The Skinny March 2019 by The Skinny

.CO.UK

INDEPENDENT FREE

CULT U R A L

J O U R N A L I S M

March 2019 Scotland Issue 162

ART NOW

RSA New Contemporaries celebrates emerging artists

COMEDY Glasgow International Comedy Festival Desiree Burch Richard Hanrahan FILM Glasgow Short Film Festival Guy Maddin Soda_Jerk Carol Morley Chiwetel Ejiofor INTERSECTIONS Inclusive veganism Artemisia Gentileschi TRAVEL Local Heroes in Japan

ART Senga Nengudi DCA at 20

FOOD & DRINK Vegan sausage wars

BOOKS Chimene Suleyman THEATRE NTS Interference Scottish Ballet at 50 Brexit vs Scottish theatre MUSIC C Duncan Jessica Pratt CHAI Self Esteem Snapped Ankles Stillhound MC Carol Gold Flake Paint CLUBS Jayda G S/A/M x Kampire

March 2019

Issue 162, March 2019 © Radge Media Ltd. Get in touch: E: hello@theskinny.co.uk T: 0131 467 4630 P: The Skinny, 1.9 1st Floor Tower, Techcube, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Pl, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL 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.

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Contents

Editorial Editor-in-Chief Art Editor Books Editor Clubs Editor Comedy Editor Events Editor Film & DVD Editor Food Editor Intersections Editor Music Editor Theatre Editor Travel Editor

Rosamund West Adam Benmakhlouf Heather McDaid Nadia Younes Polly Glynn Nadia Younes Jamie Dunn Peter Simpson Katie Goh Tallah Brash Amy Taylor Paul Mitchell

Production Production Manager Designer

Rachael Hood Fiona Hunter

Sales Sales Manager Sales Executives

Sandy Park George Sully David Hammond Joanne Jamieson Megan Mitchell

Online Digital Editor Online Journalist Web Developer Intern

Peter Simpson Jamie Dunn Stuart Spencer Emily Corpuz

Bookkeeping & Accounts Publisher

Aaron Tuveri Sophie Kyle

THE SKINNY

Credit: Emer Kiely

Photo: mojinashi

P.36 Senga Nengudi

Photo: Harmon Outlaw

P.31 Spring!

P.21 Hi-de-Hi

Photo: Alex Fine

P.15 CHAI

Contents Chat & Opinion: A welcome (back) to the 06 magazine; we announce our new touring

We meet some of the local community 37 groups being gifted a window display

short film festival, CineSkinny on Tour; Shot of the Month; The Skinny on Tour; Online Only directs you to some sweet sweet web content; cartoon content with What Are You Eating For Lunch?

38 Paddy Austin of Snapped Ankles tells

Heads Up: Your day by day cultural 08 calendar. FEATURES offer a rundown of a few of the 10 We graduate artists featuring in this year’s RSA New Contemporaries.

lasgow’s C Duncan talks about getting G out of his bedroom ahead of the release of his collaborative third LP Health.

15 Japanese punk band CHAI introduce us to their philosophy of NEOkawaii.

Slow Club's Rebecca Taylor introduces 16 her new solo pop project Self Esteem.

head of her Glasgow show, Jessica Pratt A discusses new album Quiet Signs and translating musical intimacy to the stage.

20 We look forward to Glasgow International Comedy Festival with some show picks, words with Desiree Burch and Richard Hanrahan’s salute to Hi-de-Hi! Plus Fringe Dog goes west. Short Film Festival returns 22 As Glasgow we talk to Guy Maddin about Vertigo remake The Green Fog, Australian renegade archivists Soda_Jerk about TERROR NULLIUS and look back on 1990s short film production scheme First Reels.

24 In The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,

Chiwetel Ejiofor makes his directorial debut telling the story of a Malawian schoolboy who saved his village by building a wind turbine.

27 Carol Morley on Out of Blue, her hard-

boiled police drama based on a Martin Amis novel which unfolds like a Lynchian dream noir.

and activity space by Transmission Gallery over the next five weeks.

us about how the gentrification of East London has influenced their new album, Stunning Luxury.

39 It’s Dundee Contemporary Arts’ 20th

birthday – we take a look at some of the highlights of their first two decades.

LIFESTYLE

40 Intersections: As veganism becomes

more popular, one writer looks at how to reconcile a greener lifestyle with disordered eating. As Artemisia Gentileschi’s Self-Portrait embarks on its UK tour, stopping first at Glasgow Women’s Library, we look at the legacy of the feminist icon as an artist and assault survivor.

42 Travel: Our Local Heroes column took a

month off to explore Japan and its design culture. Here’s what we learned.

45 Food and Drink: In a different approach

to veganism, our Food editor threw a sausage party to taste test all the vegan sausages he could lay his hands on. Plus all the culinary events and new openings you need to survive March.

REVIEW

49 Music: We meet Edinburgh three piece

Stillhound, learn about taking an online journal IRL with Gold Flake Paint, talk to MC Carol about feminism in Bolsonaro’s Brazil and review the best of this month’s album releases (natch).

54 Clubs: We’ve got words with Jayda G, a B2B with S/A/M and Kampire, and our March clubbing highlights.

58 Books: Reviews run alongside a look at

some of the poetry events and releases set to light up your month.

59 Art: Exhibition highlights plus reviews of shows in Embassy and 16 Nicholson Street.

28 We meet the National Theatre of Scotland to find out more about putting sci-fi on stage in their new trilogy of plays, Interference.

60 Film & TV: Our favourite new releases in

31 As Scottish Ballet celebrate their 50th

62 Theatre: Looking ahead to the shows

birthday we meet some of the artists bringing new visions to the stage.

32 Has Brexit already affected Scottish

theatre? We quiz some of the great and the good of the stage to find out more.

35 Co-editor of The Good Immigrant USA,

Chimene Suleyman discusses this new anthology offering a platform to often marginalised voices.

cinemas and to watch at home.

arriving at a stage near you and a selection of highlights from the new CCA programme.

63 Comedy: A review of Nish Kumar in

Edinburgh, plus a new regular – Best Heckle.

65 Listings: What’s on in Edinburgh, Glasgow

and Dundee throughout March and beyond.

The Fruitmarket Gallery prepare 36 As to present the first solo exhibition

of American artist Senga Nengudi in Scotland, we meet the curator.

March 2019

Contents

Shot of the Month CHVRCHES, SSE Hydro, Glasgow, 16 Feb by Allan Lewis

Editorial H

as it really been seven months since I tried to make someone else write my editorial on the morning of print day? How time flies when you’re being screamed at by a baby. I’m back! Everything seems very familiar and simultaneously very odd. Can I still write? What is this magazine? What are we doing? Who am I? I’d like to start by leading a very loud round of applause for Peter Simpson, who has helmed The Skinny in my months of absence most admirably, and continues to keep things on track as I try to remember what my job is. My apologies for bringing this particular reign of terror to an end. If it’s spring (is it? Or is it second winter?) then it must be time for New Contemporaries at the RSA. We lead with a brief survey of some of the graduate artists who are brought together by this year’s installment of the career-developing exhibition to display new work in the grand neoclassical galleries of the Mound. Other eagerly anticipated visual art for March includes Scotland’s first solo show by celebrated American artist Senga Nengudi – we meet the exhibition’s curator to hear about the joys of working with a practice so broad and diverse. Glasgow’s Transmission are continuing their work to represent marginalised groups by offering up their windows and gallery space to a selection of local community organisations, who have kindly shared some of their plans and aims with us. And, in a sort of design / travel mash-up, our Local Heroes column returns after a brief hiatus to tell us all about the geographically peripheral creative communities they’ve been off exploring in Japan in the name of research. In Music, first up we’ve got C Duncan, here to talk collaboration ahead of the release of his third album Health. Japanese punk band CHAI explain the concept of NEOkawaii, which promotes self acceptance over the at-times narrow cultural ideology of kawaii. Self Esteem’s Rebecca Taylor introduces debut solo Compliments Please, and discusses embracing her love of pop. We also meet Jessica Pratt, Snapped Ankles, Edinburgh three-piece Stillhound, Brazil’s MC Carol and the brains behind online journal / IRL magazine Gold Flake Paint. If it’s March it must *also* be time for Glasgow

Comedy Festival, which brings with it an annual effort to come up with a headline for an article about comedy in Glasgow which is better than Glasgow Smiles Better. This year’s proposals included the very literal – Glasgiggles, Glahahahahahahahahahahasgow; the increasingly obscure – Jest Coast, St Fungo; and the very, very niche – The Fish That Always Laughed (referring to one of the city’s many mottoes, the fish that never swam, see?). All great ideas, but we went with Glasgow Smiles Better as usual. Film, still in the midst of GFF madness, somehow has the energy to look forward to Glasgow Short Film Festival. We take a look at a pair of films using archival samples to make something new – director Guy Maddin tells us about remaking Vertigo with found footage of San Francisco, and Soda_Jerk discuss causing controversy with TERROR NULLIUS, their critique of the Australian myth. We talk to Chiwetel Ejiofor about The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, his directorial debut which offers a new way of viewing African village life, while Carol Morley discusses Out of Blue, her police drama adaptation of a Martin Amis novel. As we hurtle towards plunging out of the EU, apparently, against everyone’s better judgement, we take a look at how this will affect the world of theatre. We also investigate National Theatre Scotland’s new trio of sci-fi plays, Interference, and meet some of the artists of Scottish Ballet as they celebrate their 50th birthday. Books meets Chimene Suleyman, co-editor of The Good Immigrant USA, a sibling anthology to the UK release of the same name which brings together a host of marginalised voices to share stories of race and identity in this particular social and political context. In Intersections, we assess the abiding pereception of renaissance artist Artemisia Gentileschi, while one writer considers how to reconcile veganism with disordered eating. A couple of pages later, Food approaches veganism from an entirely different angle by rigorously testing as many vegan sausages as they can find in the sensitively titled Sausage Party. It’s all about the diversity of perspective round here – I for one am very happy to be back. [Rosamund West]

COVER ARTIST

Chat

By Jock Mooney

Natalia Poniatowska Born in the industrial realm of the Silesian region in the Southern part of Poland, Natalia Poniatowska is a Glasgow School of Art 2018 graduate. She has exhibited her work in a variety of cities from Glasgow to Cape Town via Prague. Drawing inspiration from the modern, dynamic art scene but also from her personal experiences, she believes in the power of an image conveying emotions, truths and the challenges of modern reality. Having spent the majority of her life away from her motherland, Natalia often comes back to the theme of homesickness and belonging in her artwork. npaphotography.com

THE SKINNY

Competition

Online Only

Win VIP Tickets to Terminal V Easter 2019

Richie Hawtin's headline slot at Terminal V will be his first Edinburgh show for how many years?

Terminal V

Photo: Ben Glasgow

a) 8 b) 18 c) 28 Competition closes midnight Wed 27 Mar. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our full Terms & Conditions can be found at theskinny.co.uk/ about/terms

The Skinny on Tour Got to say, this is not the wurst place The Skinny has ever been on holiday. It’s a city with everything! You like history? It’s got it in spades – it’s all over its stone walls pockmarked with bullet holes. You like art? There’s a whole island of museums, as well as trendier galleries spread across town. And that’s not even to mention the concrete wall that divided the city for decades, which is now its own crumbling canvas for amazing murals by local and international street artists. You like processed pork products? The people here love a sausage, especially at 3am, covered in tomato sauce and curry, and served with chips. You like David Hasselhoff? This city has a bizarre fascination with this actor and singer – our hotel had a shrine to the Baywatch and Knight Rider star.

Yu Su

Sara Colangelo on The Kindergarten Teacher In Colangelo’s latest, Maggie Gyllenhaal becomes obsessed with one of her students whom she believes is a child poetry prodigy. We talk to the writer-director “I was excited by the fact that she commits so many transgressions and crosses so many sacred boundaries. There was something challenging and complicated about that depiction of a woman, and I thought it was fresh and something for right now.” Read the full interview at theskinny.co.uk/film

Guest Selector: Yu Su Kaifeng-born, Vancouver-based DJ and producer Yu Su plays Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh this month – go to theskinny.co.uk/clubs for a playlist of some of her favourite tracks. Samuel Maoz on Foxtrot The Israeli filmmaker’s new feature is a triptych about a soldier’s family coping with the loss of their son… and of the son’s survival following a case of mistaken identity. Maoz uses this family’s experience as a microcosm of the trauma that, he argues, has kept his nation trapped in an unending loop;

Know where we’ve been? Head over to theskinny.co.uk/ competitions and let us know – you could win a copy of The Valley at the Centre of the World by Malachy Tallack from our good friends over at Canongate.

This month’s Intersections column asks if intimate connections are written in the zodiac he concept of connectivity is becoming increasingly fraught as we wrestle with its meaning in a digital dimension, making the question – ‘what is real love?’ – even more complex. Astrology has forever bridged the void between the scientific world and the spiritual, scoffed at and obsessed over in equal measure. Horoscopes allow readers to locate themselves within their words and anchor themselves to the heavens above; their permanence in pop-culture is undeniable. As a Pisces often astro-dragged for being flaky, thirsty and typically found crying in public places, I’ve always been drawn to the emotional and psychological affirmation horoscopes provide. Today, when we search for partners, lovers and friends, zodiac compatibility is often a concern, and, to me, it offers a perfect gateway to emotional intimacy and sensitivity. Want to filter potential matches by their star

March 2019

always destined to end up back where they started, like the steps of the foxtrot. “I think the conclusion of the film is that fate cannot change, not because it's defined, but because of the nature of the traumatised Israeli men and women, and the nature of the collective, stuck in its trauma,” Maoz says. Read the full interview at theskinny.co.uk/film

Living Abroad: Vancouver & Valencia Our series on the ins-and-outs of life elsewhere makes a timely return *cough, Brexit, cough, get us out of here, cough cough* – this month we’re looking at the practicalities and possibilities of life in Canada’s west and Spain’s east. Head to theskinny.co.uk/travel for all the details

Wide Days – get free showcase tickets Do you like music that is a) good, b) local and c) free? You’re in luck, as Wide Days – Scotland’s biggest music industry convention – have just announced details of their 2019 showcase gigs in Edinburgh next month. Chuchoter, Eyes of Others, VanIves and Parliamo are all on the bill – get the full lowdown at theskinny.co.uk/music

Find more at theskinny.co.uk

Call Me By Your Star Sign T

Photo: Malcolm Lam

Terminal V, Scotland's biggest house and techno event, is back and bigger than ever. Returning to the Royal Highland Centre Edinburgh on Saturday 20 April, the line-up includes a host of big names from across the scene, including Nastia, Helena Hauff, Derrick Carter, Green Velvet, Tama Sumo and Mall Grab, as well as the first Edinburgh show in 18 years from Richie Hawtin. We have four VIP tickets for Terminal V: The Rising on 20 April to give away to one lucky winner – to be in with a chance of winning them, just head to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question:

sign? There’s an app for that. Want to compare your worst zodiac traits to Lisa Simpson or Mark from Peep Show? There’s a meme account for that. Astrology’s playfulness seen in the rise of Instagram and Twitter accounts dedicated to astrological dating has always been present in teen magazines and Mystic Meg columns. Now, it thrives online, feeding into how we live, date and relate to one another. Bumble’s decision to let users negotiate matches based on zodiac compatibility is a prime example. For fans of this feature, knowing yourself spiritually saves time and energy in avoiding those with incompatible or clashing traits. Are our connections to best friends, potential partners and prospective lovers written in the stars? Were past relationships with exes and foes simply star-crossed? I’m as consumed with these existential questions as I am with discov-

THE CINESKINNY ON TOUR Words: Liv McMahon

ering which Russian Doll character matches my star sign, but I never considered my flirtation with the faith in our stars to be anything more than just that. But in realising my bisexuality, there’s no doubt to me as to why suspending my disbelief in something so centred around self-acceptance no longer feels as difficult. Queer communities have long sought solace in astrology as a source for faith and freedom outside of religious and political institutionalised heterosexuality, and its mainstreaming perhaps points to a mass desire for a spiritual connection with ourselves and our sexual partners. Recognising the organisation of the universe and stars as just as infinite, vast and chaotic as our reality harmlessly helps us feel safer within it. The positive impact of a positive horoscope may well be mere placebo, but placing faith in it makes all the difference.

Filmmakers – listen up! After all the fun of the Glasgow Film Festival, we want to keep celebrating new Scottish filmmaking talent, so we’re hitting the road for The CineSkinny on Tour. We want you to submit your short films – whether they’re narrative fiction, documentaries, music videos, art films, pieces of animation or something truly uncategorizable – and we’ll screen a selection of our favourites at a trio of mini film festivals at venues across Scotland this May. We’re looking for work that’s under 15 minutes long, produced in the last two years, and created by a team based in Scotland. Full details of entry deadlines, screening dates and prizes (!) will be revealed in the weeks to come; keep an eye on theskinny.co.uk/film and follow @theskinnymag on social media for more details.

