The Skinny Scotland March 2014 by The Skinny

.CO.UK

INDEPENDENT FREE

CULT U R A L

J O U R N A L I S M

Scotland Issue 102 March 2014

COMEDY Doug Segal Tom Wrigglesworth Nancy Clench Ask Fred: Independence MUSIC Future Islands The War on Drugs Jimi Goodwin BDY_PRTS Owls TRAVEL Summer Festivals Abroad THEATRE Behaviour Festival FILM David Mackenzie Ted Kotcheff ART Dear Green Hidden Door BOOKS StAnza FASHION LFW A/W 2014 GSA Fashion Show CLUBS Efdemin Killer Kitsch Horror Boogie

GLASGOW SMILES BETTER THE COMEDY FESTIVAL RETURNS

TELEVISION

PERFORMING

EDINBURGH USHER HALL

SATURDAY 14 JUNE O2 ABC

GL ASGOW

0131 228 1122

P.14 The War On Drugs

P.26 International Festival

Photo: Sonia Kerr

MON 26TH MAY

Photo: Dusdin Condren

MARQUEE MOON

plus special guests

TUESDAY 24TH JUNE

EDINBURGH QUEENS HALL

+SPECIAL GUESTS

TUESDAY 25TH MARCH

EDINBURGH VOODOO ROOMS

FRI 21 MARCH GLASGOW NICE N SLEAZY

P.29 London Fashion Week

SAT 24 MAY

GLASGOW EDINBURGH Oran Mor Liquid Room

MON 14 APR

March 2014

TUE 15 APR

EDINBURGH ELECTRIC CIRCUS

G L A S G OW ORAN MOR

WITHERED HAND PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

I N DEPEN DENT

CULTU R AL

JOU R NALI S M

Issue 102, March 2014 © Radge Media Ltd. Get in touch: E: hello@theskinny.co.uk T: 0131 467 4630 P: The Skinny, 3 Coates Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7AA

THUR 17 APRIL

+ special guests

MON 7TH JULY

O2 ABC GLASGOW

A REGULAR MUSIC/TRIPLE G PRESENTATION IN ASSOCIATION WITH PRIMARY TALENT INTERNATIONAL

EDINBURGH LIQUID ROOM

SUNDAY 20TH APRIL GLASGOW STEREO

Lloyd Cole

DAVID LYNCH presents

IN CONCERT

Sat 5 April

MON 7TH APRIL

GLASGOW Oran Mor www.ticketmaster.co.uk

regularmusic.com Contents

E: sales@theskinny.co.uk 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 2013: 32,104

CANDY SAYS

0131 668 2019

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.

Editorial Editor-in-Chief Music & Deputy Editor Books Editor Clubs Editor Comedy Editor Deviance Editor Events Editor Fashion Editor Film & DVD Editor Food Editor Travel Editor Theatre Editor News Editor / Sub Editor

Rosamund West Dave Kerr Ryan Rushton Ronan Martin Vonny Moyes Ana Hine Anna Docherty Alexandra Fiddes Jamie Dunn Peter Simpson Paul Mitchell Eric Karoulla Bram E. Gieben

Production Production Manager Lead Designer

Billie Dryden Maeve Redmond

Sales Sales Director Sales Executives

special guests

Edinburgh Queen’s Hall 0844 844 0444

P.49 Hidden Door

Lara Moloney Tom McCarthy George Sully

Company PA

Kyla Hall

Publisher

Sophie Kyle

printed on 100% recycled paper

In person from Ticket Scotland Glasgow/Edinburgh & Ripping Edinburgh and usual outlets

regularmusicltd

regularmusicuk THE SKINNY

David Cass

FRI 23 MAY

Roksanda Ilincic

Contents 05

Contents: You’re reading it.

Opinion: Home of the regulars Shot of the Month; Skinny on Tour; Hero Worship; Comic courtesy Team Girl Comic; Stop the Presses; the existential hell that is Crystal Baws.

Heads Up: A hand-picked selection of cultural events that you can and should be attending in March.

Features 10

Glasgow International Comedy Festival returns to the west with a bill boasting the side-splitting skills of Doug Segal, Tom Wrigglesworth and Nancy Clench.

Future Islands – The Baltimore band on modern life and Singles, an improbable synthpop masterpiece.

The War on Drugs – Adam Granduciel on paying respect to the greats and his band’s stellar return with Lost in the Dream.

Under the Influence: Doves frontman Jimi Goodwin steps out of the shadows with his debut solo effort this month, but first he gives up his 10 essential dub riddims.

Director David Mackenzie tells us about Starred Up, his new drama starring Jack O’Connell.

Efdemin – The experimental electronic producer on transience and deterioration in modern day Kyoto.

A closer look at the Arches’ Behaviour Festival, which starts this month with a programme packed full of avant-garde theatrical highlights.

As Scotland’s dedicated poetry festival StAnza returns to St Andrew’s, we have some words with director Eleanor Livingstone and some of the acts appearing in this year’s programme.

Ahead of the reissue of Wake in Fright, a blistering study of Outback machismo from 1971, we speak to its director Ted Kotcheff about the film's shoot in Broken Hill, New South Wales.

International Festival Preview – As SXSW kicks off this month, we take a look at what else the foreign festival calendar holds in store, from Europe and beyond, with commentary from Warpaint, Daniel Avery, St. Vincent and others.

Lifestyle

Fashion: London Fashion Week – the threads you may or may not be rocking come Autumn / Winter 2014. Includes 90s revival (oh shit!). Plus a sneak peek at the GSA fashion show, coming this month.

Showcase: Dear Green, an exhibition

Deviance: Our Deviance ed decided a year ago she wanted to donate her eggs. She tells a personal story of the process.

Food and Drink: Inspired by St Patrick’s Day, here are some less terrible food holidays to try out. Phagomania meets Dan, the Pancake Man.

taking place in Berlin early in March, integrating the work of Glasgow and Berlin artists.

Review

Music: Gigs! Go see The Notwist, Jel, The Warlocks, RUNGS... we could go on; BDY_PRTS introduce themselves; Tim Kinsella of reactivated Chicagoans Owls tells us what keeps him young at heart, plus imminent new offerings from TRUST, Withered Hand, Machines in Heaven, Liars and many more come in for appraisal.

Clubs: An exclusive DJ chart from Glasgow’s Killer Kitsch clique, we go Beneath the Label with techno mentalists Horror Boogie, and round-up this month’s clubbing highlights.

Art: Eagerly anticipating the return of DIY pop-up arts festival Hidden Door, plus Streetlevel Photo Works launch a new shop.

50 Film & DVD: At the cinema, we take a

look at prison drama Starred Up and voyeuristic SF tale Under The Skin, while on DVD we look at Jeune & Jolie, and the reissue of Al Pacino classic Serpico.

Books: In which Christopher Brookmyre’s new release is compared to both Wreck It Ralph and Tron.

Theatre: Previews of shows coming your way this month include Bestiaires, Orlando, Wendy Hoose and Village Pub Theatre.

Games: It’s back! The resurrected Games section takes a look at the latest, we’re promised definitive release, from the Tomb Raider franchise.

Competitions: This month you could win a night’s stay in Citizen M and entry to the Glasgow International launch party, or Manics gig tickets.

Listings: Music, Clubs, Art, Comedy and Theatre events for the month of March in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

63 Ask Fred: In the second dispatch from our gentle Agony Aunt Fred Fletch, he addresses the concerns of one ‘DC’ on the delicate subject of Scottish Independence.

March 2014

Contents

Editorial W

e’re opening with the Glasgow Comedy Festival for March, an event that offers us the opportunity to a) resurrect that old 1983 advertisting slogan of Glasgow’s Miles Better (somewhat amended on the cover) and b) compose some truly heinous headlines to run on the feature itself. With suggestions including ‘LAUGH, YA BAWBAG,’ ‘JUST FOR LOLs’ and ‘Ten Years a ROFLcopter,’ it’s no surprise the travesty that is ‘Hurricane LOLbag’ emerged as the most reasonable suggestion. We preview the programme with a glance at the highlights plus words with Doug Segal, Tom Wrigglesworth and Nancy Clench, the Yes Queen. Last month I wrote that we would be tackling the omnipresent indy debate in a gentle manner, as and when the opportunity presented itself. Following on from Mogwai’s commentary on the subject last issue, now we converse with Nancy Clench, Scotland’s premiere pro-independence activist drag queen, and also in our latest dispatch from resident Agony Aunt Fred Fletch, who addresses the problems of one ‘DC’ and his fear of being a ‘total shitlord’ on our inside back cover. It pretty much sums up the whole debate. In Music, this month we talk to Baltimore’s Future Islands about break-ups, breakdowns and life on the road. The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel called up from Philadelphia to discuss third album Lost in the Dream; Doves’ frontman Jimi Goodwin shares a selection of his influential riddims ahead of the release of his debut solo effort; and New Blood BDY_PRTS – aka Jill O’Sullivan of Sparrow and the Workshop and Strike the Colours’ Jenny Reeve – tell us what sparked their collaborative songwriting. In Travel, we have carefully constructed an exhaustive guide to the best of the international festival circuit this summer complete with insight from such luminaries as Warpaint, St Vincent and one of the mysterious folk who makes the magic happen behind the scenes, Primavera Sound’s top booker. Art draws a deep breath ahead of the creative onslaught that will be April’s Glasgow International festival, but still takes the time to inspect Dear Green, a show bringing together Glasgow and Berlin artists (the twin creative

scenes officially called Berlingow according to no less an authority than Douglas Gordon) early in the month. We are also very excited at the prospect of the return of Hidden Door, the DIY pop-up multi-arts fest that memorably built a maze and a garden in the Roxy some years ago, and is now back to occupy the abandoned vaults on Edinburgh’s Market Street. Film has had a busy month outwith the magazine, with a crack team of cinephiles squatting in the GFT to produce the CineSkinny, a daily guide to the Glasgow Film Festival. They’ve still managed to secure us some cracking interviews though, with director David Mackenzie introducing his new film Starred Up with rising star Jack O’Connell, and Ted Kotcheff celebrating the reissue of his 1971 cult classic Wake in Fright by providing some fascinating insight into the shoot in Australia’s outback, a dark netherworld of machismo and kangaroo hunting. Fashion is already looking forward to next autumn, with a trend report from February’s London Fashion Week reliably informing us that we will be dressed in oxblood and 90s styles come September. Clubs talks to experimental electronic producer Efdemin, secures an exclusive chart from Glasgow’s Killer Kitsch posse and goes beneath the label with Horror Boogie. And Books and Theatre are both feverish with anticipation about festivals arriving in March, providing an overview of the programmes of StAnza and Behaviour respectively. On a personal note, this marks the fiftieth consecutive time I have written a summary of The Skinny’s contents. That’s approxmately 30,000 words worth of saying ‘You should read this magazine it's good.’ [Rosamund West]

Hero Worship: Slint’s David Pajo on Leonard Cohen Slint guitarist David Pajo, who has played with a huge range of bands including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol and Zwan, reflects on his respect for Leonard Cohen, and his experience of touring, as a teenager, with Glenn Danzig

t’s hard to say who my musical hero is – it always changed each year. Before Slint, when I was in Maurice, it was Glenn Danzig. During the early part of Slint it was Steve Albini. But one constant has been Leonard Cohen. He’s one of those guys that I still admire. It’s not just his songwriting I find inspiring, it’s his whole life – he’s like Hemingway or something. It’s not just the poetry, the words, or even the songwriting – it’s also the way he conducts his life. The fact he left everything to be a Renzai Buddhist monk for years and years. I find that really inspiring. I mean, people like Cat Stevens get a lot of shit for leaving their careers and becoming Islamic or whatever, dropping out of the music world – music was against his religion for a long time. But I think it’s really cool that someone in his position knows that there’s more to life than music, and has a life outside of the music industry. I supported Glen Danzig’s Samhain when I

was very young, with Maurice, and I had never done any touring before. I hadn’t even played that many shows, those I had played were all within a 15-mile radius of where I lived. So to play places like Detroit, to travel and play shows, especially with Danzig’s band... we were all huge Misfits fans. It was definitely eye-opening. I’m still friends with Samhain’s drummer. But I remember being disillusioned after spending some time with Glenn Danzig. I mean, he was still totally respectable... I know he gets a lot of shit, but despite his sort of thuggish behaviour, he is a really smart guy. To have him show me the right way to play some Misfits songs was a dream come true for me. But I’ve never met Leonard Cohen. I would love to, if I had the chance. Slint’s classic 1991 album Spiderland gets a deluxe box-set reissue from Touch & Go on 15 Apr. They play Primavera Sound, Barcelona, on 30 May slintbox.touchandgorecords.com

Shot Of The Month LAW at Stereo 1 Feb by John Graham

This Month's Cover After graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 2009, Louise Lockhart has applied her drawings to every surface she can find. She has recently started up an online shop called The Printed Peanut which specialises in printed party games, toys, stationery and accessories. louiselockhart.co.uk and theprintedpeanut.co.uk

The Skinny On Tour T

his month The Skinny took a trip across the pond to hang out with some graffiti artists in LA. You can find out more about its adventures in a future issue of the magazine. For now, you could win a copy of My Biggest Lie by Luke Brown, courtesy of our lovely pals at Canongate, by heading along to theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and answering this simple question*: What is the national dance of Argentina? A. Fandango B. Tango C. Mambo *There is no relation between the question and the location of the shot. Just go with it, OK? Competition closes midnight 30 Mar. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within one week or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Full T&Cs can be found at www. theskinny.co.uk/about/terms

Chat

THE SKINNY

Crystal Baws With Mystic Mark ARIES Peering over the railings on a day out at Sellafield, your safety goggles slip off into a vat of highly radioactive fission waste. Not wishing to break health and safety regulations you jump in after them, to the concerned yelps of your fellow tourists. Resurfacing with the smoking, misshapen goggles you manage to gurgle: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry, got them,â&#x20AC;? just before your face melts off and floats away. While driving home you start to experience superpower symptoms, such as migraines, nausea and projectile vomiting. From that day forth you become known as Radiation Man, using your new abilities of fatigue, loss of consciousness and malignant tumours to catch criminal masterminds no matter where in the hospice they may lurk.

TAURUS This month after finding out youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pregnant, you begin inexorably mutating into a two-headed, eight-limbed monster which craves flesh.

LIBRA You need not be frightened. The headlights approaching you are Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. He merely wants to drive over you with his love.

SCORPIO Taking your PVC-encased gimp for walks becomes a bit of a chore when you realise that you legally have to bag his shit up and dispose of it in the special gimp waste bin.

GEMINI If thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing that makes hurtling through a senseless void easier, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the love and understanding of a fellow mammalian hominid.

SAGITTARIUS This month you find your catâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diary and discover to your surprise he is quite the little racist.

CANCER Cancer thrives in Uranus.

LEO This month you get dumped by fax, sacked via a signpost left on your Farmville plot and learn of your motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death on Gumtree.

CAPRICORN You put an advert on the internet about your desire to be eaten as part of a sex fetish. When your potential dinner guest turns up though, after having a quick look around, he decides that your terrible diet and cramped living conditions means it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just be unhealthy to eat you but also unethical.

Photo: John Graham

The funding organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Development Officer for Music, David Weaver, says of the lineup: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The seven acts we are supporting really showcase the diversity in Scottish music right now. All of the bands are fantastic in different ways, both on record and live, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward to seeing them perform in Austin. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m delighted theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re representing Scottish music in 2014 to music fans and industry professionals from all over the globe.â&#x20AC;? Amen. Follow our misadventures (and say hello if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out there) over on Twitter at @TheSkinnyMag.

March 2014

PISCES You believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to alter human DNA through chanting and meditation. Maybe you could alter your DNA to give yourself a brain.

VIRGO I spy with my little eye something beginning with a gun in your mouth.

BUGGER IT, WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE GOING TO TEXAS Annual desert powwow South By Southwest is about to crank into gear (7-16 Mar) over in Austin, Texas, and The Skinny will be there for the first time to report back from the frontlines and chase down the bands you ought to know about. There are also no guarantees that we wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tumble, disappointingly blootered, into a Spandau Ballet comeback gig. Most importantly, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be trailing the homegrown bandwagonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts at the festival to see how they get on, which means keeping up with gnarly garage rock twosome Honeyblood, Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forward-thinking rap crew Young Fathers, synth-driven Drive-by Argument offshoot Prides, art-rock menaces Casual Sex, Austin bound Young Fathers heart on sleeve troubadour Withered Hand, star-gazing rockers Holy Esque and ever-evolving indie ensemble Meursault â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all representing at T BREAK OPENS FOR SUBMISSIONS Creative Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s British Embassy showcase on At time of going to print (for this is Stop the 14 March. Presses, ye ken), the annual callout for bands to

AQUARIUS This month you create an app to calculate and track the approximate number/weight of bowel movements the Queen has done since she was coronated. Users can toggle between live graphs and historical 3D charts while receiving push notifications upon each new deposit. When the app goes live Her Majesty is at 56,575lbs, or 25.6692 tonnes. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trailing Queen Victoria by less than a tonne.

submit their sounds for consideration was announced by T Break, providing aspiring musicians in Scotland an opportunity to play T in the Park in Balado this summer (11-13 Jul) and take a first step up the ladder which led this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headliner Biffy Clyro to UK domination. For guidelines on how to enter your demo online, visit www.tennents.com/tbreak by midnight, 31 March.

Simon Starling, Martin Boyce, Lorna McIntyre and Luke Fowler. Also on sale will be the MFA studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; works in a silent auction. Sat 8 Mar, The Art School, 7pm-late, ÂŁ5 gsaauction2014.com

SCOTTISH SLAM CHAMPIONSHIPS On 16 March, performance poets from across Scotland will compete, featuring a lineup of slam winners from the past year including Sophia Walker (featured in our feature on this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s StAnza Festival), Rachel Amey (who performed at our 100th issue bash) and several members of rising Edinburgh collective Loud Poets, with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wildcardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; spots available on the night, the grand prize is a fistful of cash, the honour of being crowned this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Scottish Slam Champion, and a place in the World Series slam, held in Paris later in the year. 16 March, 7.30pm, Ă&#x2019;ran MĂłr, Glasgow, ÂŁ7/5

Online Only

GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART CHARITY AUCTION The annual GSA Charity Auction raises money for the Master of Fine Art students to stage ambitious projects and exhibitions after graduation. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event is taking place on Saturday 8 March and is also fundraising for the GSA Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association, as well as celebrating their move back into the newly refurbished Vic building. Artists whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already donated form a very starry lineup of Jeremy Deller, Jim Lambie, Eva Rothschild, Ross Sinclair, David Shrigley, Nicolas Party, Claire Barclay, Duncan Campbell,

OH AYE, AND WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE HIRING The Skinny is looking for a Ruby on Rails developer and a new Sales Executive in Scotland. Visit theskinny.co.uk/about/get_involved

Thirty years after Elite defined a generation of gaming, Frontier Developments are returning to that procedurally generated universe with Elite: Dangerous. We stepped into our Cobra Mk. III and patched in a call to Frontierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief operations officer Dave Walsh about taking on a galactic-sized challenge. Our Games section gets a reboot over at theskinny.co.uk/tech Jon Ronson pays homage to well-loved outsider comedian Frank Sidebottom, almost two years since Sidebottomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creator Chris Sieveyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passing and on the eve of the release of two films inspired by his alter-ego. Visit theskinny.co.uk/comedy The Skinny is now offering rolling NEWS COVERAGE, bringing you breaking stories from across the cultural landscape. Keep up to date by visiting theskinny.co.uk/latest/news, and if you have a breaking story for us, get in touch by emailing news@theskinny.co.uk!

Opinion

Compiled by: Anna Docherty

Rejoicing in the fact it's officially the month of spring (probably hopefully maybe), our event-a-day calendar gets festival fever – taking in Glasgow International Comedy Festival, Behaviour Festival, Wee Dub Festival, and a mini pre-festival taster session for The Pleasance Sessions

Wed 5 Mar

Following the release of 2013's Tales of Us LP, Goldfrapp takes to a cinema setting for a special event featuring behind-the-scenes footage and previously unseen music film inspired by the album, followed by an exclusive performance via live satellite from London's legendary Air Studios. Glasgow's Cineworld, Dundee's Odeon and various Edinburgh cinemas, 7.30pm, various prices

Heralding the return of award-winning creative duo, choreographer Janice Parker and artist Richard Layzell, Glory brings together dancers of all ages and abilities, with the aim to thoughtfully revel in the diversity of the individual performer, accompanied by a specially-composed soundtrack from Glasgowbased musician Michael John McCarthy. Tramway, Glasgow, 5-10 Mar, £12 (£8)

Goldfrapp

Glory

Sun 9 Mar

Mon 10 Mar

Tue 11 Mar

The ever-inventive Cryptic Nights lot hit up CCA for their weekend-long first outing of 2014, Mirror Lands– a film and interactive sound installation by multimedia artist Mark Lyken and filmmaker Emma Dove, in which they explore diverse relationships to ‘place’ on the Black Isle in the Highlands of Scotland, inspired by first-person accounts. CCA, Glasgow, 7-9 Mar, 11am-6pm, Free

In celebration of the release of The Grand Budapest Hotel – with its ridiculously starry cast headed by Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton – the Cameo continue their Wes Anderson retrospective loveathon with 2007's The Darjeeling Limited, which, fact fans, was on't cover of our November 2007 issue way back when. Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh, 8.45pm, £6.50 (£5.50)

Favourited live storytelling night, The Speakeasy, returns for its monthly line-up of treats – this time including sets from poet and one half of the Rally and Broad crew, Rachel McCrum; writer and musician Doug Johnstone; and comedian Jojo Sutherland. And, yes, the rule book remains resolutely the same, i.e. all the stories they tell must be true. Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, 8pm, £6

The Darjeeling Limited

Mirror Lands

Rachel McCrum

Sun 16 Mar

Mon 17 Mar

Following his BAMS (Scottish Blogs and Music Sites) nomination, where writers from Scottish blogs and music sites nominate their album of the year, Adam Stafford takes to The Glad Cafe's intimate surrounds armed with his Imaginary Walls Collapse LP and, rumour has it, a special guest (who may or may not also feature on the poll, *cough* Rick Redbeard). The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, 7.30pm, £7

After her Rivers project as part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2012 (collecting 100 specimens of water from 100 rivers around the British Isles), Tania Kovats unveils her Oceans exhibition – including her All The Seas installation, displaying water from all the world’s seas amassed via a global social media call to arms. The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, until 25 May, Free

The 49th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition arrives in Edinburgh, on loan from London's Natural History Museum, taking in 100 images (handpicked from a mighty 43,000 entries) showing wildlife at its most majestic – including intriguing animal behaviour, remote landscapes, and, aye, polar bears looking supercute. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, until 1 Jun, Free

Adam Stafford

Photo: Iona Spence

Sat 15 Mar

Oceans

Thu 20 Mar

Fri 21 Mar

Sat 22 Mar

A timely little tale, Union delves into the story of the original Union of Scotland and England in 1707 – with Tim Barrow's retelling of two unmixable nations set amidst the Royal Mile, Kensington Palace, and the Scottish Parliament, populated with a cast of famous historical figures such as Daniel Defoe, Queen Anne, and Allan Ramsay. Royal Lyceum Theatre, until 12 Apr, 7.45pm, From £10

Glasgow orchestral pop ensemble How To Swim – the brainchild of writer and composer Gregor Barclay – play a special show at CCA to preview their new LP, Niagarama, taking to the stage in suitably beefed up form accompanied by a full string quartet and brass section, officially making this their biggest live show to date. Support comes from Fat-Suit and Brass, Aye. CCA, Glasgow, 8pm, £5

Digging into the classic film vault for another pop-up special, Dundee's horror festival specialists, Dundead, pick out Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright for a one-off airing – available to view thanks to the painstaking restoration work by Australia's National Film and Sound Archive – charting the unsettling story of one man's descent into living hell in the Aussie outback. DCA, Dundee, 10pm, £7

Union

How To Swim

The Water Bear

Wake in Fright

Thu 27 Mar

Fri 28 Mar

For our dose of Bruce Lee worshiping – every month should have some – the GFT come up trumps with a one-off airing of the film that immortalised him as an international superstar, Enter the Dragon. Presented from a new digital print, expect the choreographed fight scenes, exotic James Bond espionage, and dodgy 70s fashion to be ever more epic. Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow, 8.40pm, £8 (£6.50)

Returning from a sustained absence with the follow-up to 2011's Smother, Kendal quartet Wild Beasts (whom the eagle-eyed amongst you may have spotted on the February cover of our Northwest England issue) take to the road to give their new LP – Present Tense – an airing, oxygenated by clean synths and carried by Chris Talbot's rich percussion. The Arches, Glasgow, 7pm, £14.50

Popping up to temporarily transform the 25 disused vaults of Market Street over a nine-day programme, Hidden Door Festival (28 March-5 April) kicks off with a grand unveiling of the space through a special light and sound collab – featuring visual lightworks by Adventures in Light, bolstered by live music from Digital Jones, Wearetallorder, and Fridge Master. Market Street, Edinburgh, 6pm, £15

Chat

Enter the Dragon

Wild Beasts

Photo: Nuria Rius

Wed 26 Mar

Hidden Door Festival

THE SKINNY

Photo: Paul Souders

Heads Up

Tue 4 Mar

Fri 7 Mar

Sat 8 Mar

Known for intriguing performance that pushes the boundaries of theatre, Behaviour Festival (6 March-7 May) kicks off its 2014 programme in suitably bold style – with award-winning artist Bryony Kimmings and her nine-year-old niece inventing a dinosaur-loving, tuna pasta-eating mock pop star for Credible Likeable Superstar Rolemodel. The Arches, Glasgow, 6-7 Mar, £12 (£10)

Returning to celebrate all things dub, reggae, and roots across a weekend-long programme of treats, Wee Dub Festival opens proceedings with a set from longstanding UK dub act, Nucleus Roots, making the trip up from Manchester with full live band in tow. Support comes from Wroclaw-based dub project, Positive Thursdays In Dub. Studio 24, Edinburgh, 7pm, £8 advance (£11 door)

With a musical tome of beautifully-crafted postrock at their disposal, Mogwai pitch up to help the Usher Hall mark the start of their centenary year – for which they've lined up a fine programme of gigs. And with Mogwai themselves marking their 20th year, expect a suitably celebratory kneesup, with stellar support from The Pastels, and Remember Remember. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 7pm, £22.50

Nucleus Roots

Credible Likeable Superstar Rolemode

Mogwai

Thu 13 Mar

Fri 14 Mar

After its first bells'n'whistles full-festival outing back in October, The Pleasance Sessions pops up for a one-off spring special – manned by Fife dweller and sometime Fence Collective dabbler James Yorkston, playing alongside Johnny Lynch in his The Pictish Trail guise, and woozy country-folk songsmith Seamus Fogarty. The Pleasance, Edinburgh, 8pm, £12 (£10)

From the pen of UK poets Benjamin Zephaniah and Lemn Sissay comes Refugee Boy – the heartbreaking yet galvanising tale of a 14-year-old boy who finds himself a refugee alone in London, after his Ethiopian father and Eritrean mother make the hard decision to leave him, rather than take him back with them to a civil war-torn homeland. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, until 15 Mar, From £12.50

Glasgow International Comedy Festival kicks off its gargantuan programme (14 March-5 April), with our highlight of the first day's events being the annual West End Comedy Pub Crawl – aka, we direct you straight to the beer, again – navigating punters through four west end bars, with a surprise big name guest comedian popping up in each. Various venues, Glasgow, 7.30pm, £15 (£12)

James Yorkston

Photo: Takeshi Suga

Wed 12 Mar

Refugee Boy

Wed 19 Mar

Marking their first UK shows in over two years, New York indie-rock royalty, Interpol, head up this year's NME Awards Tour. However, as per, it's worth a punt for the supporting bands as much as anything else – with neo-psych bunch Temples holding fort alongside Brightonbased alternative rock duo Royal Blood, and Liverpool garage-pop quartet Circa Waves. O2 Academy, Glasgow, 7pm, £21.50

Joseph Mount-led electro-pop pleasurists Metronomy take to the road armed with their fourth LP, Love Letters – y'know the one on which Mount sings "I'm Aquarius" repeatedly repeatedly repeatedly until we all DIE, on lead single I'm Aquarius – back on their usual infectious form, with their robust funkiness shining through in a live setting. O2 ABC, Glasgow, 7pm, £15.50

Interpol

Photo: Jelle Wagenaar

Tue 18 Mar

Mon 24 Mar

Tue 25 Mar

Glasgow Film Theatre play host to the 2014 selection of BAFTA Shorts, selected from this year's EE British Academy Film Awards, taking in a showcase of eight of the nominated live action and animated shorts – including Scottish animator Ainslie Henderson's I Am Tom Moody, a surreal trip through the subconscious of a stifled musician (voiced by Mackenzie Crook). GFT, Glasgow, 5pm, £5

Kicking off the Scottish-leg of their eight-date UK tour, United Fruit take to Sneaky's diminutive sweatbox for a suitably ear-busting set of their all-out post-hardcore abrasion (served at F1 velocity, as per). With a bit of luck, they'll also be previewing tracks from their forthcoming LP-wot-started-life-as-an-EP (aka the boys have been busy in the studio). Sneaky Pete's Edinburgh, 7pm, £4

I Am Tom Moody

United Fruit

E'er ones for a theme, i AM follow up their last Troninspired night with Return to Tron – again converting Sub Club's basement into a visual representation of Steven Lisberger's celebrated 1982 sci-fi classic, this time with even more gusto (aka a hardware-shop full of Produ[k] t production and a power of lighting trickery), soundtracked by Beta & Kappa themselves. Sub Club, Glasgow, 11pm, £10

Photo: Takeshi Suga

Sun 23 Mar

West End Comedy Pub Crawl

Metronomy

Sub Club

Sat 29 Mar

Sun 30 Mar

Mon 31 Mar

Saintes-born François Marry takes to the UK for a string of dates under his François and the Atlas Mountains full-band banner, playing tracks from new LP, Piano Ombre – a finely honed gem recorded in a bona fide studio for the first time, with its dark lyrical content born of a tumultuous year in Marry's life. Ne'er fear, though, there's sunny indie-pop melodies in there too. Stereo, Glasgow, 7pm, £9

As part of their quest to keep Sundays special, Sub Club hand over the decks to a certain Mr. Kieran Hebden, taking to the stage under his Four Tet moniker for a set of his e'er lovely post-rock-meets-electronica, awash with abstract sensibilities. He'll be taking charge for the full four hours, so you might as well just book Monday off work now. Sub Club, Glasgow, 11pm, £10

Ending with laughs, we pay another visit to Glasgow Comedy Festival, where musical satirist Mitch Benn tours his Mitch Benn is the 37th Beatle show – journeying through his Scouse upbringing, with special reference to his, admittedly tenuous, connection to the story of the Beatles (he was born three months after they split). The Stand, Glasgow, 7.30pm, £12 (£11)

March 2014

François and the Atlas Mountains

Four Tet

Mitch Benn

Chat

Photo: Ross Gilmore

Thu 6 Mar

Hurricane LOLbag

Did you hear the one about the *other* comedy festival? Over the last decade, Glasgow International Comedy Festival has established itself as the host of the single highest concentration of laughs on the west coast per annum. We take a look at what this year’s programme has in store

ith calendars worryingly proclaiming it is March already, and 2014 inching closer towards those more merciful months of the Scottish year, it’s time again for the Glasgow International Comedy Festival to treat the good people of the west to a month of premature sunshine. Now in its eleventh year, the well-established fest boasts a bigger and better line-up than ever. The programme runneth over with 416 shows throughout 46 venues, with events spanning the full chuckle-spectrum from stand-up, film, and theatre, to workshops and exhibitions. Guaranteeing something for every niche predilection, and every budget – even if that budget is an old-button, a well-intentioned thumbs-up and a tin of Lidl beans. It’s a big year for the north; VisitScotland’s Year of Homecoming, the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup, the tenth anniversary of the ever-more-prestigious Glasgow Film Festival and perhaps most important of all, the independence referendum on 18 September. We’re on

the threshold of cultural, historical and political possibility; veritable ingredients of an explosive comedy nebula. With the role of the arts being to orate, challenge, respond to and inspire, it’s the perfect scenario for comedy to shout the loudest. The shows on offer at this year’s festival are imbued with this patriotic zeitgeist; GICF is offering something a little more substantial than a cheap giggle with your mates. On Saturday 5 March The Homecoming Comedy Gala gives four comics from Australia and Canada a platform to celebrate their Scottish ancestry, as does The Commonwealth Stands Up on Saturday 22. So who’s performing? Sure, the usual bigwigs will be trekking over the wall to do a turn. A pretty decent international roster in the form of Sarah Millican, Omid Djalili, Miranda Hart, Pam Ann, Sean Hughes, Ruby Wax, Rich Hall, Stewart Francis, and Miles Jupp to name just a few. For those eyeing up a little home-grown talent, you’re pretty much spoiled for choice too, with Des Clarke, Raymond Mearns, Susan Calman, Craig

Words: Vonny Moyes Hill, Rory Bremner, Hardeep Singh Kohli, Stevie Agnew, and Fern Brady all doing their thing. With so much on, you’d be forgiven for taking one look at the programme, waving an impromptu white flag and running for the nearest pub in a fit of screaming indecision (maybe that’s just me?). To make life easier, here are a few suggestions that are tickling our fancy. For an intimate evening with an outspoken lightbulb-eater, get along to Abigoliah Schaumaun’s show Subtle. Amateur Transplants: Adam Kay’s Bum Notes was a big hit at the Fringe from anaesthetist-turned-comedian Kay, combining comedy and musical parody with a medical bent. If you missed Bridget Christie’s multi award-winning show A Bic For Her, you can see it at The Stand. Award-winner John Kearns returns with his surrealist hit Sight Gags for Perverts at Blackfriars, as does pint-sized Canadian Mae Martin with Slumber Party, which earned an impressive five stars in August. Rik Carranza, perhaps the nicest man in comedy, will be in

Vespbar, debuting his new show Charming, and a little birdy tells us that Afterbirth with Sandy Bouttell, Ally Houston, Paul McDaniel will be worth checking out. Though the GCIF is Europe’s biggest standalone comedy festival, it can be a tricky bugger to navigate as many shows are one-night-onlys. My advice is to plan your itinerary ahead of the game; many shows are on at the same time, or with tight turnarounds between venues, and lots sell out quickly. Bikes/rollerskates/jet-packs are advised. It’s been ten years since GICF elbowed its way into the industry calendar. Looking at this year’s incredible roster of talent, it’s clear the fest has graduated to the big league, and stands proudly as a landmark for great comedy. With its name firmly etched into the landscape, we can only expect bigger and better things from now. Well done, Glasgow; here’s to the next decade of laughs. Glasgow International Comedy Festival, 14 Mar-5 Apr glasgowcomedyfestival.com

Who is the Yes Queen?

We talk to Scotland’s biggest drag queen, Nancy Clench, about activism, independence and being Holyrood’s most dazzling secret Interview: Vonny Moyes

t starts with a shave. Then a spin of a little La Cage Aux Folles to set the mood, before makeup, glitter, the wig and deadly size 12 heels. Nathan Sparling steps in, and from the most fabulous cocoon this side of the Clyde, 7’2” of Nancy Clench emerges. Scotland’s biggest drag queen, the result of a one-night Drag Idol Lady Gaga mash-up, has been storming the scene since August 2013. From less-glamorous beginnings DJing and hosting karaoke, she now tours the country, as well as hosting a monthly night at The Gallery, Merchant City. This month she brings two shows to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. Known almost as much for her dedicated political activism as her acid tongue, it’s no surprise that pro-independence campaigner, and MSP Parliamentary Assistant Nancy is tackling the referendum debate head-on. Her show Yes Queen is a satirical exploration of post-indy Scotland with her at the dazzling helm. (Looking magnificent, naturally.) On why she’s voting Yes... “Would anyone like to give control of their bank account to the bank manager and be told how and when to spend the money, while a lot was taken and spent elsewhere? I don’t think so!” On why Yes Queen is different to other political shows... “Nobody knows truly what an Independent Scotland would be, so I thought why not use this to my advantage and look at how Nancy Clench would run it with her party, Drag Queens for Independence.” On the importance of political activism... “It’s important to have LGBT activists that work in the LGBT community and hear what LGBT people are thinking about different issues. Nancy always has a presence at Scotland’s two Pride events; Pride Scotia in Edinburgh and Pride

Feature

COMEDY

Glasgow. Drag Queens, by their very nature are there to give voices to people who don’t think they have a voice and it’s important to use that in a responsible way.” On how parliament reacts to her alter ego... “My colleagues, boss and other MSPs are very supportive of my comedy career – so much so many of them have been to my comedy shows! The idea of ‘Drag Queens for Independence’ also keeps them happy!” On the role of comedy during the referendum debate... “Comedy needs a role in this debate – it’s a lengthy debate, and one many people get very passionate about. We need the chance to sit down and have a laugh about it – or else we’d all go mad!” On the challenges of writing political comedy... “A political comedy show can’t be a party political broadcast with jokes thrown in; you need to engage with your audience and make them laugh throughout. It can’t be a lecture. You’ve got to be mindful they could be people that disagree with you politically, so finding humour in your own politics can be tricky.” On the message of Yes Queen... “Anything is possible. We’re, hopefully, about to enter in to a new political world in Scotland where people will have the power. I want people to leave Yes Queen thinking that their ideas aren’t as wacky as they first thought, and to get on to the streets saying Yes!” Yes Queen, Sun 16 Mar, 7.30pm,Vespbar, or for non-politicos, catch Nancy Clench: What a C**t! on Sat 22 & 29 Mar and Sat 5 Apr, 10pm, Avant Garde, Merchant City. She’ll also be hosting Best of the Fest at The Brunswick Hotel every Wed throughout GICF, and Comedy @ The Gallery every Sun

THE SKINNY

I Can Make You a Mentalist Britain’s top comedy mind reader Doug Segal talks about quitting the 9–5, using his ‘powers’ and the challenges of audience interaction

oug Segal. Former ad-man, professional mind reader and according to Time Out, the UK’s ‘best-kept entertainment secret.’ For those acutely aware of the advertising industry’s Artful Dodgering, the leap may not seem too fanciful; but just how does the director of a succesful agency wind up on stage teaching someone to read minds, for a living? The Skinny: Assuming we’ve been living under a rock, what is mentalism? Doug Segal: It’s the technical term for what I do. It has the same relationship with magic that say jazz has with opera. It borrows most of its techniques from psychology and the trickery ‘psychics’ and ‘mediums’ use to fool people into thinking they have mystic abilities. Where magic is ‘sleight of hand,’ mentalism is largely ‘sleight of mind.’ There’s nothing psychic or spooky about it; all I’m doing is using skills from my background in psychology and advertising – statistics, persuasion techniques, sometimes I’m using subliminal influence and I’m coupling that with two key advertising skills of CHEATING AND LYING to create the illusion of mind reading and mind control. What got you interested in it? When I was studying psychology, I realised I could take the principles I was being taught and subvert them into party pieces, if I’m honest, to win bar bets and impress women. After uni I went into advertising and learned more about statistics, persuasion and subliminal influence so my ‘party pieces’ became more impressive. When did you first perform? I started doing mind tricks at lunches with clients to liven up dull meetings. One of my clients, a major German car manufacturer, really liked it and basically bullied me into doing an after dinner show for his sales conference in Munich. I look back and cringe, but people seemed to really like it, so, fuelled by a ridiculous

March 2014

Interview: Vonny Moyes

hubris, I booked two weeks at The Baron’s Court Theatre and somehow managed to sell that out. It opened a lot of doors for me. A producer from the BBC came and gave me two five minute spots into and out of the chimes on the BBC One New Year’s Eve Live show. A Dutch TV presenter, Robert Jensen, happened to see it and got me onto his show in Holland. I found myself thinking “Well I’ll never make as much money doing this as I am as a director of a major ad agency; but I could make a living, have fun and get my soul back,” so I chucked it in and turned pro. I’ve been really lucky since; I’ve had more TV, sell-out runs at the Fringe, won a couple of awards and got picked up by Eddie Izzard’s promoters. Mentalism is often seen as quite serious in magicians circles, though your show seems to subvert that. Do you feel that comedy has been a natural marriage to it? Yeah. Most mentalists want to come across as all-powerful, mysterious, Mephistophelian beings. I’m not interested in that. That makes their shows into “Look how awesome I am!” I’m more interested in how awesome my audiences are. I’m taking mentalism shows somewhere new. There have been mentalism shows that are funny; but never ones that include elements of standup and sketch comedy the way I Can Make You A Mentalist does and certainly never ones where all the mind tricks are performed by random audience members. I’m kinda exploring uncharted territory here. And that’s nice, it means I’m really breaking new ground and blurring the boundaries between two genres. Obviously with that sort of ‘power’ comes responsibility; do you ever use your skills outside of performing? Hahaha! That’s the question I get asked most often in interviews and by using the Spiderman

quote you’ve taken away the stock phrase I use to dodge the question. Do people often assume you’re reading them? It’s odd – it’s only people who feel they’ve got something to hide that ever say “I bet you’re reading me right now,” which, ironically, is the only reason I know they’ve got something to hide. This show takes audience interaction to a new level; where did the idea come from? The last show, How To Read Minds & Influence People (I’d do a mind trick and then show the audience how I did it) ended with a random audience member onstage reading the minds of the audience. That was the single most talked about part of the show. At the end of that tour I thought “Wouldn’t it be great if the whole show was like that? No one’s ever done it before – I think because their egos won’t allow someone else to be the star rather than them.” That thought alone was enough to make me want to do it. Did you know it would work? I had no idea. The thing about mentalism and comedy, unlike magic and acting, is the only way to see if stuff works is to do it with an audience. In the first five previews I had something minor go wrong beyond recovery twice, but now, thirty-ish shows in, it all works properly. That’s not to say stuff can’t ever go wrong – that’s always going to be a possibility – but there’s always a way back now. What are the challenges of working with just one audience member? I have zero control over who it is and the... I don’t know... flavour? Texture maybe, of the show really depends on what they are like. I have to improvise around them a lot; if they are over-enthusiastic I have to manage things so they settle down and don’t derail the narrative. If they’re too shy I have to build it up so that the audience are

COMEDY

willing them on and cheering. Every show’s unique and has different challenges. It’s exciting! How do you go from an idea to a fully realised show? It’s hard because I’m effectively writing two different, interlocking, shows in tandem – a comedy show and a mentalism show. It has to stand up as one even if the other wasn’t there. I usually start with a broad concept and what effects would fit well with that idea, then work out how to do them. Simultaneously I start writing lots of comedy material about the theme. Once I get to the rehearsal stage I usually have to throw about half of each away because they don’t quite gel and the two have to appear seamless. A lot of the best gags present themselves during performance so it changes during the tour. In this show I realised early on that it would need sketches woven into the narrative to make it work, and I’d not written sketch comedy before so I drafted in James Hamilton from Casual Violence and Guy Kelly from The Beta Males to help me. I’m really proud that many of the sketches would work as standalone pieces. What’s next? At this point I have a germ of an idea and a title for the 2015 show: I Can Make You Feel Good. I really love the idea of writing a show designed from the ground up to produce euphoria. Because this tour doesn’t finish until the middle of June I’ve not got time to write a new show so I’m having the obligatory ‘fourth year off’ from the Fringe. The plan was to not come at all, which was eating away at me, but I’m glad to say I’ve recently been offered a week of appearances in a variety show at one of the big venues so I’ll be up for the final week. See Doug Segal at Glasgow International Comedy Festival, Tron Theatre on 21 Mar. For tickets, visit tron.co.uk

Feature

Utterly at Odds with the Universe Tom Wrigglesworth tells us about his granddad and his experience of doing a personal comedy show

n the back of another stellar sell-out Fringe run, Yorkshire comedian-cum-raconteur Tom Wrigglesworth is elbowing his way into the impermeable storytelling nook once reserved exclusively for the likes of Kitson. The multiple award-winner and star of Radio 4 and BBC 2 brings his latest show Utterly At Odds With The Universe to The Stand, Glasgow, for one night of funny, familial nostalgia. The show, borne from the rediscovery of a trove of interview tapes of him and his grandfather, triggered an exploration of their relationship, and a Interview: Vonny Moyes heartfelt quest to make one final tape. It’s suddenly gotten rather dusty in here... This show is about your grandad; what can you tell us about him? Well, he was like a wizard. Gandalf-like really. Pipe and everything. He was constantly fixing things – if there was nothing left to fix, he would maintain his tools, waiting for the next opportunity... What made your relationship so special? He taught me so much – kind of Mr Miyagi (Karate Kid) style. I didn’t know how good I was at using tools or fixing house niggles until I lived in a student house, and I suddenly realised I could do everything. Very much wax on. Do you have an enduring memory of him? Lighting up his pipe, disappearing for a few seconds then reappearing from the cloud with a joke or philosophical statement. Why did you start doing interviews? Did you ever foresee yourself using them one day? In the mid-80s, these new-fangled portable tape players were just getting popular. My grandad would record everything. The interviews seemed like a normal thing to do at the time. No, I had no idea how awesome it would be listening back. What did you learn from revisiting the tapes? Mainly how much of an effect he had on me, and now when I speak to young relatives of mine, I’ve already

turned into him. This is a more personal show than your previous ones; what made you decide to bring it to the stage? It is personal, but there’s a good deal of it which is pure fantasy. I like telling stories, and I was so moved by the whole tape discovery part that it felt like the right thing to do. It turns out that most people loved their grandad too – which is always nice to hear. Because of that, did you feel more nervous about doing this show? Yes – well, not more nervous, more emotionally exhausted I think. Writing it took ages, a lot of that time spent staring at my laptop welling up. But now I’ve kind of gotten work-hardened to it. I’m more excited to tell people the story and hear their reactions. How has the show gone, compared to previous ones? It’s more emotionally hard-hitting. The first few times, I had people in such a teary state, that I changed a few things; I never wanted to mug anyone with grief so I’m a bit gentler with the sad parts now. My other shows were just funny – with a bit of peril – but it’s gone better than the others really. I think people enjoy the light and shade. What’s next for you? This tour keeps me busy for ages – then I’m doing another series of Tom Wrigglesworth’s Hang Ups, which will mean following my dad around with a note pad for a few weeks. Chaos reigns when he’s about. This show is a personal journey, far removed from the cloying laddishness of over-exposed commercial comedy. If you’re hankering to see something intimate, funny and with a side order of northern integrity, you’d be daft to miss it. See Tom perform his sell-out hit Utterly At Odds With The Universe as part of Glasgow International Comedy Festival at The Stand, Glasgow, 30 Mar, 7.30pm

Young Innovators Challenge A chance for students to make a difference to our communities, our environment and the future of Scotland!

Enter online by 26 March 2014 SCAN ME FOR MORE ON YIC2014

Feature

COMEDY

THE SKINNY

Howling at the Moon Navigating breakups, breakdowns and bruising tour schedules, Baltimore’s Future Islands return with Singles, an improbable synthpop masterpiece to revive a spiritless generation

Interview: Jazz Monroe Photography: Gemma Burke

t’s mid-afternoon when Samuel T. Herring, roundly stuffed with bangers and mash, calls off group naptime to Skype in from the 4AD band flat in Wandsworth. The label, much to the Baltimore trio’s delight, will release Future Islands’ fourth LP this March, and it’s a cracker. Indeed, after 11 years together the band is cusping a breakthrough that has every fan, label-bod and bandmember in heady, cloud-punching spirits. All, that is, but one. “Man,” sighs Herring, a muscular fellow who sings like a depressed werewolf. “I’m 29. What happened? What happened to me as a 24-yearold?” He makes a strange noise that’s presumably a chuckle but sounds like sobbing. “Where did those years go, man?” Herring, whose somber patois suggests Jeff Bridges’ Dude being directed by Terrence Malick, navigated troubled waters to get here. It started six years ago, when Future Islands hit the road so hard they barely got up again; since then, the group’s proclivity for touring like an illegal circus has, quite gradually, dismantled Herring’s personal life. Early in 2013 they paused for breath, but that half-decade struck hard. “I sometimes feel like I lost life,” he admits. “I mean, you step away and create an alternate reality, because everything continues on at home. Your friends are there, they’re drinking at your bar. Your girlfriend is at home wondering where you are...” Herring talks longingly of relationships – love, home, friendship – but seems somehow uncommitted: ”Sometimes after three months on the road, you see a good buddy and they don’t even realise you’ve been gone. You’re like, ‘Yeah, I was just all over the place.’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, really? Crazy. You wanna get a beer?’” The implication is that keeping contact was the friend’s job. “You’re an update service,” adds Gerrit Welmers, a sort of deadpan band oracle who plays synth and beat-programmes. “You give updates to your girlfriend, or to your parents. You’re just like: ‘I’m here today. I’ve arrived.’” He half-smiles, looking ambivalent; the band chuckle or sob in agreement. By now, Future Islands have released enough breakup albums to qualify as a breakup band. The tag suits them: Herring, it transpires, is very much a breakup sort of guy. When asked to elaborate on an enigmatic comment made at a recent gig, he relays an unrepeatably sad saga involving long-distance love, dangling hope and a six-hour drive to an empty house. It’s a tale so crushingly maudlin you want to pack its bags and fly it to Ibiza. Let’s jump instead to the months immediately after. It’s 2008, as Herring and bassist William Cashion (also of Peals) bite the bullet and up sticks from North Carolina for Baltimore. Their arrival coincides with the unravelling of Wham City, a weirdo-art community Dan Deacon co-founded, known for goofy hijinks and hipster in-jokes such as Jurassic Park stage plays and Dan Deacon’s music career. But they harness scene disarray and relationship woe to grow anew, and with a work rate that’d make Thatcher grimace set the Future Islands sails to billowing. Now, after three albums of snowballing charm and wit, Future Islands are approaching perfection. Like all their records, Singles was mostly self-funded, but the band’s aversion to a pressure-making label advance was, in this case, unwarranted. Its stunning hit ratio is thanks partly to Chris Coady’s production (a stipulation of 4AD’s involvement), which planes edges without blunting the spirit, but put simply,

March 2014

Singles’ greatest asset is Herring and co’s songwriting, some of the mightiest around. The lyrics kick and frolic like lovers’ legs dangling over the pier, and despite the sound palette’s corporate gloss, the music’s cool is fuelled not by irony or effortlessness but something far more interesting. Essentially, Future Islands’ appeal has always orbited a hyperawareness of time’s passage. As 80s-style synths establish a nostalgic undercurrent, lyrics about loss, romance, turning tides and changing seasons celebrate the romantic inevitability of renewal. Meanwhile, outdated and potentially ironic pop signifiers – fast programmed beats, major-key synths, booming kick drums – confront a brute vocal sincerity that explodes the endorphin dam while tying your bullshit-sensor in knots. The point is, this glossy synthpop is a Trojan horse for real emotion and soul. Instead of flattering our cleverness, the elements combine to snatch massive heart from the jaws of ambivalence. Modern indie-pop has learned to exploit our cynicism towards sentimentality, but Future Islands are way ahead: they capitalise on our cynicism towards cynicism. “The difficulty is to write something that has that sentimentality without becoming completely cliché,” Herring explains. “But Spirit is a preachy song, not sentimental. It’s about not letting people carve out a role for you in your life. You don’t have to live the way everybody else lives if that’s not how you feel in your heart or soul: ‘Be more than words / Be more than strength and kind / Be love and blind / To those who come to you.’ It’s like saying, ‘Let’s be open to each other again. Let’s care about our fellow man, instead of living in this world of computer screens.’ We can say ‘I love you’ on the phone but we can’t say it to each other’s faces.” Lines like Spirit’s “Sing something new,” Herring continues, address a spiritually

moribund generation of songwriters: “If you have the platform to say something, say something. If you wanna believe in something, believe in something. And the follow-up line to that is, ‘Belief is wet and ghost.’ Which is like, belief is something you can’t see. It’s heavy and wet, but you can’t see it. But it believes in the most of you. It isn’t there, it’s not something you can see, but it’s in our heart. Our belief is everything – it’s who we are.”

