s a script editor for the show, but somehow the humour of Top Gear itself doesn’t really carry over to print. Part of the success of the TV show is the elaborate stunts the team carries out, and these obviously don’t transfer to the page. But another problem is that a car show that makes jokes can be funny, but a joke version of a car manual is not – there’s no serious purpose to be light-hearted about when it’s clear the whole thing is inconsequential. Some laughs, yes, but overall it’s simply dull. [Richard Robeson]

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

rrr There have been too many hand-wringing discussions on the future of the book. This is not one of them. Author and academic Umberto Eco and his friend, screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere are both uber-bibliophiles, each owning tens of thousands of books (this is not an exaggeration). They are also friends, whose cheerful conversations on the subject of the book are here collected and relayed for readers to enjoy. Your enjoyment may be conditioned by how strictly you want this pair to adhere to the topic in hand. They use books as a jumping off point to explore… well, wherever the conversation takes them. However, it’s a well-informed discussion, and although they’ve clearly resisted the urge to edit the book afterwards with the benefit of fact checking, there are few glaring errors. If you can forget about the point in hand being covered too strictly, it’s a happy experience to read two people’s discussion, rather than debate, about an issue such as this. There’s no polarisation, just two minds exploring a subject they care about together.

Best of all, they’ve done the obvious thing when discussing the future of the book – they’ve put that discussion itself into a book. Nice. [Nat Smith] OUT NOW. PUBLISHED BY HARVILL SECKER (AND IN AN E-BOOK VERSION TOO, IF YOU’RE CHEEKY). COVER PRICE £14.99 HARDBACK

DIGITAL UNDERGROUND The black market on the internet where you can buy just about anything WORDS: ALEX COLE ILLUSTRATION: STEVEN JARVIS

FORGET ALL the crap about new gadgets and social togetherness being the best thing about technology – we all know it’s being able to shop without having to talk to anyone (well, it’s really free porn, but whatever). Between eBay, Amazon, and every high street shop, there ain’t much you can’t get delivered to your door. Well, except illegal stuff. I mean, everything’s tracked and recorded online, right? It’s not like you can just browse a site for a few grams of hash and get it delivered anonymously to your door, right?

Yeah, actually, you can. Although we in no way suggest that you should. And it's really hard to do, so there's probably not much point even trying.

A new breed of site is promising to deliver just that. Silk Road, a newish public launch, is a one-stop shop for all your recreational narcotic needs.

Individual sellers all over the world can offer just about any drug in the alphabet, from speed to weed to ecstasy. Fill your shopping cart with what you like, and it gets sent to your door in an anonymous brown package. Neat as you please.

What about credit cards, you say? Can’t they trace that, like in The Wire. Gotcha covered. Silk Road runs on Bitcoins, a new breed of digital currency that floats wildly against regular currencies, and has the advantage of being completely anonymous. All purchases are public, but with no names attached, so your meth is bought with the safety of never having it on your bill.

Not-that-I’m-interested-but-if-I-just-wantedto-browse-around-for-no-reason-so-what’s-theaddress, I hear you ask? Well, it’s not that simple.

Sure, I could just give you a random string like http:// ianxz6zefk72ulzz.onion/index.php, but that won’t get you far. Connections are run through an anonymizer

THE FEED

Gomorrah, journalist Roberto Saviano’s exposé of the Neapolitan Camorra crime organisation, quickly became an international bestseller, and subsequently an award-winning film.

But the downside of this was that Saviano became a marked man, with 24 hour police protection, and at least two planned attempts on his life. This book is a collection of pieces written since 2006, some simply journalistic profiles, but mostly about the author’s experiences since his change in circumstances.

The translation is a little awkward, as the word order, whilst not incoherent, can sometimes seem like it would fit Italian better than English. Still, this is a well written collection, and in a lot of ways a hopeful one. Early pieces have titles like Fighting Evil with Art and Truth, Despite All Else, Exists. Other pieces show Saviano profiling people he admires, like Lionel Messi. This isn’t as incongruous as you’d think – Saviano is (rightly) insistent that he shouldn’t be trapped into simply writing about crime. Nearer the end of this collection he writes about appearing at the Nobel Prize ceremony, where his bravery is recognised. The attention Saviano has brought to his country’s problems has some upside, after all, and it’s moments of hope like this that really make this collection. [Johnny Chess]

L.A. NOIRE PUBLISHER: TEAM BONDI / ROCKSTAR OUT NOW CONSOLE(S): XBOX, PS3 PRICE: £49.99

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protocol called TOR, which needs to be specially configured on your machine to completely mask where you’re connecting from, who you are, and keep anyone from snooping on your connection.

You’ll need a nerd of moderate ability to set it up, but if you do, you get a surprisingly secure connection to the street dealer’s worst nightmare.

Bitcoins aren’t exactly foolproof, and their value changes by the second, so you’re never quite sure

how much you’re paying for what you get. And the site itself is only a few months old and has already pissed off a whole bunch of authority figures in suits, so who knows how long it’ll all last.

Fact is, though, for now this site does exactly what it says on the tin – very anonymous, secure and reliable drugs, delivered to your door. And they said this internet thing wouldn’t catch on.

Remember, drugs are bad.

L.A. Noire is not L.A. Confidential. Don’t even think that. Never mind the setting, the time period, the plot points, the corrupt system, the do-gooder cop with the tragic past or the “just the facts, ma’am” routine. Never mind femme fatales, dirty vice squads, gruff but loveable partners or the one clue that cracks the case. Never mind any of that, because even if you’re not paying attention, this game will just cutscene your way through to the plot to the few things you’re allowed to do.

Plenty of noise was made about the interrogation mechanic, where the great facial animation makes you try to call out a suspect on a lie. It’s a neat trick, but ultimately the acting means they look like a cartoon character told to look shifty. Finding evidence is a chore and much too methodical, and by the time you get to chasing down suspects on foot or in the car, and settle the issue with fists or guns, you remember that this is a Rockstar game at heart, and sandbox shooters are what they do.

Not to say L.A. Noire isn’t fun or worth playing.

There’s a great style to the game, a decently workedout plot and some fun little set pieces that make a few cases really stand out. That said, the ending falls apart at the seams, and ultimately this game just isn’t the straight dope it tries to be.[Alex Cole]

LULZSEC HACKS JUST ABOUT EVERYONE, MAKES EVERYONE FEEL A BIT NAKED • NINTENDO LAUNCHES THE WII U TABLET CONTROLLER, FINALLY RUNS OUT OF NAMES THAT MAKE SENSE • IS FACEBOOK LOSING USERS? EVERYONE WANTS TO THINK SO. IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER • APPLE LAUNCHES ICLOUD, EVERYONE WITH SPOTIFY AND DROPBOX KINDA SNIGGERS • FAKE LESBIAN DAMASCUS BLOGGER LIVING IN EDINBURGH – SCORE ONE FOR SCOTLAND! • DUKE NUKEM FOREVER FINALLY LAUNCHED. IF YOU CAN REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED, YOU’RE TOO OLD TO READ THIS

52 THE SKINNY JULY 2011

PERFORM

venue of the Month:

10 years of Outdoor Shakespeare

Bard in the Botanics celebrates its 10th year in style this summer WORDS: Victoria McGilp In 2002 directors Scott Palmer and Gordon Barr brought the works of Shakespeare to The Botanic Gardens thus combining the beauty of art and life together. With a great deal of determination and virtually no funding the men went on to create Bard in the Botanics – Scotland’s only dedicated Shakespeare Festival.

The Botanic Gardens are renowned for their variety of horticultural and botanical treasures which are found on their grounds situated near the River Kelvin.

The space has shown 250 individual performances to more than 50,000 people. Despite the vagaries of the Scottish weather, only a handful of performances have been lost to rain.

Artistic Director Gordon Barr explains, “For the 10th anniversary season I wanted to bring together some of the greatest of the Bard’s works alongside a piece that is rarely performed. Not surprisingly, A Midsummer Night’s Dream topped the people’s poll of the play they most wanted to see in the 2011 programme. It will be our fourth production of this sparkling comedy, but fortunately it is a play that offers endless possibilities to a director.”

“We have never staged Hamlet before, so the 10th anniversary seemed an appropriate platform on which to present our first production of this great tragedy,” he continues. “And in Pericles we get the chance to introduce audiences to one of

the most rarely performed of Shakespeare’s plays.”

Paul Cunningham will play Hamlet with Nicole Cooper as Ophelia and Stephen Clyde as Polonius. This period production, directed by Jennifer Dick who has been a company regular since 2006, will be staged in the gardens but shall be moved under canvas weather forbidding.

Meanwhile, at Kibble Palace (one of the most prestigious iron and glass structures remaining from the Victorian era), Barr will bring to life Pericles, Prince of Tyre.

In 2008 Bard in the Botanics introduced an Emerging Artists scheme offering young actors the chance to perform alongside more experienced professionals. This year 22-year old Robert Elkin, currently a final year student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) and 21-year old James Murfitt, currently a final year student at Queen Margaret University will join the cast.

Robert will play Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Rosencrantz in Hamlet, whilst James will play Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Students of the RSAMD will also assist in the direction of Wars of the Roses. This connection between the new and old performers suggests that, far from being ready to rest on its laurels, BitB is looking towards the future.

Outdoors Shakespeare is popular around the

world, and it is a testament to the West Coast’s spirit that even Glasgow’s notorious weather fails to undermine this annual success.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream 22 Jun–9 Jul Hamlet 13 – 30 Jul

REVIEW

PREVIEW

Knives in Hens

Edinburgh International Magic Festival

Traverse 7 - 11 Jun

Artists from all around the world and the UK will perform at MagicFest 2011, including star of BBC show The Real Hustle Paul Wilson. Kevin McMahon, founder and artistic director of MagicFest, started the festival last year out of the desire to give magic more visibility.

“There was currently no public facing magic event in the UK – nowhere to go and see lots of quality, live magic. There was a clear gap in the market.”

For Kevin Edinburgh, a “truly magical city” was an obvious choice not only for its reputation as a Festival city but also because of its “mystical” atmosphere.

“Scotland, and Edinburgh in particular, is generally perceived as a mythical place, with a colourful and magical history.” And history has a relevant role in MagicFest, which includes a historical recreation of a séance and a show on The Great Lafayette, the illusionist who died on stage in Edinburgh in 1911.

David Harrower’s debut play, Knives in Hens returns to the Traverse after 16 years with Lies Pauwels’ vibrant new production, which delves into the intertwined issues of sex, longing and the limitations of gender in pre-Industrial Revolution Scotland.

The play presents a love triangle between the ploughman (Duncan Anderson), his wife (Susan Vidler) and the outcast miller (Owen Whitelaw).

But a series of miscommunications, secrets and lies concerning the miller’s prized mare (Vicki Manderson) leads to a sudden and dark conclusion.

Pauwels’ production, while seemingly set in the vast wilderness of the Scottish landscape, has been moved into a colourful, surreal and unusual world that’s very similar to a circus. But the play’s staging, designed by Chloe Lamford, acts as an ideal performance space for Harrower’s evocative and poetic language, because it lets the characters express themselves in both a physical and emotional way.

The look of the play is at first unsettling, and when coupled with Harrower’s initially confusing dialogue, this particular production can seem a little bewildering. But Harrower’s intricate story grows and develops as the play continues.

Underneath all the poetry, the message that lies at the core of Harrower’s text is one of sex, desire and the rejection of traditional gender roles through education. While Pauwels’ production may not incorporate the original setting for

www.bardinthebotanics.org

The festival aims to give “people the opportunity to come along and be surprised by how amazing a magic show can be, regardless of your age.” The programme of MagicFest offers magic events of all sorts and for all ages. Alongside a mix of traditional Comedy Magic, Classic Magic, Close-up Magic and Mind Reading, special events such as a three course dinner and an evening cabaret have been created to capture the audience’s imagination. A separate programme, School of Magic, is designed for children aged 7-12.

Edinburgh International Magic Festival seeks to draw the widest possible audience to the fascinating world of magic, so whether you’re a hardcore believer in magic, have a secret crush on Harry Potter or are sceptical of white rabbits and black top hats, the festival promises to provide events that will make you drop your mouth like a child. [Claudia Marinaro] Edinburgh International Magic Festival 1-8 Jul www.magicfest.co.uk/

Photo: Drew Farrell

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Pericles, Prince of Tyre 19 – 30 Jul Tickets for the 2011 Bard in the Botanics can be purchased in advance by visiting the Citizens Theatre Box Office The Wars of the Roses 6-8 Jul – Part 1 (Henry VI Part 1) 8 pm, 6 Jul; Part 2 (Henry VI Parts 2 & 3) 8 pm, 7 Jul; Part 3 (Richard III) 8pm 8 Jul

the play, her take on this modern Scottish classic reveals that there is so much that can still be taken from Harrower’s fascinating script. [Amy Taylor] Now touring

School of Magic

www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content

July 2011

THE SKINNY 53

COMEDY

IN PROFILE:

JO CAULFIELD The DIY spirit has been part of JO CAULFIELD’s comedy career since the beginning, when she gave herself her big break by buying a cheap amplifier and opening a comedy club in a pub in London INTERVIEW: JOSEPHINE SETHABY

ALTHOUGH REGULAR appearances on shows like Have I Got News For You have made Jo Caulfield one of the most familiar faces in British comedy, she’s still conducting experiments on stand-up comedy, fiddling with the DNA of what’s funny.

“As comics,” she tells us, “we all tend to get trapped in doing ‘what we know will work’.” Hence the launch of Jo Caulfield’s Comedy Collective, which she describes as “something weird and fun where the comedians could feel free to take risks and do something outside of their comfort zone.”

Caulfield describes the first show as a huge success. “All the comics really stepped up to the plate. There was a great energy in the room – some of the energy being fear and nerves and some the excitement and surprise of things working that hadn’t been tried before.” New material was tried out by regulars of The Stand like Ben Verth, Vladimir McTavish and Jay Lafferty, whilst Graeme Thomas and Jim Park engaged in an 8 Mile-style Joke-Off, with the audience picking the best gags. The Joke-Off was a big hit, and the plan is to have even more comedians squaring up to each other at the next Comedy Collective.

The Collective’s second outing is at the Edinburgh Stand on the 19th, and should become a regular feature. “Hopefully Tom Stade will be coming in. Siân Bevan is a brilliant performer. And now the thought has just hit me: Tom and Siân should do something together!” She’s also planning to bring psychologist Richard Wiseman down to do some magic – but hasn’t told him yet.

An Edinburgh resident and Fringe veteran, Caulfield is giving 2011 a miss, instead directing her energy towards her upcoming tour and recording a CD. She will be supporting the festival,

though, and is keen to tip Ben Verth, John Scott and Liam Mullone as the pick of the free shows.

Her commitment to helping up-and-coming acts spills over onto her website, which is full of advice for new comedians. One tip stands out as a subtle hint for comedy audiences: “Just because you make an audience laugh, it doesn’t mean they’ll buy you a drink after the show. No matter how long you hang around the bar looking ‘approachable’.” Try and bear this in mind if you see her looking thirsty.

JO CAULFIELD’S COMEDY COLLECTIVE, 19 JUL, 8:30PM, THE STAND, EDINBURGH, £5 (£4) WWW.JOCAULFIELD.COM

OPEN SPOT OF THE MONTH:

PHOTO: SALLY JUBB

RICHARD HANRAHAN

Age: 24 Based in: Edinburgh (originally from Essex) First gig: Technically, when he was 17, but only started gigging regularly in 2010 Number of gigs: Around 100 Most memorable gig: One gig I ended up pulling a man in the front row – and I’m not gay. I was doing this really bad gig, and two people in the

54 THE SKINNY JULY 2011

front started making out. I got them up on stage and tried to do a three way kiss, and ended up kissing this guy – and it turned out I knew him – I‘d interviewed him two days before for Fresh Air [where he is Head of Programming]!

What do you try and do on stage? I’m doing a PhD that examines the idea that you have things that are exterior to your body which define you as a person, like your Facebook profile, your phone, your fashion. I’m researching how this new way of thinking about the self – especially with social networking – affects us politically as well as everything else.

With my comedy, then, I’m trying to get my inner voice and my outer voice to be in sync – that’s what Bill Hicks said when he finally found his way of being funny. I think it’s really important to not only be entertaining, but to do something more, to take the audience somewhere else – ideally to a politically interesting place. They always say that comedy is an art form, but really it’s more of a philosophy, But I’m not that good yet, so I just do cock gags.

Who are your heroes on the Scottish Comedy scene? Paul Sneddon, obviously, he’s brilliant to everyone new on the scene. Every other act seems to leave Scotland as soon as they get big, but he stays and does some really great stuff.

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Glasgow music Tue 28 Jun

Jonny (Laura J Martin)

This Will Destroy You

In one of our favourite musical teamups, Jonny sees Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake join forces with Welsh musician Euros Child.

Ivory Blacks, 19:00–22:30, £10

Ambient experimental thrash from the Texas crew.

TV On The Radio O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £17.50

New York art rockers known for their frenetic electro-punk rhythms and that reverberated thrash that comes from Dave Sitek’s guitar.

Smallgang (Skeleton Bob) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Lyrical post-punk from the London four-piece.

Magic Carpet Cabaret Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

A special night of poetry, song and story, with an open mic session for YOU to get involved.

Umberto (Frams Torners, Falconry) 13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £5

Not Not Fun’s Umberto headline this Cry Parrot night, with David Barbarossa taking it into the bedtime hours.

Wed 29 Jun The Senses, The Jury, The Last Of The Free

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £8

Plastic Animals (The Scottish Enlightenment, PAWS, Edinburgh School For The Deaf) 13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Edinburgh-based ambient punk rock sludge ensemble, so say they.

Genes-ish, StillMarillion The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £10

Double header of tribute acts.

A New Hope (Painted Money, The Adjournments, These Little Kings) Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

Glasgow scamps A New Hope headline an night of indie rock ‘n’ roll.

Craig Charles’ Funk and Soul Show (Federation Of The Disco Pimp)

Old Fruitmarket, 23:00–03:00, £10

Craig Charles’ Funk and Soul Show goes live, with a set from Glasgow’s high-energy disco-pop troupe. Part of Glasgow International Jazz Fesival.

Sat 02 Jul June Love Trio

Sintonic, Concept of Time, Deviation, What’s The Damage, Citizen Death

Muso

Buff Club, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £5

Anything goes fusion of live bands and clubber’s beats.

Havana Swing

Thu 07 Jul

Brel, 20:00–21:30, £8

Lydia Lunch

A big heavy slab of metal.

The renowned Dundonian purveyors of swinging, Django Reinhardtinspired jazz, with a gypsy twist.

Lev Atlas, Nigel Clark Cafe Cossachok, 21:00–23:00, £6

The Russian virtuoso violinist joins forces with the Scottish jazz guitarist.

Butterfly Strategy Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Live acoustic acts, both local and far-flung.

Mon 04 Jul Initial itch 13th Note, 19:30–23:00, £tbc

Mixed-up rammy of scratch poetry, comedy and live music.

Safety Nett (Kenny McColl, Gabriella de Cruz Welsh, Fiona McKirdy, Rachel Morrison) Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, Free

A mellow night of talented singersongwriters headlined by atmospheric electronic duo Safety Nett.

Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £13

The American singer, poet, writer and actress who has carefully forged and sculpted her own musical vision.

The Sisters of Mercy O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £25

The English goth rockers are back and touring for their 30th anniversary.

Prepare for some bad behaviour.

Hypermusic, Lift Shaft Incident

Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £4

A double-header of wide and eclectic indie-rock covers, both familiar and obscure.

Dave Dominey

Thu 30 Jun Dirty Keys (The Kleptocrats, Airplay, Hot Jupiter) Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £4

Epic piano-led pop/rock from the lyrical Glasgow witticists.

Pishy Tissue, Mocker, Vendors, The Fonetics O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £tbc

Foursome of bands as part of Second Chance Project Night.

Gilad Atzmon Orient House Ensemble Tron Theatre, 20:00–22:00, £14 (£12)

The Israeli-born saxophonist deftly blending bebop jazz and Middle Eastern music.

Detail, Jesus H Foxx, Battery Face Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 20:00–22:30, £4

Death metal thrash from the Australian three-piece.

WTF...?! (Dougsy, Blake Phillps, Stringfellow, When You Go Home, Section 27)

The legendary jazz singer comes to Glasgow for a one-off performance.

The Arches, 19:30–22:00, £13

Indian Red Lopez (Blue Sky Archives, The Brazen Cars) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £5

Promising Aberdonian hopefuls gleefully exploring the space between the bedroom and the studio to promising effect.

The Johnny 7

Brel, 20:00–21:30, £8

The four-piece organ combo attempt the classic works of recentlydeparted muso John Barry, with their usual bossa nova and bigmoustachiod flair.