Chat

With her debut poetry collection, Let Me Tell You This, due out on award-winning independent publisher 404 Ink this month, Nadine Aisha Jassat celebrates its release with a launch event tonight. She’ll be joined by a handful of guests, who will perform alongside her, and she will also take part in a Q&A, as well as sign copies of the new book. Glasgow Women's Library, Glasgow, 6pm, free

Dirty Dancing

Wed 6 Mar Baby and Johnny’s whirlwind, yet just slightly inappropriate, romance gets a theatrical revamp in a new stage production of Dirty Dancing. Based on the 1987 classic film, with one of the greatest film soundtracks of all time (fact), starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, this adaptation is sure to have you pining for a summer trip to a holiday camp, or maybe not. Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, 7.30pm, £35-65.50

Loud Poets

Nadine Aisha Jassat

Mon 11 Mar

Tue 12 Mar

We’ve all seen Mark Watson on our TV screens countless times over the years but the comedian really proved himself to be in a league of his own with The Infinite Show. The brilliant, loosely-structured performance involves some scripted stand-up, but the stand-out moments come from his audience interaction, influenced by postcards handed out to audience members before the show. The Stand, Glasgow, 7pm, £19

RSA New Contemporaries returns, showcasing 63 graduates selected from the 2018 degree shows and featuring a range of painting, sculpture, filmmaking, photography, printmaking, installation and architecture. This year’s art selection was made by Convenor Michael Agnew, while the architecture selections were made by Convenor Robin Webster. RSA, Edinburgh, until 3 Apr. Admission: £6/4 concession

Hillhead Bookclub are bringing back their infamous BYOB party, where the clue is pretty much right there in the name. Bring your own bevvy (but don’t take the piss) and enjoy tunes provided by Wasp of Dixon Avenue Basement Jams and Harri of Harri & Domenic/Subculture fame. Early arrival is advised, as if previous events are anything to go by, the place will fill up fast. Hillhead Bookclub, Glasgow, 7pm, free

Mark Watson

Photo: Patrick Balls

Sun 10 Mar

Georgia Bew

Hillhead Bookclub

Sun 17 Mar

Mon 18 Mar

Aberdonian party crew Minival are celebrating annual piss-up St Patrick’s Day a day early this year, and bringing the shenanigans back to their ‘spiritual home’ of Codonas. This year, the party will feature access to more rides, more food options and bigger production values, with DJ sets from Chaos in the CBD, Horse Meat Disco, All Night Passion and Gangs of Seaton. Codonas Theme Park, Aberdeen, 3pm, £12-20

Get your very early preFringe warm-up on at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, taking place in venues across the city from 14-31 March. Tonight, Catherine Bohart – “the bisexual, OCD daughter of an Irish Catholic Deacon” – is bringing her debut show, Immaculate, to this year’s festival, performing it in a sweaty basement as is comedy festival tradition. Blackfriars Basement, Glasgow, 9.15pm, £8-10

YES LAWD! Anderson .Paak is set to bring his smiley chops and slick drumming/ rapping abilities to Glasgow on his Andy’s Beach Club world tour, with his band The Free Nationals. Paak’s latest album, Oxnard, saw guest features from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and J Cole, but we wouldn’t go expecting any of that lot to turn up; we can only hope. O2 Academy, Glasgow, 7pm, £31.45

Chaos in the CBD

Catherine Bohart

Photo: Matt Crockett

Sat 16 Mar

Anderson .Paak

Fri 22 Mar

Sun 24 Mar

Following a brief break while members Syd, Steve Lacy and Matt Martians embarked on solo musical ventures, LA neo-soul group The Internet returned last July with the follow-up to their 2015 Grammy-nominated breakthrough Ego Death. Hive Mind demonstrated a more mature sound from the five-piece, refining their idiosyncrasies without taking away any of the intimacy. SWG3, Glasgow, 7pm, £22.50

Sharon Van Etten’s fouryear break from music was anything but; in that time, she earned a degree in psychology, dipped her toe in the acting pool, fell in love and had her first child. This period also resulted in the development of her most hopeful work to date, the reflective and atmospheric wonder that is Remind Me Tomorrow. St Luke's, Glasgow, 7pm, £26.95

Craft Beer Discovery

Sat 23 Mar Pints in the pub no longer suffice for the lads; now, they require a range of beers from multiple breweries in some sort of communal setting to be able to enjoy a cold one. Find these types – and other beer fans – at Craft Beer Discovery, returning after a sell-out event last year, with dozens of beers, ales and ciders to sample. Bonar Hall, Dundee, 12pm & 5.30pm, £11.25

The Internet

Fri 29 Mar

The inimitable Leyla Josephine’s new show, Daddy Drag, premieres this month, produced by Caitlin Fairlie, one half of Glasgow collective POWERHAUS. In it, she examines how our relationships with our fathers impact us as individuals through her unique performance style and drag costumes, all the while unravelling her own complex relationship with her father. Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh, 7.30pm, £8-12

True OriGINs Scottish Gin Festival will travel to a handful of venues across Scotland over the next few months, promising over 70 gins selected for their distinctive makers story and brand style. As well as getting sloshed – sorry, enjoying the intricacies of different gins – you can also take part in masterclasses, chow down on street food and listen to live music. The Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh, 5.30pm, £12.50

Chat

Daddy Drag

Photo: Daniel Hughes

Thu 28 Mar

Sharon Van Etten

True OriGINs Scottish The Dark GinCarnival Festival

THE SKINNY

Photo: Ryan Pfluger

Spring has well and truly sprung (for now anyway), so it’s time to stop hiding away in your cosy warm flat all week and get out to see some shit – and cool shit at that

Award-winning poetry and spoken word collective, Loud Poets continue their Tuesday night residency at megapub Brewhemia throughout this month. Each night, the Loud Poets themselves will perform their own unique blend of spoken word and live music, with a mix of their best work and some new material, before opening up the floor for an open mic, where budding poets can also showcase their talents. Brewhemia, Edinburgh, 8pm, free

Photo: Nicol Rosie

Compiled by: Nadia Younes

Thu 7 Mar Photo: Alastair Muir

Heads Up

Tue 5 Mar

Katherine MacBride’s latest exhibition, having been breathed out / patriarchy over and out, explores different forms of hospitality through a series of large-scale textiles, while posing questions about the space of its host institution. To coincide with the exhibition, MacBride has also been hosting a series of workshops, with the final of three, Reading Troupe #13, taking place today with visual artist Emma Haugh. CCA, Glasgow, 2pm, free

International Women's Day Rave

Katherine MacBride, having been breathed out _ patriarchy over and out

Fri 15 Mar

Before you spend the weekend getting hammered in honour of St Paddy, celebrate some other elements of Irish culture at Neu! Reekie!’s St Patrick’s Festival. Poets Michael Pedersen and Kevin Williamson will host the evening, with performances from a selection of Irish and Scottish poets including Janette Ayachi, Stephen James Smith, FeliSpeaks and Dagogo Hart. Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, 7pm, £5

After last month’s Glasgow Film Festival celebrated the traditional long-form feature, this month Glasgow Short Film Festival brings a celebration of exactly that. New York-based sibling duo Soda_Jerk bring the Scottish premiere of their short film TERROR NULLIUS to the 12th edition of the festival, while their work will also be exhibited in an installation at the CCA, entitled Astro Black. Various venues, Glasgow, times & prices vary

Electronic music pioneers Tangerine Dream play their first Scottish show in over a decade at the Barras Art & Design tonight, after celebrating their 50th anniversary as a band in 2017 (BAaD, Glasgow, 7pm, £25). If you’re looking to continue the party afterwards, head to Sub Club for a night of disco and funk bangers courtesy of Vancouverborn DJ Jayda G. Sub Club, Glasgow, 11pm, £6-12

FeliSpeaks

TERROR NULLIUS

Credit: Soda_Jerk

Thu 14 Mar

Photo: Ellius Grace

Wed 13 Mar

Jayda G

Tue 19 Mar

Wed 20 Mar

Thu 21 Mar

Seven youth theatre companies bring new productions to the capital over three nights at NT Connections, the annual festival celebrating young people, theatre-making and the importance of access to the arts. Dumfries Youth Theatre, Perth High School and Stagecoach will all present their takes on Rob Drummond’s Flesh, while Glasgow Acting Academy and Borders Youth Theatre will both take on Chaos by Laura Lomas. Traverse, Edinburgh, 7pm, £6-8

Chicago rap has had a bit of a renaissance in recent years, and Mick Jenkins is just one of the artists leading the helm. Jenkins’ latest album, the magnificent jazz/soul-tinged Pieces of a Man, took its title from Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 record of the same name and featured collaborations with Ghostface Killah, Corinne Bailey Rae and previous collaborators BADBADNOTGOOD. SWG3, Glasgow, 7pm, £17.50

Sailor Jerry’s mini-tour of three of Scotland’s music venues, Sailor Jerry Presents concludes in Dundee tonight, having already paid visits to Glasgow’s Stereo and Edinburgh’s La Belle Angele in the nights before. She Drew the Gun has just been announced as the headliner, and even if you’re not keen on her brand of dark psych-pop your tickets includes a Sailor Jerry cocktail, so that’s something at least. Church, Dundee, 8pm, £5

NT Connections

Mick Jenkins

Tue 26 Mar

Wed 27 Mar

Another artist responsible for Chicago rap’s recent rise is Noname, fka Noname Gypsy. Beginning her career competing in open mics and slam poetry competitions, Noname’s slick, stream-of-consciousness flow and clever socio-political observations demonstrated on her debut mixtape Telefone and her debut album Room 25, released last year, has proven her to be one of the greatest rappers around right now. SWG3, Glasgow, 7pm, £18.50

All throughout March, DCA will be celebrating their 20th anniversary, with ticket prices rolling back to 1999 prices over the weekend of 16-17 March and a specially curated programme of best-loved films from the last two decades. While you’re paying the venue a visit, set some time aside to veer off into its exhibition galleries to see Underworld, a new constellation of work by David Austen. DCA, Dundee, until 9 Jun

The latest in the Citizens Theatre’s string of excellent productions comes in the form of a radical new version of Henrik Ibsen’s play, Nora: A Doll’s House. Originally premiering in 1879 at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, the play caused outrage for its brutal portrayal of womanhood, and this new adaptation by Stef Smith sets out to explore how far we’ve come in the past 100 years. Tramway, Glasgow, 7.30pm, £2-24

Noname

David Austen, Glass, Oil on flax canvas, 2015

Photo: Courtesy the artist and Ingleby Gallery

Mon 25 Mar

Sat 30 Mar

Sun 31 Mar

Mon 1 Apr

As Glasgow’s dedicated book festival Aye Write! approaches its conclusion, following a programme of events throughout the month of March, there’s still time to soak up some of that sweet literary action before it’s all over for another year. Tonight, two COSTA prize shortlisted artists, Nikesh Shukla and Donal Ryan, will be on hand to discuss their work. Mitchell Library, Glasgow, 3pm, £10-12.50

Absurdist comedian Tony Law’s latest comedy hour, A Lost Show, focuses on his current sobriety, having battled with alcohol and drug abuse over the years and finally kicked the habit. The show, which he performed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, was dubbed his ‘most meaningful show to date’, but that doesn’t mean he’s given up completely on his signature surrealism. The Basement Theatre, Edinburgh, 6.30pm, £8-11

Rumours have been spreading about some suspicious activity taking place on Cramond Island recently, and it’s finally been announced that all this has been the build up to its very own newlylaunched music festival. Kicking off the summer festival season, the new addition to the circuit is yet to announce its lineup but has promised “a collection of loved artists both old and new.” Cramond Island, Firth of Forth, 12pm, £12-12,000

Nikesh Shukla

March 2019

Tony Law

Photo: Alan Dimmick

What better day to launch a new organisation celebrating women in music than on International Women’s Day? Scottish Women Inventing Music is a collection of music creators and industry professionals who identify as female, with membership open to anyone over 16 also fitting into that demographic (Kinning Park Complex, Glasgow, 10am, £5.92). Then continue the party at the International Women's Day Rave. The Caves, Edinburgh, 10pm, £10-15

Photo: Farah Nosh

Sat 9 Mar

Sailor Jerry Presents

Nora: A Doll's House

Chat

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

Fri 8 Mar

New Blood The Royal Scottish Academy’s New Contemporaries exhibition is a highlight each year in the art calendar, and lets audiences check in with a selection of the previous year’s graduates just under a year after their degree shows Interview: Adam Benmakhlouf

ach year, the RSA gives an unparallelled level of opportunity to new art graduates in Scotland to exhibit in their grand galleries in the city centre of Edinburgh. We’ve caught up with some of the 2018 graduates who have been selected for this year’s New Contemporaries. Megan Goldie IMHO in my honest opinion “I’m from Kilmarnock and a working-class background – I was the only person I knew that went to art school. A lot of my work stems from that alienation from the art world. In particular, I want to change performance art, to bridge the art between stage and gallery performance as a lot of people are alienated by performance work. “My work for this exhibition will be four large A3 prints of screenshots of conversations to exes of any description (one night stands, people I saw for a couple of weeks). There’s also a performance. It’s me telling the stories of all the Tinder dates I’ve been on. “I’m always looking at social media. There’s no other generation like us, we’ve seen the rise of the internet. I’m also speaking openly about women’s sexuality and sex life.”

Karolina Bachanek P Maxxx “My RSA contribution P Maxxx is a playful exploration of pleasure and its relation to politics and power. The work consists of a large-scale audiovisual installation built mostly from found/recycled/donated materials – timber, plastic but also the leftovers of my friends’ consumerist pleasures – cardboard and plastic bags with branded logos and packaging after various products. “I am primarily interested in consumerism and pleasure and their relation to politics and power. Specifically, the outbreak of far right and fascist trends which in my opinion is a direct consequence of our obsession with pleasing ourselves. I see something very sexual in this topic.”

Emily Dunlop Protesting Plant “I will be exhibiting my degree show interactive plant installation Protesting Plants and film Blessed Be The Fruit. My practice explores organic materials entangled with technology. Combined together, interactive installations are produced. My work seeks to give expression and vitality to nonhuman entities. When the spectator touches the leaves of a plant, sound is triggered and it appears to scream. “I aim to engage the audience in reconsidering the way we view our actions in the world today. Our treatment of nature is immediately brought to the fore. I question man’s negligence over nature and careless destruction of the environment. Combining the use of technology and organic forms such as plants leads to humorous yet jarring installations.”

Alice Dudgeon Plough “For the RSA New Contemporaries, I am contributing two works. The first of these is Avodah 2018, reinstalled alongside my most recent work to date – Plough. I have chosen to show the works alongside each other to display their commonalities, both works placing value upon physically laborious processes found within historic systems of agriculture and craft. Harnessing and re-purposing these techniques within each sculpture, the results are dominant, unrelenting repeated forms. Looking to makers such as the Sabbathday Lake Shakers has led me to consider making as an act of worship and how this might translate through my meticulous and demanding processes.”

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THE SKINNY

“ I’m from Kilmarnock and a working-class background, I was the only person I knew that went to art school”

Esther Gamsu Horse “I will be presenting a group of three large scale sculptural works alongside a hand knitted tapestry. The works build on themes of escape, pop culture and identity; themes that I began to explore in my 2018 degree show contribution – it’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world. My work for the RSA remains quite ‘craft’ based, using techniques such as knitting and papier-mâché, aiming to challenge distinctions of high and low, both in my choice of subject matter and medium. Acting as oversized props, the work aims to encourage the audience to draw together a narrative between each of the individual works.”

Megan Goldie

Jamie Steedman KB17 “The sculptural installation KB17 presented for the RSA New Contemporaries explores the unruly power of public structures and monumentalisation during the Russian Revolution at the turn of the 20th century. Lenin’s Plan for Monumental Propaganda detailed an almost obsessive need to saturate Soviet territory with statues of important public figures affiliated with the Bolshevik regime. However, due to a weak economy, the majority of these statues were constructed using non-durable materials – ironically contradicting the immediate objective of the monument – longevity. The ruinous and ephemeral state of KB17 questions the political intentions of these structures, and balances on a tension between the display of a new monument and an anti-monument.”

David Whitelaw Every(one) is known “The works on show, Precautionary Measures, Without the Means, Every(one) is known and Indent, are all works that speak closely in relation to the modern relationship between the state citizen and the individual. Although the work is predominantly focused around the photographic medium, there is still a number of disciplines used across all areas of my work, including sculpture, installation and mark making. The majority of the works have grown from an interest in the contemporary uses of CCTV imagery, biometric data and governmental processes of data capture, from passport imagery to fingerprint recognition. I feel the works really refocus the viewer’s perception of what the notion of the ‘individual’ is in the 21st century, especially when more advanced and arguably increasingly intrusive means of data capture are being rolled out globally.”

Robert Mercer Post-Ball “My wider practice is almost always influenced by walking, and I’m interested in the politics of space, and the idea of sacred land. The work is, to my mind, not only a search for answers to land rights, environmental issues, and symbolic/historic dates, but also an authentic attempt to represent landscape as topic in relation to Glasgow’s regional culture.”