“Let’s be open to each other again. Let’s care about our fellow man, instead of living in this world of computer screens” Samuel T. Herring

Earnest, heartfelt, direct – Herring’s outlook is hardly the bread and butter of blog-oriented indie, but it’s a neat antidote. At a time when, more than ever, schmaltzy ads and sitcoms dilute our appetite for sentiment and sincerity, we crave a hype-free, spiritual sugar-rush like Singles. This especially applies in indie-rock, the genre thirstiest to overcompensate with vagueness and irony for the inauthenticity of pop. Asked about his relationship with the modern taboo of spirituality and the soul, Herring instinctively discusses his vocal style, apparently a point of contention for skeptics of Future Islands’ sincerity. “It’s funny to me, because it’s

MUSIC

as if people forgot how to sing,” he says. “There’s all this great music, rock and soul of the fifties, sixties and even into the seventies. But somewhere in the eighties and nineties, pop took over and things got more industrial and clean-sounding. And then all of a sudden it’s 2008 and people can’t understand a singer who sings deeply or strong.” “With emotion,” adds Cashion. “Yeah, with emotion. It never made sense to me. I mean, I grew up listening to Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke and James Brown and the Supremes, in the car with my mum. That’s what I love: people singing from their soul. I feel like Singles is kind of an exploration of those different voices. Finding an old voice that I had many years ago.” Though it’s barely conceivable that a sub-30, North Carolinian white guy might be his generation’s great soul singer, witness Herring onstage, howling with funky distress and performing his weird brand of cathartic karate, and you might find you’re hard-pressed to argue. At risk of sounding slightly crass, there’s a parallel with blues historian John Szwed on Lead Belly: “He was a great performer, but in another way, you felt this guy was beyond performance.” Herring’s vocal affectations are so poignant, so rawly emotional, that matters of authenticity are moot. For Herring, it’s reward enough to be taken seriously. “We’ve always been a very lyrically deep and emotional band. I’ve never taken anything we’ve done lightly – I don’t think any of us have. Early on, people thought it was a joke because of the emotional qualities; there’s an honesty that they took as being tongue in cheek. But as we’ve continued to do what we do, people have realised, ‘Oh, these people are being serious. This is powerful music.’” He pauses, not sobbing but chuckling. “I’m like, ‘Thanks for realising that.’” Singles is released on 24 Mar via 4AD. Future Islands play Manchester’s Sound Control on 8 May future-islands.com

Feature

A Classic Obsession As his War on Drugs prepare to unleash album number three, Adam Granduciel talks of his time-honoured admirations and the forces that compel him to make music

Interview: Finbarr Bermingham

here was a lovely documentary that aired on BBC4 a few years back telling the story of the music that soundtracked Southern California during the late 60s and early 70s. In one scene, Glenn Frey of the Eagles remembers how he’d be wakened every morning to the sound of Jackson Browne sat at the piano downstairs. “He would play one verse, then play it again, and again, and again. Twenty times in a row, till he had it exactly the way he wanted. Then he’d move on to the next verse. Again, 20 times. It went on for hours... I don’t know how many days we listened to this same process before it suddenly hit us!” It’s unsurprising to hear that Adam Granduciel, the lead man of Philadelphia band the War on Drugs, has seen this same documentary. Nor is it a shock when he calls back the final line of Frey’s story: “‘Ah, so that’s how you write a song!’ That documentary is hilarious!” Granduciel is a disciple of the classics: a musician and a songwriter who has been irrevocably shaped by the golden sounds of that era, right through those of the 1970s and 80s. Barely a review goes by without some mention of Dylan or of Springsteen or Young; not a spin of one of the War on Drugs’ three superb records passes without the listener recalling one of the three. But it’s also hard to escape the suspicion that Granduciel himself would like nothing more than to sit at his piano all day playing music, albeit to a different end than Browne. “I love sitting down at the piano in the morning writing songs and picking up melodies,” he tells The Skinny from the Philadelphia house that has been his home for more than a decade. “For a while there, I would get up in the morning, make coffee and sit there for hours and play piano, sometimes pressing record, sometimes not.” Rarely, though, would he leave his piano with a finished piece. Unlike Jackson Browne’s portable and hummable classics, Granduciel composes collages of sound: songs within songs, melodies upon melodies; pieces so sprawling that it’s often impossible to pinpoint an epicentre (tip: it’s much more fun not to try). From debut record Wagonwheel Blues, through Future Weather EP and Slave Ambient, up to new album Lost in the Dream, the band’s sound has been growing more textural, the layers denser and the edges a little more blurry. But, paradoxically, the War on Drugs’ sound has become more and more refined. Lost in the Dream is marvellous. A product of Granduciel’s vision and obsessions, and of his Faustian pursuit of the right sound. “I was always such a fan of the classic artist: the obsessed, modernist painter or the guy who couldn’t leave his work alone,” he says. “Music was the one thing that as I kept getting older, I was getting more obsessed with... with recording, with getting better. That’s the one thing I do have that unbridled passion for. It’s fun for me to go on these journeys with the songs. People joke that I’m a perfectionist, but when you work at something for a year and start to see the songs take shape, then you start making drastic changes... ok, like mute all the drums, then the song reveals itself a whole new way, that’s really fun for me. All of a sudden you can turn it on its head, make last minute decisions. It’s obsessive for me in that I don’t wanna put it to bed... it’s not that I can’t. I wanna see how far this can go, what else you can do to make it that much more special.” For the new record, Granduciel recorded demos of each of the tracks on tape in his home studio, a place which he speaks of in a reverent tone. The song Suffering, he wrote on a Fender

Feature

Photo: Dusdin Condren

Rhodes piano and drum machine before taking it to the band and working on it for a few weeks. Eventually, he realised that he preferred the demo and took it in its primitive form. “I can do things in the comfort of my own home the way I want to do it and get the mood right for these songs, find the mood or work on a song till really late,” he explains.

“I was always such a fan of the classic artist: the obsessed, modernist painter or the guy who couldn’t leave his work alone” Adam Granduciel.

It would be logical to paint a Spector-esque image of Granduciel the perfectionist. Indeed, it’s easy to imagine the man haunched over a mixing desk, listening to the same snare drum beat all night long while everyone else around him sleeps, such is his boyish love for the studio and for sonic doodling. But he says that he’s learnt to draw a line. He no longer records religiously. “I used to,” he says. “I used to smoke a lot more pot, I used to have all my stuff in my bedroom.” But over the past 18 months, the rising profile of the band, the demands of touring and the desire to produce another record have all helped him acquire some level of professionalism. Even if it is by default.

“I used to do everything in my house,” he says. “But now we have a rehearsal space. At this stage in the game we can’t be preparing for a big tour and rehearsing in my house... every time I touch the microphone I get shocked.” The house with a big yard holds happy memories for Granduciel. He moved from Oakland, California to Philadelphia in 2003 but being “not overly social,” he doesn’t credit the city at large with having major influence over his music. It was more a case of the music scene beginning to gravitate around his home. He thinks it was in his house that he met Kurt Vile, one-time War on Drugs member and still one of Granduciel’s best friends, and most of his other collaborators. “When me and Kurt met, this is where we would play and record all the time back in the day, where our bands would rehearse. It’s this weird institution among my circle of musical friends.They’re like: ‘let’s go to Adam’s because all the gear’s there.’ There’s a sense of home here... it’s affordable and there’s a freedom to really not be anything but yourself. Music can be your number one thing, I don’t need four jobs just to pay for my apartment. That’s been a big influence. I guess being in the same house in this neighbourhood which is always changing, being a part of my little weird city community, rather than the music community, is a little strange. I always joke that I’m my block captain. My neighbour takes in my trash can and I take in his, I give him a ride...” There’s no clock-watching during a chat with Adam Granduciel. He gives the impression that he’d happily chew the fat all day, particularly if it happens to involve music. We talk Townes Van Zandt, who, unlike Granduciel, had something approaching a phobia of recording studios. “Townes probably got so much enjoyment out of playing his songs in a room, on a porch or in bars,” he offers. “He didn’t need to put it... in a capsule. Being a little bit of an introvert, the recorded material is where I get to sit on my couch with my best friends and play them my songs.” We discuss

MUSIC

his favourite producers. “Really all the greats: Bob Johnstone of Columbia, Tom Wilson (Dylan, the Velvets)... who produced the Roxy Music records? Eno?” It’s hard to reconcile the enthusiastic voice on the phone with his own admissions of depression, loneliness and paranoia. Equally, while the War on Drugs’ records are moody, they’re never maudlin. Some of the themes are dark, but they’re delivered in a way that suggests light at the end of whatever tunnel their creator may have been facing into, be it in the form of a joyous whoop, the crack of a snare or the exhilarating key change on a synth. Bill Callahan once sung, in his inimitable deadpan drawl: “Dress sexy at my funeral.” The same sentiment exists on Lost in the Dream. It would be impossible to avoid the dark clouds, but why not skewer them with rainbows? “I really enjoy pop music and darker records that are rock and roll rather than sombre,” Granduciel says. “Tonight’s the Night, which is so dark, has classic rock and roll elements to it. When I’m writing songs I’m never thinking about the mood... it’s always there. I don’t really write sad musical things, brooding things. But I like the landscape of these large songs and feel that I can step out a little more and express whatever I’m feeling, hoping that it’s not too personal, that it’s still relatable, and that I’m not the only person that can feel that way. That helps the songs be a little more uplifting. I always love a good keyboard hook. I’m playing along with a song – say Red Eyes – and, oh! there it is! I knew it was there somewhere! This is exactly what I wanted that song to be, that’s what makes me happy, this is a great rock and roll number, not over-thinking it, just going for it. As long as I still get joy out of making albums, I’ll feel like I’m moving forward.” Lost in the Dream is released on 17 Mar via Secretly Canadian. The War on Drugs play Manchester Academy 2 on 28 May thewarondrugs.net

THE SKINNY

Under the Influence: Jimi Goodwin As Doves frontman Jimi Goodwin prepares to finally strike out on his own with Odulek this month, the noted dub disciple preaches on ten treasured riddims

Interpol

f there was ever an artist that just got on with it, despite their circumstances, that’d be prolific albino reggae veteran Yellowman. Raised in a Kingston orphanage and surpassing initial prejudice for his skin – and even cancer in the 1980s – this dancehall king is responsible for over 50 albums in his 40 year career. Even if you don’t know reggae, you’ll probably recognise the iconic number Zungguzungguguzungguzeng and its trademark riddim. Catch him at the O2 ABC on Wednesday 5 Mar, alongside equally legendary Jamaican cohort (and controversial rasta rapper) Dillinger. If reggae’s not your ting, you can catch a whole night of gee-tar at the NME Awards Tour 2014 (O2 Academy, Tue 18 Mar). Headlined by classy NYC rockers Interpol, this year’s tour will also be carting about this thrashy set o’ three: the Kettering neo-psych foursome Temples after their recent debut Sun Structures, bearded Brighton garage-rock duo (and the BBC Sound of 2014) Royal Blood, and Liverpudlian indiepop up-and-comers Circa Waves. With the Americans at the fore, precedented quality is in the bag, but it’s the supporting acts that’ll make the night worthwhile. For a calmer affair, head back to the O2 ABC on Sunday 23 Mar for a session with LA-born songstress Banks. With a similar ambient flavour to James Blake, The Weeknd, and SBTRKT’s work with Sampha, her sultry compositions have had input from producers such as SOHN, Jamie Woon, and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, and put her on many a one-to-watch list for 2014. Known for dark, stripped-down electronic R&B, her two EPs to date (Fall Over and London) suggest her upcoming (and as yet untitled) debut album could be an immersive gem. Hailing from the Lanarkshire metropolis of Wishaw, the as yet unsigned Vigo Thieves bring their own spin on alternative indie to the O2 ABC on Saturday 29 Mar. If you’d like a cheeky bop to round off your month, this four-piece’ll show you how, with judicious synths, catchy melodies, and passioned vocals from frontman Stevie Jukes. It’s also apparently worth mentioning that one of their early videos featured John Leslie, for some reason. They’ve made their mark at both Stag & Dagger and T in the Park in recent years (although they famously turned down a slot at SXSW 2013 in favour of amping up their presence back home), and this brief UK tour coincides with their new single This Love, out 3 Mar. [George Sully] o2abcglasgow.co.uk

Feature

1. Jackie Mittoo – A Big Car (1970) Jackie Mittoo was the keyboard player in The Skatalites and was also the musical director of Clement Coxone Dodd’s legendary Studio One Records in Jamaica. I first heard this on a Stonesthrow Records live podcast by Beat Junkie DJ J Rocc. He played Give Me A Little Sign by Owen Gray – another classic – and then mixed into this. It worked so well, genius mixing! This is a beautiful swirling Hammond number. It’s so spiritual! 2. The Slickers – Johnny Too Bad (1972) ‘Walking down the road with a pistol at your waist, Johnny you’re too bad.’ You have to mess up bad to spoil an opening line like that. I first heard this on the soundtrack to the film The Harder They Come. One of the great outlaw songs. 3. Lynton Kwesi Johnson – Sonny’s Lettah [Anti Sus Poem] (1979) Recited in the form of a letter from a son to his mother, explaining how while defending his little brother from the bullying of racist police they’ve ended up in prison. A brilliant plot device and way to tell a story in song. Lynton Kwesi Johnson is a fantastic, gifted poet. 4. Count Ossie and the Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari – Four Hundred Years (1973) ‘Four hundred years of colonial rape...’ Another heavy opening line. This is a powerful, stark lesson in colonialism. Heavy Rasta Niyabinghi drumming and elements of jazz in the bass, trombones and saxophone.This is folk music, Jamaican style. 5. The Dubwood Allstars – Under Dubwood (2012) Straight out o’ Northenden, South Manchester – back a’ yard! This is inspired Garageband dub. King Tubby meets Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton under the Dubwood tree. Only me and a handful of people know who the Dubwood Allstars actually are, and I ain’t tellin!

MUSIC

6. Michigan and Smiley – Diseases (1982) Based on the classic Alton Ellis mad mad mad rhythm used on so many great records. I love the way reggae reinvents and appropriates grooves for new times. This is classic dancehall from the early 1980s. The lyrics are hilarious – a confusion of bible quotes and rampant sexism. It’s all just playful wordplay though and mostly tongue-incheek, I think?! 7. Dillinger – Cocaine in My Brain (1978) I heard this when I was about twelve and it blew me away. It sounds dangerous. All of the songs I’ve picked here seem to have powerful, brilliant lyrics. ‘Hey Jim! Jim! Just a minute y’all! No matter how I treat my guests, they always like my kitchen best.’ Yes! 8. John Holt – Ali Baba (1973) Oh boy – this groove spawned so many crazy versions, including the Dubwood Allstars above. The Ali Baba riddim! The King Tubby meets Augustus Pablo dub that spawned ‘em all, including Dr. Alimentado and Jah Stitch’s I Killed the Barber – a mythical joke war against Kingston Barbers who were after rastas’ hair. It’s so joyous and playful and free. 9. Prince Far I – Bedward The Flying Preacher (2003) Adrian Sherwood’s On U Sound Label put out this fantastic cut on dub supergroup Singers & Players’ album Staggering Heights. Deep dark dub based on the the true story of a Jamaican preacher called Alexander Bedward. This sounds so mystical and otherworldly to me. 10. Beres Hammond – I Could Beat Myself [Real Rock Riddim] (1994) From the opening ‘Ooh lord, I’m hurting,’ this is aching, soulful stuff. Beres Hammond with this dancehall classic playing over the real rock riddim. Odulek is released on 24 Mar via Heavenly Records. Jimi Goodwin plays Glasgow King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut on 10 Mar jimigoodwin.com

THE SKINNY

Mackenzie’s Crooks Scottish director David Mackenzie on being real in his powerful prison drama Starred Up

hen Jack O’Connell is a world-conquering star, they will talk of this film. In Glasgowbased David Mackenzie’s Starred Up, the 23-yearold from Derby plays Eric Love, a lethally violent, deeply traumatised aggressor-victim who is starring up – that is, moving from a juvenile facility to a maximum security penitentiary, where society’s most dangerous men live shoulder to shoulder. In the film’s opening scene, Eric is processed. His belongings are screened, he’s stripped down and searched, and then gruffly shown to a single cell. Once alone, he sets straight to work. In a practiced routine, he places two bottles of baby oil and some knitting needles in easy reach. Then he burns the end of a toothbrush with a cigarette lighter and secures the blade of a disposable razor in the melted plastic. Then he hides his lo-fi weapon in the casing of the strip light. Each tool, we deduce, has a very specific purpose. When the guards descend on Eric in riot gear, he covers himself with the oil, slips from their grasp as they pinion him against the cell wall, and holds the needles against a guard’s neck, threatening to stick him like a pig. Later, when a feared inmate wrongs him, he waits for the man to call home, approaches him from behind and slices his cheek in two. Then he prepares to sever the man’s lower lip while asking him for information. In a cinematic culture that promotes sensationalism, it’s unerringly believable. Starred Up never leaves the confines of the Belfast prison where the film was shot in sequence. O’Connell’s Eric, Ben Mendelsohn’s Nev, Rupert Friend’s well-spoken therapist Oliver, or indeed any of the prison’s inmates, barely talk of life beyond the prison walls. They communicate plenty, but in the primal, half-decipherable patois that men tend to descend into when shorn of the opposite sex. Yet we’re told, in the most skillfully cinematic way, who these men are, where

March 2014

Interview: Tom Seymour

they’ve come from, how they ended up here, and why they must be so comfortable with violence. “Big expositional scenes tend to stink of big expositional scenes,” a surprisingly nervous Mackenzie says when we meet in London. “So I don’t like scenes that are purely there to provide back story. I prefer the process of accumulating information. It feels more real – that’s how you get to know people. So it was important for me to try and make something that was authentic, or felt authentic at least.” Or felt authentic at least – a key phrase there. Starred Up is a prison drama in the socially-minded tradition of British cinema. It was written by Jonathan Asser, a first time screenwriter who used to work as a therapist in Wandsworth prison – “who basically is the Rupert Friend character,” according to Mackenzie. It was filmed in sequence, and is shot with rigorous clarity and purpose – long-held tracking and sequence shots with barely a spare edit. If any film can be called realist, it is Starred Up. Yet Mackenzie declares himself suspicious of realism: “Because it’s not real. It is as bogus as everything else. This is a fiction.” Mackenzie admits to struggling through a day of doing press. He seems a deeply intelligent man driven by a sense of uncertainty. He often takes a few tries at composing an answer, tripping over his words or pausing to stare at the floor before a response comes rushing out. It’s pretty clear he hates being interviewed. Yet, for all the divas in this industry, he’s an honest, open host, insightful in the details he gives. That attitude, you get the impression, works well on set. While he’s a veteran of nine feature films, he’s hardly a household name. But just look at the Scottish talent he has championed: Young Adam was a breakthrough role for Tilda Swinton; Hallam Foe was the emergence of an adult Jamie Bell. He’s directed Ewan McGregor in two of his most underrated roles – as a

film, but it’s hopeful. It shows Eric learning that trust might be possible, that everyone isn’t out to get you all of the time, that some people are willing to watch out for you without asking for anything in return. The revelation takes root after Eric joins a group-therapy session led by an intense, conflicted outsider (brilliantly played by Friend), in which long-termers are encouraged to talk about how they feel. The story, to all intents and purposes, is taken from Asser’s own experiences. “Asser was a bit of a pioneer in Wandsworth prison, because the control-problem prisoners weren’t given any sort of treatment for their violence,” Mackenzie says. “You had to prove you weren’t violent to get any sort of therapy. But Asser went in there and sat down with the men considered the most dangerous. He was told there was going to be blood on the walls, but David Mackenzie there never was. He was able to do that, essentially, because he identified with these guys in some way.” “Jack auditioned for the part, along with When they started rehearsals, Friend was all the bright young things of the British acting caught up in the United States, so Asser played scene,” Mackenzie says. “But he was so far and his part. “And he brought some of the men whom away the strongest; his demeanour, the way he he had treated in prison, and we played those seemed to understand the material. He made it clear to me that he connected with the character, scenes with them in the room. They were taking part – reliving it almost,” Mackenzie says. “A lot of that he seemed to know who Eric Love is. When we first met, he said that if a couple of things had the scenes that ended up in the film were direct gone differently for him, he could have ended up copies of how Asser dealt with these therapy sessions when they kicked off. He knows what it is to in not dissimilar circumstances.” The script came to Mackenzie through a for- be angry, and he knows what to do with it.” Asser should count himself lucky. Jack tuitous route – his friend taught Jonathan Asser O’Connell will take the plaudits for this film, as on a creative writing course. “We had the raw bones of what we ended up with,” he says of read- he should; it could truly be the birth of a great ing Asser’s first draft, “but the dialogue was quite screen actor. Yet Asser also found, through his script, a retiring, nervous guy who prefers to stay a lot more extreme. We had to soften a lot of it behind the camera – but is maybe growing into to make it half-comprehensible. But there was something great himself. a lot of anger there, and a lot of honesty.” Irony abounds here, as the American press are calling Starred Up, Released on 21 Mar for Starred Up to be subtitled. This is a deeply violent, deeply troubling

malcontent, deviant writer in Young Adam and as the rakish, caring everyman in Perfect Sense, Mackenzie’s sci-fi parable set in present-day Glasgow. Now he has handed a first leading role to O’Connell, the Skins actor who, later this year, will play the lead in survival story Unbroken, directed by someone called Angelina Jolie. Maybe she got hold of an advance copy.

“It was important for me to try and make something that was authentic”

FILM

Feature

Kyoto Calling

Affected heavily by a residency in Kyoto, Efdemin aka Phillip Sollmann describes how new album Decay is influenced by ideas of transience and deterioration, and the peace that can be found within them Interview: Daniel Jones

abi-sabi is a Japanese phrase that, like most Japanese phrases, is pretty tricky to translate. It stands for an ubiquitous worldview that recognises beauty in natural deterioration and decay. Think withered trees, creaky floorboards, or, in Phillip Sollmann’s case, subterranean echoes. Last autumn, Sollmann – aka Efdemin – got on a plane headed for Japan with his partner, a visual artist, and a hard drive full of live jams. They had been selected by the Goethe Institute to complete a three month residency in Kyoto, living and working out of an old German-language school that lies in the shadow of Mount Hiei and the surrounding Higashiyama Mountains. Sollmann’s aim was to immerse himself in Japanese culture, using it as inspiration in the mixing and mastering process for his forthcoming third LP, Decay, due on Dial at the end of this month. “Japan is completely overwhelming,” Sollmann says, calling on return to his newlyestablished workspace in Berlin. “I’ve been there six times in total, but never for that long. We were constantly studying art and literature. We could just about manage to tell the difference between fish and pork on a restaurant menu – most of the time, anyway. The language is crazily complex: they have three alphabets for a start! It’s a system which is impossible to fully understand unless you’re born there.” Residing in Japan also allowed Sollmann to get a better grasp of Buddhist culture, where deterioration is seen as a vital component of life. “It’s so different to Christian culture, where we almost avoid talking about death,” he considers. “There, we’d wake up to the sound of monks chanting sutra in a nearby temple and go walking along the Kamo River or wandering around the scatter of Shinto shrines.”

“Japan is completely overwhelming” Efdemin

The album draws energy from that unchecked tranquility and, even though 95% of recording took place in Germany, the Kyoto “state of mind” shines through. “It was liberating to know that I didn’t have to add anything as such,” he admits. “I tend to get lost in possibilities. Nothing was near finished before I moved out to Kyoto; all I had was a collected mess of basslines and percussive loops from my beloved Pearl Syncussion.” Part of the finishing process was also to define the concept of Decay. “We actually arrived in Japan just as the leaves were starting to change colour,” Sollmann remembers. “It was like no season I’ve ever seen. It showed why people shouldn’t be afraid of change. “Decay in music is also fascinating for me,” he continues. “How does a sound change from the moment it is triggered? How does a bell decay? How does a piano key decay? You can completely alter the perception of a sound by increasing or decreasing that single parameter. Aside from that, there’s also the fact that I’m getting older! Of course, decay is what we all must face, but I still have to deal with it personally. Maybe I’m already thinking about the next 30, 40 years and how I can sustain a nice level of being. Some ideas that used to burn brightly don’t seem as important now. Ideas decay, and other thoughts take their place.” There’s a lot in this title, then. The mood harks back to the darker, abstract techno that first seduced Sollmann in the late 90s – a nod, he says, to the gloomy soundscapes of “M-Plant,

Feature

CLUBS

Axis and Cologne minimalism.” He pinpoints his fondness for the first track, Some Kind Of Up and Down Yes. Then, there’s a track called The Meadow, which is named after a tiny garden behind his Berlin studio: “It’s basically a patch of grass and a few plants, so we started calling it The Meadow for obvious reasons. There isn’t much light back there, but we’ve even considered getting lights in to get the grass to grow faster,” he laughs. “Also, Track 93 is the first time I’ve recorded myself singing. That was an experience. I mean, I used to sing a lot more going back a few years, but don’t expect any more than improvised nonsense.” That said, let’s go back a few years. Sollmann’s journey into electronic began in the early 90s, when he was mucking about in punk-y garage bands with Hendrik Weber, now known as Pantha du Prince. “Nothing serious,” he checks; “Hendrik was playing bass in another band called Stella at the same time. We still hang out, and we’re both on Dial, but we gradually disconnected from playing together. Everybody has to follow their own path. We do go way back though... bro-style!” Further discussion of his musical youth reveals Sollmann’s passion for the cello, which he played up until the age of 17. “I still have one here in Berlin,” he adds, “but I would never say that I can play. If my music teacher didn’t leave school at the time, I would’ve carried on having lessons. Cello is one of those instruments where if you don’t devote time to practise every day, you really notice. You end up sounding like a crying wolf.” Ditching the resin for needles, his foray into electronic music proper began under the alias Tobin, putting out a track – Reis 1 – on Kompakt’s legendary Total 1 sampler back in 1999. He also became the first producer out of Hamburg to release an independent techno record. It was around this time that he met Peter Kersten, who would go on to set up Dial Records in the same year. The pair first bumped into each other in Hamburg’s notorious Golden Pudel club. “In the day it’s a very liberal, left-wing art space and bar,” says Sollmann. “But on the weekend it morphs into a club. Carsten (Jost) started playing there and, soon after, we all discovered that we had the same cloud of friends, as well as shared common interests in art, film and techno. It feels natural with Dial; friendship counts over commercial success. There’s nothing stopping me from doing whatever I want in whatever way I want...” he pauses. “Providing, of course, that I don’t ruin everything.” He goes on to define the artwork for Decay as his “favourite cover yet.” The image is a minimalistic photo collage of a mountain range, fading from dark indigo in the foreground to pale blue in the back “The pictures were taken early in the morning from the bridge in front of our house in Kyoto. The mountains have an omnipresence there, cradling the city. They contain so many different shades of blue, a different blue for each day. Blue is a very important colour in Japan; it symbolises the vast ocean surrounding the islands.” Sollmann is clearly captivated by the culture, to the point where he nearly extended his respectful bow to include Kyoto as the album title. Indeed, he would’ve done “if the last one wasn’t called Chicago.” Instead, Decay sums up the album’s meditative outlook, sitting atop a collection that does a fine job of transposing the abstracts of transience and change into soft rhythmical patterns. If anything, it challenges us to remember that sound is a flux, and that the river of yesterday is not quite the same river as today. Decay is released 31 Mar via Dial soundcloud.com/efdemin

THE SKINNY

Feature

THE SKINNY

Let’s Misbehave Curated by the Arches Glasgow, Behaviour Festival 2014 returns with more live performance to stun, engage, and entertain

ith a programme stretching over two months, and containing work so thematically and aesthetically diverse, it seems difficult to pick a starting point for a discussion of Behaviour Festival. Perhaps, to paraphrase the song, the best place to start is at the very beginning. Behaviour 2014 will kick off on 6 March with Bryony Kimmings’ Credible Likeable Superstar Rolemodel and Rosana Cade’s Sister. While Cade is a local artist, this is a piece that has not been seen before; at Arches Live 2013 it was still a work in progress. Both Cade and Kimmings seem to have created pieces about feminist identity – a topic that always seems to spark debate, since some types of feminism don’t subscribe to the idea of intersectionality; that is, that a woman will not just face institutionalised prejudice and sexism because of her gender, but also because of her background – e.g. migrant, sexual orientation, religion, trans/cisgender status, race, etc. It seems inevitable that these two performances will be compared, although they take on very different considerations about aspects of identity. Kimmings’ Credible Likeable Superstar Rolemodel concerns itself with the modern-day popstar-cum-’accidental’ role model, since, like it or not, children do learn from what they see in the world of oversexualised, profit-based media – the most recent example being the Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball video. With help from her niece, aged nine, Kimmings tries to come up with a role model who feels genuine, and encourages individuality. “A role model is someone that shows you a direction, inspires you, makes you feel safe and want to develop your skills,” Kimmings explains. “The problem with a lot of popular culture is that these people are very limited in terms of class, race and disability. For girls, add on top of this that most influential women are treated abhorrently by the press, which is a confusing message.”

March 2014

Words: Eric Karoulla

While this is a show that primarily concerns itself with role models and pop stars, it could also be seen as a commentary on the social responsibility of the media, as well as that of performers, and people in the public eye. “No matter what a pop artist thinks they are doing, they are being looked at and mimicked by kids across the world,” Kimmings stresses. David Greig touched on this during the 2013 Fringe from a more extreme angle in his play The Events, when the main character interrogates a journalist about his book, since the murderer has quoted extensively from it. The uncompassionate response he gives is mirrored by the politician whose party shares identical ideals to the convicted man, but wishes to distance itself from the crime, in case their reputation is tainted. After all, they preach xenophobia, but a ‘madman’ with a gun who happened to kill ‘foreigners’ was none of their fault. Applying the idea of social responsibility to art – more specifically, performance – makes things particularly interesting, as the idea of theatre as education has persisted since Aristotle. To what extent is a performer responsible for the conclusions an audience member draws from their performance? Here to take the assault against the media, politics, and institutionalised sexism further, Cristian Ceresoli’s La Merda brings Silvia Gallerano to the stage with a monologue of revelations in four parts. Discussion of stubborness, bulimia, and many other unexpected confessions follows. Social responsibility and the impact of abuse of the media is also explored extensively in Hate Radio by the International Institute of Political Murder. The UK premiere examines the 1994 Rwandan genocide from inside a radio station that broadcasted some of the most aggressive anti-Tutsi propaganda at the time. “I decided to tell the story of the Rwandan Genocide (a conflict which includes several

millions of people) through the story of this radio station: 16 squared metres for an untellable genocide. The voices of four people to speak the propaganda, the hate,” declares Milo Rau, the scriptwriter and director behind the piece. In this case, the impact of the propaganda is undeniable; the story has already been written through historical fact – during the genocide, approximately 500,000 to 1,000,000 people were killed. With the 20th anniversary of the genocide approaching, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking genocide is a relic of the past but Hate Radio tries to make the theme and the consequences universal. “I used the sentences used in 1994, but I decided (together with my Rwandan actors) to make that station ‘cooler,’ younger, more postmodern than it was,” explains Rau. “Because I think that it’s this postmodern, mashed-up style of Hate Radio that shows the universality (and so to say: the future) of a racist speech.” This kind of speech tends to address specific groups, often based on a one-sided concept of identity that is both stereotypical and superficial. However, the debate sparked around the Scottish independence referendum has brought national identity to the fore, and the attempt to identify what characteristics Scottish people have in common (beyond location) has spilt over into performance. Martin O’Connor’s Theology explores his own and Glasgow’s identity in the face of religion. Looking at Catholicism, he examines its relation to life in Glasgow. The universality and theatricality of the Catholic mass – from Glasgow to Ireland, to Oslo – seemed a good starting point. “In attempting to make a piece of theatre about religion in Glasgow I have realised very quickly that it is completely unique to this city, and this is inextricably linked to sectarianism and football,” states O’Connor.” There is a main thread that runs through Theology that attempts to face up to this fact, ask questions of it and

THEATRE

have a bit of fun by using football songs and references.” Speaking of identity, it would be foolish to ignore the Arches’ identity as a club/music venue in Glasgow. Perhaps this is why one of the thematic strands in this year’s Behaviour Festival gives a platform to the interaction of live music with other artistic/creative disciplines. In May sees Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy combining forces with the visual mastery of Simon Wainwright, and the musical talents of the Ligeti string quartet to unravel the tale of a man’s death. An opera about a man dying of cancer might not sound as noble as Scottish Opera’s Macbeth, but it certainly attracts attention to the beauty of everyday life. The Festival itself will draw to a close in May, with Dark Behaviour. This is a club night curated by 85A, and as Jackie Wylie, the Arches’ artistic director, explains: “We are [also] interested in the intersection of theatre and performance with other art forms. For example I’d like to see our Dark Behaviour event develop – it’s a club night that this year is being curated by 85A. We’re lucky at the Arches as we are known as much for our live music as our arts programme so we are uniquely placed to programme and create events that merge both.” The highlights of Behaviour Festival 2014 certainly seem promising. As it is a two-month long festival, the ideal path might be to get a festival pass – thus saving some money and having access to all the events as well. Behaviour Festival 2014, Arches, 6 Mar-2 May Credible Likeable Superstar Rolemodel, 6-7 Mar, 7pm, £12 (£10) Sister, 6-7 Mar, 8.30pm, £12 (£10) La Merda, 10-11 Apr, 8.30pm, £12 (£10) Hate Radio, 14 & 16 Mar, 7pm, £14 (£10) Theology, 14-19 Apr, offsite In May, 15 Mar, 7.30pm £14 (£10) Dark Behaviour, 2 May, 9pm, £10 (£5 with festival pass)

Feature

Where Page Meets Stage As StAnza Poetry Festival welcomes Louis de Bernières, Paul Muldoon and other leading lights, we speak to Festival Director Eleanor Livingstone about where page meets stage, and ask Michael Pedersen, Ross Sutherland and others to preview their shows

Interview: Bram E. Gieben Illustration: Sam Caldwell

tAnza Poetry Festival is a five-day celebration of the written and spoken word focusing on poetry, or as the festival’s director Eleanor Livingstone would have it, “all of the poetries” that exist. This year, the festival’s prgramme reflects both a boom in spoken word and performance poetry, and a resurgence of interest in published poetry, popularised again by figures such as UK poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy (who features this year), and Scotland’s own Makar, Liz Lochhead (who charmed audiences in 2013). As tempted as she is to launch into a celebratory romp through this year’s programme, Eleanor Livingstone wants to address a few misconceptions about poetry first. “The word ‘poetry’ is a bit misleading – it’s a bit like saying ‘music’ or ‘visual art.’ It’s just so plural and multiple, such a wide spectrum,” she says. “A single word really doesn’t cover it. If people say to me ‘I’m not really into poetry,’ I always ask ‘What kind of poetry are you not into?’ I think it would be extremely difficult to find somebody who would say they were not into music of any kind, or visual art of any kind. Poetry ought to be the same, but people often shut themselves off. They encounter one kind of poetry and base their opinions on that, and have no idea of poetry’s true diversity.” That diversity is one of the things she seeks to address each year at StAnza, not least by taking on the often-discussed notion of ‘page versus stage.’ With the increasing popularity of performance poetry and poetry slams, some are keen to preserve the distinction between supposed ‘page’ and ‘stage’ poets. But Livingstone, and many of the poets performing this year, see this distinction as largely academic. “An awful lot of the poets who are known as performers have some kind of engagement with poetry on the page as well, and I definitely think that what makes a poetry festival special is that every poet who reads their work is giving a performance,” she says. One of StAnza’s biggest coups this year is the return of novelist Louis de Bernières, author of the much-loved Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. His first appearance, in the festival’s In Conversation strand, was as a poetry afficionado, rather than a poet. “During the event, he admitted that he did write poetry himself, and was convinced to read one or two,” Livingstone recalls. “We are absolutely delighted that ten years on, he has published his first collection of poetry – it really feels like a lovely circle coming round, to have him coming back as a published poet. We like to feature poets at every stage in their career – it is as important to have new voices as it is to have the big headliners. It’s lovely to have someone who is both a big headliner, but also in poetry terms, a new voice.” Two of the new voices featuring this year are Marion McCready and Andrew Sclater, both of whom have received the Book Trust’s New Writers’ Award. Both Sclater and McCready are full of praise for the mentorship they received, and the opportunities it has subsequently opened up for them. “They treat you as a serious person,” says Sclater, “doing something that is a valid cultural activity.” McCready is grateful for the support she received: “It gave me the validation, the permission I needed to go ahead and write the poems I really wanted to write,” she says. Her work explores “the natural world as a way of exploring personal experiences, relationships and general themes of love, death, faith and violence,” while Sclater says his work is “language and rhythm-driven.” Appearing at StAnza for the first time this

Feature

year is Neu! Reekie! ringleader Michael Pedersen, a writer who gloriously straddles the imaginary line between performance and page poets, as he demonstrates in his flamboyant readings and the studied precision of his finely-tooled debut collection, Play With Me. He’s looking forward to his StAnza debut. “It’s such a phenomenal thing, that there’s a festival happening in Scotland entirely dedicated to poetry.” A stalwart of the spoken word scene and now a respected published poet, his appearance is overdue: “I’d held off, and I thought I’d try and go for the first time as a performer. Saying that, if I’d hit 30 and still not been, I might have reconsidered, because I’d be missing out on so much!” He is looking forward to seeing Paul Muldoon read, and to the final-night blowout with King Creosote. He sees an increasing fluidity in the borders between the ‘page’ and ‘stage’ camps at StAnza: “Traditionally, other literary festivals have kept them very separate. Now that they are coming together, it’s the halcyon days. It’s a great happening, and I for one am empowered by it.” Another respected performance poet attending StAnza this year is Ross Sutherland. “Everyone talks about StAnza as being the best poetry festival in the UK,” he says, also excited to make his debut there. “StAnza is more of a community affair: poets don’t just parachute in, do a reading, then immediately leave again. The writers hang around, go see stuff, enjoy the city.” He is also looking forward to Paul Muldoon’s reading: “I got to interview Paul Muldoon when he first took the poetry editor post at the New Yorker. Paul described his poetry as ‘a house party, where the host has escaped through the bathroom window.’ That’s stayed with me ever since.” Sutherland is touring Scotland in July, and coming back for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe too. One of the spoken word hits of last year’s Fringe, Sophia Walker’s Around The World in Eight Mistakes comes to StAnza this year. Her show explores her peripatetic existence, taking her from Russia to the UK, from Uganda to Vietnam and onward again. “It’s been interesting touring a show about cultural differences and modern history,” she says. “I didn’t realise how anti-American

the show was til the first time I performed it there!” On the question of page versus stage, she is in favour of cross-pollination. “StAnza understands the need for page and performance poets to meet, mix, learn from each other, challenge each other,” she says. “Poets need that, even though in my genre all performances are interactions, many aspects of poetry are still very solitary.”

“StAnza understands the need for page and performance poets to meet, mix, learn from each other, challenge each other” Sophia Walker

Walker’s show is just one that touches on the festival’s two major themes, Words Under Fire, which according to Livingstone examines not just the centenary of “one of the most influential bodies of poetry in contemporary times,” the work of the First World War poets, but also “looks at poetry as a record of what happens during periods of war.” Events addressing this theme include a reading from Dan O’Brien, author of War Reporter, and touch on conflicts as historically diverse as the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as far back as the medieval Battle of Maldon. Jenny Lewis presents two events exploring both the historical roots of the Iraq conflict and the poetry of Wilfred Owen and others of the period: “The key to all good war poetry,” she believes, is that “it must somehow

BOOKS

humanise its subject matter so the reader is moved, and if enough readers are moved there’s a tiny chance that something outside the poetry might change, even if it’s only to shift public opinion slightly so that a few less bombs are dropped or lives ended.” Another theme is A Common Wealth of Poetry, which engages with the concept of ‘home,’ and speaks directly to the themes of Homecoming Scotland. “I’ve been inviting poets who I’m calling ‘new’ Scots and ‘travelling’ Scots,” explains Livingstone. “Some of the poets I have invited came to Scotland and settled here, others have lived elsewhere and then come back to Scotland.” One such ‘settler’ is Luminate Slam winner Graeme Hawley, whose performance will feature projected poems, live music and readings, taken from his album as 56n, entitled Sleeve Notes. “You get the text, and you get the music, and you can hear it in your own head, how you want to,” says Hawley, eschewing some of the performative aspects of his work for this event. “I’m trying to make it as free for the audience as possible.” With other events including a poetry slam hosted by Rally & Broad, aka respected Edinburgh performance poets Jenny Lindsay and Rachel McCrum, and with leading poets from around the world in attendance, StAnza remains a beacon; a place where traditional and experimental approaches collide and intersect. With the festival, like many, facing potential budget cuts, lovers of poetry can only hope that the festival continues to be a melting pot of ideas, styles and traditions. “Whatever else is happening in the field affects you, and affects your work,” says Eleanor Livingstone. “If everything becomes more experimental, then even at the formal, mainstream end, you will be influenced as well. Festivals like StAnza give an amazing opportunity for engagement and interaction.” StAnza 2014 runs from 5-9 Mar at various venues in St. Andrews – see website for full listings. The Skinny will publish our full interviews with all the poets featured in this article on our website as the festival unfolds – keep an eye on theskinny.co.uk/books stanzapoetry.org

THE SKINNY

“Howay” (that’s Geordie for, “Come and join us”)

For a city break decked with a roster of top-notch culture, gigs and performances, visit NewcastleGateshead. Find out what’s happening and plan your city break at

www.NewcastleGateshead.com @altweet_pet #TheTyneisNow facebook.com/NewcastleGateshead

Win a NewcastleGateshead city break

Find out more at NewcastleGateshead.com

Travel to Newcastle by train. For the lowest East Coast Advance fares March 2014 book direct at eastcoast.co.uk Terms & conditions apply. Subject to availability.

Feature

INNIS & GUNN AND

THE SKINNY SHORT FILM COMPETITION

WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK WWW. INNISANDGUNN.COM

PLEASE ENJOY INNIS & GUNN RESPONSIBLY

Our free advice and support helps you go further Call: 0333 999 7989 Visit: culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk Email: info@culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk Find us: facebook.com/ceoscotland Follow: twitter.com/ceoscotland

THE SKINNY

Aussie Rules Ahead of the reissue of Wake in Fright, a blistering study of Outback machismo from 1971, we speak to its director Ted Kotcheff about the film’s shoot in Broken Hill, New South Wales

Interview: James Kloda

“I

f you’re a good bloke, you’re alright.” An inherently banal statement enlivened by the plain-speaking confidence of the Australian accent that announces it. But in Wake In Fright, everything hangs on the notion of ‘bloke’: not just a ‘guy’ but one compromised by red-blooded machismo, swaggering with primal urges and caveman pragmatism. It would not be the first time director Ted Kotcheff explored such male temperament: the resurgence of John Rambo’s violent instincts in 1982’s First Blood; Gene Hackman’s retired Marine pooling together a group of veterans to rescue his prisoner-of-war son in Uncommon Valor (1983); the dubious rise to get-rich-quick power of the title character in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974). Wake in Fright’s inexorable 1971 study of psychic disintegration revolves around John Grant (Gary Bond), a disgruntled Englishman forced to sit out a teaching job in a one-horse outpost in the middle of an endless, uncompromising desert. When the six-week Christmas vacation arrives, he heads to meet his girlfriend in the oasis of Sydney, but first must make an overnight stop in the Outback town of ‘The Yabba,’ a sweltering gridiron of insistent masculinity, where steaks are gnawed, beer mainlined and money gambled feverishly. When Grant stakes all on an opportunity to escape his dead-end contract and loses, the stopover becomes one booze-sodden descent into the recesses of his dormant animalism, goaded by the Mephistophelean Doc Tydon (a delirious Donald Pleasance). Shot in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Kotcheff’s film is a blearily subjective nightmare: expressionistic flourishes of febrile grotesquerie are countered by eerily static scenes, forlorn in their ambiguity. Ignored upon its release, Wake in Fright was pulled out of circulation before vanishing into obscurity. Believed lost for over three decades, materials were found and restored, retrospectively placing Grant’s grim pilgrimage as a cornerstone of the Australian New Wave. When The Skinny called Kotcheff at his home in Mexico, the director came across as one who is, in keeping with his cinema, most definitely ‘alright.’

The Skinny: Retrospectively, Nick Cave has declared Wake in Fright the “most terrifying film about Australia in existence.” How was such an unflattering portrayal of Outback mentality initially received? Ted Kotcheff: When the locals found out I was there to make the film, they said, “You’re going to rubbish us, aren’t you?” I said, “Look. I’m a director. I don’t criticise. I observe and empathise. I’m not the judge of my characters, I’m their best witness.” When it was released in Australia in 1971, the popular reaction was lukewarm. People were affronted by the depiction of the Aussie male. Jack Thompson, one of the actors in the film, remembered that in the theatre where he saw it, a man jumped out of his seat and shouted, “This is not us!” And another voice cried out, “Sit down you fool. It is us.” But were you concerned that this depiction might be perceived as parodic or exploitative, what with you being a Canadian-born filmmaker? When I arrived in Australia, I discovered that the Outback was not that dissimilar to Northern Canada. The same vast, empty spaces that, paradoxically, are not liberating but claustrophobic and imprisoning. And both countries

March 2014

have hyper-masculine societies. John Grant is a sensitive, literate man who succumbs to the shadow side of his own nature. The whole picture is an odyssey of self-discovery: a guy who finds that his essential superiority is unwarranted and does things he never dreamed of to prove his virility. Education and civilisation are thin defence against the ‘yahoo’ in each one of us. It ain’t just Australians! It’s all men. It’s me, OK? As Donald Pleasance’s character remarks, “Affectability? Progress? A vanity spawned by fear.” This line particularly resonates through your career. My films seem to be haunted by characters who don’t know what’s driving them on. Take Duddy Kravitz: what’s essential in that picture is the guy who goes up to him and says, “Kravitz! Why do you always run around like you got a red-hot poker up your ass?” He doesn’t know why. And John Grant knows sweet Fanny-Ann about himself. I’m attracted to putting these characters into situations where they can discover things about themselves, however unsavoury. Many of your films deal with levels of machismo and masculine assertion. What is it specifically about the male psyche that interests you so much? Well, the one thing you need to know about Broken Hill is that the men outnumber the women three to one. I said to the editor of the local newspaper, “Where are the brothels?” “There are no brothels.” “What about homosexuality?” And he said, “Whut?!? Are you crazy? No way.” “What do they do for human contact?” “They fight.” And that was the case. I’d go out to a pub and this guy would come and square right up to me. I grew up in the streets and know how to win a fight. You start it. Someone sticking his jaw in my face meant that I could break it. But the fighting was not belligerence, just desperation for human contact. And that provocation was the easiest way of getting touched by somebody.