Handpicked selection, including trio of mischeif Battery Face and Edinburgh pop-punksters Jesus H Foxx.

MK Ultra (Medicine Hat, The Blind Watchmakers, The Warflower)

Fri 01 Jul

The new cool kids of indie play their first Maggie May’s headliner set.

The Last Battle

Rams’ Pocket Radio

Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Fragile sounds aided-and-abetted

by Scott Longmuir’s ever-present acoustic guitar, as the Edinburgh seven-piece launch their new EP.

COMBICHRIST Classic Grand, 19:00–22:30, £16

Techno meets industrial for a pretty damn impressive live set.

Kobi Onyame O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £5

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:30, £5

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Irish experimentalist, aka Peter McCauley, drummer, pianist, songwriter and general jack-of-all.

Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Stonerun Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Groovy hard rock, for, well, grooving and rocking to.

Christine Bovill Brel, 20:00–21:30, £8

Jazz classics from award-winning songstress Christine Bovill.

Kris Tennant (Edward Hunter, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5) Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:30, £5

Indie and rock showcase, with Kris Tenant headlining with his live band in tow.

Spotlight @ Slouch Slouch, 20:00–22:00, Free

New Jersey-based musician Dayve Hawk and his genre-crossing synthpop compositions.

Butterfly Fridays

Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Live acoustic blues from house band The Fortunate Sons, followed by DJ Junior on deck duty.

Acrylic Iqon (Farewell Singapore, The Tijuana Bibles) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Slouch’s first foray into open mic, with free beer for performers.

Hosted by Wull Swales.

Cheeky alternative rock four-piece from Glasgow.

Cold Pumas (Friendo)

Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £5

13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Pounding and repetitive beats from the Brighton trio who would really rather you didn’t call them lo-fi.

Transfer (Brooksy and the Sound Collectors) King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Experimental concrete from the San Diego chaps.

The Glasgow Slow Club Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Ska Train

Monthly ska special of live music and over-enthusiastic dancing.

Rose Parade, Bad Bad Craig, Alex Wayt State Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4

Regular vagabond social club, with country-tinged indie from Ayr’s Rose Parade, amongst others.

Blackfoot

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £16.50

Southern hard rockers formed in Jacksonville way back in 1969.

Wed 06 Jul

June Love Trio

Urban Apollo! (Combo Combo, Jaytard, Nity Gritz, Vagabonds, Riddlah, Jordan Butler, Madhat McGore)

Chilled afternoon jazz courtesy of Miss June Love, accompanied by Scott Madden and Danny O’Flatley.

Apollo 23, 19:30–22:00, £5

Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Sun 03 Jul All day showcase of blues. Live acts tbc.

Live acoustic blues from house band The Fortunate Sons, followed by DJ Junior on deck duty.

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Indian and Scottish-style music on guitar, cello, soprano sax and vocals. Phew.

The Arches, 19:00–22:00, £8

Lanarkshire boys The Sneaky Russians bring their diverse rock ‘n’ roll to Glasgow.

Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

Sons & Daughters

Butterfly Fridays

JEM

Memory Tapes (Star Slinger, Air France DJs)

Acoustic music night with live guests from the local scene, hosted by the inimitable Squirrel of This Silent Forest.

Big Blues Day

SWG3, 19:00–22:30, £10

Stereo, 19:45–22:30, £6

Eclectic new night, offering a mix of bands that probably should never share the same stage.

Oran Mor, 19:00–22:00, £15

The Sneaky Russians (Forward Motion, Soupday, Chris Price)

The Glasgow-based Ghanian hip-hop MC launches his new album, Green Green Grasses.

Brooding electro-folk driven by Adele Bethel and Scott Paterson’s urgent boy/girl vocal interplay.

Fri 08 Jul

Tue 05 Jul

The Doors tribute act.

The Ferry, 12:30–00:00, £tbc

Stretch Dawrson and The Mending Hearts Brel, 16:00–18:00, Free

Scottish swing band, consisting of country, jazz and roots session musicians.

The Black Lights (Rebel 69, Herculean) Slouch, 18:00–22:00, Free

Alternative rock from Bathgate, via West Lothian.

Lou Hickey

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £7

Hickey, best known as co-writer and vocalist for the critically-acclaimed Codeine Velvet Club, unleashes her own brand of vintage pop.

Evol, Scragfight, Terminal Parade

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Alternative line-up featuring Glasgow’s all-girl garage-punk hellraisers Scragfight.

Hefty urban bill of mostly-local hiphoppers and experimental lyricists.

Roger Daltrey SECC, 19:30–22:30, From £40

The founder and lead singer of The Who performs rock opera Tommy, from start to finish.

Alex Cornish (Paul Gilbody)

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £5

Sat 09 Jul Trader Joe’s, 14:00–17:00, Free

Marco Cafolla Quartet Marco Cafolla and his quartet, on sax, electric bass and drums.

How Garbo Died (Tangles, Guanoman) Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £3

Two-piece experimental electromeets-punk from Kevin Gilday and Robbi Pinkerton, as they launch their new EP. Free copy for everyone attending.

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Folk and blues fingerstyle guitarist.

Big Country King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £20

Stuart Adamson’s band of rockers play one of two T In The Park warmup shows.

Brel Sessions Brel, 21:00–00:00, Free

Indie folk session with Laura Wilkie (of Rachel Sermanni) and Sarah Hayes (of Admiral Fallow).

Tue 12 Jul Bad Religion O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £15

The LA-formed punk-rockers tour on the back of last year’s The Dissent of Man album.

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan Grand Ole Opry, 19:30–22:00, £17.50

Former Belle and Sebastian vocalist Isobel Campbell’s sweet tones chime alongside the sub-baritone rasp of Screaming Tree’s frontman Mark Lanegan.

Steven Leonard, Eamonn McNaughton, Jamie Young Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £5

Fresh from Glastonbury, the London experimental composer (and exhubby of Amy Winehouse) tinkers further with genres of futuristic dancehall and sci-fi soul.

The Glasgow Slow Club Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Acoustic music night with live guests from the local scene, hosted by the inimitable Squirrel of This Silent Forest.

Wed 13 Jul We’re with McReedy, The Coffins, Strangetouch Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £6

Pete Westwater

The original heavy metallers play one of two Scottish dates on what may well be their final world tour. Live, ever.

Frankmusik Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £10

Bleep-laced robo-pop from yer man from Croyden, aka Vincent Frank.

Graeme Clark Oran Mor, 19:00–22:00, £15

The Wet Wet Wet man goes solo.

East 17 O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £15

90s boy band favourite, East-bloody-17, return to the live circuit. Amen.

Butterfly Fridays Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Live acoustic blues from house band The Fortunate Sons, followed by DJ Junior on deck duty.

Sara Douglas, Cry and the Blocks, Plastic Value, Machael McCue, My Music Myth Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £5

Chilled acoustic showcase.

Amy Grant SECC, 20:00–22:30, From £24.50

The Grammy award-winning pop princess returns to her gospel roots.

McChuills, 20:00–23:00, Free

Summer Nights: Jumpersknee, Ukreign, The Twist, Little Eskimos King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Ilenkus (Throne O’ Diablo, What The Blood Revealed) Bloc+, 22:00–00:00, Free

Progressive metal from Ireland’s answer to Mastodon. Nuff said.

Sat 16 Jul

Hardcore anthems from the Kingston natives.

The rhythms of South America courtesy of Sir Reginaldo Dias.

Das Simple

Cast

Mojo Fury (The Fatalists) Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

The March Violets (Luxury Stranger)

Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Madcap French noise-rock collective, who are brilliant and utterly deranged in equal measures.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £20

After their reformation and recent UK tour, the original line-up are back touring in advance of their new album.

The Northern Ireland riff-machine – fresh from supporting And So I Watch You From Afar – delivering their relentless rock ‘n’ roll to the masses.

Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Trader Joe’s, 14:00–17:00, Free

Chilled afternoon jazz courtesy of Miss June Love, accompanied by Scott Madden and Danny O’Flatley.

Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £15

Big on the 80s goth scene and back touring after some 25 years, in advance of their new LP.

Jozef Van Wissem (Adam Stearns) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £5

Dutch minimalist composer opening our ears and minds to the sumptuus sonorities of the lute.

Moral Dilemma (Constant Fear, Happy Spastics, Pionasa) Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £3

London punk and rockabilly scoundrels Moral Dilemma make their return to Glasgow.

Acoustic Tribute Night 13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Butterfly Strategy

Acoustic battle-cum-singalongcum-piss-up.

Live acoustic acts, both local and far-flung.

Apollo Rocks (Roadway, Sunstone, Marshalls Place, myles Leggatt)

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Highlight, 20:00–23:00, £5

Mon 18 Jul Johnny Graham (Fake Gods, Chris Gould, Below The Skyline) Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, free

Singer/songwriter Johnny Graham hosts a night of acoustic soloists and bands.

Michael Simons

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Folk and blues fingerstyle guitarist.

Summer Nights: Fatherson, Vukovi, The Winter Tradition, The Scottish Enlightenment King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Mixed showcase night of diverse talents from the musical scene.

Summer Nights: Bronto Skylift, Carnivores, United Fruit, Jackie Onassis King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Muso Buff Club, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Anything goes fusion of live bands and clubber’s beats.

Thu 21 Jul

Vivian Girls

Evita, Giants, Golden Tanks, Only In Abstract

The Brooklyn trio return to Captain’s Rest with their kit-bag of clatterbang-wallop drums and loose riffs, sewn together by Cassie Ramone’s grubby vocal harmonies.

Experimental line-up of four varied acts, moving from ambient hardcore to indie-rock.

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £8

Brel Sessions

Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

The Black Light District (The Heretics) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Brel, 21:00–00:00, Free

Indie folk session with Laura Wilkie (of Rachel Sermanni) and Sarah Hayes (of Admiral Fallow).

Tue 19 Jul

Brutal beats and riffs from a trio of Scottish up-and-comers, plus post-gig action from Operation Magpie and DJ Catnip.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £7.50

Lenzie Moss (Ponyboy, Autistic Angues)

Pajama Club

The South London two-piece continue with their genre-defying experiments in sound.

The Vale, 19:00–00:00, £4

Rhythm, soul and blues reminiscent of the 60s.

Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

The London indie scenesters return to Glasgow, with atrong local support.

Apollo 23, 19:30–22:00, £5

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £sold out

Slouch, 18:00–22:00, Free

Craven Baddies (Cherri Fosphate)

Dias Quartet

Unsigned indie-rock five-piece from Glasgow.

Apollo Rocks! (Roadway, Sunstone, Marshall’s Place, Myles Leggatt)

Iron Maiden

Title Fight

Babeshadow

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £4

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £20

30th anniversary tour for the Talking Heads side-project, formed during a hiatus by husband and wife team Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz.

Sun 17 Jul

Metaltech, The.invalid, ID-01

Radiowaves

Tom Tom Club

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Local 8-piece playing a honed mix of northern soul, motown and 60s R’n’B.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £8

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £6

Four chaps from Glasgow making a blend of folk, indie and rock, with the debut EP being launched tonight.

Full-on rock showcase, as the name suggests.

Spotlight @ Slouch

Alex Clare

Wed 20 Jul The Tenemants (The Sneaky Russian)

Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

Barry Tweed and The Chasers

Slouch’s first foray into open mic, with free beer for performers.

Hosted by Wull Swales.

Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Acoustic music night with live guests from the local scene, hosted by the inimitable Squirrel of This Silent Forest.

Alternative rock, times two.

Rock, indie and acoustic performances from some fine unsigned Scottish talent.

Slouch, 20:00–22:00, Free

The Glasgow Slow Club

Sweet Relief, Vincenzo

June Love Trio

The Edinburgh singer/songwriter and his effortlessly laid-back DIY folk-pop songs, sewn together with some live musical trickery.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £7

Dexy’s Midnight Runners tribute act.

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £5

Comedy singalong duo, aka Mr Sleeze and Mr Boogie. Says it all, really.

The rockin’ blues grooves of WeÕre With McReedy is teamed-up with confrontational revolutionaries The Coffins and songwriting duo-cumrock outfit Strangetouch.

13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £8

Dexys Bootleg Runners (Soul Fi)

Summer Nights: Aerials Up, Blochestra, Little Fire, 100 Paper Boats

Torridon

Bootleg Doors

Plain Alias (Jason Kyrone)

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Fri 15 Jul

Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Punk and post hardcore selection from Struggletown.

Annie Ross

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £8

Cafe Cossachok, 21:00–23:00, £6

Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £tbc

Unique hybrid of acid jazz, rock, soul, funk and dapper tailored suits.

Summer Nights: Bwani Junction, Selective Service, Inner Sight, The System

Singer/songwriter and one-time member of the likes of Teenage Fanclub and BMX Bandits.

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:30, £4

Indie folk session with Laura Wilkie (of Rachel Sermanni) and Sarah Hayes (of Admiral Fallow).

Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £5

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £50

Ray Harris & The Fusion Experience (The Toi, J-Phunk, Marco Cafolla Trio)

Paisley-born singer/songwriter, rocker and one-time front-woman of Speedway.

Furious punk rockers armed with their shiny new second album.

Struggle

Jubilant pop brilliance from the Glasgow chaps.

James Taylor

Live music showcase is aid of Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

The Arches, 20:00–22:00, £12.50

Michael Simons

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Brel, 21:00–00:00, Free

Slouch, 18:00–22:00, Free

Relative newbies on the Glasgow indie scene, but making their mark all the same.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £5

Jill Jackson

Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Rockabilly country troupe from Michigan, US-of-A.

Brel Sessions

Sun 10 Jul Graceless Age

Charidee Rocks (Fin Ray, Bunny and The Misshapes, Echo Bass)

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £5

Danceable indie-pop, doing covers and some original tunes.

Mon 11 Jul

The Rachel Sermanni songstress leads her new band with their take on the great American songbook.

Mitchell Museum (Fur Hood, Andrea Marini)

Bloc+, 22:00–03:00, Free before 12

Twilight Sad and Take A Worm For A Walk Week DJs unleash a musical hurricane.

Expect nudity and broken furniture.

Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £5

Living Daylight (The Murderburgers)

Vaudeville night of rock, jazz, poetry, magic, drama and cake (as in, we’re there).

Buff Club, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

The one-man alternative folk band that is Peter Kelly.

Live acoustic acts, both local and far-flung.

The Orbitsuns

Anything goes fusion of live bands and clubbing beats.

Digital W.I.N.C.H.

Heavy rock showcase for fans of Iron Maiden and the like.

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Laura Wilkie

Muso

Beerjacket (RM Hubbert, Michael Cassidy)

Butterfly Strategy

Charlie Simpson

Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

Jigsaw Theory (Epico, Fuzzy Wuzzy Was A Woman, Skipper)

The Russian virtuosos violinist selects popular tunes from Sviridov’s Romance to Monti’s Chardash.

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £10

Thu 14 Jul

Stuart Adamson’s band of rockers play one of two T In The Park warmup shows.

Michael Simons

The young chap from Busted, then Fightstar, now braving it alone.

Visceral and harcore bluesy punk from the Exeter four-piece.

Summer Nights: Sonny Marvello, The Dirty Demographic, Acutones, The Miss’s

Chilled afternoon jazz courtesy of Miss June Love, accompanied by Scott Madden and Danny O’Flatley.

Folk and blues fingerstyle guitarist.

The Computers

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £5

Black Sundays, Dirty Boots

Psychedlic garage stylings from the Glasgow four-piece.

Lev Atlas

Selection of alternative rock and pop from Glasgow, handpicked by 32nd Floor Music.

Trader Joe’s, 14:00–17:00, Free

Foot Village (Bitches)

Thunderous drum ‘n’ shout assembly from Los Angeles, with plenty hardcore spirit.

Big Country

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £sold out

Buff Club, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Anything goes fusion of live bands and clubber’s beats.

The American singer/songwriter and instrumentalist, on the circuit since the mid-60s.

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Muso

13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Funked-up bass loops with laptop, electric bass and a featured guest soloist.

Nights at The Circus (Natalie Pryce, Ghosts of Progress, Adopted as Holograph)

Capitol, 19:30–22:30, £4

The Kosher Pickles (The Brutes, The Pharisees)

Hard-rockin’ Glasgow five-piece.

Andrea Heins Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

The Canadian-born singer/songwriter works her magic on guitar, vocals and auto-harp.

Oran Mor, 19:00–23:00, £15

DD/MM/YYYY

Judas Priest

Toronto-based collective known for their abstract experimental meanderings.

Heavy metal of the in-your-frickin’face variety from the hard rocking Birmingham troupe.

Summer Nights: Song Of Return, Other People, The King Hats, Ace City Racers

Neil Finn of Crowded House unleashes his new band on the unsuspecting.

SECC, 19:30–22:30, £36

Gus Stirrat

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £5

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Monthly jazz session with bassist Gus Stirrat and various live guests.

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Spotlight @ Slouch

Citizens (Shields Up, Broken Few)

Slouch’s first foray into open mic, with free beer for performers.

Hosted by Wull Swales.

The Glaswegian trio unleash the live magic, where raw aggression meets rhythmical DIY inventiveness.

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £3

Slouch, 20:00–22:00, Free

Summer Nights: FOUND, Bermuda, Cancel The Astronauts, Verse Metric King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Fri 22 Jul Eska Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £5

More progressive indie and rock from the Glasgow chaps, filled with heavy riffs and lovelorn tunes.

July 2011

THE SKINNY 55

E D I N B U R G H music

G lasgow music Hooks N Crooks

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £6

Alternative rock four-piece from Denny intent on a rock revolution, apparently.

The Colour Pink Is Gay (Winters) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Glasgow technical death metal, with a bit of a dubious name.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Epico (The Sea Kings)

Canadian industrial post-rock juggernaut.

Electro-poppers Epico close a weekend of Merchant City Festival showcases at Maggie May’s.

Barrowland, 19:00–23:00, £22.50

El Schlong (Maelstrom, Secta Rouge, Bacchus Bacchus) Soundhaus, 19:00–23:30, £4

Weirdo metal from New Zealand. You have been warned.

Butterfly Fridays

Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Live acoustic blues from house band The Fortunate Sons, followed by DJ Junior on deck duty.

Nae Danger

Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £4

Barbara Nesbitt

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Melancholic singer/songwriter currently on tour from Austin, Texas.

ID Parade (Pronto Mama, Crabbit Rabbit) Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £5

Glasgow stalwarts ID Parade flit from growled, gnarled blues rock to spikier indie-pop territory and back again.

Part of Merchant City Festival.

Summer Nights: Dead Sea Souls, The Black Rats, John’s Weans, Queen Jane King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Dirty Sally (The Future Capital, Umbilical Chord, Vivilian)

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £5

Muso

Poppy Kinsella workship from Pennsylvania.

Summer Nights: Dot J.R, Miniature Dinosaurs, Gav Livz & MC-VA, Miss Baudelaire King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Gitane Ecosse Cafe Cossachok, 21:00–23:00, £6

Authentic interpretations of Django Reinhardt classics, featuring gypsy guitar virtuosos Ricardo Wiszniewski and Darius Szoma.

Butterfly Strategy Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

June Love Trio

Trader Joe’s, 14:00–17:00, Free

Chilled afternoon jazz courtesy of Miss June Love, accompanied by Scott Madden and Danny O’Flatley.

Declan Forde Quartet Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Piano rhythms from Forde and his four-piece, on sax, bass and kit.

Sex Beat (Cha Cha Heels) Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £8

One of the original goth/glam bands, formed by Batcave DJ Hamish and back playing their first gig in Scotland since the band split in 1984.

The Upbeat Beatdown (Soundwhole, NK Jays) Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £5

Chripy funk, rock and pop crossover from the Glasgow five-piece. Part of Merchant City Festival.

Summer Nights: Davey Horne, The OK Social Club, Val Verde King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Mick Hargan

The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £10

Glaswegian singer/songwriter known for his mesmerising live improvisation.

No Fxd Abode, The Speak Easy, Dead Agenda Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

Stereo, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Captain’s Rest, 19:30–23:00, £6

Napoleon In Rags (Sister Bitch, Tiny Cuts) Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, free

Mixing flamenco, post-punk and pop, Napoleon In Rags make the trip from hometown Swindon to hoist y’all onto the dancefloor.

Michael Simons Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

Monthly jazz session with bassist Gus Stirrat and various live guests.

Summer Nights: Meursault, Over The Wall, Capitals, Miaoux Miaoux King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Brel Sessions Brel, 21:00–00:00, Free

Indie folk session with Laura Wilkie (of Rachel Sermanni) and Sarah Hayes (of Admiral Fallow).

Tue 26 Jul Horza Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £5 (£4)

Progressive grunge rock from the Scottish moshers.

The Beautiful Word, Carol Creighton, Rebecca Sandridge, Barbara Nesbitt, Rona Topaz Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, free

Musicians from the US, Austrailia and Brighton descend for a chilled evening of acoustic pop, jazz, Americana and folk.