March 2019

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Natalia Poniatowska Twelve Dying Palm Trees “I’m an observer. Swinging between digital and analogue photography, still and moving image, I explore the potential ground that exists in between fine art and documentary photography. Drawing inspiration from the great interest in the modern, dynamic art scene but also from my personal experiences, I believe in great power of the image in conveying emotions, truths and challenges of the modern reality. Having spent the majority of my life away from my motherland, I often come back to the theme of homesickness and belonging in my artwork. To present ordinary, never staged, not idealised reality is the picture making I practise. It’s an interest in things as they are. By using only one lens, the most similar to human’s eye vision, I’m capturing the moments and non-moments that drag my attention.” 9 Mar-3 Apr, at the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

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Good Health After two meticulous, enigmatic solo works made his name, C Duncan is letting loose with a candid, confident and collaborative third LP

“I

realised there was a whole world outside of my bedroom.” For the entirety of his musical career to date, Chris Duncan’s whole world had actually been inside his bedroom. That was where, in his mid-20s, he arrived after a remarkable musical journey that had spanned his entire life. Raised by parents who were both classical musicians, he became well-versed in piano and viola as a child, while learning the technical side of the discipline, too. That would later lead to a place at what is now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in his native Glasgow. Before that, though, he developed a penchant for rock and pop in his teens, finding time to play in a slew of bands in the process, as so many (admittedly, less technically proficient) kids do at that age. With all of that already on his CV, he still found that, at the end of it all, there was nowhere he was happier than making music by himself at home, with today’s recording technology allowing him to make dense and complex songs that reflected his diverse musical upbringing without the need to involve anybody else. “I guess, to some degree, it was always a control thing,” he explains on an early morning call from Glasgow. “Recording yourself, you can go as slowly as you want, and put in as much work as you want, without any kind of time constraints. You’re not waiting on studio time to get something done, or hanging around for other musicians to become available. You write something, and the finished product is already just around the corner. Studying to be a classical composer was similar; you spend a lot of time alone, locked in a room. It’s only at the end of it, when people play those pieces, that the music makes it outside of those walls.”

“ It was never the point before to be expressive with my lyrics, but I wanted to do that this time around. I wanted to be direct” Chris Duncan

The same could be said of Architect, his debut LP under his C Duncan moniker. It wasn’t until he sent some demos, cold, to FatCat Records that the songs, already elaborate construction projects even in that form, were exposed to fresh ears. They signed him quickly,

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and by the end of 2015 he had a Mercury Prize-nominated debut album to his name. In typically ambitious style, he followed it quickly and fearlessly, releasing The Midnight Sun, a highly conceptual exercise in ambient dreampop, a little over a year later. The real leap of faith, though, was one that Duncan was yet to make; one that involved venturing outside of the self-styled sanctuary of his Glasgow flat and into the alien environment of the studio, where he’d inevitably end up finding out whether or not he played well with others. “It was a pretty intimidating prospect,” he recalls. “I just didn’t know what was going to be expected of me, even though I already had all of the demos for this new album. Would I need to record much more when I got there? How are these sketches going to change? How much time am I going to have? It wasn’t until we actually got to work that I realised, ‘Oh, this is actually really laid-back’. I ended up really getting into that studio process. I loved it.” The result is this month’s third LP, Health, which feels like precisely the kind of wholesale reinvention that you’d expect such a seismic shift of approach to bring about. Duncan has never sounded as confident as this; where he sought to bury his vocals deep in the mix on his last two albums – “I just treated them like any other musical instrument” – he brings them to the fore on Health, and not without reason. After two albums spent being deliberately oblique in lyrical terms, he now wants to tell his own stories more openly. Accordingly, Health’s subject matter runs the gamut from mental health struggles to relationship troubles to the nature of Duncan’s sexuality – he is openly gay. “Looking back to Architect and The Midnight Sun, I realise how much Cocteau Twins I was listening to,” he laughs. “And, you know, it suited me to follow their lead and imitate that thing they do where you can’t tell what they’re singing about, but it doesn’t actually matter. It was never the point before to be expressive with my lyrics, but I wanted to do that this time around. I wanted to be direct. I didn’t have the confidence in the past. It’s nerve-wracking enough to play your music for other people, but then for them to be hearing your lyrics along with it, it’s doubly embarrassing. So I’d always be drowning them in reverb in the beginning.” Now, with Health, Duncan is offering listeners some insight into his private life, in a manner that he hopes will prove mutually cathartic. He casts his net wide in thematic terms – He Came from the Sun has him reflecting on his own experience of coming out, spurred on to do so by news of anti-gay purges in Chechnya. Opener Talk Talk Talk muses on the collapse of a relationship being precipitated by communication problems. Reverie is a rumination on depression, while beautifully bleak closer Care, chronicles heartbreak.

Photo: Jordan Curtis Hughes

Interview: Joe Goggins

“Making music has gotten me through some tough times in the past,” Duncan says, “but it was always just the process of actually piecing it together that helped. I did wonder whether putting some of these things into the lyrics would be a good idea, because it might have made things worse for me – to be turning all of it over in my head again. The opposite is true, though; it feels good not to be bottling things up. It’s all out there in song form, and now I’ll be going out and performing them. It was cathartic not to be clouding over anything any more, and hopefully people can listen to this record and relate to it in some way.” Offsetting the often turbulent topical territory that Duncan explores on Health is the sound of the record, which is consistently bright and shiny. It’s his poppiest album to date, and calls to mind the kind of step into out-and-out melodic vibrancy that How to Dress Well took a couple of years ago on Care. It’s the result, he explains, of teaming up with Craig Potter of Elbow, who handled production duties, with Duncan cutting the record in Salford at his former tourmates’ base of operations, Blueprint Studios. “I drew up a list of people I might want to work with and Craig was basically at the top of it. I’d been on the road with Elbow twice – once in the UK and once in the States – so I’d gotten to know them all really well, Craig in particular. We have very similar tastes and we approach music from a

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similar angle. Working with him opened me up to bringing in more collaborators; my drummer in my band chipped in with live drums for the first time, and the string parts were actually played by my parents. It was really nice to be writing music for other people to play again.” Health will take on another life all of its own when Duncan takes it on tour, beginning in April, with the same four-piece live set-up as last time around. For the man himself, though, that’s just another facet of what is essentially a multi-disciplinary creative project. As with Architect and The Midnight Sun, Duncan kept a visual track of Health’s progression in the form of paintings, one of which again serves as the album art – and, in the process, demonstrates how far he’s come. “The first two records had a very architectural aesthetic to them, and that suited them, in terms of where they were recorded and how I approached them,” he says. “All of the artwork I was doing this time, though, were paintings of made-up places, and of nature. They’re brighter and more striking than just another picture of my flat, and I like to think that’s true of the album, too.” Health is released on 29 Mar via FatCat Records C Duncan plays Paisley Arts Centre, Paisley, 15 Mar; The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, 19 Apr; Summerhall, Edinburgh, 10 May; Maryhill Community Centre, Glasgow, 11 May c-duncan.co.uk

THE SKINNY

March 2019

THE SKINNY

From Pink to Punk Prepare to embrace NEOkawaii, Japanese punk band CHAI’s twist on the cultural ideology of kawaii

defying expectation. The opening track on PUNK, in particular, CHOOSE GO! feels like a modern day riot grrrl anthem, setting out to empower women everywhere with its focus on self-love and liberation. With the band singing mostly in Japanese, their lyrics may not always translate directly into English, but the track’s message still resonates: ‘Change bad feelings / Don’t stay and choose go! / Hello freedom!’ Yuuki explains, “PUNK, overall, was created with the mindset of becoming the person you want to be.

“ Other than winning a Grammy, I think one of our goals would be to spread our message of self-acceptance and selflove through the word NEOkawaii” Kana

“I think out of all the songs on the album, CHOOSE GO! particularly emphasises this mindset the most. The idea behind CHOOSE GO! is to become who you really want to be, you will do whatever you want to, and try whatever you haven’t

done before, to become just that,” she continues. Mana adds: “It’s got the maximum amount of cuteness and powerfulness. I can envision what performing it live will be like. It’s because we are women, that I think enables us to create and deliver such a sound like what is in CHOOSE GO!” The band – made up of sisters Mana and Kana, alongside friends Yuuki and Yuna – are firm advocates for female empowerment, a trait not widely associated with the Japanese music scene or the nation’s dominant culture. They play their own instruments, write their own songs and have a hands-on approach to their visual output, with Yuuki even designing the album artwork for PUNK. “Our music of course is the number one most important aspect of CHAI, but we want our live performances to be an experience that’s not only fun to listen to but fun to watch as well,” says Yuuki. “With our music videos, we all have ideas of what we want to do and we then bring it to the music video director, who then helps bring those ideas to life. I think the fun, silly, and yet uniqueness of our music videos truly reflects who we are outside of the music,” she continues. “The lyrics present a message that we want to relay and the music video works hand in hand with those lyrics to shed a positive and unexpected light on them… I believe in having your visuals be just as interesting and thought-through as your music.” Much of the lyrical content on PUNK, like on their debut, addresses unrealistic beauty ideals and expectations on women due to societal pressures, closely linking to the NEOkawaii concept. “Growing up, I always felt like the outline of [my] face was too large compared to those that were called kawaii and so I would do things to hide it,” says Yuna. “After meeting the other CHAI members, they told me immediately ‘that is

what’s great about you’ and from there, I wore hairstyles that purposely showed my face and haven’t hid it since!” Yuuki adds: “Japan is a very small country so I feel that everyone there is heavily affected by the boiled-down pressure, anxiety, and the values placed around society’s imposition. I think there’s a lot of people, both females and males there, that are hurt by these pressures.” But CHAI refuse to let these pressures weigh on them and ultimately have their sights set high, with one of their goals as a band to win a Grammy Award one day. However, they say they won’t be risking their artistic integrity in the process. “Winning a Grammy isn’t something that we focus on when actually creating an album. When we’re in the process of creating an album, the only thing on our mind is exactly that,” says Mana. Yuuki adds: “It’s not that we’d like to change our way of expression as artists just to win a Grammy, but more like wanting the results of creating the music we want to make, and expressing ourselves through music the way we want to, to be awarded by a Grammy.” “Other than winning a Grammy, I think one of our goals would be to spread our message of self-acceptance and self-love through the word NEOkawaii. If NEOkawaii could get the same, if not more recognition than that of a Grammy, that would be great,” Kana concludes. And with the band continuing to defy expectation on their latest record, it seems that as well as embracing NEOkawaii in their music, they’ll also be inhabiting the attitude of the album’s title, with Mana declaring, “This year CHAI will live as PUNK!” PUNK is released on 15 Mar via Heavenly Recordings CHAI play stereo, Glasgow, 15 May chai-band.com

Photo: Yoshio Nakaiso

hen Japanese four-piece CHAI released their neon pink-drenched, boundarybreaking debut album PINK in 2017 they threw any kind of preconceived notions of J-pop and the Japanese culture of kawaii well and truly out the window, instead spreading their own unique message of NEOkawaii alongside their music. ‘I don’t know about the world but I know about me,’ sings lead vocalist Mana on I’m Me, a track taken from the band’s second album, PUNK; its message perfectly encapsulating what the band mean by NEOkawaii – their reinterpretation of the Japanese cultural ideology of kawaii referring to a specific view of cuteness. CHAI’s notion of NEOkawaii promotes self-acceptance and self-confidence, embracing your flaws and quirks rather than being ashamed of them, and it’s a message that runs through all of their work. “[The] majority of our music is based on our experiences of not fitting into what society defines as kawaii or cute,” says Mana. “In [sic] our first album PINK, we had songs such as N.E.O., Sayonara Complex and Gyaranboo, which all touch on different insecurities that we grew up having that we now embrace and speak positively about,” she continues. “Our transition from PINK to PUNK still upholds our message that NEOkawaii represents everyone who doesn’t necessarily fit society’s definition of kawaii. It is the new cute.” Yuuki, the band’s lead lyricist, adds: “I’m Me, the title, is a message in itself right? Your individuality is something only you have. You know yourself the best. You are you and if you can express your individuality the way you want to, that I feel is the best thing you can ever do for yourself and the world.” There’s a sense of reverting back to traditional riot grrrl ideals and aesthetics with CHAI – a band playing by their own rules and constantly

Interview: Nadia Younes

March 2019

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Dirty Pop We speak to Slow Club’s Rebecca Taylor about how her new solo pop project Self Esteem is propelling her into pop star queendom

he girl in that film, she’s like a stranger. I’m like ‘Who’s that bored bitch? She’s miserable.’” Rebecca Taylor is talking to us about her band Slow Club’s documentary Our Most Brilliant Friends which screened as part of last year’s BFI Doc’n Roll Film Festival. Tracing the duo’s final tour together in stark black and white, it’s an interesting dichotomy to the artist that sits here today. Nestled in the back of a cafe against a long mirrored wall that runs the length of the room, you can see the reflection of her blonde bob as she gesticulates with her hands, nails painted an acid green. Because now, of course, the musician cuts a different kind of shape to the one the indie elite might be used to seeing. Days away from the release of her first solo record under the moniker Self Esteem, Taylor is visibly giddy. Refreshed and revitalised from her battle between indie darling and die-hard pop fan, she remarks, “This still feels so new, like a holiday from what I’ve known and I’m excited to get into the flow of it.” What she’s known, it turns out, is a lot tougher than we might’ve clocked from the lovable, lilting folk that Slow Club produced, particularly when it comes to her authenticity as an artist. “Pop was always a bit of a dirty word in the circles that I was in. There was this very weird time when I was lying about what I was listening to because I needed to keep up pretences that the band wanted to have so it’s just been years of that festering.” Unsurprisingly then, Compliments Please (a hopeful nod to the upcoming reviews, no doubt) has the pop production values of your average Brit topping chart star, showcasing that staggering vocal – something that Taylor admits was always really there. “I remember Slow Club did this Christmas EP and we did this cover of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) and that’s the first time I let myself sing properly. People were all, ‘Oh my god, you’ve got an amazing voice’ and I was like ‘I’ve always been sat on this, I just had to do the harmony to the boy vocal’,” she remembers, shuffling her position in the brown leather booth. Aside from the sizeable freedom for those vocal lines, and being as gloriously danceable as a Charlie XCX pop show, there’s a subtle artistry within the record. Standout singles Wrestling and The Best are sidled up against clever audio interludes which act like mindful microcosms of raw and real feelings. Think Kate Tempest’s narrativerich records or a Mike Skinner concept album. Opener (Feelings) plants you firmly in Taylor’s difficult decision to step out on her own while worrying about hurting someone else’s feelings. But as fellow pop siren Beverley Knight knows only too well, no one wants to have that ‘shoulda woulda coulda’ feeling looming over them. “I remember that Lorde song came out (Royals) and I remember being like ‘For fuck’s sake, this was what I was on about’. You know, that slightly off-pop, but obviously it was all these rules that I made for myself really, but I am a chronic people pleaser so I had to do it.” This idea of people pleasing is a common strand on the record with recent single Rollout’s killer chorus hook contemplating: ‘Oh what I might have achieved / What I might have achieved / If I wasn’t trying to please / If I wasn’t trying to please’. But it turns out, it’s not healthy holding onto all of these pretences like a Sisyphean slog, not to mention the added fear that someone else

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would get there first: “Making this album has helped me out mentally loads. I started to go to other people’s shows and get into new music in a way I never did because I was like ‘What if someone does what I want to do?’ It used to stress me out.” She need no longer worry though. Produced alongside The Very Best’s Johan Karlberg, Compliments Please swoops between the gospel greatness of Steady I Stand and the whimsical strings of Girl Crush provided by fellow Northerner and former PINS performer, Sophie Galpin, something Taylor was thankful for after trying to process the new dynamics of writing solo in the studio: “It’s a lot easier and a happier experience than constantly trying to prove what you need, but lonely. I miss the band in different ways but sometimes in the studio I really miss that, being able to share how something magic feels,” she reasons. But it’s not just in the studio where she’s flexing her newfound freedom. Despite being the busiest she’s been – a power bank is already set out beside her headphones and mobile phone – the songwriter’s debut release seems to have opened some sort of creative floodgates (not to get too heavy into a Bros meandering analogy). But, much like the launch of Self Esteem, she’s acting fast now as comparison syndrome is real: “I’m doing a musical. I’ve been developing it for so long, knowing full well that people like yourself will be so into it. It’s finally maybe going to happen and I’m like ‘I told you’. Kele [Okereke from] Bloc Party just did the music for one which is semi-autobiographical. Everyone’s all ‘Oh wow, what an amazing idea’ and I’m like ‘I had that idea ages ago but theatre takes forever’,” she tells us, clearly itching to get going. It feels like a fitting format to channel Taylor’s warmth and wit and could be readily mopped up in the rise of women-led theatre productions, from the baked-from-the-heart charm of Waitress to the huge success of the Mean Girls musical on Broadway. Because after all, aren’t we all chasing the highs and lows of our teen dramas? Taylor thinks so. “Those highs of drama and emotion that I used to get all the time when I was 16, I’m trying to do that with music whether that’s eurphoria or making you cry.”

the lows. Even this morning, I was saying to myself, ‘Just remember you’re hopefully going to do ten of these’. It’s no biggie, it’s no biggie, and then I heard myself saying to my management: ‘On the day of release, can we get a limo that takes us from one thing to another?’ Because I’m doing a bunch of in-stores, and I think to myself ‘You making yourself have a limo on the day is also the problem’,” she chuckles awkwardly, putting a hand through her hair. Like the Big Day for so many, Compliments Please is a real celebration of self, identity and coming together against the odds. The frustrations Taylor has felt for years seem to have

propelled her into the pop polymath that sits here today. Because it’s always good to take a look in the mirror, see what’s reflected back at you and whether that’s the right route to be heading down. As Taylor herself says, “I’d still like some sort of happy ending for myself but I’m also really trying to make sure that I allow myself that happy ending that might not look how I’m told it should.” Reincarnated and recharged, Self Esteem has landed, fully formed and in technicolour for 2019. Compliments Please is out now via Fiction Records Self Esteem plays Stereo, Glasgow, 15 Mar selfesteem.love

“ Pop was always a bit of a dirty word in the circles that I was in. There was this very weird time when I was lying about what I was listening to” Rebecca Taylor

Photo: Charlotte Patmore

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Interview: Cheri Amour

But with the highs inevitably come the lows which she’s all too aware of in the runup to the debut release. “This feels so massive. I get so high off it all and then I cope very badly with all

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THE SKINNY

March 2019

THE SKINNY

A Delicate Balance Following the release of her third album Quiet Signs, Jessica Pratt talks about feeling emboldened by the praise, and translating the privacy and intimacy of her music to the stage

Interview: Tony Inglis

nylon-stringed guitar and the silence between notes; and loungey keys that seem to be coming from a daydreamed department store tannoy. It’s evident that any studio bells and whistles have been cast aside in favour of retaining her trademark intimacy, a remarkable achievement of artistic prowess and dedication. Now, Pratt is bringing these songs on the road, including to Glasgow’s The Blue Arrow on 23 March, a fitting venue considering the jazzier, meandering melodies found on the album, especially the introductory instrumental Opening Night. Recreating that intimacy in a live setting, contending with potentially noisy crowds and unpredictable atmospheres, is Pratt’s next challenge.