The prolonged sequence of night-time kangaroo slaughter caused its fair amount of consternation. How difficult was it to bear witness to? The whole thing flummoxed me because the last thing in my mind was to kill an animal for a film. One of the crew told me that hunters killed hundreds of kangaroos every night in the Outback, going out with refrigerated trucks to sell them to America for the pet food industry: think about that the next time you feed your dog. All I can say is never look in the eyes of a kangaroo as you’ll never kill one again. They are the most anthropomorphic creatures. Whenever I was shooting them outside of the actual slaughter scene, I’d see one and he’d stop and look at the camera. I’d say, “OK, now jump to the left.” And he would. “Stop now.” He’d stop. It was like A Midsummer Night’s Dream: he was Bottom with a kangaroo head on.

“You can’t understand that film without drinking beer” Ted Kotcheff

Where did you find Nelson, the boxing kangaroo, who violently spars with one of the drunken locals in the midst of this nocturnal nightmare? Kangaroos are pacific creatures so I had no idea how I was going to do that scene. But I lucked out with Lord Nelson, so called because somebody had shot out his right eye and, as a result, he wanted to rip apart every human being he ever met. He was the Moby Dick of kangaroos. When I shouted “Action!”, Lord Nelson just charged right at the actor who was his adversary. I don’t know how Peter Whittle faced him. What they do is embrace you with their upper arms, go back on their prehensile tail, then raise their legs inside

FILM

the embrace and disembowel you. Only if they’re angry, and, boy, he was ready to kill Peter. Anyway, we shot it all, and instead of finishing in three days, we did it in three hours. I opened the gates of the enclosure we were in and said, “Okay, Lord Nelson, you did a great job. You can go.” He wasn’t sure that I meant it and took five exploratory hops, before looking back at me. “Go back to your family and friends Lord Nelson. And I’m sorry somebody shot you in the eye and no one can ever make it up to you, but whoever that bastard was…” And he understood. Wake In Fright sinisterly details the effects of submission to an aggressive hospitality. If John Grant had been just a bit more assertive in declining the offer of a drink, he might have avoided existential breakdown… You know Chips Rafferty, the guy who plays the Outback sheriff? The first shot I did with him was where he pours a pint down his throat. I said, “Action!” and he spat it out. “What is that, Ted?” he said. “It’s non-alcoholic beer.” “WHAT?!? I can’t act with that.” “For Chrissakes, Chips, I may do six takes of this. What, you gonna down six pints of real beer?” He said, “Ted, don’t worry about it. You provide me with beer and I will do the acting.” And he did – knocked countless back and never missed a mark. How do you think the film stands up now, since its rediscovery? When I screened Wake in Fright after it had disappeared for 25 years, I was deeply intrigued by the despair in it. Despair over humanity. Ironically, Australian audiences have come to appreciate that darkness now, and are always thrilled to discuss it afterwards. Over a beer or two? [Laughs.] You can’t understand that film without drinking beer… Wake in Fright is released in UK cinemas 7 Mar by Eureka! Entertainment, and released on dual format (Blu-ray and DVD) edition as part of Eureka!’s Masters of Cinema series on 31 Mar eurekavideo.co.uk

Feature

Warpaint

A Summer Waiting:

Warpaint, Daniel Avery and St. Vincent look forward to festival season; we preview the best international events, and speak to the top booker at Primavera Sound about legacy bands, rising stars, and the future of the festival in Europe

lanning your summer festival intinerary is not such an easy task these days – with new festivals springing up each year, and the list of established festivals happening across Europe and the USA now approaching the hundreds, many specialise, catering to a specific subsection of musical fandom, or selling themselves on the strength of the experience, location, and added entertainment on offer. To help you pick the right festival for you, The Skinny spoke to St. Vincent, Warpaint and Daniel Avery – three diverse artists sitting astride some of the most esteemed and exciting bills this summer. We also had a chat with Abel González, top booker at Primavera Sound – he gives us a fascinating insight into which bands get booked, and why. “The energy of a festival is just totally different,” says Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent, on the eve of the release of her new, selftitled album. She will be playing at several of the big festivals in Europe and the US this year, including Denmark’s venerable Roskilde event, and mammoth American industry showcase South By Southwest. Festival sets differ from more intimate gigs, because “there’s the collective consciousness of 80,000 people roaming around in the sunshine, so you have to change things a little bit – you have to paint in bolder strokes,” she says. “Nuances can be lost, but that’s okay. I can create a set for a festival that can be blocky, with bold colour, and big.” Clark is looking forward to playing SXSW, not least because she grew up in Texas, a place she still feels she has an “intimate relationship” with: “If you showed me a picture of the sky, I could tell you what month it is. If you bottled the scent of a particular season, I could tell you ‘Oh yeah... that’s summer in Texas.’ That kind of stuff is just home with a capital ‘H.’” Theresa Wayman of art-rockers Warpaint is an old hand at festivals now – but she remembers their early appearances fondly: “I was shocked when we arrived... there was a backstage area full of all of these bands that I had heard of... we were all going to be hanging out together. That surprised me, not just at the first festival, but on the whole circuit. Bands, if you’re on the same kind of album cycle, kind of follow each other. Realising that you’re billed on the same stage as

Feature

somebody like Robert Plant, you’re gonna see them backstage warming up, after you play – maybe they’ve watched you play... it’s just pretty insane,” she says. Asked if Warpaint have any theatrics or tricks up their sleeves for their appearances this Summer, Wayman stays true to the band’s understated allure: “We don’t wear costumes... maybe we should! But we just got this backdrop, which is our album cover – it’s really great, I love it so much, it just changes the feel of the stage. The cover kind of looks like shadows, because of the overlay of the images, so when it is big and blown up it looks more subtle, surprisingly. It’s pretty cool.” She reveals that album track Disco//Very is an emerging live highlight, although “these songs still have some catching up to do with songs that we’ve been playing for years, like Elephant. That one still makes everyone go nuts. Undertow does, too. People seemingly love our new stuff... it just takes a minute to really get inside them and play them really well.” By the time Warpaint hit the likes of Californian enormo-festival Coachella, and the Primavera festivals in Spain and Portugal, the new material will be sounding pretty polished. As for the sunshine she will no doubt encounter in the US and Europe, Wayman’s nonplussed: “We get sunshine as soon as we go home – we live in Los Angeles, where it never rains and the sun always shines, and I find it really annoying,” she confesses. “Maybe I just wish I was living in London or something.” She’ll get the chance for some proper English weather when Warpaint play Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds later in the year, but she says she’s not a fan of mud either: “I’m not that person really, that made a point of camping out and trod through the mud, or whatever the elements are. I did go to Coachella a few times, and I thought that was fun. You can’t go wrong with a festival like that, really.” One of the most interesting talents in British electronic music of recent times, Phantasysigned DJ and producer Daniel Avery, will be taking a compact show on the road – but that means he’s free to hit more festivals than nearly any other artist, by our count. “I am really enjoying DJing, more than I ever have done in ten years of doing it, and I really feel like right now, it’s quite

Photo: Daniel Harris

St Vincent

Interview: Bram E. Gieben

fertile ground for DJs,” he says. “Crowds are really receptive to things. I’m still a massive fan of being able to change the mood of a room really quickly, as you can do with DJing – that’s the unique thing about it, for me.” He’s looking forward to playing back to back with Andrew Weatherall, who has offered support and ringing endorsements of his acid-tinged techno. They feature together at Villette Sonique in Paris, and the Bugged Out Weekender back in the UK. “It’s always a pleasure to share the decks with one of my favourite DJs,” says Avery. “He has a million stories, and each one is better than the last. It’s always great to hang out with him.” The rise of festivals in Poland, Croatia and throughout Eastern Europe is one of the success stories of the circuit in recent years, and Avery is very much looking forward to his appearance at Unknown Croatia, where he and Phantasy label boss Errol Alkan will host an exclusive boat party. “Records sound different in the sunshine,” says Avery. “Dance music, in particular, just really comes to life in the sun. As much as I love playing in dark basements in the middle of winter, in the sunshine it can really lend a whole different atmosphere.”

“We party until 6am no matter what” Abel González

Another of Avery’s anticipated highlights is French experimental electronic music festival Nuits Sonores, his favourite of last year’s summer shows. “I played on an outdoor stage right at the end of the night, and it had just started to rain, so I didn’t have high hopes for it,” he says, but “it turned into this crazed mass of people, all getting really into what I was doing. Sometimes you just feel this warmth between you and the crowd, and that was definitely one of them. There’s something really special about that place.” Wayman, meanwhile, is looking forward to bringing Warpaint back to Poland for the Open’er Festival: “We’ve played in Poland before, which was great,” she says. “Stella, our drummer, is Polish – she’s from Australia, but she’s

TRAVEL

also Polish, and she has family there.” She is also psyched for their appearance at the grand dame of the European Festival circuit, Denmark’s Roskilde: “I’m excited to go there, I think the people are really down to earth,” she says. “It’s cosy.” Primavera and its sister-festival Optimus Primavera offer one of the best-value tickets this Summer, with a gigantic and staggeringly diverse bill. In terms of scale, it rivals UK behemoth Glastonbury and huge US festivals like Coachella, and has become a firm favourite with both music fans and bands. So what has Primavera got that Coachella doesn’t? For the festival’s chief booker Abel González, it’s the fact that “the festival is built on the Spanish way... we party until 6am no matter what.” González says his team are all “die-hard music fans; a bunch of freaks” who will always try to book the kind of “experimental and unique music which will please our most discerning customer.” For him, “booking experimental acts will also allow people to discover weird new music.” Talking about emerging and successful niche and alternative artists, he says: “We know people will pay attention to them because of their inclusion in the line-up.” This year’s bill features the likes of Andy Stott, Demdike Stare and Vatican Shadow alongside big headliners like Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age. “Our experimental booking is one of the things we’re most proud of;” says González. “Festivals can be pretty similar in terms of headliners and can show their personality by the way they book the smaller slots.” This year’s Primavera lineups feature reformed shoegaze titans Slowdive, as well as Television playing their album Marquee Moon, and of course bands such as the Pixies – González believes that the booking of so-called ‘legacy’ bands is a matter of quality, not opportunity, and doesn’t worry that young bands will struggle to fill the shoes of returning giants in subsequent years. Asked who he believes will top the bills in years to come, González tips The National and Wolf Eyes. “We don’t particularly aim to book reunions per se but obviously we love having bands that no longer exist, who want to exist again at Primavera. I bet we had some influence on the Slowdive reunion this year – we’ve been asking for ages and they finally said yes just so they wouldn’t

THE SKINNY

Festival Season Abroad have to hear us ask them again next year! It’s hard to say how much, but our persistence feels like it’s played some part in Slowdive reforming.” Warpaint’s Wayman is full of praise for Primavera’s back-stage atmosphere, too: “It’s one of those situations where the bands are all staying in the same hotel, so everyone’s there and it’s like you’re in this big band camp,” she says. “You get to talk shop with everybody and hang out; have a drink and enjoy life. It’s fun.” Warpaint are near the top of the bill at the Primavera outings this year, a progression from their last round of festival appearances. In terms of the potential for hedonism backstage (and indeed onstage), Wayman takes a pragmatic approach: “What you have to do is just pick your moment. If you know you have a bunch of shows coming up, it’s most likely wise not to stay up all night drinking,” she says. “But if you have a couple of days off, why not indulge a little and hang out, see some people, and have a good time?” Avery meanwhile is over the consummate professional: “It’s important to treat it as something of a job, because when you realise you have a lot of people in front of you, there’s a responsiblity there,” he says. “I never want to be known as that guy who just passes out on stage. Not that I’ve ever come close to that! I know some people who totally embrace it and really get stuck in, but I like the idea of having some kind of responsibility to a large group of people... I never want to mess it up.”

ith our highlights of the international festival calendar, it should be easy to pick the right place, the right bands, and the right time for your own hedonistic shenanigans – let’s take a look at 2014’s cream of the crop. Combining snowboarding and skiing with a gigantic bill that reads like a who’s-who of stadium electronic acts, including headline sets from The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers, Snowbombing (7-12 April, Maryhofen, Austria) is expensive, but great value for money, and a completely alternative take on the traditional tents-and-warm-beer approach. Trade canvas for chalet, and be sure to catch a rare live set from Four Tet, as well as a set from the ubiquitous Mr Avery. Less chilly, but possibly only marginally

March 2014

so, will be the sole remaining festival from All Tomorrow’s Parties – ATP Iceland (10-12 July, Keflavik, Iceland) has a daydream of a lineup, with appearances from Kurt Vile, Swans and Fuck Buttons, and the claustrophobic electronic visions of Tri-Angle producers The Haxan Cloak and Forest Swords. Over in Poland, there are two fantastic festivals on offer – the first on the calendar being Open’er (2-5 Jul, Gdynia, Poland), on the go since 2002, and offering a pretty stellar bill, with the mighty Warpaint, Foals, Interpol, MGMT, Phoenix, and perhaps most excitingly, grunge titans Pearl Jam. Later in the year, the OFF Festival (1-3 Aug, Katowice, Poland) offers Jeff Mangum’s Neutral Milk Hotel, Fuck Buttons, Perfume Genius, and our highlight, Border Community techno maverick James Holden. MELT! Festival (18-20 Jul, Ferropolis, Germany) is definitely worth a visit, if only to experience Ferropolis, a giant industrial park outside Berlin populated by abandoned industrial machinery transformed into outlandish sculptures. It’s a dramatic setting in which to catch Portishead, in one of just a few festival appearances this year, along with Haim, Jagwar Ma, Metronomy, and a wealth of electronic artists including Moderat, Fuck Buttons (they get everywhere!), Baauer and more. Sun-drenched Croatia has a booming festival season. Firstly, there’s Soundwave (17-21 Jul, Zadar, Croatia), who welcome Stones Throw supremo Madlib, along with UK bass monsters The Bug, epic genre-blender Mr. Scruff, and electronic experimentalist Gold Panda. Later, there are two big festivals running almost back to back in September. The temptation to do the double is pretty strong, starting with Outlook (3-7 Sep, Pula, Croatia), taking place in the 150 year-old Fort Punta Christo, attracting some big names from the world of hip-hop, headed up by Busta Rhymes, DJ Premier and Lauryn Hill. There’s also a healthy dose of both dub and bass music, with Jah Shaka, Barrington Levy, Goldie, Digital Mystikz and others confirmed. Literally the day after, Unknown (8-12 Sep, Rovinj, Croatia) begins, with more than a few Skinny favourites on the more indie-focused lineup, with Wild Beasts, Mount Kimbie and CHVRCHES the big

draws. You’ll also catch yer man Avery again, and Numbers main-man Jackmaster. Two of the big daddies on the circuit are Primavera (28-31 May, Barcelona, Spain) and its counterpart Optimus Primavera (5-7 Jun, Porto, Portugal). At the Barcelona shindig, the smart money’s on re-formed shoegazers Slowdive, not to mention a triumphant Arcade Fire, Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Deafheaven, St. Vincent, Jamie XX and Earl Sweatshirt – and believe it or not, that’s just scratching the surface. In Porto, they’ve got some of the biggest names in alt.rock, including Steve Albini’s post-hardcore heroes Shellac, a god-like post-rock trinity in the form of Slint, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and our very own Mogwai, not to mention the Pixies. Also in Barcelona is the dance music-focused Sónar (12-14 Jun), which this year sees the live return of Massive Attack, not to mention a no doubt blistering live set from techno legend Richie Hawtin, and more leftfield electronic voyagers such as Planet Mu’s Laurel Halo and Ninja Tune’s Machinedrum. Plus, it plays host to an annual vinyl fair which is a must-see for anyone with an addiction to the black stuff. Not to be outdone, another of Spain’s biggest cities, Bilbao, hosts the BBK Bilbao festival (10-12 July), and while they might not have quite the who’s who offered by Sónar and Primavera, they still have an impressive bill, with appearances from The Black Keys, Franz Ferdinand, Phoenix, MGMT, Foster The People, Poliça and Future of the Left, among others. For lovers of leftfield electronic music who want to party in Europe, a slightly more intimate affair than Sónar is on offer at Nuits Sonores (28 May-1 Jun) in Lyon, France, with over 250 locations within the city transformed into bespoke gig venues, from galleries and swimming pools to rooftops and stretches of industrial wasteland. They welcome Daniel Avery, Andy Votel and Kode9, as well as some of Glasgow’s finest including Optimo, Dam Mantle, Ubre Blanca, and Golden Teacher. It’s only fair to mention just a few of the big American music festivals, for those of you who have the readies to consider a transatlantic jaunt – if you can afford it, our summer festivals’ Yankee cousins tend to offer impressive, international bills and are of course invariably situated

TRAVEL

in some impressive scenery. First on the calendar is SXSW (11-16 Mar). With a gigantic bill featuring 2,500 bands or more, this industry showcase can offer the gig to make or break a band, with up-and-coming artists playing throughout Austin, Texas alongside big-name headliners such as Damon Albarn, Gary Numan, and The Black Lips. This year’s homegrown contingent heading out to play Creative Scotland’s hoedown at the British Music Embassy on Friday, 14 Mar, includes Casual Sex, Honeyblood, Prides, Young Fathers, Withered Hand, Holy Esque and Meursault. The latter’s Neil Pennycook remarks of their Texan debut’s importance: “We are hoping that SXSW can help us develop our American fanbase and help further our relations within the industry, allowing the future release and promotion of our work to become a viable option.” Perhaps the king of the US festivals is Coachella (11-13 & 18-20 April, Coachella Valley, California) – it’s sold out, but those of you lucky enough to have grabbed some tickets will be able to witness the reunion of Atlanta rap legends Outkast, The Knife, Arcade Fire, Pharrell Williams, Nas, Beck, Chance The Rapper, and a host of other bands, so many in fact that, as with Primavera, you need a microscope to read the full lineup. You can also catch a couple of topclass UK bands making their US festival debuts there this year, as CHVRCHES and Factory Floor join the bill. One of Coachella’s big competitors is the rock-focused Sasquatch! (23-25 May & 4-6 July, George, Washington), who have an impressive bill headed up by Queens of the Stone Age, Tyler the Creator, The National, and the welcome return of indie legends Violent Femmes, as well as Liars, Deafheaven, Washed Out and Mogwai in May, while the July weekend sees Soundgarden, New Order, The Horrors, and Kraftwerk’s T-in-thePark-slaying live 3D show heading up a bill that also includes Broken Bells, Frank Ocean, Deltron 3030, Kurt Vile, Jon Hopkins and Metz. American dance music fans can get a dose of the bleep-y stuff at Movement (25-27 May, Detroit, Michigan), with appearances from Baauer, Green Velvet, Just Blaze, Tiga, Bicep, Bonobo, and Daniel Avery. Of course.

Feature

Photo: Frankie Frodsham

Coachella

Thomson & Craighead, Broken Webcams, 2013, Courtesy Carroll/Fletcher, London

Scottish Charity no. SC026631

THE SKINNY

London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2014 Trend Roundup It’s that time again! As London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2014 comes to an end, we discover the trends that you’ll be wearing next season

Words: Alexandra Fiddes

uring the biannual fashion weeks of the ‘big four’ (New York, Milan, Paris and London) trends for the coming seasons are determined. Although the collections shown at London Fashion Week in particular tend to be unique and individual visions from each designer, we can see that definite trends are emerging for the coming season. Take a look at what you’ll be wearing in Autumn/Winter 2014...

Geometry

This trend was seen in various ways throughout LFW; in print, fabric cut and in texture. One of the main elements in Roksanda Ilincic’s collection was the way she experimented with the cut of each garment, using large panels of material, creating beautiful misaligned geometric shapes. Stripes, both vertical and horizontal, in contrasting colours added to the look. Uneven hemlines and asymmetric lengths were also evident in the ‘great Scots’ shows, Christopher Kane and Jonathan Saunders. Kane wowed the audience with dresses made from masses of origami-like, triangular folds (edged in white). Saunders showed eye-catching geometric prints; checker board squares were seen throughout the collection along with bold contrasting horizontal and diagonal bands of colour. Saunders also appliquéd square pieces of almost raw-edged fabric to garments, which gave these pieces a softer, more folky look (more on this later!)

Matching Sets

Also seen at New York Fashion Week, LFW was full of matching tuxedos and trouser suits, with Christopher Kane, Emilia Wickstead, Erdem, Giles and Felder Felder all showing their variations of a modern suit (in a variety of fabrics and styles). However, another (far) more exciting trend was spotted: outfits created by multiple items or layers in a matching print. This was seen at most of the big brands such as Burberry, Temperley London, Giles and Peter Pilotto. The most frequently notable version of this was a matching dress and scarf combination – seen at Burberry, belted at the waist and at Temperley London, wrapped around the neck. This is sure to be a trend that will be replicated on the high street, as it has an impact without being too overpowering.

Blue with Oxblood Red

All shades of blue had a very strong presence at LFW this season; navy at Topshop Unique, cobalt at Mark Fast, electric at J JS Lee and (stunning) powder blue Holly Fulton. However, when bright royal blue was paired with rich oxblood red it made the biggest impact on the catwalk. Roksanda Ilincic championed this new colour combo, which featured in numerous outfits – blue oversized coats with mid-length loose fitting red skirts, blue outfits with red hairbands or as a contrasting under-layer. Marques Almeida’s take on the colour combination was to use oxblood red fur (again, more on this later) with dark blue denim – an oversized fur stole or stitched onto a long sleeved top at both the front and back. This palette was also seen at Peter Pilotto, Emilio de la Morena, Napsugar von Bittera and Lucas Nascimento. Although, while most shades of blue are extremely flattering, oxblood red isn’t particularly, so if you’re keen on trying out this trend, stick to red accessories with your blue ensemble.

March 2014

Matching Sets: Burberry Prosum

Folklore-Inspired

We also noticed the emergence of a folklore inspired trend at Bora Aksu, Burberry, Mary Katrantzou, Temperley and Peter Pilotto, where garments were made from a mix of fabrics and colours that were highly embellished or decorated. An unlikely champion of the trend was Mary Katranrzou. Usually famed for intricate and complex digital prints, Katrantzou completely changed direction this season, leaving digital prints behind. Drawing inspiration from Greek symbolism (as well as road-signs!) the designer used heavy brocade, ornate detailing and heavy embroidery reminiscent of chain-mail and lace. Temperley showed whimsical, ‘pretty,’ floorsweeping black and cream dresses embellished with Russian style blue, pink and orange floral embroidery. Lace, fur and quilted fabrics all added to this luxe folklore look. Peter Pilotto took the opposite approach, embracing the idea of folk but to the max, with multiple textures of fabric, complex layering and vivid bold prints. John Rocha and Sibling both used crochet in their collections, giving them a hand-done take on the trend. When even Burberry, famed for its military style coats, was doing it, by showcasing a

Blue with Oxblood Red: Marques Almeida

collection of floaty fabric, with blanket-like capes in earthy tones (that were monogrammed with the models’ initials), we knew that a major new trend was being confirmed!

90s

After winning the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Forward prize for this season, Nasir Mazhar produced a collection that was made from a mash-up of many 90s themes: TLC, cyber goth and chola. Think sporty silhouettes, crop tops, metallic pink and silver mini skirts, elasticated slogans, lip liner, articulated curls, gold gas-masks and so much more! Fyodor Golan also embraced the 90s look with oversized mohair hoodies, metallic highshine jackets and gathered waist trousers in bright pink, petrol green and turquoise. Caps and round sunglasses were an obvious nod to the era. Another 90s devotee was Ashish. Models strutted down the catwalk in multi-colour lightup platform Buffalos (THE 90s footwear choice), sequin tracksuits, tiaras and rainbow coloured hair (keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming Ashish x Topshop collaboration – we’re excited) If you’re after a specific item that says 90s, the bomber jacket trend just keeps going. They were cropping up all over LFW – with hoods and

FASHION

90s: Ashish

silver embellishment at KTZ, patterned and floral at Tata Naka and fur collared at Richard Nicoll.

Fur

From soft and downy to teddy bear, fur (or faux fur) was definitely the hottest trend of LFW A/ W14 – it was seen in almost every collection and made a huge impact. Our favourite was Christopher Kane’s use of soft and wispy pastel pink fur on the collar and cuffs of a black PVC jacket, creating a stunning contrast. Topshop Unique put ‘teddy bear fur’ jumpers with leather pencil skirts, incorporated luxurious looking dark green fur into navy coats and went all-out with a mid length patchwork fur coat in red, pink, beige and black. Multi-coloured patchwork fur was also shown at Roksanda Ilincic, this time in the form of an oversized sweater top in an eye-melting palette of blue, orange, white and oxblood. Antipodium used a burst of mossy green fur, and Emilio de la Morena used shades of pink. On the (slightly) more subtle end of the spectrum, Eudon Choi used grey and beige in his coats and stoles. So there you have it, our pick of the trends. londonfashionweek.co.uk

Lifestyle

GSA Third Year Fashion Show Words: Nadine Walker

lasgow School of Art’s internationallyacclaimed 3rd Year Fashion Show is set to showcase the collections of some of the most promising fashion students Scotland has to offer. This time, they will be showing the garments of Textile Design students along with outfits created by Fashion design students, one of The Glasgow School of Art’s newest disciplines. Catwalk shows will take place on Tuesday 4 March and Wednesday 5 March, where students will present garments that have explored the contemporary applications of lace in the creation stages. Head of Fashion and Textiles at GSA, Jimmy Stephen-Cran said of the inspirations behind 2014’s show: “We have identified a range of non-Western European traditions for the designers to work with this year,” adding, “These traditions have simple outer lines and large surface areas which maximise the textile content.” Renowned for impeccable talent and diversity, Glasgow School of Art’s 3rd Year Fashion Show has also challenged the young designers to look at the use and effects of colour, pattern and scale for their individual styling ideas. Every designer in both Textiles and Fashion will be showing a mini-collection of three outfits during the evening catwalk events. To produce their collections, the Textile design students have delved into the qualities and characteristics of the material, lace, which together link the four textile design pathways of embroidery, knit, print and weave. Each pathway of the faculty has explored specific geographical areas while embedding their focal point for their silhouettes. Print students have developed ideas from East and West African culture, particularly from the culture of the Maasai People of the East and the Masquerade rituals of the West. Knit have researched traditions in Peru and Ecuador. Weave embarked on the exploration of the 'thobe' (an ankle-length garment) in Palestine, and Embroidery have used Romanian design as a starting point. The Fashion Design students however, have researched and examined the garments, artwork and traditions of the Inuit

peoples (Yupik, Eskimo and Inupiat) as a starting point for creating their looks. We were lucky enough to catch up with a few of the students ahead of the show. Print designer Ciaran Moore shows a keen interest in new and advancing technologies in textile printing and the qualities these techniques can achieve. Working with photography of paper sculptures and digital drawing, Moore creates work that explores new technologies and takes advantage of the aesthetic they can give. Moore said: “For this collection I took inspiration from the shapes created by the formation of cities and the streets that connect these buildings. Looking particularly at maps of Nairobi, I took images of the city streets that had formed and developed new perspectives and dimensions into them, which produced futuristic and graphic prints for menswear garments. I looked at city maps as an abstract form of lace, and created lace-like structures from them as part of my design development.” Transforming silhouettes of the collection into modern takes on African tunics, Moore took the East and West African theme having being assigned the region as a reference point for garment shapes. Moore explains: “Digital prints by designers like Katie Eary, Agi & Sam and Christopher Kane are influential on my work, along with less established designers such as Astrid Andersen, Kokon To Zai and Juun J.” Fashion student Jonathan Douglas created his collection around ‘an act of moving’ which conceptualises and translates the traditional perceptions of Inuit dress and lace into a contemporary, fashion-led language. Douglas tells us: “Traditionally hunters and gatherers, the Inuit people migrate from one area to another according to the season. Their distinct dress is shaped by the core principle of functionality. However, with limited raw materials, their garments are often constructed in a naïve and simplistic manner.” He continues: “Lace’s long established connotations of excess, wealth and protection led Jonanthan Douglas

Jonanthan Douglas

Lifestyle

to the term ‘military lace’ being first introduced by naval officers in 1748. The uniform of the most senior officers could be distinguished from their subordinates by the vast rope-like decoration on their chest, neck and arms,” adding: “The collection, with subtle undertones of migration and promotion, knots rope around oversized and layered silhouettes and becomes more exaggerated from look to look.” Douglas was keen to “juxtapose rope’s functional nature, so the placement restricts traditionally decorated parts of the body, exploring the idea of functional materials constructed in a naïve way.” Kint designer Olivia Qi’s collection is primarily inspired by architectural structures and cityscapes. This is manifested in her work as clean bold geometric lines. She said: “I carry this onto my fabrics through a selected choice of yarns.” Adding: “By using cottons, I achieve the clean lines and smooth surfaces of burtalist architecture. This is combined with woven interlacements of leather stripes, which recreate the clean bold lines and varied textures of the city.” Chris Barton, who studies weave, has based his fabrics on the lace-like qualities of handwritten letters from friends and family. Barton said: “To me the act of weaving is a connection to my own past whether that is in the act of making or in the adornment of the object with both pattern and meaning.” He had to put this in the given context of Palestinian dress traditions. He explained: “I found the religious depictions of the

FASHION

Holy Land the most engaging and this in turn led me to the richly adorned robes of the medieval church. The weaving of silks, wools, precious metals and gemstones have been combined with the simple nature of the traditional Middle Eastern thobe within my work.” This year’s headline sponsors, Dr Martens Sauchiehall Street and Mandors, have helped provide vital support for this event. Dr. Martens Sauchiehall Street has kindly provided ten pairs of shoes for the student who’d like to include them in their mini collection (Chris Barton will be showing them as part of his). Tickets for the 3rd Year Fashion Show priced at £10 (£7 for students) are now available online from Ticket Scotland and the Art School website. All profits raised will go towards enabling the students to showcase their work at London’s New Designers Exhibition following graduation in the summer of 2015. The 3rd Year Fashion Show will no doubt shine a light on what Scotland’s newest fashion designers have to offer and with every chance of the audience seeing the next big thing, we can’t wait! 4 & 5 Mar 2014 at 7pm and 9pm, The Art School, 20 Scott Street, Glasgow, G3 6PE Tickets priced at £10 (£7 for students) are now available from tickets-scotland.com, The Art School (the GSA student union) and in person at The Glasgow School of Art Shop, Dalhousie Street, Glasgow gsa.ac.uk

THE SKINNY

March 2014

FASHION

Lifestyle

Dear Green L

This page from top: Marta Perovic, Sophie Macpherson Opposite, clockwise from top: Dominic Watson, Heejoon Lee, Hella Gerlach, Marysia Gacek

ooking out the window of the Moabit railway depot in Berlin, artist-curators Beth Dynowski and Melissa Canbaz can’t see the industrial landscape without thinking of being down by the Clyde at the docks. Working with this affinity between the two cities, they’ve put together Dear Green: an exhibition of 37 artists working in Glasgow or Berlin. Key to the formation of this large group show was a distancing from the traditional notions of the curator as an authority. In favour of a more dialogical curatorial approach, both were keen to promote a less tight and restrictive approach to the curation of Dear Green. This kind of productive informality is familiar to Dynowski from her experience as a Glasgow School of Art graduate. “In Glasgow, there’s different ways to work as an artist, you can be reliant on curators picking you up for a show. But there are people doing it themselves in Glasgow. Who’s a curator and who’s an artist is a lot more flexible.” This is apparent in Dear Green itself; Dynowski is both putting the show together and exhibiting within it. As strong a sense of self-sufficiency as there is in both Glasgow and Berlin, Dynowski makes clear that Dear Green’s as much a product of the communitarian ethic that’s so central to the Glasgow and Berlin art scenes, “where it’s just people supporting each there in a nonhierarchical way: just being there for each other and helping each other out, bouncing off of one another even if what you do is really different. The thing we’ve focused on in the show is difference. There’s a lot of difference in the practices, but that supportive ethos is always there in the background.” These sorts of mutual support networks operate even at the most practical level, with many welcoming Berlin hosts opening their homes to the otherwise self-funding Glaswegians. Pointing out a specific example of the oppositions that they’ve set up in the show, Canbaz

SHOWCASE

and Dynowski mention one contributor, Hella Gerlach, who works with very tactile and aesthetically pleasing ceramics. While Gerlach does not speak overtly about politics and economy in her work, these subjects are completely apparent in Glasgow-based Stephen Grainger’s work. For Dear Green, Grainger will legally transfer all his possessions for the duration of the evening of the opening. In spite of their obvious differences, put in the same room a certain common ground becomes visible, which Dynowski articulates as “putting the responsibility on the viewer to activate a sense of performativity around objects that absolutely puts the responsibility on the viewer to activate them. They’re two people I would never have put together but they have so much in common.” Considering these moments of surprising connection and productive opposition, Dynowski is quick to give due credit to the alternative space of the abandoned Moabit railway depot: “There’s things happening across the room, there are people that are diametrically opposed to each other ideologically, which you very rarely see in a large group show.” In a very literal way, Dear Green is set at a distance from the formality and restrictions of the slick simplicity of the commercial white cubes of central Berlin. With such an unconventional space, 37 artists and the logistics of arranging it all between Glasgow and Berlin, Canbaz admits that what she might be planning or expecting is hypothetical until it happens. But for both Dynowski and Canbaz, success will come in the unforeseen, unpredictable interactions between the work, artists and audience. Deliberately frustrating traditional curatorial conventions with so many risky elements, Dynowski proudly admits, “It’s all a bit gallus.” [Adam Benmakhlouf] Dear Green, Zentrum fur Kunst und Urbanistik, Siemensstrasse 7, Berlin, 28 Feb-2 Mar

THE SKINNY

March 2014

SHOWCASE

Egg Donation: A Personal Story About a year ago I wrote here about how I was thinking about donating some of my eggs. I subsequently did. This is that story

everal months ago I donated some of my eggs. It’s changed me in a way I didn’t expect. It’s like a marker – a fixed point in my life. I’ve done something irreversible. Given someone life (in the most ‘hands-off’ way possible, of course). Last January I visited my GP and said I was considering donating some of my eggs. As a back specialist she was surprised, but enthusiastic. There were blood tests, ‘implications,’ counselling, and genetic tests – which were good for peace of mind on their own. As I passed each medical my perception of my body started to change. For the first time I saw it as something capable. I started going to the gym. I felt… purposeful. I was allowed to write a letter to the child (or children) that might result from the donation. After a number of drafts I settled on something casual and idealistic. I know it makes me sound naïve, but I imagine we’ll all have a good laugh about it in eighteen years time when the child (or children) are legally able to request my contact details. The ultrasound where I first saw the matured eggs was surreal. I had a certain expectation of what I was going to see when the fluid was wiped across my stomach and the scan came up on the little black and white screen. But inside me was a honeycomb. Nearly 40 eggs. Too many. Each one with the potential to become someone else’s baby. While usually your ovaries release one egg a month (if you’re a fertile cisgendered female) to increase the IVF success rate donors are given a series of hormone modifiers. First there’s a nasal spray that shuts down your personal

Lifestyle

Words: Ana Hine

reproductive system, in the short term, and then a fortnight’s worth of injections to stimulate the ovaries artificially. Those have to be done yourself. The first time I missed a whole TV show because I was sitting on the side of my bath trying to muster up the courage to inject. But, it’s true – you do get used to it. Finally there’s a single injection to mature the eggs the night before they are extracted. Going to the hospital for the surgery itself was odd. I’d never broken any bones and I still have my appendix. I was so unprepared I was surprised when the nurse gave me a hospital robe to change into. It hadn’t occurred to me I’d be wearing one. A cannula went into my hand followed by some liquid that would apparently give me ‘nice dreams.’ Then I was being wheeled into surgery with a bunch of PhD students around me. That was a lot of fun – watching all these health professionals leaning over me, pushing me through the hospital corridors. The surgery itself is a bit of a blur. The nurses said afterwards I’d asked a bunch of questions about the procedure, but I have no memory of that. I ate some toast while waiting on a couple of my friends to come and pick me up. It wasn’t until later that day, once I got home, that I started to get sick. The nurses had said I was likely to suffer a mild case of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which is basically where your ovaries are too stimulated… like when you have around 40 eggs hanging out in your uterus instead of one. Symptoms include; include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating and – in severe cases – thrombosis, liver and kidney dysfunction and

respiratory distress. But my big mistake was taking ibuprofen after the extraction to dull the period pain-like ache. The ibuprofen reacted badly with the drugs already in my system. I woke up in the middle of the night with my chest incredibly tight and waves rushing through me. Crawling to the toilet I dry heaved for a while; I wanted to vomit but had lost the strength to do so. It was incredibly frightening. ‘Respiratory distress’ seems like an accurate term for it in retrospect. I felt like I was going to choke to death.

“Inside me was a honeycomb. Nearly 40 eggs. Too many. Each one with the potential to become someone else’s baby” It took a couple phone calls for the hospital to take me back in, but when they saw me it was clear something was wrong. After they put me on a drip and gave me alternative painkillers my body righted itself. I stayed overnight, but by the next morning I was more or less fine, though the pain took a few weeks to clear completely.

DEVIANCE

After they’re collected the eggs are fertilised in a lab, then watched for a few days to see if any abnormalities occur. If everything’s looking good then the embryos are implanted into the womb of the woman who’s going to carry the baby to term. Due to the monthly nature of the female reproduction cycle if you and your recipient are out of sync by too many days the whole process gets delayed. Even when they are being chemically manipulated hormones take their own time to get things done and at one point I was checking my emails every day waiting to hear if my main recipient had ‘bled.’ I don’t even know her name, but until her period came my whole life was on pause. The waiting around can be… inconvenient. For the three months prior to the donation you also need to watch what toxins you’re putting into your body. I irritated my friends a little during that time, it was definitely a strange place to be in psychologically. They were able to harvest so many eggs from me that two different women may at this moment be carrying a child biologically related to me, as a second recipient was also chosen to receive some. On the NHS’s general IVF advice page it states, as of 2010, the success rate of the treatment – the percentage that result in a live birth – was 32.2% for women under 35. Now, I don’t know the ages of my recipients so that’s the most optimistic figure. Even so, since one family were given enough of my eggs to have two attempts, I could have at least one biological child by the end of this year. Worth one night in hospital I think (and the standard NHS cheque for £750 I got the month after was nice too).

THE SKINNY

Seizing the Day: Alternative Food & Drink Holidays Fancy a food and drink-based knees-up in March, but can’t hack the corporate gubbins of St Patrick’s Day? We’ve helpfully planned out some foodie holidays for you all, from pan-American tomfoolery to an idea stolen from The Simpsons by the UN

f there’s one thing we can’t handle, it’s forced jollity. Yes, we are great fun at parties, thanks very much. This St Patrick's Day, those who dare to brave the pubs of Edinburgh and Glasgow will encounter events and actions that bear the hallmarks of the terror that is ‘organised fun’. There will be laughter, and actually-fairlyracist-when-you-think-about-it impressions and costumes, and lots of TASTY TASTY GUINNESS. So what to do? Play along? Stage a protest? Stay in the house on a Monday night? No chance. After all, anyone can set up their own ‘INSERT ISSUE HERE Day,’ and we’ve found a few alternatives that we can hitch our food and drink wagon to. Or, in the words of Kool and the Gang, we’re going to celebrate and party with you, come on now. Mardi Gras An easy sell to start with. One of the more extreme blowouts on the global social calendar, it’s most commonly associated with the carnivals of Brazil and the debauched revelry of the southern states of the USA. Luckily, Edinburgh and Glasgow have a surprisingly well-developed food infrastructure in terms of those areas, with the likes of barbecue joint Tropeiro, southern American eatery Squid

March 2014

Words: Peter Simpson Illustration: Maisie Shearring

and Whale and bar/restaurant Boteco do Brasil making the dream of a Scottish Mardi Gras totally achievable. Two problems – Mardi Gras is in March this year, but it’s usually in February, which scuppers the calendar a little. The other issue is the dress code – you will have to provide your own crazy mask and costume. We’ll call that one problem, and one craft assignment. Pi(e) Day It’s Pi Day, Pi Day; gotta get down on Pi Day. The discovery of everyone’s favourite mathematical constant is already marked by science types and numerologists each year on 14 March, or 3.14 if you prefer to read and write dates in some kind of strange and wrong way. What we propose is making it more about the Pies than the Pi, and celebrating the contribution that suspicious meat encased in pastry has made to our society. Imagine the scenes – queues outside every bakery in the land, pilgrimages to Kilmarnock to have the best football stadium pie in the country, and gravy, gravy everywhere. Admittedly, the idea needs a bit of work, but then we can’t imagine that April Fool’s took off straight away either. If we start by eating pies,

and wing it from there, we should all be fine. World Water Day If you like your fun mid-season holidays to be a bit more pious and down-the-line, a food takeover of World Water Day might be just your thing. The UN marks World Water Day every 22 March, but they ‘celebrate’ with charts, graphs, and ‘riveting’ reports on hydrodynamics. We propose taking a slightly different tact, and celebrating the many forms in which water can be consumed. We’re thinking enormous ice lollies, steamed dumplings and puddings, and all the different kinds of water you can think of. Sparkling, non-sparkling, the list is endless. And, as we all know, the one thing that can convince slightly drunk people to come around to your way of thinking is a cool, clear glass of water. Hang on a minute, there’s a chance that this idea might be total rubbish. Let us check, we’ll get back to you in a second. International Day of Happiness OK, that water idea is a bit rubbish. All we really need to take on the stout-fuelled tyranny of St Patrick’s Day is a chance to eat and drink and be merry, with a very vague theme to tie it all together. Something obvious, like a celebration of a basic human emotion.

FOOD AND DRINK

Ladies and Gentlemen, we present to you The United Nations International Day of Happiness. This is not a joke – it’s a genuine, bona fide thing that the UN launched last year. 20 March is the date, and being generally chipper is the aim. Admittedly, this isn’t without its problems – for one thing, hijacking a UN peace initiative to get back at a multinational drinks company’s wholesale takeover of a country’s national holiday won’t be an easy sell. Also, this Day of Happiness sounds suspiciously like the ‘Do What You Feel’ festival from an episode of The Simpsons from about 15 years ago, and that ended with the event’s inspiration nearly getting his head kicked in by an unruly mob. These points aside, this sounds like our kind of thing, because it’s incredibly ambiguous. Does cake make you happy? Get down your local cafe and tell them that it’s a Happiness Day treat. Fancy a pint? On you go; it is, after all, the United Nations International Day of Happiness, a real thing which you can look up yourself if you don’t believe us. We can do this, people. Grab your forks, put on your best drinking glasses, and go out and be happy. That, ironically, is an order.

Lifestyle

Phagomania: You’d Batter Believe It

Food News Food News hits the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow this month, before coming to a rest somewhere in the late 1980s

With Pancake Day (as our preferred Phago-friendly title ‘Fat Tuesday’) this month, we caught up with the “epic battermancing master of breakfast” himself, Dr Dan The Pancake Man

Interview: Lewis MacDonald

Words: Peter Simpson

n this month’s dispatch from the darkened backstreets of the foodie district of the internet, we bring you Dr. Dan the Pancake Man. A renaissance man who could not be held down to just flipping pancakes at his diner workplace, Dan became a local sensation when he started drawing with pancake batter. An appearance on Reddit sparked viral fame and then quicker than you can say ‘Maple syrup with bacon? Whaa-?’ Dan found himself on US TV behemoth The Today Show. “I guess that’s how virality works?” reflects Dan. “Sometimes you just wake up famous.” Dan’s creations grew in notoriety when he became a cultural reference pancake factory, banging out any request that came his way. Video games? Check. Film stars? Check. Your favourite team’s logo? Check. A partysaurus Rex riding a skateboard smoking a bong? Check! As you can see from this page, and this is only the top of a mightily high stack, there is nothing Dan won’t take on. “It also helps with tips,” he professes, “giving out goofy smiley face pancake surprises, so there was plenty of motivation to start getting good at this stuff.” With all the success, Dan has branched out on his own, bringing mad pancake skills to private events and parties and hopes to fund a ‘Dancake Van’ to really take things to the next level. In between all things pancake, he is working on a graphic novel, and on his band that reminded us of early Mr. Bungle (in the context, it makes perfect sense). As is our wont, we mused over the impact of the drawing on the eating, keen to see how Dan philosophised over the impact of his work. So does the Doctor think the way that food looks changes how we enjoy it and feel about it? “Oh, absolutely! I mean, everything about taste and preference is in your head; it’s all psychological phenomena, it’s all arbitrary emotional connections to what foods you’re used to, how they make you feel, what you remember about them. And pancakes seem to be just this really cherished foodstuff, like something so many people tie with fond memories. “So to have a food that there’s already all this cultural information loaded into, and then to have some lanky, goofy guy like me make it look like one of your favorite cartoon characters, or actors, or a caricature of your own damn face... it’s like the chemical formula for an awesome, memorable experience. And then it tastes great to boot!” Not that some of his customers are too worried. “They wanna freeze dry them and hang them on the kitchen wall,” says Dan. “That’s actually a pretty wild idea, and probably something we’ll look into down the road.” So now that we’ve whet your appetite for construction of pancakes, we couldn’t let Dan away without giving us a few tips. Once you get past the fear of doing a bad job, Dan has a simple credo: “I cook with my griddle at 400 degrees, I don’t use any oil or butter, my batter is at a relatively normal consistency (not too thick, not too fluid) and I use condiment bottles as a sort of pancake pen so I can get fine details in the image.” So keep it simple, reference things people find entertaining, and tie your art to a muchloved institution. That’s how you become a viral sensation, people, take note – with your giant condiment pens.

Lifestyle

pring is well and truly here, and with it come the inevitable calls to ‘turn over a new leaf,’ and ‘make vague nods to productivity.’ You should carry out difficult tasks for fun, and invest in large amounts of equipment you’ll probably never use again. We don’t buy that, but we would like you to get out of the house every once in a while. Luckily, Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens have you covered, with a range of events designed to help you make your own food using such complex instruments as ‘sunlight’ and ‘the ground.’ You’ll see the great outdoors, work out where to put some seeds, then go back to that outdoors to rip it to bits in order to make soup. That’s spring for you. Royal Botanic Gardens, Inverleith Row, various dates and times, see rgbe.org.uk Seeing as we’ve got things off to an active start, best to mention Moveable Feast. An event to boost the coffers of Parkinson’s UK, it’s a three course meal with a twist. The twist is walking. Start in one of Edinburgh’s top restaurants, then move to another for the next course, then again for the dessert. It’s for a good cause, and hey, it’s spring, so the weather should be OK. Presumably. Start at St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St, 6 Mar, £35, parkinsons.org.uk for details Next up, more walking! But this time, there’s beer! And comedy! Yes, it’s the Glasgow Comedy Festival’s Comedy Pub Crawl! This year, the Crawl is bigger and better than ever, with four dates on the festival’s four Fridays. It’s a chance to take to the streets of the West End or the Merchant City for an evening in the pub where, for once, there will be no pressure to try and make other people laugh. That is unless any of the comedians involved in the Crawl are reading this, in which case there is pressure to make people laugh. Comedians, do funny things! Thanks. Dram!, 236 Woodlands Rd, 14 Mar; Avant Garde, 34 King St, 21, 28 Mar & 4 Apr. 7.30pm, £15 And finally, a trip down memory lane. It’s been 25 years since Lupe Pinto’s Dougie Bell closed his Pachuko Cantina, and he’s celebrating with a Mexican street food blowout at Food & Drink Survey winners The Squid & Whale. Taquitos, tamales, chalupas and more, plus a Pachuko soundtrack in one of Glasgow’s nicest bars; it’s ample reward for all that walking around from earlier. Squid and Whale, 372 Great Western Rd. 4 Mar, £15

FOOD AND DRINK

THE SKINNY

We’re Hiring! The Skinny is looking for an Advertising Sales Executive to join our team in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Interested? You’ll find more info at theskinny.co.uk/about/get_involved @theskinnymag /TheSkinnyMag Illustration: Yvette Earl I N D EP EN D EN T

C U LT U R A L

J O U R N A L I S M

Beresford Lounge Live Jazz

free entry every friday

Monday Blues

American diner menu

£2 cocktails

beef chilli and pulled pork pizzas and burgers

Two for tuesday 2 for 1 on drinks

Drinks

Orange wednesdays

cocktails £3.95 Budweiser £2 everyday

50p Drinks pool in play free ge irs loun our upsta ying one jo whilst en ny great ma r of ou d drink a food n offers

Need a venue? hire the beresford for free, we offer live bands and food for up to 250 people

468 sauchiehall street glasgow g2 3lw /beresfordlounge tel: 0141 331 2003 www.beresfordlounge.co.uk

March 2014

The Friendly Music Store

BLOC, 117 BATH STREET, GLA

u SGOW, G2 2SZ www.bloc.r

MARCH HIGHLIGHTS TUES 4th - Electric Electric (FR) ++Foreign Tongue 9pm

europe’s best live act smash glasgow’s face in with astonishing electro rock genius

WED 5th - REPEATER feat SHAMBLES IN A HUSK + CITIGAZI+ IN WRECKS 9pm

new periodic glasgow alternative music night knocks it out the park with stellar first bill

SAT 8th - FANTASTIC WOMAN 11pm

anti-macho uber-disco celebrates international women’s day. free entry in drag!