Magic Carpet Cabaret Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

A night of poetry, song and story, with open mike.

United Fruit (Late Night Fiction)

Spotlight @ Slouch

The Glasgow quartet known for their all-out post-hardcore abrasion served at F1 velocity.

Sun 24 Jul Pete Westwater

Slouch, 18:00–22:00, Free

Rhythm, soul and blues reminiscent of the 60s.

Cuban Combination

Classic Grand, 18:30–01:00, £15 adv. (£18 door)

Cuban dancing band mixing jazz, timba, reggae and funk. As part of Cuban Dance Festival Scotland.

Slouch, 20:00–22:00, Free

Slouch’s first foray into open mic, with free beer for performers.

Hosted by Wull Swales.

Summer Nights: The Seventeenth Century, Endor, Crow Road, Liam Cairns King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

The Stones The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £10

Rolling Stones tribute act.

Mini festival with a packed bill of up-and-comers.

Mike Fantsastic

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:30, £8

Goofy Cardiff electro-poppers, with a penchant for baseball caps.

Apollo 23, 19:30–22:00, £5

Sneak

Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £4

Sneak is commandeered by Glasgow MC and half of Hector Bizerk, Louie Bhoy, with an onslaught of live MCs, DJs and beat-boxers.

Orchestre PolyRythmo De Cotonou

Old Fruitmarket, 20:00–23:00, £18

The West African funk and soul ensemble bring their exquisite grooves to the Old Fruitmarket, for their first ever Glasgow gig.

Summer Nights: The Ray Summers, Johnny and the Giros, Midnight Harlots, Mass Consensus King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Apollo Rocks (Myles Leggatt, Bec Sandridge, Ed Lee, Michelle Jean)

Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

PIN UP NIGHTS Flying Duck, 21:00–03:00, £5

Sat 30 Jul Derek Fairlie Quartet Brel, 15:00–18:00, Free

Honed set of classic jazz-funk, from the self-appointed resident pianist for Strathclyde’s Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Athlete (My First Tooth) The Arches, 19:00–22:00, £15

The London foursome perform a stripped-back set of their greatest hits to date.

Senser Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £13.50

Unique fusion of rock, metal, hip-hop and electronica, lynchpinned on heavy political lyrics.

Let’s Wrestle (Streets of Rage) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £5

Fri 29 Jul Black Country Communion (Michael Schenker Group) O2 Academy, 19:00–22:00, From £40

The Griffin, 20:00–23:00, £3

Eclectic evening gathering together the literature-inspired folk-pop of Dumb Instrument, alongside 70s rock, some covers and a bit of poetry.

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

The Bucky Rage 13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

The veritable noisefest from Glasgow return with a new line-up, new songs and the same hardass ethic.

The New Age Jam (The Last Of The Free) The Ferry, 20:00–00:00, £8

The Jam tribute act.

Anglo-American supergroup fronted

by Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes.

Tijuana Bibles (Chris Price)

Wasted Radio

The Lanarkshire cool kids headline a night of BRMC-influenced rock.

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £5

Glasgow trio playing rock and roll from the soul, so say they.

Butterfly Fridays

Butterfly & Pig, 19:00–03:00, Free

Live acoustic blues from house band The Fortunate Sons, followed by DJ Junior on deck duty.

The Kitsch (Full Tonne Kid) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 19:30–22:30, £tbc

Psychedelic indie-rock from the Glasgow collective.

Hidden Agenda (Hidden Agenda)

Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, free

A feel-good night of Soul and Mowtown from Hidden Agenda. Clock out, hair down, flood-gates open for regrettable dance moves.

Wing and a Prayer

Tchai-Ovna, 20:00–22:00, £2

13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £5

Jack Marchment, Engine 7, Solipsism

Electronic showcase from Herb Recordings, focused on new talents seek to bend musical boundaries rather than rewrite genres.

Wed 29 Jun Oxjam Edinburgh Official 2011 Launch (Scott Hutchison, I Build Collapsible Mountains, Trapped Mice) Gorgie City Farm, 18:00–20:00, £5

The official Oxjam Edinburgh 2011 Launch, with local musicians lending their support and doing acoustic outdoor sets amongst the wildlife of Gorgie Farm.

Biffy Clyro: Live At Wembley HMV Picture House, 19:00–22:00, win tickets at hmv.com

Superfans get excited! Biffy Clyro release their first live album and to celebrate they’re hosting a DVD preview night, with an exclusive acoustic mini-set. Win tickets at hmv.com.

Fleet Foxes (The Bees)

Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

Sun 31 Jul Amanda Williams Slouch, 18:00–22:00, Free

Young London solo artist and somewhat of a hidden gem.

Sunflower Tuesdays, You Dead!, Monica and the Explosion, Liberty Falls, Black Light District Pivo Pivo, 19:30–00:00, £5

Melodic rock and hardcore mix-up, punctuated by the comedy rock stylings of Sunflower Tuesdays.

Madskull 13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £tbc

Experimental noise-making sixpiece from Glasgow.

Stonerun, Killing Time

Keava (Not Astronauts) Voodoo Rooms, 19:00–01:00, £5

Edinburgh indie-rocker of the chilled acoustic variety.

Bobby Wishart Quartet The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Driving modern jazz from the Glasgow sax man and his live band.

Late ‘n’ Live: Paul Mills’ Funk Band The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Hard-driving drumming from the US native, currently also powering Scots rockers Hue & Cry.

Henry’s Cellar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Fuzzy noise-pop from the Edinburgh gang formed from the ashes of St Jude’s Infirmary.

Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–01:00, £3

Live gig-cum-CD sale from musicians based in and around the Edinburgh area.

Tom Gibbs Trio The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

The Glasgow-based pianist and his band of players, including London drums aficionado James Maddren.

Rossco Galloway Blind Poet, 22:00–00:30, free

Covers and original tunes from yer man Rossco Galloway and his trusty guitar.

The Ka-Tet The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Blues and funk five-piece, with added horns.

Thu 07 Jul Frank Satan & His Husbands Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Ramshackle country rock, mixing covers and originals with a good dose of booze-fuelled debauchery.

Alex Cornish (Paul Gilbody) The Caves, 19:30–22:30, £8

Indie-pop loveliness from the acclaimed singer/songwriter and his live band.

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £4 (£3)

The Ka-Tet

Trio of up-and-comers, including a good dose of alternative rock from local chaps Mass Consensus.

Letters

Groovy hard rock, for, well, grooving and rocking to.

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Blues and funk five-piece, with added horns.

Thu 30 Jun Half Man Half Biscuit (The Mannequins) The Liquid Room, 19:00–22:00, £17.50

The Merseyside sardonic rockers, with Nigel Blackwell on lead vocals.

Fragile sounds aided-and-abetted

by Scott Longmuir’s ever-present acoustic guitar, as the Edinburgh seven-piece launch their new EP.

Darren Hayman (Gordon McIntyre, Dan Willson) Pilrig St Paul’s Church, 19:00–22:30, £7 adv. (£9 door)

The former Hefner frontman plays a rare solo date, with stellar support from Ballboy’s Gordon McIntyre and Withered Hand’s Dan Willson.

Cornersessions Voodoo Rooms, 19:00–01:00, £tbc

Live music platform for Edinburgh musicians.

Musique Boutique (Young Fathers, Riddim Tuffa Sound, The Black Diamond Express, Indra, Jacou, Ali-T) The Caves, 22:30–03:00, £8 adv. (£10 door)

Two rooms of everything from hip-hop to minimal, techno to reggae, from some of Edinburgh’s finest talent.

Future Heroes The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Aki Remally-fronted funk five-piece, formerly The Freaky Family.

Fri 01 Jul Crayons, French Wives, The Imagineers, Maydays, White Heath The Scottish Parliament, 13:30–16:30, Free

Free lunchtime gig bringing together a selection of up-and-comers handpicked

by Feast Records and Electric Honey.

Barry Van Dykes (Pilotcan, The Alibis) Bannerman’s, 14:00–17:00, £5

Washington Irving (Bwani Junction, Matt Norris and the Moon, Mike Nisbet) Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £5

The rousing Glasgow seven-piece spread some folk-pop joy, as part of this SSC youth club fundraiser.

Steve Heron (Sebastian Dangerfield, Ded Rabbit)

The 5-piece dark cello-pop noiseniks celebrate the release of their new single.

Late ‘n’ Live: Lou Hickey (DJ Nem) The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Hickey, best known as co-writer and vocalist for the critically-acclaimed Codeine Velvet Club, unleashes her own brand of vintage pop.

Sun 10 Jul Hair of the Dog Sundays (Lewis Fergusson) Red Dog Music, 15:00–16:00, Free

A very tall man with some very good songs.

Stormy Sunday Blues: First Birthday The Jazz Bar, 20:00–22:30, £5 (£3)

The monthly blues showcase celebrates its first year, with all acts handpicked by singer James Carr.

Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Original rockin’ blues and covers from Potts and his merry band.

The Sunday Sinners The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Tamla motown funk and soul, fronted by singer Fiona Lynch.

Bosie

Mon 11 Jul

Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–01:00, £tbc

The Jazz Bar Big Band

The Isle of Lewis singer/songwriter does her rather lovely alternative folk thing with her live acoustic outfit.

Unpeeled The Jazz Bar, 20:00–22:30, £5 (£3)

The Jazz Bar, 19:30–22:00, £4 (£3)

Four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and four rhythm. That do you?

Glamour & The Baybes The Jazz Bar, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

No Future UK

Afro-funk beats for the masses.

Wed 13 Jul

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Future Heroes

Leonna Ray (Leonna Ray)

Madcap guitarist Aki Remally and his funk four-piece.

Messiah (The Jackals, The Rolled Up 20’s, Velvet Morning)

Sex Pistols tribute act.

Blind Poet, 22:00–00:30, free

Annie Lennox tribute act

Late ‘n’ Live The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Live funk and soul players, plus DJ Aki taking it into the bedtime hours.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Fri 08 Jul Electric Circus Live Lounge (Digital Jones) Electric Circus, 17:00–22:00, Free

Sun 03 Jul

Music and comedy variety show, headered

by Digital Jones’ massive soul tunes.

Trace Bundy (Kat Healy)

Plastic Animals

Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–01:00, £8

Instrumental acoustic guitar player from Colorado, making a rare trip to Scotland.

CRANACHAN

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Edinburgh-based ambient punk rock sludge ensemble, so say they.

Church Of When The Shit Hits The Fan

Jazz rock powered by screaming frontman Angus Munro and drummer Jordie Gilmour.

Studio 24, 19:00–23:00, £6

The local rockin’ favourites return with their Stone Roses-influenced sound.

Edinburgh Unplugged (Edward and the Itch, Little Buddha, Lost Telegrams, Calum Carlyle and the Mixed Reactions) Royal Oak, 20:00–23:00, £2

Live and acoustic showcase of local players, in the downstairs bar.

Jammin’ at Voodoo Voodoo Rooms, 21:00–01:00, Free admission

Monthly live jam session playing genre-spanning lounge grooves.

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

Siphon Plane A mix of covers and original tunes.

The Jazz Bar, 20:30–22:30, £4 (£3)

Scottish hip-hop fit-to-bursting with surreal lyrical gymnastics and bombastic thermonuclear beats.

Blues and funk five-piece, with added horns.

The Sunday Sinners

Rusty Cage (We Ate Them Off The Floor, Ra Durties, Spat, Jacob Flynch, Wildtype, Missing Cat, Slow Motion Replay)

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Classic rock covers.

University Of London Big Band Special guests on the road from London town, comprising of 17 big band swing players.

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Tamla motown funk and soul, fronted by singer Fiona Lynch.

Mon 04 Jul The Jazz Bar Big Band The Jazz Bar, 19:30–22:00, £4 (£3)

Four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and four rhythm. That do you?

Semper Fi, 1000 Lies Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Thrash metal noisemakers, times two.

Voodoo Rooms, 20:00–01:00, £6

Glamour & The Baybes The Jazz Bar, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Jazz rock powered by screaming frontman Angus Munro and drummer Jordie Gilmour.

Henry’s Cellar, 19:30–03:00, £5

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Thu 14 Jul

Ant Law’s Londoners

Wickerman warm-up featuring some on the bands set to play the Solus Tent.

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Original modern jazz five-piece from London, led by ex-Edinburgh guitars man Ant Law.

Mad Nurse, Brittle Head Girl Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Alternative rockers from the local scene.

James Murray Blind Poet, 22:00–00:30, free

Johnny Cash tribute act.

Late ‘n’ Live: James Brown Is Annie The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Heady brew of funk, soul and rock from Barry Gordon’s six-piece.

Wed 06 Jul

Sat 09 Jul

Cold Pumas (Friendo)

The Jackals

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

The Ka-Tet

Wickerman Warm-Up (Reverieme, Letters)

The Fire and I (Hagana, Virtue)

Pounding and repetitive beats from the Brighton trio who would really rather you didn’t call them lo-fi.

Blind Poet, 22:00–00:30, free

Full-on showcase of heavy noiserock and blues with seven live bands set to play throughout the evening.

The Liquid Room, 19:00–22:00, £13

Energetic Bathgate two-piece, using only bass, drums and the occasional synth.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Prime showcase of heavy rock and metal.

Fresh Touch

Original and progressive blues trio on guitar and organ.

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £7

Gareeda, The Black Lights, SLAB (The Amorettes)

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

Electric Circus Live Lounge (Blue Saphron, Becca Fox)

The Doors tribute act.

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:00, £5

A selection of alternative up-andcomers fight it out to be your new favourite band.

Edinburgh indie chap with some serious clout.

The Paul Garner Band

Electric Circus, 17:00–22:00, Free

Henry’s Cellar, 19:30–23:00, £5

Your New Favourite Band (The Seven Deadly Sins, Echo Arcadia, The Barry Van Dykes, Flags Of Fire)

Handpicked showcase of burgeoning local music-makers.

Indie rockers with no relation to Dick.

The Bootleg Doors

Live acoustic acts, both local and far-flung.

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £6

Hard-edged Glasgow four-piece currently making a names for themselves on the live circuit.

The Merrylees, Mass Consensus, Bowery Street

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Butterfly & Pig, 21:00–12:00, Free

Secret CDs (The Sundancer, Lisa Rigby, Frank Burkitt, Jonny Downie)

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:30, £4

Tiger Please

Butterfly Strategy

Verse Metrics (RM Hubbert, I Build Collapsible Mountains)

Edinburgh School For The Deaf (The Louche FC, The Spook School)

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £6 (£5)

Usher Hall, 19:30–22:00, From £10

A founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, and a distinctive-voiced country bluesman in his own right.

Benjamin Moussay Trio French pianist moving in cinematic soundscapes.

Gregg Allman (Tift Merritt)

Henry’s Cellar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Noise rock from Edinburgh, Glasgow and London.

Sat 02 Jul

Music and comedy variety show, headered by Blue Saphron and their enchanting jazz covers.

Alternative indie-rock from the Wales five-piece, fronted by the swaggering Leon Sanford.

Vasquez, Gropetown, Roseanne Barrr, Jackie Treehorn

Corn Exchange, 19:00–22:00, £21.50

Seattle-based folk sextet touring their rather lovely new album.

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £7 (£6)

Old school punk and ska from the west coast chaps behind Tartan Records, their own DIY label.

Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Fiddle player extraordinaire and lead soloist in Riverdance.

Epiphany in the Griffiny (Dumb Instrument, Les Johnson and Me, Aidan McEoin, Serpent)

Cast The Net (My First Addiction, Dreams & Empire, One Good Reason) Brand new monthly music showcase introducing musical gems you may not know, but shall probably really rather like.

The Village, 19:30–22:45, £6

The Last Battle (King Creosote, Loch Awe)

Ex-Cathedra (The Junkman’s Choir, The Snipes)

Mixed showcase night of diverse talents from the musical scene.

Tue 28 Jun Leith Folk Club: Niamh Ni Charra

Three-piece power rockers who know their way around a tune.

Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £5

The Glasgow Slow Club

56 THE SKINNY July 2011

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

Texas-based singer/songwriter working a bilingual mix of stirring rock ‘n’ roll.

Long-running indie celebration, with monthly themes and live performances.

Classic Grand, 17:00–22:00, £6

Showcase of blues-influenced singer/songwriters.

Bloc+, 21:00–23:30, Free

Patricia Vonne (The River 68s, Kat Healy)

Singer/songwriter Brian Spence returns to the live scene with a new album’s worth of material.

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Acoustic music night with live guests from the local scene, hosted by the inimitable Squirrel of This Silent Forest.

The brainchild of 26-year old Brighton born singer/songwriter Mike Rosenberg, seemingly intent on redefining the troubadour for the 21st century.

Summerfest Glasgow 2011 (Here Lies A Warning, Constellations, Disguise Your Beauty, Ludovico, From Sorrow To Serenit)

Mon 25 Jul Experimental trio of acts, moving from punk to hardcore metal.

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £6 adv. (£7 door)

Thu 28 Jul

Australian folky-pop singer/ songwriter with a rather marvellous one-page website.

Strung Out, The Human Project, Flat Back Four

Passenger

Brian Spence

Bec Sandridge (Myles Leggatt, Ed Lee, Michelle Jeam)

A chilled night of indie-rock from a selection of live local acts.

Bloc+, 22:00–00:00, Free

Buff Club, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Anything goes fusion of live bands and clubber’s beats.

Live acoustic acts, both local and far-flung.

Cowards (Yeah Detroit!)

Sat 23 Jul

King Tut’s, 20:00–23:00, £6

13th Note, 20:00–23:00, £6

Fine melodic indie-pop as the Seattle residents play their first Scottish gig.

Cowards play a rescheduled date, with their accomplished blend of coarse vocals, hardcore chops, punk dynamics and emo hooks very much in place.

Summer Nights: HaightAshbury, Bearbones, Blue Sky Archives, Finding Albert

Algernon Cadwallader (1994!, Kaddish, Your Neighbour The Liar, Bonehouse)

Slouch, 20:30–23:00, Free

Bloc+, 22:00–00:00, Free

Captain’s Rest, 20:00–23:00, £6

Playful post-punk with a unique motornik bent.

Nightly four-band bill as part of King Tut’s Summer Nights mini festival, with over 70 bands playing over 15 consecutive nights.

Math and Physics Club (Very Truly Yours, Bubblegum Lemonade, The Hermit Crabs)

Relative newbies on the indie-rock scene, Dirty Sally play their first Glasgow headline slot.

Wed 27 Jul Electricity In Our Homes

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Guitar-driven psychedelic sounds crossed with gritty songsmithery, served up with a good dose of attitude.

Electric Circus, 19:00–22:00, £6

Liz is Evil, Bloodstone Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Groove metal, i.e. metal you can dance to. Maybe.

Future Heroes The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Madcap guitarist Aki Remally and his funk four-piece.

Fri 15 Jul Electric Circus Live Lounge Electric Circus, 17:00–22:00, Free

Music and comedy variety show, headered by the Edinburgh-based ambient punk rock sludge ensemble of Plastic Animals.

Little Kicks (Thank You So Nice, Tom Gilbert) Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

Upbeat and catchy indie-pop from the Scottish four-piece. Can’t say fairer.

Glasgow CLUBS The Soul Foundation

Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–01:00, £tbc

Quality soul covers, playing close reference to the originals.

Six Storeys High (Sidelock, Fire Proof Match, Run/Lucky/Free)

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £5

Roughneck Riot, Hated Til Proven, Acid Fascists, Babylon Dub Punks, the 55s

The Edinburgh indie-rock four-piece bring their robust, energetic and melodic rock sound to Cab Vol.

A mixed bill of rock, from celtic punkrock to bluesy-country-rock’n’roll.

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Henry’s Cellar, 19:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Steel Rose (Iron Sun) Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Hard rock showcase of up-and-comers.

Haight-Ashbury Love Music (Miyagi, The Seals)

The Jazz Bar, 20:00–23:00, £4 (£3)

Country funk and psychedelic pop from Edinburgh’s Miyagi and guests The Seals, respectively.

Late ‘n’ Live: The Pimptones The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Full-on funk and a good dose of horns from the Newcastle-based six-piece.

Sat 16 Jul Amplified (Altered Sky, Make This Relate, Recipe For Disaster, Censor Thoughts)

The Store, 19:00–22:00, £5 adv. (£6 door)

Scottish rock five-piece Altered Sky launch their new EP in amidst the usual packed Amplified bill.

Song, by Toad (Jesus H Fox, Second Hand Marching Band) Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Local music blogger Song, by Toad handpicks a selection of Edinburgh up-and-comers for your delectation.

We Luv Musik (Figure 5, Scott McWatt)

Voodoo Rooms, 19:00–01:00, £tbc

Monthly live music night featuring a rota of new and established acts.