“ I love LA – but it is challenging... You could die in your apartment and no one would know for like three weeks”

Photo: Saamuel Richard

Jessica Pratt

“I

used to play music privately, for my own purposes, when I was younger, and the idea of making music that people would have any connection to, let alone music that might act as a kind of emotional support for others, was just never something that I envisioned for myself.” It’s been a couple of weeks since Quiet Signs was released into the world, to immediate widespread acclaim, registering nary a dissenting voice, when its architect Jessica Pratt speaks to The Skinny. It would be understandable – certainly deserved – if she was found basking in the glow that this early 2019 gift of a record has created. But the now Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is relaxed, disarmingly modest and self-deprecating. “It feels even more momentous to have any kind of success at all, just because it’s been a few years since I put something out,” she says, reacting to the praise, on an early morning call from the US west coast. “There was definitely a serious period of what felt like stagnation to me. And when anyone is struggling to create, you can sort of get carried away and imagine that you might not make anything ever again. It did take a lot of work because I was starting from scratch and I was somewhat out of practice. It feels like a lot of really hard work paying off in some way. For people to be moved by the record, it makes me feel like a worthwhile person. It’s been really... I

March 2019

don’t want to use the word therapeutic, but it’s really bolstered my spirits. I feel accomplished and more connected with people.” Quiet Signs is a work of immense craft and tranquillity, its ambience of calm conjured seemingly effortlessly; entire worlds, histories and mysteries drift in and out, as songs begin and end, throughout its brief runtime. It’s an even more astounding achievement considering the emotional intensity that spawned it, drawing out from the period after finishing her last record, On Your Own Love Again, and amid a move to the sprawling cityscape of LA from San Francisco in late 2013, something that Pratt is eager only to allude to. “That was just one big blast of creativity. And then, I didn’t really have any money. I worked a job for a while, and was just kind of living my life, trying to acclimate to LA,” she says of that period. “Once that record came out, I went on tour for a really long time with no breaks in between. When I came home, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was really out of sorts. Living in LA particularly exacerbates feelings of loneliness.” Just one of the countless, often difficult to verbalise, magical elements of Quiet Signs is that blanket of comfort it bestows upon the listener, despite being borne out of discontent. It’s something Pratt is acutely aware of. “That’s just the nature of my music sonically. It happens to be

in a dimension that is very soothing and plays on these quiet tones. I don’t really understand it myself. Even if you’re writing something that feels frenetic in some sense, and emotionally charged, for me it doesn’t typically come out as something abrasive, fractured or harsh. There is a contrast there I guess, but sometimes people sing about very serious, difficult things in a beautiful way.” That restless period of unease is now in the past, Pratt explains: “I love LA – but it is challenging. You have work to engage with people, otherwise it’s very easy to just drift away. You could die in your apartment and no one would know for like three weeks. People aren’t hitting you up every day. Now, I have a number of things keeping me here that are all positive.” Pratt’s previous work has been characterised by its homemade quality, mainly because it was, with Pratt recording directly to tape. Quiet Signs is her first collection of songs put together in a professional studio. With that development, she hasn’t compromised her timeless sound. But it has led to what is perhaps Pratt’s first fully realised work, a vision that finally has the resources to keep up. This Time Around, arguably the album’s best song, exemplifies this, consisting of Pratt’s pliable voice, which sounds like it’s emanating from on high (at one point in our conversation she describes herself as “a funny talker and an idiosyncratic singer”); her gently strummed

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“I’ve been able to test out a thing here and there,” she explains. “It took some effort to figure it out exactly. When you’re in a studio and it’s dead quiet and you can hear yourself really well, you’re able to experiment with the subtlest textures of your voice and I was worried that would be difficult to translate to shows, but I’ve found that’s not really the case. Obviously, when you’re in a situation where you’re opening for a show in a giant rock venue or something, it’s not ideal, but when I play a show, and headline, it’s usually a smaller place and it’s quiet. “It’s a work in progress, but as much as I’d like to be thoroughly prepared and know every inch of every move I’m going to make, I think that in order for the show to feel vital, there needs to be a little tension, and some nervousness, which is unfortunate because, you know, who likes to feel uncomfortable all of the time? But I think when I feel that way, that’s when the best stuff happens. It’s a delicate balance.” All the successes of Quiet Signs amount to a work that resonates a certain vintage, but without ever being retrograde, derivative, formulaic or pastiche. “I mean it would be fraudulent to say that I don’t intentionally go for that sound, because I’m sure I do make decisions on what I’m playing, and what to keep and what not to keep, that are influenced by something. But it’s not as if I’m putting it up against some super formulaic criteria when I’m writing. For the most part, honestly, it’s just something that’s done by feel. I’m trying to write things that sound simply good to me.” Pratt’s music, and Quiet Signs in particular, doesn’t demand comparison to a bygone era. It feels actualised from, and entirely of, that bygone era, and as if it always was – a classic album found in some dusty record collection, like an alternate history of an alternate universe. Quiet Signs is out now via City Slang and Mexican Summer Jessica Pratt plays The Blue Arrow, Glasgow, 23 Mar jessicapratt.bandcamp.com

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Glasgow Smiles Better N

Alison Spittle

Photo: Aoife Herrity

ow into its 18th year, Europe’s largest comedy festival* proves again that Scotland’s the place to be for funnies. The Fringe’s arguably funnier little sister is offering up a cavalcade of comics with touring shows, works in progress and one-off spectaculars that could only happen in Glasgow. Have a wee peek at what we reckon will be belters.

The Skinny Recommends If you’re looking for an hour of unadulterated madness, look no further than Chunks’ An Indeterminate Amount of Comedians Attempt to Perform 1993’s Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers) in Full Live (23 Mar, 9.30pm, State Bar, £5). We cannot guarantee quality, but we can guarantee this will be an experience. Speaking of State Bar, this year’s Chunkstival line-up looks better than ever with a load of brilliant alternative acts and locals doing some very exciting WIPs. Someone who fits in the middle of this perfect Venn Diagram is Donald Alexander (Here’s Donny!, 21 Mar, 9.30pm, State Bar, £5). Over on the other side of town, the ARG (Actually Rather Good) collective are taking over Glasgow institution the Hug and Pint as well as an ex-gallery for some top notch hours. While up-and-comer Sophie Duker works out her first solo hour, there are absurd treats from JohnLuke Roberts with another brilliantly titled show

(After Me Comes the Flood [But in French] drip splosh splash drip BLUBBP BLUBBP BLUBBPBLUBBPBLUBBP!!, 31 Mar, 5pm, ARG @ The Vacant Space, £6) and Joz Norris (Joz Norris is Dead. Long Live Mr Fruit Salad, 29 Mar, 8pm, ARG @ The Vacant Space, £6), but the jewel in ARG’s crown has to be the eagerly anticipated return of Josie Long (29-31 Mar, various times, ARG @ The Vacant Space, £8). Expect wry political commentary with a warm, fuzzy glow and an urge to buy tickets immediately cos it will sell out. There’s a buzz coming from both Blackfriars and Berk’s Nest @ The Old Hairdressers too with a roster of new and established talent. Tom Parry (22 Mar, 7.50pm, Old Hairdressers, £8/7) and Lolly Adefope (23 Mar, 2.45pm, Old Hairdressers, £8/7) are both here for WIPs, as are Alison Spittle (Makes a Show of Herself, 29 Mar, 7.30pm, Blackfriars Basement, £10/8) and Rosco McClelland (Tokyo Drift, 16 Mar, 9.15pm, Blackfriars Basement, £10/8). And last but not least, Mr Golden Balls himself can be seen live on stage in Old Glesgae: Jasper Carrott (Stand Up and Rock, 24 Mar, 7.30pm, Theatre Royal, £30/25). He’s the man with the Midas touch. glasgowcomedyfestival.com *According to their website?

John-Luke Roberts

Photo: Sarah Donley

It’s the (second) most wonderful time of the year (for comedy fans [unless you’re in Australia or get to go to Machynlleth but whatever]). That’s right, it’s Glasgow International Comedy Festival time!

WIP (Woman in Progress) D

esiree Burch wants to properly introduce herself. The London-based New Yorker made a memorable impact at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe with her candid show, Unf*ckable, about her former life as a dominatrix. And she’s since become a familiar face on television, appearing on the likes of Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, QI and The Mash Report over the past 18 months. But for her latest hour, which she’s work-inprogressing at the Glasgow Comedy Festival ahead of her Edinburgh return, Burch is hoping to fill in the gaps, to unpack the origin story of how a Christian-raised virgin became a sex worker.

“ So yes, I am a political comic, insofar as my personal feels very political right now” Desiree Burch

“A lot of my work obviously talks about sex and identity. And this is probably continuing in that vein,” she explains. “But I’m focusing more on trying to do a show that would typically be a lot of people’s first show, which is: ‘this is my family and this is where I’m from’. I skipped over that to get to the issue-based stuff. I say that... it’ll probably

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wind up just being a bunch of dick jokes.” After “the fun and ridiculousness” of working in a sex dungeon in a nondescript office block, fulfilling men’s stranger desires, Burch’s initial forays into theatrical storytelling in the US, surviving “hand to mouth,” were accompanied by “my growing awareness of…” and she laughs, “capitalism… and how it affects everything, the way that we treat other human beings and view bodies, the way we understand our sexual selves.” Moving to the UK for a (now-ended) relationship, Burch has discovered herself becoming a politicised comic, almost in spite of herself. The Harvey Weinstein scandal broke as she brought Unf*ckable back to London, giving it an extra social edge. And she’s aware that being “opinionated and articulate enough to hold my own” on television, where “Brits are more interested in getting their news in a funny way than Americans, you wind up making political comedy just because you’re working in that medium.” Besides, “being female, a person of colour, bisexual and even a person of size if you want to call it that, that does put you into certain political categories. So yes, I am a political comic, insofar as my personal feels very political right now.” Currently developing her dominatrix tales for television with the production company Tiger Aspect, makers of Blackadder and The Vicar of Dibley amongst others, Burch’s next screen appearance will be on the Netflix physical gameshow Flinch, which she co-presents with fellow comics Seann Walsh and Lloyd Griffith. “That was just sort of lovely and absurdly human,” she recalls of filming in remote Northern

Interview: Jay Richardson

Desiree Burch

Ireland. “Because none of us really knew what we were getting into. At the end of a show, someone’s wound up on the spot, with loud noises going off behind them, horrific smells or just very intense things being fired at them, trying not to flinch. You have to suffer. But then everyone laughs and it’s done.” Performance is certainly a way to assuage fear, as Burch can attest. “I often have audience

COMEDY

Photo: Teän Roberts

Desiree Burch returns to Scotland with a work-in-progress show about humble beginnings

members going ‘Oh, you’re so brave and confident’. “No, that’s why I put things on stage. It’s practice for real life. In reality, I’m full of fucking anxiety and diffidence. So I’m trying to get my real life up to par with what my stage life appears to be, essentially. I’m doing things in reverse order again.” Desiree Burch WIP, Berk’s Nest @ The Old Hairdressers, 23 Mar, 8.30pm, £12/10

THE SKINNY

ICYMI

Illustration: Emer Keily

This month, Richard Hanrahan says hello to holiday camp sitcom Hi-de-Hi!

ow felt about right for me to unearth Hi-De-Hi!. Though not exactly a hidden gem, I simply hadn’t thought the show would interest me – but while researching my latest character, it fit the bill. Jimmy Whobblers is an old stand-up long past his sell-by date from the working men’s club scene. More Les Dawson than Bernard Manning, Whobblers never got his big break – though he did present a tiddlywink gameshow called Can’t Wink, Won’t Wink, where contestants would be paired with behemoths from the competitive tiddlywink scene, while Jimmy asked questions with his co-host, a tiny bird called Winky Woo, perched lazily on his shoulder.

Biographically, Jimmy was raised in holiday camps, as his father, a butcher in the trenches of the First World War, plied his trade at Butlins throughout the land, until two children were murdered and his former moniker as ‘The Butcher of Butlins’ garnered notoriety. This world is depicted in Hi-De-Hi!’s fictional holiday camp, Maplins. Following its entertainment team workers, there’s an element of North Korea about proceedings, as the resort insists everyone responds to “Hi-de-Hi” with a cheery “Ho-di-Ho”, and ensures everyone must have fun at all times, even designating Thursdays as ‘Sunshine Smile Day’ (made additionally comic

with characteristically British gap-toothed gurns and grins). Given the specificity of setting and characters, each brimming with potential status conflict, it is strange how quickly narrative goes off-piste. Initial episodes focus on controversial beauty contests and the like (sexism thinly disguised as “sauciness”) but by episode four the resident jockey is hiding in a fencing costume from the mob in fear of molotov cocktails. Upfront, the emphasis on physical, colourful turns is pleasing, with plenty of costumes and accents on show – people are constantly dressing up as ‘orses’. Given the situation, a

ridiculous costume makes sense, providing a strangely grounded surrealism – like a kitchen sink drama with custard pies. There’s a tragedy to it all, as beneath the surface this is a troupe of alcoholics and sex addicts forced to run a family holiday camp while basically on the grift. They’re each bleakly trapped in a life by the choices they’ve made, though still unfathomably horny. An image of a pantomime donkey having to ride a real horse stands out, reminiscent of Werner Herzog’s nihilistic oeuvre.

“ There’s an element of North Korea about proceedings, as the resort insists everyone responds to ‘Hi-deHi’ with a cheery ‘Ho-di-Ho’” Aside from being culturally oblivious, the show is let down for me by its credit sequences – I hate the theme tune. I’m so sorry. Where it should be endearing, hummable and make you feel safe, Hi-de-Hi!’s rock n’ roll theme feels uninspired. Meanwhile, the end credits host an imaginary curtain call – you know the thing, each actor does a cheeky wink, or a sip of tea and a posed laugh. It’s like they want to make it clear that, unlike Maplins, you’re free to leave. After this initial exposure, I can’t say I’m hooked but I’ve found enough appreciation to stick with it. At the end of the day, it’s (mostly) good (mostly) clean (mostly) fun, a bit like the camps themselves. Hi-de-Hi! Jimmy Whobblers: Burp in Progress, State Bar, 17 Mar, 8pm, £5/4 glasgowcomedyfestival.com/shows/2456

Fringe Dog in Glasgow Fringe Dog runs away from home to give us a guide to Glasgow International Comedy Festival

s im a norfolk terrier you might ask me why im stickin my muddy paws into the glasgow comedy festival programme . it is a very fair and resonable question and it is no less than i would expect from someone as briliant and insiteful as you you say :surely the “edimbrugh fringe dog “ is goin to be biased against glasgow !?! o boy if you want to see my hero look in the mirror !!! you so clever to rumble me straight away !!! ok ,it no secret i love edimbrugh with all my heart valves … but even i admit edimbrugh is to comedians what a dog home is to dogs … a wonderful place where you go with lots of other dogs to get better as a dog and wait for someone to notice how special you are

March 2019

but theres something very different and very funny about glasgow … i truly believe glasgow has more comedians born per population and per minute than anywhere else in the world !!! i have no fundin to prove my hypothesis and if it wasnt for the current political climates we could make reserachin comedic births in glasgow a big priority … insted we must stockpile essentials like puppy trainin pads and wormin tablets .it shame as it would be an illuminatin and hilarious study and o boy do we need some big glasgow laughs right now !!! but if i could start my glasgow study i would begin with billy connolly . now im not a theological expert but i do think billy connolly might be god . the three giant murals of mr billy around

glasgow suggest he is worshipped as a deity in glasgow (or perhaps a fertility symbol ??? ) . i do think this is most wise . you say :ahha ,this interestin philosophical train of thoughts you start here fringe dog .are you sayin comedy started with god /mr billy --and if so what came before god ??? again i congratulates you on your intellect ,but the question “what came before god ??” ,is easy to answer and verify :it was mr arnold brown. mr arnold was born a few years before mr billy ,in glasgow ,in 1936. thats about 581 dog years ago !!! he was first comedian to play famous comedy store in london and first stand-up to win edimbrugh comedy award in 1987 .we owe him much bonio.