WED 12th - TARIBOWEST feat Press To Meco ++Shrine 9pm

ally mccrae and john niblock’s new monthly fortress of all things heavy as hell

SAT 15th - TYCI feat Blood Of The Bull ++Helen Marnie DJ (Ladytron) 11pm peerless femme collective presents peerless monthly clubnight

THUR 20th - TEENAGE RIOT GIG feat Chris Devotion and the Expectations 9pm tr’s monthly gig with brilliant native guitar pop seeing husker du meet buddy holly

TUES 25th - Jazz Hands ++The Gastric Band ++Wojtek 9pm

flamboyant, skillful, intricate, crushing... a night of inspired alt-rock invention

THUR 27th - STRETCHED feat Connected 9pm

1 Grassmarket, Edinburgh

0131 229 8211 reddogmusic.co.uk 38

consistently spellbinding jazz-influenced live night with super-talented special guests

SAT 29th - TEENAGE RIOT feat Cutty's Gym EP Launch 11pm

probably still ripe from the european road, glaswegian two-piece join great indie-disco

ALL BLOC SHOWS ARE FREE ENTRY (2 bucks after midnight FRI-SAT) THE SKINNY

Gig Highlights

Behold! A homecoming gig for Franz Ferdinand, the return of the Radiophonic Workshop, rising stars Machines In Heaven and IndianRedLopez, plus an unmissable gig from German art-pop weirdos The Notwist and Anticon founder Jel ur month begins in earnest on 5 March at Edinburgh’s Opium (also Glasgow’s Bloc+ on 4 Mar), with a set of manic post-punk packed with infectious pop hooks from Strasbourg’s Electric Electric, who are also off to try their luck at SXSW this year. It’s been a while since their 2012 album Discipline, so we’ll be intrigued to hear some new material from this inventive, addictive band of French noiseniks. Support comes from Foreign Tongue and The Gastric Band. On 7 March, and just across the M8, head down to Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’s for the arrival of shouty indie troublemakers Eagulls, who are gaining an increasingly impressive reputation for their energetic live shows, and who entertained the media at large back in January with a coruscating open letter to “all beach bands sucking each others’ dicks and rubbing the press’ clits.” If there’s one thing we like, it’s bands who know what they don’t like – we’ll be down the front for this one, clits at the ready. LA psych-rockers The Warlocks come to Glasgow’s Broadcast on 12 March – on the go since 1998, this drone-augmented five-piece are touting their new LP Skull Worship, so expect psychedelic guitar workouts, black jeans, and enough reverb in which to lose yourself completely. 14 March sees Long Beach hip-hop veterans Ugly Duckling coming to Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s for an intimate gig – and if you’ve never seen them do Meat Shake live, now is your chance to rectify that. Rappers Dizzy Dustin and Andy Cat are proficient in a technical sense, but it’s their offbeat humour and the dextrous turntablism of Young Einstein that has made the trio such an enduring success, often cited as one of the best live hip-hop bands in the world. They’ll definitely wheel out some classics from their much-loved 2001 album Journey To Anywhere – so this should prove as unmissable as always. Back to the rising stars of tomorrow – Glasgow post-rock-meets-electro combo Machines In Heaven have been getting serious love in these pages and beyond since their debut EP dropped in 2013, and now their fulllength album bordersbreakdown is ready for release. They launch it at Glasgow’s Stereo on 14 March, and Edinburgh’s Electric Circus on 29 March. Following strong performances at T-Break, Kelburn Garden Party and other festivals last year, they have a burgeoning reputation as ones to watch on the dynamic and competitive Glasgow scene. Support comes from Infant Telethon, the solo moniker of Errors drummer

James Hamilton. Another impressive band marrying an indie rock sensibility and songwriting chops with shimmering electro production are IndianRedLopez – the Aberdeen quintet have been on our radar since 2011, when they played the Fence Records HomeGame bash and a string of other festivals. We’re looking forward to their return to Glasgow this month at Stereo on 16 March, with electronic maven Plum and Inuit in tow. On 19 March, Patterns play Glasgow’s Broadcast – this Mancunian four-piece create fugue-like, droning electronic pop, which they sculpt into towering edifices of glitter-flecked melody, placing them alongside the likes of Remember Remember and Discopolis. If electrotinged indie pop is the current flavour, Patterns certainly represent the cream of the crop. On 20 March, catch Winning Sperm Party affiliates the Gummy Stumps at Mono with Bad Aura supporting. The Stumps are another band we’ve been watching since 2011 or so – they play a kind of clattering, raw-boned fuzz-punk that’s hard to resist. On the same night, King Tut’s plays host to Liverpool-based singer-songwriter Dan Croll, who’ll be unveiling cuts from his debut album Sweet Disarray. There’s the occasional electronic flourish to his guitar-based antics, too – just try not to brandish the term ‘folktronica’ within his earshot. Back in Edinburgh, 23 March provides a chance to see one of the most impressive live hip-hop acts from the UK scene – Fingathing, a duo comprising champion turntablist Peter Parker and phenomenally talented double bass player Sneaky. The dextrousness with which these two construct drum and bass, broken beat and hip-hop rhythms from just two turntables and an upright bass is both undeniably funky and a thrilling spectacle to behold. On the same night, filthy Glasweigian punks Rungs take over the 13th Note for a run through their disgustingly-monikered EP I Don’t Wanna Hug! I Just Wanna Cum! Get down in the muck and shake your naughty bits alongside them, or you may just live to regret it. Back East on 24 March, Glasgow post-hardcore fusionists United Fruit bring the noise (and a boatload of new tunes) to Sneaky Pete’s, ably supported by Black International and Birdhead. Back in Glasgow on 25 March, it’s the triumphant return of globe-conquering art school indie-pop darlings Franz Ferdinand, who take over the Barrowland for a run through latest album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. If

Gummy Stumps

you behave yourself and play nice, they might just encore with Take Me Out, as well. This one’s going to sell out fast, folks, so grab your tickets early. On 27 March, those Wild Beasts unleash new album Present Tense upon the willing crowds at The Arches. With whip-smart synth-pop hooks and an edgier, more upfront sound than on previous outings, this feels like a turning point for the Kendal four-piece – expect fireworks. On the same night, the Pleasance in Edinburgh plays host to The Radiophonic Workshop – this will be a very special show, with Paddy Kingsland, Dr Dick Mills, Roger Limb and Peter Howell of the original BBC Radiophonic Workshop team recreating some of their most famous compositions and soundscapes, including work by the

late, great Delia Derbyshire. They’ll most likely give the vintage 60s Doctor Who theme a spin, as well as tracks from their new collaborative album Electricity. They also play Glasgow’s Art School on 21 March. Last but by no means least, cutting-edge math rock / post-metal heroes 65daysoftstatic return to Glasgow to play The Arches on 29 March, for a run through the brutal, intricate paths of their 2013 album Wild Light (and a tenth anniversary celebratory lap for fully-formed debut The Fall of Math). If you’ve never seen these Sheffield outsiders in a live setting, prepare to be astonished as they lurch from feral noise to heavenly distortion.

Do Not Miss The Notwist and Jel Mono, Glasgow, 16 Mar

ithout a doubt, this month’s hottest ticket is The Notwist, a constantly-morphing, multi-headed Hydra of indie rock and electronica, formed near Munich in Germany in 1989. Their absolute refusal to be boxed in has marked them out as masters of the avant garde: starting with fuzzed-out proto-grunge in the early 90s, moving through radio-friendly indie, experimental electronica, freaked out jazz and hook-filled pop music, they have travelled in a more electronic direction of late, with this year’s album Close to the Glass combining the majestic sweep of postrock with psychedelic ambient soundscapes and synth-driven, epic pop hooks.

March 2014

Backing them up is one of hip-hop’s most under-rated figures: Anticon co-founder, architect and producer of countless avant garde hip-hop projects from Themselves and cLOUDDEAD to 13 & God, and one of the most gifted performers in the world with an MPC and a sampler, Jel will be showcasing cuts from his latest album Late Pass, which received a rare 5-star recommendation from us last year, and hopefully, some tracks from his back catalogue, including a chance to revisit the 2006 classic Soft Money. Don’t pass up this opportunity to see two living legends at the peak of their powers.

MUSIC

Jel

Preview

Photo: Crimson Glow

Words: Illya Kuryakin

Celtic Connections: Bill Callahan / The Deep Dark Woods / Cath and Phil Tyler O2 ABC, 1 Feb

Young Fathers

rrrrr

Hordes of disappointed faces can be seen streaming from Renfield Lane. They are the dozens who arrived at Stereo hoping that tickets would still be available for tonight’s Young Fathers show; the Edinburgh trio’s first live outing of 2014. Downstairs, the venue is near capacity more than an hour before the headliners are due on stage. The paying public has got here early to see LAW, an Edinburgh-based solo artist who has released less than a handful of songs online. Despite sharing a producer with Young Fathers, her music is more minimalist and spectral-like, allowing her extraordinary vocals to come to the fore. Her deep, soulful voice hangs on the notes of standout track Haters, from new EP Haters and Gangsters. LAW is the antithesis of the 21st century television karaoke howler, where volume has been mistaken for power. Her vocals are measured and at times chilling in their emotive quality.

Just as the audience is digesting that performance, along come Young Fathers with an entrance so electrifying it’s likely to live long in the memory of all those here to see it. Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham Hastings power through a version of No Way – the opening track from new album Dead – that suggests this gig means more to them than a standard promo show. The trio all command the stage and take turns in driving their Afro-soul rap sound. Bankole is the most energetic; Massaquoi takes the lead vocal on most tracks; and Hastings masters the beats and drinks in the energy. If that wasn’t enough, a percussionist has been added to the group to give them that extra edge. Excitement and energy can only bring you so far, however. What any audience thrives on is the music. When they finish the punchy Get Up, the crowd’s roar of approval must surely be heard from outside – and by all those who were unlucky enough to have missed out on this incendiary performance. [Chris McCall]

King Tut’s, 31 Jan

rrrrr

William Doyle, aka East India Youth, enters dressed in a foppish jacket, hair in his eyes, and straps on a bass guitar. From the minute his fingers touch the keys of his MIDI synth, he is completely lost in the moment, recreating the tightly locked arpeggios of Glitter Recession, allowing them to build and coalesce into an explosively euphoric Dripping Down. Where his recorded output puts the emphasis on the layered, harmonised, multi-part vocals that make up each song’s architecture, here the focus is on Doyle’s voice, unadorned with FX. It is admirably fit for purpose – a strong and moving tenor with just a hint of vibrato. As a songwriter, his compositions owe as much to classic 60s pop as they do to more experimental, avant garde song structures and the linear crescendoes of

Review

dragcity.com/artists/bill-callahan

young-fathers.com

The Wave Pictures

The Wave Pictures / Eugene Tombs / The Yawns

This is The Wave Pictures’ fifth visit to Mono in the space of a year, including a three-night residency last April. Still, with their most recent techno. Live, their traditionalism is thrown into Mono, 30 Jan album topping 90-minutes, there’s no shortage of rrrrr sharp relief. strong material to extend Glasgow’s way, and toFor reasons unknown, The Yawns have a battle Just as the audience gets used to the night makes clear just why they’re welcomed back on their hands eliciting a response from Mono’s relatively safe, verse-chorus-verse territory of so regularly. Dave Tattersall’s versatile guitar mostly seated denizens tonight, with even polite playing is a particularly distinct draw, whether Dripping Down, Doyle unleashes deep, bass and applause peculiarly unforthcoming. Not that the synth-driven, throbbing takes on the Total Strife he’s delivering bluesy riffs, engaging in agile soloband seem fazed, with frontman Sean Armstrong ing or gently picking out the sparkling refrain of Forever suite, interspersed by the curious waltz timing of Looking For Someone, which draws rap- insouciantly strolling the empty floor while the Red Cloud Road (a highlight of the set). rest of the Glasgow five-piece proffer lightly touturous cheers from the crowd. It all culminates Vocally, too, Tattersall is customarily engagsled melodies that, it’s fair to say, merit greater in an emotionally wrenching Heaven How Long, ing, both in the content of his lyrics and their enthusiasm. Doyle pushing his voice to its limits. This drops delivery: raw and personal on New Skin, witty With the room starting to fill, Eugene Tombs and playful on Spaghetti. The easy camaraderie down into a throbbing, all too brief acid techno have an easier time of it – and certainly, a dose excursion into Hinterland. Throughout, Doyle’s onstage translates to a cheery atmosphere off, of wonky clarinet in the opening instrumental manic, thrashing dance and frenetic headbangand when they wrap up proceedings with a woozy proves an effective attention-grabber. The rest ing convey the sense of a man lost in a blinding run through Tiny Craters in the Sand, it’s a safe flash of creation and release – and for most of the of the set is comparatively conventional but bet that a few in attendance are already countequally exciting, with a combination of Shadows- ing down the days to the band’s inevitable return. night, we’re right there with him. like reverb guitar and cosmic psychedelia that [Bram E. Gieben] [Chris Buckle] at times recalls XTC-side project The Dukes of soundcloud.com/east-india-youth thewavepictures.com Stratosphear. East India Youth

East India Youth

In contrast to the clockwork brackishness of Saturday night Sauchiehall Street, Celtic Connections winds down with a set from Drag City enigma Bill Callahan in the womb of the O2 ABC. Support arrives in the guise of cinematic Canadian Country from The Deep Dark Woods and gritty Anglo-American Folk from Cath and Phil Tyler. Saskatonian frontman Ryan Boldt leads us through a scenic alt-countryjourney with a captivating, pensive drawl. Contemplative, and even mournful at times, the songs have an transportative quality. Wistful licks, hammond organ and forlorn harmonies quickly take hold and you’re no longer in Glasgow. Cath and Phil Tyler deliver an intimate, largely a cappella performance of raw, modern folk. Sacred harp singing sails over lilting mountain banjo and brooding acoustic guitar, supported by absolute conviction to the narrative of the pieces. At times the austere accompaniment means the vocals take a bit of a wander, though the sincerity of the performance and immaculate musicianship from Phil makes for an unmissable set. Bill Callahan appears, stoic and bolo-tied,

MUSIC

THE SKINNY

Photo: Vito Andreoni

Glasgow Stereo, 1 Feb

Photo: John Graham

Young Fathers / LAW

Photo: John Graham

rrrrr

choosing to meditate mostly on newest album, Dream River with his minimalist band. Callahan’s unmistakable oaky baritone is surrounded by his own determined rhythm playing, ruminative lead, solid bass and stripped-down kit. Only daring to revisit the playfulness of ex alter-ego Smog once, toe-tapping crowd-pleaser Dress Sexy at my Funeral get’s a well-received makeover in keeping with restraint of his newer work. Impellent Javelin Unlanding melts into the spurned sadness of Jim Cain, showing the scope of his writing early. Major-key Drover is dissonantly tinted with defiant blasts of harmonica as the set visits songs from Apocalypse, before arriving back at Dream River with Small Plane and trademark lyrical poignancy –‘You used to take me up/I watched and learned how to fly/No navigation system beyond our eyes.’ Audience interaction is scant, so we’re afforded only a veiled view of his elusive inward patriotism. The performance is collagic, rich in texture and unafraid of sparseness when required. The reverent crowd are treated to Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle highlight Too Many Birds as an encore before he calls time. It’s an incredible performance; though, with a voice like Callahan’s, you could sing the alphabet and still bring the house down. [Vonny Moyes]

Turn Up The Mermaid Tail Jenny Reeve and Jill O’Sullivan are no strangers to the stage or studio in Glasgow, but it took a Perthshire snow storm to bring them together as BDY_PRTS

scaping from a remote country house in a beaten-up car before seeking refuge in a roadside cafe due to a blizzard sounds like the climactic scene in a low-budget horror film. But that’s exactly the circumstances that led to Jenny Reeve and Jill O’Sullivan sitting down to map out the musical project that would become BDY_PRTS. The alt-pop duo from Glasgow first met in rural Perthshire during the depths of a brutal winter in 2010 when they took part in a songwriters’ workshop organised by The Fruit Tree Foundation (the results of which can be heard on the album First Edition). “It was the kind of place that, when it gets snowed in, it gets snowed in for days,” Reeve recalls. “And there was a real danger of that happening, so we had to leave quickly. It was terrifying – we got caught in a blizzard, my car was ancient, and the rear suspension had collapsed. So we stopped at a Little Chef down the road, where we had a coffee and a proper chat.” “We discovered that we both genuinely enjoy writing songs and playing,” agrees O’Sullivan. “So when we got back we decided to hang out in the house with a bottle of wine and our guitars, as it had been really fun when we were in that room in Perthshire. And at some point it clicked and started working really well.” There’s no sign of snow, and – in a rarity for 2014 – no sign of rain when The Skinny meets the pair in Thornwood to talk about their excellent debut single IDLU, which was produced by manof-many-talents Julian Corrie, aka Miaoux Miaoux. While BDY_PRTS can be legitimately tagged as a new band, in the sense that their first proper headlining show is on 5 March, its constituent members are no strangers to either the stage or the studio, or indeed this very magazine. O’Sullivan, raised in Chicago by Irish parents, is known to many as one-third of gothic rockers Sparrow and the Workshop, who have released a series of well-received albums (most recently with 2013’s Murderopolis) and played shows with the likes of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and British Sea Power. She’s also contributed to songs by James Yorkston and Broken Records.

March 2014

Interview: Chris McCall Photography: Jassy Earl

Reeve, born in Glasgow to an Australian father and New Zealander mother, has been writing and recording her own music for more than a decade, first as a member of Eva, then Strike The Colours. Her unique voice and adept fiddle playing has also lit up shows and records by such Scottish mahatmas as The Reindeer Section, Idlewild and Malcolm Middleton – leading to one critic awarding her the prefix “serial Glaswegian guester.” BDY_PRTS are thus in the fairly unique situation of having two songwriters who have already proved capable of standing on their own two feet. So what makes them more than the sum of their parts? For Reeve, it was the fact they first defined their friendship by making music. “If we’d been friends before we started writing it might have been more of a daunting prospect, as it could have ruined a perfectly good friendship if we realised that there was no chemistry,” she explains. “But for us, it’s the opposite. When we first met we were put in this artificial, fairly pressured environment – not that there was pressure put on us – but when you’re put in a room full of songwriters, you don’t want to be shite, you know what I mean? So there was that sense of being chucked in at the deep end, and through that process, we realised we had similar things in common. I guess on paper it maybe shouldn’t work, because we have exactly the same skill base...” O’Sullivan quickly interjects. “Jenny has been saying this, but I’d like to put on the record that she is a much better guitarist than me. You’re like BB King, and I’m baby King.” “I’m really not,” Reeve responds, diplomatically. “We both play guitar, violin and sing, so that’s the basis of our songwriting. Those aspects all collide and it seems to work. The kind of song we come up with – I don’t think either of us would come up with on our own. It’s a real collaborative effort. It gets to the point that Jill will call me up to record an idea on my answerphone. It feels weird recording when she’s not here.” O’Sullivan warms to the theme. “When I go home to Chicago my dad will always ask me what we sound like, so I try and play him

that. I’m not particularly technically minded, so learning that new skill opened up a whole world to us. We could sample anything.” It’s mastering that handy device that has given BDY_PRTS a much more textured sound than anything Reeve or O’Sullivan have previously been involved in. But it’s not their style to begin a dry conversation about technical specifics, not when samples can be given more interesting names like ‘The Mermaid Tail’ or ‘The Dancing Elf.’ Then there’s the helping hand of the aforementioned Miaoux Miaoux. “What that guy doesn’t know about technology isn’t worth knowing,” enthuses Reeve. “He’s a genius at that stuff, and an amazing songwriter in his own right. The recording of the single was an experiment. We wanted to get one of our tunes complete, to see ourselves in the mirror for the first time. It could have gone either way, but he’s become a really good friend. He was round the other day actually, borrowing some speakers for a surround-sound show he was doing. But that’s kind of just how it is with Glasgow.” “We first asked to meet him to discuss using an MPC and that led to chat about other sounds,” adds O’Sullivan. “We sent him a demo of the track and he said he loved it and wanted to record it. He was really tuned in to what we were doing. He was already mapping out that we could use a certain beat instead of the cheap-ass one we had been using.” So what about an album? “All we need now is to just freeze time, freeze everything,” ponders O’Sullivan. “And if someone Jenny Reeve just put about 12 grand in our bank account, and “We’ve been going for a while, but we’ve been some Maltesers, and some red wine. “And some mystical beasts that don’t exist,” careful to map out all of the material before putting anything online,” maintains Reeve. “There’s a adds Reeve. “And maybe a crystal clear Arctic lake. That’s danger if you just record the first thing you write. We have an overview of how the album will sound. not too much to ask for, is it?” agrees O’Sullivan. Reeve thinks for a second. “Although I’d setWe chose IDLU because that’s the most complete tune that we have just now. Every time we record, tle for a bowl and a goldish, and a five pound bottle of Tesco Select.” we’ve gone through the evolution of making beats, starting with me just hitting my guitar with IDLU is available to buy from 3 Mar. BDY_PRTS play Nice ‘N’ a delay on it to create a pulse and then recording Sleazy on 5 Mar it on a loop pedal, which is how we played IDLU bdyprts.com for a long time. But we needed a more of a rhythmic element, so we got an MPC1000 and learned the songs – and I always say ‘but this isn’t what it sounds like, this is only half, my half.’ I try my best to play him the skeleton of the song, but I can’t. We don’t make sense without each other in a musical setting.” Of course, this positive working relationship would be of little interest to the wider public if it does not result in a collection of songs worthy of releasing. But, with IDLU, they have already made a strong start, achieving playlist status on BBC radio shows north and south of the border. The duo, meanwhile, are in no mood to rush. “The single is definitely a reflection,” continues O’Sullivan. “But when we have the time and the funding to do the album, it will be in a similar vein, but it will have gone further. I feel like every month that goes by, we develop more sophisticated ideas.”

“When you’re put in a room full of songwriters, you don’t want to be shite, you know what I mean?”

MUSIC

Feature

Album of the Month

Trust

Joyland [Arts & Crafts, 3 Mar]

rrrrr

The sophomore offering from Trust is a solo endeavour for lynchpin Robert Alfons, with Maya Postepski having left the Toronto project shortly after their debut. Vocally, Alfons possesses a remarkable range, allowing him to channel a deep and sonorous moan on anthemic cuts like Geryon and superb first single Rescue, Mister, alongside a more plaintive falsetto on the record’s title track and Are We Arc? Incorporating dark strains of house, techno, early rave and trance, and coupling them with his impressive, stripped vocal melodies, Alfons is less a synth-pop revivalist, more an avant

garde songwriter in the mode of Baths or Sun Lux, but inspired by a different wave of electronica more contemporaneous with the dancefloor. There is a hollow sheen to Alfons’ beats and synths, a studied emptiness – teetering on Eurodance, but with a refined, gothic sensibility. With considerably more polished and widescreen production than on 2012’s TRST, tracks like Capitol come alive with a darkly glittering studio sheen and strident, echoing pianos, beginning like a souped-up Laibach, but climaxing in a rising and falling chorus that worms into the brain; while Icabod and Four Gut are instant EBM classics with a bright pop gloss. A rich, rewarding return. [Bram E. Gieben] Playing Glasgow Broadcast on 17 May ttrustt.com

Jimi Goodwin

Free Nelson Mandoomjazz

Carla Bozulich

rrrrr

Odludek [Heavenly, 24 Mar]

The Shape of Doomjazz to Come [RareNoise, 14 Mar]

Boy [Constellation, 3 Mar]

Despite spending the best part of his career fronting a band named Doves, Jimi Goodwin isn’t a fan of inhabiting pigeonholes. He’s been talking up “mad mixtape” Odludek pretty much since Doves first went on hiatus, pledging a solo debut defined by stylistic heterogeneity; something to give his creative impulses a workout, chopping and changing from one song to the next. While there’s plenty here that’s emphatically Doves-like (Didsbury Girl, Oh! Whiskey), the results largely fulfil that promise, with Terracotta Warrior’s opening blast of tuneless noise blowing dust and preconceptions out the listener’s lugholes. But the real shake-up is saved for the old-school dance vibe of Live Like A River – a reminder that ‘Jimi from Doves’ is also ‘Jimi formerly of Sub Sub.’ The circus canter of Man Vs Dingo is a less appealing stab at diversification, but a few spills are more than acceptable given the quality exuded elsewhere. [Chris Buckle]

Those who investigate the bleak and heavy terrain of Edinburgh jazz/metal fusionists Free Nelson Mandoomjazz will find a lot to enjoy. The guitarist’s powerful riffage obviously derives from a love of classic heavy metal in the Sabbath vein, but its when all three – drums, piano, and caterwauling saxophone – let loose that the real alchemy happens, the nails-down-a-blackboard intensity of the sax underpinned with feral guitar noise and clattering drums. It’s like John Zorn’s wildest excesses pared down with a tight, hook-driven rock sensibility. Most of the tunes clock in at about 7 minutes, but don’t overstay their welcome, as long as your brain can continue to accomodate the sheer intensity and pitch of the saxophone’s unearthly wail. Hints of post-rock’s expansionist vision creep in on No-one Fucking Posts to the UAE, and fast bebop trades licks with hardcore on K54. Deeply experimental, the raw power of Free Nelson Mandoomjazz is hard to deny. [Bram E. Gieben]

A veteran of the LA alternative and avant garde music scene, Carla Bozulich uses Boy to align herself with other practitioners of skewed, angular takes on highconcept pop without descending to the use of saccharine studio sheen, glossy promo shoots, or dumbed-down lyrics. Like EMA, St. Vincent or Emika, Bozulich is keyed in to the true meaning of the Gaga-devalued phrase ‘art pop.’ Her lyrics are claustrophobic confessionals, her songs immaculate dirges and murder ballads. Bozulich’s voice, at times redolent of Kristin Hersh and Patti Smith, is the perfect vehicle for the deconstructed beat poetry of opener and title track Boy. The mournful, funereal Drowned To The Light and Gonna Stop Killing are both bleak but exquisite, rounded out with esoteric instrumentation; while the album’s closing section – the crepuscular shoegaze of What Is It Baby and the minimalist post-rock of Number X – offers a balm to the preceding darkness. [Bram E. Gieben]

heavenlyrecordings.com/artists/jimi-goodwin/

soundcloud.com/freenelsonmandoomjazz

www.carlabozulich.com

Liars

Real Estate

François and the Atlas Mountains

rrrrr

Mess [Mute, 24 Mar] Liars’ seventh album is undeniably, blatantly a Mute Records album, not just in practical terms but also in spiritual terms; the album plays like a homage to the glory days of the label, coursing through D.A.F. affectations, highly-strung synths right out of Nitzer Ebb’s armoury and wonky excursions through Depeche Mode’s more outré dalliances, or, more recently, their VCMG offshoot. By and large, it’s a beast of a record and free from overtly pofaced earnestness – the album begins with an approximation of Giorgio Moroder’s massive synth bass from I Feel Love and a robot voice exhorting the listener to ‘take my pants off… smell my socks.’ It gets better, Angus Andrew’s vocals – often falsetto – become interchangeable with the über-restless electronics, peaking on I’m No Gold, the most obviously danceable track on show. Crucially, the trio don’t sound like a rock band experimenting with synths; Mess sounds like synths are experimenting with the band. Maybe drums are dead, after all. [Colm McAuliffe]

Atlas [Domino, 3 Mar] Last album Days seemed to unexpectedly catapult Ridgewood, New Jersey natives Real Estate to the top table of American indie. Atlas largely follows a similar path, regenerating mellow Big Star jangling and harmonies, and sure, it’s cute enough, but it’s not much of a thrill ride. Lead-off single Walking Backwards and the likes of Horizon and Navigator are certainly pretty, but when you’re looking for tracks such as Crime or The Bend to truly soar, they simply sigh, with Martin Courtney’s wistful vocals and inoffensive guitar mooching along at the same pace. Atlas will find its place, undoubtedly in the collections of Teenage Fanclub aficionados, but for all the joy that sunny indie pop can bring to our hearts, others have been here before and just done it a little better than Real Estate. One of life’s greatest frustrations can be a pleasant record that you know, deep down, ought to be offering you more. [Stu Lewis] realestatetheband.com

Piano Ombre [Domino, 17 Mar]

A band picking up where a previous album left off can often be a point of frustration and the sound of a band stagnating, but in the case of François and the Atlas Mountains, 2012’s E Volo Love was such a joy that this misdemeanour can easily be forgiven. Piano Ombre is stacked with the same euphoric tropicalia and multi-lingual harmonies that François Marry and his Bristolbased collective made their own well before their curious association with Fife’s former Fence Collective first came about. And there’s enough here to suggest a band developing too; the woozy beats of Bois and The Way to the Forest are more Balearic than Gallic, and carried off with such swagger that it doesn’t even matter that most lyrics are in French. But their lifeblood is cute, knowing pop like La Verité – the crowning moment on a consistently brilliant record, exectuted with real panache. [Stu Lewis] Playing Glasgow’s Stereo on 29 Mar francoisandtheatlasmountains.com

liarsliarsliars.com

Owls

BONG

Vertical Scratchers

rrrrr

Two [Polyvinyl, 24 Mar]

Stoner Rock [Ritual Productions, 10 Mar]

Daughter of Everything [Merge, 3 Mar]

If the Pixies’ 2003 reunion prompted a tidal wave of excitement, it’s fair to suggest the response to Owls’ return is more akin to a slight ripple. Make no mistake though, for drooling fans of cerebrally whacked-out indie rock, new material from these four gentlemen represents the holy fucking grail. From the lurching rumble that opens Two, it’s noticeable that the proto-‘twinklecore’ guitars of yesteryear feature less prominently this time round; instead Victor Villareal fires off sheets of noxiously addictive noise, especially on the Lungfish-flavoured mantra of Four Works Of Art. There’s still plenty to make fans all doe-eyed though – I’ll Never Be sees Tim Kinsella mithering melodiously over a vertiginous math-inflected groove, while I’m Surprised applies their template to a newfound proclivity towards pop. “We’ve never had nice stuff,” Tim complains, but of course, it ain’t what you got, it’s what you do with it. In that respect, Owls are a genuine force for good. [Will Fitzpatrick]

BONG have always considered themselves a separate entity from the so-called “stoner rock” scene; their sonic manifesto is less aggressive and direct than most bands gathering together with down-tuned guitars and copious amounts of weed. Comprising of two 35-minute pieces, their fourth full-length seeks to drive that point home. Polaris piles on thick, transcendental guitar tones. Pulsating riffs and bass drones ring out endlessly. It’s twelve minutes before any hint of percussion appears. Shamanistic spoken word parts occasionally rise from the pit of deafening sludge, but, as with BONG’s other work, the name of the game is euphoric repetition, and they’re masters of the art. Out Of The Aeons is more heavily textured than what came before; a shahi baaja can be heard floating around the mix, giving the sounds a tribal edge. The drums are also more active, resulting in a satisfying, slow-paced groove for those who prefer to bang their heads. Slow, ponderous and majestic, this is soul-engulfing stuff. [Ross Watson]

Few garage/indie records employ the lessis-more principle with quite as much commitment and effectiveness as the debut from this LA duo. John Schmersal (guitar and vocals) and Christian Beaulieu (drums) may both have a background in more technically ambitious outfits (Brainiac and Triclops!, respectively), but that has evidently made them perfectly-placed to deploy simplicity and brevity with maximum effectiveness. The fifteen songs that comprise Daughter of Everything have a runtime of 31 minutes, and never deviate from their caustically melodic template. Sonically, Schmersal’s percussive, metallic thrashings evoke Thee Oh Sees’ gleefully overdriven noise, and there’s a similar deceptive complexity in the song structures here: simultaneously familiar and skewed, and twisting the clichés of the genre just enough to make them fresh. With its frenzied mangling of Pavement-style solos together with deft, Kinks-esque twisting chord progressions, Daughter somehow crams more ideas into a half hour than most peers manage over a career. [Sam Wiseman]

owlschicago.com

bong.bandcamp.com

verticalscratchers.com

Review

RECORDS

THE SKINNY

Kevin Drew

Metronomy

Joan as Police Woman

rrrrr

Darlings [City Slang, 24 Mar] While Darlings is the second solo release from Kevin Drew, it suggests a more focused, determined effort to escape the orbit of that band than was evident on 2007’s Spirit If…. Drew’s debut release was, in fact, more or less a BSS record in all but name, both in terms of personnel and sound; Darlings, conversely, has a weary, frazzled quality, lacking the emotive bombast that colours much of his collaborative work. The tempo does pick up on songs like Bullshit Ballad, on which e-bowed guitar lines shine through a fug of distortion, and on the nostalgic new wave synths and pulsing drum loops of You Gotta Feel It. This is Drew at his most meditative; no bad thing, since beneath the driving rhythms and walls of echoing guitar, he possesses a songwriting ability sometimes drowned out on BSS releases. [Sam Wiseman] kevindrewmusic.com

Love Letters [Because Music/Elektra Records, 10 Mar]

Where The English Riviera was a love letter to British seasides, Love Letters is, well, you can guess. The titular track, with a female chorus cooing ‘lo-oove letters’ like The Supremes, has Joe Mount – the hopeless romantic – admitting defeat His penchant for wonky, dated sounds holds true; if the movie Drive was on the Sega Saturn it’d sound like Boy Racers; Monstrous has that jangly toybox harpsichord, and Reservoir hums with the same bittersweet boardwalk vibe heard in TER’s The Look. Is the novelty thinning? Love Letters will be Marmite for many. There’s always an eccentricity to Mount’s compositions; not enough to alienate, but you have to really dig that falsetto (and those catchy/infruriating shoop-doop-doop-ahs on I’m Aquarius) to get into Metronomy. A heartfelt package but it lags behind their last two LPs by a Devonshire mile. [George Sully]

There are times, as on the Motown-fuelled Holy City, a breathless, ribald devotional (“Yeah, I’m ready to get up on your wailing wall!”), when this fourth album from Joan Wasser feels like the natural successor to Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black. When the initial pace shifts from bustling soul-pop to twilight balladry, its distinct tone helps differentiate the pair. The Classic is defined by an intriguingly self-aware optimism. For Wasser, unlike many of Winehouse’s defining moments, love, for now at least, is largely a winning game. Her lyrics remain storied, soulful and true. “And the song that we’re singing seems like it’s always been sung,” she purrs on the slow-burn title track. Here’s an artist we thought we knew, emerging reborn and opening a window on a life that feels deeply, properly lived. She shares it in ever more remarkable fashion. [Gary Kaill]

Jon Porras

The War on Drugs

Polar Bear

rrrrr

Light Divide [Thrill Jockey, 24 Mar] This second offering on Thrill Jockey from Jon Porras (formerly of drone duo Barn Owl) represents something of a departure. Where previous work has used guitar as the fundamental sonic source, Light Divide sees Porras eschew the guitar entirely in favour of electronics. It’s a bold move, and across the five richly-textured soundscapes here, it reveals new depths to his compositional abilities. The shift in Porras’ approach is clear not just in terms of the record’s sonic makeup, but also in the pieces’ loose, abstract structures, and the near-total refusal to adhere to melodic or rhythmic convention. Light Divide consequently places Porras in the company of acts like Tim Hecker and Oneohtrix Point Never, and while it never quite reaches the hallucinatory heights of such peers, it suggests some tantalising connections between this dark, ambient electronica and his guitar-based work. [Sam Wiseman] jonporras.com

Stanley Brinks and the Wave Pictures

Gin [Fika Recordings, 3 Mar]

rrrrr

Named after the drink that fuelled its recording, Stanley Brinks’ third collaboration with The Wave Pictures is a somewhat untidy collection that in its best stretches offers up raw bursts of inspiration, but with the odd off-moment elsewhere to suggest time at the bar might have been better spent at the drawing board. Admittedly, the threshold between messy brilliance and just plain messy is a difficult one to pinpoint with regards an artist like Brinks, who since departing Herman Dune has generated scores of albums with near absolute autonomy, any frayed edges contributing to his appeal. Nonetheless, when a song falls as flat as Spinola Bay does here, it’s difficult not to yearn for a more discerning and incisive approach. Luckily, the rest of Gin exercises its creator’s idiosyncrasies more successfully, and, as on their previous two secondments, The Wave Pictures prove nicely suited to the record’s loose, improvisational style. [Chris Buckle] stanleybrinks.bandcamp.com

Lost in the Dream [Secretly Canadian, 17 Mar]

Lost in the Dream may eventually turn out to be the point where The War on Drugs escape references to former member and slacker poster-boy Kurt Vile. While hazy, spaced out Americana remains the link, Adam Granduciel’s band have placed classic seventies tendencies ahead of stoner chic. Building rather nicely on the stomp of 2011 breakthrough Slave Ambient, confident Springsteen-esque rallying calls are added to the likes of Red Eyes, nestling comfortably alongside the feeling that New Jersey’s most famous son would rather enjoy this. Under the Pressure and Disappearing echo some of Lindsay Buckingham’s finest guitar work and at times you could close your eyes and hear Granduciel’s voice become Paul Simon’s. Despite such references, the listener is constantly reminded that this is an expansive modern rock record, stuffed with hooks and a crisp production. Improbably, in 2014 the Philadelphians are carving a niche of their own. [Stu Lewis]

In Each and Every One [The Leaf Label, 24 Mar] While Peepers was hardly an uncomplicated affair, Polar Bear’s fifth album sees Seb Roachford and company pushing their envelope further. Their iconoclastic sound remains rooted in jazz, but with musical stolons creeping their way into all sorts of testing territories. The range of contrasting dynamics is staggering: on amorphous opener Open See, a bubbling ambience intermittently gives way to alien whale song; on Be Free, fluttering sax tickles the synapses while erratic electronics mischievously throws things cock-a-hoop; on Life and Life, cymbals shatter and hiss till they build to an almighty racket; and on Maliana, primal polyrhythms fade in and out, restoring the metre when the rest of the components threaten to get too abstract. If that sounds a little exhausting then that’s because, consumed uninterrupted, it kind of is. But it’s also strikingly adventurous and sharp-minded, and therefore fully worth the commitment. [Chris Buckle] polarbearmusic.com

Elbow

Future Islands

rrrrr

The Take Off and Landing of Everything [Fiction, 10 Mar] “Was the universe in rehearsal?” wonders Guy Garvey on opener The World is Blue. Clocking at nearly eight minutes and ghosting to a string-driven coda, it sets the tone for much of Elbow’s sixth album. There is scant departure from the sparse palette of predecessor Build a Rocket Boys!, Garvey’s romantic wanderings, those sidelong observations of life in unfaltering close-up, supported by pulsing, minimal percussion and a wash of strings and keyboards. The skiffle jaunt of Fly Boy Blue is the only shift away from that default mode, the arms-aloft reach of New York Morning the only properly robust anthem. A chill, reserved work that cries out for more melody, more drama, The Take Off and Landing of Everything makes good on only a portion of its title. Resolutely sticking to the template, it rarely ascends. It's frustratingly earth-bound, and while you suspect that Elbow’s arena-filling fan-base will lap up more of the same, coasting of this type is as odd as it is unbecoming. [Gary Kaill] Playing Glasgow SSE Hydro on 6 Apr elbow.co.uk

Withered Hand

Sudden Death of Stars

rrrrr

New Gods [Fortuna POP!, 10 Mar]

All Unrevealed Parts of the Unknown [Ample Play, 10 Mar]

With a title that near-anagrams its 2009 precursor Good News, New Gods sees Withered Hand (aka Edinburgh-based songwriter Dan Willson) gently shuffle aspects of his sound around, producing an album that’s distinct from yet recognisably connected to what came before. Production choices inspire the most noticeable alterations, with markedly more polish and a plethora of radio-friendly touches imparted by time in a “proper studio” with producer Tony Doogan. It’s a shift that provokes mixed feelings. On opener Horseshoe, amongst others, it helps the material soar, urging you to sing along with the lyrical sucker punches. But elsewhere the shininess risks diminishing Willson’s individualism, threatening to draw attention away from the subtlety, intimacy and endearing awkwardness that typically flavours his songwriting. But that’s a minor complaint: throughout, New Gods affirms Willson’s superlative abilities, with highlights ranging from the airport insecurities of Love Over Desire to the communal courage expressed in closer Not Alone. [Chris Buckle]

Everything the Sudden Death of Stars do is not so much tinged but teeming with a sepia tone. The Rennes sextet exist in that increasingly inclusive realm of psych-pop but All Unrevealed Parts of the Unknown, their debut for the achingly hip Ample Play Records, sounds more of a homage to the bands influenced by psychedelia and garage rather than the source itself. Accordingly, standout track Over The Top boasts guitar arpeggios and duelling solos like Television on fast forward; Why Won’t You Try features murmured vocals hidden beneath the shimmering guitars à la the Feelies and the whole thing is punctuated by organ trills and stabs, sitar detours and – when you do get to hear him – a curiously mannered, English-accented lead vocalist, rather like how Eno half sang, half spoke on his early solo albums. The album is hypnotic and often glorious; the melodies do blend into each other after a while but this is no bad thing, All Unrevealed Parts of the Unknown is a warm and joyous evocation of an ersatz era. [Colm McAuliffe]

Withered Hand plays CCA, Glasgow on 18 Apr

facebook.com/suddendeathofstars

March 2014

The Classic [PIAS, 10 Mar]

RECORDS

Singles [4AD, 24 Mar]

This Baltimore-based new wave/synthpop trio are now on their fourth full-length, and have been through nearly as many record labels: this, their 4AD debut, follows releases on Thrill Jockey and Upset The Rhythm. That rootlessness should not, however, be taken to reflect a band unsure of their identity; Singles is an impressively assured record, particularly in terms of its robust, coherent sonic palette, which layers ebbing synth chords and delicate guitar lines over an infectious, driving rhythm section. They’re at their alluring, reflective best on songs like Light House, which manages to be both melancholy and hopelessly catchy. While the taut bass and occasionally cutesy synth lines might bring to mind peers like Metronomy, there’s a Bowie-esque power to Samuel T. Herring’s vocals, which raises Future Islands above most new wave revivalists of recent times. It suggests, too, that this previously transient outfit have found a comfortable home on 4AD. [Sam Wiseman] future-islands.com

The Top Five 1 2 3 4 5

Trust

Joyland

The War on Drugs

Lost in the Dream

Liars

Mess

Carla Bozulich

Boy

Vertical Scratchers

Daughter of Everything

Review

Two’s Company Thirteen years after their debut, Chicago experimentalists Owls return to the fray with long-awaited follow-up. Tim Kinsella dissects the weight of expectation

“I

was talking to a friend of mine the other day,” says Owls frontman Tim Kinsella from his Chicago home. “She’s 23, a lot younger than me, and she feels she’s getting old and square ‘cause she doesn’t keep up with popular music like she used to. Her friends are like, ‘Are you kidding? That came out two weeks ago!’” He chuckles, reflecting on the fast-paced, chew-‘em-up-and-swallow-‘em nature of music distribution in the year 2014; knowing that his recently-reunited band has conversely benefitted from incremental appreciation down the years. Adolescence saw him become something of a cult hero, thanks to the fragmented rush of his frenetic punk act Cap’n Jazz – a significant influence on the rise of emo during the late 1990s, despite the band’s misgivings regarding the scene and their part in it. When they split, his next project Joan of Arc scrambled listeners’ expectations with four albums of skeletal acoustics, electronic collage and rhythmic complexity, before collapsing at the turn of the century. The name would ultimately be resurrected in 2003, but in the meantime, Tim produced his finest work to date. Owls were essentially a Cap’n Jazz reunion, tempered by a unanimous desire to create something new. Sure enough, the slower pace of their self-titled debut lent space for prodigious guitarist Victor Villareal to conjure sounds that glistened like spring showers, atop Mike Kinsella’s mind-boggling, heteromorphic drum patterns. Anchored by bassist Sam Zurick’s innate appreciation of space and texture, Tim was free to revel in melody and abstract poetry, drunk on bold invention and intense collaborative intimacy. It felt utterly unique in 2001 – like The Velvet Underground before them, Owls didn’t sell a lot of records, but virtually everyone who bought one started a band. By the following year, Mike (the singer’s younger brother) had left to front his own project Owen, and everyone else moved on. Fans might well be surprised by the recent decision to reform, as The Skinny suggests to Tim’s

Feature

Interview: Will Fitzpatrick

amusement. “Honestly, from our perspective it doesn’t seem like there are a lot of fans to surprise. It’s not any kind of calculated career move.” But for a band who’ve always seemed dead set on looking forwards rather than backwards, it seems rather odd. “I wouldn’t say any of us have ever been compulsively moving forward or something – we’re just invested in living, you know? The process of remaining engaged in your own life is incredibly interesting for us – we’ve been writing songs together since 1989; it’s a good time to check in to see what we all agree on. It’s about finding our sense of place in the world, and largely that’s defined by the relationships with each other that we’ve been invested in for 25 years.” In recent years, a Kinsella influence has become increasingly apparent in indie rock, from the math flavours of Foals to the so-called ‘emo revival’ that continues to gather pace. Villareal’s fleet-fingered idiosyncrasies provide a muchpilfered source of inspiration for bands like Dads or Hightide Hotel, suggesting that – regardless of Owls’ sincere intentions – this might not have been a bad time to return. Unsurprisingly, it’s of little import to Tim. “It’d be one thing,” he sighs, “if I was part of a community 20 years ago, and then I had barbecues with those guys and we’d all just be like ‘Weren’t we awesome?’ But the four of us are still deeply connected to creating and pushing ourselves – I can’t really connect to something that romanticises my first draft, so it’s music that’s impossible for me to access, however much I might want to.” The product of this reunion is the pragmatically-titled Two, which is a worthy sequel to that magnificent debut – sometimes brutally complex, but often toe-tappingly instant: the rollicking I’m Surprised… might even be his most thrilling pop song since Cap’n Jazz’s sole album. The titles all break enigmatically into ellipses – “to create a sort of distance from the ‘cleverness’ of the first

record,” Tim explains helpfully – yet, curiously, the lyrical tone is more open and warmly selfdeprecating than his usual impressionistic fare, whether admitting “my horoscope always trumps world news” or proclaiming “I walk away from shit that I don’t understand / And I don’t think that’s weird”. “There’s certainly a sense of being less guarded against certain things. The thing about emo that’s just bad art to me is the same way that a romantic comedy feels cloying – like it’s telling you how to feel. I’ve never felt comfortable… not because it would be giving too much of myself, nothing so pure as that, but it’s just bad taste to me to be like [sings] ‘I feel like thiiis!’

“The four of us are still deeply connected to creating and pushing ourselves” Tim Kinsella

“TS Eliot had this idea of the objective correlative, where you set two objects next to each other and their resonance will hopefully evoke the emotion, you know? That’s a more efficient way of doing my job, I think. So if this seems more emo in any way, it might just be that I’m not shy of using all the tools in the toolbox any more. There’s a place for all the tools when it’s the right time to use them.” Are the band concerned that the same tensions which drove them apart thirteen years ago might resurface? “Ah, there’s a lot of tension. You know, Sam’s my best friend since 1989 – we have tension every

MUSIC

day and we have great affection every day. Victor is just like this Buddha, a total sweetheart. The tension is really all me and my brother. We have very different lives and very different expectations of the entire meaning of being in a band.” That must make things tricky, and given that fifteen ‘proper’ albums have been produced by Joan of Arc’s rolling cast (various musicians drift in and out of the lineup, including the other members of Owls, with Tim as the sole constant), you’d be forgiven for thinking there’d be some operational consensus. The singer pauses thoughtfully. “To me a band is a sense of community and unified vision. With Joan of Arc, it’s often assumed that I’m like the sheriff or the mayor or something, when really I’m like the janitor or the secretary. It’s always one hundred percent open, one hundred percent total democracy. So it’s really like this exercise in how to embody a utopian vision of collaboration. And there’s something about the rock band, in terms of the sonics of electric guitar, bass and drums, that has almost become invisible to our modern ears, so that’s why I’m interested in it: we’re using invisible tools.” This, then, is very much where Tim Kinsella’s head is at right now. “Everyone that’s interested in Owls has had thirteen years of living with this one record, so there’s no way that the second one can be equal. That was something we had to accept from the beginning – ‘OK, well if we know we’re gonna disappoint people by failing to live up to our old selves, we could just be ourselves right now!’ “As far as I can tell the difficulty in living is just continuing to live – it gets more difficult and lighter. So if that’s how the record comes across, it’s an accurate portrayal of my experience of the world, which is all I hope for any of these records to be.” Two is released on 24 Mar via Polyvinyl Records owlschicago.com

THE SKINNY

March 2014

Discover Italy with us! Language courses, art and culture for all

ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL 7–27 March Celebrating the 21st edition with an exciting and diverse line-up of contemporary and classic Italian cinema italianﬁlmfestival.org.uk

ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE 82 Nicolson St, Edinburgh EH8 9EW Tel: 0131 668 2232 • iicedimburgo@esteri.it www.iicedimburgo.esteri.it

THE SKINNY

DJ Chart: Euan Beneath The Label: Neilson (Killer Kitsch) Horror Boogie Ahead of their ninth birthday bash, Killer Kitsch resident Euan Neilson tips 10 tracks to get you in the mood for the party

We quiz DJ and promoter Dave Shades on his outlet for twisted wonky techno, rave, breaks and mutant bass.

Interview: Ronan Martin

Photo: Henry Lee

cott Donaldson AKA Dave Shades first unveiled Horror Boogie Records in 2011 and the label’s remit was abundantly clear from the start. With debut EP Welcome to the Horrordome’s bright green vinyl adorned with the decaying face of a cartoon zombie, and with gnarling tracks from acts as formidable as Subhead and Michael Forshaw contained within, the label was evidently going to aim for the jugular, offering up choice servings from the grittier end of the club music spectrum. Fierce, yet intensely fun at the same time, the Glasgow-based label has continually diversified with releases from the likes of Kanji Kinetic, Fedka the Irritant and Neil Landstrumm in partnership with Hostage as Gutts. Fresh from the release of Ben Pest’s Horrible Joys last month, we spoke with Shades to find out what makes the label tick.

his month, one of Glasgow’s most popular weeknight club ventures, Killer Kitsch, celebrates nine years as the prime culprit in the scuppering of many a would-be productive Wednesday morning. With the Buff Club as their trusty base, the Kitsch crew have cultivated a Tuesday night institution, serving up a heady mix of trusted staples such as house, techno and electro, while also dipping their toes into hiphop, bass music and whatever else takes their fancy on a given night. The club has attracted some stellar guests over the years, with DJ EZ, Flosstradamus and Shadow Dancer some of the highlights in recent times. Yet the club’s residents have always provided the backbone, and Killer Kitsch more than most nights is a party where patrons know what to expect from the regulars at the helm. With the birthday on the horizon, head honcho Euan Neilson takes us through a mixture current picks, old favourites and gems rediscovered from the back of his stacks.