Social Schism, Blagg, Critikill

The Wynd

Four-drummer strong beat-pop combo from Edinburgh, who’ve finally gathered enough communal heartache to fuel the up-coming debut album.

The Computers, Bronto Skylift, PAWS, A Fight You Can’t Win Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

Half a festival’s worth of visceral punk-rock.

Secta Rouge, El Scholong, Jackie Treehorn (Of Spire & Throne) Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Eclectic mix of metallic tunes, including New Zealand’s own metal weirdos El Schlong.

Click Clack Club

The Forest Café, 21:00–00:00, £donations

Monthly experimental music club, this time featuring multicultural free-form fusion from Unearth and solo guitar from Graeme Stephen.

The Dog’s Grand Finale (William Douglas and the Wheel, Missing Cat, Earl Grey and the Loose Leaves, Le Reno Amps, KontroBand)

The Caves, 21:00–03:00, £6 adv. (£8 door)

The final launch party for Red Dog Music’s new magazine, with a host of live bands, plus live drawing from The Too Much Fun Club and DJs playing into the wee hours.

Future Heroes

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Madcap guitarist Aki Remally and his funk four-piece.

Late ‘n’ Live: The Union

Late ‘n’ Live: The Privates

Dancefloor-filling power sounds from the vocal eight-piece with a three-horn brass section.

Authentic 60s-styled soul-meetspop Glasgow three-piece, on guitars, keys and drums.

Sun 17 Jul

Fri 22 Jul

Hardcore punk showcase.

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Hair of the Dog Sundays (Who’s Edna?)

The Jazz Bar, 00:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Electric Circus Live Lounge Electric Circus, 17:00–22:00, Free

Red Dog Music, 15:00–16:00, Free

Music and comedy variety show, with different live guests each week.

CRANACHAN

Trapped Mice

Classic rock covers.

The melodic Edinburgh folky-poppers show us how it’s done, moving from quiet little ditties to stomping nineminute opuses.

Indie pop-cum-rock tunes.

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

The Sunday Sinners

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Tamla motown funk and soul, fronted by singer Fiona Lynch.

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £5

The Gillyflowers

Wee Red Bar, 19:00–22:00, £tbc

Edinburgh indie poppers, lead by the hard-wired Kirsten Adamson and her melting countryesque harmonies.

We Love Louis

Blues and funk five-piece, with added horns.

Queen’s Hall, 20:30–22:30, From £20

Tribute to jazz great Louis Armstrong, featuring Leroy Jones, Todd Gordon and Clairdee. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Sun 24 Jul Hair of the Dog Sundays (Suspire)

Red Dog Music, 15:00–16:00, Free

The rocking Glasgow three-piece launch their new single.

Not Advised (To Catch A Thief, Eras, A Day Overdue) Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £7

Shouty choruses and annoyingly addictive pop-punk tunes from the Southampton-based scamps.

Stonesthrow

Bongo Club, 19:00–22:00, £5

The Glasgow garage-rockers gig ahead of their up-coming debut release, Judas or Rebel.

Dave Gelly Quartet

The Jazz Bar, 19:00–22:30, £8

Rare chance to hear one of London’s great swinging jazz stylists.

Shields Up

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

The five-piece troupe flying the flag for Edinburgh hardcore.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, From £16

24-year-old kid from the block, trading in funk, blues and old-school soul (or “supafunkrock”, as he terms it). Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

CRANACHAN

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Classic rock covers.

The Sunday Sinners

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Tamla motown funk and soul, fronted by singer Fiona Lynch.

Mon 25 Jul The Old Firm Casuals

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £12

San Francisco-born street punk from this trio of menacing-looking baldies.

Lokomotive Trio, She Trio The Jazz Bar, 19:30–22:00, £10

The Jazz Bar Big Band

Sweep Across Horizons

Four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and four rhythm. That do you?

Epic atmospheric rock, raggedy and hardcore around the edges.

Glamour & The Baybes

Blueflint (Sharon King, Kicking Flies )

Tue 19 Jul The Casualties (Happy Spastics, Moral Dilemma, Daddy No)

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £8

70s-style punk and rock ‘n’ roll haricuts from the NYC foursome.

Wed 20 Jul Passenger

The Caves, 19:00–23:00, £6

The brainchild of 26-year old Brighton born singer/songwriter Mike Rosenberg, seemingly intent on redefining the troubadour for the 21st century.

J Rosie Duo

Blind Poet, 22:00–00:30, free

Classic blues numbers from the acoustic duo of guitar, piano and vocals.

The Ka-Tet

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Blues and funk five-piece, with added horns.

Thu 21 Jul Sara Lowes (Easy Tigers) Electric Circus, 19:00–22:00, £6

Enchanting Manchester songstress, who’s developed a stellar reputation touring as a session musician with the likes of King Creosote and Jim Noir.

Leith Docker’s Club, 20:00–23:00, £7

Charming bluegrass harmonies as Blueflint host a one-off fundraiser gig to help pay the costs of making their new CD.

Courtney Pine

Queen’s Hall, 20:30–22:30, From £17.50

Jazz aficianado Mr Pine tours on the back of his new album, Europa, with his full band in tow. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Late ‘n’ Live: The Dark Jokes The Jazz Bar, 00:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Festival-trotting Edinburgh sevenpiece boasting rockin’ originals and a few choice covers.

Sat 23 Jul Enfant Bastard (Moustache Of Insanity)

Henry’s Cellar, 19:00–22:00, £5

Edinburgh farewell show for Enfant Bastard: noisemonger, slacker-folk maverick, and more recently 8-bit circuit bending wizard. Amen.

Lost In Audio

Cabaret Voltaire, 19:00–22:00, £6

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, From £16

Orchestral performance of Gil Evans’ classic music for Miles Davis. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Vultures in Vivid Colours (Allure In Grace, We Shot the Groundskeepers) Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £4

Experimental hardcore rock from the Hull fivesome.

Thu 28 Jul Adam Holmes and The Embers (Donna Macioca) Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–22:00, £5

Contemporary folk with added pop, as Holmes and his new band launch their latest EP.

Edinburgh Jazz Festival Orchestra play Woody Herman Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, From £17.50

Big band jazz rendition of the music of Woody Herman. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Future Heroes The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Madcap guitarist Aki Remally and his funk four-piece.

Late ‘n’ Live: Early Grey & The Loose Leaves The Jazz Bar, 00:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

Playful post-punk with a unique motornik bent.

Wed 27 Jul Hidden Orchestra (Red Snapper)

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, From £10

The Edinburgh based outfit do their cinematic jazz-noir thing with nuanced perfection, with guests including Mary McMaster, Fraser Fifield and Su-a Lee. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

80s synth and funk with Dom and Darrell.

Dirty Noise Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £5

Underground beats in the usual filthy Dirty Noise fashion.

Thu 30 Jun Shake It Up Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free

Counterfiet Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3 (students free)

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Tasty Meat

Cosmic mix of 80s sleaze, house and disco.

Henry’s Cellar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Greatest Hits

Jack Bruce & The Big Blues Band Queen’s Hall, 20:30–22:30, From £25

One time vocalist and bass player in Cream, playing a mix of hits and classics with his ten-piece band. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Live Band Karaoke Electric Circus, 22:30–00:00, £5

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Euan Neilson plays the best of Buff.

Rubbermensch O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Chart, disco and indie.

Rumble Thursdays The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed student night, complete with weekly twists and a bouncybloody-castle.

A fun karaoke session.

Skint/Vengeance

Late ‘n’ Live: Washington Street

Emo, punk and death metal with the residents.

The Jazz Bar, 00:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Funk and soul from the Glasgowbased five-piece with a hot horn section (yup, we just referred to a horn section as hot).

Sat 30 Jul Schtick of Rock Electric Circus, 19:00–22:00, £5

Hit-filled singalong rock from the tongue-in-cheek covers band.

The Deep Red Sky, The Last September, Cry and the Block Henry’s Cellar, 19:00–22:00, £4

Great Junction Music Studios Showcase, centred on the delights of the indie-rock genre.

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, From £25

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Fri 01 Jul Numbers is 8: Floating points & Spencer Sub club, 23:00-03:00, £5 before midnight

Numbers celebrate their 8th birthday in fine style.

Friday @ Bookclub Hillhead Bookclub, 21:00–00:00, Free

Classic and underground disco, plus dusted-down old soul with Solar Disco’s Kev Stevens.

Ballbreaker/Vice

Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, £5

Alternative rock, metal and punk.

Alternative indie-rock from the Wales five-piece, fronted by the swaggering Leon Sanford.

Red Dog Music, 15:00–16:00, Free

Alternative rock types. Ain’t they all.

David Barbarossa’s Thing Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11.30)

Two floors of punk-rock, reggae and classic disco, with local scallywag David Barbarossa.

Durty Boogie Bloc+, 23:00–03:00, Free before 12

Curtis Stigers

Dirty rock ‘n’ roll with guitars, blues rhythms and lots of dancing.

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, From £20

Eric Cloutier

The chiseled American jazz vocalist interprets The Great American Songbook. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

CRANACHAN Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Classic rock covers.

The Sunday Sinners The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Tamla motown funk and soul, fronted by singer Fiona Lynch.

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £5 adv. (£8 door)

Four-hour set of house and techno delights from Eric Cloutier, bridging the gap between dance music’ past and future.

Fridays @ Flat 0/1 Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Duncan Harvey provides a soundtrack of funk, motown and northern soul.

Rock, indie and golden surf classics.

Indie rock ‘n’ roll, past and present.

Slam The Arches, 23:00–03:00, £7

Four-hour marathon set from the Slam boys.

Superfly Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5

The funk and soul night continues with its new residency, with Duncan Superfly and Gregor E at the helm.

Sat 02 Jul Voodoo Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £6

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Weekend party curated by Optimo’s Twitch and Wilkes.

Quids In Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £1

Electro, funk and disco soundtrack, plus a chance to win the door fees.

Shedkandi

Crank’d

Cryotec Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3 (students free)

Monthly industrial, EBM and eletrconic.

Feel My Bicep Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cosmic and sweaty mix of 80s sleaze, house and disco.

Greatest Hits Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Euan Neilson plays the best of Buff.

Misbehavin’ (Dolly Daydream, Drucifer)

Suck My Deck

Monthly mish-mash of electro, dance and dirty pop.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Chart, hip-hop and dirty electrohouse over three rooms, with Brian McMaster at the helm.

Mon 04 Jul

Saturday @ Bookclub

Burn

Deathkill 4000

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Weekly party with eye-popping visuals and rotating DJs.

Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

The best in house and R’n’B from sisters Lisa Mafia and Lil Gem.

Alibi Mondays

Funk, soul and hip-hop with everyone’s favourite floral-shirted vinylist, Andy Taylor.

Co-Op

Student night of rock, electro and pop. Students go free!

Cathouse Sundays

Rock, metal and indie night for the under 18s. Includes a new DJ workshop for kids to learn how to spin the decks. Wickity wack, etc.

Hillhead Bookclub, 21:00–00:00, Free

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, £3

All-out party mix of disco, electro and funk with your master Matthew Craig (of One More Tune).

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3 (students free)

Sun 03 Jul

Hung Up!

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Rubbermensch O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Chart, disco and indie.

Skint/Vengeance Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Andy R plays hits and requests, past and present.

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Long-running trade night, with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats.

Hot Damn The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Emo, punk and death metal with the residents.

Walk ‘n’ Skank Club 520, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

The Mungo’s Hi Fi crew in their official Glasgow residency, bringing you the very best in bass, natch.

Fri 08 Jul Friday @ Bookclub Hillhead Bookclub, 21:00–00:00, Free

Bloc+, 22:00–03:00, Free before 12

The best in rock, metal and hardcore with DJ Muppet. In the Attic.

Tue 05 Jul

Classic and underground disco, plus dusted-down old soul with Solar Disco’s Kev Stevens.

Hardlife: TNT

Destabalise

Ballbreaker/Team-Up

The Arches, 22:00–03:00, £15 earlybird

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Industro-rock noise party, with a host of live guests and some rather inventive DJ-ing.

The hardstyle, hard dance and trance night returns with genre masters TNT (aka Technoboy and Tuneboy).

Absolution Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors.

Cathouse Saturdays Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet.

Shed Saturdays Shed, 22:30–03:00, £7

Pop classics and a good dose of cheese.

Freakbeats Club Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5

Mod, soul, ska and groovy freakbeat 45’s, with guest Mr Divine.

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £6

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Riot Radio

Crash

Damnation

The Rock Shop

Student-orientated indie night.

Rock, metal and indie with the residents.

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £6

Long-running house night with Harri & Domenic (and some likely special guests).

Anything goes punter requests with DJs Mythic and Muppet, plus an all-new hip-hop bar on the side.

Highlife: A Tribute To The Sun

Andy Robertson plays a mix of loveable pop, dance and hip-hop.

Cheap ‘n’ Nasty

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Tiger Please (Everything Always, Atlas)

Hair of the Dog Sundays (Precious and Grace)

Up-tempo soul meets funk, lynchpinned on King’s gospel-tinged vocals.

Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Feel My Bicep

Four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and four rhythm. That do you?

Queen’s Hall, 20:00–22:30, From £15

Wednesdays @ Flat 0/1

The Liquid Room, 19:00–22:00, £12

Sun 31 Jul

Niki King and The Elements

Student fun night, with a bouncy castle and hot tub. The stuff dreams are made of.

Hells Bells

An eclectic mix of nonsense and confusion, as Tasty Meat launch their second LP

Soundhaus, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

Propaganda

The Arches, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student night of rock, electro and pop. Students go free!

AC/DC tribute act.

Point 4 (BCR, Mr Copy, Animal Farm, Hotbox, Depth Charge)

Octopussy

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Crank’d

Electric Circus, 17:00–22:00, Free

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Connoisseur’s mix of vintage jazz, funk and soul.

Chart and classics with Andy R.

Electric Circus Live Lounge Music and comedy variety show, with different live guests each week.

Old Skool

For those uninitiated, Point 4 sees four Glasgow club nights join forces for an epic three-room party.

Gaga Wednesdays

Say hello to yesteryear, with 90s nu-metal all the way.

The Jazz Bar Big Band

The Jazz Bar, 19:30–22:00, £8

Wed 29 Jun

Fri 29 Jul

American guitarist/volcalist with his trademark soul meets blues. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Electricity In Our Homes

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

Indie, rock and pop with resident DJ Jopez.

Jazz rock powered by screaming frontman Angus Munro and drummer Jordie Gilmour.

Tue 26 Jul

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

High-energy affair with intricate, lockeddown bass grooves, nuanced songwriting and a massively bearded frontman.

Robert Cray Band

The Jazz Bar, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Pose Victorious, Blow!, Xavia, Run/Lucky/Free

Mini music showcase moving from Pose Victorious’ Falkirk-styled indie-rock to Run/Lucky/Free and their storming folk-meets-rock template.

The Jazz Bar, 23:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Glamour & The Baybes

Edinburgh alternative noisemakers known for their epic rock anthems.

Electric Circus, 19:00–22:00, £5 adv. (£6 door)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, Free before 12 (more after)

The Ka-Tet

Edinburgh Jazz Festival Orchestra: Miles Ahead

Jazz rock powered by screaming frontman Angus Munro and drummer Jordie Gilmour.

Chart, indie and hip-hop with yer man Disco Dave et al.

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£10 after 12)

Killer Kitsch

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £6

Full-on 70s/80s jazz-funk fusion, powered by bassist Sam Firth.

The Jazz Bar, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£1)

Subculture

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Smoked-out voodoo stonegaze, pretty much as the name would suggest.

Bong (Sunsmasher)

Mon 18 Jul

Sneaky Pete’s, 19:00–22:30, £5

Mobile Disco Fridays

Residents Beta & Kappa joined by a rota of rotating guests.

The Jazz Bar, 19:00–22:30, £4 (£3)

The Jazz Bar, 19:30–22:00, £4 (£3)

Royal Oak, 20:00–23:00, £2

Tue 28 Jun I Am

Live and acoustic showcase of local players, in the downstairs bar.

Double bill of piano trios, moving from the spacey folktronic of Lokomotive Trio to the all-female swinging pop of She Trio.

J-Phunk

Edinburgh Unplugged (Caro Bridges and the River, Gavin Taylor, Andy Paul, Julien Pearly)

A summer-themed party with a special guest flying in from Chile (to be revelaed on the night itself), plus visuals from set designer Aoife McKim.

From rock to alternative classics with DJ Muppet, plus live video DJ’ing. In the Attic.

I Am Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, Free before 12

Residents Beta & Kappa joined by a rota of rotating guests.

Killer Kitsch Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Crash Shed, 22:30–03:00, £6

Andy Robertson plays a mix of loveable pop, dance and hip-hop.

Damnation Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Alternative rock, metal and punk.

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

Common People

Y’Uptae

90s soundclash, plus a free preclub bingo session in the kitchen bar (9pm).

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Weekly student night with Andy Wilson.

Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5

Fridays @ Flat 0/1 Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Wed 06 Jul Milk Flat 0/1, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Duncan Harvey provides a soundtrack of funk, motown and northern soul.

Brand new music-cum-club night, with handpicked acts from Instinctive Racoon Records.

House Of Honey: In The Wild!

(Honey Sweet Cheekz)

Gaga Wednesdays Chart and classics with Andy R.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Good-time grooves from Miss Honey Sweet Cheekz, as she brings her DIY club night to La Cheetah.

Octopussy

Kino Fist

The Arches, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

I Heart the Garage more than yer Maw

Student fun night, with a bouncy castle and hot tub. The stuff dreams are made of.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Stoked

Classic Garage student night over all rooms.

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Rock, metal and indie with the residents.

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £5

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11.30)

Genre-spanning mix of 60s psych, new wave and Krautrock with residents Charlotte and Rafla.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Mobile Disco Fridays

Love Music

DJ Haze plays pop, punk, ska and everything inbetween. In the Attic.

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Take It Sleazy

Chart, indie and hip-hop with yer man Disco Dave et al.

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons.

Nu Skool Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Nick Peacock spins a fine selection of vintage disco, soul and funk.

Pandemic Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11.30)

Cross-genre danceathon with residents Noj and Mark. They will play The Fall.

Power Tools Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Korben Dallas and Nushta Drognova play a zesty mix of Italo, disco and house.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 12)

An unabashed mix of 80s pop, electro and nu-disco. They will play Phil Collins.

Wednesdays @ Flat 0/1 Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

80s synth and funk with your hosts Dom and Darrell.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Old Skool Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Connoisseur’s mix of vintage jazz, funk and soul.

Primitive Painters Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5

Monthly indie-pop favourite. In the kitchen bar.

Propaganda

Thu 07 Jul

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Student-orientated indie night.

Rumble Thursdays The Garage, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed student night, complete with weekly twists and a bouncybloody-castle.

Riot Radio Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Indie rock ‘n’ roll, past and present.

July 2011

THE SKINNY 57

GLASGOW CLUBS SAT 09 JUL VOODOO CATHOUSE, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 MEMBERS)

Rock, metal and indie night for the under 18s. Includes a new DJ workshop for kids to learn how to spin the decks. Wickity wack, etc.

SATURDAY @ BOOKCLUB HILLHEAD BOOKCLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Funk, soul and hip-hop with everyone’s favourite floral-shirted vinylist, Andy Taylor.

ABSOLUTION CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors.

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet.

SHED SATURDAYS SHED, 22:30–03:00, £7

Pop classics and a good dose of cheese.

I HEART THE GARAGE MORE THAN YER MAW THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Classic Garage student night over all rooms.

LOVE MUSIC O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons.

MOUNT HEART ATTACK LA CHEETAH, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

Fine selection of disco and house from the resident MHA allstars.

NU SKOOL BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6

MON 11 JUL

STOKED

WALK ‘N’ SKANK

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£10 AFTER 12)

ALIBI MONDAYS

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

CLUB 520, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Long-running house night with Harri & Domenic (and some likely special guests).

Andy R plays hits and requests, past and present.

DJ Haze plays pop, punk, ska and everything inbetween. In the Attic.

THE CAVE (VINCE RIPPER)

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

SUBCULTURE

FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

Sleazy rock ‘n’ roll and garage punk, with a very special appearance by Alien Sex Fiend’s Vince Ripper.

THE ROCK SHOP MAGGIE MAY’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£5 (£3) AFTER 12)

Rock, indie and golden surf classics.

WRONG ISLAND NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 11.30)

The legendary Teamy and Dirty Larry spin some fresh electronics.

SUN 10 JUL CATHOUSE SUNDAYS CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Long-running trade night, with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats.

HOT DAMN THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

FLAT 0/1, 23:00–03:00, FREE

80s synth and funk with your hosts Dom and Darrell.

THU 14 JUL SHAKE IT UP MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE

The best in rock, metal and hardcore with DJ Muppet. In the Attic.

Indie, rock and pop with resident DJ Jopez.