COMEDY

Words: Fringe Dog mr arnold once share stage at ibrox with frank sinatra !!! he make briliant pun on mr frank’s song title “fly me to the moon “ by callin it “fly me to dunoon “. it 5star pun and make me smile and pant for breath every time i think on it we must try and find all the glasgow comics at the glasgow comedy festival . larry dean ,limmy ,scott agnew ,elaine c smith ,ashley storrie ,janey godley ,christopher macarthur-boyd and many more glasgow comedians ,all 5star briliants ,o boy it will be just like a game of fetch !!! with this undertakin you will see the perfect art form of stand-up comedy in its natural habitat . Glasgow International Comedy Festival runs 14-31 March in venues across the city glasgowcomedyfestival.com

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Dial M for Maddin The endlessly inventive Guy Maddin has crafted a skew-whiff remake of Vertigo from clips of films set in San Francisco. The result is both loving homage and sly critique, and the Canadian director cheekily suggests he’s improved on Hitchcock’s original Interview: Philip Concannon

e’ve all heard a lot of outlandish claims made about Chuck Norris thanks to the ‘Chuck Norris Facts’ meme that was an internet staple some years ago, but Guy Maddin may be the first filmmaker to invoke French master Robert Bresson when discussing the actor. “His almost expressionless face is Bressonian in the power of its clean slate qualities,” Maddin insists over the phone from his home in Winnipeg. “It’s just changing the context of something that changes everything. It’s risible, but only because we’ve thought of Chuck Norris mostly being an action star. Once you take away the things he’s most famous for, it turns out he has this incredible presence, really mysterious. There’s something in that blankness that reminds me of Bresson in his best movies, where the same dynamic is at work. You project onto that face. It’s really beautiful and elegant in Bresson and The Green Fog is… er… something like it. A really cut-rate Bresson.” Chuck Norris makes a number of appearances in The Green Fog, along with Rock Hudson, Michael Douglas, Karl Malden, Vincent Price, Joan Crawford, Nicolas Cage, Glenn Close and seemingly every other actor who has ever made a film or television series in San Francisco. Commissioned to create a piece celebrating the city for the San Francisco Film Festival, Maddin and his co-directors Galen and Evan Johnson have delivered a thrillingly imaginative and frequently hilarious collage that takes Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo as its template. “We knew we wanted a high-concept, or at least medium-concept, idea to give us additional restrictions beyond the one given to us by our commissioners,” Evan Johnson told me in an email. “It was probably after a couple weeks of watching SF-based movies and noting their Vertigo similarities that we decided to just remake the thing already.” The Green Fog is surely the strangest remake you’ll ever see. It loosely follows the structure of Hitchcock’s film, recreating its iconic scenes – the rooftop chase, the jump into the bay, the tower climb and fall – but stitching together actors from across multiple decades of cinema and television. Maddin has often spoken of Vertigo as his favourite film of all time, but he saw this as an opportunity to interrogate and critique certain aspects of the film rather than making a mere homage. “More than any other Hitchcock film, Vertigo pretty much makes it known how aware it is of how horribly destructive the male gaze can be,” he says. “I remember how thrilled we were when one of my collaborators found footage that’s able to pry the camera away from the male gaze for a while and show a scene between two women having lunch, one of them a sort of stand-in for the Kim Novak character. For once you’re actually getting the would-be Madeleine Elster confiding in a friend about how uncomfortable she is with this whole plot Gavin Elster’s launched her into. We were able to take a slightly different angle on it and I think illuminate some of the things that Hitchcock’s up to.” The result is a film that succeeds in

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approaching Vertigo in a way that is simultaneously respectful, playful and critical, and a film that stands as its own unique object rather than simply a pastiche of a masterpiece. “We haven’t destroyed Vertigo,” Maddin says. “We’ve just taken it apart, looked at all its component pieces, and stitched together a Frankenstein’s version of it. By the time you’ve finished that exercise, you really know the movie and you know more about how movies are put together than you could ever learn from just making your own movie from scratch, in a way. It’s a really interesting way of learning about cinema. It feels great to be in my early 60s and still learning like crazy.” Maddin’s recent collaboration with Galen and Evan Johnson also appears to have had a reinvigorating effect on the director. This is their third project together, following the short Bring Me the Head of Tim Horton and their deliriously brilliant feature The Forbidden Room in 2015, and throughout our conversation, he heaps praise on the brothers, who took responsibility for much of the editing while Maddin was teaching at Harvard. “They would edit late at night and send me cuts in the morning. I’d give them a few notes but not much. I was basically just waving pom-poms like a cheerleader on the sidelines while they assembled the movie,” he says. “My job is to collaborate with the fair-usage lawyer and the composer and with the San Francisco Film Festival, so they did way more work on this one. I guess if there’s more than one director it’s more common for there to be two, and for them to be brothers, so maybe eventually they can just take over and be the Johnson brothers, the JoBros. They can put flowers on my grave.” The co-director credit being shared among three people is indeed unusual, but Evan says it makes sense when their working practices as a trio have become so fluid and organic. “The longer we work together the more the roles blur and we just make all the decisions together in a kind of inane foggy self-satisfied groupthink,” he says. “More generally, the process of working with Guy is mostly just fun in a basic sense, though it’s occasionally irritating, sometimes life-affirming though more frequently life-denying, often confusing and enervating. But as I said, fun mostly. He’s mostly a great guy!” Another uncommon aspect of The Green Fog is that it started life as a commissioned piece but has now expanded far beyond the anticipated parameters of the original pitch. This has been a running theme throughout Maddin’s career. The Heart of the World was made as a brief prelude for screenings at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival and it became one of the decade’s most acclaimed shorts, while My Winnipeg began as a commission from The Documentary Channel before evolving into a travelling roadshow, complete with live celebrity narrations (including Lou Reed, who fell asleep at the mic). Interest in The Green Fog could easily have ended with the San Francisco Film Festival in April 2017, but it continues to thrive. “I’m always honoured that somebody would

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trust me with money and a deadline, but I’m also competitive and I want to over-deliver,” says Maddin. “I want to give them more than they ever expected, so I usually do. When I was commissioned to make my short movie The Heart of the World, and similarly a ballet version of Dracula, in each case they ended up over-performing. Instead of just one-offs for a festival or TV broadcast, they ended up with theatrical releases and big festival screenings. I know some people accept commissions with a different attitude, and they kind of mail something in and save all their creative genius for their own work – which might be smarter than me in the long run – but when I accept them I have so much adrenaline, and it’s the same with my collaborators. We really want to deliver.”

“ We haven't destroyed Vertigo. We've just taken it apart, looked at all its component pieces, and stitched together a Frankenstein's version of it” Guy Maddin

What kind of existence The Green Fog will enjoy remains to be seen, but one hopes it does remain in circulation in some form after its festival run is complete. It’s a film that greatly benefits from multiple viewings, allowing audiences to catch the unexpected cameos, gags and allusions that initially flash by in a bewildering orgy of images, and it should also have a life as an offbeat companion piece to Vertigo, offering a fresh perspective on many of that canonical film’s themes. Maddin is even cheeky enough to suggest that they might have improved on the source text. “We had the advantage over Hitchcock because we got to see Vertigo first, so we could tighten it up and eliminate all of its dull patches, and improve upon it,” he says. “We’ve taken the all-time greatest movie according to Sight & Sound and knocked it down a notch, so now in 2022 when the next poll comes out we expect to see The Green Fog on top. Hitchcock will have to settle for number two.” The Green Fog screens at Glasgow Short Film Festival on 16 Mar glasgowfilm.org/glasgow-short-film-festival/shows/thegreen-fog-nc-15

THE SKINNY

Short Wonders Ahead of Glasgow Short Film Festival’s First Reels retrospective, GSFF director Matt Lloyd gives us the lowdown on this innovative, forward-thinking 90s short films production scheme TERROR NULLIUS

Sample cinema

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Australian renegade archivists Soda_Jerk bring TERROR NULLIUS, their coruscating critique of the Australian myth, to Glasgow Short Film Festival this month. Ahead of the screening, we ask the duo about sample culture and the controversy their film caused Interview: Eleanor Capaldi

ustralian raised, New York-based siblings Dan and Dominique Angeloro are Soda_Jerk. With activism in their veins, propelled by outrage, the self-named ‘renegade archivists’ have adopted sample culture to disrupt and distort the visual. Soda_Jerk were first switched onto sampling through the experimental hip-hop and queer performance scenes of Sydney in the late 90s. “It wasn’t just that audio sampling was a big part of the way that people were working,” they tell us, “but also that these scenes were intertwined with this resilient and pervasive DIY, punk and squat culture.” The bloom of resistance was thriving. Add a fascination with cinema, and Soda_Jerk became interested in what could happen if they applied the tactics of sampling to film. The artists sit within a heritage of experimental and found footage filmmakers, such as Ellen Cantor who re-edited footage to challenge images of fantasy from a feminist perspective, and Craig Baldwin, who tackled historical discourse in Tribulation ‘99. “We are drawn to artists and thinkers concerned with image politics,” they say, “and the possibilities of radical documentary practice.” Baldwin offered his ‘Other Cinema’ archives, which provided a source of film samples, while his basement floor provided a place to crash. “He taught us that even in apocalyptic neoliberalism it’s still possible to live the art and keep the fight.” It’s a fight they’re fully immersed in. Walking into their studio you’ll find they have, “archives within archives within archives of films we’ve watched, and samples we’ve logged. They’re across towers of hard drives and scrapbooks and every inch of our studio walls.” Cinema reflects and reveals where and how our gaze is falling. These biases, conscious or otherwise, can be deconstructed with a critical eye. Soda_Jerk ‘hack’ this historical record, “strategically reorganising and archiving existing culture in new ways.” In TERROR NULLIUS, icons of Australian national cinema cross paths; Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Crocodile Dundee and Nic Roeg’s Walkabout all meet in the Outback, but not as you know them. Their narratives are questioned, challenged and re-written. Racism, homophobia and toxic masculinity are brought into the frame before being swiftly rebuffed. It’s an interplay between structure and sampled material that Soda_Jerk describe as “a kind of improvisational feedback loop.” “We’d been thinking and scheming an Australian political revenge fable since 2006 but

March 2019

Interview: Jamie Dunn

it was really a decade later that we began to feel the impossible weight of the apocalyptic conservatism that has taken hold in Australia and abroad.” Soda_Jerk watched as the refugee horror unfolded on Manus Island, as the Australian Government polled their queer community’s right to love one another, and as large portions of the federal budget continued to be sunk into expensive monuments to Captain Cook. “Although we wanted to deal deeply and specifically with the Australian contours of this political landscape, these issues are also grossly shared by an international context.” At a time when many are wringing their hands and asking, “What can we do?!”, for Soda_Jerk art was their answer. “We tried law degrees, psychology degrees, art theory, journalism, living in squat spaces and on uranium mining blockades. We’ve made zines and cassette tapes, sought official channels and underground resistance movements,” they explain. “TERROR NULLIUS was really our way of upending our feelings of despair and channelling them into a form of unapologetic rage and radical solidarity.” That radical rage saw the project’s co-commissioners and funders, The Ian Potter Foundation, disassociate themselves from the final work. The artists had to re-export the entire project prior to a screening, just to remove the Foundation’s logo. “Turns out that some of the conservative members of their board of trustees were deeply affronted by the left-leaning politics of the film,” Soda_Jerk tell us. The foundation made a public statement describing TERROR NULLIUS as a “very controversial piece of art” and instructed that there would be no further association between their organisation and the film, despite being aware of its content. What these actions achieved of course, was to draw the press to the film and elevate it even further into the consciousness. In response to these events, Soda_Jerk felt that it only reinforced for them an integral part of what they do. “As an artist you’ve not only got to make the work you want to make but you also have to be willing to push back and stay with the trouble.” When your bread and butter is re-appropriating a nation’s catalogue of beloved film history, the backlash might not stop with funders’ cold feet. In the event, any ire came only from those who missed out on the party. “So far the only people who’ve expressed frustration about the sampling in our film have been those whose work was not sampled. We get emails where Australian directors or actors ask us, like, what am I,

chopped liver?” Positive reactions came from New Zealand film director Jonathan King, whose killer sheep are sampled in TERROR NULLIUS’ bloody finale, and from Heath Ledger’s dad, Kim Ledger. “[He] approached us after a recent screening to tell us how much he felt Heath would have loved the film and our sampling of him within it,” they share. “We’ve always thought of the makers that we sample as our wider sphere of collaborators, so being able to have these conversations now feels like such an insane privilege.”

“ TERROR NULLIUS was our way of upending our feelings of despair and channelling them into a form of unapologetic rage and radical solidarity” Soda_Jerk

As the next trending topic hovers at the edge of your Twitter feed, one reshare away from being the day’s top post, visual culture is only gaining more traction and influence on ever bigger platforms. Which is why working to challenge the messages inherent in one of our most popular cultural forms – film – couldn’t be more relevant at this time. Soda_Jerk wonder if people, “perceive a disjunction between political art and recycled cinema work that is inherently engaged with so-called popular culture.” They conclude, “as the current US presidential situation has made crushingly obvious, mainstream image culture is a principal substrate of contemporary politics. Being able to translate, transform and circulate images has never been more politically important than it is at this moment.”

hen I first dived into the films made in the First Reels scheme (1991-1999), I was struck by the sheer volume of work produced. I couldn’t find one definitive list of titles, so I pieced it together from various paper sources, and it became clear that there was no one single archive of work. “After volume, the second thing to strike me was diversity – in form, subject, tone, approach and, inevitably, quality. The scheme produced everything from ambitious dramas to experimental non-narrative works, from glossy productions to community projects. Some of it was poor, some of it wasn’t finished. But all of it felt original. First Reels refuses easy categorisation as a scheme. I think this is because to a large extent the filmmakers were simply given small pots of money (anything between £50 and £3000) and left to get on with it. It feels to me like an attempt to seed and nurture an emerging film culture. “Going in, I was only really familiar with Peter Mullan’s two First Reels films, Close and Good Day for the Bad Girls, as well as some of the later works, Stephen Morrison’s Frog or Wendy Griffin’s Mirror, Mirror. Many of these works were made by people who went on to build a career in some aspect of film production. But there were names who were totally unknown to me – Shaz Kerr for example, whose film Tool is a captivating yet politically-charged work about tropes of West of Scotland identity, yet has a very European sense of space and the absurd. Travis Reeves is a talented sound designer, but Sad to Say But Sammy is Dead demonstrates considerable understanding of visual storytelling, not to mention meticulous production design, evoking the filmmaker’s childhood in Australia through specially-built sets. “David Mackenzie’s noir pastiche Dirty Diamonds is a real find; though far from perfect, it’s an impressive production of a very absorbing story. I’m a big fan of Lucy Enfield’s The X in Scotland, which considers racial identity in an overwhelmingly white culture. Hannah Robinson’s Relax is less well known than her later short Sheila, but to my mind far more enticingly framed and edited. Suzanne Morrow’s Bust is an inventive essay, while Gillian Steel’s A Currency for the Superstitious is Margaret Tait on speed. “Far more is happening in Scottish production now than was in 1999, when First Reels ended. What is arguably lacking is a diversity of vision; there are few filmmakers who surprise us. At its best, that’s exactly what First Reels did.” Three programmes of First Reels shorts screen at GSFF – most of them for the first time in 20 years

Soda_Jerk head to Glasgow Short Film Festival, opening the festival with TERROR NULLIUS on 13 Mar and also presenting installation Astro Black (CCA Intermedia Gallery, 14-17 Mar)

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Sad to Say But Sammy Is Dead

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Earth, Wind and Ejiofor The tale of how a Malawian schoolboy saved his village by building a wind turbine from bits of scrap is the basis of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Chiwetel Ejiofor tells us why he wanted to bring William Kamkwamba’s inspirational story to the screen

Interview: Jamie Dunn

spoke to them, and that was very helpful.” For Frears, it was the politics of the story that were paramount. “The story of Malawi and what William achieved is a kind of microcosm idea,” says Ejiofor, “but it takes place within this macro idea of a global community and what the kind of global communities represent. And so if we’re talking about issues like climate change and its impact on the environment, of course the West has a big part to play in those dynamics.” McQueen was more invested in the fatherson dynamic between Ejiofor’s Trywell and William (wonderfully played by newcomer Maxwell Simba). It’s certainly a complex relationship, one that’s both loving and fraught with tension. Afterall, Trywell wants to be the one who rescues his family and community from poverty and famine, but he has neither the resilience nor the education to help solve their problems. His curious, inventive, forward-thinking son does.

ou can barely go a month without a major Hollywood actor trying the director’s chair out for size. The inflated egos of stars like Mel Gibson, George Clooney and Ben Affleck have more often than not resulted in turgid vanity projects rather than great works of cinema, but a handful of recent films have broken this pattern. Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born was a moving hand-held take on that classic melodrama. Directing seems a fine fit, too, for Paul Dano, whose soulful family drama Wildlife was one of last year’s most underappreciated gems. Jonah Hill, meanwhile, delivers the annoyingly good coming-of-age film Mid90s in April. This month, the star-turned-surprisingly-assured-director is British-Nigerian actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who’s bringing the incredible true story of William Kamkwamba to a screen near you – the small screen, that is, for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind will find its home on Netflix. Ejiofor’s handsome, thoughtful feature tells how William, as the film’s title puts it, harnessed the wind. In 2001, Malawi was hit by floods followed by a devastating drought; crops across the country failed, including those on the Kamkwamba family farm. The household was reduced to one meagre meal a day, but William – a smart, resourceful 14-year-old – struck upon a possible solution to the crisis while reading a book on energy in his school’s library. Using his father’s bicycle, a bike light dynamo and some scrap salvaged from the nearby junkyard, he engineered a small wind turbine capable of generating electricity to power a pump that could irrigate the parched cornfields and provide his family with a much-needed early harvest. Sitting down with Ejiofor in Berlin ahead of his film’s European premiere, he explains he got the jump on the story after a friend of his attended the LA book launch of William’s memoir (co-written by Bryan Mealer) back in 2009, and insisted Ejiofor pick up the book. They were on the money: Ejiofor was smitten with William’s story. “As I was reading it I initially thought it was