Razz - Razz-Matazz [Sunset] The Sunset Records compilation Kill Yourself Dancing is stacked full of interesting early Chicago House - miles better than the similar Bang The Box one also released on the same label. You should check it out.

Dark Strands - Return Of The Oscillator [Magic Feet] We’ll start with my favourite record at the minute. I have been going a bit OTT on most things related to [Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston’s] A Love From Outer Space project recently and I’m 99.9% sure I must have picked this up from a mix or something.

Secret Squirrel - Secret Squirrels # 1 [Secret Squirrel] I’ve really liked all the Secret Squirrels releases but this one in particular is just perfect. It’s just adding a nice acid line to Ma Foom Bey by Cultural Vibes. I like edits that just do what’s needed and don’t overdo things.

Marquis Hawkes - House Is My Castle [Dixon Avenue Basement Jams] It’s taken a few releases for me to really get into his stuff, but finally I can honestly say that I really love some of the stuff that Marquis Hawkes is coming out with. This track in particular gets played every week at the club. Petra & Co - Just Let Go (Dub) [BCM] I picked up TSOB (The Sound of Belgium) soundtrack a while back (and caught the film last week at The Art School), ploughed through the 4CDS on offer and this track was the one that stood out for me and the one that I’ve been playing out.

March 2014

Fred Wesley & The Horny Horns – Discositdown [Sequel] I only recently decided to go in search of this record after having a listen to Fatboy Slim’s On The Floor @ The Boutique mix. It took me a while, but I now have a copy. Shame to hear the crap Norman plays out now when he was once playing stuff as good as this. Celsius - Incoming [Madtech] After all those fairly obscure choices, lets have something modern shall we? Not sure if people know this one but it’s Russ Chimes under a different moniker. Hopefully he’ll release more under this name.

I understand you’ve built fairly close ties with the artists you release. Is that something that’s important to you? Definitely. I’ve made some great friends through running and going to nights and a lot of the people whose music I release are people who I’ve either booked or have met in clubs. Actually, some of the tracks I’ve released are tracks that I first heard at my nights before pestering the artists to let me release them. Knowing the artists makes everything so easy and enjoyable, as I’m dealing with people I get on with and who I respect. They know that I’m extremely passionate about their music and I take pleasure in knowing that they really appreciate the likes of me pushing to get their music out there.

The artwork always grabs the attention and seems to be a fitting accompaniment to the records. What inspired the art? When I was a kid, I had a huge fascination with posters and video covers for films, especially horror films. I used to go into the video rental shop near my house after school most days to look at them, like the obsessive weirdo I am. So that’s what I put to Hektor Ruiez, who does all the artwork. I couldn’t be happier with the ideas and end results he comes up with. What can we expect from the label in the near future? The next release is an EP by Luke’s Anger, who has been one of my favourite producers in recent years and who is a big supporter of the label. It’s 4 acid-laden booty tracks, which should appeal to people who maybe aren’t fans of the more wonky/mutant bass stuff I’ve put out. It should be out early April. Following that, I have lots of tracks already lined up by the likes of Dexorcist, Yeahhbuzz, Axel Sohns, Lief Ryan, Audiogutter and RRRitalin plus more from some of the previously released artists like Ben Pest, Luke’s Anger, 3D!T and Queaver. soundcloud.com/horror-boogie-records

Rex The Dog - Prototype [Kompakt] I dug this out and played it last week. Is it just me or does this still sound pretty decent? Baby Oliver - Feelings 2 [Environ] Here’s another Morgan Geist pseudonym. He’s quite well known just now for his chart success under the Storm Queen alias but his Baby Oliver project gave birth to loads of great records as well. Photo: Khristopher Morgan

How would you sum up the mission statement for Horror Boogie? The reason I decided to start the label was the amount of really good wonky techno and bass music being produced and nowhere near enough of it being released on vinyl. I will always release on vinyl for as long as pressing plants exist and that’s an important aspect of the label.

As a DJ, you’ve always played a broad range of styles – from funk, disco and hip hop, through to techno, bassline and ghetto house. Are you keen to incorporate more of these influences into the label? I don’t like to totally limit myself by pigeonholing the label but at the same time I want the releases to stay fairly true to the label’s sound, which does cover several styles. I was in the process of setting up a new label to release more straight up techno, house, electro and acid, and have some great stuff planned for it, but I was struggling to find a good distributor. I do intend to get back on the case with it, when funds will allow, so watch this space...patiently.

Dance Area - AA247 [Phantasy Sound] We don’t really have any records that we can lay claim to as Killer Kitsch classics, but if there was one, this would maybe be it. Killer Kitsch’s 9th Birthday take place at the Buff Club, 11 Mar. Donations on the door

CLUBS

Feature

Clubbing Highlights Words: Ronan Martin

e begin in Edinburgh with the Wee Dub Festival, a three-day celebration of the reggae-derived sounds of roots, dub, dancehall and jungle, held over five sessions in the city’s Old Town. Among those set to deliver the subheavy sounds are Leeds outfit Iration Steppas ft. Danman, who have gained international recognition for their contribution to the dub scene, transporting the vibe of their hometown Subdub events to venues all over the world. They are joined, amongst others, by the legendary Glaswegian crew Mungo’s Hi-Fi (who will have their fully rigged soundsystem in tow), and this one looks set to be one of the highlights of the festival (Sat 8 Mar, Studio 24, £12-15). Elsewhere, MC Gardna will bring a more hip hop-tinged form of dub to Teviot Underground (Fri 7 Mar, £7-10), while African Head Charge and Big Toes Hi-Fi are a couple of the acts on offer at The Caves (Sun 9th, £11-14). Full weekend tickets cost £45. Next up in the capital, Unseen welcomes former Altern 8 member and old skool rave supremo Mark Archer to Studio 24. Involved in the UK scene since its earliest days, Archer was a founding member of Bizarre Inc before going on to infiltrate the UK pop charts with Altern 8 releases like Activ-8 (Come With Me) and Evapor 8. The former was the subject of a fan campaign to claim the UK Christmas number one spot in 2013 (it reached number 33), exemplifying the lasting impact Archer’s work has had on fans of rave music. He is joined on the night by Unseen residents, Nomad and Neil Templar (Sat 8 Mar, £5-7). On Saturday 15 March, Gasoline Dance Machine takes over Cabaret Voltaire with an appearance by local producer and DJ Dean Newton AKA Bluford Duck. With a sound tailored for the dancefloor, and taking in influences as diverse as house, rave and Italo disco, Newton will likely find admirers in a younger generation of clubbers increasingly enthralled with modern re-interpretations of classic sounds such as piano house and vocal-driven garage (£5-7). The following weekend one of Edinburgh’s best artists in recent years takes to the Wee Red Bar at the College of Art for a night hosted by Warm Fuzzy. Gavin Sutherland AKA Fudge Fingas has steadily built a reputation for producing remarkably infectious house music, always built around a solid core of deep funk. Over the past decade or so, Sutherland has released several brilliant records on the likes of Rush Hour, Prime Numbers and Edinburgh-based label Firecracker. As a DJ, Fudge Fingas is as comfortable easing through laid back grooves as he is dropping full on tweaking acid tracks. This one comes highly recommended (Fri 21 Mar, £5-6). Finally, there’s bass-driven electro on the menu at the end of the month as Jackhammer welcome Control Tower boss Radioactive Man to the Wee Red Bar. Keith Tenniswood has had a long and varied career, first coming to prominence in the mid-90s as part of Two Lone Swordsmen with Andrew Weatherall. Since then he has developed his own sound as Radioactive Man, focussing on a punchy style of electro which he has released through a number of labels including Weatherall’s Rotters Golf Club and his own Control Tower outlet. Joining Tenniswood is Edinburgh-bred Detroit techno aficionado Stephen Brown. A gifted producer and DJ, Brown has forged links with the Motor City through his releases on the legendary Transmat label as well as on DJ Bone’s Subject Detroit. His live sets rarely disappoint so this one should be lively (Sat 29 Mar, £8). Across the M8, March offers up a wealth of clubbing options in Glasgow, with La Cheetah in particular having a strong month. Continuing the impressive run of guests in the Motor City Electronics series, the basement of Max’s Bar

Preview

Illustration: Rachel Davey this time plays host to a bona fide Detroit legend in the shape of Moodymann. Gifted, prolific and fiercely independent, Kenny Dixon Jr has become a success story in house music without ever compromising his sound or his unique identity. From his earliest tracks on his own KDJ imprint to the albums he has released through the likes of Planet E and Peacefrog, Moodymann has continually ploughed his own furrow, releasing deeply funky club tracks, mellow introspective soul gems, playful R’n’B, pulsing techno and whatever else takes his fancy on a given release. His DJ sets are as varied and unpredictable as his back catalogue would suggest and with Kenny Dixon Jr playing to a relatively small crowd in a basement club environment, this one has classic written all over it (Fri 7 Mar, advance tickets sold out, 70 available on the door). The following night, La Cheetah bid farewell to Moodymann of Detroit and open their doors again as Pistols at Dawn host Chicago disco master Rahaan. Regarded as one of the best selectors around, the resident of the legendary Smart Bar comes to town with a reputation for bringing the heat in his hometown and across the globe (Sat 8 Mar, £8-10). Over at Saint Judes on Bath Street, Marek Hemmann plays for Solstice as part of his Bittersweet album tour. Having released an array of sun-soaked party tracks like 2009’s Gemini, Hemmann’s most recent album finds him still with one eye on the dancefloor but with more room for excursions into moodier techno textures and the occasional refreshing departure from the fouron-the-floor approach (Fri 14 Mar, £10). On the same night L.I.E.S head honcho and increasingly hyped record spinner, Ron Morelli is in town to line up alongside Martin McKay of Glasgow’s legendary Rubadub records. This one is sure to bring forth eclectic sounds from stonewall classics to obscure gems (La Cheetah, £10 adv). On Friday 21 Mar, Rødhåd returns to Glasgow to shake the hallowed foundations of the Sub Club for the Animal Farm crew. Billed by the promoters as the “real life techno viking,” the bearded Berlin native belts out dark mesmeric techno and always strikes a fine balance between blistering power and sullen atmospherics. Having honed his craft through playing extended DJ sets at the legendary Berghain, Rødhåd is definitely a force to be reckoned with. He is joined by upand-comer and fellow Berliner, Kobosil (£12 adv). Elsewhere, La Cheetah has another tantalising prospect lined up to close the month. The ever-impressive Offbeat crew follow up on last month’s Tabernacle Records showcase with a night focussed on the impeccable Creme Organization. Label head DJ TLR will take to the decks, exhibiting the kind of reliable selection that has filled the Creme Organization back catalogue with classics from the likes of Legowelt, James T Cotton and more recently John Heckle, Neville Watson and Willie Burns. The latter, who has made waves with his releases on Creme as well as on L.I.E.S and Trilogy Tapes, will also perform (first 50 free, £8 after). Rounding things off in Glasgow, Nice ‘n’ Sleazy plays host to The Guild of Calamitous Intent who have scheduled a guest appearance by Hamburg-based producer and DJ Helena Hauff. With just one record to her name – a piercing assault of acid lines and hardware-based percussion on Actress’s Werkdiscs label – Hauff is fairly new to electronic music production. Yet her skills as a DJ have seen her start to make an impact beyond the Hamburg club scene with a style that’s heavily centred on electro and the grubbier recesses of house and techno. We reckon this may be one of the best nights of the month (Sat 29 Mar, £4). Get to it!

CLUBS

THE SKINNY

Unlocking the Vaults

From 28 Mar-5 Apr, Hidden Door Festival returns to Edinburgh with a multi-arts event in the disused vaults on Market St. Director David Martin explains why they’re bringing back the festival in an expanded form Interview: Rosamund West

Jenny Drewitt

our years ago, in the all too brief lifespan of The Roxy Art House, an intriguing event took place over the course of one January weekend. In the grand hall a team of artists built a giant maze, a structure of tiny rooms filled with art installations, and in its heart a stage. The Hidden Door festival was born, and over the two days it was open attracted over 2000 visitors to see more than 20 bands and a legion of artists. Later that year, in October 2010, the second Hidden Door weekend popped up, only this time the festival was significantly bigger. Expanding across the whole Roxburgh building, they built five stages in the main hall to host 40 bands, playing off, with and against each other in an interactive, collaborative process as around them and in the floors above and below, the work of more than 120 visual artists, poets and filmmakers was displayed. After this success, expectations were high for more Hidden Door DIY pop-ups. But then the Roxy was brutally, unexpectedly closed down, and in the absence of a clear venue successor, all was quiet for three years. Then, this January, a launch event in Edinburgh’s Caves announced the return of the festival, once again scaled up and, following many months of negotiations, ready to occupy the 24 disused vaults on Market St. Hidden Door’s director, David Martin, says the hiatus was caused primarily by wrangling over a venue.” We decided as a committee that we wanted to stage an event in a derelict building or site. Edinburgh doesn’t really have much of a pop up scene, so we thought we’d go for it, and do something in a really unlikely venue that we could completely transform. We pored over the Buildings At Risk Register, contacting neglectful landlords and the council numerous times. Finally we found our perfect venue – 24 forgotten vaults right in the heart of the city. It was worth the wait.” Martin is, naturally, very pleased with the programme, which includes over 50 musical acts

over the course of nine days and nights. “We have a fantastic band up from London called United Vibrations for the opening party, but the penultimate party on the following Friday with LAW, Conquering Animal Sound, Miaoux Miaoux and Meursault is definitely the night I don’t want to have any stewarding duties.” But the festival is about much more than just the music. “It’s the less obvious stuff that makes Hidden Door really special. If you’ve never tried a poetry night before, come to Caesura in the Project Space, our pop-up hidden theatre in the vaults, or if you come to the first Saturday, you’ll not only hear some fantastic music, but you’ll get a chance to view some spectacular outdoor physical theatre directed by Oceansallover, and join in with some lively poetry tours taking you through the vaults.” It’s free during the day until 6pm, when the public can visit the artworks in the vault spaces. “This is perhaps the most original part of the whole event, because the art projects – from architectural constructions that feature falling snow inside, through beautiful video projections to things as strange as a vault occupied by tiny light-responsive robots (we provide the torch) – really make use of the character of the site. At the end of the day, it’s probably the site itself, and how it has been brought to life that will be the really memorable highlight of Hidden Door.” With visual art, theatre, cinema, live music and the essential craft beer bars all in play, the nine days in the vaults look to be worth the wait. So what does Martin want the festival to bring to the city? “Hidden Door is all about the D.I.Y. approach to enjoying the arts. I hope that the Hidden Door Festival will bring a sense to Edinburgh that if we want to do it, we can do it. If we want to celebrate our creative culture, we can celebrate it, without waiting for some institution to approve it or fund it.” Hidden Door Festival, Market St Vaults, 28 Mar-5 Apr hiddendoorblog.org

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Own Art: Democratic Camera Words: Kate Andrews

s all eyes turn to Glasgow in a bumper year for culture, Street Level Photoworks will be celebrating its 25th dedicated retail space and online shop will enable savvy customers to invest in high-quality photography through the Own Art scheme – making collecting of this young, reasonably priced and ever-expanding medium accessible to most budgets. Situated at the heart of the Trongate 103 complex, Street Level is a key player in the area’s redevelopment. Occupying a unique position in Glasgow’s creative community as its only dedicated photography gallery, Street Level has a focus on inclusive programming, providing artists and the public with a range of opportunities and facilities to both make and engage with the medium. The new, more coherent design for sales will be closely integrated into the programme and supported by a complete revamp of Street Level’s online presence. Work will be available via an online shop for the first time, with everything from traditional black and white street and music photography to the burgeoning field of ‘old processes’ tempting diverse budgets and tastes. Director Malcolm Dickson feels that the synergy between the digital and the analogue (the ‘past’ and the present/future) presents a particularly interesting development for the medium. “A lot of

younger artists are technically marching back in time and revisiting earlier photographic processes – Wet Collodion, Platinum prints and suchlike – a fascinating process in terms of the regeneration of interest in the histories of photography, but from the vantage point of current practice the convergence of those earlier processes with the digital creates something of a dynamic, [which] adds a bit of buzz to the choice of what you might want to buy and put on your wall.” The launch in April will coincide with the programme for Glasgow International where new projects by Latvian photographer Arnis Balcus and Dutch artist Johan Nieuwenhuize will premiere at Street Level. Transgressing the broad genres of landscape, interior, still life and reportage, Balcus weaves a narrative of 21st century Latvia into a ‘fairytale’ referencing the hot topics of politics, gender and identity. The widelycollected photographer, artist and curator Nieuwenhuize’s new project, IMG_ is an associative ‘active visual archive’ referencing the mechanism of memory through an abstract approach to documentary and street photography. Dickson has seen the market grow and change (as much as the medium) since he became director in 1995. He feels that the push for galleries to sell shouldn’t be seen as a cynical flogging of

commodities; that there’s something more to the experience of buying art, which extends the resonance far beyond a brief encounter in a gallery: “Selling prints is for me part of audience development and it’s about deepening the experience of the encounter that people have with art. The innovative thing about Own Art is that it democratises the buying experience. It allows people who may not otherwise be of ‘the moneyed classes’ to buy artwork which in other circumstances may not have been possible… As such, the buyer becomes empowered as a tastemaker, artists get more of a level playing field and the sector as a whole sees [greater equality] in terms of what’s represented within the visual arts.” For an organisation with inclusion, social justice and equality central to its ethos, the democratisation of the medium is key. By empowering the incidental buyer as much as the established collector everyone in the chain of production and dissemination will benefit: “For the artist [the empowerment of the buyer is] really important because anything that somebody puts on a wall their friends or visitors to their home see. You could say that it’s an extension of the exhibition form – it gets people talking. If people buy, everyone’s a winner.”

Domicele Tarabildiene 'A Challenge to Time', 1931

streetlevelphotoworks.org

Galleries across Scotland are members of the Own Art scheme. By offering interest-free loans of £100-£2,000 through Own Art, buying an original piece of quality contemporary art or craft couldn’t be easier. For more information about Own Art and a list of participating galleries see the Own Art website: www.ownart.org.uk

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 an Arts Council England initiative operated by Creative Sector Services CIC, a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales under number 08280539. Registered address: 2-6 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6YH.

Look for the pink logo. (representative 0% APR)

249 West George Street Glasgow G2 4QE

March 2014

ART

Preview

March Film Events T

The Past

Wake In Fright

rrrrr

Director: Asghar Farhadi Starring: Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim Released: 28 Mar Certificate: 12A

Director: Ted Kotcheff Starring: Gary Bond, Donald Pleasence, Chips Rafferty Released: 7 Mar Certificate: 18

After experiencing the near-perfect construction of Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning A Separation and his belatedly released About Elly, one might be inclined to complain that the director’s narrative string-pulling is a little too evident in The Past. Certainly, there is a little clunkiness about the climactic twists, but such concerns only arise after the credits have finished rolling and the film has released us from its grip, and they quickly seem irrelevant against the bigger picture of what Farhadi is striving for here. He has created another wholly absorbing examination of secrets and lies, littering his screenplay with revelations that explode like depth charges, and deftly shifting our sympathies and our perception of each character as each new piece of information comes to light. There is no judgement in Farhadi’s approach, just boundless compassion and curiosity as he observes these decent, flawed people trying to negotiate morally complex and emotionally fraught situations. The Past is clearly the work of a master dramatist, and precious few filmmakers in world cinema are currently operating at Farhadi’s level. [Philip Concannon]

Ted Kotcheff would go on to chalk up major hits with the likes of First Blood and Weekend at Bernie’s, but it’s this rarely seen gem from 1971 that stands as the director’s most enduring critical success, as well as being an undisputed benchmark of Australian cinema. Equal parts psychological thriller and searing cultural critique, Wake in Fright depicts a world of aggressive camaraderie, treeless plains and brutal kangaroo hunts. It’s into this environment that Gary Bond’s refined school teacher finds himself trapped when he stops over in the remote mining town of Bundanyabba en route to a Christmas break in Sydney. The protagonist is almost immediately overcome by a hallucinatory fugue of violent alcoholic binges, Donald Pleasence and Chips Rafferty excelling as colourful local characters whose good natured eccentricity masks a volatile impulse toward homoerotic bullying. “What’s the matter with him? He’d rather talk to a woman than drink?” The kindness of strangers has never seemed more terrifying than in this dusty, sun-bleached masterpiece, now stunningly restored. [Lewis Porteous]

Salvo

Starred Up

rrrrr

Director: Fabio Grassadonio, Antonio Piazza Starring: Saleh Bakri, Luigi Lo Cascio Released: 21 Mar Certificate: TBC

Director: David Mackenzie Starring: Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, Rupert Friend Released: 21 Mar Certificate: 18

Cutting a scene a little long can render it dull; somehow, elongating it further leads to intrigue. So what of Salvo, a Sicilian hitman tale, which stretches acts out like dough, testing but never quite breaking? From a standard opening of bullets and bloodshed it morphs in pace and format in unexpected directions. Mafioso Salvo (Saleh Bakri), while pursuing a target, encounters the man’s blind sister and an existential crisis is sparked from a miracle. There are underlying notes of The Killer, with a saviour blind to inner ugliness, but with the added harsh realism of Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah. Problems lie in the characters themselves, infused with such meaning it detracts from their truth. These sparsely scripted abstracts refuse to allow us in. Visually confident with a notably bare sound design of introspective silences, ticking clocks, a solitary barking dog, it’s a film sure of its movement, strolling like a lion. But it may prove divisive: audiences are often uninterested in pure grace and beauty. Occasionally we want to see tricks. [Alan Bett]

A star is born in Starred Up. From the minute Jack O’Connell swaggers onscreen he electrifies the picture with the kind of fearless and commanding performance that recalls Ray Winstone’s breakthrough in Scum. O’Connell plays Eric, a violent young offender who has been ‘starred up’ to an adult jail and finds himself incarcerated alongside his estranged dad (a typically intimidating Ben Mendelsohn). The story that plays out might have seemed over-familiar and too obviously symbolic if it wasn’t for the uncommon sense of authenticity that comes through in the script by former prison therapist Jonathan Asser, and the manner in which he and director David Mackenzie immerse us in this environment. Mackenzie skilfully sketches the sense of community and hierarchy that prison life is built upon, and makes us keenly aware of the simmering aggression that threatens to boil over at any time. Only towards the end does the film settle for something sensationalistic and conventional; until then, this is a bruising, hugely impressive drama with a tender core under its abrasive surface. [Philip Concannon]

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Under the Skin

rrrrr

Director: Wes Anderson Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan Released: 7 Mar Certificate: 15 Wes Anderson’s films often dwell on worlds within worlds: grand houses, fox dens, submarines. So it seems appropriate that he should turn his delicate gaze to a hotel: the ultimate embodiment of secret worlds in public spaces. Inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig, the story unfolds like a Russian doll, told in the first instance by an author (Law), interviewing Zero Mustafa, a one-time lobby boy and now proprietor of the crumbling titular establishment. Ralph Fiennes’ Gustave H was the previous owner, whose inheritance of a priceless painting sets the shaggy dog story in motion. More surprising is the subject matter: behind the predictably whimsical yarn of a hotel concierge on the run lies a darker tale of pre-war Europe, a land of intrigue, disease, love and bubbling violence. Tilda Swinton makes a brief appearance as wealthy dowager Madame D., the name perhaps a nod to Max Ophüls’ The Earrings of Madame de..., a similarly stately and moving story of a world of finery on the edge of extinction. [Sam Lewis]

Review

he Italian Film Festival is coming to both the GFT in Glasgow (7-12 Mar) and the Filmhouse in Edinburgh (7-20 Mar), bringing a great selection of both old and new Italian movies. This year’s focus is on Federico Fellini, with How Strange to be Named Federico, a documentary by the iconic director’s close friend Ettore Scola showing (GFT, 9 Mar; Filmhouse 15 Mar). Also screening is Visconti’s lesser known film Sandra (GFT 11 Mar; Filmhouse 18 Mar), and among the new releases is The Best Offer (GFT 7 Mar, Filmhouse 20 Mar), an intriguing mystery starring Geoffrey Rush from director Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso). See the cinema websites for the full line-up. In Dundee, the DCA is showing a selection of classic films as part of their Focus on Film strand. Included this month is The Son of the Sheik (9 Mar), featuring heartthrob Rudolph Valentino in his last role – he died a few weeks before the film’s release in 1926. Also screening is The Man Who Would be King (13 Mar), John Huston’s classic adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling story with Sean Connery and Michael Caine, and the charming Funny Face (23 Mar), starring Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. Beginning on 16 Mar, the Cameo in Edinburgh is showing a different Disney classic every Sunday – Peter Pan begins the season, and is followed by The Jungle Book (23 Mar) and Cinderella (30 Mar). The season continues in April, and offers a rare chance to see these childhood favourites on the big screen; check the Cameo’s website for more details. Throughout the month, Filmhouse is showcasing the works of multi-award winning filmmaker and artist Derek Jarman, who died in 1994. The programme includes several of Jarman’s collaborations with Tilda Swinton, including Caravaggio (4&6 Mar), The Last of England (13 Mar), and War Requiem (17 Mar), while a selection of his short films and experimental projects are also being screened. All Night Horror Madness! returns to both the Cameo (8 Mar) and the Grosvenor in Glasgow (15 Mar). Starting at 11pm, the gore, guts and mayhem runs into the early hours of the morning – in Glasgow, the event includes special screenings of Frank Henenlotter’s cult classic Brain Damage, 80s vampire flick Fright Night, and a surprise movie. As always, there’s also a raffle and a selection of vintage trailers at both nights. Tickets will sell out fast, so get yours quick. [Becky Bartlett]

Director: Jonathan Glazer Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Antonia Campbell-Hughes Released: 14 Mar Certificate: 15

Under the Skin, the long awaited cinematic return of Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast, Birth), opens with a hallucinatory dance of light and sound, which in turn morphs into a human eye. Things only get stranger from there. We follow an alien disguised in luminous human skin (Scarlett Johansson’s), who roams the streets of Glasgow in search of men. Like a siren, her sex appeal drags these horny young neds to a watery doom. Glazer chooses No Mean City’s most humble boroughs as the alien’s hunting ground. Shot through the ET’s point-of-view, it couldn’t look more otherworldly: its puce-faced residants, loud and lairy, forever on their mobiles (many of them being filmed surreptitiously), make for an apocalyptic vision of humanity. What begins as an eerie psychosexual horror movie slowly morphs into a haunting study of loneliness and female subjugation. What is her mission on Earth? That’s never clear, but it’s largely irrelevant: like the alien’s reaction to our strange little planet, our confusion is more than matched by our awe. [Jamie Dunn]

FILM

Caravaggio, Derek Jarman

THE SKINNY

White Dog

Drinking Buddies

Short Term 12

rrrrr

Director: Sam Fuller Starring: Kristy McNichol, Paul Winfield, Released: 24 Mar Certificate: 15 The latest film to be given the Eureka Masters of Cinema love and care is Sam Fuller’s misunderstood and primitive parable White Dog. Scripted by Curtis Hanson (originally for Roman Polanski to direct) from the Romain Gary autobiographical novel, it deals with an abandoned white German Shepherd dog trained to attack black people. The racist mutt is taken in and shown love and affection by a young actress (Kristy McNichol), who seeks the help of a black dog-trainer, Keys (Paul Winfield), to cure the Klueless Korrupt Kanine. In everything he ever did Fuller existed within a Socratic paradigm, and with White Dog it’s no different. Coming across like a late 40s/50s B movie, it sneaks issues under the cover of darkness through the means of metaphor. Near impossible to see in the US for a long time, it caused Fuller to relocate to Paris. He never again made another American film. [D W Mault]

Director: Joe Swanberg Starring: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Released: 10 Mar Certificate: 15 Joe Swanberg chooses to mash his gently balanced mumble-com Drinking Buddies in a Chicago microbrewery, where marketing manager Kate, rendered in baggy vests and some elegant improv by Olivia Wilde, seems an obvious mate for co-worker Luke. They enjoy a playful friendship characterised by warm chats over lunch, gentle after-hour boozing, and their shared affection for a great pint. Were it not for Chris, Kate’s malt-supping older squeeze, and Luke’s vaguely insipid, low-ABV sweetheart Jill, they’d be dating. A lesser-visited on-screen habitat, a craft brewery is a fine contemporary setting in which to savour a character-led cinematic sip. While at times it feels like Drinking Buddies can stare a little too hard into the depths of its own Pilsner-clear premise, it finds its groove with sincere, nuanced performances and a realistic attitude to romance as refreshing as a fistful of Citra hops. [Kirsty Leckie-Palmer]

Director: Destin Cretton Starring: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Released: 10 Mar Certificate: 15 Director Destin Cretton based Short Term 12 on his own experiences working in a foster care facility for at-risk teenagers, and it shows. His drama documents the trials of social worker Grace (Brie Larson) as she cares for vulnerable children while fending off her own demons. Short is all nuanced performances bathed in sumptuous Californian sunlight: its realism is reflected in its lo-fi aesthetic and naturalistic cinematography. Films about sexual abuse are often didactic, about bringing what is hidden to light, and exposing audiences to its horrors. Short Term 12 is that rare thing: a film about life after abuse. The cathartic, cinematic ending comes off a little overwrought and contrived for a film so anchored in its authentic, real-life roots, but an ecstatic truth is still a truth, and it’s a minor quibble in this outstanding, important work. [Rachel Bowles]

Serpico

We Are What We Are

Jeune & Jolie

rrrrr

Director: Sidney Lumet Starring: Al Pacino, John Randolph, Released: Out Now Certificate: 18

As seemingly the only straight-arrow cop in a corrupt-to-the-core NYPD, an increasingly hirsute Al Pacino gives one of his most iconic performances in Serpico. His committed and detailed portrayal of whistleblower Frank Serpico is the anchor that holds Sidney Lumet’s loosely structured character study together. The film opens with him bleeding from a gunshot wound and desperately clinging to life, before we flash back to see how this ambitious young officer found himself in such dire straits. Lumet and his brilliant editor Dede Allen eschew a straightforward narrative thrust, opting instead to create more of a mosaic that’s heavy on atmosphere and inference. Serpico is very much a product of its era, the time when major stars and studios habitually took risks; its daring qualities ensure it still feels bracingly fresh. [Philip Concannon]

Book of The Month New Writing: From Scottish Book Trust’s Writer Development Programme

Director: Jim Mickle Starring: Bill Sage, Ambyr Childers Released: 21 Mar Certificate: 15 Jim Mickle’s loose remake of the 2010 Mexican original is wonderfully atmospheric with some nice performances, but suffers from terminally slow pacing and a predictable script. After the death of their mother, a deeply private religious family struggle to continue a grisly tradition. To say exactly what that is here would be unfair, as the film slowly reveals what’s going on while the town doctor starts to put the pieces together and threatens to expose them. Ambyr Childers and Julia Garner, as the family’s conflicted daughters, are both terrific, but Bill Sage’s patriarch feels underdeveloped in comparison. Despite looking great, there’s also a lack of any real surprises and the script rarely deviates from expectations. If you can handle the bum-numbing pacing, it is worth sticking with, but one for the more dedicated horror fans. [Scott McKellar]

Director: François Ozon Starring: Marine Vacth, Géraldine Pailhas, Released: 24 Mar Certificate: 18 The latest from prolific French writer-director François Ozon (following 2012’s excellent In the House), Jeune & Jolie is a carefully non-judgemental coming-of-age drama divided into four seasons. Beginning in summer, it follows Isabelle (Vacth) as she goes from virgin to prostitute; Ozon offers a number of possible explanations for this rather extreme transition, none of which really wash, and it is this fact that raises the film’s somewhat problematic representation of (teenage) female sexuality. Jeune & Jolie’s deliberately ambiguous narrative provides little hint as to the potential psychological or physical harm such activity could cause this young girl. Addressing a controversial, deliberately provocative issue, Ozon’s greatest success (and, potentially, the film’s most contentious aspect) is his impressively objective approach. [Becky Bartlett]

Mrs Hemingway

Trying Not to Try

rrrrr

By Naomi Wood

By Edward Slingerland

Bedlam

By Christopher Brookmyre

rrrrr

By Scottish Book Trust

rrrrr

If vibrant, diverse and eclectic new writing is what you’re after, then this latest collection from the Scottish Book Trust makes for essential reading. This slim volume is brimming with as yet little known talent, and features everything from novel extracts written in Scots vernacular so faithfully transcribed you can almost hear it, to lines of poetry that stop you in your tracks. Many featured writers make their print debut between these pages and there is a particular sort of thrill to be found in reading a promising extract from a novel that is currently unfinished. Samuel Tongue’s poem Why I Was So Bad at Clay-Pigeon Shooting stands out in its poignancy and vividness: ‘the shotgun was an extension / of my ability to crush the world / in gunpowder and brass, and the recoil / went deeper than the soft socket of my shoulder.’ The Scottish Book Trust works to promote a love of reading and literature in Scotland, and to support the country’s fledgling authors. The featured writers hail from the Highlands and the Islands, the country and the city, offering a heterogeneous set of voices we are sure to hear more of in the coming years. [Rosie Hopegood] Available for free from: scottishbooktrust.com/writing/ scottish-book-trust-training-awards/new-writers-awards

Ernest Hemingway was a great man: a writer, a lover, a fighter. But this novel is about the women who normally comprise his subplot – the wives. One after the other, each Mrs Hemingway recalls the chapters of Ernest’s life. Just as we grow into the skin of one woman, their marriage is fractured by the entry of another. Our dislike for this intruder is turned on its head when her own recollection unfolds and we fall for her, too. The fractured sense of time – each account weaves in and out of the beginning and end of the marriages – creates an inevitability. Their stories could not have unfolded any other way. All that is happening has already happened. Hemingway may be the sun these women orbit, but he is not the focal point of the novel. The gaps left in his story are unimportant; we follow Hadley, Fife, Martha and Mary. The women that Hemingway married were as remarkable as he was, and Wood skilfully unravels the love these luminous, wonderful women had for such a difficult man. We understand why they fall for him, and sympathise, if not agree, with why they stay. [Alice Sinclair] Out now, published by Picador, RRP £12.99

Though marketed as broad Gladwell-ish pop psychology – with some self-help thrown in – Trying Not to Try is actually a lot narrower and deeper than that. It’s largely an introduction to two intertwined concepts of Chinese philosophy – wu wei and de – and how they (Slingerland argues) provide neuroscientifically sound answers to the perennial problem of how to live. Wu wei resists simple definition: it’s effortless action, cultivated thoughtlessness, unselfconscious spontaneity; it’s ‘going with the flow,’ ‘being in the zone’; it’s also close to Freud’s id and dual process theory’s System 1. And de, a by-product of wu wei, is a kind of ‘moral charisma,’ a virtuousness that’s also profoundly attractive to others. Admittedly, such a summary does these concepts a disservice. They’re tricky and protean, and for an adequate explanation of them, Slingerland deems it necessary to examine the views of four different schools of Chinese philosophy: those of Confucius, Laozi, Mencius and Zhuangzi. As the basis for a workable philosophy of life, I’m not quite sold on wu wei and de. Nevertheless, Slingerland’s book is valuable and refreshing; it illuminates traditions unfairly overlooked in the West, and does so in a way that’s clear-eyed, amenable to science, and largely free of the facile relativism that often mars Western accounts of Eastern philosophy. [Kristian Doyle]

Brookmyre’s no slouch when it comes to fastpaced plots, pithy Scottish humour and ribald banter, and indeed the creation of compelling, put-upon, no-hoper anti-heroes, but none of these skills can save him in this terminally dire science fiction outing, which is pitched as a kind of Wreck-it-Ralph for grownups, but hits closer to a charmless rip-off of Tron. Whereas, in his crime novels, the proliferation of up to date pop culture references lends the prose a hip, current feel, in Bedlam they only serve to date the novel, and underline the paucity of research. Bedded firmly in the world of 80s video games at the start of the plot, replete with in-jokes that only gamers over 30 will glom, by the time Brookmyre’s charmless übergeek reaches the worlds of Grand Theft Auto and Assassin’s Creed, it’s clear the author is paying lip service. A joyless exposition-fest where Brookmyre’s strongest qualities as a writer merely serve to hamstring him, this is conceptually weak, often baffling, and riddled with obvious turns of phrase and plot twists – making the ringing endorsements on the cover from Charles Stross and Iain M. Banks all the more perplexing. A rare miss from one of Scotland’s best, this should be avoided by all but die-hard console nostalgics. [Bram E. Gieben] Out now, published by Orbit. RRP £8.99

Out 3 Apr, published by Canongate, RRP £14.99

March 2014

FILM / BOOKS

Review

Bestiaires Traverse

rrrrr An attempt to describe Dudapaiva’s Bestiaires to anyone who hasn’t seen it will inevitably fall short of the scale, skill, and thought behind this performance. Part of the Manipulate festival celebrating visual theatre, film and object manipulation (aka puppetry), the premise of the show itself is quite hilarious: the Greek gods are on a mission to drag Greece’s name out of the mud and restore the country to its former glory. They do this by touring their cabaret-style show across Europe. Compered by Cupid – who has a blonde wig and a gun instead of a bow and arrow – the performance features a few deities, namely Persephone, Hades, Zeus, Athena, and Medusa. Using puppets that seem to have stepped out of a Tim Burton film, the cast breathe life

Orlando

CCA The CCA – Centre for Contemporary Arts – sees Cryptic reviving Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, a tale of a young nobleman from the Elizabethan era searching for love, poetry and a meaning in life. He survives four centuries of British history, up to the twentieth century, which he uses as an opportunity to improve himself, and find someone to share his time and heart with. Throughout the course of history, his observation of humanity finds him so repulsed and disgusted by men, he renounces his gender, and becomes, over time, Orlando, a woman still seeking love in the twentieth century. Since 1928, various adaptations of the work have been made – from book to the stage, and to film. From a literary standpoint, Cryptic’s theatre adaptation of Orlando undoubtedly has some extremely large shoes to fill. With an adaptation of

Preview

into the Greek Gods, and appear to make a ritual out of tales that could have been part of their mythology. The economic crisis is mentioned in passing, as are quite a few other notions, like questions about the existence of God, but none of these are fully explored. Nonetheless, Bestiaires’ cast of three takes full advantage of both the episodic cabaret format and the anthropomorphic nature of the Greek gods; they lust after each other, get angry, and are vengeful, qualities that seem to have been eradicated in monotheistic religion. The result makes for a hilarious yet occasionally sinister performance that fuses object manipulation with live performance, dance, and multimedia. [Eric Karoulla] Run ended manipulatefestival.org/festival/Event/46/bestiaires--dudapaiva-company

the text by Darrel Pinckney, Judith Williams takes on the role of Orlando, directed by Cathie Boyd. They are accompanied by an original soundtrack composed by Craig Armstrong and AGF, the tantalising visuals supplied by James Houston and Angelica Kroeger. The result appears promising and may well turn out to be an assault on the senses as well as the intellect. As with most of Cryptic’s work, technology meets performance, and in this particular production Cryptic plan to make use of two new technologies – Living Canvas and Point Cloud Data Imaging – developed by the Digital Design Studio at the Glasgow School of Art. [Eric Karoulla] Orlando, Cryptic, CCA, 27-29 Mar, 8pm Tickets: £14 (£12), early bird tickets £10 (before Thu 20 Mar) To book: Tel 0141 352 4900 / cca-glasgow.com

Photo: Duda Paiva

Bestiaires

Wendy Hoose

Tron Glasgow Birds of Paradise and Random Accomplice collaborate for the first time on Wendy Hoose, a comedy about sex, and, to paraphrase the poster, the difficulties of getting your leg over. Directed by the witty duo of Robert Softley Gale and Johnny McKnight, the production contains strong language and scenes of a sexual nature as it follows the entertaining adventures of Laura (Amy Conachan) and Jake (James Young) in their attempts to get sex late on a Friday night. Unfortunately for the pair, late night drunken sex (no strings attached) isn’t always as easy to get as expected. This is the first production Gale undertakes as one of the new artistic directors for Birds of Paradise. It’s also the professional debut for Amy Conachan, currently a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). And what a

Village Pub Theatre

Traverse The end of this month sees Village Pub Theatre – a writer-led theatre collective based in the Village Pub, in Leith – take over Traverse 1 for an entire week. During this time they plan to unveil the inner workings of theatre. From Monday to Friday (31 Mar-4 Apr) the collective will have readings of plays they have written still in various stages of development. On the Saturday, Village Pub Theatre will present works from their repertoire – past and present – as well as a few pieces from their special guests. Among the array of works in progress are a play by Morna Pearson – the writer behind The Artist Man The Mother Woman – and Sophie Good, one of the Traverse Fifty. This is a unique opportunity to see these works in progress and engage in informal discussions and feedback

THEATRE

debut; a comedy about sex with two theatre companies and directors that make some of the most innovative work in Scotland. What’s more, it will tour throughout March from the Tron in Glasgow to Paisley Arts Centre, Stirling’s The Macrobert, Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree, the Lochgelly Centre in Fife, Achmore Hall (near Stromeferry), Eden Court in Inverness, ending up at the studio of the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. As Gale himself said: “When planning the first production under the new artistic team at Birds of Paradise, it was clear that we had to be bold – and they don’t come much bolder in Scotland than Random Accomplice.” [Eric Karoulla] Wendy Hoose, Tron Theatre (Glasgow), 7-15 Mar, 8pm, £10 (£7.50), 16+ tron.co.uk/event/wendy-hoose birdsofparadisetheatre.co.uk

sessions with some of the newest writers on the block. Directed by Caitlin Skinner, these works in progress are a good indicator for how scripted performance is made – each night will have something different as the plays evolve from first draft to staged, script-in-hand readings to complete works on the final evening. This seems an ideal opportunity to either observe this process or for any aspiring script writers to become involved in a local company. [Eric Karoulla] Traverse, 31 Mar-4 Apr facebook.com/PubTheatre traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event-detail/336/best-of-thevillage-pub-theatre.aspx

THE SKINNY

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Publisher: Square Enix Consoles: PS4 and Xbox One

rrrrr

ith the latest instalment of Tomb Raider released on PS4 and Xbox One, we are finally given an origins story for Lara Croft with the crisp graphics it deserves. In what is the first game in a series reborn, we see Lara barely surviving her first encounter with adventure and each time she falls it’s clear how painful each challenge really is. Finally, the end prologue shows a glimpse of what is to come, with the lass hardened and ready to jump into action. Fresh off a sunken ship, the game begins with a whimpering and hurt Lara, as she struggles to get her head around being lost on an island, which appears to be inhabited by madmen. The story is rich with history, which focuses mostly on the island itself, detailing the myths and

March 2014

legends through journals hidden within the environment. Lara’s dark history is given detail as she struggles to save the men who have raised her, giving insight into a past filled with loss and what makes her keep moving on. The gameplay is a mixture of action and stealth, perfect for showing Lara’s progression within the game. In the beginning she will struggle with a few moves and barely any way to defend herself. This means the main tactics are stealth and to avoid letting enemies get close. By the end, hand-to-hand combat is a breeze, with Lara using her agility to overpower armoured foes. Overall, this creates a seamless progression in difficulty and by the end a clear change has taken place from quiet, to all guns blazing.

Don’t go expecting to find trouble in other parts of the island you have previously explored though. When the game wants you to go in one direction, it leaves little to do behind. This creates no reason to backtrack, except to find relics and books previously missed, filling in what hasn’t been collected. It creates a very one-track game which constantly pushes Lara further into the island. For anyone wanting to truly explore and take their time, this may cause some frustration and leaves little replay value. Graphically a heightened level of detail has been implemented compared to last year’s edition for previous consoles. The visuals have been polished to give an extra layer of weathering to the environment. Lighting looks better,

GAMES

with scenes borderline breathtaking, specifically when near the sea. Although this will add to the experience, nothing major has been changed in terms of gameplay to get excited about. One extra tomb has been added and all downloadable content is included, but no major exclusive additions to the story have been developed. This is a fantastic game, but for anyone who previously played it on last year’s consoles, this version could go amiss. For everyone else with a next gen console wanting to take it for a spin whilst waiting for some true next-gen games, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition will thoroughly entertain and leave you an instant fan of this rebooted series. [Jason Noonan] tombraider.com

Review

Win a Trip to the Win Tickets to see Glasgow International the Manic Street Launch Party Preachers! ‘T

Which of these artists is appearing at this year's GI? a) Bedwyr Williams b) Ai WeiWei c) Leonardo Da Vinci

W Jordan Wolfson, Animation, Masks, 2011 (video still) ii

Competition closes midnight Sun 23 Mar. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 24 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our full T&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/ terms

David Osbaldeston 15.03.14 – 27.04.14 Funded by:

elsh legends the Manic Street Preachers will return to Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange on Thursday 3 April and you could be the lucky person who wins a pair of tickets to see them live. Throughout their 28 year history, the Manics have garnered ten Top 10 albums, fifteen Top 10 singles and have reached No.1 on the UK charts three times – namely, with their 1998 album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, the 1998 single If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next single and 2000's The Masses Against the Classes single. Their latest album Futurology is set for release this year. To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, simply head along to theskinny.co.uk/

about/competitions and answer this simple question: Which of these is a Manic Street Preachers song? a) Motorcycle Diaries b) Motorcycle Emptiness c) Motorcycle Extravaganza

Competition closes midnight Sunday 30 March. Competition is open to over 14s only. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 24 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our full T&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms

Exhibition Preview 14.03.14 / 5-7pm Admission Free Open Tues – Sun

FESTIVAL

Collective Gallery City Observatory & City Dome 38 Calton Hill, Edinburgh, EH7 5AA + 44 (0)131 556 1264 mail@collectivegallery.net www.collectivegallery.net

Image credit: David Osbaldeston, The Measure of All Things, 2014, courtesy the artist and Matt’s Gallery, London

28 MARCH - 05 APRIL 2014 80 VISUAL ARTISTS 50 LIVE MUSIC ACTS 40 FILM MAKERS 30 POETS 30 PERFORMERS 20 ANIMATORS 9 UNIQUE PARTIES 2 LIVE MUSIC VAULTS 2 BARS 1 THEATRE 1 CINEMA 1 SECRET MUSIC VENUE 1 SITE 1 CHANCE.... Meursault/Orkestra Del Sol/ Conquering Animal Sound/ Plastic Animals/ Vic Galloway/ Digital Jones/ LAW/Auntie Flo/ United Vibrations/ Kid Canaveral/ Numbers Are Futile/ Hiva Oa/ Miaox/ Miaox Miaox/Tinderbox Orchestra/Broken Records Paraletic Universe/ Caesura/ Alchemy Film Festival/ Low Def/ + so much more!

For tickets and full programme 54

COMPETITIONS

FORGOTTEN VAULTS MARKET STREET EDINBURGH

FOR A UNIQUE EVENT

UNLOCKED FOR 9 DAYS ONLY

TO SHOWCASE SOME OF SCOTLAND’S BEST BREAKTHROUGH TALENT

art work by Natasha Russell

he UK’s best visual art festival’ Adrian Searle, The Guardian Glasgow International is a world-renowned biennial festival of contemporary art. Animating the city from 4-21 April 2014, Glasgow International showcases the best of local and international art for wide-ranging audiences. Returning for its sixth edition, it takes place in over 50 venues and locations across the city, including Glasgow’s major art spaces and cultural institutions. 2014’s exhilarating programme includes exhibitions, events, talks, performances and events by international and Glasgow-based artists, and activity from across the city, from not-for-profit spaces such as GOMA, Kelvingrove, and Tramway, to commercial galleries, libraries, and historical buildings. We have invites for two people to the grand opening on the evening of Thursday 3 April where you can rub shoulders with Turner Prize winners, GI 2014 artists and international collectors and curators. The prize includes a hotel stay for two on the 3rd at Citizen M and a fabulous GI goody bag. For your chance to win, head along to theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and answer this simple question:

9 Nights - 9 Unique Parties Choose your night to party in the vaults Buy a different ticket for each party

WWW.HIDDENDOORBLOG.ORG

THE SKINNY

Glasgow Music Tue 04 Mar

Sat 08 Mar

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £13.50

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £14

REVEREND AND THE MAKERS

Jon McClure and his band hit the road to showcase tracks from their fourth LP. CASUAL SEX

MONO, 19:00–22:00, £7

The Glasgow indie quartet – the sleaze-heavy brainchild of vocalist and guitarist Sam Smith – do their pop-heavy synthesised joy of a thing. ELECTRIC ELECTRIC

BLOC+, 21:00–00:00, FREE

French electro-rock trio of suitably beastly noise levels. THE COLOUR LINE (COLOURS TO SHAME)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £5

Technical hardcore quintet seamlessly fusing the raw aggression of hardcore with forward-thinking progressive metal sounds. FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

LA-based merrymakers straddling the line of neo soul and indie-pop, headed up by founder and lead vocalist Michael ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick.