TUE 12 JUL

RUMBLE THURSDAYS

DANCE MACABRE

Themed student night, complete with weekly twists and a bouncybloody-castle.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:00–03:00, £2

Uniting those two happiest of bedfellows, goth rock and, er, classic disco.

DESTABALISE THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

From rock to alternative classics with DJ Muppet, plus live video DJ’ing. In the Attic.

I AM SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE BEFORE 12

THE GARAGE, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

CO-OP SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Weekly party with eye-popping visuals and rotating DJs.

CRANK’D

FRI 15 JUL DIRTY DIKE, JAM BAXTER (SAMMY B-SIDE) STEREO, 19:00–01:00, £7

Double-header of London MCs making their first appearance in Glasgow.

FRIDAY @ BOOKCLUB

FLYING DUCK, 21:00–03:00, £5

BALLBREAKER/TEAM-UP

Student night of rock, electro and pop. Students go free!

Rock, metal and indie with the residents.

CRASH

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

HUNG UP!

KILLER KITSCH

Cosmic and sweaty mix of 80s sleaze, house and disco.

Andy Robertson plays a mix of loveable pop, dance and hip-hop.

GREATEST HITS

DAMNATION

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Weekend party curated by Optimo’s Twitch and Wilkes.

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

QUIDS IN

Y’UPTAE

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £1

Electro, funk and disco soundtrack, plus a chance to win the door fees.

SHEDKANDI SHED, 23:00–03:00, £2

POWER TOOLS

SUCK MY DECK THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Chart, hip-hop and dirty electrohouse over three rooms, with Brian McMaster at the helm.

58 THE SKINNY JULY 2011

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Weekly student night with Andy Wilson.

WED 13 JUL GAGA WEDNESDAYS

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Euan Neilson plays the best of Buff.

RUBBERMENSCH O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Chart, disco and indie.

SKINT/VENGEANCE CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Chart and classics with Andy R.

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Emo, punk and death metal with the residents.

OCTOPUSSY THE ARCHES, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student fun night, with a bouncy castle and hot tub. The stuff dreams are made of.

SHED, 22:30–03:00, £6

Indie rock ‘n’ roll, past and present.

DEATH DISCO (UFFIE)

MAGGIE MAY’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£5 (£3) AFTER 12)

UPSIDE DOWN

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 11.30)

Good music played by bad peope, with Rafla in the upstairs club.

SAT 16 JUL SOUNDHAUS, 15:00–03:00, £TBC

VOODOO

CATHOUSE, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 MEMBERS)

Rock, metal and indie night for the under 18s. Includes a new DJ workshop for kids to learn how to spin the decks. Wickity wack, etc.

SATURDAY @ BOOKCLUB

HILLHEAD BOOKCLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Funk, soul and hip-hop with everyone’s favourite floral-shirted vinylist, Andy Taylor.

CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

ABSOLUTION

FRIDAYS @ FLAT 0/1

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors.

Alternative rock, metal and punk.

FLAT 0/1, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Duncan Harvey provides a soundtrack of funk, motown and northern soul.

MOBILE DISCO FRIDAYS THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

LA CHEETAH, 23:00–03:00, £7 ADV. (£10 DOOR)

RIOT RADIO

LEBOWSKI-FEST 2011 Fun night dedicated to all things ‘Dude’. Featuring a the Lebowski quiz, bowling competition, treasure hunt and best costume competition, plus guest DJs.

CODE (TOMMY FOUR SEVEN) CODE welcome returning guest Tommy Four Seven for another night of Berghain-style techno.

12 whole hours of music encompassing every style of dance known to man (probably). Plus vintage stalls, live bands, fire shows and a BBQ.

Classic and underground disco, plus dusted-down old soul with Solar Disco’s Kev Stevens.

FEEL MY BICEP

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Student-orientated indie night.

HILLHEAD BOOKCLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £3 (STUDENTS FREE)

FLAT 0/1, 23:00–03:00, FREE

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

UBERFEST III (GIROBABIES, FRESHLICK, ANIMAL FARM, IMPACT)

Residents Beta & Kappa joined by a rota of rotating guests.

Nick Peacock spins a fine selection of vintage disco, soul and funk.

Korben Dallas and Nushta Drognova play a zesty mix of Italo, disco and house.

BURN

WEDNESDAYS @ FLAT 0/1

The Mungo’s Hi Fi crew in their official Glasgow residency, bringing you the very best in bass, natch.

Anything goes punter requests with DJs Mythic and Muppet, plus an all-new hip-hop bar on the side.

The best in house and R’n’B from sisters Lisa Mafia and Lil Gem.

FLAT 0/1, 23:00–03:00, FREE

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

PROPAGANDA

CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet.

SHED SATURDAYS

THE ARCHES, 23:00–03:00, £14

The Paris-based underground electronic artist plays special guest at everyone’s favorite electro disco.

HOTWIRE

FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5

Female-driven club night with guest live performances from Miss The Occupier and Evol.

I HEART THE GARAGE MORE THAN YER MAW

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Classic Garage student night over all rooms.

HUNG UP! SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Weekend party curated by Optimo’s Twitch and Wilkes.

QUIDS IN BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £1

Electro, funk and disco soundtrack, plus a chance to win the door fees.

SHEDKANDI SHED, 23:00–03:00, £2

The best in house and R’n’B from sisters Lisa Mafia and Lil Gem.

SUCK MY DECK THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Chart, hip-hop and dirty electrohouse over three rooms, with Brian McMaster at the helm.

MON 18 JUL

LOVE MUSIC

ALIBI MONDAYS

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons.

Andy R plays hits and requests, past and present.

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

NU SKOOL

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6

BURN

POWER TOOLS

Long-running trade night, with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats.

Nick Peacock spins a fine selection of vintage disco, soul and funk.

FLAT 0/1, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Korben Dallas and Nushta Drognova play a zesty mix of Italo, disco and house.

SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£10 AFTER 12)

Long-running house night with Harri & Domenic (and some likely special guests).

THE ROCK SHOP

MAGGIE MAY’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£5 (£3) AFTER 12)

Rock, indie and golden surf classics.

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

HOT DAMN THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The best in rock, metal and hardcore with DJ Muppet. In the Attic.

TUE 19 JUL DAVID BARBAROSSA’S WILD COMBINATION NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 22:00–03:00, £3

Kilmarnock’s own disco legend digs deep into his massive record collection, playing a selection of unknown gems. Early doors at 10pm.

SHED, 22:30–03:00, £7

TEENAGE LUST

Chart, indie and hip-hop with yer man Disco Dave et al.

Pop classics and a good dose of cheese.

SUN 17 JUL

OLD SKOOL

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 11.30)

CATHOUSE SUNDAYS

DESTABALISE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:00–03:00, £2

BOTTLE ROCKET

Indie dancing club, playing anything danceable.

Anything goes punter requests with DJs Mythic and Muppet, plus an all-new hip-hop bar on the side.

From rock to alternative classics with DJ Muppet, plus live video DJ’ing. In the Attic.

A mutant disco of 80s indie, American punk and wedding standards.

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6

Connoisseur’s mix of vintage jazz, funk and soul.

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

EDINBURGH CLUBS I Am Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, Free before 12

Residents Beta & Kappa joined by a rota of rotating guests.

Judas Priest Aftershow (Nicola Walker)

Sun 24 Jul

Feel My Bicep

Alternative rock, metal and punk.

A Riot In A Rockshop

Alibi: 3D Tranny Party (One Manky DJ, Itch, Spill, Dirty Basement, Hahaha)

Club crossover with DJ Jopex playing a mix of rock, indie and punk classics.

Cosmic and sweaty mix of 80s sleaze, house and disco.

Damnation

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Official after-party to the old school metal Gods that are Judas Priest.

Cheeky clubber’s delight live 3D visuals, a trashy make-up station, ‘worst dressed’ competition, Kings and Queens Pageant, and live guests.

Killer Kitsch

Fridays @ Flat 0/1

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, Free (with ticket stub)

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

Y’Uptae The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Weekly student night with Andy Wilson.

Wed 20 Jul Milk Flat 0/1, 21:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Brand new music-cum-club night, with handpicked acts from Instinctive Racoon Records.

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Duncan Harvey provides a soundtrack of funk, motown and northern soul.

Mobile Disco Fridays

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Chart, indie and hip-hop with yer man Disco Dave et al.

Old Skool

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Connoisseur’s mix of vintage jazz, funk and soul.

Propaganda

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Antics: Launch Party (Brian McMaster, Goslad) The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Moving from electro to hip-hop, at The Garage’s newest night.

Cathouse Sundays Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anything goes punter requests with DJs Mythic and Muppet, plus an all-new hip-hop bar on the side.

Hung Up! Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Weekend party curated by Optimo’s Twitch and Wilkes.

Quids In Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £1

Electro, funk and disco soundtrack, plus a chance to win the door fees.

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Greatest Hits Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Absolution

Rubbermensch

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors.

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Chart, disco and indie.

Skint/Vengeance Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Emo, punk and death metal with the residents.

Mon 25 Jul

Intenzifi (Squad E, Dyprax, Scott Brown, MC Whizzkid)

Stoked The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

DJ Haze plays pop, punk, ska and everything inbetween. In the Attic.

Wednesdays @ Flat 0/1 Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

80s synth and funk with your hosts Dom and Darrell.

Iron Maiden Aftershow (Nicola Walker) Cathouse, 23:00–04:00, Free (with ticket stub)

Official Iron Maiden after-party, with the Cathouse’s usual shenanigans.

Thu 21 Jul Shake It Up Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free

Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

Rock, metal and indie night for the under 18s. Includes a new DJ workshop for kids to learn how to spin the decks. Wickity wack, etc.

Saturday @ Bookclub

Hillhead Bookclub, 21:00–00:00, Free

Funk, soul and hip-hop with everyone’s favourite floral-shirted vinylist, Andy Taylor.

A Night Of Madness (Mad Dog, Unexist, Negative-A, Anime, Alien-T, Obsession) Soundhaus, 21:00–03:00, £15

Harcore special, showcasing the harder side of hardcore music.

Well ‘ard.

Indie, rock and pop with resident DJ Jopez.

Absolution

Rumble Thursdays

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors.

The Garage, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed student night, complete with weekly twists and a bouncybloody-castle.

Co-Op Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Weekly party with eye-popping visuals and rotating DJs.

Crank’d Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3 (students free)

Student night of rock, electro and pop. Students go free!

Durty Booty Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, £3

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £7

Emo, punk and death metal with the residents.

Nu Skool

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

Residents Beta & Kappa joined by a rota of rotating guests.

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Y’Uptae The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Chart and classics with Andy R.

Octopussy The Arches, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student fun night, with a bouncy castle and hot tub. The stuff dreams are made of.

Stoked The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Fridays @ Flat 0/1 Duncan Harvey provides a soundtrack of funk, motown and northern soul.

Electro-dance behemoth Ben Butler plays a live set of clever electronic funk, plus Wavy Graves and BB&MP DJs playing skweee, synthpop and electro.

Mobile Disco Fridays

Subculture

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

80s synth and funk with your hosts Dom and Darrell.

Thu 28 Jul Shake It Up Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free

The Garage, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Co-Op Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Counterfiet

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£10 after 12)

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Rock, indie and golden surf classics.

Chart, indie and hip-hop with yer man Disco Dave et al.

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Student-orientated indie night.

Riot Radio Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Indie rock ‘n’ roll, past and present.

Stay Plastic and Jelly Roll Soul join forces to welcome another Detroit super-producer into the fold, in the form of Marcellus Pittman and his raw house stylings.

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Subculture

The Rock Shop

Andy Robertson plays a mix of loveable pop, dance and hip-hop.

Occasional club night of studentorientated fun and frolics.

Skweee In July (Ben Butler & Mousepad)

Wednesdays @ Flat 0/1

Weekly party with eye-popping visuals and rotating DJs.

Crash Shed, 22:30–03:00, £6

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Stay Plasic Vs Jelly Roll Soul (Marcellus Pittman)

Beans and Divine play vinyl 7-inchers, all night long.

Rock, metal and indie with the residents.

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Alternative rock, metal and punk.

DJ Haze plays pop, punk, ska and everything inbetween. In the Attic.

Singles Night

Long-running house night with Harri & Domenic (and some likely special guests).

New industrial and electronic night,favouring a range of tunes from old-school EBM to modern athems.

Indigo The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£1)

Afrocentric

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, Free before 12

Fri 22 Jul

Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 after 12)

The Banshee Labyrinth, 22:00–03:00, Free

I Am

Themed student night, complete with weekly twists and a bouncybloody-castle.

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Deliveramce

Genre-spanning midweeker, with the residents playing a musical mish-mash and guest DJs in the back room.

Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £4

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, Free (£10 after 12)

Rock, indie and golden surf classics.

Stereo, 23:00–03:00, £6

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11)

Midweek student favourite of chart and cheese.

Korben Dallas and Nushta Drognova play a zesty mix of Italo, disco and house.

Propaganda

Alternative Gay Pride live drag dance party, hosted by Lady Munter and the residents.

Bangers & Mash

Slap Bang

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Rock Shop

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Pre-club mix of northern soul and funk with the B-Side DJs.

Power Tools

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Connoisseur’s mix of vintage jazz, funk and soul.

Love Music

Electric Circus, 20:00–01:00, Free

Damnation

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Gaga Wednesdays

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Hush

From rock to alternative classics with DJ Muppet, plus live video DJ’ing. In the Attic.

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £6

DIY promoters Cry Parrot take to the decks, spinning post-punk, disco and alternative gems with all proceeds going to fund future events.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, £3

Wed 29 Jun

Soulful party fodder, from deep funk to reggae beats with Simon Hodge et al.

Andy Robertson plays a mix of loveable pop, dance and hip-hop.

Destabalise

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £6

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Say hello to yesteryear, with DJs Muppet and Mythic playing 90s nu-metal all the way.

Crank’d Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3 (students free)

Student night of rock, electro and pop. Students go free!

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £10

Sat 30 Jul The Electric Frog Summer Weekender (Dubfire, Nitzer Ebb, Mark Houle, Karotte, Optimo, Nick Curly) SWG3, 15:00–23:00, £22.50 (£40 weekend)

Street party-style weekender with a top DJ line-up of international and homegrown talents.

Voodoo

Long-running house night with Harri & Domenic (and some likely special guests).

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Sun 31 Jul The Electric Frog Summer Weekender (The Fall, Mount Kimbie, Joker, Chrome Hoof, Errors) SWG3, 15:00–23:00, £22.50 (£40 weekend)

Street party-style weekender with a top DJ line-up of international and homegrown talents.

Modulate

Classic Grand, 19:00–22:00, £8

Hard-electro project of Manshester-based DJ Geoff Lee.

Cathouse Sundays

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anything goes punter requests with DJs Mythic and Muppet, plus an all-new hip-hop bar on the side.

Hung Up!

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Weekend party curated by Optimo’s Twitch and Wilkes.

Quids In

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £1

Indie, pop and alternative favourites, with the ever-present threat of the Ting Tings.

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Witness Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

New midweek bass spectacular of garage, dubstep and bassline house.

Thu 30 Jun Movement Electric Circus, 19:00–01:00, Free

Playing only new independent releases, of the local, national and international variety.

Dirty District Bannerman’s, 20:00–01:00, Free

Monthy dose of old-school hip-hop.

Frisky The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Chart, dance and electro fare.

Bump The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Request-led night of house, indie and underground remixes with residents Master Caird and Johnny Junk-House.

Let Loose Lane Nightclub, 22:30–03:00, Free (£3 after 11.30)

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 after 12)

Girls & Boys HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Indie night with a rock ‘n’ roll attitude.

Smells Like The 90s The Store, 23:00–03:00, Free

Hearty mix of hip-hop, rap, soul, funk and R’n’B.

Mon 04 Jul Mixed Up

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Request-driven night of hip-hop, chart and R’n’B.

Nu Fire

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anything-goes trade night with Beefy and Wolfjazz.

This Is Music

Tue 05 Jul

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

After School Club

Indie and electro favourite from the Sick Note DJs.

Sat 02 Jul

The Store, 20:00–01:00, Free

Creative live art-cum-club event, where punters get given a roll of wallpaper to doodle over.

Antics

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

VEGAS! Voodoo Rooms, 20:30–01:00, £5 adv. (£6 door)

50-themed fun and showgirls a-go-go.

Wired For Sound The Village, 21:00–01:00, Free

Monthly disco, playing anything and everything danceable.

Bubblegum The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart, dance and 80s classics.

The Den Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£6 after 12)

All facets of jive, rock, soul and funk with the B-Side DJs on decks.

Tease Age Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

Beat Control HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£5 after 12)

Indie and alternative with the resident Evol DJs.

Beep Beep, Yeah Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£6 after 12)

Retro pop stylings from the 50s to the 70s. In Speakeasy.

Alternative anthems, cherry-picked from genres of rock, indie and punk.

Soul Jam Hot

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funk, soul and hip-hop.

Split

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Long-running D’n’B night from a rotating collective of DJs.

Tuesday Heartbreak

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Swirling guitars and driving beats from Aki Remally and his groove band.

Wed 06 Jul Hush

Electric Circus, 22:00–01:00, Free

Jivin’ mix of northern soul and funk with the B-Side DJs.

Bangers & Mash

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11)

Midweek student favourite of chart and cheese classics.

Indigo

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£1)

Indie, pop and alternative favourites, with the ever-present threat of the Ting Tings.

JungleDub

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle, from DJs across the Scottish scene.

Slap Bang

New student-orientated fun night.

Fake: 5th Birthday

Octopussy

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Genre-spanning midweeker, with the residents playing a musical mishmash, alongside rotating guests. In the Speakeasy.

Jackhammer (Phil Kieran, Christian Smith)

Witness

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Chart, indie and electro student favourite.

Sick Note Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

The Cab’s flagship indie and electro favourite.

Fri 01 Jul Misfits The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Celebrating five years of zombie, breaks and hangovers.

The Caves, 23:00–03:00, £8

Jackhammer presents two DJ heavyweights on one bill.

JakN Techno The Store, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Handpicked techno selection from residents FuK-NuT and Sekonz.

Synthetic (Daniel Bell, 3d!T) Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £10

Everybody Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, £5

The Egg

The best in house and R’n’B from sisters Lisa Mafia and Lil Gem.

Pop, rock, indie and electro from 1960 to the present day. Job done.

Saturday @ Bookclub

Suck My Deck

Danse Macabre

Art school indie institution with regular DJs Chris and Paul.

Chart, hip-hop and dirty electrohouse over three rooms, with Brian McMaster at the helm.

The Dance Macabre residents bring their night to Edinburgh for the first time, uniting goth rock and classic disco as only they know how.

Funk, soul and hip-hop with everyone’s favourite floral-shirted vinylist, Andy Taylor.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

Trade Union

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Shedkandi

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Killer Ktsch

Sugarhill (Little Joe, Isla Blige, Yemster)

Rock, metal and indie night for the under 18s. Includes a new DJ workshop for kids to learn how to spin the decks. Wickity wack, etc.

Hillhead Bookclub, 21:00–00:00, Free

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Moving from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems.

Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

Coalition

Rock, indie and hip-hop from, yes, the 90s.

Electro, funk and disco soundtrack, plus a chance to win the door fees.

Cathouse, 16:00–21:00, £6 (£3 members)

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Dubstep, breaks and D’n’B.

Dub, dubstep and jungle, from DJs across the Scottish scene.

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Rock Show

Four Corners

Nick Peacock spins a fine selection of vintage disco, soul and funk.

Korben Dallas and Nushta Drognova play a zesty mix of Italo, disco and house.

Ballbreaker/Team-Up

Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£6 after 12)

The Southern Bar, 19:30–01:00, Free

Local acoustic acts followed by indie and alternative tunes from the Dream Sequence DJs.

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

JungleDub

Rumble Thursdays

Classic and underground disco, plus dusted-down old soul with Solar Disco’s Kev Stevens.

Modern Lovers (Camera Obscura)

Retro from 1970 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top.

Sun 03 Jul Underground Sunday

Myriad of rock anthems, from classic to metallic.

Nu Skool

Power Tools

Hillhead Bookclub, 21:00–00:00, Free

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Long-running house night from Gareth Sommerville and a rotating collective of DJs.

New night programmed by – and featuring performances from – Cab Vol’s very own bar staff, plus some of their favorite local DJs.

Crash

Tue 26 Jul

The Mungo’s Hi Fi crew in their official Glasgow residency, bringing you the very best in bass, natch.

Friday @ Bookclub

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £7

Planet Earth

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 12)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Retro happenings from genres of soul, garage and psych, with a guest DJ set from Glasgow indiepoppers Camera Obscura.

Indie, rock and pop with resident DJ Jopez.

Club 520, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Love Music

Anything-goes indie and alternative anthems: think Sonic Youth and NWA.