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something that I would try and adapt, you know? But then in the process, I thought, ‘well, actually, I need to direct this as well.’” Where did this urge to direct come from, we ask? “I just felt like I resonated so much with the themes, especially in terms of my own experiences in Nigeria, which is very different to Malawi in many ways, but has strong similarities, especially in the rural communities.” He was also struck by the visual possibilities of the book. “I hadn’t really seen anything that had captured Malawi in this way, cinematically. So I was excited to try and explore that as authentically as I could. And I felt... I felt like... like I was well placed to, um... to try and give it a go.” Do we detect some trepidation? Despite a glittering career in Hollywood, with roles in everything from sci-fi classics (Children of Men) to Oscar-winners (12 Years a Slave) to Marvel blockbusters (Doctor Strange), Ejiofor clearly had nerves about his first gig behind the camera. These apprehensions, he explains, stem from deep feelings of responsibility. “I was so moved by William’s story, and the fact that he was able to live in the solution to his problems.” As well as doing William’s story justice, he also wanted to do right by Malawi – a nation whose image in the West, like that of most nations in Africa, is formed from a succession of outdated clichés. “I wanted to capture the book’s authentic description of Malawi, and of the dynamics there that are very raw, very truthful. And through the rawness you can really appreciate the beauty and the achievement of what William did there, and the optimism of it and the hopefulness of it.” It’s easy to see why Ejiofor would be so taken with William’s story. As well as being an uplifting underdog tale, it also provides a nifty little meta-narrative to this actor’s own attempt to make his first feature. “I was making a story about somebody that’s doing something against all the odds, and I felt the film itself represents doing something against all the odds too,” says Ejiofor. “I wanted to make this film in Malawi, I wanted to

make this film about William Kamkwamba and I’m trying to get everybody on board to try and tell this story. So William’s story is internally inspiring me to make the film about his story. The whole experience felt for me like, ‘I’m trying to build this windmill.’” There are several elements that increased the level of difficulty for Ejiofor. First of all, he’s acting as well as directing, playing William’s traditionalist father, Trywell. Second, he’s resisted the temptation of going the more commercial route of having the cast speak entirely in English. “We’re still in a world where foreign language is a scary prospect for some,” he says. “But it seemed very clear in the nature of the story that one had to authentically represent the village community, otherwise the film would lose a layer of its texture, and its integrity essentially.” In the two decades Ejiofor has been acting, he’s had plenty of opportunities to observe great filmmakers at work. His first big screen role was for Steven Spielberg, no less, in Amistad, while over the years he’s worked with directors as wide-ranging as Spike Lee (Inside Man, She Hate Me), Ridley Scott (American Gangster, The Martian) and Woody Allen (Melinda and Melinda). He jokingly describes his acting career as “on-the-ground vocational director training.” A couple of Ejiofor’s previous bosses actually took a look at his early cuts. “The two people I showed the film to when I was in the editing phase were Stephen Frears [who cast Ejiofor in 2002’s Dirty Pretty Things, his first lead role] and Steve McQueen [director of 12 Years a Slave, for which Ejiofor received an Oscar nomination], and that was great in terms of being able to talk about the film with people who I hugely admire and whose experience and work is so brilliant and vast.” You’d struggle to find two more different directors from whom to seek counsel. We’re curious, what were their notes? “I mean, neither Stephen nor Steve – neither Steve – they didn’t really give notes exactly. They just talked about what impacted them about the film, what really

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“ I was making a story about somebody that’s doing something against all the odds, and I felt the film itself represents doing something against all the odds too” Chiwetel Ejiofor

Ejiofor agrees that it’s a key element to the film. “For me there was something about this idea of a patriarch that was vitally important. Trywell comes to realise that this patriarchal system is imperfect, deeply flawed, and that actually looking to his family – looking to his son and to his wife for support – changes the relationship that he has to his patriarchal society, to the point that he understands that he has to be in service to the community and to his son, that his role is not to dominate those circumstances because that has failed. But his role is to somehow be more of a community member of his family. To me, that’s a very significant and important journey.” The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’s worldwide launch on Netflix will give this rousing film a huge potential audience, but Ejiofor realises that reaching smaller communities in Malawi and other African nations will require a bit more work. “Obviously with Netflix, we are able to tell this story to a lot of people. The film is meant to be inspiring, so to inspire us, in the West, with this hopeful, optimistic story, that’s great. But you can imagine what this film might mean in communities where this film really represents them and their experiences and their challenges. My hope is to find ways to reach beyond the end of the broadband cable and actually get it out into those communities.” The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is streaming on Netflix now

THE SKINNY

March 2019

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THE SKINNY

The Thin Blue Line Carol Morley’s latest film is a hard-boiled police drama based on a Martin Amis novel and it unfolds like a Lynchian dream noir. We speak to the Salfordian director about the art of adaptation, gender and taking female-driven stories seriously

ince 2000, Carol Morley has established herself as one of the most singular voices in British independent filmmaking. Beginning with The Alcohol Years, her self-reflective investigation into her troubled 20s living in Manchester, through to 2014’s The Falling starring Maisie Williams, Morley has spent the past two decades crafting engaging and thoughtful films, often centred around women. Her latest, Out of Blue, a loose adaptation of Martin Amis’s science-themed neo-noir Night Train, is no different. Told almost as if it were a Lynchian dream combined with elements of Polanski’s Chinatown, the plot follows hard-boiled detective Mike Hoolihan (Patricia Clarkson), who is called upon to investigate the murder of Dr Rockwell (Mamie Gummer), an astrophysicist. As Hoolihan digs deeper into the case, she struggles to comprehend what is going on around her, pushing her closer to a mental breakdown. Many years ago, the late Nic Roeg had planned to adapt Amis’s book but never got around to it. It was the Don’t Look Now director’s interest in an adaptation that intrigued Morley when Roeg’s son, Luke, suggested she direct the film. Out of Blue marks Morley’s first literary adaptation, although she never felt beholden to sticking too closely to Amis’s book. “At some point it became a collaboration between me and Martin Amis, even though I hadn’t ever met him, and still haven’t met him,” says Morley, explaining how she approached the text. Filmmakers have struggled with visualising

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Amis’s books over the years. An adaptation of Dead Babies starring Paul Bettany sank without a trace in 2000, while the BBC’s take on Money in 2010 couldn’t recreate the satirical vim of that seminal novel. Morley, though, was relatively unfazed. “I never wanted to make a description of the book,” she explains. “It got to a point where I almost forgot he’d written it.” Morley isn’t being glib. Rather than approaching Out of Blue like your typical literary adaptation, she describes it as closer to covering a song. Anyone familiar with the book will recognise the themes and plot, but there are significant key changes, including Morley’s creation of Professor Ian Strammi – an anagram of Martin Amis – played by Toby Jones. Whereas her most recent feature, The Falling, centred on exploring the emotional impact of sexual awakening, mother-daughter relationships and loss, Out of Blue is more of an intellectual enquiry. The film contemplates the field of cosmology from the point of view of a female detective – it’s no mistake she has a macho name and operates in a male-dominated world. What both films share is how they interrogate the female experience from a female perspective. Look back over Morley’s credits and it’s obvious that she’s passionate about telling female-centric stories, but she is eager to clarify a few things. “I don’t do tick-boxing,” she explains. “I don’t say things like ‘I must have x number of women in the crew, or this many women in the film.’” Like any good director, she knows she has

to do what’s best to serve the story. Femaledriven stories are what she wants to tell, but this isn’t a political statement. “It’s like what Godard said, ‘the problem is not to make political films, but to make films politically,’” says Morley. While Morley might be making strides, the industry hasn’t changed that much for women, even in the wake of #MeToo and #TimesUp. “Talking to script editors I know in the industry, they often hear feedback along the lines of ‘she’s not likeable enough,’ which isn’t something that would happen with a male character.” This is a problem she was conscious of with Out of Blue’s Mike. In the opening scene she seems to retch over the sight of a dead body, only to inform her colleague it’s actually the effect of a bad burger from the previous night. Morley rightly points out that it shouldn’t be a problem to have unlikeable women in film, but don’t call them ‘strong women’ – it’s a term that the director passionately dislikes. This isn’t the only problem – film has always demanded that women take the point of view of male heroes. “Men haven’t had to take on women being the agency of a film for a long time,” she says. “That can feel uncomfortable to men and women because they aren’t used to it yet. It’s difficult, but it’s about cultural acceptance.” This leads to an even bigger problem – those investing the money in films are scared to take risks, and female-driven stories are still viewed as a gamble. “A financier is probably going to invest in a type of film that has made money before,” Morley explains. But she’s not despon-

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Interview: Joseph Walsh

dent, she’s just practical and happy to point out a few rays of hope. “The public bodies, like the BFI, BBC and Film4 will be at the forefront of creating an inclusive landscape, but what’s next is convincing financiers.”

“ Men haven’t had to take on women being the agency of a film for a long time” Carol Morley

At present, female-driven stories aren’t given the respect they deserve, something Morley knows all too well. “Over the years that I’ve been doing this, you see that there are stories that are female-led, or looking at girlhood or womanhood, but that they aren’t taken seriously.” She adds, “You’re not doing it because you are being political, but you soon realise you are entering into a political arena. Nothing’s off limits. Women that tell stories should be free to tell the stories that they want to tell.” Out of Blue is released 29 Mar by Picturehouse Entertainment

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Future Facing The National Theatre of Scotland puts sci-fi on stage in a new trilogy of plays set in the near-future. The Skinny heads to their canal-side HQ to discuss robots, ethics, virtual universes and the future of the human race – no biggie

Interview: Katie Hawthorne

an you really, truly, trust a machine? Interference, a trilogy of new plays commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland, explores the ethical glitches in the shaky new relationships forming between humans and technology. Director Cora Bissett and playwright Hannah Khalil meet with The Skinny to tell us how these are stories about next year, or next week, rather than the next century. Near-Future Stories For Now Interference is comprised of three new plays – Hannah Khalil’s Metaverse, Darklands by Morna Pearson and Vlad Butucea’s Glowstick – all of which are set in the near-future; a rich, weighty spot for science fiction, because it feels too close for comfort. The process began when Bissett was infuriated by the Tory party’s insidious attempts to shred the Human Rights Act 1998 and she started exploring the lack of legislation to protect our digital privacy. “We give so much of ourselves and our private lives, intellectually and emotionally, through so many different means,” she says. “Sometimes it’s consensual; sometimes it’s really not.” “And this was before Cambridge Analytica!” adds Khalil. “She’s a proper Cassandra.” Bringing Science Fiction to the Stage Speculating about potential future doom has been humankind’s guilty pleasure for as long as we’ve been telling each other stories, but it’s a thrill commonly confined to film, telly or books. Science fiction is rarely found on stage, and Bissett wants to change that. “Well, we’re not competing with Bladerunner – of course we’re not! But if you distil everything down to the moral choices that humans are faced with, within our vastly evolving technological world, you don’t need to show all of the kit. That’s not the interesting bit.” Instead, the trilogy drills down into theatre’s particular speciality: all-too-human moral dilemmas. Morna Pearson’s Darklands explores the ethics in gene editing by putting to the test a couple desperate to conceive. Vlad Butucea’s Glowstick is inspired by the trialling of robotic

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care for the elderly – a legitimate potential solution for an aging population, a disintegrating health care system and blood-sucking private care homes – but at what cost? Opening the trilogy is Hannah Khalil’s Metaverse, in which a mother meets her daughter in a virtual space, to help her with her homework. “It really sets a tone of intrigue and ambiguity right at the start,” Bissett enthuses. “You’re not going to know the answers in this world you’re stepping into.” New Technologies in Theatre Khalil, a Palestinian-Irish playwright, has employed new technologies in her work just once before. Her play Scenes from 68* Years used Skype to communicate in real time with an actor in Palestine, and Metaverse was inspired by virtual reality technologies used to help families communicate across geo-political borders – but also by a particularly bad bout of the flu. “My daughter and I have a very physical relationship!” she says. “We’ve never been separated unwillingly, but I was quarantined in a room in our house and it was hideous. Borders are a very live topic, and as someone who is Palestinian, it’s not easy for me to travel [there], or for my family to come out of Palestine.” Apps like FaceTime already fracture our sense of distance; a conversation can take place just as seamlessly over a matter of metres or thousands and thousands of miles, and Khalil’s exploration of virtually-located human relations nudges this idea further. The big question, she says, is: Can digitally mediated communication ever fully replace physical human interaction? Can we create technology that’s as good as a proper hug?

small, site-specific space, how do we make a human go away?!” “Not my problem,” Khalil grins. “I did say to Shyvonne [Ahmmad, the actor] – can’t you do that, then? Can’t you disappear?” Interference will be staged in a new office block in Dennistoun, and is the first site-specific performance this year for the NTS. Video projection and ‘trickery’ aside, such a commonplace setting feels eerie in itself – a reminder of how soon these technologies could become commonplace. Khalil remembers that, at the time of writing, only Butucea was aware that the tech in his play – robotic carers – was already on the horizon. Since then, she and Pearson have both discovered that their imagined scenarios are much closer to the mainstream than they expected. All this reinforces Bissett’s suspicions: we need to move faster to protect ourselves, and that process must involve a deep consideration of what it means to be human. “We’re certainly not saying that technology is bad,” she explains. “There’s a real ebb and flow.

Lots of Trickery This leaves Bissett with the simple question of creating a whole virtual metaverse on stage. Easy, right? “Ahhh. There’s lots of trickery!” She laughs. “We have some quite smart tricks. I don’t want to spoil it but projection is getting us out of a lot of holes. Hannah’s script can look so simple. There’s just a single line on the paper that says: ‘Daughter logs off and disappears.’ We’re in a

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More Than One Story, More Than One Perspective An exchange of ideas and research was central to the project. Bissett explicitly sought out a cohort of writers with different backgrounds, voices and experience levels, to ensure that Interference’s near-future vision is built from more than one story, and more than one perspective. The playwrights then met regularly to share drafts and discuss their work, ensuring that the plays are close – but not too close. Khalil says, “It’s just really unusual to ask three writers who are very, very different in style and don’t know each other at all to write three plays in response to a provocation. It’s quite something that there’s actually a real simpatico between them; all three could be in the same world.” The end result should feel episodic, like three instalments of the same series. Obviously we’re used to that in sci-fi. For Bissett, it makes perfect sense to borrow framing devices from other media. “People are engaging with narrative in such interesting ways now – like gamers wearing full body suits to be at the centre of their own narrative. We’ve got to learn from this! We keep finding new ways to shape and form and structure stories, but story will never go. It’s the most primal thing we have.” Khalil agrees. “There’s etiquette to theatre that technology can begin to break down, and we need to allow that to happen. If we want to bring new audiences into the theatre, the way that they watch and engage is going to be different than ‘ssssssshhhh!’” She mimes putting a finger to her lips. “I think theatre can learn to be bolder. Sometimes [theatre makers] can be guilty of waiting for things to happen, and then responding. That’s what I really like about these plays – they’re thinking about what’s going to happen.” It might just be that our urge to discuss dystopian futures could save us yet. Interference, CityPark, Glasgow, 16-30 Mar nationaltheatrescotland.com

Glowstick rehearsals

THE SKINNY

Photo: Jassy Earl

Photo: Simon Annand

I mean, we live with it! There’s no way we can switch it off and go backwards. It’s incredible what the human brain has created. The important part is what we do with it. But in each of these pieces I think there’s hopefulness, there’s a resilient human spirit in all of them.”