Wed 05 Mar

KING YELLOWMAN + DILLINGER

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £18.50

Albino reggae maestro King Yellowman hits the road for a double headline tour with the hardhitting (and oft controversial) Dillinger. COMMUNION (LUKE SITAL-SINGH + ELIZA & THE BEAR + ANNIE EVE + FAREWELL JR)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

Ben Lovett (of Mumford & Sons) brings his touring night Edinburghway, featuring acts from around the UK. THE LONE BELLOW

STEREO, 19:30–22:00, £5

Brooklyn-based country ensemble led by singer and principal songwriter Zach Williams. BDY_PRTS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £6

Lush fledgling duo comprised of Jenny Reeve and Jill O’Sullivan, built on sweet vocal harmonies plus guitar, violin and fluttering handclaps.

Thu 06 Mar YOUNG REBEL SET

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £6

Stockton’s Young Rebel Set make their UK return, bringing the folkish indie-rock with ‘em. STRUGGLE (LOVERS TURN TO MONSTERS + ALGERNON DOLL)

BLOC+, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Monthly punk and post hardcore selection of bands from DIY collective Struggletown. STRAIGHT LINES

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £7

Welsh rock duo made up of Tom Jenkins and Dane Campbell. PICNIC BASKET NOSEDIVE

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00

Balloch and Dumbarton-straddling pop-punk noisemakers who describe their sound as ‘shitey mosher music’, which is nice. R5

O2 ABC, 18:00–22:00, £16

Los Angeles-based pop-meetsrock pups, made up of Ellington Ratliff, and siblings Riker, Rocky, Ross, and Rydel Lynch (yes, really).

Fri 07 Mar EAGULLS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–22:00, £7

Leeds-based five-piece, best known for pissing everyone off with their vitriolic blog posts.

HAARTS (STATICK ROCK + WILLOW DRIVE + FOUR ASTERISKS + THE FILTHY BLUES)

BUFF CLUB, 19:30–22:00, £6

The Lake District indie-rock quartet head north. JOHN LENNON MCCULLAGH

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

Doncaster-based young folk singer/songwriter who began playing guitar and writing songs at 12 years old. JOHN BRAMWELL

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £15

The I Am Kloot singer/songwriter and frontman hits the road solo.

March 2014

ARCHITECTS

Hardcore Brighton foursome, mixing a pummeling concoction of post-metalcore, metal and progressive to suitably headmangling effect. MAXIMO PARK

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £16.50

The British alternative rock quartet tour their fifth LP, Too Much Information, covering songs from a variety of artists including The Fall, Leonard Cohen and Mazzy Star. CHVRCHES

BARROWLAND, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

The Scottish buzz band cherrypick tracks from their mighty debut LP, of which singles Lies, The Mother We Share, and Gun et al are but the tip of their mighty electro-pop iceberg. TEMPLE DAWN

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:30

Hard rockin’ Lanarkshire quartet, melodic and powerful in equal measures. THE JOHN LANGAN BAND

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £8

Glaswegian three piece chucking every imaginably musical influence into the mix – think Gypsy folk, dance, and swing – resulting in high energy, danceable tunes. MØ

BROADCAST, 19:00–23:00, £8.50

Copenhagen-based electronic soul songstress (aka Karen Marie Ørsted), touring ‘pon the release of her debut LP, No Mythologies To Follow. GABRIELLA CILMI

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

Australian singer/songwriter taking in hues of pop, blues and rock.

Sun 09 Mar CROWBAR

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £13.50

Sludge metal trio hailing from New Orleans, crafting a slow and brooding sorta sound interspersed with fast hardcore punk influences. POLAR

CLASSIC GRAND, 18:30–22:00, £7

Surrey-hailing hardcore metallic rock lot, built on ‘big beats, strong booze, loose morals and good times’, so say they. INTERACTEK 0.5

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Unique night taking the DJ out of the equation of electronic dance music, leaving the audience in charge of creating the music via an interactive system that enables individuals without musical training or understanding to make techno-ish music.

Mon 10 Mar

THOMAS J SPEIGHT (JOSEPH MILLER)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

More heart-melting indie-pop from the London chap who’s collabrated with Keane, Stephen Fretwell and The Staves. THE ENGLISH BEAT (DAVE WAKELING)

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £16

Dave Wakeling – the singer, songwriter and guitarist behind 80s 2-tone outfit, The Beat – tours his band line-up, performing the hits of The Beat and General Public.

Tue 11 Mar

ALL TIME LOW (TONIGHT ALIVE)

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT

The chirpy American punkpopsters, all fast-paced and fizzy with hooks, play a duo of Glasgow dates ten days apart (11 and 21 February). THE HOSTILES (COLT 45)

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

Irish instrumental post-rockers, touring in support of their seventh LP – their first as a five-piece line-up. SPORT (BAYONÉ)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Indie-meets-punk lot hailing from France. STANLEY BRINKS + THE WAVE PICTURES (FRESCHARD)

CCA, 20:00–22:30, £8

The former Herman Dune man plays backed by English rockers, The Wave Pictures, celebrating their first joint release in four years.

Wed 12 Mar HAIM

BARROWLAND, 19:00–23:00, £15

LA-based band of sisters who build their sound on an e’er lovely whimsy of folk and r’n’b beats – engaging unashamedly with the cliches of 70s and 80s rock and pop as they go. STU LARSEN (SOPHIE ROGERS)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

Folk troubadour who, since leaving his quiet little town in Queensland, has spent the years mostly touring and recording. PRESS TO MECO (SHRINE)

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

The alternative-styled progressive rock thugs go heavy duty on the guitars, as per. DEADLY INSCRIPTION (THE CIAZAN AFFAIR + SAINTS + DOUGIE FAE THE SHIP)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £TBC

High-energy UK metallers formed back in 2006 by guitarist Ryan Peacock and drummer Colin Campbell. RYAN MORCOMBE + HANNAH O’REILLY + CALUM O’CONNOR + GARETH CROLL

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Acoustic showcase night headed up by West Lothian singer/songwriter Ryan Morcombe. THE WARLOCKS

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £10

Sunny LA-residing rockers formed back in 1998 by guitarist/singer Bobby Hecksher, moving between the psychedelic and drone soundscapes of the genre. GAELS LE CHIELLE

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £7

Special St Patrick’s Day event bringing together Gaeilge (Irish) and Gaidhlig (Scottish) singers and musicians, headlined by two-time Corn Uí Riada-winner, Gearóidín Breathnach.

Thu 13 Mar

WE CAME FROM WOLVES (VASA + POOR THINGS)

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £3

Post-rock foursome all about the harmonic, melodic soundscapes with hook-laden, euphoric choruses. ATRAGON (PYRE OF THE EARTH + STOB DEARG)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Slow and fuzzed-out doom metal from the vaulted crypts below Edinburgh.

YOUR FAVOURITE ENEMIES (POLAR BEARS IN PURGATORY + START STATIC)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

Canadian rock ensemble blending dirty sonic textures with their introspective and poetic lyrical approach. EDUARDO NIEBLA

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £16

Guitar virtuoso and composer with a career spanning four decades. TRANS

CCA, 19:30–22:00, £8.50

Another high-tempo ska punk party o’ a gig from the Ayr nutcases.

The experimental side project of Suede’s Bernard Butlet and Yummy Fur’s Jackie McKeown, touring with their debut release, The Red EP.

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £5

BLOC+, 21:00–00:00, FREE

MARIKA HACKMAN (MARIE COLLINS)

Young folk singer/songwriter whose debut music video was produced by Burberry, for whom she was also official ‘eyewear model’.

GAVIN PENNYCOOK

The Irish fiddle champ launches his new LP, based on the baratone violin.

JONNY JACK (THE LAST SEPTEMBER) NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £7

Glasgow-based acoustic pop singer/songwriter imbued with a raw and soulful sound.

Sun 16 Mar UGLY DUCKLING

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £10

Fri 14 Mar

Classic Long Beach hip-hop ensemble whom we will forever love for their witty ditty, Meatshake (‘Meat to the shizzake’, etc).

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £5

THE SSE HYDRO, 18:30–22:00, FROM £25

THE AVIATORS (JOHN HOPPER)

Lively East-Kilbride foursome led by Darren Hutton. RAYMOND MEADE (GERRY CINNAMON + DOUGIE GREIG)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

Glasgow singer/songwriter whose uplifting and melodic brand of tuneage is steeped in classic rock’n’roll roots. HUE AND CRY

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £20

The Coatbridge duo play two special shows over the weekend; one stripped down acoustic performance (14 February), and one full live-band fandango (15 February). MACHINES IN HEAVEN (INFANT TELETHON + PATRICIA PANTHER)

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

Glasgow indie-rock combo imbued with a fine feel for tough dance beats and experimental electronics, playing a special late night set to launch their new LP, joined by James from Errors showcasing his new solo project, Infant Telethon.

SECATEURS (KNOCK ON EFFECT + THE BEAT MOVEMENT + UNCLE JUDAS ) BUFF CLUB, 19:30–22:00, £6

The guitar-driven (loudly, may we add) Welsh trio take to the road for their mini Scottish tour. TUFF LOVE (THE SPOOK SCHOOL + SHARPTOOTH)

13TH NOTE, 20:30–23:00, £5 (£3)

Female-fronted trio of the fuzzy lo-fi guitar pop variety, built on wispy soft vocals and loud instruments. ERICA NOCKTAILS (MILES HUNT)

THE ADMIRAL, 19:00–22:00, £8

Solo acoustic show from the former The Wonderstuff lass. DAR WILLIAMS

CCA, 19:30–22:00, £13

American singer/songwriter specializing in pop folk, captivating audiences since the early 90s. SEAMUS FOGARTY (RANDOLPH’S LEAP)

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £7

Double headline set of Lost Map Records’ talent, taking in sets from woozy country-folk songsmith Seamus Fogarty, alongside a solo set from Adam Ross of Randolph’s Leap.

Sat 15 Mar HUE AND CRY

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £25

The Coatbridge duo play two special shows over the weekend; one stripped down acoustic performance (14 February), and one full live-band fandango (15 February).

CALUM FRAME (MURDO MITCHELL + LAURENE MCDONALD)

CLASSIC GRAND, 18:30–22:00, £6

Young Glasgow singer/songwriter moving between acoustic and upbeat pop/rock soundscapes. DRAKE

THE SSE HYDRO, 18:30–22:00, FROM £40

The Grammy award-winning solo artist takes his latest album, Take Care, out for a spin.

WONK UNIT + THE MUDERBURGERS + THE KIMBERLEY STEAKS + THE BUCKY RAGE + THE LEMONAIDS + MEANSTEED + DON BLAKE + PART ASYLUM 13TH NOTE, 17:00–23:00, £TBC

Beefed-up Saturday line-up, including a set from Glasgow’s own pop-meets-punk princes, The Murderburgers. LUNAR C

BROADCAST, 23:00–03:00, £8

The English MC/rapper (know to his mammy as Jake Brook) plays a late night set.

ADAM STAFFORD + RICK REDBEARD

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £7

Following their BAMS nomination, where writers from Scottish music sites and blogs nominate their album of the year, Adam Stafford and Rick Redbeard take to The Glad Cafe for an intimate set. Dream team of a line-up right there.

THE WANTED

More over-styled boy band fare from the British and Irish fivepiece. Joys. ELLA EYRE

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

Young Brit School graduate built on feisty songwriting, a bountiful crop of curly hair and powerhouse vocals that bely her years. INDIANREDLOPEZ (PLUM + INUIT)

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £5

Promising Aberdonian hopefuls gleefully exploring the space between the bedroom and the studio to promising effect, playing a special and one-off, visuallyspectacular realisation of their indie dance stylings. THE NOTWIST (JEL)

MONO, 19:30–22:00, £12

The German indie-rockers make a rare trip to Glasgow to celebrate the release of their new LP, Close to the Glass.

NON-STUFF #1 (COLONEL MUSTARD AND THE DIJON 5 + THE FORGOTTEN WORKS + VOICEBEAT CHOIR)

THE GLAD CAFE, 18:30–22:00, £5

New evening of un-amplified performances, workshops and parlour games, headed up by a live set from Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 traversing the line between rock’n’roll and flamenco.

Mon 17 Mar STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

BARROWLAND, 19:00–23:00, £18.50

Original punk-pop four-piece par excellence, on the go now for over 35 years.

Tue 18 Mar KODALINE

BARROWLAND, 19:00–23:00, £16

Dublin-based indie-rock quartet who use their music predominantly as a form of therapy (i.e. they write about being dumped). AS ELEPHANTS ARE

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £5

Indie pop four-piece hailing from High Wycombe, still riding high on the release of their recent release single, Crystal.

NME AWARDS TOUR 2014 (INTERPOL + TEMPLES + ROYAL BLOOD + CIRCA WAVES) O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £21.50

NME host their annual showcase tour of the most exciting emergent talent around – in their eyes anyway – with Temples, Royal Blood and Circa Waves on’t bill, topped off by a headline set from mighty NYC lot, Interpol. LAST OF US

BLOC+, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Perthshire power-outfit building their sounds on big emo indie hooks. SPACE + REPUBLICA

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £14

90s-formed alternative rock trio Republica join forces with Liverpudlian indie-rockers Space, marking their 20th anniversary tour.

Wed 19 Mar METRONOMY

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £15.50

The Joseph Mount-led electro-pop pleasurists take to the road with their new LP, Love Letters – y’know the one on which they sing the word ‘Aquarius’ 478 times, or something. STEEL PANTHER (THE CRINGE)

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £18

LA quartet churning out the tongue-in-cheek glam metal tunes to a happy bunch of dedicated followers. PATTERNS (LIFE MODEL)

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £5

The Manc melody makers – to the tune of a drone pop muddle of guitars, vocals and intelligent samples – take to the road with their debut LP, Walking Lines.

TWIN FORKS (BRAVE YOUNG RED)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

Chris Carrabba, aka Dashboard Confessional, and his new band of chums and vaguely new sound, serving up folky delights in the realm of The Avett Brothers et al.

SUBURBAN SAINTS

KARMANA

LOVEABLE ROGUES

BLOC+, 21:00–00:00, FREE

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £7

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £10

The vigorous indie-rock newcomers takes to Bloc’s diminutive sweatbox.

Unique project of visionary guitarist Simon Thacker and young Polish cellist Justyna Jablonska.

CLASSIC GRAND, 18:30–22:00, £12

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £8.50

RED FANG

The Portland-based rockers mark a more thought-out and trippy approach. KIM WHEELER + JACK GLASS + BOY WITH THE LION HEAD + CAIT MARSHALL

LYLA FOY

The Sub Pop-signed, London-based songstress tours her new LP, Mirrors The Sky. THE RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 20:00–22:30, £15

Thu 20 Mar

The pioneers of electronica, famed for their landmark sound design and musical themes for the likes of BBC’s Doctor Who, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Timewatch, Newsround and more, take to the road for their first ever live tour.

BLOC+, 21:00–03:00, FREE

Sat 22 Mar

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Acoustic showcase night headed up by young modern Scottish singer/ songwriter, Kim Wheeler.

Young urban folk trio on vocals, guitar and ukulele.

Tue 25 Mar AZEALIA BANKS

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £18.50

The Harlem-based rapper plays tracks offa her debut LP, most likely in tiny hotpants. NATIVES

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £7

Hampshire-hailing pop-rockers formerly known as Not Advised. Rescheduled date. FRANZ FERDINAND

BARROWLAND, 19:00–23:00, £22.50

No-nonsense new-wave packed to the gills with big hooks and boundless charm, riding along on Chris Devotion’s lean songwriting.

The Jools Holland-prasied bluesmeets-roots guitarist and singer/ songwriter does his live thing.

Having been playing the music game for over a decade, Alex Kapranos and chums tour their late 2013 release, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action – again mixing the staccato energy of punk with highly calibrated pop ballads to suitably fine effect.

MONO, 19:30–22:00, £4

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £23

BLOC+, 21:00–00:00, FREE

CHRIS DEVOTION AND THE EXPECTATIONS

GUMMY STUMPS (BAD AURA)

BIG BOY BLOATER

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £9

ONEREPUBLIC

Glasgow trio linking together brazen, spoken-word vocals with clattering percussion and a three string guitar that revels as much in fuzz as it does melody. That do ye?

Colorado Springs experimental pop ensemble fronted by Ryan Tedder, who formed the band back in 2002 with pal Zach Filkins.

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £8

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £7.50

DAN CROLL (RACING GLACIERS)

CITY OF LIGHTS (THE DURTY WURKS + JUSTHOPE)

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts graduate and winner of the Musicians Benevolent Fund’s National Songwriter of the Year Award, taking a break from touring with Imagine Dragons and Bastille to play a couple of shows closer to home turf.

Crafty Yorkshire tunesmiths influenced by Biffy Clyro, Coldplay and the like.

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £10

RYAN ALEXANDER (CHARLOTTE BLACK + SWEET INJECTION + MURDO MITCHELL)

MATT NATHANSON

American singer/songwriter of the folk-meets-rock variety, handy on both the acoustic and electric guitar. ONLY REAL

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £5

London-based band of hip young pups, all lovingly lackadaisical via lo-fi production with half-rapped vocals. CHERRYGROVE

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £5

Fledgling ensemble made up of former and present students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, launching their new album on the night. ALGERNON DOLL + POOR THINGS + LOVERS TURN TO MONSTERS

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £5

Showcase night handpicked by Pulse Community Radio, headed by the off-kilter alternative folk project from Glasgow’s Ewan Grant, Algernon Doll.

Fri 21 Mar

HOW TO SWIM (FAT SUIT + BRASS, AYE)

CCA, 20:00–22:00, £5

The Glasgow orchestral pop ensemble play a special show to preview their new LP, Niagarama, taking to the stage in suitably beefed up form accompanied by a full string quartet and brass section. ALL TIME LOW

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £22.50

The chirpy American punkpopsters, all fast-paced and fizzy with hooks, play a duo of Glasgow dates ten days apart (11 and 21 February). SAINT RAYMOND

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

Indie singer/songwriter, aka Callum Burrows, out and touring his new EP, Young Blood.

CYRUS ROSE (CLUB DE RADIO + PARRALEL REDEMPTION + QUAID + BELTUR ) BUFF CLUB, 19:30–22:00, £6

The unsigned Aberdeen rockers make a return 2014 visit to the Buff.

MARCH OF THE MODS 2014 (THE CHORDS UK + BUTTON UP + CAPTAIN WOW + THE BEAT MOVEMENT + DEFIANT POSE + THE LAYNES + ESPERANZA + THE REDSTARTS + TARGET 5)

O2 ABC, 16:00–22:00, £13.50

Mod-styled all-dayer in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. THE LARCH? (RAMAGE INC. + PILLJAW)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Experimental Glasgow-based trio with musical roots in Poland.

DAUGHTRY

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

American rockers formed and fronted by Chris Daughtry, a finalist on the fifth season of American Idol.

CLASSIC GRAND, 18:30–21:15, £15

JAZZ HANDS

Adventurous English post-punk outfit built on the noise of three drummers, bass and sax. That do ye?

Wed 26 Mar

DEXTERS (MEDICINE MEN + JIM VALENTINE)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

Indie rock five-piece hailing from East London, more than apt at penning catchy wee guitar anthems.

ET TU BRUTE? + LENIN DEATH MASK + DEATHCATS + STAR ROVER BLOC+, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Big surfing guitar frenzy of a showcase night.

NIEVES + WILLIAM FREEMAN + MIKE BROWN + MICHAEL TIMMONS

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Chairty showcase in aid of Suzambia and Shelter Scotland.

Acoustic showcase night headed up by Nieves.

WALKABOUT, 19:30–22:00, £5

Seasoned folk singer/songwriter who’s been evolving since his days as a young chorister.

DO SOMETHING (SERGIO SERGIO + ECHO-BASS + DARREN SMYTH + STEPHEN BUCHANAN)

Fundraising event in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, featuring live music from Sergio Sergio, EchoBass and Darren Smyth, alongside comic Stephen Buchanan. FALL OUT BOY

THE SSE HYDRO, 18:30–22:00, £27.50

The US rock kings play a not-sointimate set in the gargantuan SSE Hydro.

MONSTER TRUCK + SCORPION CHILD

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £10

Classic rock double-headline tour of rising acts Monster Truck and Scorpion Child.

DIRTY NIGHTS (ONE LAST SECRET + HUXTABLE + THE EMPATHY + THE ALBINO BEARS) PIVO PIVO, 19:00–22:00, £5

All-new monthly local band showcase. BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £TBC

The Toryglen singer/songwriter give his new LP, The Lucky Ones, a live airing.

Sun 23 Mar BILLY LOCKETT

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £7

Northampton singer/songwriter skilled on the ol’ piano, which he taught himself to play in a basement, aged eight, as you do. ANDY MCKEE

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £18.50

Acoustic guitar soloist with a dedicated online community of followers, playing a duo of sets with no support. BANKS

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £11

Los Angeles born’n’raised singer/ songwriter and self-taught pianist, known to her mammy as Jillian Banks. RUNGS

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Alternative collective made up of ex-members of Take A Worm For A Walk Week, Lapsus Linguae and Project Venhell.

Mon 24 Mar BAND OF SKULLS

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 20:00–23:00, £15

London-based alternative garage rock trio who cemented their musical bonds at college.

SAM BROOKES (HOT FEET)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £7

DARKSIDE

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 19:30–22:00, £SOLD OUT

Collaborative project between electro house wunderkind Nicholas Jaar and live guitarist Dave Harrington, built on slick guitar-based funk and spaced-out disco vibes.

Thu 27 Mar WILD BEASTS

THE ARCHES, 19:00–22:00, £14.50

The Kendal quartet take to the road to give their new LP, Present Tense, an airing - oxygenated by clean synths and carried by Chris Talbot’s rich percussion.

BROWN BEAR AND THE BANDITS (ROSE PARADE + LITTLE FIRE + JOHN CONDRON) BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £5

Largs trio combining folk guitar, Celtic airs and pop hooks with meaningful lyrics. BONNEVILLES (THE BRUTES)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Belfast-based punk-blues duo made up of Andrew McGibbon Jnr and Chris McMullan. TOKYO POLICE CLUB

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £11

Canadian indie-pop foursome out on the road airing their fourth studio LP.

BEDFORD RASCALS (PANDA TRAP + L’ELEPHANT)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–22:00, £5

Three piece raw alternative rockers, riding along on their rugged, jumping vocals and crunching guitar skills.

Fri 28 Mar YOU ME AT SIX

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT

Angst rock of the mosh-by-numbers emo variety, touring their LP. THE VELVETEEN SAINTS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–22:00, £7

Bright new Glaswegian rock’n’roll trio, riding along on an amalgam of razor sharp 50s, garage rock’n’roll, big beat and three-part vocals. KEVIN MONTGOMERY

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £14

Country, folk and rock-styled acoustic US singer/songwriter.

LYNDSEY HURREN (MEGAN DAVIDSON + CRAIG WHYTE + BRIAN MCCAFFERTY + BECCA FOX)

BUFF CLUB, 19:30–22:00, £6

The young Glasgow singer/songwriter showcases her new EP.

Listings

Glasgow BEEHOVER (LORDS OF BASTARD + SKELETON GONG) 13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

German rock duo on bass, drums and vocals – served up organic and straight from the guts.

Sat 29 Mar

THE BEVVY SISTERS (LAURA BETH SALTER + STEFAN MELBOURNE)

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00, £8

All-female Edinburgh trio uniting the richly seasoned voices of Heather Macleod, Kaela Rowan and Roberta Pia, launching their new LP on the night. YOU ME AT SIX

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £25.00

Angst rock of the mosh-by-numbers emo variety, touring their LP. VIGO THIEVES

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £10

Wishaw alternative indie quartet, rich with synthesizers and emotionally-charged vocals, hopefully still riding high on the fact John-bloody-Leslie was in one of their first videos. MIKE PETERS

KING TUT’S, 19:00–23:00, £15

The frontman of Welsh band The Alarm continues to go it alone. 65DAYSOFSTATIC

THE ARCHES, 19:00–22:00, £14

Notoriously difficult to pin down, you’ll find these chaps’ stomping ground in the place where rock, dance and electronic meet. Expect a frenetic live show.

NORTH OF THE WALL 2014 (TOLEDO STEEL + BONESAW + AMOK + FIREBRAND SUPER ROCK + NOLTI NAN GANA NAN NOLTA + STORM OF EMBERS + DISASTER AREA)

CLASSIC GRAND, 15:00–22:00, £10

Non-profit, one-day festival celebrating Scottish metal bands of all kinds of bangin’ hues.

ST JOHN’S AMBIENCE (THE ZONULES OF ZINN + SLIM MISTRESS + FOREVER MACHINE)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Alternative-styled Glasgow quartet made up of members from various Scottish bands past and present.

THE MEN BROADCAST, 19:00–23:00, £8

Brooklyn-based punk rockers consisting of an all-male line-up, as the band name would suggest. PAOLO NUTINI

BARROWLAND, 19:00–23:00, £TBC

The Paisley-born singer/songwriter plays the last of three UK dates celebrating the forthcoming release of his new album, Caustic Love. FRANCOIS AND THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £9

Saintes-born Francois Marry does his airy and understated thing under his François and the Atlas Mountains’ banner, all afro-beat sway and sweet indie-pop melodies.

Sun 30 Mar

UNITED FRUIT (SECRET MOTORBIKES + BAD LUCK + TYCI DJS) STEREO, 20:00–01:00, £5

Mighty Glasgow quartet known for their all-out post-hardcore abrasion served at F1 velocity. THE SELECTER

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £16.50

2-tone ska revival band formed in Coventry back in 1979, now back on’t live circuit celebrating 35 years of being.

SOUTHSIDE AMERICANA (HEART OF RUST + THE LAST NATIONAL BAND + ALAN FREW)

THE GLAD CAFE, 20:00–22:00, £5

Showcase night of acts with, yep – you guessed it – a distinct Americana flavour.

Mon 31 Mar HOWLER

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £10

60s American rock and popinspired brainchild of Jordan Gatesmith.

JASON DERULO (CONOR MAYNARD)

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT

Young Miami-based chart topper of the sexy urban dance and poppy love song variety. Deep stuff, we’re sure. UB40

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £28.50

Renowned dub reggae band, formed in Birmingham back in 1978 and currently riding the wave of their revival years.

Edinburgh Music Tue 04 Mar

JAZZ MORLEY (FAKEFROWN)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £7

More acoustic soul-meets-pop from the Dorset-based singer/ songwriter.

COMMUNION (LUKE SITAL-SINGH + ELIZA & THE BEAR + ANNIE EVE + FAREWELL JR)

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £8.00

Ben Lovett (of Mumford & Sons) brings his touring night Edinburghway, featuring acts from around the UK.

Wed 05 Mar

YOUNG REBEL SET (THIRTYTHREECONNECTION) SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Stockton’s Young Rebel Set make their UK return, bringing the folkish indie-rock with ‘em. ADAM HOLMES AND THE EMBERS PRESENT...

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £10

Music night hosted by Adam Holmes and The Embers, featuring new and established folk/roots music artists from throughout the world. RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

USHER HALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £20

The American-Canadian singer/ songwriter and composer plays a special ‘best of’ concert to coincide with the release of his new LP – luscious orchestration and charismatic vocals all well and in place. DISCLOSURE

CORN EXCHANGE, 19:00–22:00, £18

Garage-meets-house duo made up of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence. NICK MULVEY

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £7.00

The founding member of Portico Quartet does his solo singer/songwriter thing.

Thu 06 Mar

DAVID FORD (JARROD DICKENSON)

THE CAVES, 20:00–22:30, £10

East Sussex singer/songwriter adept at melodic pop that pulls at the old heart strings, touring on the back of his fourth solo album. USHER HALL: 100TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £12

The Usher Hall celebrate 100 glorious years with a special replica concert from the 1914 programme, taking in works from Wagner, Bach and Beethoven. JOSIE ROSE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £6

Young singer/songwriter and harpist from the Isle of Lewis in The Outer Hebrides, launching her new EP on the night.

Fri 07 Mar

INDIGO VELVET (APERTURE + HIGHJINX69 + CRAIG GORNALL)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £6

Newly-formed indie-funk quartet raised from the ashes of The Kiks. TORD GUSTAVSEN QUARTET

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £17.50 (£15)

Quartet set-up of the Tord Gustavsen Ensemble, of the lessis-more school of minimalist jazz.

EDINBURGH BLUES CLUB (THE BLACK DIAMOND EXPRESS + JED POTTS AND THE HILLMAN HUNTERS + FRASER JOHN LINDSAY’S BLUES INCENTIVE + HOUNDOG FRASER AND ROCK HUNTER) THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–23:00, £10

Monthly blues club taking in touring blues acts from the UK and beyond, with support from local blues artists. LA FUGA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30, £13

The Spanish rock legends play a special acoustic set.

WEE DUB FESTIVAL SESSION #1: NUCLEUS ROOTS (POSITIVE THURSDAYS IN DUB) STUDIO 24, 19:00–22:00, £8 ADV. (£11 DOOR)

Sat 08 Mar JACK AND THE’

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £3 ADV. (£5 DOOR)

Julian Longchamp and his four piece pop project provide the majestic orchestral chamber pop.

MOGWAI (THE PASTELS + REMEMBER REMEMBER)

USHER HALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £22.50

With a tome of beautifully-crafted post rock at their disposal, Mogwai ride the wave of both their 20th birthday year and the release of their new LP, Rave Tapes – playing a special centenary concert as part of the Usher Hall’s 100th celebrations. EMILY SMITH (RORY BUTLER)

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:00–22:00, £15 (£13)

Multi-talented Scottish folk singer who started her career as an instrumentalist on piano and accordion.

JOHN BRAMWELL (TOMMY REILLY)

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £15.00

The I Am Kloot singer/songwriter and frontman hits the road solo.

MIN DIESEL (EVERYTHINGWESAYISFACT + LENIN DEATH MASK)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £3

Guitar-led trio from the northeast of Scotland, shamelessly plundering from their favourite late-80s/early-90s punk, lo-fi and math-rock bands.

LIMBO (KIRSTEN ADAMSON + CANDYTHIEF) THE VOODOO ROOMS, 20:00–01:00, £6 ADV. (£8 DOOR)

Beloved gig-in-a-club night, this time welcoming back The Gillyflowers’ Kirsten Adamson in her new solo project guise, wholeheartedly embracing the new wave pop style she’s so fond of. AYAKARA (EMPIRE BY DAY)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£4)

Alternative Edinburgh bunch mixing myriad different styles into their own energetic sound. WEE DUB FESTIVAL SESSION #3: THE DROP (SAMSON SOUNDS + DJ NEM)

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £8 ADV. (£11 DOOR)

Nine-piece reggae outfit The Drop play a special live club set as part of Wee Dub Festival, heavy and melodic in tone, with recognisable songs and hooks.

Sun 09 Mar

BLUEFLINT (OBEHI + DIRTY RED TURNCOATS)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–01:00, £5

Edinburgh outfit layering their crisp, vaporous vocals in two-part harmonies, playing a special fundraiser event in aid of Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre. LISSIE

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:00–22:00, £15

The Rock Island folk-rock songstress (aka Elisabeth Corrin Maurus) plays tracks from her second LP, Back To Forever.

EVERYQUEST + VLADIMIR + YOKO PWNO + PASSION PUSHER + RITCHIE MUIR DJ

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 19:30–01:00, £4

Showcase night taking in spacey electronic rock, noisy post-punk, beat-driven electronica and lo-fi slacker rock.

Mon 10 Mar ARTEMIS QUARTET

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:45–22:00, FROM £12 (£11)

Berlin-based lot who since their formation in 1989 have built themselves a position as one of the dominant forces in the string quartet world.

SONS OF BILL (THE WYNNTOWN MARSHALS) THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £10

Young American rock outfit from Virginia, touring on the back of their second LP, Sirens. STANLEY BRINKS + THE WAVE PICTURES (FRESHARD + IDEAL MEXICO DORKESTRA)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

The former Herman Dune man plays backed by English rockers, The Wave Pictures, celebrating their first joint release in four years.

Tue 11 Mar THE FEELING

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30, £18.50

Harmless indie-popsters led by Dan Gillespie Sells’ wishy-washy vocals.

Wed 12 Mar

YOUR FAVOURITE ENEMIES

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £6

Canadian rock ensemble blending dirty sonic textures with their introspective and poetic lyrical approach.

MIRACLE STRIP (TUFF LOVE + FRUIT PISTOLS DJS) HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 20:00–01:00, £6

Glasgow-based neu pop trio who describe their sound in three little words: ‘basic keyboard applications’, marking what will be their first Edinburgh headline gig in support of their debut single.

Fri 14 Mar

THE LAST SEPTEMBER (JONNY JACK+ DEER LAKE+ JAMIE ARGO)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £6

The Edinburgh indie-folk six-piece return to the stage, having recently regrouped after a five-year hiatus to tour their second LP, As The Crow Flies. UGLY DUCKLING

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £10

Classic Long Beach hip-hop ensemble whom we will forever love for their witty ditty, Meatshake (‘Meat to the shizzake’, etc). SALSA CELTICA

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £15

The Edinburgh-based ensemble play a trademark set of Scottish and Irish traditional music.

THE PLEASANCE SESSIONS: JAMES YORKSTON + THE PICTISH TRAIL + SEAMUS FOGARTY

PORTALOOTH AND THE MUSKATEERS (AMI)

PLEASANCE THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £12 (£10)

Young Edinburgh hard rock quartet on guitar, bass, drums and vocals.

The Pleasance Sessions pops up for a one-off spring special manned by Fife dweller and sometime Fence Collective dabbler James Yorkston, alongside Johnny Lynch in his The Pictish Trail guise and country-folk songsmith Seamus Fogarty.

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £5

UNIVERSAL THEE (THE BASKERVILLEZ + LITTLE LOVE AND THE FRIENDLY VIBES + RICHARD KENNEDY + ALEX FOOTTIT)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 22:30–03:00, £5

Thu 13 Mar

Edinburgh-based alternative indie lot led by husband and wife pairing James and Lisa Russell, providing a quiet/loud contrast.

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:00, £8

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

STU LARSEN

SENEKA

Folk troubadour who, since leaving his quiet little town in Queensland, has spent the years mostly touring and recording.

Edinburgh-based unsigned rock outfit cemented by a love of The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £13

GERRY JABLONSKI AND THE ELECTRIC BAND

DAR WILLIAMS

American singer/songwriter specializing in pop folk, captivating audiences since the early 90s.

Sat 15 Mar

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £9

Electric blues-styled ensemble hailing from Aberdeen.

THE SKINNY

DANIEL BACHMAN

FINGATHING

SUMMERHALL, 20:00–22:30, £6

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

The young Fredericksburg musician returns to the UK, bringing with him his mesmeric blend of psychedelic Appalachia, dutifully crafted with acoustic and slide guitar. THE JOHN LANGAN BAND

STUDIO 24, 21:00–03:00, £10 (£7)

Glaswegian three piece chucking every imaginably musical influence into the mix – think Gypsy folk, dance, and swing – resulting in high energy, danceable tunes. LYLO

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £3

Young Glaswegian outfit who describe their thang as ‘dream pop with a hint of lemon’, obvs. EDINBURGH ALIVE (BIRDHEAD + THE DEADLY WINTERS + LYNDSAY SHIELDS + THINK TANK + DJ ASTROJAZZ)

THE CAVES, 20:00–03:00, £8 ADV. (£10 DOOR)

Evening of live music celebrating Edinburgh-based talent, presented in cabaret-style with glamorous costumieres, facepainting, tarot card reading and a magician. THE RICH (REBEL WESTERN + SELFISH NEEDS)

Instrumental nu-jazz/hip hop outfit hailing from Manchester, made up of a DJ, a classically trained double bass player and distinct cartoon visuals from Chris Drury.

Mon 24 Mar

UNITED FRUIT (BLACK INTERNATIONAL + BIRDHEAD)

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £25

ANDY MCKEE

THE PLEASANCE, 19:30–22:30, £19 (£17)

Acoustic guitar soloist with a dedicated online community of followers, playing a duo of sets with no support. YOUNG KNIVES

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £10

Mercury-nominate twee-clad chaps hailing from that lesser known Mecca of punk rock delinquency, er, Oxford.

BRIGHT SIDE (EMILIO LARGO)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £3

Melodic hardcore punk outfit hailing from West Lothian.

Tue 18 Mar

ALAN COURTIS + AARON MOORE DUO

SUMMERHALL, 20:00–22:30, £7

Experienced improvising duo of Alan Courtis (of Reynols) and Aaron Moore (of Volcano The Bear).

Wed 19 Mar EDINBURGH QUARTET

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, £15 (£12)

The Scottish string quartet perform a special piece with image projections relating to the ‘tortured love’ within the chosen music.

Thu 20 Mar

SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: SLAVONIC DANCES

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10

Concert chamber piece bringing together the music of three composers who occupied neighbouring territories in Eastern Europe at different times over the past three centuries. LEO AND ANTO

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 20:00–23:00, £12

With the Saw Doctors on a year long sabbatical, band members Leo Moran and Anthony Thistlethwaite take to the road as an acoustic duo covering different takes on wellknown Saw Doctors’ songs.

Fri 21 Mar

SAM BROOKES (HOT FEET + FAKEFROWN)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

Seasoned folk singer/songwriter who’s been evolving since his days as a young chorister. THE RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP

PLEASANCE THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £15

Fri 28 Mar

POOR THINGS (LENIN DEATH MASK + STAR ROVER)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Three-piece sunny indie-pop mob in exile from their Perth homeland.

Sat 29 Mar PANIC ROOM

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £12

Alternative rock of the awardwinning variety, served up with a distinctly sultry edge. JACK SAVORETTI

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £13.50

The Italian-English solo acoustic singer plays a set accompanied by his trusty guitar. MACHINES IN HEAVEN (INFANT TELETHON)

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £6

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

RETURN TO THE SUN (REBEL WESTERNS + SEA OF CROWNS + BALOR MILLE)

THE BISMARCK (EX-WIVES)

Indie-driven Edinburgh rock band formed in the long, dark winter of 2012.

MILES KANE

The non-Arctic Monkey half of the Last Shadow Puppets does his nostalgic Merseybeat thing. WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £4

Raggle-taggle Seattle rockers with a distinct punk sensibility. LIGHTS OUT BY NINE (HUNTER/ HOPE)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £10

Eight-piece soul/r’n’b ensemble known for bringing the sound of the Mardi Gras. TCHA LIMBERGER

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £16.50

Accomplished folk multi-instrumentalist from a famous family of Gypsy musicians, backed by his Budapest Gypsy Orchestra.

Sat 22 Mar REBECCA FERGUSON

USHER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £27.50

Liverpudlian singer/songwriter and X Factor almost-was.

Sun 23 Mar NINA NESBITT

USHER HALL, 19:00–22:00, £13

Half-Swedish, half-Scottish singer/songwriter in possession of a fine technical agility and emotive style.

March 2014

BOY GEORGE

The 80s new romanticist continues to ride the live wave of his first new studio album of original material in almost two decades.

Mon 31 Mar

PEATBOG FAERIES (ALBA ROMA)

STUDIO 24, 19:00–22:00, £15

More high octane instrumental contemporary folk from the Isle of Skye crew.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

SCOTTISH NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA + COURTNEY PINE

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:00–22:00, £17.50 (£15)

Musical visionary Courtney Pine joins the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra to celebrate influential jazz saxophonists, John Coltrane. ESTI DAL

CANONGATE KIRK, 19:30–22:00, £9 (£7)

The Calton Consort perform some Eastern European treasures, from glorious sacred reflection to hearty folk music. THE SHOWS (COLIN ADAMS)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

West Lothian ensemble dabbling in diverse genres of electro, hip-hop and rock. AYAKARA (GLASSFACE)

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 22:00–03:00, £5

Alternative Edinburgh bunch mixing myriad different styles into their own energetic sound.

Glasgow Clubs Tue 04 Mar KILLER KITSCH

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Killer Kitsch residents take charge – eight years old and still offering up the best in house, techno and electronic. VOODOO VOODOO

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

Duncan Harvey plays a mix of vintage rock ‘n’ roll, sleazy R’n’B, swing, soul, surf and pop from a bygone age. I AM

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa play the usual fine mix of house, techno and electronica – a live guest or two oft in tow. TV TUESDAY

THE GARAGE, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

AMUND MAARUD

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 20:00–23:00, £6.00

Thu 27 Mar

British blues ensemble built around harp player Paul Lamb.

THE MOONS (LAST MINUTE GLORY)

THE CAVES, 19:15–22:00, £8

Tue 25 Mar

Sun 16 Mar

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:00, £10

Sun 30 Mar

Northampton-based foursome, trading in psychedelic garage-pop beats, infused with a bit of indie and soul.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £4

Edinburgh-based young pups brought together by a love of The Clash, The Foo Fighters and guitar music in general. PAUL LAMB AND THE KING SNAKES

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Live showcase night moving from rocking’n’reeling psychobilly to good old fashioned punk-rock.

Mighty Glasgow quartet known for their all-out post-hardcore abrasion served at F1 velocity.

Norwegian blues/rock musician and composer, known as a solo artist and as frontman of rock bands The Grand and the duo «Morudes» with his drummer brother, Henrik Maarud.

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £5

THE PHLEGM + DAPITZ + THE MANKY HOORS + ISAAC AND THE RANSEL MEN

Dundee Fri 07 Mar

THE UNROMANTICS (TAPEDECK 45 + LYNDSEY HURREN + DAVID TOUGH)

NON-ZERO’S, 19:15–23:00, £4 ADV. (£5 DOOR)

Dundee-based indie-meets-ska outfit led by vocalist Spike Hutton.

Sat 08 Mar

PAPER TIGER (BILLY MITCHELL)

NON-ZERO’S, 19:30–23:00, £5

Bedroom project turned six-piece live band, blending hip-hop with bass-heavy dance music.

KID CANAVERAL (RANDOLPH’S LEAP + DEATHCATS) BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 19:00–22:00, £7

The affable indie-pop chaps and chapesses bring the singalong joy, as per.

Fri 14 Mar FOREST FIRES

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 20:00–22:00, £4

Aberdeen-based alternative rock quintet, setting themselves apart via delicate chords and melody work.

Sat 15 Mar VOODOO SIX

BUSKERS, 19:00–22:00, £7

London-based hard rockers currently in the midst of their UK headline tour, ahead of some teased-at worldwide tour announcements. BOMBSKARE

FAT SAM’S, 20:00–23:00, £5

Edinburgh’s original nine-piece ska juggernaut – known for reaching zero to 60 in the space of three chords, or something impressive like that. SKINT LIZZY + STRANGE BREW + RAZOR SHARP DOGS

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 20:00–22:00, £5

A Thin Lizzy tribute act and a duo of rockin’ covers bands join forces to raise funds for the Ben Scott Memorial Statue.

Sat 22 Mar

THE CHORDS (TARGET 5)

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 20:00–22:00, £10

South East London Brit rockers formed in 1978 when singer/guitarist Billy Hassett and his bassist cousin, Martin Mason, advertised for musicians in the NME.

Tue 25 Mar

UNITED FRUIT (THE SHITHAWKS + TERRAFRAID + CAPTAINS)

NON-ZERO’S, 19:45–23:00, £5

Mighty Glasgow quartet known for their all-out post-hardcore abrasion served at F1 velocity.

Weekly Tuesday party playing a selection of dancefloor-friendly anthems.

Wed 05 Mar TAKE IT SLEAZY

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

An unabashed mix of 80s pop, electro and nu-disco. They will play Phil Collins. SUB ROSA

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Subbie’s regular student night with residents Ray Vose and Desoto at the helm. MUSIQUE BOUTIQUE

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Midweek party night with resident Bobby Bluebell playing classic house only. DISCO RIOT

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Disco-styled party night with Alfredo Crolla spinning a selection of favourites, bolstered by karaoke and popcorn stalls, just cos. BEAST WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

DJs Izzle and Hutchy serve up their usual midweek rammy of pop punk, hardcore and deadly slushy drinks.

Thu 06 Mar DANSE MACABRE

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £4

The Danse Macabre regulars unite those two happiest of bedfellows, goth rock and, er, classic disco, in their regular home of Classic Grand. NEVERLAND

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs. R.U.IN THURSDAYS

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

Rock, metal and emo mix up, plus guest DJs mixing it up in the Jager Bar. HIP HOP THURSDAYS

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Early weekend party starter, with Euan Neilson playing the best in classic R’n’B and hip-hop. JELLY BABY

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Thursday nighter of chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer. OUTBURST

SHED, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 (£2) AFTER 11)

BUSKERS, 19:00–22:00, £8

Northampton-based foursome, trading in psychedelic garage-pop beats, infused with a bit of indie and soul.

Two floors of the best in rock, metal and industrial tunes picked out by DJ Barry and DJ Tailz. CRASH

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Andy Robertson spins chart and party classics, with his musical accomplice DJ Del playing r’n’b and hip-hop in The Loft space. PROPAGANDA

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Residents night of rock, metal, punk and emo over two levels. JAMMING FRIDAYS

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Indie rock’n’roll from the 60s to the 00s, with resident tune-picker DJ Jopez. HARSH TUG

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £4

Hip-hop and gangsta rap brought to you by the Notorious B.A.G and pals. YES!

THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

New gay indie night on the block, with a playlist that mixes classic Bowie, The Smiths, Blondie et al alongside new kids like Django Djanjo and Grimes. FRESH BEATS

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Split up night of chart classics in the main hall and underground hip-hop in the wee room. SAMAS AFTER-PARTY

BLOC+, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Post-awards bash for the Scottish Alternative Music Awards. FLASH/BANG

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £5 ADV. (£6 DOOR)

Raggle-taggle night led by the resident DJ duo alongside a troupe of circus, cabaret, burlesque and dance performers.

MOTOR CITY ELECTRONICS (MOODYMAN)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £13 EARLYBIRD (£15/£17 THEREAFTER)

La Cheetah Club return with another in their Motor City Electronic series, aimed at showcasing a selection of talent from Detroit – this time welcoming Kenny Dixon Jr. (aka Moodymann) for a two-hour set. STAY FRESH (GENIUS OF OUR TIME)

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, £10 ADV. (£12 DOOR)

Known for their raucous parties, the Stay Fresh mob kick of 2014 by hitting up the Art school with their first ever overseas booking: Sweden via Berlin live production duo, Genius of Time,

COLOURS SPRING SESSIONS (TOMMY TRASH)

THE ARCHES, 22:00–03:00, £24.50

The Colours mob host a special spring outing with Australian electro house producer Tommy Trash, likely on as party-hard form as ever. SENSU (DJ KOZE)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £12

Rock, indie and golden indie classics with resident DJ Heather McCartney. LOVE MUSIC

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Saturday night disco manned by Gerry Lyons and guests. I HEART GARAGE SATURDAYS

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Student superclub playing everything from hip-hop to dance and funk to chart. FANTASTIC MAN

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

DJ RYRY hosts the official All Time Low after-bash. Free entry with gig ticket stub.

I AM: DROWNING IN A SEA OF HOUSE (JG WILKES) SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa welcome one half of the Optimo tag team, JG Wilkes, for a four-hour deck takeover of all things house.

Wed 12 Mar MUSIQUE BOUTIQUE

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Messy Saturday night uber-disco featuring a rotating schedule of live talent.

Midweek party night with resident Bobby Bluebell playing classic house only.

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

THE SHED SATURDAYS

DISCO RIOT

DEATH BY UNGA BUNGA

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

WRONG ISLAND

NUDE ON MARS

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Trashy vintage courtesy of DJs Flore De Hoog and Grant Canyon, jollied along by ive bands and projections. TRIBAL PULSE (JEAN PIERRE ENFANT)

SAINT JUDES, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Fledgling record label and club night, Tribal Pulse, present one of their most intriguing finds of late: Les Enfabts Terribles founder, Jeanne Pierre Enfant. PISTOLS AT DAWN (DJ RAHAAN)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £8 ADV. (£10 DOOR)

The Pistols at Dawn crew host their March outing, joined by renowned Chicago DJ Rahaan – playing deep beats engineered to move feet.

Sun 09 Mar SUNDAY ROASTER

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath, taking in chart anthems, mash-ups and requests. HAIR OF THE CAT

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

DJ Mythic’s Sabbath-bothering mix of rock, metal and punk, with punter requests accepted all night long.

Mon 10 Mar BURN

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3/FREE WITH WAGE SLIP)

Long-running trade night with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats. SPACE INVADER

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

BEAST WEDNESDAYS

DJs Izzle and Hutchy serve up their usual midweek rammy of pop punk, hardcore and deadly slushy drinks. SUB ROSA (LEON VYNEHALL)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Subbie’s regular student night with residents Ray Vose and Desoto at the helm, this time with guest Leon Vynehall in tow.

Thu 13 Mar NEVERLAND

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs. R.U.IN THURSDAYS

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

Rock, metal and emo mix up, plus guest DJs mixing it up in the Jager Bar. HIP HOP THURSDAYS

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Fri 07 Mar OLD SKOOL

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Connoisseur’s mix of old-school jazz, funk and soul.

SUAVE TEAM FUERTE

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, FREE

KILLER KITSCH

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FROM £8

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

Scotland’s first club night for people with learning disabilities.

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet.

LATE

THE ARCHES, 19:30–00:00, £6

VOODOO VOODOO

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

Duncan Harvey plays a mix of vintage rock ‘n’ roll, sleazy R’n’B, swing, soul, surf and pop from a bygone age.

FRESH BEATS

Split up night of chart classics in the main hall and underground hip-hop in the wee room.