Split

Rock, metal and indie with the residents.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The best in rock, metal and hardcore with DJ Muppet. In the Attic.

Nick Peacock spins a fine selection of vintage disco, soul and funk.

Walk ‘n’ Skank

Classic Garage student night over all rooms.

Old Skool

Rubbermensch

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Wed 27 Jul

Menergy (John Pleased Wimmin, Fraser Bone)

Skint/Vengeance

I Heart the Garage more than yer Maw

Cry Parrot DJs

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons.

Chart, disco and indie.

Tearin’ it up with 60s psych-outs and modern sleaze, provided by Rafla and Andy (of The Phantom Band).

Weekly student night with Andy Wilson.

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Ballbreaker/Team-Up

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:00–03:00, Free (£3 after 11.30)

Pop classics and a good dose of cheese.

Classic Garage student night over all rooms.

Euan Neilson plays the best of Buff.

Hillhead Bookclub, 21:00–00:00, Free

Hot Damn

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet.

Shed Saturdays

Friday @ Bookclub Classic and underground disco, plus dusted-down old soul with Solar Disco’s Kev Stevens.

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Feel My Bicep

Greatest Hits

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Mass line-up encompassing everything from UK hardcore to D’n’B.

Long-running trade night, with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats.

Killer Kitsch

I Heart the Garage more than yer Maw

Flat 0/1, 23:00–03:00, Free

Burn

Cathouse Saturdays

Resident DJ Otis plays hip-hop, breakbeats and funky house.

Cosmic and sweaty mix of 80s sleaze, house and disco.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Andy R plays hits and requests, past and present.

Soundhaus, 20:30–03:00, £15

La Cheetah, 23:00–03:00, £5

Ultragroove

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Cab Vol Stars (Prof, DD, Cunnie, Dimitris Patri)

Hot Club

The Arches, 19:30–22:00, £8

Pop classics and a good dose of cheese.

Evol

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Funk, soul and hip-hop.

Nicolas Jaar

Indie rock ‘n’ roll, past and present.

Sat 23 Jul

Soul Jam Hot

Fri 29 Jul

The best in house and R’n’B from sisters Lisa Mafia and Lil Gem.

Voodoo

Alternative anthems, cherry-picked from genres of rock, indie and punk.

Wonky techno, acid and rave with the residents and guest Hektor Ruiez.

Riot Radio

Alibi Mondays

Shed Saturdays

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Swirling guitars and driving beats from Aki Remally and his groove band.

Student-orientated indie night.

The Arches, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet.

Antics

Tuesday Heartbreak

The Mungo’s Hi Fi crew in their official Glasgow residency, bringing you the very best in bass, natch.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Student fun night, with a bouncy castle and hot tub. The stuff dreams are made of.

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Pop quiz and musical bingo, with a £50 prize for the winning team.

Banjax (Hektor Ruiex)

Club 520, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Gaga Wednesdays

Maggie May’s, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 (£3) after 12)

Cathouse Saturdays

Electric Circus, 19:00–01:00, £1

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £7

Walk ‘n’ Skank

Shedkandi

Octopussy

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Tue 28 Jun Circus Arcade

Long-running D’n’B night from a rotating collective of DJs.

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Chart and classics with Andy R.

Bloc+, 22:00–03:00, Free before 12

Delightful clubber’s mash-up of alternative pop, indie and electro.

Euan Neilson plays the best of Buff.

A live set from the 21-year-old super DJ, still studying and living in New York, whilst making music and managing his own production company. Talented bugger.

Shed, 23:00–03:00, £2

New Life (Betatone Distraction, The Great I Am, Phiktion)

Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £4 (£3)

Techno and electro fodder from a double-act of pretty special guests.

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

The Go-Go Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

The cream of vintage and retro with your hosts, DJs Tall Paul and Gus.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of garage, dubstep and bassline house.

Thu 07 Jul Frisky

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Chart, dance and electro fare.

Atraccion: Part 1 (Matthias Tanzman, Javier Gonzalez, Laurence Nolan) The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £10

New night from a group of Italian stallion DJs residing in the ‘burgh, showcasing the best in house and techno.

Bump

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Request-led night of house, indie and underground remixes with residents Master Caird and Johnny Junk-House.

July 2011

THE SKINNY 59

EDINBURGH CLUBS Dapper Dans

Eden (Claudio, Gregsta)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

The usual mix of disco and soul, with Decks FX and OSX.

Funky house and dirty electro playlists. In Speakesy.

Octopussy

Furburger

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Chart, indie and electro student favourite, with a bouncy castle an’ all.

Sick Note Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

CC Blooms, 23:00–03:00, Free

The notorious lesbian night returns to its new home of CC’s.

Sick Note Saturday Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Cab’s flagship indie and electro favourite.

The Cab’s flagship indie and electro favourite hosts a special Saturday edition.

Fri 08 Jul

The Egg

Misfits The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems.

Everybody Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, £5

Pop, rock, indie and electro from 1960 to the present day. Job done.

Evol The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Anything-goes indie and alternative anthems: think Sonic Youth and NWA.

Planet Earth Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Retro from 1970 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top.

Bound For Glory (Fudge Fingas, Kris Wasabi, CBiscuit, Beefy, Flying Saucer) Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Eclectic-themed night where guest DJs get to play whatever they damn well want (with all profits going to Oxfam). In Speakeasy.

Electrical The Store, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Dubstep and D’n’B with the Electrical residents.

Girls & Boys HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Indie night with a rock ‘n’ roll attitude.

Regulate: Cab Vol Hip-Hop Special (Nasty P, Fusion, D-Fade, Hench Blaps, MC Silvertongue, The Players Association) Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 12)

One-off hip-hop spectalcular featuring some of Edinburgh’s best local talent.

This Is Music Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Indie and electro favourite from the Sick Note DJs.

Sat 09 Jul Reach To Jamaica The Store, 20:00–03:00, £10 (£8)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

Art school indie institution with regular DJs Chris and Paul.

Bass Syndicate Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–05:00, £3 (members free)

The regular Edinburgh breaks and bassline crew takeover.

Sun 10 Jul Underground Sunday The Southern Bar, 19:30–01:00, Free

Local acoustic acts followed by indie and alternative tunes from the Dream Sequence DJs.

Rock Show The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Myriad of rock anthems, from classic to metallic.

Coalition Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dubstep, breaks and D’n’B.

Killer Kitsch Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages. In Speakeasy.

Mon 11 Jul Mixed Up The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Request-driven night of hip-hop, chart and R’n’B.

Nu Fire Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Moving from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Trade Union Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anything-goes trade night with Beefy and Wolfjazz.

Tue 12 Jul Antics The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Thu 14 Jul Movement Electric Circus, 19:00–01:00, Free

Playing only new independent releases, of the local, national and international variety.

Papi Falso Henry’s Cellar, 20:00–01:00, £3

DJs from Ride This Train, Fast and The Gentle Invasion play some of the weirder stuff from their record collections, mores the joy.

Suite 69 Club (Les BOF!) Voodoo Rooms, 20:30–01:00, £7

The French 60s discotheque back for a special Bastille Day celebration, with Les BOF! on guest duty.

Frisky The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Chart, dance and electro fare.

Bump The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Request-led night of house, indie and underground remixes with residents Master Caird and Johnny Junk-House.

Animal Hospital Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Minimal and techno for cool kids.

Octopussy HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Chart, indie and electro student favourite, with a bouncy castle an’ all.

Reggae, dance and hip-hop over three rooms, with proceeds going to charity.

Long-running D’n’B night from a rotating collective of DJs.

Bubblegum

The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Tuesday Heartbreak

Fri 15 Jul Misfits The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems.

Everybody Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, £5

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Anything-goes indie and alternative anthems: think Sonic Youth and NWA.

Indie Pop Night Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Guilty Pleasures Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £6 adv. (£8 door)

A non-stop music spectacular, glittering and glorious in its celebration of pop.

Bangers & Mash The Hive, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11)

Midweek student favourite of chart and cheese classics.

Indigo The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£1)

Tease Age

Indie, pop and alternative favourites, with the ever-present threat of the Ting Tings.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

JungleDub

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

Beat Control HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£5 after 12)

Indie and alternative with the resident Evol DJs.

Devil Disco Club Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 after 12)

From classic disco to acid jazz with the regulars Giles Walker, Hobbes and D’Viking.

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dub, dubstep and jungle, from DJs across the Scottish scene.

Beat Control HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£5 after 12)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Chilled clubbers mix of 50s and 60s R’n’B and northern soul.

Indie and alternative with the resident Evol DJs.

The monthly Edinburgh mainstay, bringing you the biggest beats in funky house and electro.

Frisky Chart, dance and electro fare.

The esteemed techno beast that is Alex Smoke plays a super-intimate live show. Get excited, yeah?

Saturday Night Beaver (Trendy Wendy, Blonde Flash, Isla Blige)

Bump

King Solomon’s Cave

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 after 12)

Lesbian and bi-friendly favourite. In Speakeasy.

Request-led night of house, indie and underground remixes with residents Master Caird and Johnny Junk-House.

Chilled jungles vibes in the upstairs club, with King Solomon himself.

Bow down.

The Egg

Homegrown

Mumbo Jumbo

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

Art school indie institution with regular DJs Chris and Paul.

Ultragroove Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

A heady bout of cosmic house, punk and upside-down disco.

Sun 17 Jul Underground Sunday The Southern Bar, 19:30–01:00, Free

Local acoustic acts followed by indie and alternative tunes from the Dream Sequence DJs. The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Coalition Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

A D’n’B odyssey like no other.

Octopussy HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Chart, indie and electro student favourite, with a bouncy castle an’ all.

Sick Note Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Party soundtrack of funk, soul, disco and house from Trendy Wendy and Steve Austin.

Pet Rescue The Store, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Forward-thinking minimal, doofdoof techno, and arm-flailing house.

The Cab’s flagship indie and electro favourite.

Sounds of Soul (Trendy Wendy, Blonde Flash, Isla Blige)

Witness

Funk and soul selection from the Ladies on Rotation DJs.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of garage, dubstep and bassline house.

Fri 22 Jul Misfits The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Egg Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11.30)

Killer Kitsch

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

The Southern Bar, 19:30–01:00, Free

Rock Show The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Myriad of rock anthems, from classic to metallic.

Coalition

Planet Earth

Mon 18 Jul

Planet Earth

Dubstep, breaks and D’n’B.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Killer Kitsch

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Big beats from up-and-coming Edinburgh production duo Attic Kings, and a host of support.

Damn Hot (Francis D’uso, The Player Association) Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £3

Girls & Boys Indie night with a rock ‘n’ roll attitude.

Soulsville Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5

Swinging soul spanning a whole century with DJs Tsatsu and Red-6, plus live dancers a-go-go.

This Is Music Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Indie and electro favourite from the Sick Note DJs.

Sat 16 Jul Bubblegum The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Mixed Up The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Request-driven night of hip-hop, chart and R’n’B.

Nu Fire Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Moving from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Trade Union Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anything-goes trade night with Beefy and Wolfjazz. In Speakeasy.

Tue 19 Jul Antics The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Alternative anthems, cherry-picked from genres of rock, indie and punk.

Soul Jam Hot

Indie, electro and fine alternative fare with Ryan Marinello.

Fever (Tony English) The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £tbc

Lovechild resident Tony English drops by for a one-off set.

Stepback Wee Red Bar, 22:30–03:00, £5

Elementary (Prof, Andy Hardie)

Request-driven night of hip-hop, chart and R’n’B.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Special residents night featuring big guns Prof and Andy Hardie.

Girls & Boys HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Indie night with a rock ‘n’ roll attitude.

This Is Music Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Funk, soul and hip-hop.

Split

Xplicit

Long-running D’n’B night from a rotating collective of DJs.

Tuesday Heartbreak The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Swirling guitars and driving beats from Aki Remally and his groove band.

Wed 20 Jul

Mon 25 Jul Mixed Up

Indie and electro favourite from the Sick Note DJs.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

Non-stop party mix of disco, electro, bass and techno.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £1

D’n’B evolution in the style of a big, sweaty £1-entry summer rave-up, a-la 1999.

Sat 23 Jul Bubblegum The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Hush

Handpicked weekend mix of chart, dance and 80s classics.

Electric Circus, 22:00–01:00, Free

Lucky 7

Bangers & Mash

Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, £5 (£6 after 12)

Retro from 1970 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Studio 24, 22:00–03:00, £2 (£5 after 11)

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Nu Fire Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Moving from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Trade Union Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Anything-goes trade night with Beefy and Wolfjazz.

Tue 26 Jul

Split Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Long-running D’n’B night from a rotating collective of DJs.

Tuesday Heartbreak The Jazz Bar, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Swirling guitars and driving beats from Aki Remally and his groove band.

Wed 27 Jul

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11)

Ska, 2-Tone and early reggae from the Go Go’s Tall Paul.

Hush

Indigo

Sub: Tremorz (Bryan Gee, Kenny Ken, Bladerunner, Harry Shotta, David Boomah)

Jivin’ mix of northern soul and funk with the B-Side DJs.

Midweek student favourite of chart and cheese classics.

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£1)

Indie, pop and alternative favourites, with the ever-present threat of the Ting Tings.

The Liquid Room, 22:00–03:00, £10

Launch party for the brand new D’n’B night, ripe with heavy basslines and pure dubplates.

Electric Circus, 22:00–01:00, Free

Bangers & Mash The Hive, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 after 11)

Midweek student favourite of chart and cheese classics.

after 12)

Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£6

Electric Circus, 19:00–01:00, Free

Playing only new independent releases, of the local, national and international variety.

Dirty District Bannerman’s, 20:00–23:00, Free

Monthly dose of old-school hippity-hop.

Frisky

after 12)

Unpredictable hotch-potch selection chosen by ‘The Wheel’, from powerballads to 90s rave.

Tease Age Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Chart, dance and electro fare.

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

Bump

Beat Control

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Request-led night of house, indie and underground remixes with residents Master Caird and Johnny Junk-House.

Lane Nightclub, 22:30–03:00, Free (£3 after 11.30)

Octopussy HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Chart, indie and electro student favourite, with a bouncy castle an’ all.

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£5 after 12)

Indie and alternative with the resident Evol DJs.

Big ‘N’ Bashy Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £4

A mighty mix of reggae, grime, dubstep and jungle.

Dare (Jon Pleased Wimmin, Adam Le Chic)

Ride

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Disco-tinged delights and eclectic electronica with yer man John Pleased Wimmin. In Speakeasy.

Ride girl’s Checkie and Lauren play hip-hop and dance, all night long.

Sick Note Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Gravity (Chris Colburn)

Fri 29 Jul

Core member of the 8 Sided Dice roster, Colburn plays his unique mix of purposeful techno and house.

The Cab’s flagship indie and electro favourite.

Misfits The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems.

The Store, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£6)

Karnival (Lutzenkirchen) Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Pop, rock, indie and electro from 1960 to the present day. Job done.

Karnival keeps up the heavyweight guest schedule with a live set from German techno producer Lutzenkirchen.

Evol

The Egg

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Wee Red Bar, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£3

Everybody Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, £5

Anything-goes indie and alternative anthems: think Sonic Youth and NWA.

Planet Earth Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Girls & Boys

Funk, soul and hip-hop.

Hawke & Hunter, 22:00–03:00, £8 (£10

Magic Nostalgic

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Heavy Gossip (Villa)

Thu 28 Jul

Antics

Soul Jam Hot

HMV Picture House, 21:00–03:00, £15

50s-themed fun with a double bill of music from The Jive Aces and The Vegas Big Band. Plus showgirls a-gogo, natch. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Movement

Retro from 1970 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top.

Alternative anthems, cherry-picked from genres of rock, indie and punk.

VEGAS!

Beligian disco collective Villa make their Edinburgh debut, alongside regulars Craig Smith and Nick Yuill.

New student-orientated fun night.

Local acoustic acts followed by indie and alternative tunes from the Dream Sequence DJs.

Evol

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

after 10)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart, dance and 80s classics.

Genre-spanning midweeker, with the residents playing a musical mishmash, alongside rotating guests. In the Speakeasy.

Sun 24 Jul

Everybody Electric Circus, 22:00–03:00, £5

Slap Bang

Let Loose

Underground Sunday

Pop, rock, indie and electro from 1960 to the present day. Job done.

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Art school indie institution with regular DJs Chris and Paul.

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems.

Dubstep, breaks and D’n’B.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 after 12)

Anything-goes indie and alternative anthems: think Sonic Youth and NWA.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Soulful party fodder, from deep funk to reggae beats with The Delegators playing a live set as part of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.

Dub, dubstep and jungle, from DJs across the Scottish scene.

Dandelion

60 THE SKINNY July 2011

Beat Control HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £1 (£5 after 12)

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 after 12)

Definition (Alex Smoke)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of garage, dubstep and bassline house.

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

Four Corners (The Delegators)

Thu 21 Jul

The Store, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 after 12)

Jivin’ mix of northern soul and funk with the B-Side DJs.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of garage, dubstep and bassline house.

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

JungleDub

Handpicked weekend mix of chart, dance and 80s classics.

Witness feat. sinden

Witness

Tease Age

Indie, pop and alternative favourites, with the ever-present threat of the Ting Tings.

Indie and alternative with the resident Evol DJs.

It’s All Good

Slap Bang Genre-spanning midweeker, with the residents playing a musical mishmash, alongside rotating guests. In the Speakeasy.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Jivin’ mix of northern soul and funk with the B-Side DJs.

Slap Bang

The best in alternative and indie, from the 70s to present day.

A handpicked selection of indie pop newbies and classics, as one might expect.

Wed 13 Jul

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £8

Dub, dubstep and jungle, from DJs across the Scottish scene.

Genre-spanning midweeker, with the residents playing a musical mishmash, alongside rotating guests. In the Speakeasy.

Myriad of rock anthems, from classic to metallic.

Atraccion: Part 2 (Manuel Gonzalez, Freedom B, Laurence Nolan Vs Dan Rane, Marcel Reix) Part two of the new techno and house night, with Manuel Gonzalez flying in from Ibiza.

Henry’s Cellar, 23:00–03:00, £5

Evol

Toe-tapping, soul shaking, blistering beats: job done. In Speakeasy.

Electric Circus, 22:00–01:00, Free

Basics

Rock Show

Swirling guitars and driving beats from Aki Remally and his groove band.

Hush

The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

Pop, rock, indie and electro from 1960 to the present day. Job done.

The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart, dance and 80s classics.

Bubblegum

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£1)

Wasabi Disco

The Cab’s flagship indie and electro favourite. In Speakeasy.

Axis (Attic Kings, Hot Knives, Shaun Johnston, Slikk Mick, Tony Nicol)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Indigo

Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£6 after 12)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Soul Jam Hot Split

His & Hers

Bongo Club, 23:00–03:00, Free

Sick Note

Retro from 1970 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top.

Funk, soul and hip-hop.

JungleDub

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£6 after 11)

Long-running house night from Gareth Sommerville and a rotating collective of DJs.

Alternative anthems, cherry-picked from genres of rock, indie and punk.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Tease Age

HMV Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Indie night with a rock ‘n’ roll attitude.

Hush Hush

after 11.30)

Art school indie institution with regular DJs Chris and Paul.

Sun 31 Jul Underground Sunday The Southern Bar, 19:30–01:00, Free

Local acoustic acts followed by indie and alternative tunes from the Dream Sequence DJs.

The Store, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

Rock Show

Pumped-up mix of dubstep and D’n’B.

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

LuckyMe (Ben Ufo, The Blessings, Eclair FiFi)

Myriad of rock anthems, from classic to metallic.

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £5

Homegame show for the globetrotting music, art and all-round party crew.

Sugarbeat (Urchins)

Coalition Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

Dubstep, breaks and D’n’B.

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Dirt-E-Stop-Out

Sat 30 Jul

A predictably sleazy mix of funk, disco and chunky house.

Utah Saints-hosted night featuring Urchins on guest deck duty.

Every Day At Ten (Paul Hartill, Mike Young) Electric Circus, 19:00–01:00, £7.50

Rescheduled date for the live musiccum-club crossover.

The Store, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Killer Kitsch Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, Free

Electronic music of all ages, for all ages.

DUNDEE MUSIC Thu 30 Jun

COMEDY Fri 15 Jul

Edinburgh School For The Deaf (Man Without Machines, Hookers For Jesus, The Shithawks)

Mass Consensus (The Imagineers, Cha Cha Heels, Jill Mac)

Dexter’s Bar, 19:30–22:00, £5

Doghouse, 20:00–23:45, £5

Fuzzy noise-pop from the Edinburgh gang formed from the ashes of St Jude’s Infirmary.

Tue 05 Jul Road To Vunk 2011 (Semperfi, To Kill Achilles, Dividing The Silence, Excellent Cadaver) Doghouse, 20:00–23:45, £4

Alternative metal showcase, headered by Aberdonian metalcore powerhouse, Semperfi.