March 2019

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THE SKINNY

50 years en pointe

019 marks 50 years since Peter Darrell founded Scotland’s national ballet company, Scottish Ballet, which was then called Scottish Theatre Ballet. To mark the occasion, the Spring! Tour opens later this month at Eden Court in Inverness, a location that’s always on Scottish Ballet’s touring list but not necessarily for a season’s premiere, emphasising the company’s status as a national (rather than simply a Central Belt) company. The Spring! Tour The Spring! is a new double bill which includes late Scottish choreographer, Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations, described as an ‘antidote to the blues’, which will be performed with a live ragtime band on stage, and the premiere of Sophie Laplane’s Dextera, set to the music of Mozart and played by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. Born in Dunfermline, MacMillan was an internationally renowned choreographer, known for putting real and emotionally volatile characters on the classical stage. Laplane is a rising star of Scottish Ballet. Having previously danced with the company she’s now their artist-in-residence, a transition that was supported by Scottish Ballet CEO and artistic director Christopher Hampson, who commissioned Oxymore, her first piece for the company, in 2013. She speaks of the encouraging atmosphere within the company that allowed her to transition to choreographer. “I had already choreographed while dancing with Scottish Ballet, [Maze, 2015, Sibilo, 2017], but felt the time had come for me to fully invest in a choreographic career. So when I hung up my pointe shoes in 2017 Christopher Hampson gave me the opportunity to stay close to Scottish Ballet by making me artist-in-residence. It’s an amazing privilege to have the title. He has given me a lot of support, acting as my mentor throughout the process.” Dextera, Laplane explains, is a response to the celebratory nature of the Spring! tour: “When I think of Scottish Ballet, the first word that comes to mind is ‘creativity’! I’ve always been fascinated by hands and the multiple meanings attached to their vocabulary. So I wanted to explore the idea of creators and their hands, their artistic vision, of course, but also the hard work that goes into a ‘creation’.” Another starting point was her decision to

March 2019

use Mozart’s music in her first opportunity to work with the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. With Mozart, she says, “The scope for a choreographer is amazing – you can go from playful to awe-inspiring to absolute beauty.” She quotes the highly-experimental choreographer whose work crossed between ballet, modern dance and Broadway, Twyla Tharp, who states of Mozart: “his hands were deformed because of all the hours he had spent practising, performing and gripping a quill to compose.” “This is what it’s all about: creativity and sheer hard work!” Laplane explains. Digital Season Not limiting themselves to a traditional touring format, Scottish Ballet will be unveiling a new 2019 digital season in late March, following the success of 2017’s inaugural run. One strand will be a selection of work from digital artist-in-residence Zachary Eastwood-Bloom. Eastwood-Bloom describes his process as somewhat ‘nebulous’. He studied ceramics at Edinburgh College of Art and Royal College of Art

in London, and works with digital software to explore shape and form in sculpture. “Prior to this residency the only experience I had working with dance was making an audio responsive digital projection that dancers performed in front of,” he explains, though he admits that he has found this experience very informative for working with Scottish Ballet. He stresses he is not a dancer, and this informs his approach. “I knew I wanted this residency to be highly collaborative. Everyone has their own way of thinking I happen to think through making art and sculpture, but others think through dance, music, words… and I was keen to bring those multiple ways of thinking together to explore a succinct set of allegorical stories that represent modern technological life.” He continues, “It is a very ideas-led approach where the music, dance, visuals and tone of each piece come together in stages along the way until we have a finished set of short films.” Edinburgh International Festival In addition, Scottish Ballet have a coveted spot at the Edinburgh International Festival this year: the world premiere of Helen Pickett’s The Crucible, based on Arthur Miller’s 1953 theatrical masterpiece which depicts the hysteria and paranoia of the Salem witch trials. Anyone lucky enough to have seen the company’s double bill in 2016 featuring work from Crystal Pite, one of the most exciting and sought-after choreographers working today, will no doubt expect the same level of intensity, innovative choreography and physical virtuosity. Other announcements for their 50th year include: an ambitious Five in Five plan, which aims to create five new full-length ballets in five years; a new production for winter titled The Snow Queen and choreographed by Hampson; and five wishes granted to members of the public, to be given throughout the year. #metoo As across all arts and political infrastructure, it’s a time of reckoning for those in power. The ballet world has not been without its share of scandals and revelations of abuses of authority. In March

Interview: Roisin O’Brien

last year, Hampson released a strong statement emphasising the importance of those in charge to abandon old, potentially damaging practices (the statement can be read on Scottish Ballet’s website). “Artistic directors, choreographers, teachers, coaches are all, in some form or another, in a position of power and influence,” he states. “Dancers today are asking more of us as leaders. That’s a good thing, and it is important that we listen, learn and deliver success to the next generation.” That there are two female choreographers in this season’s announcement is a positive sign. Despite the abundance of young girls who go into ballet, unfortunately there are still far fewer female choreographers than male choreographers working at the top level in ballet institutions. And people are calling for change. Bold Programming, Challenging Perceptions Hopefully these surprises continue on stage for the company’s receptive audience. Hampson emphasises that “Since our very beginnings in 1969, Scottish Ballet have been known for bold programming and bringing the best in dance to people all across Scotland. Now, in our 50th year, we want to highlight how far we’ve come in continuing that pioneering spirit.” For Eastwood-Bloom, the audience might find something within ballet they hadn’t seen before. “I think Scottish Ballet is being very forward thinking in challenging preconceptions with their ‘Digital Season’, especially with bringing in people like me who work in different creative practices. “Bringing ballet out of the theatrical realm and introducing what might be considered unusual genres of music for ballet and then adding visual effects, brings a whole realm of possibilities in terms of concepts. I am really hoping to reach people who see what we have done and think ‘Shit, maybe I do like ballet, I want to make music or dance or make art like that!’ It is all about creative thinking whatever your mode of thinking might be.” Spring! Eden Court, Inverness, 28-30 Mar, various times, then touring scottishballet.co.uk/event/spring

Andrew Peasgood and Constance Devernay for Spring!

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Photo: Nicola Selby

Sophie Martin rehearsing Scottish Ballet's production of Helen Pickett's The Crucible

Photo: Andy Ross

As Scottish Ballet prepare to mark their fifth decade of existence, they chat to The Skinny about their new season of bold programming and challenging contemporary perceptions of ballet

Brexit, Stage Left With weeks to go until the UK withdraws from the EU, The Skinny asks theatremakers from around Scotland what Brexit could do to Scottish theatre, and wonders – has Brexit already made an impact on the industry?

Interview: Amy Taylor Illustration: Edith Ault

t started, as so many things do these days, with a Twitter thread about Brexit. But, unlike most Twitter threads about Brexit, this one – by former Artistic Director of the Dundee Rep Joe Douglas, now the Artistic Director at the Live Theatre in Newcastle – was focused on Brexit’s impact on UK theatre. The issue, he felt, was that UK theatre – with the exception of children’s theatre – was “already pretty Brexited.” But what compelled Douglas to write these tweets in the first place? “The news prompted it and all the talk of the ‘threat to British industry’,” he explains. “It just started me to thinking about how little integration really happens in most of the theatre industry and how much we’d actually notice the effect.” This lack of integration within the industry is something that Douglas is keen to change but, he adds, there are many barriers in place that are stopping that happening. “I have very little working relationship with other European theatres outside of the UK and Ireland. I want to change that, but it will take time to build relationships. There are lots of barriers – water makes it trickier, lack of language skills is a barrier,” he continues. Language Barriers For some of the theatremakers we speak to, our reluctance to engage with other artists by learning another language is part of the reason we are so cut off from European colleagues. “I’m struck by the disjunct between a Scottish theatre sector largely united in lamentation over our imminent departure from the EU, and the crashingly pervasive monolingualism among that same sector – and worse yet, the sheer level of institutional complacency about that monolingualism. You’re part of the problem, guys, and please don’t pretend otherwise.” says Alan McKendrick, a playwright, director and writer. “Going to the effort of having learned a second language currently seems about as welcome an attribute in a Scottish theatre context as being left-handed was in a Victorian school classroom,” he continues. Scottish Theatre is European Theatre Despite the lack of a common language between artists, Douglas is unequivocal when it comes to discussing European theatre’s contribution to Scottish theatre. “Scottish theatre is European,” he explains. “European theatre’ sometimes feels like a catch all for ‘something that isn’t a kitchen sink drama’. But you’d have to look to the Citizens programming in the 1970s-90s and latterly some of Dominic Hill’s experimentations with form – his collaborations with composer Nikola Kodjabashia, for example.” It’s true to say that a lot of 20th century Scottish theatre was influenced by playwrights and companies from mainland Europe, and Scottish theatrical heavyweights, such as John McGrath, 7:84 and Wildcat were heavily influenced by Brecht and Dario Fo, while companies such as Communicado and Theatre Babel gave their own spin to other European classics. For many of the artists we interview, the impact that theatre from Europe had had on not just their work, but also their feelings about the industry is obvious. “The European theatre I saw in my early days at the Edinburgh Festival, particularly the work of Kantor and other Polish theatre makers brought over by Richard Demarco, had a massive influence on me,” says the actor Tam Dean Burn.

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For the award-winning performance maker Nic Green, European theatre is responsible for creating some of the most important theatrical experiences of her life. “Some of my most formative and important experiences in the theatre have been watching work from across Europe. I have always identified as much with the canon of contemporary European theatre as I have with theatre from Scotland or the UK, perhaps even more so,” she explains. Emerging artists based in Scotland have continued to be inspired by work made in Europe, with some of the sector’s up-and-coming artists creating performances that have not only been inspired by international artists, but also continue to seek out opportunities to work with them. “There’s a whole host of younger artists and companies coming through – Tortoise in a Nutshell, Ana Inés Jabares-Pita, Sara Shaarawi, Company of Wolves to name a few – who seem heavily influenced by work outside Scotland and actively seek international collaboration,” says Douglas. What Happens After Brexit? No one knows what will happen after the UK withdraws from the EU on, or perhaps even around, 29 March. But what can theatremakers in Scotland do to ensure that they celebrate and maintain their links to mainland Europe? “I refute the idea that this sense of identity and influence will change in the face of Brexit,” begins Green. “However, because of it, I feel a need and responsibility to reach out more openly to the European artists and organisations I respect to

counter the perceived barriers people in power draw around us. Collaboration is political! If only the government knew how to do it better.” Her sentiments are echoed by Dean Burn: “I’m hoping that whatever happens with Brexit that theatremakers across borders will reach out to each other to break through Fortress Europe and offer theatrical elements to the growing international youth rebellion against climate catastrophe.” While many of the artists interviewed believe that Brexit will make it harder to collaborate, Leonie Rae Gasson, a theatre director and artist, sees it as an opportunity for creative people to work together. “Brexit will likely make it harder to work with our European collaborators sure, but I’ve never known a creative to be put off by a challenge – it’s in our blood to find new ways to solve problems,” she says. In fact, Gasson believes that Brexit has propelled artists to become more involved in political work, which has changed their outlook and their goals. “But actually, the biggest impact of Brexit that I am seeing in Scotland’s creative sector is a renewed energy, it’s not enough anymore to stand on the sidelines. I look around me and artists are becoming more politically engaged and they are looking to reach new and bigger audiences. I mean god forbid we left politics to the politicians.” While many artists credit Scotland’s festivals as platforms for seeing European work, others are critical of the lack of similar work available to audiences outwith these events.

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“I really feel it would be a wonderful thing for a great many of our current Scottish practitioners to witness truly cutting-edge European work, not the heritage-rock international-festival circuit stuff which we do most often get instead,” says McKendrick. “It would be great for many current Scottish establishment figures to see genuinely radical European theatre for once, because it would hopefully shock them into realising that so much of their own work is utterly aesthetically juvenile and artistically unambitious in comparison, and that they should stop wasting everyone’s time and cease any and all further attempts at artistic creation right now.” Liam Rees, a Scottish dramaturg, who is currently doing an internship with BRONKS, the Brussels-based theatre company, echoes McKendrick’s thoughts about the disparity between Scottish and European plays, and sees Brexit as a symptom of a bigger problem in society. “In Scotland, I found the International Festival and Fringe would come and consistently the best work I saw was by European makers, and then the work for the rest of the year just felt incredibly dull and safe by comparison,” says Rees. He continues: “Theatre is overwhelmingly white and middle/upper class – we need to sort those problems because Brexit and our insularity are just symptoms of a more fundamentally rotten system.” Alan McKendrick, Tam Dean Burn, Nic Green and Leonie Rae Gasson will all appear as part of Dear Europe @ SWG3, Glasgow, 29 Mar nationaltheatrescotland.com/production/dear-europe

THE SKINNY

March 2019

THE SKINNY

Migrant Voices Co-editor of The Good Immigrant USA, Chimene Suleyman discusses this new anthology offering a platform to often marginalised voices Interview: Sim Bajwa

here is no ‘universal’ immigrant story. It’s an idea that The Good Immigrant USA, a sibling of sorts to the breakthrough collection The Good Immigrant, reflects, resulting in a searing, defiant anthology of essays navigating race, identity and immigration in a country that increasingly devalues and dehumanises black and brown people. Fatima Farheen Mirza writes about the everyday experience of being Muslim in Trump’s America; Yann Demange writes about the identity crisis and erasure that comes with being a mixed race Londoner, with brown skin, a French name, and a London accent; Chigozie Obioma writes about the contradiction between the America he saw from Nigeria and the America he experiences as a Nigerian immigrant. The essays in the collection are absolutely vital to the times that we are living in, and demonstrate the importance of platforming voices that speak truth to power. “It just made sense to do it,” Chimene Suleyman says. “When the UK edition of The Good Immigrant came out, none of us expected it to do as well as it did. We started to see that it was shaping something. It sort of went beyond being a book, and it did start to affect how people in publishing started to view representation and lend itself to a wider discourse in Britain. It stopped feeling like a singular anthology. The parallels between how things are playing out between British politics and American politics aren’t vastly dissimilar. It just made sense to keep expanding these voices – if I could do one in every country, I would.” Suleyman, who co-edits the anthology alongside Nikesh Shukla, wrote for both the UK and US editions. Her initial essay considered the rejection she felt in England, despite being born and raised here, while her American counterpart explores the experience of living in America and not being treated as a Turkish Muslim woman, but as a white English woman. “For the first time in my life I was being treated with a level of privilege that I didn’t really experience in England. Writing the American piece was less painful for me,” she explains, “because I didn’t feel like I was disowned by my home. I know this isn’t my home in the same way that London is so I was just more interested by the fact that race here isn’t that nuanced in a lot of ways. There’s a different relationship with race and immigration ever so slightly. I come out here and I tell people I’m Turkish and they’re like ‘Oh, what part of England?’ “They can’t get past the accent. It’s the same thing of pre-conceived ideas people have based on how you dress or how you speak. There’s this very distinct idea of what a Middle Eastern

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person is out here and they’re running bodegas or selling you kebabs or whatever. But if you present as someone with an English accent and you have tattoos, then there’s no way you can be Middle Eastern, there’s no way you can be Muslim for them. Because you’re not fitting the stereotype that they’ve been told time and again that Muslims only wear hijabs and they hate the West and they’re all terrorist supporters – and when you don’t fit that framework, like most people don’t, they don’t know what to do with it.”

“ It shouldn’t matter whether immigrants serve your life or not – just let them be, and let them live in their homes with the people that they love, in the streets that have become theirs” Chimene Suleyman

The Good Immigrant USA challenges these assumptions directly, and hits back at a political and social hierarchy that assigns privilege to a select few. As Suleyman talks about the privilege she experiences in the US, being regarded as ‘one of the good ones’, Maeve Higgins writes about the experience of being an undocumented Irish immigrant before 9/11, and feeling very little anxiety about her status. “Maeve’s piece was really incredible because it gave some insight into the fact that there was no fear – and that’s something that’s constantly instilled into brown and black people, to always be fearful. White people have never had to worry about overstepping boundaries,” Suleyman says, comparing Higgins’ piece with the experience of 21 Savage, who having overstayed his visa as a young child, faces risk of deportation. “It’s really interesting because I read one of the statements from one of his lawyers who actually referred to him as ‘one

Credit: Little, Brown

of the good ones’, like ‘isn’t this what you want immigrants to be doing? He’s a successful one’. I understand that narrative, I understand that its well-intentioned but it’s also dangerous. Because where do you draw the line? If you’re constantly looking for who is allowed in and who isn’t and what is good and what is bad, if everything becomes that binary then they’ll keep pushing those parameters of what makes you good and what makes you allowed to stay – until virtually no one can move or travel, which is essentially where we’re at. British and American politics and a lot of Europe is essentially saying that they really don’t want anybody.” A triumph of the collection is that it’s not trying to appeal to the white gaze, or explain or validate itself to people who aren’t affected by immigration. “We constantly, even when we’re trying to say positive things about immigrants, centre the white experience. If you truly have any respect for immigrants and see them as people, you would not put yourselves at the centre of their experience. You would just let them be,” says Suleyman. “During the Brexit campaign, the Remain side irritated me as much as the Leave campaign, because when it focused on immigration, it was still incredibly misguided and condescending. There was still this idea of, ‘What would we do without all the immigrants working for the NHS, immigration is wonderful, look at all these exotic, colourful things that have enriched

BOOKS

our lives.’ They’re still prioritising themselves in the immigrant experience and basically saying that they have a use for immigrants. It shouldn’t matter whether immigrants serve your life or not – just let them be, and let them live in their homes with the people that they love, in the streets that have become theirs.” The Good Immigrant shifted the narrative around race and representation, adding nuance and compassion to conversations around immigration. Suleyman hopes that The Good Immigrant USA does the same thing, but more importantly, she hopes that the collection will reach people who feel othered and alone. “I want the book to comfort people and to hopefully be the beginning of a much wider discussion about not who immigrants are, but about how we need a space to tell our own stories and not be spoken for all the time. I’m not looking to convince people of who is a good immigrant and who is a bad immigrant, or what immigration means. I’m not out here to convince you of my worth or anyone else’s worth. I just want the people who felt so marginalised and so alienated to not feel alone and start to feel like there’s a space for them to tell their own stories and live their own lives the way that they want to. That’s the narrative I want.” The Good Immigrant USA is out 7 Mar via Dialogue Books

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Hold Water Senga Nengudi is one of the foremost of the avant garde black art scene extending from the 1970s in the USA. This month her first solo show outside the US opens in The Fruitmarket Gallery

Senga Nengudi Ceremony for Freeway Fets, 1978, Documentation of performance and installation piece, Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles

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Photo: Quaku/Roderick Young*