L.I.E.S VS RUBADUB (RON MORRELLI + MARTIN MCKAY) LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £10

L.I.E.S. head honcho Ron Morelli and Rubadub’s Martin McKay take to the decks for a special versus night. RETURN TO MONO: SAVED 100 PARTY (NIC FANCIULLI + SLAM)

SUB CLUB, 22:30–03:00, £12

Saved Records celebrates the milestone of 100 releases this month, with Return To Mono hosting the official Saved 100 tour - joined by Nic Fanciulli presenting his Saved 100 compilation, and local boys Slam who have new releases of their own to preview.

Sat 15 Mar NU SKOOL

Early weekend party starter, with Euan Neilson playing the best in classic R’n’B and hip-hop.

Nick Peacock spins a selection of vintage disco, soul and funk.

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £6

JELLY BABY

Thursday nighter of chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer. GOOD GRIEF’S GOOP SHOP (LOST LIMBS)

BLOC+, 21:00–03:00, FREE

The DIY label and zine collective present their monthly club outing and fresh zine launch combined. OUTBURST

SHED, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 (£2) AFTER 11)

Early-weekend student night with DJs Redmond McDonald and Callum Clarke playing a mix of dance, pop, rock and r’n’b.

KUNST VS SO WEIT SO GUT (SHAWN O’SULLIVAN + KRIS BELL + JOE MCGHEE)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6

Kunst and So Weit So Gut join forces to bring Vapauteen (aka Shawn O’Sullivan of L.I.E.S) to their lair, with support from Kris Bell back-to-back with Joe McGhee.

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Long-running house night with regulars Harri & Domenic manning the decks.

ROCK THE BLOC

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £4

The legendary Teamy and Dirty Larry spin some fresh electronics for your aural pleasure.

The Killer Kitsch residents take charge – eight years old and still offering up the best in house, techno and electronic.

SUBCULTURE

JAMMING FRIDAYS

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Summer-styled party night playing the best in garage, soul, rockabilly, punk, surf and anything else you can sway along to.

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Thursday night party hosted by a rotating group of residents from the underbelly of Glasgow’s musical community, this time with the Vitamins chaps on board to celebrate the end of term.

Celebration of all things 90s, with hits a-plenty and a pre-club bingo session.

DJ Simonotron hosts the gay disco party like no other, playing disco, house and acid on vinyl only.

Tue 11 Mar

Alternative weekend blowout, taking in metal, industrial, pop-punk, rock, emo and ska soundscapes over two floors.

COMMON PEOPLE

THE FLYING DUCK, 21:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The HNDPCKD Cassette chaps take control of the decks, playing a set of classic hip-hop, instrumental beats, future funk and headnodders.

CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £6

ABSOLUTION

CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Residents night of rock, metal, punk and emo over two levels.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

HOT MESS

Nick Peacock spins a selection of vintage disco, soul and funk.

NU SKOOL

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music.

THE POETRY CLUB, 22:00–02:00, £6 (£4 AFTER 10.30)

Thursday night party hosted by a rotating group of residents from the underbelly of Glasgow’s musical community, this time visited by London-based computer music and experimental r’n’b producer, Felicita.

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

PROPAGANDA

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Indie rock’n’roll from the 60s to the 00s, with resident tune-picker DJ Jopez.

Monthly fun night featuring Lisbonite regulars King Daddy Monga and DJ Tabako, plus DJ Jay-Cee playing a mixture of funky afrobeats, post hip-hop and ‘strange things’.

Eclectic fundraiser night with DJs and bands including Yong Yong and Ashanti back-to-back with Letitia, plus visuals by Diane Edwards.

Andy Robertson spins chart and party classics, with his musical accomplice DJ Del playing r’n’b and hip-hop in The Loft space.

Disco-styled party night with Alfredo Crolla spinning a selection of favourites, bolstered by karaoke and popcorn stalls, just cos.

Sat 08 Mar

HYDRAPANGAEA

CRASH

The Shed’s mainman Andy Robertson spins ‘charty poppy party classics’, for all yer Saturday night dancing needs.

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £5

REDD, 21:00–23:00, £5

THE MOONS

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

ALL TIME LOW: OFFICIAL AFTERPARTY

Early-weekend student night with DJs Redmond McDonald and Callum Clarke playing a mix of dance, pop, rock and r’n’b.

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£2-£4 AFTER 12)

Sat 29 Mar

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £6

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (FREE WITH TICKET STUB)

German DJ and music producer, DJ Koze (aka Stefan Kozalla), makes both his Sensu and Sub Club debut, almost eight yeats since his last appearance on Scottish soil.

PLEASURE GARDEN: END OF TERM PARTY (VITAMINS)

Silk Cut and Ultimate Thrush collab, equal parts playful, experimental and danceable – taking cues from leftfield disco, acid house, electronic body music and various forms of African dance music.

THE ROCK SHOP

KINO FIST NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £4

DJ Charlotte Prodger spins house, garage, grime, UK funky, juke, footwork and old school techno. That do ye?

Andy R plays chart hits and requests past and present, while DJ David Lo Pan holes up in The Attic playing retro classics.

Fri 28 Mar

GOLDEN TEACHER (WHILST)

DAMNATION

TV TUESDAY THE GARAGE, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Weekly Tuesday party playing a selection of dancefloor-friendly anthems.

PLEASURE GARDEN (FELICITA)

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£2-£4 AFTER 12)

WE OWN

The We Own crew play a residents special of their famed party blowout.

Fri 14 Mar OLD SKOOL

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Connoisseur’s mix of old-school jazz, funk and soul. DAMNATION

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £6

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

ABSOLUTION

Alternative weekend blowout, taking in metal, industrial, pop-punk, rock, emo and ska soundscapes over two floors. SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FROM £8

Long-running house night with regulars Harri & Domenic manning the decks. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet. THE ROCK SHOP

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Rock, indie and golden indie classics with resident DJ Heather McCartney. LOVE MUSIC

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Saturday night disco manned by Gerry Lyons and guests. SUPER TROUPER

THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Clubber’s delight dedicated to all-Swedish indie, pop and rock – moving from ABBA through to The Knife like a proper legend o’ a thing. I HEART GARAGE SATURDAYS

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Student superclub playing everything from hip-hop to dance and funk to chart. EXAMPLE

THE ARCHES, 23:00–03:00, £SOLD OUT

The electronic man of the moment (aka Elliot John Gleave) returns to play a live set as part of his fourth major headline tour. STRANGE PARADISE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £4

Party night from floral-shirted Wild Combination man David Barbarossa, specializing in leftfield disco, post-punk and far-out pop.

Two floors of the best in rock, metal and industrial tunes picked out by DJ Barry and DJ Tailz.

Listings

THE SHED SATURDAYS

PATTERNS (LIFE MODEL)

FRESH BEATS

HAIR OF THE CAT

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

BROADCAST, 20:00–23:00, £5

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

The Shed’s mainman Andy Robertson spins ‘charty poppy party classics’, for all yer Saturday night dancing needs. ADVENTURES IN PARADISE

THE ADMIRAL, 23:00–03:00, £5

Wayne Dickson, Malcolm McKenzie and Roddie Gibb host their monthly party, fuelled on uptown funk and soulful disco tuneage. TYCI (BLOOD OF THE BULL + HELEN MARNIE)

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE

The Manc melody makers – to the tune of a drone pop muddle of guitars, vocals and intelligent samples – take to the road with their debut LP, Walking Lines. DISCO RIOT

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Disco-styled party night with Alfredo Crolla spinning a selection of favourites, bolstered by karaoke and popcorn stalls, just cos. BEAST WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

The all-female collective, blog and fanzine bring together a selection of live acts and DJs for their monthly party night.

DJs Izzle and Hutchy serve up their usual midweek rammy of pop punk, hardcore and deadly slushy drinks.

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

All-new party project by Art School student Felix Welch, inviting in various guests to help him survey the nuances of local and international variants of house and techno.

CRYPTIQ

STANDARD POINT

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Heavy Saturday night club deep with house and techno sounds.

CODE: 4TH BIRTHDAY (DRUMCELL)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6 EARLYBIRD (£10 THEREAFTER)

The CODE techno specialists celebrate their fourth birthday in style, with founder of Droid Recordings and co-founder of the Droid Behavior label, Drumcell, providing the ol’ doof-doof beats. FEDDE LE GRAND

THE ARCHES, 22:00–03:00, £17 EARLYBIRD (£21 THEREAFTER)

Thu 20 Mar NEVERLAND

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs. R.U.IN THURSDAYS

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

The house producer and DJ plays a special headline slot, back in the spotlight after a six-year hiatus.

Rock, metal and emo mix up, plus guest DJs mixing it up in the Jager Bar.

Sun 16 Mar

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

SUNDAY ROASTER

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath, taking in chart anthems, mash-ups and requests. HAIR OF THE CAT

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

DJ Mythic’s Sabbath-bothering mix of rock, metal and punk, with punter requests accepted all night long.

Mon 17 Mar BURN

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3/FREE WITH WAGE SLIP)

Long-running trade night with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats. ST PADDY’S DAY

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

St Patrick’s Day club night special, playing retro hits from the 80s-00s. ST PADDY’S DAY PARTY

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2

The Cathouse host their own O.T.T. St Paddy’s Day Party, jollied along by the ever-dangerous presence of green slushies.

Tue 18 Mar KILLER KITSCH

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Killer Kitsch residents take charge – eight years old and still offering up the best in house, techno and electronic. VOODOO VOODOO

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

Duncan Harvey plays a mix of vintage rock ‘n’ roll, sleazy R’n’B, swing, soul, surf and pop from a bygone age. TV TUESDAY

THE GARAGE, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Weekly Tuesday party playing a selection of dancefloor-friendly anthems. I AM (BARRY PRICE + KAPPA)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

The i AM decks are manned by a back-to-back set from one halp of the resident team, Kappa, playing alongside Sensu’s Barry Price.

Wed 19 Mar NOT MOVING

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

Monthly party shenanigans with Golden Teacher’s Laurie, featuring live sets and guest DJs from the barrels of Glasgow’s musical underground. SUB ROSA

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Subbie’s regular student night with residents Ray Vose and Desoto at the helm. MUSIQUE BOUTIQUE

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Midweek party night with resident Bobby Bluebell playing classic house only.

Listings

HIP HOP THURSDAYS

Early weekend party starter, with Euan Neilson playing the best in classic R’n’B and hip-hop. JELLY BABY

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Thursday nighter of chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer. ENGINES

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

The Engines collective host their experimental techno night with electronic producers, DJs and VJs in tow. OUTBURST

SHED, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 (£2) AFTER 11)

Split up night of chart classics in the main hall and underground hip-hop in the wee room. OFFBEAT: CREMÉ ORGANISATION SHOWCASE (TLR + WILLIE BURNS)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–04:00, £8 (FIRST 50 GO FREE)

Following the success of their Tabernacle Records showcase, the Offbeat crew present Cremé Organisation head TLR and US producer Willie Burns. VOID (EGYPTIAN LOVER)

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:30–03:00, £TBC

The Void crew present a unique live event with guest Egyptian Lover, one of the most innovative producers of the old-school/electro era, with the Maxi Dance Pool team holing up in the downstairs Vic bar. ANIMAL FARM (RODHAD + KOBOSIL)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £12

Animal Farm return to their Subbie lair with two of techno’s brightest stars in tow: the Berlin based, real life techno viking, Rodhad, and Ostgut-Ton’s newest artist, Kobosil.

Sat 22 Mar NU SKOOL

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Nick Peacock spins a selection of vintage disco, soul and funk. ABSOLUTION

CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £6

Alternative weekend blowout, taking in metal, industrial, pop-punk, rock, emo and ska soundscapes over two floors. SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FROM £8

Long-running house night with regulars Harri & Domenic manning the decks. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet. THE ROCK SHOP

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Rock, indie and golden indie classics with resident DJ Heather McCartney. LOVE MUSIC

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

SINGLES NIGHT

THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Fri 21 Mar

More heavyweight selections from Mungo’s Soundsystem, playing a full soundsystem set with a guest or two p’haps in tow.

OLD SKOOL

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Connoisseur’s mix of old-school jazz, funk and soul. DAMNATION

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £6

Two floors of the best in rock, metal and industrial tunes picked out by DJ Barry and DJ Tailz. CRASH

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Andy Robertson spins chart and party classics, with his musical accomplice DJ Del playing r’n’b and hip-hop in The Loft space. PROPAGANDA

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Residents night of rock, metal, punk and emo over two levels. JAMMING FRIDAYS

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Indie rock’n’roll from the 60s to the 00s, with resident tune-picker DJ Jopez. KILL YR IDOLS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £4

DIY disco with a punk attitude, where psychedelic voodoo grooves meet souped-up turbo-tech, played out by the regulars and their occasional guests.

Tue 25 Mar KILLER KITSCH

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

The Killer Kitsch residents take charge – eight years old and still offering up the best in house, techno and electronic. VOODOO VOODOO

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

Duncan Harvey plays a mix of vintage rock ‘n’ roll, sleazy R’n’B, swing, soul, surf and pop from a bygone age. TV TUESDAY

THE GARAGE, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Weekly Tuesday party playing a selection of dancefloor-friendly anthems. I AM: RETURN TO TRON

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £10

The i AM chaps again convert Subbie into a visual representation of Steven Lisberger’s celebrated 1982 sci-fi classic, Tron, this time with even more gusto (aka a hardwareshop full of Produ[k]t production and a power of lighting trickery).

Wed 26 Mar MUSIQUE BOUTIQUE

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Midweek party night with resident Bobby Bluebell playing classic house only. SO WEIT SO GUT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

DISCO RIOT

Disco-styled party night with Alfredo Crolla spinning a selection of favourites, bolstered by karaoke and popcorn stalls, just cos. BEAST WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

The NOTJ collective join the Art School roster, known for their love of all things unusual.

MUNGO’S HI-FI

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

THE PROJECT SESSIONS

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Eclectic DJ and live rock’n’roll band mash-up for yer Saturday dancing pleasure. SONGS YA BASS V

BUFF CLUB, 19:00–23:00, FREE

Marketed as ‘the club night for people who don’t really go clubbing anymore’, Songs Ya Bass takes in punter-generated requests before finishing at the beauty-sleepfriendly hour of 11pm.

SCRABBLE (DOM D’SYLVA, DECKNITION, DISGO)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £1

The stellar party night returns for a one-off reunion with the original Scrabble crew: Dom, Decknition and Disgo.

Sun 23 Mar TRASH AND BURN

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £4

Monthly glam trash and sleaze tease party, with guest burlesque performers, magicians and a bit o’ belly dancing. SUNDAY ROASTER

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath, taking in chart anthems, mash-ups and requests.

Tue 04 Mar

NIGHT OF THE JAGUAR

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, FREE

SUB ROSA (LOVEBIRDS)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Subbie’s regular student night with residents Ray Vose and Desoto at the helm, this time with guest Lovebirds in tow.

Thu 27 Mar FROGBEATS

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

The Frogbeats crew pump out the jungle and D’n’B beats a-plenty, as per. NEVERLAND

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs. HIP HOP THURSDAYS

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Early weekend party starter, with Euan Neilson playing the best in classic R’n’B and hip-hop. JELLY BABY

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Thursday nighter of chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer. STRETCHED

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Jazz-influenced sound sauna, moving through mathcore to post-rock. OUTBURST

SHED, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 (£2) AFTER 11)

Early-weekend student night with DJs Redmond McDonald and Callum Clarke playing a mix of dance, pop, rock and r’n’b.

Saturday night disco manned by Gerry Lyons and guests. THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Fri 28 Mar

Student superclub playing everything from hip-hop to dance and funk to chart.

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

OLD SKOOL

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £4

SPACE INVADER

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

The Shed’s mainman Andy Robertson spins ‘charty poppy party classics’, for all yer Saturday night dancing needs.

I HEART GARAGE SATURDAYS

Thursday night party hosted by a rotating group of residents from the underbelly of Glasgow’s musical community.

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Andy R plays chart hits and requests past and present, while DJ David Lo Pan holes up in The Attic playing retro classics.

DJs Izzle and Hutchy serve up their usual midweek rammy of pop punk, hardcore and deadly slushy drinks.

The bass music special returns to host a special set from west London-birn chappie, Funkineven, no stranger to night life and sound system culture.

Edinburgh

Connoisseur’s mix of old-school jazz, funk and soul.

Andy Divine and Chris Geddes’ gem of a night dedicated to 7-inch singles from every genre imaginable. THE SHED SATURDAYS

LOVE MUSIC O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Long-running trade night with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats.

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Student superclub playing everything from hip-hop to dance and funk to chart.

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3/FREE WITH WAGE SLIP)

I HEART GARAGE SATURDAYS

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£2-£4 AFTER 12)

RUBIX (FUNKINEVEN)

BURN

The party sounds of Ean, Smiddy and Kenny White on decks.

Saturday night disco manned by Gerry Lyons and guests.

Thursday night party hosted by a rotating group of residents from the underbelly of Glasgow’s musical community, this time visited by Lisbon’s Principle Records game changing Kuduro artist, DJ Nigga Fox.

Mon 24 Mar

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Early-weekend student night with DJs Redmond McDonald and Callum Clarke playing a mix of dance, pop, rock and r’n’b. PLEASURE GARDEN (DJ NIGGA FOX)

DJ Mythic’s Sabbath-bothering mix of rock, metal and punk, with punter requests accepted all night long.

PLEASURE GARDEN THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£2-£4 AFTER 12)

THE HOT CLUB

Tearin’ it up with 60s psych-outs and modern sleaze, provided by Rafla and Andy (of The Phantom Band). DAMNATION

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £6

Two floors of the best in rock, metal and industrial tunes picked out by DJ Barry and DJ Tailz. CRASH

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£4)

Andy Robertson spins chart and party classics, with his musical accomplice DJ Del playing r’n’b and hip-hop in The Loft space. PROPAGANDA

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Residents night of rock, metal, punk and emo over two levels. COSMIC

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £5

Monthly club bringing the spirit of the psychedelic trance dance ritual to the floor, with live acts, VJs and colourful fluoro decor. JAMMING FRIDAYS

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Indie rock’n’roll from the 60s to the 00s, with resident tune-picker DJ Jopez. SHAKE APPEAL

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Damn fine evening of hip shakers and neck breakers, combining everything from Buddy Holly to Motorhead. GLUE

THE FLYING DUCK, 22:00–03:00, £5

Fresh from their inaugural party smashing night in November, the Glue lads are back with all the best in indie, electro, punk, rock’n’roll and dance. FRESH BEATS

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Split up night of chart classics in the main hall and underground hip-hop in the wee room.

TRIPLE DROP MELEE (KANJI KINETIC + JOHNNY SIDEWAYS + THORPEY + BABYSHAKER) 69 BELOW, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£10 AFTER 12)

The mental rave-up returns for March joined by the label bosses of Kaotek, Mutant Bass and Meganeural Records, plus a formidable line-up of local support. VOID VS DISCRETE (MANNI DEE)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 AFTER 12)

The Void and Discreet residents join forces to welcome Brightonbased producer Manni Dee, bolstered by support from residents of both parties. RINSE (RICHY AHMED)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £10

Rinse FM play host to a special set from Richy Ahmed - one of the key players currently re-defining house music with hues of disco, techno, funk and hip-hop.

Sat 29 Mar NU SKOOL

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Nick Peacock spins a selection of vintage disco, soul and funk. ABSOLUTION

CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £6

Alternative weekend blowout, taking in metal, industrial, pop-punk, rock, emo and ska soundscapes over two floors. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet. THE ROCK SHOP

MAGGIE MAY’S, 22:00–03:00, FREE (£5/£3 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Rock, indie and golden indie classics with resident DJ Heather McCartney.

HOUNDIN’ THE STREETS

ANTICS

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Alternative anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie and punk. SOUL JAM HOT

Resident DJs Jer Reid, Martin Law and guests play music from, and some music inspired by, 1970s and early 80s NYC .

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £4

Weekly selection of hip-hop classics and brand-new classics to be.

THE GUILD OF CALAMITOUS INTENT

The Guild invite DJ Helena Hauff into their Sleazy’s den for some joint deck sharing. THE SHED SATURDAYS

SHED, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

The Shed’s mainman Andy Robertson spins ‘charty poppy party classics’, for all yer Saturday night dancing needs. TEENAGE RIOT (CUTTY’S GYM)

BLOC+, 21:00–03:00, FREE

Members of Glasgow’s posthardcore noise-masters, United Fruit, curate their lively monthly event of big-beat alternative indie – doubling up as the launch night for Cutty’s Gym’s new EP. CLASSIC GRAND: 6TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–04:00, £6

The Classic Grand celebrate their sixth birthday as only they know how – with a party built on loud music and cheap booze merriment. STIGMA

STEREO, 23:00–03:00, £3

All-new club night from Hector Bizerk, comprising the celebratory elements of hip-hop culture including graffiti, break dance and a good dose of DJs and MCs.

LA CHEETAH CLUB VS #NOTSOSILENT (MATTHEW JONSON)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £12

La Cheetah Club and #notsosilent team up to bring Matthew Jonson to La Cheetah’s lair – known as one of the most distinctive voices in electronic dance.

STREETRAVE: CLASS OF ‘89 (N-JOI + BASSHEADS + UTAH SAINTS + FRANKIE BONES + FORGEMASTERS + ANDY CARROLL + EASYGROOVE + IAIN CLARK + YOGI HAUGHTON + RAB MASON) THE ARCHES, 23:00–03:00, £23

A packed and diverse line-up of live acts and DJs take punters back to the highs of 1989, the year STREETrave all began. SUBCULTURE (TEN WALLS)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £10

The long-running house night staple plays host to a guest set from Ten Walls (aka Innvervisions producer Mario Basanov), bringing the deep noise as only he knows how.

Sun 30 Mar SUNDAY ROASTER

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath, taking in chart anthems, mash-ups and requests. HAIR OF THE CAT

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

DJ Mythic’s Sabbath-bothering mix of rock, metal and punk, with punter requests accepted all night long. OPTIMO (FOUR TET)

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £10

As part of their quest to keep Sundays special, Sub Club hand over the decks to a certain Mr. Kieran Hebden, taking to the stage under his Four Tet moniker for a set of his e’er lovely post-rock-meetselectronica, awash with abstract sensibilities.

Mon 31 Mar BURN

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3/FREE WITH WAGE SLIP)

Long-running trade night with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats. SPACE INVADER

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Andy R plays chart hits and requests past and present, while DJ David Lo Pan holes up in The Attic playing retro classics.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

I LOVE HIP HOP

FLY CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by a selection of guest talent both local and further flung (aka London). WEE DUB FESTIVAL SESSION #2: KRAK IN DUB + MC GARDNA + MAXI ROOTS + ESCAPE ROOTS SOUND

TEVIOT UNDERGROUND, 22:30–03:00, £7 ADV. (£10 DOOR)

Wee Dub club session featuring a heavyweight line-up of steppa, jungle and ragge talent, topped by French stars Krak In Dub.

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Sat 08 Mar

HECTOR’S HOUSE

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

The HH crew serve up their usual fine mix of electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

Wed 05 Mar COOKIE

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Midweek student rundown of chart, club and electro hits. WITNESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures with Ross Blackwax and Danet. CHAMPION SOUND

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 12)

Midweek celebration of all things dub, jungle, reggae and dancehall. TRIBE

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

New night manned by residents Khalid Count Clockwork and Craig Wilson.

Thu 06 Mar JUICE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pumped Thursday nighter playing a mighty mix of everything from Hud Mo to Fly Mo. I AM: EDINBURGH

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

TEASE AGE

Long-running indie, rock and soul night, traversing the classic and modern spectrums. BASS SYNDICATE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

The regular Edinburgh breaks and bassline Manga crew takeover. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard. BIG ‘N’ BASHY

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£6 AFTER 12)

Mighty mix of reggae, grime, dubstep and jungle played oot by the inimitable residents. DR NO’S

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£5 AFTER 12)

Danceable mix of the best in 60s ska, rocksteady, bluebeat and early reggae. STACKS

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Rip-roaring soul, funk, and 50s r’n’b, jollied along by free mix CDs on the door. BEEP BEEP, YEAH!

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£6 AFTER 12)

Retro pop stylings from the 50s to the 70s, via a disco tune or ten. POCKET ACES (THINK TWICE)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass.

Dance-inducing party night, with Craig Smith making his monthly appearance rich with deep, soulful house sounds.

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£7 AFTER 11)

HULLABALOO

Mash-up mix of beats, breaks and hip-hop from Mumbo Jumbo’s Trendy Wendy and Steve Austin, bolstered by Tall Paul’s vintage selections. HI-SOCIETY

UNSEEN (MARK ARCHER)

More stripped-down techno with a back-to-basics warehouse style from the Unseen crew and their handpicked guests – this time in the form of Mark Archer of Altern8.

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Student-friendly chart anthems, bolstered by hip-hop, r’n’b and urban in the back room.

WEE DUB FESTIVAL SESSION #4: IRATION STEPPAS + MUNGO’S HI-FI (SOLO BANTON + RIDDIM TUFFA SOUND)

Fri 07 Mar

STUDIO 24, 22:00–03:00, £12 ADV. (£15 DOOR)

MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms. FOUR CORNERS

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 AFTER 12)

Soulful dancing fodder, from deep funk to reggae beats with your regular DJ hosts. PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£6 AFTER 11)

Wee Dub club session bringing together two mighty UK soundsystem crews for a massive clash: Mungo’s Hi-Fi and Iration Steppas.

Sun 09 Mar COALITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Weekly cross-genre of bass from a cast of Edinburgh’s best underground DJs. THE CLUB

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Distinctly retro selections from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top.

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

Eclectic hip-hop, funk and soul playlists with yer DJ experts Cunnie and Beef.

THIS IS MUSIC

Regular indie and electro outing from the Sick Note DJs. PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. STEPBACK

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11.30)

Mixed bag of electronic bass from the DJs Wolfjazz and Keyte, moving from Baltimore to dubstep. POP TARTS

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 17:00–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

Pop and rock gems spun by DJs from Electric Circus’ Saturday club nights, including Magic Nostalgic, Beep Beep, Yeah! and Pop Rocks.

CAB VOL SUNDAYS

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4

WEE DUB FESTIVAL SESSION #5: CHANNEL ONE SOUNDSYSTEM (AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE SOUNDSYSTEM)

THE CAVES, 22:00–03:00, £11 ADV. (£14 DOOR)

The closing session of Wee Dub Festival sees UK dub legends Channel One play an extended set, alongside mysterious psychedelic african dub lot, African Headcharge.

Mon 10 Mar MIXED UP

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Request-driven night of pop-punk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s classics. NU FIRE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

THE SKINNY

Edinburgh Clubs Tue 11 Mar ANTICS

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Alternative anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie and punk. SOUL JAM HOT

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team. I LOVE HIP HOP

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Weekly selection of hip-hop classics and brand-new classics to be. HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

The HH crew serve up their usual fine mix of electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

Wed 12 Mar COOKIE

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Midweek student rundown of chart, club and electro hits. WITNESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures with Ross Blackwax and Danet. CHAMPION SOUND

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER MIDNIGHT)

Midweek celebration of all things dub, jungle, reggae and dancehall. TRIBE

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

New night manned by residents Khalid Count Clockwork and Craig Wilson.

Thu 13 Mar JUICE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pumped Thursday nighter playing a mighty mix of everything from Hud Mo to Fly Mo. I AM: EDINBURGH

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass. STAY GOLD

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £TBC

New club night brought to you by the We Own and Fly lot, playing hip-hop classics and soul soul in one room, and house in’t other. HULLABALOO

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Mash-up mix of beats, breaks and hip-hop from Mumbo Jumbo’s Trendy Wendy and Steve Austin, bolstered by Tall Paul’s vintage selections. HI-SOCIETY

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Student-friendly chart anthems, bolstered by hip-hop, r’n’b and urban in the back room.

Fri 14 Mar MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms. PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£6 AFTER 11)

Distinctly retro selections from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top. CONFUSION IS SEX

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£7 AFTER 12)

Glam techno and electro night, mixing tunes, installation and performance – this time with a prohibition theme to proceedings. PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. COSMIC

STUDIO 24, 21:00–03:00, £3 (£6 AFTER 10)

Monthly club bringing the spirit of the psychedelic trance dance ritual to the floor, with live acts, VJs and colourful fluoro decor.

POP TARTS ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 17:00–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

Pop and rock gems spun by DJs from Electric Circus’ Saturday club nights, including Magic Nostalgic, Beep Beep, Yeah! and Pop Rocks. FLY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by a selection of guest talent both local and further flung (aka London). TEESH

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5

DJ Cheers – frequent flyer at many a Sneaky’s night – finally gets his own show on the road, playing disco, house and boogie gems.

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Tue 18 Mar ANTICS

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Alternative anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie and punk. SOUL JAM HOT

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team. I LOVE HIP HOP

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

AN EVENING WITH BAG

Weekly selection of hip-hop classics and brand-new classics to be.

WEE RED BAR, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£5 AFTER 11.30)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

HECTOR’S HOUSE

The Cockburn Collective serve up sounds of disco, house, soul, hiphop, and more, with Sister Sledge most definitely in there.

The HH crew serve up their usual fine mix of electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

THE CAVES, 23:00–03:00, £10

Wed 19 Mar

KAPITAL (PAUL DALEY)

The Kapital crew return with a beefed-up new soundsystem and an exclusive set from ex-Leftfield chap Paul Daley.

Sat 15 Mar TEASE AGE

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

Long-running indie, rock and soul night, traversing the classic and modern spectrums. THE EGG

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£5 AFTER 12)

Art School institution with DJs Chris and Jake playing the finest in indie, garage, soul and punk Ð now moving to a monthly slot, in what is their 20th year. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard. SOULSVILLE

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Swinging soul spanning a whole century, with DJs Tsatsu and Fryer. POP ROCKS!

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£6 AFTER 12)

Pop and rock gems, taking in motown, 80s classics and plenty danceable fare (well, the Beep Beep, Yeah! crew are on decks after all). POCKET ACES (GASOLINE DANCE MACHINE)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Dance-inducing party night, with GDM’s Cheap Picasso making their monthly appearance armed with classic Italo, straight-up boogie, contemporary house and disco. ANTI-GON

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 23:00–03:00, £3

Anything goes party night taking in punk, flamenco, hip-hop, ska, rock, schranz and anything else it damn well fancies.

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures with Ross Blackwax and Danet. CHAMPION SOUND

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 12)

Midweek celebration of all things dub, jungle, reggae and dancehall. TRIBE

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Weekly cross-genre of bass from a cast of Edinburgh’s best underground DJs. THE CLUB

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of. CAB VOL SUNDAYS

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Eclectic hip-hop, funk and soul playlists with yer DJ experts Cunnie and Beef.

Mon 17 Mar MIXED UP

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

WARM FUZZY (FUDGE FINGAS)

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£6 AFTER 12)

Funky electronic night from NastyBiscuit and Bill Spice, offering an all-inclusive club environment bolstered by a strong visual element featuring hangings, installations and projections – this time with special guest DJ Fudge Fingas. BIXON (ALEX SLAUGHTER)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £8

Hip young party collective spinning house jams all night long, joined for a special guest slot by Canadianborn Alexander Slaughter. TEASE AGE

Long-running indie, rock and soul night, traversing the classic and modern spectrums. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard. THE GREEN DOOR

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£5/£4 STUDENT AFTER 11)

STUDIO 24, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

JUICE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pumped Thursday nighter playing a mighty mix of everything from Hud Mo to Fly Mo. I AM: EDINBURGH

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass. HULLABALOO

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Mash-up mix of beats, breaks and hip-hop from Mumbo Jumbo’s Trendy Wendy and Steve Austin, bolstered by Tall Paul’s vintage selections. HI-SOCIETY

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms. PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£6 AFTER 11)

Distinctly retro selections from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top. PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. ANIMAL HOSPITAL

STUDIO 24, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 AFTER 11.30)

The Animal Hospital troops continue to medicate Edinburgh with their unique blend of techno, house and minimal.

BETAMAX

Monthly offering of new wave, disco, post-punk and a bit o’ synthtastic 80s with your hosts Chris and Big Gus. DR NO’S

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£5 AFTER 12)

Danceable mix of the best in 60s ska, rocksteady, bluebeat and early reggae. SOUNDS OF SOUL (HOT TODDY)

THE NEWSROOM, 22:30–03:00, £10

Deep house and disco night, welcoming Crazy P’s Hot Toddy into their basement lair for the evening. SPEAKER BITE ME

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£6 AFTER 12)

The Evol DJs worship at the alter of all kinds of indie-pop, with their only rule being that it’s gotta have bite. DEFINITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5

Mark Balneaves and Martin Lightbody play some of the finest underground house and techno across four decks, fx units and laptops. MESSENGER

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£7 AFTER 12)

Conscious roots and dub reggae rockin’ from the usual beefty soundsystem. DECADE

STUDIO 24, 19:30–03:00, £2 (£5/£4 STUDENT AFTER 11)

Fresh playlists spanning pop-punk, emo and hardcore soundscapes. POCKET ACES (GARETH SOMMERVILLE)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Dance-inducing party night, with Mr Gareth Sommerville making his regular monthly appearance. ELECTRO CYCLE

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£5 AFTER 12)

New night manned by DJ Nikki Foxx, playing 80s house and electro fused with the latest deep house and electro beats.

POP TARTS

Sun 23 Mar

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 17:00–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pop and rock gems spun by DJs from Electric Circus’ Saturday club nights, including Magic Nostalgic, Beep Beep, Yeah! and Pop Rocks.

THE CLUB

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of. CAB VOL SUNDAYS

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 20:00–03:00, £4

Mon 24 Mar

Pumped night of acid, techno and electro soundscapes with the Disorder residents.

THE CAVES, 22:00–03:00, £TBC

Thu 20 Mar

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£5 AFTER 12)

New night manned by residents Khalid Count Clockwork and Craig Wilson. The We Own collective welcome the man with the flair for selecting the sweetest of reggae beats, David Rodigan, to their lair.

SHAKE YER SHOULDERS STUDIO 24, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11.30)

Eclectic hip-hop, funk and soul playlists with yer DJ experts Cunnie and Beef.

Surf, blues and rockabilly from the 50s and early 60s, plus free cake. Job done.

WE OWN (DAVID RODIGAN)

NU FIRE SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

DISORDER

WITNESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Fri 21 Mar

COALITION

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

The Substance crew mix up cutting edge and classic electronic music from across the spectrum, with resident Gavin Richardson likely joined by a guest or two.

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £10 ADV. (£15 DOOR)

Sun 16 Mar

SUBSTANCE

Sat 22 Mar

MIGUEL CAMPBELL

The Hot Creations signee plays a set of his trademark filtered disco sounds.

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by a selection of guest talent both local and further flung (aka London).

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Midweek student rundown of chart, club and electro hits.

Student-friendly chart anthems, bolstered by hip-hop, r’n’b and urban in the back room.

Request-driven night of pop-punk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s classics.

March 2014

NU FIRE SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

FLY CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

COALITION

Weekly cross-genre of bass from a cast of Edinburgh’s best underground DJs.

MIXED UP

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Request-driven night of pop-punk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s classics.

Tue 25 Mar ANTICS

Celebration of all things techno with the Shake Yer Shoulders residents. FLY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by a selection of guest talent both local and further flung (aka London). MJÖLK

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£4 AFTER 11.30)

Occasional night playing the finest in Swedish indie pop, plus 60s, 70s and independent tunes from near and far.

Sat 29 Mar TEASE AGE

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Long-running indie, rock and soul night, traversing the classic and modern spectrums.

SOUL JAM HOT

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£7/£5 STUDENT AFTER 12)

Alternative anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie and punk. SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team. I LOVE HIP HOP

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

Weekly selection of hip-hop classics and brand-new classics to be. HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

The HH crew serve up their usual fine mix of electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

Wed 26 Mar COOKIE

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Midweek student rundown of chart, club and electro hits. WITNESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures with Ross Blackwax and Danet.

MUMBO JUMBO

Thu 27 Mar JUICE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pumped Thursday nighter playing a mighty mix of everything from Hud Mo to Fly Mo. I AM: EDINBURGH

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass. HULLABALOO

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

Mash-up mix of beats, breaks and hip-hop from Mumbo Jumbo’s Trendy Wendy and Steve Austin, bolstered by Tall Paul’s vintage selections. HI-SOCIETY

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Student-friendly chart anthems, bolstered by hip-hop, r’n’b and urban in the back room.

Fri 28 Mar MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms. PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£6 AFTER 11)

Distinctly retro selections from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top. PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£3)

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. XPLICIT

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

Heavy jungle and bass-styled beats from the inimitable Xplicit crew, likely joined by a guest or two. POP TARTS

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 17:00–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

Pop and rock gems spun by DJs from Electric Circus’ Saturday club nights, including Magic Nostalgic, Beep Beep, Yeah! and Pop Rocks.

Mon 31 Mar MIXED UP

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Request-driven night of pop-punk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s classics. NU FIRE

The Ride girls play hip-hop and dance, all night long – now in their new party-ready Saturday night slot. MADCHESTER

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £6

Monthly favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like. BETAMAX

STUDIO 24, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

STUDIO 24 GOES METAL!

Studio 24 takes a foray into all things heavy and metal for their usual last Saturday of the month blow-out. NIGHTFILM

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

The musical hub and record label brainchild of Mighty Mouse and Matt Van Schie, Nightfilm makes its now regular appearance at Cab Vol – manned by a plethora of hot talent performing alongside Mighty Mouse himself. JACKHAMMER (RADIOACTIVE MAN + STEPHEN BROWN)

WEE RED BAR, 22:00–03:00, £8

The Jackhammer crew up our dose of all things techno, this time featuring a headline set from Radioactive Man (aka Keith Tenniswood, one half of Two Lone Swordsmen with Andrew Weatherall).

The HH crew serve up their usual fine mix of electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

ROOMS THURSDAYS

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £TBC

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £4

All-new early weekend partystarter, bolstered by a bouncy castle, gambling tables and a wedding chapel.

Fri 07 Mar THE DROP

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £5 (£7 AFTER 12)

The nine-piece reggae outfit play a special live club set – heavy and melodic, with recognisable songs and hooks – bolstered by a DJ set from Miss Dlove. WE ARE RHUMBA: LAUNCH PARTY (SASHA) FAT SAM’S, 21:00–02:30, £18

Special Saturday box of treats, launching with a guest set from mighty Welsh DJ and record producer, Sasha. WARPED

KAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Ska, screamo and pop-punk offerings, moving from Alkaline Trio to Zebrahead.

Sat 08 Mar CTRL ALT DEFEAT

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £5 (£8 AFTER 12)

FANGUARD

CANON’S GAIT, 21:00–01:00, £3 (£4 AFTER 10.30)

All-new grassroots night pitched at indie grown-ups who dream about going dancing but don’t want to stay out too late – taking in indie-pop, post-punk, new wave and the like.

Sun 30 Mar COALITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Weekly cross-genre of bass from a cast of Edinburgh’s best underground DJs.

Saturday best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

Thu 20 Mar ROOMS THURSDAYS

Thursday nighter (as the name would suggest) playing anything and everything ‘good’. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £4

All-new early weekend partystarter, bolstered by a bouncy castle, gambling tables and a wedding chapel.

Fri 21 Mar VISION

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £5

Deep and funky house served up by Tobias, John Fyda, O’Hara and Fran. FAT SAM’S FRIDAYS

FAT SAM’S, 23:00–02:30, £4 (£3)

Fun Friday nighter soundtracked by big party tunes and punter requests. GORILLA IN YOUR CAR

KAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Hardcore, emo, punk and scenester selections. Also perhaps the best-named club night in Dundee’s existence.

Sat 22 Mar 10 JOHNSON STREET

FAT SAM’S, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£5)

All-singing and all-dancing renewal of pop music, moving from the 70s to present day. ASYLUM

KAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Saturday best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

Thu 27 Mar ROOMS THURSDAYS

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £TBC

Thursday nighter (as the name would suggest) playing anything and everything ‘good’. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £4

All-new early weekend partystarter, bolstered by a bouncy castle, gambling tables and a wedding chapel.

FAT SAM’S, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£5)

Fri 28 Mar

10 JOHNSON STREET

KAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Rising London producer and familiar face on the London underground scene, Mr Beatbnik is joined by Belch and Mullen for their boutique version of #notsosilent.

ASYLUM

Electro musings with a danceable beat, with regular merrymakers Clouds, Ado and Ken Swift sharing deck duty.

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£7 AFTER 12)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5

FAT SAM’S, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£5)

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £TBC

MAGIC NOSTALGIC: MAGIC AT THE MOVIES

#NOTSOSILENT (MR BEATNIK)

10 JOHNSON STREET

KAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

All-singing and all-dancing renewal of pop music, moving from the 70s to present day.

A hodgepodge of quality tracks chosen by JP’s spinning wheel, this time celebrating music in film – dedicated to all the best music to have featured in film soundtracks, from Footloose to Pulp Fiction.

BEAT CLUB (UGLY DUCKLING)

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £TBC

Diverse selection of hip-hop, funky stuff, fat beats and breaks with the regular beatmasters, joined by a one-off guest slot by Long Beach hip-hop ensemble, Ugly Duckling, currently out on their UK tour.

HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

RIDE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5

Sat 15 Mar

All-singing and all-dancing renewal of pop music, moving from the 70s to present day.

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Thursday nighter (as the name would suggest) playing anything and everything ‘good’.

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard.

CASSETTE KAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Handpicked-style night inviting a guest DJ to play tracks from artists and albums that would make their definitive mixtape.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Thu 06 Mar

BUBBLEGUM

TRIBE

New night manned by residents Khalid Count Clockwork and Craig Wilson.

Queer party night flaunting its eclectic wares across a packed programme of music, drag, live art and performance.

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

STUDIO 24, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£5/£4 STUDENT AFTER 11)

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5 (£4)

DIVE QUEER PARTY

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, 21:00–03:00, £TBC

Dundee

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 12)

Midweek celebration of all things dub, jungle, reggae and dancehall.

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of.

Funk, soul, beats and mash-ups from the Mumbo Jumbo regulars, joined by Bubble DJs Brainstorm and Durkit for some added acid and house.

Monthly offering of new wave, disco, post-punk and a bit o’ synthtastic 80s with your hosts Chris and Big Gus.

CHAMPION SOUND

THE CLUB THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

ASYLUM

Saturday best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

Thu 13 Mar ROOMS THURSDAYS

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £TBC

Thursday nighter (as the name would suggest) playing anything and everything ‘good’. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £4

All-new early weekend partystarter, bolstered by a bouncy castle, gambling tables and a wedding chapel.

Fri 14 Mar COOKIN’ SESSIONS

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £TBC

Special sessions night manned by Jono Fyda, Ken Swift and Nick Wilson, with Mikey Robertson and Chris Cook holing up in the bar area. FAT SAM’S FRIDAYS

FAT SAM’S, 23:00–02:30, £4 (£3)

ESA WILLIAMS (KEN SWIFT)

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £5 (£7 AFTER 12)

The Africa-born, Glasgow-residing talent that is Esa Williams plays a set of his trademark Afrobeat, tech-stomping, rhythm-smashing soundwave. FAT SAM’S FRIDAYS

FAT SAM’S, 23:00–02:30, £4 (£3)

Fun Friday nighter soundtracked by big party tunes and punter requests.

Sat 29 Mar BOOK CLUB

READING ROOMS, 22:30–02:30, £TBC

Is Kill and Diabetic spin all genres of electro, disco, techno... and anything else they damn well fancy. 10 JOHNSON STREET

FAT SAM’S, 23:00–03:00, £8 (£5)

All-singing and all-dancing renewal of pop music, moving from the 70s to present day. ASYLUM

KAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Saturday best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

Fun Friday nighter soundtracked by big party tunes and punter requests.

Listings

Theatre Glasgow CCA

CRYPTIC: ORLANDO

27–29 MAR, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £14 (£12)

Cutting-edge music theatre adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s glorious ode to lover Vita Sackville-West, binding in its neon beauty and featuring an original soundtrack by composers Craig Armstrong and AGF.

Citizens Theatre GLASGOW GIRLS

UNTIL 8 MAR, NOT 2 MAR, 3 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £12

Inspiring story of the seven teenage girls who became known collectively as The Glasgow Girls, following their campaign to bring back their friend who’d been forcibly removed from her home in a dawn raid. REFUGEE BOY

12–15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £12.50

A tale of love, loss and hope – as told by poets Benjamin Zephaniah and Lemn Sissay – following a fourteen-year-old refugee after his parents make the heartbreaking decision to leave him in London to avoid the violent civil war in their native Ethiopia. VERDI’S MACBETH

22 MAR, 27 MAR, 29 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £14.50

Scottish Opera present a revival of Dominic Hill’s 2005 production of the atmospheric and unsettling Macbeth, in celebration of the 2014 Year of Homecoming, drawing inspiration from events in the war-torn Balkans

The Arches

CREDIBLE LIKEABLE SUPERSTAR ROLEMODEL

UNTIL 7 MAR, 7:00PM – 8:00PM, £12 (£10)

Award-winning artist Bryony Kimmings and her nine-year-old niece invent, and then attempt to make famous, a dinosaur-loving, tuna pasta-eating mock pop star, just, like, cos. Part of Behaviour Festival. SISTER

6 MAR, 7 MAR, 8:30PM – 10:00PM, £12 (£10)

Sisters Amy and Rosana Cade present a bold and unflinching examination of themselves: their family bonds, shared experiences, and the differing paths they have taken in their adult lives. Part of Behaviour Festival. HATE RADIO

14–16 MAR, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, £14 (£10)

First UK performance of this powerful piece of documentary theatre, recreating an RTLM broadcast, with a Rwandan cast performing from within the glass walls of a reconstructed radio studio. Part of Behaviour Festival. CAIN’S BOOK

26–29 MAR, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Tour-de-force of poetic writing occupying the modes of drug literature confessional, bleak comedy and philosophical tract, depicting our protagonists experiences from a Glasgow childhood through to adult life in 50s NYC. Part of Behaviour Festival.

The King’s Theatre THE KING AND I

UNTIL 8 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, FROM £10

Lavish new production of the beloved musical, with giant gold Buddha’s, shiny costumes and acrobatic dancers, no less.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG 10–15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £10

The hit West End comedy mashing up the theatrical side of Noises Off with the farcical qualities of Fawlty Towers, following a polytechnic drama society as they attempt to put on a 20s murder mystery. HOT FLUSH!

16 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £15

Lesley Joseph stars in this naughty musical comedy following the ups and downs in the life of four ordinary women and one man as they navigate mid life crisis territory. THE PERFECT MURDER

18–22 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £10

The stage adaptation of Peter James’ crime thriller, following a married man as he attempts to craft the perfect murder, and then keen young detective determined to foil his plan. Now with added Les Dennis.

Tramway GLORY

5–10 MAR, NOT 9, TIMES VARY, FROM £8 (£6)

15 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £14 (£10)

Touching piece taking the form of a series of letters from a son to a father, during his last months in the advanced stages of cancer, set to music by The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon. Part of Behaviour Festival. I’D RATHER HUMBLE THAN HERO

28–29 MAR, TIMES VARY, £8 (£6)

Award-winning young performance troupe Junction 25 return with the world premiere of their brand new work.

Tron Theatre

romance and rivalry to the streets of New York.

UNTIL 15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £8

13 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, FROM £10

THIS WIDE NIGHT

Tender study of two women with nothing but each other to hold on to, after having met and formed a firm bond in prison as cell-mates. WENDY HOOSE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 7 MAR AND 15 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

The creative forces of Birds of Paradise and Random Accomplice come together for the first time to bring you a frank and oft-hilarious sex comedy about two twentyyear-olds searching for love in all the wrong places. JEZEBEL

18–22 MAR, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£7.50)

Mark Cantan’s daring production following a go-getting couple keen to spice up their sex life and Jezebel, a singleton looking to get one. THE PITCHFORK DISNEY

25–29 MAR, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£7.50)

Glasgow’s Heroes Theatre present a dazzling production of Philip Ridley’s début play, following twins, Presley and Haley Stray following the mysterious death of their parents and the arrival of a sequinned showman, Cosmo Disney. NEWSBOY

27 MAR, 8:30PM – 10:00PM, £5

The first in a series of performances, with actors presenting a script-in-hand reading of Newsboy, a living newspaper which aims to examine our relationship with media and the world around us.

Edinburgh Edinburgh Playhouse WEST SIDE STORY

UNTIL 29 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £15

The Broadway musical favourite – featuring lyrics by Stephen Sondheim – returns to the stage 50-odd years after Jerome Robbins transposed a timeless tale of

ELLEN KENT’S NABUCCO

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of four acts, featuring the famous Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, presented by Ellen Kent. ELLEN KENT’S AIDA

15 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Verdi’s classic love story of war, jealousy and revenge is brought to the stage by a cast of international soloists under the direction of Ellen Kent. ELLEN KENT’S LA BOHÈME

14 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY

Puccini’s romantic opera is brought to the stage under the direction of Ellen Kent, telling the tale of the doomed Mimi, dying of consumption while falling in love.

Festival Theatre QUARTET

6 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FROM £10

Two up-and-coming Scottish dance artists, Jack Webb and Rosalind Masson, perform their own solo material simultaneously, side-by-side – transforming their physicality and juxtaposing that of the other. IAM

21 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FROM £12

Dancers from Errol White Company take their audience on a journey through a world of fractured timelines, using the vocabulary of the body as an abstract language. SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN

UNTIL 5 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £17.50

The West End production of Singin’ In The Rain arrives, drenching audiences in feel good vibes with their fizzy re-telling of the first Hollywood musical making its way to the silver screen. Matinee performances also available.