Sat 09 Jul Afternoon Blues (Boston Tea Party) Doghouse, 15:00–17:30, Free

Lunchtime live blues session.

Wed 13 Jul Big Country Doghouse, 20:00–23:45, £22

Stuart Adamson’s band of rockers play a post-T in the Park wind-down.

Alternative rock and pop from the punchy Scottish five-piece.

Wed 20 Jul Nick Mercer Doghouse, 20:00–23:45, £7

The Sergeant, and more recently Saint Kilda, frontman plays a one-off solo show.

Sat 30 Jul Anderson, McGinty, Webster, Ward & Fisher (The Stagger Rats) Doghouse, 20:00–23:45, £5

Dundee super-group consisting of members of The Law, Luva Anna and Mr. Gavin McGinty return with a slightly larger line-up.

GLA S GO W Tue 28 Jun Red Raw The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Wed 29 Jun The Best of Irish Comedy (Kevin Hayes, Andrew Ryan) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £7 (£6/£3)

Top comics from the contemporary Irish circuit. Hosted by resident funnyman Michael Redmond.

Thu 30 Jun The Thursday Show (Sandy Nelson, Andrew Ryan, Julia Sutherland) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.

Fri 01 Jul The Friday Show (Sandy Nelson, Andrew Ryan, Julia Sutherland) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£9/£5)

Prime stand-up hosted by Bruce Devlin.

Comedy Live (Mike Milligan, Tom Stade, Mikey Adams, Barry McDonald) Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £12

DUNDEE CLUBS Fri 01 Jul Opto

Felt Kage, 23:00–03:00, £4

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Sat 02 Jul Comedy Live (Mike Milligan, Tom Stade, Mikey Adams) Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £15

Opto Records night, with guest DJs and live bands.

Indie, retro pop and danceable rock.

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Librarian’s Choice (Neil Clarke, DTYE)

Sat 16 Jul

The Saturday Show (Sandy Nelson, Andrew Ryan, Julia Sutherland)

The Hideout, 20:00–02:30, £5 (£3.50)

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £5 (£7 after 12)

Jam-packed musical crossover, mixing soul, funk, reggae, house, D’n’B and everything inbetween.

United In House Reading Rooms, 19:00–02:30, £7

Regional club nights – including Plas-

Renegades

tic Soul, Spektrum and Glitch – join

Electro, trip-hop and funk with CB and Pictux.

forces for an all-out club battle, in

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £4

aid of Maggie’s Centre Dundee.

Sat 02 Jul

Asylum

Librarian’s Choice (Desperado Dan)

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £5

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £5 (£7 after 12)

Jam-packed musical crossover, mixing soul, funk, reggae, house, D’n’B and everything inbetween.

Asylum

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £5

Alternative selection of rock, metal and punk.

Fri 08 Jul

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Bruce Devlin.

Sun 03 Jul Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 15:00–17:00, £4

Jokes suitable for little ears (i.e. no sweary words).

Alternative selection of rock, metal

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (Sandy Nelson, Sean Grant, Pauline Goldsmith, Stephen Halkett, Jason Arnstein)

and punk.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Fri 22 Jul

Chilled comedy showcase with resident funnyman Michael Redmond.

Mon 04 Jul

Opto

Improv Wars

The Hideout, 20:00–02:30, £5 (£3.50)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4 (£2)

Opto Records night, with guest DJs

Improvised comedy games and sketches, with an anything-goes attitude.

Opto

and live bands.

Opto Records night, with guest DJs and live bands.

Beartrap

Tue 05 Jul

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £4

Red Raw

The Hideout, 20:00–02:30, £5 (£3.50)

Librarian’s Choice (Rhythmachine, Matt)

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £5 (£7 after 12)

Art rock, indie and punk.

Sat 23 Jul

Jam-packed musical crossover, mixing soul, funk, reggae, house, D’n’B and everything inbetween.

Asylum

Transmission

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £5

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £4

Indie, pop and hardcore with Wolfie and The Girl.

Sat 09 Jul Librarian’s Choice (Miss Dlove, Jean Honeymoon)

Reading Rooms, 22:30–02:30, £5 (£7 after 12)

Jam-packed musical crossover, mixing soul, funk, reggae, house, D’n’B and everything inbetween.

Alternative selection of rock, metal and punk.

Fri 29 Jul Opto The Hideout, 20:00–02:30, £5 (£3.50)

Opto Records night, with guest DJs

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Wed 06 Jul Wicked Wenches (Hannah Gadsby, Isma Almas, Jill Peacock) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3)

All-female stand-up, with a suitably varied mix of headliners and newcomers.

Thu 07 Jul The Thursday Show (Paul Sinha, Hannah Gadsby, Chris forbes, Ray Bradshaw) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Raymond Mearns.

Asylum

and live bands.

Alternative selection of rock, metal and punk.

Sat 30 Jul

Fri 15 Jul

Asylum

Opto

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Friday Show (Paul Sinha, Hannah Gadsby, Chris forbes, Ray Bradshaw)

Alternative selection of rock, metal

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£9/£5)

Kage, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Hideout, 20:00–02:30, £5 (£3.50)

Opto Records night, with guest DJs and live bands.

and punk.

Fri 08 Jul

Prime stand-up hosted by Raymond Mearns.

Comedy Live (Anvil Springstein, Brian Higgins, Matthew Osborn, Rob Kane) Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £12

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Sat 09 Jul Comedy Live (Anvil Springstein, Brian Higgins, Matthew Osborn, Rob Kane) Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £15

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Saturday Show (Paul Sinha, Hannah Gadsby, Chris forbes, Ray Bradshaw)

Tue 19 Jul

Sat 30 Jul

Mon 04 Jul

Red Raw

Comedy Live (Mark Nelson, Pete Johansson, Craig Murray)

Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Wed 20 Jul Benefit Night (Damien Crow) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £7 (£5)

Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £15

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Saturday Show (Stewart Francis, Michael Legge, Patrick Rolink, Trveor Browne)

Wed 06 Jul

Improv Night

The Broken Windows Policy

Chilled comedy showcase with resident funnyman Michael Redmond.

Tue 12 Jul The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Scott Agnew.

Fri 22 Jul The Friday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Greg Cook, Teddy, Fern Brady) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£9/£5)

Prime stand-up hosted by Scott Agnew.

Comedy Live (John Ryan, Sandy Nelson, Chris McCauseland, Chris Conroy)

Wed 13 Jul

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £5 (£4/£2.50)

Diverse and obscure offerings from the comedy spectrum. There will be magicians.

Thu 14 Jul The Thursday Show (Tony Law, Mark Nelson, Joe Rowntree, Elaine Malcolmson) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Joe Heenan.

Fri 15 Jul The Friday Show (Tony Law, Mark Nelson, Joe Rowntree, Elaine Malcolmson) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£9/£5)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £8 (£7/£4)

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

The Funk Junkies

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3)

Sun 31 Jul

The Thursday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Greg Cook, Teddy, Fern Brady)

Red Raw

Wicked Wenches

Thu 21 Jul

Sun 10 Jul

Chilled comedy showcase with resident funnyman Michael Redmond.

Comedy Live (Steve Harris, Gary Little, John Gavin, Dana Alexander)

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Susan Morrison.

Improvised comedy fun, of the anything-goes variety.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Tue 05 Jul All-female stand-up, with a suitably varied mix of headliners and newcomers.

Highlight, 20:00–23:00, £4

Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £12

Sat 23 Jul Comedy Live (John Ryan, Sandy Nelson, Chris McCauseland) Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £15

E DINBURGH Tue 28 Jun Breaking News (Susan Morrison, Vladimir McTavish) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3)

News, hot gossip and current affairs, with a comedy spin.

Wed 29 Jun The Best of Scottish Comedy (Sandy Nelson, Jojo Sutherland, Daniel Webster, Ben Verth) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3)

Top comics from the contemporary Scottish circuit. Hosted by Raymond Mearns.

Thu 30 Jun

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Comedy Unplugged

The Saturday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Greg Cook, Teddy, Fern Brady)

Open mic-style comedy showcase, with the final to be held during Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival.

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Scott Agnew.

The Thursday Show (Marcus Birdman, Kevin Hayes, Jeff Kreisler, Gordon Alexander)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Sun 24 Jul Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (Greg Cook, Rory O’Hanlon, Graham Mackie, Stuart Mitchell) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Highlight, 19:45–23:00, £5

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4 (£2)

Skits and character comedy; fastpaced and a little anarchic. Just how we like it.

Thu 07 Jul The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Billy Kirkwood.

Fri 08 Jul Comedy Live (Geoff Boyz, Tim Clark, Michael Fabbri) Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £10

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Friday Show (Sean Percival, Sandy Nelson, Isma Almas, Richard Melvin) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Prime stand-up hosted by Billy Kirkwood.

Sat 09 Jul Comedy Live (Geoff Boyz, Tim Clark, Michael Fabbri) Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £13

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Billy Kirkwood.

Sun 10 Jul Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £10

Mon 25 Jul

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (Sandy Nelson, Michael Manley, Phil O’Shea, Mickey Anderson)

Sat 16 Jul Comedy Live (Smug Roberts, Phil Butler, Wayne Deakin, Tom Deacon) Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £15

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Saturday Show (Tony Law, Mark Nelson, Joe Rowntree, Elaine Malcolmson) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Joe Heenan.

Sun 17 Jul Summer Comedy Gala (Des McLean, Jo Caulfield, Gary Little, Patrick Rolink, Rev Obadiah Steppenwolf III, Mark Nelson, Phil Differ) O2 Academy, 19:00–22:00, £15

A host of funny types get together to raise money for the humanitarian relief organisation, Spirit Aid.

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (Mark Nelson, Joe Rowntree, Keara Murphy) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Chilled comedy showcase with resident funnyman Michael Redmond.

Mon 18 Jul Improv Wars The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4 (£2)

Improvised comedy games and sketches, with an anything-goes attitude.

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Prime stand-up hosted by Susan Morrison.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Chilled comedy showcase hosted by Sian Bevan.

Mon 11 Jul Red Raw

Red Raw

Card Ninja

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Comedy and card stunts from the New Zealand ninja-cum-comediancum-magician, Javier Jarquin.

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Wed 27 Jul

Comedy Live (RaymondMearns, Mat Reed, Butch)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

The Best of Irish Comedy

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £7 (£6/£3)

Top comics from the contemporary Irish circuit. Hosted by Michael Legge.

Thu 28 Jul The Thursday Show (Stewart Francis, Michael Legge, Patrick Rolink, Trveor Browne) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Susan Morrison.

Fri 29 Jul The Friday Show (Stewart Francis, Michael Legge, Patrick Rolink, Trveor Browne) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£9/£5)

Prime stand-up hosted by Susan Morrison.

The Stand, 17:00–19:00, £10 (£8)

Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £13

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

Improvised comedy favourite with cheeky chappies Stu & Garry.

Card Ninja The Stand, 17:00–19:00, £10 (£8)

Comedy and card stunts from the New Zealand ninja-cum-comediancum-magician, Javier Jarquin.

Comedy Live (Michael Smiley, Pete Johansson, Craig Murray)

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (Kevin Hayes, Jeff Kreisler, Gordon Alexander, Kim MacAskill)

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Chilled comedy showcase hosted by Stu Murphy.

Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £12

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Tue 19 Jul Jo Caulfield’s Comedy Collective The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £5 (£4)

Local comedians experiment with the medium of stand-up, through sketches, character comedy and various fun’n’games.

Wed 20 Jul The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10

Thu 21 Jul The Thursday Show (Noel James, Mark Bratchpiece, Rebecca Donohue, Gus Lymburn) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Bruce Devlin.

Fri 22 Jul Comedy Live (Stefano Paolini, Dave Longley, Maff Brown) Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £10

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Friday Show (Noel James, Rebecca Donohue, Gus Lymburn)

Tue 12 Jul Electric Tales (Sian Bevan, Susan Morrison)

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4 (£3)

Wed 13 Jul

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Comedy Live (Stefano Paolini, Dave Longley, Maff Brown)

The Saturday Show (Markus Birdman, Kevin Hayes, Jeff Kreisler, Gordon Alexander)

Sun 03 Jul

Mon 18 Jul Red Raw

Prime stand-up hosted by Bruce Devlin.

Comedy meets storytelling, with the promise of robot badges. We’re sold.

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Chilled comedy showcase hosted by JoJo Sutherland.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Susan Morrison.

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (Marcel Lucont, Niall Browne, Ben Verth, Garry Dobson)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Sat 02 Jul

Tue 26 Jul

Improvised comedy favourite with cheeky chappies Stu & Garry.

Varied line-up of comedians perform in aid of Gay Mens’ Health.

Fri 01 Jul

The Friday Show (Markus Birdman, Kevin Hayes, Jeff Kreisler)

Sun 17 Jul

The Saturday Show (Sean Percival, Sandy Nelson, Isma Almas, Richard Melvin)

Comedy Live (Phil Butler, Wayne Deakin, Tom Deacon, Iain Ferguson)

Experimental comedy featuring international and Scottish comedians, poets and musicians. Hosted by Alan Scott, Geoff Gawler, Sarah Cassidy and Will Setchell.

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Susan Calman.

Benefit Night (Bruce Devlin)

Improvised comedy favourite with cheeky chappies Stu & Garry.

13th Note, 20:00–22:30, £3 (£2)

The Saturday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Andy Sir, Marcel Lucont, Ben Verth)

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Comedy Live (RaymondMearns, Mat Reed, Butch)

The Impenetrable Click

Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £13

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

The Thursday Show (Sean Percival, Sandy Nelson, Isma Almas, Richard Melvin)

Chilled comedy showcase with resident funnyman Michael Redmond.

Highlight, 20:30–23:00, £12

Sat 16 Jul

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

Prime stand-up hosted by Joe Heenan.

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Prime stand-up hosted by Susan Calman.

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Raymond Mearns.

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (Gary Little, Jim Park, Jay Lafferty, John O’Brien)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Varied line-up of comedians perform in aid of Yorkhill Children’s Foundation.

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service (Micheal Legge, Derek Johnston, Kim MacAskill, Jason Arnstien)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

The Friday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Andy Sir, Marcel Lucont, Ben Verth)

Sat 23 Jul Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £13

The Saturday Show (Noel James, Rebecca Donohue, Gus Lymburn) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Bruce Devlin.

Melting Pot The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £5 (£4/£2.50)

Sun 24 Jul

Comedy sketches picked by the audience and performed by a troupe of actors and musicians.

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

Thu 14 Jul

Improvised comedy favourite with cheeky chappies Stu & Garry.

The Thursday Show (Dougie Dunlop, Andy Sir, Marcel Lucont, Ben Verth)

The Sunday Night Laugh-In (Noel James, Bob Graham, Tommy Mackay, Martin Bearne, Dee Custance)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Susan Calman.

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1)

Chilled comedy showcase hosted by Tony Jameson.

Fri 15 Jul

Mon 25 Jul

Comedy Live (Steve Harris, Gary Little, John Gavin, Dana Alexander)

Gavin Webster: All Young People Are Cunts

Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £10

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

Traverse, 20:30–22:30, £5

The North-East stand-up comic plays a one-off Traverse warm-up show before the festival starts.

July 2011

THE SKINNY 61

COMEDY

T H E AT R E

ART

Red Raw

GLASGOW

GLASGOW

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open mic-style beginner’s showcase, plus some old hands roadtesting new material.

Tue 26 Jul Breaking News (Susan Morrison, Vladimir McTavish) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3)

News, hot gossip and current affairs, with a comedy spin.

Raymond Mearns Traverse, 20:30–22:30, £5

Glasgow’s favourite comic ranter plays a one-off Traverse warm-up show before the festival starts.

Wed 27 Jul The Best of Scottish Comedy (Vladimir McTavish, Chris Forbes, Bruce Fummey, Bob Graham) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3)

Top comics from the contemporary Scottish circuit. Hosted by Joe Heenan.

CCA Cryptic Nights: Inhabitants 08:00PM, 07 Jul, £5

Intentionally creepy piece of live contemporary dance, where dancers become feral creatures abandoned in a haunted derelict building.

Oran Mor The Strange Undoing Of Prudencia Hart 08:00PM, 22 Jul—30 Jul, not 25th, £14 (£10)

David Greig-penned performance inspired by the Border Ballads, with story-telling, physical theatre, karaoke, folk song and academic discourse jostling in the narrative.

Knives In Hens 07:30PM, 28 Jun—09 Jul, not 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, £10–£15 (£12)

A tale of transformative power and discovery emerging from a love triangle between a young woman, a ploughman and a miller.

Untitled Love Story 07:30PM, 28 Jul—30 Jul, £12 (£8)

Preview performance of young playwright David Leddy’s new play, a provocative drama set in Venice.

Tron Theatre Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut 07:45PM, 07 Jul—23 Jul, not 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, From £7

Lovingly disrespectful homage to the classic film, set in a tiny gin joint.

Ramshorn Theatre

A Song, A Sip and A Sandwich

Shakespeare At Large

Musical theatre singalong favourites, plus booze and nibbles.

02:00PM, 23 Jul—24 Jul, Free

A la carte formula, with a selection of Shakespearean scenes, sonnets and soliliquies performed in Ramshorn Graveyard. Part of Merchant City Festival.

04:00PM, 10 Jul, £12

Whatever Happened To Benny Hill?

08:00PM, 20 Jul—23 Jul, £9 (£7)

Vladimir McTavish: A Scotsman’s Guide To Betting

The Arches

Herald Angel winner Grant Smeaton explores the rise and fall of one of Britian’s greatest comedy explorts.

Traverse, 20:30–22:30, £5

Scratch Night

Cloud Man

Festival preview performance from the Scottish comic, currently trying to fund his Fringe by placing outrageous bets.

Thu 28 Jul Comedy Unplugged Highlight, 19:45–23:00, £5

Open mic-style comedy showcase, with the final to be held during Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival.

The Thursday Show (Martin Mor, Keir McAllister, Nathan Caton, Caroline Robertson) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £8 (£7/£4)

Handpicked selection of headline acts over a two-hour showcase. Hosted

by Joe Heenan.

Fri 29 Jul Comedy Live (Junior Simpson, Phil Walker, Alex Boardman) Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £10

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Friday Show (Martin Mor, Keir McAllister, Nathan Caton, Caroline Robertson) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£9/£5)

Prime stand-up hosted by Joe Heenan.

Sat 30 Jul An Evening of Improv The Tron Tavern, 20:00–22:00, £7 (£5)

A talented group of international improvisers turn audience suggestions into hilarious sketches.

Comedy Live (Junior Simpson, Phil Walker, Alex Boardman, Michael Smiley) Highlight, 21:00–23:00, £13

Showcase of up-and-coming comedy talent. Door 7pm.

The Saturday Show (Martin Mor, Keir McAllister, Nathan Caton, Caroline Robertson) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Array of stand-up headliners, hosted

by Joe Heenan.

Sun 31 Jul Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

Improvised comedy favourite with cheeky chappies Stu & Garry.

Vladimir McTavish The Stand, 18:50–20:00, £7 (£6)

Preview performance from the Scottish comic, currently trying to fund his Fringe by placing outrageous bets. Doors 6.30pm.

Stephen Carlin The Stand, 20:30–21:30, £7 (£6)

One man and his botched quest to get on the wrong side of the law.

Doors 8.10pm.

Ro Campbell The Stand, 22:10–23:30, £7 (£6)

Humourous tales of convict roots from the award-winning Scottish Aussie. Doors 9.50pm.

07:30PM, 29 Jun, £donation

New works in progress

Aesop’s Fables Various times, 30 Jun—02 Jul, £5 (£4 child/£15 family)

Bringing some ancient fables into the modern day, with masks, puppets, song and rhyme. Suitable for little ones.

Macbeth 07:00PM, 05 Jul—16 Jul, not 7th, 10th, 11th, £10 (£7)

New white-knuckle re-telling of the classic Shakespearean tale, set in a modern day Glasgow.

Tom Pritchard 07:00PM, 25 Jul, £3 (£2)

Glasgow-based performer Tom Pritchard presents a series of improvised performances.

Immaculate 07:00PM, 28 Jul—30 Jul, £7 (£5)

Modern-day story of an immaculate conception, with four would-be fathers claiming parentage including an ex, an angel and Satan himself.

The King’s Theatre Avenue Q Various times, 28 Jun—02 Jul, From £15–From £17

Touring musical favourite about the loveably hopeless characters on a downtown New York street.

Buddy Various times, 04 Jul—16 Jul, From £9.50–From £14.50

The Buddy Holly story told in rock ‘n’ roll musical-style.

Mr Stink Various times, 12 Jul—16 Jul, not 13th, £19.75 (£16.75 child)

David Walliams’ children’s story brought to life, with Mr Stink Ponginly at the helm. The show comes complete with scratch ‘n’ stiff booklets.