DARE TO CARE

WENDY HOOSE

UNION

29 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 20 MAR AND 12 APR, 7:45PM – 10:00PM, FROM £12

King’s Theatre SOME GIRL I USED TO KNOW

10–12 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £16.50

New musical about a seemingly perfect media darling who’s blasted back to the past via a Facebook ‘poke’, starring Denise Van Outen and a whole loada songs from the 80s/90s. Approach with caution. ETERNAL LOVE

18–22 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £14

John Dove’s retelling of the story of Abelard and Heloise, a love story that in its own little ficticious world becomes the scandal of the age. AGATHA CHRISTIE’S BLACK COFFEE

24–29 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £14.50

The Official Agatha Christie Theatre Company present a special staging of the forst ever play written by Agatha Christie.

Royal Lyceum Theatre PRIVATE LIVES

UNTIL 22 MAR, 7:45PM – 10:00PM, FROM £22

All-new reworking of Noël Coward’s 1933 play, in which divorced couple Elyot and Amanda, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Matinee performances also available.

NORTHERN BALLET: CINDERELLA

19–21 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £15.50 (£12.50 STUDENT/£8 UNEMPLOYED)

Timely tale delving into the story of the original Union of Scotland and England in 1707 – with Tim Barrow’s retelling set amidst the Royal Mile, Kensington Palace and the Scottish Parliament, populated with a cast of famous historical figures.

Arriving for a spell behind bars, where there are no secrets or boundaries, a group of women tell their stories. Inspired by writer Christine Lindsay’s time with the Scottish Prison Service.

Summerhall

Humourous and oft-disturbing expose of the world of TV and fame, inspired by legendary Saturday morning shows such as Tiswas and Going Live.

THREE TOP HATS

14–16 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8 (£6)

Masterpiece of Spanish absurd theatre and Miguel Mihura’s most renowned work, taking in love, the price of happiness, unachieved dreams, and more love. cript by Marie Therese Du Camp.

Traverse Theatre GYM PARTY

4 AND 5 MAR, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £15.50 (£12.50 STUDENT/£8 UNEMPLOYED)

Razor sharp, darkly comic exploration of our universal desire to win, in which three intrepid contestants compete in a series of games, from the hilariously stupid to the arbitrary and downright heartbreaking. PRONOUN

13 MAR, 14 MAR, 15 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

New play by Evan Placey, produced as part of The National Theatre Connections programme, telling the tale of Josh and Isabella, childhood sweethearts who run into problems when Isabella becomes a boy. THE CONFESSIONS OF GORDON BROWN

11–15 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £15.50 (£12.50 STUDENT/£8 UNEMPLOYED)

All-new one-man play by Emmynominated writer Kevin Toolis, starring Billy Hartman as Gordon Brown, taking in dark secrets, stab-in-the-back plottings, and lotsa hair gel.

20–22 MAR, TIMES VARY, FROM £12

Northern Ballet perform their majestic take on the classic fairytale, telling the story of Cinders, her ugly step sisters, wicked stepmother and a run in with a dashing prince.

NEVER TRY THIS AT HOME

26–29 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £15.50 (£12.50 STUDENT/£8 UNEMPLOYED)

A RESPECTABLE WIDOW TALES TO VULGARITY/CLEAN

26–29 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £15.50 (£12.50 STUDENT/£8 UNEMPLOYED)

Two of the Trav’s award-winning Breakfast Plays return as an evening double bill, taking in the lyrical dexterity of Glaswegians (A Respectable Widow...) and the razor-sharp edge of international criminal femme fatales (Clean).

Dundee Dundee Rep

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 5 MAR AND 29 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £12

Retelling of one of the master crime writer’s most baffling mysteries, in which ten strangers arrive at a house on a remote island after receiving an invitation from an unknown host.

The Gardyne Theatre EUGENE ONEGIN

30 MAR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £TBC

Opera favourite based on Alexander Pushkin’s famous novel, telling the story of a wealthy young man who lives to regret his nonchalant dismissal of a young woman’s love, backed by a Tchaikovsky score.

THE STAND COMEDY CLUB 5 York Place | Edinburgh | 0131 558 7272 333 Woodlands Road | Glasgow | 0844 335 8879

GREAT NEW

LIVE COMEDY PROGRAMME

FOR 2014

CHECK OUR GLASGOW COMEDY FESTIVAL 2014 LINE-UP

thestand.co.uk 60

Listings

StandEdinburgh

StandGlasgow

@StandComedyClub

THE SKINNY

Comedy Glasgow

Wed 12 Mar

Mon 03 Mar

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £5 (£4 STUDENTS/£2.50 MEMBERS)

FUNNY LITTLE FROG

BLOC+, 20:00–23:00, FREE

The Slow Club lot host their monthly hybrid quiz night with sets by a selection of speciallyinvited stand-up comedians.

Tue 04 Mar RED RAW

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

Wed 05 Mar THE COLOUR HAM

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £5 (£3)

Three-man sketch project built on character comedy, mentalism and magic – we’re talking contacting your dead pets, re-enacting your first kiss, and rewriting Pinocchio through the medium of a military crotch.

Thu 06 Mar

THE THURSDAY SHOW (IAN COPPINGER + GRAEME THOMAS + ANGELA BARNES + MC SCOTT AGNEW) THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£7 STUDENTS/£5 MEMBERS)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase.

Fri 07 Mar

THE FRIDAY SHOW (IAN COPPINGER + GRAEME THOMAS + ANGELA BARNES + KATHERINE TANNEY + MC SCOTT AGNEW) THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £12 (£10 STUDENTS/£6 MEMBERS)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts.

SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY BENEFIT (ALAN BISSETT + ALASDAIR HOUSTON + ANDY REID + MC PATRICK ROLINK) THE GLAD CAFE, 19:45–22:00, £10 (£6)

Author/screenwriter and all round talented bugger Alan Bissett gets his funny on for a special Scottish Green Party fundraiser, performing his observational ‘Stand Up Literature’ show, joined by Alasdair Houston and Andy Reid. JACK WHITEHALL GETS AROUND

THE SSE HYDRO, 20:00–22:00, £28.50

Posh boy Jack Whitehall – recently seen gracing our TV screens as the deplorable public school tosser JP in Fresh Meat – takes his cheeky self out on the road with his latest stand-up show.

Sat 08 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (IAN COPPINGER + GRAEME THOMAS + ANGELA BARNES + KATHERINE TANNEY + MC SCOTT AGNEW) THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend.

Sun 09 Mar

MICHAEL REDMOND’S SUNDAY SERVICE

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5 STUDENTS/£1 MEMBERS)

Chilled Sunday comedy showcase with resident Irish funnyman Michael Redmond and guests.

Mon 10 Mar IMROV WARS

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £4 (£2)

More improvised comedy games and sketches, with an unpredictable anything-goes attitude – as it should be.

Tue 11 Mar RED RAW

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

March 2014

FUN JUNKIES

More diverse offerings from the comedy spectrum, featuring stand-up, variety acts, sketches, musical comedy, magicians... and a partridge in a peartree.

Thu 20 Mar

BILLY KIRKWOOD: AT LEAST I’M HAVING FUN

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £8 (£7)

Ayrshire-born funnyman Billy Kirkwood returns with his brand new stand show all about having fun, causing trouble and other acts of mischief. CHOOSE YOUR OWN SKETCHVENTURE

TRON THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £10

Thu 13 Mar

An audience participation-led sketch show in which the bulk of the drama is decided by the crowd, allowing them to decide what happens to young couple Audrey and Charlie as they plan their wedding.

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £12

Fri 21 Mar

NOW THAT’S WHAT I CARL DONNELLY: VOLUME V

More humourous tales and unbridled silliness as Carl Donnelly returns with his fourth solo offering, musing on the state of the world and his plans on how we should be dealing with it.

Fri 14 Mar

THE GREATER SHAWLANDS REPUBLIC

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £12 (£11)

Regular comedy night, with comics Bruce Morton and Andrew Learmonth joined by a selection of comics and cabaret acts – all playing in aid of a southside free from Glasgow City Council.

Sat 15 Mar ABSOLUTE IMPROV

TRON THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £7 (£5)

Improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway, in which the performers create sketches based on audience suggestions. HARDEEP SINGH KOHLI: HARDEEP IS YOUR LOVE

ORAN MOR, 20:00–22:00, £14

The broadcaster, writer and Celebrity Masterchef finalist takes his new show on the road, with extra points for a puntastic title, obvs. THE EXPLORER’S CLUB (PHIL KAY + ELEANOR MORTON + GARY MCNAIR)

THE FLYING DUCK, 20:30–22:30, £7

Monthly comedy club hosted by Sarah Cassidy and Andrew Learmonth, who bring with ‘em an off-beat selection of stories and jokes with a different theme each edition – with a certain Mr Phil Kay making a guest appearance.

Sun 16 Mar DAVID KAY

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £10 (£9)

The one-man comedy troupe that is David Kay takes to the stage, likely as manic as ever.

TONY LAW: NONESENSE OVERDRIVE

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £10 (£9)

The multi award-winning comic presents his usual hard-to-contain funnyathon, for which he claims to have been travelling back and forth through historical empires, deep space and time zones.

Mon 17 Mar

ST PATRICK’S DAY IRISH COMEDY SPECIAL (NEIL DOUGAN + KEVIN GILDEA + MC MICHAEL REDMOND)

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £12 (£11)

A selection of top comics from the contemporary Irish circuit do their thing, in honour of St Paddy’s Day.

Tue 18 Mar

NICK REVELL: CLOSET OPTIMIST

THE STAND, 19:00–20:30, £10 (£9)

The e’er optimistic comic muses on the absurdity of this brief meaningless interlude between two infinite periods of nothingness we call life. SEAN HUGHES: PENGUINS

ORAN MOR, 20:00–22:00, £14

The Anglo-Irish comic tackles all nature of human foibles, taking in older brothers, The Human League and an Italian hooligan.

Wed 19 Mar

BOOTHBY GRAFFOE: SCRATCH

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £10 (£9)

The Barenaked Ladies musician does his stand-up comedy thing, awash with his usual surreal sense of humour.

PATRICK MONAHAN: CAKE CHARMER

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £10 (£9)

High-energy gags from the Irish/ Iranian/Teeside comic who’s a fan of ‘hugging and eating cake’. Ain’t we all.

DOUG SEGAL: I CAN MAKE YOU A MENTALIST

TRON THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £12 (£10)

Award-winning comic, Doug Segal opens the doors to his Mind Academy, turning the tables on the traditional mind-fuckery show and making you, the audience, the mind readers. PAUL SINHA IS A STAND-UP COMEDIAN

THE STAND, 19:45–21:15, £12 (£11)

London-based GP turned comic, known for his high pun concentration, which is always A-OK with us.

Sat 22 Mar MARK NELSON

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £10

More uncompromising comedy from the rising Scottish star known for his dark sense of humour. PHIL DIFFER: MY COSMETIC SURGERY HELL

ORAN MOR, 20:00–22:00, £10

The man behind Watson’s Wind-Up and Only An Excuse doing his own stand up.

Sun 23 Mar MARK NELSON

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £10

More uncompromising comedy from the rising Scottish star known for his dark sense of humour. MARTIN MOR: HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR BLUE-EYED BOY MISTER DEATH?

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £10 (£9)

The bearded comic uses his neardeath car crash experience as the basis for his latest comedy outing, as you do.

Mon 24 Mar SIMON MUNNERY: FYLM

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £10 (£9)

Mr Munnery stabs at the void between dead film and live theatre in his latest fylmtastic fylm. BRIDGET CHRISTIE: A BIC FOR HER

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £12 (£11)

The self-aware British comic riffs on why Bic think women need special biros to write with, amongst other things.

Tue 25 Mar

MIKE WOZNIAK: TAKE THE HIT

THE STAND, 19:00–20:30, £10 (£9)

After his wife’s parents moved in permanently, Mike felt that it was time to get out of the house more, so here he is making funnies with his latest stand-up show.

Wed 26 Mar

ZOE LYONS: MUSTARD CUTTER

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £10 (£9)

More acerbic comedy rants from the award-winning Zoe Lyons, awash with silliness, satire and caustic one-liners

Thu 27 Mar ROB BECKETT

ORAN MOR, 20:00–22:00, £12

The multi-award-winning comedian tours his debut show. PHIL NICHOL: JUST STAND

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £10 (£9)

Cumbernauld born Canadian Phil Nichol performs two sets of high octane stand-up, some new and some old.

Fri 28 Mar

JANEY GODLEY: OH MY GODLEY

ORAN MOR, 20:00–22:00, £13

The outspoken Weegie comic plays a hometown show, most likely saying all the bad things you’d usually only think (i.e. and wouldn’t say aloud).

Sat 29 Mar

MIBBES AYE, MIBBES NAW

THE STAND, 15:30–17:00, £5

TITANIC 2: PIG IN THE CITY BEDLAM THEATRE, 19:00–22:30, £5 (£4.50 STUDENT/£4 MEMBERS)

Yes and No campaigns argue their case with humour, under the watchful eye of host Iain MacWhirter.

Brand new narrative sketch show set on the high seas, inspired by recently announced plans to build a replica of the infamous Titanic ship.

ORAN MOR, 20:00–22:00, £13

Fri 07 Mar

JANEY GODLEY: OH MY GODLEY

The outspoken Weegie comic plays a hometown show, most likely saying all the bad things you’d usually only think (i.e. and wouldn’t say aloud). JERRY SADOWITZ: COMEDIAN, MAGICIAN, PSYCHOPATH!

THE KING’S THEATRE, 21:30–23:00, FROM £20.50

The defiantly un-PC comic – known for hating, well, pretty much everything – does his reliably offensive thing, most likely hating on gays and foreigners... Some more.

Sun 30 Mar

TOM WRIGGLESWORTH: UTTERLY AT ODDS WITH THE UNIVERSE

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £12 (£11)

The tand up comic presents his latest show, exploring this profound relationship with his grandfather through storytelling and anecdotes. JONNY AND THE BAPTISTS: THE STOP UKIP TOUR

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £10 (£9)

The musical comedians return with a brand new show, taking on Nigel Farage’s bunch of loonies ahead of the European Elections. RICHARD HERRING: WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE

ORAN MOR, 20:00–22:00, £15

Stand-up tour based on the inevitability of death, in which Mr Herring invites y’all to laugh in the face of it.

Mon 31 Mar

MITCH BENN IS THE 37TH BEATLE

THE STAND, 19:30–21:00, £12 (£11)

Comedic jaunt through his Mitch Benn’s Scouse upbrining and obsession with Liverpool’s most famous band – and, yes, claims he’s the fifth Beatle. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNEXPECTED

THE STAND, 21:30–23:00, £7 (£6)

GILDED COMEDY GALA (PHIL JUPITUS + DOON MACKICHAN + GREG MCHUGH + BARRY CRYER + RONNIE GOLDEN) USHER HALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £22

Comedy gala in honour of the Usher Hall’s 100th birthday, with Phill Jupitus, Doon MacKichan, Barry Cryer and longtime collaborator Ronnie Golden, and Greg McHugh as Gary Tank Commander, bolstered by music from the burgh’s own Withered Hand. THE FRIDAY SHOW (ANDREW O’NEILL + MIKEY ADAMS + ASHLEY STORRIE + MC BRUCE DEVLIN)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £12 (£10 STUDENT/£6 MEMBERS)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts. IMPROVERTS

BEDLAM THEATRE, 22:30–23:30, £5.50 (£5 MEMBERS)

THE BROKEN WINDOWS POLICY

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £5 (£3)

More fast-paced and anarchic skits and character comedy from The Stand’s resident sketch comedy troupe.

Sat 08 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (ANDREW O’NEILL + MIKEY ADAMS + ASHLEY STORRIE + MC BRUCE DEVLIN)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend. THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

THE SUNDAY NIGHT LAUGH-IN

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5 STUDENTS/£1 MEMBERS)

Chilled comedy showcase to cure your Sunday evening back-towork blues.

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND, 13:30–15:30, FREE

Long-running improvised comedy show with resident duo Stu & Garry weaving comedy magic from offthe-cuff audience suggestions.

Mon 10 Mar RED RAW

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £2

Wed 05 Mar

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£8)

Tue 11 Mar

ANDREW O’NEILL: HEAVY METAL – A HISTORY

The long-haired vegan transvestite funnyman presents his off-beat brand of stand-up, taking punters on a loose history tour of all things heavy metal.

Thu 06 Mar

THE THURSDAY SHOW (ANDREW O’NEILL + MIKEY ADAMS + ASHLEY STORRIE + MC BRUCE DEVLIN)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£7 STUDENTS/£5 MEMBERS)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase. ABSOLUTE IMPROV

THE TRON, 19:00–20:00, £5 (£3)

Improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway, in which the performers create sketches based on audience suggestions. MEN WITH COCONUTS

CANON’S GAIT, 20:30–22:00, £5 (£4)

Fringe favourties Improv FX – made up of West End actors, physical comedians and musicians – stage their fast-paced sketch show.

Thu 13 Mar

THE THURSDAY SHOW (NEIL DOUGAN + CHRIS FORBES + SCOTT GIBSON + MC STU MURPHY) THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£7 STUDENTS/£5 MEMBERS)

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNEXPECTED

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £5

A bright collective of comedians experiment with the medium of stand-up, under the ever-watchful eye of regular host Jo Caulfield.

THE THURSDAY SHOW (BOOTHBY GRAFFOE + JANEY GODLEY + RAY BRADSHAW + GARETH MUTCH + MC BRUCE DEVLIN)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£7 STUDENTS/£5 MEMBERS)

ABSOLUTE IMPROV

Improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway, in which the performers create sketches based on audience suggestions.

Fri 14 Mar

CANON’S GAIT, 20:30–22:00, £5 (£4)

THE FRIDAY SHOW (NEIL DOUGAN + CHRIS FORBES + SCOTT GIBSON + MC STU MURPHY)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £12 (£10 STUDENT/£6 MEMBERS)

IMPROVERTS

Long-standing improv comedy troupe made up of an everchanging line-up of local students, whose rather fine show is built entirely on (oft daft) audience suggestions. THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups. A TO Z IMPROV

KILDERKIN, 20:30–22:00, FREE

The A to Z players host their regular free-entry improv comedy night, making merry under all manner of themes from wizards to the Everly Brothers.

Sat 15 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (NEIL DOUGAN + CHRIS FORBES + SCOTT GIBSON + MC STU MURPHY) THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £15

MEN WITH COCONUTS

Fringe favourties Improv FX – made up of West End actors, physical comedians and musicians – stage their fast-paced sketch show at home in the ‘burgh, inspired wholly by audience suggestions.

Fri 21 Mar

THE FRIDAY SHOW (BOOTHBY GRAFFOE + JANEY GODLEY + RAY BRADSHAW + GARETH MUTCH + MC SCOTT AGNEW)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £12 (£10 STUDENT/£6 MEMBERS)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts. IMPROVERTS

BEDLAM THEATRE, 22:30–23:30, £5.50 (£5 MEMBERS)

Long-standing improv comedy troupe made up of an everchanging line-up of local students, whose rather fine show is built entirely on (oft daft) audience suggestions. THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups. HARDEEP SINGH KOHLI: HARDEEP IS YOUR LOVE

FESTIVAL THEATRE, 19:30–21:30, FROM £12

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend.

The broadcaster, writer and Celebrity Masterchef finalist takes his new show on the road, with extra points for a puntastic title, obvs.

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

Sat 22 Mar

THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

THE SATURDAY SHOW (BOOTHBY GRAFFOE + JANEY GODLEY + RAY BRADSHAW + GARETH MUTCH + MC SCOTT AGNEW)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £15

THE SUNDAY NIGHT LAUGH-IN

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend.

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5 STUDENTS/£1 MEMBERS)

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

Sun 16 Mar

Chilled comedy showcase to cure your Sunday evening back-towork blues.

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND, 13:30–15:30, FREE

Long-running improvised comedy show with resident duo Stu & Garry weaving comedy magic from offthe-cuff audience suggestions.

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

THE PLEASANCE, 20:00–22:30, £1

Thu 20 Mar

THE TRON, 19:00–20:00, £5 (£3)

SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE, 20:00–22:00, £6

Showcase night featuring the best in fresh, local talent – bringing together first-time and upand-coming comics in a series of quickfire 10-minute slots.

THE STAND, 19:00 & 21:00, £16.50

After being booted off the Soccer AM sofa, Chris Ramsay takes his musings on saying the wrong thing at the wrong time on the road.

THE TRON, 19:00–20:00, £5 (£3)

ABSOLUTE IMPROV

Mon 17 Mar

GRASSROOTS COMEDY

CHRIS RAMSEY: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN ON SATURDAY MORNING TELEVISION

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase.

THE SPEAKEASY (JULIE MCDOWALL + RACHEL MCCRUM + DOUG JOHNSTONE + JOJO SUTHERLAND)

Monthly spoken-word show of the rather ace variety, featuring a feastful of writers, comedians and musicians telling (mostly) true stories.

Wed 19 Mar

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase.

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Edinburgh THE PLEASANCE, 20:00–22:30, £1

More humourous tales and unbridled silliness as Carl Donnelly returns with his fourth solo offering, musing on the state of the world and his plans on how we should be dealing with it.

BEDLAM THEATRE, 22:30–23:30, £5.50 (£5 MEMBERS)

THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

Sun 09 Mar

Showcase night featuring the best in fresh, local talent – bringing together first-time and upand-coming comics in a series of quickfire 10-minute slots.

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £12

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts.

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

GRASSROOTS COMEDY

NOW THAT’S WHAT I CARL DONNELLY: VOLUME V

Long-standing improv comedy troupe made up of an everchanging line-up of local students, whose rather fine show is built entirely on (oft daft) audience suggestions.

A bright collective of comedians experiment with the medium of stand-up, under the ever-watchful eye of regular host Jo Caulfield.

Tue 04 Mar

Wed 12 Mar

RED RAW

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £2

Tue 18 Mar GRASSROOTS COMEDY

THE PLEASANCE, 20:00–22:30, £1

Showcase night featuring the best in fresh, local talent – bringing together first-time and upand-coming comics in a series of quickfire 10-minute slots. WITTANK: THE SCHOOL

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £12

Silly sketch outfit WitTank head back to boarding school with their array of eccentric characters in the archaic institution.

THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sun 23 Mar SIMON MUNNERY: FYLM

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £12

Mr Munnery stabs at the void between dead film and live theatre in his latest fylmtastic fylm.

Tue 25 Mar GRASSROOTS COMEDY

THE PLEASANCE, 20:00–22:30, £1

Showcase night featuring the best in fresh, local talent – bringing together first-time and upand-coming comics in a series of quickfire 10-minute slots.

Wed 26 Mar

AYE RIGHT? HOW NO’? THE COMEDY COUNTDOWN TO THE REFERENDUM

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £7 (£5)

A sideways, satirical look at the big choice facing Scotland in 2014 – with Vladimir McTavish and Keir McAllister looking at some of the bigger issues, as well as many of the smaller ones.

Thu 27 Mar

THE THURSDAY SHOW (BEN NORRIS + HAILEY BOYLE + GUS LYMBURN + MC RAYMOND MEARNS) THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£7 STUDENTS/£5 MEMBERS)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase. ABSOLUTE IMPROV

THE TRON, 19:00–20:00, £5 (£3)

Improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway, in which the performers create sketches based on audience suggestions.

Fri 28 Mar

THE FRIDAY SHOW (BEN NORRIS + HAILEY BOYLE + GUS LYMBURN + MC RAYMOND MEARNS)

THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £12 (£10 STUDENT/£6 MEMBERS)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts. IMPROVERTS

BEDLAM THEATRE, 22:30–23:30, £5.50 (£5 MEMBERS)

Long-standing improv comedy troupe made up of an everchanging line-up of local students, whose rather fine show is built entirely on (oft daft) audience suggestions. THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sat 29 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (BEN NORRIS + HAILEY BOYLE + GUS LYMBURN + MC RAYMOND MEARNS) THE STAND, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend. THE BEEHIVE COMEDY CLUB

BEEHIVE INN, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sun 30 Mar

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND, 13:30–15:30, FREE

Long-running improvised comedy show with resident duo Stu & Garry weaving comedy magic from offthe-cuff audience suggestions.

Mon 31 Mar RED RAW

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND, 13:30–15:30, FREE

Long-running improvised comedy show with resident duo Stu & Garry weaving comedy magic from offthe-cuff audience suggestions.

Mon 24 Mar RED RAW

THE STAND, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material. PANDAMONIUM

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:30–23:30, £3

The Pandamonium Comedy crew return to Cab Vol with a line-up of the best in new, fresh stand-up comedy. Hosted by Rory McAlpine.

Listings

Art

Glasgow CCA

SPEAKING IN TONGUES: SONIA BOYCE + PAVEL BÜCHLER + SUSAN HILLER

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 8 FEB AND 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Unique exhibition grown out of archival research on the Third Eye Centre and CCA – focusing on the 90s, and inviting three artists who’d shown at different times in that period to return and take over the space with a selection of old and recent works. CRYPTIC NIGHTS: MIRROR LANDS

7–9 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

First Cryptic Nights outing of 2014, Mirror Lands, a film and sound installation exploring diverse relationships to ‘place’ on the Black Isle in the Highlands of Scotland, presented in a gallery setting.

Gallery of Modern Art LIVING WITH THE WAR

7 OCT – 9 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Work from Glasgow Museums’ art collections, illustrating how artists from places as far ranging as Berlin, Brazil, Glasgow, London, Los Angeles, the Middle East and South Korea respond to the effects and prevalence of war and conflict around the world.

Glasgow Green JANNICA HONEY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 1 MAR AND 13 APR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Photographer Jannica Honey showcases a selection of photos shot in Kahnawake, a Mohawk reservation outside Montreal, capturing the diverse range of residents she spent two days with whilst walking around the 9000-strong community.

Glasgow Print Studio

IN ABSTRACTION: HETTY HAXWORTH, AIMÉE HENDERSON + ROSALIND LAWLESS

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 6 FEB AND 23 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Triple-header exhibition taking in screenprints and landscapes by Hetty Haxworth, abstract oil on paper works by Aimée Henderson and prints exploring architecture and space by Rosalind Lawless. BRYAN EVANS

6–30 MAR, NOT 10, 17, 24, TIMES VARY, FREE

The Welsh-born, Glasgow-living artist displays his latest prints using the intaglio processes of etching, aquatint and mezzotint – offering a personal portrayal of Glasgow, depicted via some of its more peripheral places and people.

Glasgow School of Art DRAWING ON HOLL

14 FEB – 23 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Informative exhibition illuminating the design process through which the Reid Building, a striking addition to Glasgow’s cityscape, came into being. In the Mackintosh Museum.

Hunterian Art Gallery SCOTTISH GOLD

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 14 MAR AND 15 JUN, TIMES VARY, £5 (£3)

Major new exhibition featuring an array of Scottish gold items from the Bronze Age to the present, focusing on the occurrence of gold in Scotland and Scottish gold mining.

Mary Mary

ALAN REID: AN ABSENT MONUMENT

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 25 JAN AND 15 MAR, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

The contemporary New Yorkbased artist – best known for his delicately-colored pencil images of heiresses, bored fashionistas and aquiline beauties – displays an allnew batch of paintings alongside a 20-metre bas-relief mural.

Listings

Project Room LAUREN HALL

4–8 MAR, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Harnessing the methodology of the tourist and wellness industries in her sculptures and installations, Lauren hall unveils a new body of work referring to the rituals of domestic and social life through consumer goods, scent and heat.

The Modern Institute SPENCER SWEENEY

1–26 MAR, NOT 2, 9, 16, 23, TIMES VARY, FREE

New body of work by the New York-based artist, incorporating a mix of painting and performance.

RGI Kelly Gallery

The Modern Institute @ Airds Lane

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 11 FEB AND 29 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 8 FEB AND 22 MAR, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

RGI GROUP EXHIBITION

For the first time in its 152-year history, the Royal Glasgow Institute mount a collective exhibition of artworks by current RGI artists – featuring a selection of small works by today’s RGIs.

Street Level Photoworks

HELGA PARIS: FOTOGRAFIE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 8 FEB AND 30 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Showcase of work from the renowned German photographer known for her uniquely compassionate approach to her subjects, with this set telling the melancholic vitality of East Berlin corner bars and the poetic dilapidation of old Berlin streets in the 70s.

The Art School Union GSA CHARITY AUCTION

8 MAR, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £5

MFA students’ charity auction – taking in both a silent and live auction – with donators including David Shrigley, Martin Boyce, Toby Patterson, Luke Fowler and Jeremy Deller. THE GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART FASHION SHOW 2014

4–5 MAR, TIMES VARY, £10 (£7)

Annual show at which the third year GSA Textile Design and Fashion Design students will showcase a selection of costumes for the stage, this year featuring mini collections exploring the qualities and characteristics of lace.

The Glad Cafe

KIM FISHER: DIRTY KITCHEN

Solo showcase of new paintings from the contemporary Los Angeles-based visual artist.

The Virginia Gallery

HAZEL GORE + CATRIONA RUTH PATERSON

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 8 MAR AND 28 MAR, 11:00AM – 5:30PM, FREE

Special double-header exhibition taking in the dream-like paintings and drawings of Hazel Gore and the drawing-as-storytelling work of Catriona Ruth Paterson, opening on International Women’s Day.

Tramway SARAH LUCAS

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 31 JAN AND 16 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

First substantial Scottish exhibition of British sculptor Sarah Lucas’ work – known for her provocative pieces which challenge and subvert attitudes towards the body, gender and sexuality – taking in key pieces from over twenty years of work. TOM VARLEY

8–23 MAR, NOT 10, 17, TIMES VARY, FREE

Cross-genre Glasgow artist working across a range of media – including film, writing, painting and collage – displaying all-new work for Tramway, drawing on research into the human voice, synchronicity, rap music, colour theory and perceptual phenomena.

Edinburgh

7 MINUTES: THE ART OF YES 25 MAR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £3

Seven artists present seven images over seven minutes, documenting their journey to ‘Yes’ ahead of the Scottish Referendum. Followed by an artist Q&A.

The Lighthouse SCOTTISH SCENIC ROUTES

14 FEB – 13 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Showcase of the winning and shortlisted entries to the Scottish Scenic Routes competition, involving young architects in the development of a series of interventions along Scotland’s most scenic roads. DERELICT GLASGOW

24 JAN – 4 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Intriguing exhibition exploring the forgotten spaces and buildings in and around Glasgow, as documented by derelictglasgow.co.uk – a photographic record site of the derelict architecture of Glasgow.

IT’S NOT VERY NICE THAT: POLITICS IN CONTEMPORARY GRAPHIC DESIGN

21 FEB – 27 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A look at graphic and communication design’s active engagement in an evolving political landscape, examining the resurgence of political practice among designers since the mid-00s.

BRITAIN FROM ABOVE: SCOTLAND’S INDUSTRIAL MIGHT

14 FEB – 27 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Exhibition tracing the histories of factories, shipyards, mills, ironworks and their surrounding communities over three decades, from 1919 to 1953, drawing on many rare and previously unseen aerial images.

FRIENDS OF WILSON: ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTIC PANELS

28 FEB – 6 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Major installation of the new modular wall panel system, Tessellate, alongside video and audio that highlights the important benefits that good acoustic design can bring to the spaces we live, work and socialise in.

Collective Gallery DAVID OSBALDESTON

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 15 MAR AND 27 APR, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The UK-based artist displays a new installation created especially for Collective’s City Dome space, with his work known for taking a sideways glance into established forms of communication where the ‘familiar’ is often re-imagined and constructed. CATRIN JEANS: RECREATIONALLY SURVIVING – THE GREAT OUTDSIDE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 8 FEB AND 16 MAR, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Catrin Jeans presents a new playful installation of a staged wilderness, encouraging visitors to take part in survival activities and pose for tourist snaps amidst props including hilltop heather, snowshoes and a campfire. KATHRYN ELKIN: MUTATIS MUTANDIS

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 28 MAR AND 11 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

Glasgow-based artist Kathryn Elkin presents a new video and installation exploring the potentials for abstraction and misdirection in the combination of language, object, body and memory.

Dovecot

BROAD HORIZONS: DOVECOT POLYMATHS

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 24 JAN AND 22 MAR, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, FREE

Exhibition of works – both past and present – from a selection of some of the most influential and multi-talented artists to have worked with Dovecot Studios in recent years.

Edinburgh Printmakers

Scottish National Gallery

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 JAN AND 15 MAR, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

22 MAR – 14 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

MARY MODEEN: THE ABSOLUTELY OTHER

Installation of prints examining representations of metaphysical states of cognitive awareness, including overlays of visual memory, including new work commissioned and published especially by Edinburgh Printmakers. REBECCA GOULDSON: THE INDUSTRIAL SHIFT

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 29 MAR AND 24 MAY, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

The Liverpool-based metal work artist displays a series of etched metal artworks influenced by the sites and relics of historic industry, including shipbuilding and printmaking, featuring new work commissioned specially by Edinburgh Printmakers.

Ingleby Gallery JONATHAN OWEN

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 1 MAR AND 19 APR, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Solo exhibition presenting a selection of major drawings and sculptural works made since 2012, representing Owen’s unique brand of elegant vandalism – reducing his subjects in order to delicately examine the essential qualities of an object or image.

Inverleith House ALEX DORDOY: PERSISTENCEBEATSRESISTANCE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 JAN AND 30 MAR, 10:00AM – 5:30PM, FREE

First UK public exhibition by Glasgow School of Art graduate, featuring new work made for Inverleith House – including two large paintings and decorative plinths which visually overpower the objects they are designed to support.

National Museum of Scotland

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 1 AUG AND 1 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

49th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year award exhibition, brought together by judges from across the globe, featuring 100 images taking in everything from fascinating animal behaviour to breathtaking wild landscapes.

Open Eye Gallery

GLEN SCOULLER: CONTRASTS – COLONSAY TO CHAMARET

24 FEB – 12 MAR, NOT 2 MAR, 9 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Dividing his time between Scotland and France, Glen Scouller exhibits a new set of landscapes exploring the contrasts between the Western Isle of Colonsay and the region of Chamaret in south-eastern France. WILLIE RODGER: STUDIO SELECTION

24 FEB – 12 MAR, NOT 2 MAR, 9 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

On the 50th anniversary year of his first solo show (at Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre), Willie Rodger displays a selection paintings, drawings and prints spanning five decades, a number of which are previously unseen.

Out of the Blue Drill Hall ART ‘WORKS’

17–21 MAR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Special display showing the use of art as an activity in healthcare settings, featuring a selection of artworks from the Outreach Programme.

Royal Scottish Academy (RSA)

RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES 2014

15 FEB – 12 MAR, TIMES VARY, £4 (£2)

Now in its sixth year, New Contemporaries offers up the pick of last year’s degree shows, with works from graduates in Fine Art and Architecture jostling for attention in the grand neoclassical gallery. And we’ll again pick our very own Skinny winner.

TITIAN AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF VENETIAN PAINTING

Special exhibition celebrating the recent acquisition – jointly with the National Gallery in London – of two mythological paintings by Titian, shown alongside work from almost all of the major names in Venetian art of the period.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art LOUISE BOURGEOIS: A WOMAN WITHOUT SECRETS

28 OCT – 18 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Major presentation of works by the late French-American artist, highlighting a selection of her late work – revealing how Bourgeois, working in a variety of materials and scales, deftly explores the mystery and beauty of human emotions.

THE SCOTTISH COLOURISTS SERIES: JD FERGUSSON

Sofi’s Bar

ERIN MCGRATH: FAMILY

14 MAR – 13 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Month-long exhibition from Glaswegian Erin McGrath – who has previously done work for PAWS, Take a Worm.., Holy Mountain and Withered Hand – displaying a selection of exclusive pieces under the theme ‘family’.

St Andrew’s Square FIELD OF LIGHT

3 FEB – 27 APR, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Magical outdoor art installation for which the work of internationally acclaimed artist and light art practitioner, Bruce Munro, will illuminate Edinburgh’s St Andrew’s Square using thousands of acrylic stems gradually lighting up as darkness falls.

Stills

CONSTRUCTIONS OF LANDSCAPE: WORK IN PROGRESS 3

1 FEB – 6 APR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

The National Galleries of Scotland draw to a close their Scottish Colourist Series, culminating with a retrospective of the work of Edinburgh-born JD Fergusson – taking in more than 100 paintings, sculptures, works on paper and items of archival material.

Work in Progress series presenting the photography of artists working with Stills’ production facilities and residency programmes, with this exhibition employing techniques of refraction, juxtaposition, montage and alternative photographic processes.

27 JAN – 4 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Summerhall

7 DEC – 15 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £7 (£5)

NEW ACQUISITIONS

All-new display occupying the whole top floor of the Modern One, highlighting some of the most recent additions to the gallery – including a major bequest from the collection of the late Henry and Sula Walton of prints by Picasso, Cézanne, and Hockney.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery WORK, UNION, CIVIL WAR, FAITH, ROOTS

5 OCT – 6 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

Group exhibition created during five community outreach projects investigating the contemporary relevance of major transformations in Scottish history – inspired by portraits and personalities from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery collection. MAKING HISTORY

12 OCT – 28 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Solo exhibition of recent work by Sandy Stoddart (Sculptor In Ordinary to The Queen of Scotland), of which the main focus will be the creation of a new figurative statue of William Birnie Rhind commissioned by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. MODERN PORTRAITS

16 NOV – 11 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

Collective exhibition bringing together a varied series of 20th and 21st century works of portraiture, including Stanley Curister, Robert Heriot Westwater, Victoria Crowe, Maggi Hambling and William McCance.

THE TAYLOR WESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT PRIZE

1 MAR – 26 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

Selection of sixty portraits anonymously selected for inclusion from over five thousand, featuring a batch of emerging young photographers, alongside that of established professionals, photography students and gifted amateurs. PIONEERS OF SCIENCE

27 JAN – 11 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

Revealing exhibition looking at the innovative figures who have helped shape the modern world, moving from portraits of John Logie Baird and Alexander Fleming, to Dolly the sheep’s death mask. THE MODERN SCOT

27 JAN – 11 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

Exhibition revealing how Scottish artists and writers expressed a uniquely modern sensibility in the first decades of the twentieth century, looking at the creative men and women who championed a progressive national culture post-WW1.

STEFAN ROLLOFF: NSA

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Berlin-based artist Stefan Roloff takes to a gallery setting to combine installation with video to create environments that reinforce the message of his politically-committed films. KARIN GUNNARSSON APPARITIONS

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Known for her work examining the otherworldly-ness and absence associated with ghosts, Karen Gunnarsson displays a new site-specific installation, informed by Summerhall’s former life as a veterinary college and hospital. IAN HUGHES: UNEARTHED TONGUES SET FREE

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Deliberately using shocking techniques as a metaphor for the true horror of the Holocaust, Edinburgh-based Ian Hughes displays a series photographs, paintings and sculptures inspired by his visit to Poland and Russia. STEPHANIE MANN: INHERIT THIS MANGO

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Stephanie Mann gives a contemporary twist to the still life tradition by using video and photography alongside large wall installations to expand the framing of her works beyond simply the canvas. THOMAS ANDERSON: REST ASSURED

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Thomas Anderson creates adaptations from memorable works of fiction, rooting them in reality with moving image and stills visually representing the punctuation of life. COLIN JARVIE: IN PRAISE OF SHADOWS

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Special exhibition exploring two of late photographer Colin Jarvie’s contrasting ‘realities’ from the series My World, My Wife, My Camera and Juan y... and (The Bus Drivers of Acapulco). KEVIN WILLIAMSON: LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Showcase of eight short films inspired by the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, by author, poet and visual artist Kevin Williamson – founder of Rebel Inc. and co-founder Neu! Reekie!.

ALAN SMITHEE: THE GRUDGE SHED

DIETER ROTH: ROT ROT(H) ROTH 8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Small exhibition of the bookworks, printed editions and ephemera of the master printmaker, obsessive cataloguer and lover of all decay, Dieter Roth. HARRY PAPADOPOULOS: THE EDIT

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Exhibition of legendary Scottish music photographer Harry Papadopoulos, taking in acts the photographer captured of the post-punk waterfront - including Edwyn Collins and Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, Josef K and Edinburgh luminaries Davy Henderson.

Talbot Rice Gallery

ALASDAIR HOPWOOD: FALSE MEMORY ARCHIVE

15 MAR – 19 APR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Based on scientific research that demonstrates how susceptible we are to false memories, Alasdair Hopwood’s new exhibition features contemporary artworks and a unique collection of vivid personal accounts of things that never really happened.

The Fruitmarket Gallery TANIA KOVATS: OCEANS

15 MAR – 25 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

British artist concerned with our experience and understanding of landscape, with her latest commission including her All The Seas installation – displaying water from all the world’s seas, amassed via a global social media open call to arms.

Generator Projects

FOUR DAYS X FOUR YEARS

1–4 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Four-day exhibition by seven DJCAD students in their fourth and final year, showing a range of multimedia installation work – expanding the boundaries of material usage, form and visual making in a fresh and interactive show. TRANSLATIONS

8–15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Group exhibition showcasing work of final year students at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, taking in works in sound, sculpture, film and photography.

The McManus A SILVERED LIGHT

6 DEC – 30 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

Exhibition of Scottish art photography selected from Dundee City’s permanent collection, showcasing images from over 50 photographers collected in the 28 years following the purchase of two important early photographs by Thomas Joshua Cooper in 1985.

University of Dundee

SAUL ROBERTSON: FROM HERE TO HERE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 JAN AND 8 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Showcase of work from the 2000 DJCAD graduate, presenting an opportunity to see some of his earliest work alongside other significant works from throughout his career so far. In the Lamb Gallery.

The Sutton Gallery JOHN SLAVIN

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 21 FEB AND 12 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

The Edinburgh artist displays an all-new body of oils and ink drawings inspired by the wilderness landscapes of the Pyrenees, where he spent time extensively trekking.

The Vaults

HIDDEN DOOR FESTIVAL

28 MAR – 5 APR, 6:00PM – 11:00PM, VARIOUS PRICES

Temporarily transforming the 25 disused vaults of Market Street over nine curated evenings, Hidden Door Festival (28 March-5 April) takes in some 70 artists and 40 bands, alongside theatre, cinema and spoken word. Full programme on hiddendoorblog.org.

Dundee Cooper Gallery KATHRIN SONNTAG: I SEE YOU SEEING ME SEE YOU

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 28 FEB AND 4 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Newly-commissioned series of photographs by Berlin-based artist Kathrin Sonntag, marking her first solo exhibition in the UK.

DCA

THOMSON & CRAIGHEAD: MAPS DNA AND SPAM

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 JAN AND 16 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Largest solo show in Scotland to date of the work of Thomson & Craighead, commemorating 20 years working together as collaborative artists – featuring new work and a selection of the duo’s best-regarded installations. NAVID NUUR: RENDERENDER

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 29 MAR AND 15 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Largest UK exhibition to date by Dutch-Iranian artist Navid Nuur – known for his magical mixed media installation, he plans develop an ambitious new installation for DCA, presented alongside a developed configuration of existing work.

8 FEB – 22 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Scottish artist Alan Smithee invites one and all to admit their sins, and even relish them – setting up a ‘Grudge Shed’ in Summerhall’s courtyard, where visitors can leave small sacrifices and tributes to the gods of grievance.

THE SKINNY

Ask Fred: Independence Our resident empathetic heavyweight helps shed some light on some tricky political quandaries

ndependence: it’s not just something aliens explode and Nicholas Cage steals. It’s an ideal that people strive for; a social revolution, without all the skirts and flamboyant makeup. This year, Scotland gets to vote on it. It’s confusing, and throws up many questions. I aim to answer them. Well, two of them. Dear Fred, ’m really worried about this Scottish Independence thing. I cannot bear to see the country torn apart. As a man with Scottish ancestry, the referendum is personal to me. I’m very much against it, but everyone close to me is urging me not to get involved. Also, the SNP leader called me a “big feartie” for not agreeing to a debate with him. This vote matters to all our futures; everyone in the UK can have a voice in this debate. Frankly, I care far too much to stay out of it. This is personal. My surname goes back to the West Highlands and I am as proud of my Scottish heritage as I am of my English. The name Cameron might mean ‘crooked nose’ but the clan motto is ‘Let Us Unite,’ and that is exactly what we in these islands have done. I really want to have my voice heard in Scotland, but I’m awful scared. Please help. DC

t’s okay to be scared. Fear is just human nature. It’s a survival instinct, serving us since the dawn of time. Without fear, Shaggy and the Mystery Gang would be explaining why the corpse of their great dane smells of glow-in-the-dark pirate penis. It keeps kids out of haunted dracula castles and curious villagers away from Katie Hopkins’ eggs. It’s an unpleasant, but essential emotion. Perhaps you need to explore the reasons behind your fear? It can’t be because you think Scotland is scary – you visited a refugee camp in Syria last year, and that’s a million times scarier than Scotland. Seriously, ‘trying not to explode’ is the

March 2014

Words: Fred Fletch Illustration: Zhang Liang

number one pastime next to a charming game of ‘guess that smell’ (SPOILER: it’s always sarin). If you can confidently visit a place that may one day be cartographically identified by a smouldering crater and a spooky skeleton face, you can totally handle Scotland. Scotland’s a lovely place, filled with friendly, relaxed, liberal people who just happen to share both a dream and a burning hatred of your everythings. Maybe you’re scared that everyone in Scotland hates you so much, your very presence will push the yes/no vote into a third category: FUCKING VERY? The crippling possibility that people suspect you’re a total shitlord, is a bitter, deadly-bee-filled pill to swallow. But swallow it you must.

“The vote is for the direction we take and we couldn’t give a fuck if it’s Dracula or Wolfman selling us the map” When you put yourself out there, someone will tell you where to go fuck yourself, and exactly how hard (extremely). Being in the public eye, it’s an occupational hazard. Every day, my inbox fills with polite murder threats and blurry genital pictures – and I only write clever vagina jokes for an arts and culture magazine. You’re the Prime Minister of Britain; people fling so much bile at you, your Twitter account must be a long, wordless scream. Point is, you’re used to being hated. The only difference is the people here who identify you as a cunt eat shortbread.

If it helps, we all hate Alex Salmond too, but this vote was never about personalities. It’s bigger than you both. It’s about hope, opportunity and a historic possibility of change. The vote is for the direction we take and we couldn’t give a fuck if it’s Dracula or Wolfman selling us the map. At the end of the day, we’ll pick the map that sounds the safest, kick you both in the balls and vote ‘Sexy Frankenstein.’ Maybe it’s actually Salmond who’s got you shitting your pants? Jesus – you’re being served by a man reduced to screaming quotes from The Broons. If you sit back and take it, you’ll be considered such a pussy, airlines will charge you for two seats: one for you, and one for your enormous clitoris. Good work, Cameron. I might not be a politician, but I’ve never lost an almostcontest to someone who looks like a scribble of a ‘Disappointing Merman’ in Pictionary. If you really care about Scotland staying in the union, you can’t cower on the sidelines. You need to be there. For a man who ‘doesn’t want to get involved,’ you’re debating it on every goddamn forum except in Scotland. It’s like you signed up for a Craigslist orgy, but decided to just stand outside the window, making eye contact with everyone inside. Being scared when there is so much at stake is ridiculous. Get in the game. Stand proudly next to the merman and sell us your fucking map. P.S. Suggesting that this debate is personal because of your distant Scottish heritage is like trying to join the Black Panthers because you once grazed a black man’s hair. Point-scoring shit like that really pisses us off. Dear Fred, ’m really confused as to which way to vote on Independence. Should I vote YES, or Should I vote NO? Please advise. Sincerely, Meggy-Moo

I I

can’t tell you how to vote. I can tell you which Robocop movie goes best with oral (all three)

COMEDY

or what is or isn’t safe to put in your mouth, but a vote for, or against Scottish Independence is a personal decision. It should be based on facts and individualism; but facts haven’t been popular since we learned why the horse screams were coming out of the lasagne factory. Confusion is natural; the whole debate has become a mess that feels like I’m accidentally flipping between Braveheart and Escape from New York. What should have been a calm, honest discussion of the pros and cons of leaving the union, has turned into a bewildering clusterfuck. It swings so wildly between foaming nationalism and screaming fear-mongering, I don’t know whether to get an erection or grab my nunchucks. On one side we have the patriotic bellowing of Alex Salmond, painting a glorious future of happiness and freedom, and on the other we have David Cameron, taking every opportunity to tell us the split will result in the economic equivalent of a centipede enema. The problem is, neither of these views contain anything substantial enough for us to bet our futures on. Somewhere in the internet, there’s an argument on who’d win in a fight between Batman and Dalton from Roadhouse that contains more empirical evidence than the one surrounding Independence. Do we want a say on what countries we explode the fuck out of, or do we feel safer together? Do we want an army comprised of eight guys (one of whom took a class in jiu jitsu when he was 12), or do we want to hunt and kill posties for sport? I really don’t have a clue. I guess you could always take Russell Brand’s advice and NOT vote. If you can’t trust the opinion of a millionaire who smells of stale Katy Perry, who can you trust? I can’t, and won’t tell you what to vote, but I will tell you to TOTALLY, EXACTLY VOTE SOMETHING. And vote it hard. Whether you want Independence or not, this is your chance to be heard. Aside from sending future-me a 3am text that reads: ”Enjoy the hangover, asshole,” how often do we get that chance?