Midnight Tango Various times, Multiple dates, From £16–From £17.50

Tango dancing in Buenos Aires, with Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace offa’ Strictly Come Dancing.

Various times, 24 Jul, £3.50

A blend of puppetry, storytelling and visuals tell the magical tale of Cloudia the cloud expert, who seeks her dream Cloud Man. Mini-show suitable for mini people.

EDIN B UR G H Brunton Theatre Verve 07:00PM, 29 Jun, £10.50 (£8.50)

Contemporary dance of varying choreographic styles, performed by a group of talented young things.

Beyond Broadway 07:30PM, 02 Jul, £10.50 (£7.50 children)

Various times, 25 Jul—30 Jul, From £13.50

A quite magical tale of a group of ordinary pitmen who, through an art appreciation evening class, blossom into quite extraordinary artists.

Tramway Seven Angels 07:30PM, 28 Jun—29 Jun, £12 (£8)

Interpreting the themes of Milton’s poetic masterpiece Paradise Lost for a modern audience facing up to climate change, complete with a live chamber orchestra.

62 THE SKINNY July 2011

11:00AM, 28 Jun—30 Jun, Free

Phyllis Katrapani’s video outcome of a self-portrait through architecture and time.

Tris Vonna-Michell

08:00PM, 16 Jul, Free (but ticketed)

The young artist performs one of his rapidly-delivered monologues that take place within mixed-media installations.

Becky Beasley and Alasdair Gray: In Conversation 03:00PM, 30 Jul, Free (but ticketed)

Artists Becky Beasley and Alasdair Gray in person, speaking with British Art Show 7 curators Lisa Le Feuvre and Tom Morton.

Cafe Cossachok The Real Red Shoe

11:00AM, 28 Jun—30 Jun, Free

Recent paintings by Glasgow artist Zenobia Mumford, acting as a personal biography of her vice of living and hunting red shoes.

Playhouse Midnight Tango

Various times, 04 Jul—16 Jul, not 10th, From £9.50–From £14.50

The Buddy Holly story told in rock ‘n’ roll musical-style.

Dundee Rep Knives In Hens 07:30PM, 28 Jun—09 Jul, £10–£15 (£12)

A tale of transformative power and discovery emerging from a love triangle between a young woman, a ploughman and a miller.

12:00PM, 01 Jul—31 Jul, not 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, Free

New exhibition assembling a group of emerging international artists linked by their innovative spirit and shared graffiti heritage.

SWG3

Central Library

The Queen: Art and Image

This Is Not An Exhibition

In celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the National Gallery bring together a collection of images spanning the 60 years of her reign.

Various times, 07 Jul—30 Jul, not 10th, 17th, 24th, Free

A group of artists from Edinburgh College of Art create artwork that, rather than turning the library into a gallery, functions within the unique spaces within the library.

10:00AM, 28 Jun—31 Jul, £7 (£5)

National Gallery of Scotland

City Art Centre

Dürer’s Fame

Scottish Art: 1650-2010

A selection of prints, drawings and paintings from the gallery’s collection of Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer’s work.

Various times, 28 Jun—10 Jul, Free

Hand-picked selection of Scottish artists’ work taken from the City Art Centre’s private collection.

Collective Gallery

10:00AM, 28 Jun—31 Jul, Free

Elizabeth Blackadder 10:00AM, 02 Jul—31 Jul, £8 (£6)

Retrospective of the beloved Scottish artist, who turns 80 this year, with a vast collection of paintings, watercolours and drawings. And you can play count the cats.

Kenny Watson and Tim Taylor: Farewell, Foolish Objects

Rob Chavasse, Lara Macleod and Jake Rusby 12:00PM, Multiple dates, Free

Various times, 28 Jun—31 Jul, Free

Multiple-venue show, held every five years and acting as a survey of the best in British art. Exhibiting artists include Karla Black and Alasdair Gray.

Glasgow Caledonian University 10:00AM, 28 Jun—22 Jul, Free

Glasgow Print Studio Collection: Seth Orion Schwaiger

Various times, 28 Jun—03 Jul, Free

Unique series of works investigating alternative printing mediums, in this case rust and concrete dust.

Contemporary Monotypes

Various times, 28 Jun—03 Jul, Free

The technique of monotype, essentially a more painterly approach to printing, interpreted by a collective of artists.

The Caves

DUNDEE

Rudimentary Perfection

National Gallery Complex

Dean Gallery

Live Your Questions Now

Dark romance

Recoat Gallery

A tour of the wonderful sculptural gardens by the owners of the collection, Nicky and Robert Wilson.

Sorcha Dallas

Glasgow School of Art

11:00PM, 22 Jul, £6 (£8 after 12)

Various times, 23 Jul—31 Jul, Free

Collection of landscape photography, capturing the varied light of Scotland.

11:00AM, 16 Jul, £15

David Dale Gallery and Studios

A mass collective of youngsters take to the stage to present a super-sized Glee Club singalong.

One Night Stand

Offshore Lightscapes

New work from Gregor Laird focusing on macabre imagery of Michael Jackson, presented in a joint exhibition with Sarah Green’s various images of birds.

Jupiter Artland: Guided Tour

Old Ambulance Depot

Exhibition of Ross’ figurative sculptures, at which the human figure remains firmly at the core.

Buddy

Double-header exhibition from Alistair Frost and Gerda Scheepers, who, whilst using different practices, each focus on a certain kind of applied motif-making.

11:00AM, 08 Jul—30 Jul, not 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, 24th, 25th, Free

Jupiter Artland

New film project by Dublin-based artist Jesse Jones, set in a dystopic landscape in the distant future.

Tango dancing in Buenos Aires, with Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace offa’ Strictly Come Dancing.

60s-set musical singalong about two talented young musicians competing for the love of a certain lady.

12:00PM, Multiple dates, Free

Carrion

Solo exhibition of celebrated British sculptor Thomas Houseago, featuring a new sculpture made specially for Inverleith House.

11:00AM, 28 Jun—22 Jul, not 4th, 11th, 18th, Free

Alasdair R Ross

Various times, 04 Jul—09 Jul, From £12–From £17.50

Alistair Frost, Gerda Scheepers

A collection of Allan Goodwillie’s owl paintings, a mixture of fact and fiction being developed for a children’s story book.

10:00AM, 28 Jun—03 Jul, Free

An alternative perspective on some of the central themes underpinning the British Art Show 7 exhibition, currently running across Glasgow. Double-header exhibition with Market Gallery.

Various times, 28 Jun—30 Jul, From £16–From £17.50

Dreamboats & Petticoats

Mary Mary

11:00AM, 28 Jun—02 Jul, Free

Gallery of Modern Art Jeff Koons

Showcase of work from Russian and Eastern European artists and photographers who travelled from Russia to Scotland and expressed their experiences in various artforms.

Various times, 01 Jul—31 Jul, not 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, Free

British Art Show 7

An evening of murder-themed prose performances from Napier University’s Creative Writing MA students.

An alternative perspective on some of the central themes underpinning the British Art Show 7 exhibition, currently running across Glasgow.

Double-header exhibition with SWG3.

Axolotl Gallery The Secret Life Of Owls and Other Works

Inverleith House Thomas Houseago

The View From Little Diomede

The Midsummer Murder Mystery 08:00PM, 03 Jul, Free

11:00AM, 30 Jun—08 Jul, not 4th, 5th, 6th, Free

EDIN B UR G H

Merchant City Through The Eyes of Eastern Europe

Gallery of Modern Art

Various times, 29 Jul—30 Jul, From £14.50

Theatre Royal

To This Place I Return

Cabaret Voltaire

The Glee Club Experience

The Pitmen Painters

Multiple-venue show, held every five years and acting as a survey of the best in British art. Highlights at the CCA include the UK premiere of The Otolith Group’s Hydra Decapita.

Curatorial exchange with Rhubaba, exploring the diverse ways in which the artist responds to the gallery space.

The Solid Rock Cafe Murder-mystery style performance evening: catch the killer and win the cash booty.

11:00AM, Multiple dates, Free

Varied and sometimes daft selection of musical theatre hits.

Getting Blood From A Rock Band 07:00PM, 30 Jun, £10

CCA British Art Show 7

Market Gallery The View From Little Diomede

Various times, 15 Jul—30 Jul, not 17th, 24th, Free

A survey exhibition of Scottish, UK and international contemporary artists over 60 years old, including work from Alasdair Gray and Sam Ainsley.

In the Mackintosh Museum.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum Drawing (on) Riverside: Patricia Cain

Various times, 28 Jun—31 Jul, Free

New body of drawing and painting work from the Glasgow-based lawyer turned artist, created in response to the development of the iconic Riverside Museum.

12:00PM, 29 Jun—08 Jul, not 3rd, 4th, 5th, Free

Duncan Marquiss

11:00AM, 28 Jun—15 Jul, not 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, Free

New solo work from the Dumfriesborn artist, known for his drawings, painting and videos that view the world not quite as it really is.

Street Level Photoworks Gina Glover: Playgrounds Of War

Various times, 28 Jun—31 Jul, not 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, Free

A collection of thought-provoking photographs of abandoned military bases, looking at the aesthetics of past wars, avoided wars and possible wars.

The Briggait Who Wants To Live Forever 09:30AM, 28 Jun—08 Jul, not 2nd, 3rd, Free

New solo work from Glasgow-based artist Michelle Hannah, concerned with the themes of metaphysics and science fiction.

The Common Guild You Seem The Same As Always 12:00PM, Multiple dates, Free

Bringing together a diverse range of works which all share a particular focus: that of the artist’s hand.

Exhibitors include Yvonne Rainer, Douglas Gordon and David Shrigley.

The Duchy Mark Briggs: Tiredness Can Kill 12:00PM, 01 Jul—02 Jul, Free

Solo exhibition from Briggs, using text, light and film in an installation that illuminates the gallery with projected statements.

Tramway British Art Show 7

12:00PM, 28 Jun—31 Jul, not 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, Free

Jesse Jones: Against The Realm Of The Absolute

Artist Rooms: August Sander 10:00AM, 28 Jun—10 Jul, Free

The German photographer depicts a variety of fruity characters from the Weimar Republic that includes dwarfs, artists and Nazis.

Dovecot Studios Rotor 10:30AM, 12 Jul—16 Jul, Free

An ambitious and impressive ensemble of performances, craft, sound installations and artworks created by Siobhan Davies Dance.

Out of the Blue Drill Hall Exposed ‘11 10:00AM, 28 Jun—30 Jun, Free

End of year exhibition from the photography students at Stevenson College.

Edinburgh Printmakers

Queen’s Gallery The Northern Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein

10:00AM, 28 Jun—23 Jul, not 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, Free

Interesting series of prints from the Scottish artist working in 3D printmaking, exploring the theme of landscape through the Japanese woodblock printing technique of Mokuhanga.

Embassy Gallery Annuale 2011 10:00AM, 30 Jun—10 Jul, not 4th, 5th, 6th, Free

Embassy’s yearly Annuale, a citywide festival of emergent art and mad ideas.

Filmhouse QMU: Film and Media Degree Show 08:15PM, 06 Jul, £7.50 (£5.50)

09:30AM, 28 Jun—31 Jul, £6 (£5.50)

Bringing together over 100 works by the greatest Northern European artists of the period.

Rhubaba Des Church and Lyndsey Wardrop 12:00PM, 23 Jul—31 Jul, not 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, Free

Curatorial exchange with David Dale Gallery, exploring the diverse ways in which the artist responds to the gallery space.

Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) 3x3: RSA New Architects Various times, 28 Jun—24 Jul, Free

A selection of short fiction and documentary films showcasing the work of this years Queen Margaret University graduates.

Featuring work by new architect members elected to the Academy in 2010, including models, prints and photographs.

Ingleby Gallery

Heather Ross

Gravity’s Rainbow

New work developed during Ross’ time spent in Japan, after winning the Alastair Salvesen Art Scholarship for painting and travel in 2011.

10:00AM, 28 Jun—30 Jul, not 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, Free

An exhibition from a collection of artists concerned with ‘found’ colour, i.e. that which is borrowed or stolen from elsewhere.

Institut Francais d’Ecosse

Pecha Kucha

Rennes 1981

Pecha Kucha returns with another image-led discussion – a collection of handpicked creative speakers, each with 20 images held for 20 seconds – it’s always a gloriously eclectic affair.

Double-header of new work from Edinburgh-based artists Kenny Watson and Tim Taylor.

Paul Furneaux

Multiple-venue show, held every five years and acting as a survey of the best in British art. Exhibiting artists include Karla Black and Alasdair Gray.

07:00PM, 14 Jul, £4.50 (£3.50)

12:00PM, 09 Jul—17 Jul, not 11th, 12th, Free

Various times, 28 Jun—16 Jul, not 3rd, 10th, Free

Joint exhibition featuring stencils

by Patrice Poch and photographs by Gildas Raffenel, each ficused on 80s Rennes (in Brittany).

Various times, 29 Jun—26 Jul, Free

Muse

10:00AM, 28 Jun—03 Jul, Free

Through his use of popular imagery, Koons explores the aesthetics and culture of taste.

Tony Cragg 10:00AM, 30 Jul—31 Jul, £7 (£5)

Retrospective of Liverpool-born sculptor Tony Cragg, known for his found-object and freestanding sculptural style.

Scottish Poetry Library Poetry Beyond Text: Vision, Text and Cognition 10:00AM, 28 Jun—15 Jul, not 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, Free

Showcasing a two-year research project exploring our aesthetic and cognitive responses to visual-poetic art works.

Scottish Storytelling Centre Two Artists: Two Visions 10:00AM, 28 Jun—26 Jul, not 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, Free

Exhibition celebrating the lives and work of draughtsman Kenny Steel and geometric, dreamlike painter Nell Dunn.

St Margaret’s House Art’s Complex Great Minds Think Alike 11:00AM, 28 Jun—10 Jul, Free

Collaboration of works from Anne Eunson and Laurinda Kelly, featuring paintings, photographs and sculptural pieces with a Celtic theme running through them.

Stills Ruth MacLennan: Anarcadia 11:00AM, 28 Jun—17 Jul, Free

New film installation work and series of photographs made among the desert expanses of Kazakhstan.

Studio 128 #GR5-RMX 10:00AM, 02 Jul, Free

Ten Scotland-based artists ‘remix’ the landscape paintings of ECA graduate Claudia Massie, in this oneday mini exhibition.

Such and Such 8 Tales of Textiles Various times, Multiple dates, Free

Such and Such host a showcase of Heriot Watt Fashion and Textile MA students each weekend in July, with different exhibitors at each one.

The Jazz Bar Dr Sketchy 03:00PM, 10 Jul, £7 (£6)

Glam burlesque drawing class. GO!

Total Kunst Malcy Duff: Diluting Orange 10:00AM, 28 Jun—23 Jul, Free

Exhibiton of drawings by Edinburghbased comics creator, Malcy Duff. As part of The Edinburgh Annuale.

Whitespace Paul Ditch 10:00AM, 01 Jul—07 Jul, Free

New work from experimental Edinburgh-based painter Paul Ditch, created using an unusual method of freezing and thawing paint on canvas.

Various times, 04 Jul—31 Jul, Free

DUNDEE

Schop

Read Thou Art and Read Thou Shalt Remain / Friendly Fire

Collection of RSA works concerned with portraying the female character and figure.

Tim Taylor: Wasserturme 09:00AM, Multiple dates, Free

Edinburgh-based artist Tim Taylor’s own matchstick homage to renowned German photographers, Hilla and Bernd Becher.

DCA Various times, 28 Jun—31 Jul, not 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, Free

New and recent works by Cara Tolmie and Nina Rhode, featuring performance installation and unique spinning sculptures, respectively.

STARTER FOR ELEVEN:

CRAIG ROBERTS

CRYSTAL BAWS WITH MYSTIC MARK

Submarine star CRAIG ROBERTS, the streetest gangsta from Maesycwmmer, south Wales, tests his knowledge of his hero, Eminem. But will he know enough to win that coveted haggis supper?

QUIZMASTER: MATTHEW STANGER Q1. What is Eminem’s full name?

Marshall Bruce Mathers III A. Marshall Bruce Mathers III (1 point) Q2. What was Eminem’s first UK number 1 single?

[Long pause]... Am I being timed?...The Real Slim Shady?

A. The Real Slim Shady (1 point) Q3. In 2003, at a performance in Milton Keynes, Eminem gave a crowd member a silver necklace he said was worth ÂŁ275,000.

After examination by a jewellery expert, what was the actual valuation? A) £50 B) £5000 C) £50000 Damn, that’s a hard question! Random guess for this one‌B) £5000 A. £50 (0 points) Q4. What was the rap name for Eminem’s character Jimmy Smith Jnr. in the film 8 Mile?

B-Rabbit A. B-Rabbit (1 point) Q5. Is Eminem left or right handed?

He’s right handed. I think I’ve seen backstage footage of him writing with his right hand.

A. Left (0 points) Q6. In April 2006, which member of Eminem’s band D12 was shot dead at a nightclub in Detroit?

Proof A. Proof (1 point) Q7. How many consecutive number 1 albums has Eminem had in the U.S.?

Consecutive as in one after the other? I’d say three or two‌.two.

A. 6 (0 points) Q8. Who said, “I feel that it is outrageous and disrespectful. It is one thing to spoof, but it is another thing to be demeaning and insensitive,� after being ridiculed by Eminem on the music video for Just Lose It? That was Michael Jackson.

A. Michael Jackson (1 point) Q9. Eminem’s Love The Way You Lie was the best selling track of 2010 in the UK. What was odd about this achievement?

Hmmm‌ let me think... is it that it never reached number 1?

A. It was never number 1 (1 point) Q10. What does the tattoo on Eminem’s torso, dedicated to ex-wife Kim, suggest she should do?

Rot in Pieces. I have the same one on my back!

A. Rot in Pieces (1 point) Q11. What controversy did Eminem cause on the track A Kiss with his new project Bad Meets Evil?

Ahh, it was the Lady Gaga dis. And tell Lady Gaga she can quit her job at the Post Office, she’s still a male lady (recites lyrics).

A. He said Lady Gaga has a penis (2 points – bonus point awarded for singing).

Craig finishes with a respectable 9 points, but no haggis supper – perhaps he should spend less time starring in films and more time learning about hip hop.

SUBMARINE IS RELEASE ON DVD AND BLU-RAY 1 AUG WWW.OPTIMUMRELEASING.COM

ARIES As the Universe expands the temperature will cool to absolute zero, the void will slow to an entropic husk and nothing will exist to even observe how bleak everything has become. As for June, you mull over the quandary of whether you should buy a new sofa to match the curtains you bought in December to match the carpets you bought in May.

TAURUS Stop sinning. The deficit’s getting ridiculous. You already owe about 10 Christsworth of sin.

GEMINI You’re going out with a girl? Are you insane? What about the tree house? The blood pact? Did all those summer afternoons playing army and drinking pop mean nothing to you? I guess I’m just supposed to forget about the times we sat picking scabs, laughing at the bum noises we made with our mouths? You’ve ruined everything. I want my Boglin back too.

CANCER That community production of Show Boat your wife makes you go to becomes infinitely more entertaining when, halfway through Act 2, you introduce a flame-thrower into the mix.

LEO That rich, creamy and indulgent chocolate bar you bought dead-eyed at the Co-Op will fail to take the edge off your gnawing Kafkaesque misery this month.

VIRGO Fuck your God and the donkey he rode in on.

LIBRA Due to the inability of gigantic balls of spinning gas to refrain from meddling in human affairs you will stub your toe in July because of Jupiter.

SCORPIO I’ve stored that Frijj bottle full of acid on top of your kitchen door for safety purposes. I thought one of the kids might drink it by mistake if I left it on the work surface by that flashing ‘DRINK THIS’ sign.

They can’t reach it up there.

Thank me later.

SAGITTARIUS Pagan hell-god Nyarlathotep the Crawling Chaos enters your 5th house of Absolute Torment & Career Development in July. Limber up to sob. Hard.

CAPRICORN The moon enters your point zone, doubling your Pluto bonus multiplier by five and rotating you to the top of the Zodiac leaderboard, earning you a holiday for two in Stoke. You also have enough gravity tokens left over to go double or nothing in the Solstice round.

AQUARIUS You’re merely working your way through the scum filters towards The Jeremy Kyle Show. Rejoice in life’s problems.

Think end-game.

PISCES You accidentally run over a gypsy’s cat this month. I am that gypsy. That is my cat. Snuffy’s literally itching to be martyred since I assured him a harem of 72 feline virgins in Ulthar, promised land of cats. His tuna-powered limbs will kamikaze his body under your cruel wheels with blind faith so I can curse the living shit out of you.

JULY 2011

THE SKINNY 63