Senga Nengudi R.S.V.P. Reverie ‘D’ (detail), 2014

Photo: Courtesy the artist; Sprüth Magers, Berlin; Lévy Gorvy, New York, London; and Thomas Erben Gallery, New York

his spring, The Fruitmarket Gallery will present the first solo exhibition of American artist Senga Nengudi in Scotland, following a retrospective of the artist’s work at The Henry Moore Foundation. Featuring works from her extensive 40 year career, the exhibition attempts to bring together her diverse practice, with focus on sculpture and installation work. Born Sue Lyons, Nengudi changed her name to N’Senga (later shortened to Senga) Nengudi in 1974, referring to a Bantu ethnic tribe from Zambia, and continues to utilise different monikers depending on the medium in which she is working – a way to subvert expectations of what her work should be because of her name. She was born in Chicago in 1943 and went on to study art and dance. Indeed, her dance background is evident in her sculptural works in which figurative bodies are invoked and in her performance work, where she blends ritual and spiritualism to create movement that is inspired by both African and Japanese rituals. Emerging from a wave of avant garde black artists in 1970s New York and Los Angeles, who are not as well known in the UK, Nengudi counts artists like documentary filmmaker Barbara McCullough and assemblage artist and printmaker Betye Saar among her peers. David Hammons and Maren Hassinger are among her collaborators. Working out of Studio Z in Los Angeles in the 1970s, Nengudi and Hammons shared a studio and their influence on each other’s work is evident. Speaking about the upcoming exhibition in Edinburgh, Laurence Sillars, Head of Programme at The Henry Moore Institute and curator of the show at Fruitmarket describes his excitement at coming to Nengudi’s practice, “to have such a diversity of work to choose from. Nengudi has made a vast body of work incorporating a great diversity of material, from her water sculptures, to installations made of sand and poured paint pigment to her famous R.S.V.P. sculptures made from stretched, knotted and stuffed nylon tights.” While there have been shows including Nengudi’s work before in the UK, these have primarily selected a specific time period or material to focus on. Sillars highlights that it felt “especially important to show the full range of her work and the enormous scope of her contribution to art history. Part of that meant recreating works that hadn’t been shown for 50 years, however– something that was a lot easier said than done.” One of Nengudi’s best known works might illustrate some of the difficulties to which Sillars nods. Drawing together her collaborative practice with David Hammons and Maren Hassinger, as well as her interest in ritual and spiritualism there is her 1978 work, Ceremony for Freeway Fets, an environmental sculpture situated under a Los Angeles freeway. She performed with frequent collaborators Hammons and Hassinger, who were outfitted to represent male and female energies, as Nengudi performed between them, bringing together the oppositional energies while herself wearing a headdress. No remains of the installation exist, which perhaps speaks to Nengudi’s belief in impermanence – not a rejection of the concept but an acceptance. Able to evolve and mutate, to disappear and re-appear at her behest. Nengudi credits this to the Japanese notion of ‘wabi sabi’ – in accepting impermanence and finding beauty in imperfection. Complementing Nengudi’s attraction to

ART

Interview: Myriam Mouflih

ephemeral works, there is also a repeated interest throughout her oeuvre in the ready-made, taking what is everyday or readily available and imbuing a sense of life into it. After the birth of her first child, she was (as she has put it) “fascinated with the way the body stretches to near breaking point then returns to its original shape – almost.” This concept served as the inspiration of perhaps her best known series of works RSVP (Respondez S’il Vous Plait), in which Nengudi utilises nylon tights to create sculptures, the stretching fabric representative of the change a woman’s body can endure. Nengudi describes the aim of her art as “to share common experiences in abstractions that hit the senses and centre, often welcoming the viewer to become a participant.” She almost invites the viewer to experience her subjectivity, embodying it through sculpture. On the importance of this exhibition happening Sillars reflects, “This show would have been important at any time over the last 40 years or more, so it feels especially important to make it finally happen now. Nengudi is a trailblazer: not only has so much of what she has made since the 1970s trickled into art that we may be more familiar with now, but she’s still reinventing the wheel with her new work. At its heart, her art is deeply human. It’s about connections between things on a far greater scale than we even now, in our globalised world, tend to think about – what unites us across cultures, continents, belief systems. Right now that seems more urgent than ever.” With such a diverse artistic career, what can audiences expect to see in the gallery? “The exhibition in Edinburgh will include works from throughout Nengudi’s career including her incredible water sculptures – abstract forms filled with coloured water (the ‘popsicles’ as they have become affectionately known), the R.S.V.P. nylon sculptures for which the artist is perhaps best known, and one of her room-filling ‘sandmining’ installations that will be made on-site. It’s a rare opportunity to see so much of her work in one place,” says Sillars.

“ It’s about connections between things on a far greater scale” Laurence Sillars, Curator

Alongside the exhibition, The Fruitmarket Gallery will be hosting a series of complementary events including a talk with activist, filmmaker and founder of Just Above Midtown gallery Linda Goode Bryant and a participatory workshop with fashion scholar Sequoia Barnes and artist, poet and dancer Christopher Kirubi. This will be the last major exhibition at The Fruitmarket Gallery before it closes for renovation, re-opening in mid-2020. They will, however, be continuing their programme in the form of off-site exhibitions and events, with full details to be announced soon. Senga Nengudi at The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, 16 Mar-26 May *Courtesy the artist; Lévy Gorvy, New York, London; and Thomas Erben Gallery, New York

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Displays of Solidarity For five weeks, Transmission Gallery will give over their large street-facing windows to local community groups for them to create displays of the work they do

or their latest project Transmission Gallery in Glasgow will activate the huge windows that run around the gallery. These will become something like billboards for the activist, charitable, artistic and protest groups that have been commissioned to create some kind of visual representation of the work completed by their collectives. These groups will create a windowbased vinyl display for Transmission’s large street-facing shopfront, and each will have access to the space throughout the five-week period for which the project will run to put on workshops, performances and other public or closed events. Yon Afro Collective are one of the collectives that have a pivotal place in the project. They are a Black-led collective for women of colour in Scotland, who previously featured in our Showcase. Speaking about the importance of this kind of collective energy that extends across the exhibiting groups, they describe the importance of “a safe space of solidarity and camaraderie where we can express our struggle but also work towards changing the narrative and realities for ourselves and the lives we want to live within a predominantly white oppressive culture and society.” Yon Afro Collective also speak passionately about the place of Transmission Gallery currently within Glasgow. “Transmission Gallery has become a beacon of connection and solidarity for people of colour (POC) by giving a safe space for POC to meet as collectives. Not only do they offer support, exposure and opportunities to POC to express creativity in art but also offer this to groups and people who would otherwise not have the opportunities and exposure, in the mainstream, for their artistic and creative expression. [Thus] not only does it offer the space to POC but also gives further marginalised groups and communities such as trans, queer and non binary folk a space of expression. “This collaboration with Transmission comes

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at such a pivotal time for POC in Glasgow and Scotland as we are facing increasing hostility in a pre Brexit political arena.” Within their meetings, Yon Afro Collective describe the sharing of experiences that are usually undocumented: “the pain and suffering that is caused by the hostility and everyday racism and oppression faced by POC.”

“ This collaboration with Transmission comes at such a pivotal time for POC in Glasgow and Scotland as we are facing increasing hostility in a pre Brexit political arena” Yon Afro Collective

The organising committee at Transmission describe the show as coming out of already existing relationships with the groups involved. Many of the members of the four groups involved also frequently participate in events around Transmission and often provide indispensable practical support for activities running in the space. Speaking for the Transmission committee, one member says: “We’ve been making a loose

commitment to these groups for while and this is a new iteration of those relationships – we hope to continue it at different points in the future.” The Transmission committee describe a sense that these groups are doing work that needs to be done that is not being done by others in the city. For example, the Ubuntu Women’s Shelter. This group is the first of its kind in Scotland, and provides accommodation for women without recourse to public funds. Groups that do not have access to public funds can include those on spouse visas, as well as students, adult dependents of a person with settled status, asylum seekers who have been refused refugee status, or are in the process of working on an appeal. Ubuntu is also unique as it is run by women with direct and lived experience of the difficulty of surviving under the ‘hostile environment’ policy. Spearheaded by Theresa May, this policy attempts to make it so difficult to live for certain people who the government cannot force to leave the country, that they voluntarily leave. There are also two student activist groups, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland People of Colour Society (RCSPOCSOC) and the related group, the Glasgow School of Art People of Colour Society (GSAPOCSOC). The Glasgow School of Art POC Society describe the residency at Transmission as “a really valuable opportunity to continue building a network of support and collective care.” In particular, they consider it “crucial” that they are “able to access spaces that operate and function independently from elitist and exclusive institutions.” The Glasgow School of Art POC Society will allow for them to “create a communal open studio for people of colour.” Describing their intention, they say: “We hope that this will be a caring and supportive space that can adapt to the ongoing needs of its occupiers. Creating a temporary studio set-up will allow us to escape the pressures and hyper-visibility we face as people of colour in white institutions.”

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Interview: Adam Benmakhlouf

The GSAPOCSOC’s ambitions are related directly to the development of their organisational aims and relationship with the Glasgow School of Art itself. For the Society, their initial aims have changed over their disappointment with the institution’s lack of engagement with their critique. “Instead, we are choosing not to react, but to build the infrastructure that we need to flourish. As the collective is now led by black womxn and black trans folx, we feel that countering anti-blackness and enacting care are real priorities, amongst the uncertainties of the current climate.” The students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland describe similar institutional attitudes at the RCS that formed the conditions for their group to come together. RCSPOCSOC say, “Our existence as a collective is owed to the sheer lack... of any real discourse... taken to address issues surrounding race, whiteness and post-coloniality within the RCS.” For them, the objective is to “mobilise people of colour who work and study at the RCS towards a critical awareness of self-hood and agency, one which inadvertently poses a threat to a white institution which co-opts and instrumentalises us to serve their own agenda of ‘equality and diversity.’” Yon Afro poignantly describe the ultimate ambitions of their group, and in doing so give voice to some of the resilient optimism that is at the heart of the work of the groups involved, as well as the entire project itself. “At Yon Afro our work on this collaboration represents our vision for the future but it also represents the syncing of our pained histories and present existence. Our vision is to have a future lived with dignity without the oppression for being born in the skin we are in, for our and future generations in Scotland and beyond borders. “ Yon Afro, GSAPOCSOC, RSAPOCSOC and Ubuntu Women’s Shelter will be in residence in Transmission from 9 Mar-6 Apr

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Into the Woods Paddy Austin of Snapped Ankles tells us about how the gentrification of East London has influenced their new album Stunning Luxury, whilst giving us a masterclass in originality

Interview: Jemima Skala

f you thought you knew by now what Snapped Ankles – the East London four-piece with a propensity for dressing like trees – were about, think again. Their forthcoming album Stunning Luxury sees the woodwose swapping their swampy attire for sharp estate agent suits, seemingly blending in with their enemies in order to survive. This might come as a surprise to those who expected more woody weirdness from the band, but as Snapped Ankle’s Paddy Austin says, “We want people to be in some way surprised,” before chuckling. “But I mustn’t say that too often or they’ll come expecting to be surprised.” If it seems like Snapped Ankles are selling their souls to the enemy, Austin clarifies that the idea for the band’s new concept came from a gig they did in a dilapidated squat in East London that had no roof. “What could we do in this environment that was going to be a bit cheeky?” he recalls, going on to tell us, “we borrowed some estate agent signs, and put our synthesisers on the estate agent signs, so those became our instruments. We wore business suits with our woodwose masks, and we were like the evil developers.” This tongue-in-cheek attitude to the current crisis of gentrification is very much the Snapped Ankles brand. “I’ve got the other guys in the band saying, ‘Don’t bang a drum! We’re not political!’ but I think it’s our duty as a band to kick against, and that’s where a lot of our creativity and musical output comes from.” For example, Austin describes Pestisound (Moving Out), the first track on the new album, as “a poem-meets-groove track that’s come from these warehouse performances where we’re the unreliable estate agents, and we position ourselves as that to then have that dialogue of these cheeky opportunistic estate agents who are eating up the area, going ‘there’s loads of artists here!’ and then kick them out!”

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“ For post-punk the obvious thing is to be cool and wear black, wear skinny jeans and be a bit cold. We thought, ‘well, what’s the opposite to that?’” Paddy Austin

Photo: Kasia Wozniak

Gentrification, regeneration and DIY scenes Being based in Hackney, Austin says that the current trend of gentrification is “pretty brutal” because “London looks great in a brochure... It’s basically cleared out London of a lot of culture, of a creative layer, particularly DIY, which has had a long history in East London. I mean, DIY arts and music scenes, they really work best in rundown, uncared-about spaces of the UK. It’s difficult. There’s regeneration and there’s gentrification. The gentrification is mainly the fault of councils being pushed around by developers when they’re trying to regenerate.” The problem of urban gentrification is certainly a muddled one, and one that Snapped Ankles do not profess to solve (“we’re not banging the drum this way or that”) but it leaves creatives at a loss in terms of where they’re able to exist without being driven out by increasing rent prices. In Edinburgh there’s the ongoing Save Leith Walk campaign, while at the other end of the M8 Glasgow’s iconic O2 ABC venue is being threatened with demolition following extreme damage caused by the recent Glasgow School of Art fire. Austin hasn’t lost all hope, however. He’s been applying for Arts Council funding to be able to organise some events (he says that all his artist friends spend their time doing “five minutes of art, ten years writing funding applications”), and he mentions places like Leeds’ Live Arts Bistro, Liverpool’s Kazimier at the Invisible Wind Factory,

you’ve played live, it’s post-punk. When you take out all the embellishments, it’s within the genre of post-punk. And for post-punk the obvious thing is to be cool and wear black, wear skinny jeans and be a bit cold. We thought, ‘well, what’s the opposite to that?’” When they first started making music and performing as a band at Hackney’s various warehouse and squat parties, songs would come out of riffing on motifs and rhythms that they would try out live, and the other band members would fit in what they were doing around that. Being born out of such DIY spaces where breaking rules is encouraged, when they started playing established venues, they developed a unique performance style to counteract this, taking people with them into the woods and freeing the spaces of their conventions. “We’ve created this ‘in the woods’ scenario for certain shows and the band have embraced it and gone for it. It’s part of the need to reassess the venues that we play as a band compared to where we grew the band in these non-spaces.” He sighs, “it’s difficult as a creative space to work in. So we’re trying to find a way to make that space our own, and one way we do it is to call it the woods.”

and, more generally, the Kent town of Margate: places where there are “ex-artists who have all been pushed out. Art will always happen somewhere, it just has to go a bit further down the road.” At these events, he’s hoping to provide a little bit of something different. “We don’t have the budget to start hitting [the audience] with lights and lasers yet – watch out! When I get that arts funding there’ll be lasers and smoke and giant robots like everyone else,” he laughs. The origins of Snapped Ankles So where did Snapped Ankles emerge from, then? From which dank, fetid corner of which overgrown woods were they born? “Originally it was the name first, and then after about six months of messing around, we thought we might as well be

Snapped Ankles.” On their wince-worthy name, Austin says, “I’ve gotten immune to it now, but I have to remember that it’s horrible! We end up on the bill with body injury bands and we call it ‘the casualty scene’. Every third band will have a ‘Broken This’ or ‘Black Eye’, or whatever. We’re collecting them all.” As much as the visceral name sets them apart, they back it up with a sound unlike any other. On Stunning Luxury they weave marshy synth sounds into rumbling drums and grainy vocals. “We like old rock’n’roll, we like new wave, we like dancehall; we like everything that’s ever been made that makes you dance, but we want to create our own thing,” Austin tells us. “We’d been making all these grooves as a band, and when you get a good bassline and a simple drum beat that

Music

This means that going to a Snapped Ankles show is unlike any other gig you might have been to. “All we want from the audience is – apart from the obvious of dancing to the songs and losing it and getting immersed in the music – that there’s the communal moment that you want. I don’t want to knock other bands - they all try and create it in their own different ways, but [with] the format, in many ways, there’s still much to be challenged. The areas are so safe.” And safety, for Snapped Ankles, is never a good thing. Snapped Ankles are rebels with a cause: they want to challenge everything you’ve ever thought you’ve known about music and performance, flip it on its head and call it something new. Because what’s the point in just giving the people what they want? Humbly, Austin says, “we’re just the voice from the woods, wanting to highlight some of the finer details of it rather than the overall.” Stunning Luxury is out now via The Leaf Label Snapped Ankles play Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 10 Mar; Mono, Glasgow, 11 Mar snappedankles.com

THE SKINNY

DCA A-OK This month marks the 20th birthday of one of Scotland’s most-beloved cultural spaces, Dundee Contemporary Arts. To mark the occasion we’ve taken a look through their archive to pick out some of the key events of the last two decades Words: Rosamund West

ncompassing two art galleries, a cinema, a print studio, cafe-bar and of course a shop featuring an array of Scottish design, DCA is the model of a contemporary arts venue. Designed by Richard Murphy Architects (also responsible for notable spaces like the Fruitmarket Gallery and one of Scotland’s peerless Maggie’s Centres), the building was widely celebrated on completion and continues to offer an essential hub for the cultural community of Dundee and its surrounding area. It’s difficult to imagine the city before it had access to the creative facilities and world class art routinely provided by DCA. For their big birthday, the institution are celebrating with events

throughout the year, kicking off with an artists’ talk between Turner nominees Jane and Louise Wilson (who exhibited in the gallery in 2012) and DCA’s Director Beth Bate on Tuesday 8 March. The next day is Artists in Print, a day-long event celebrating printmaking featuring artists’ talks and chaired discussions with Tessa Lynch, Scott Myles, Claire Barclay, Helen de Main, Edwin Pickstone and Jacqueline Butler. The following weekend is the DCA Open Weekend, starting with the opening of new exhibition State of Print, a project that ‘provides a creative and theoretical antidote to the current paradigm’ on Friday 15 March. The cinema will offer a sneak preview of Mid90s, Jonah Hill’s new coming-of-age drama, followed

on 16 to 17 March by a specially curated programme of the best-loved films from the last two decades with tickets rolled back to 1999 prices. There’s a special edition of the DCA Film Quiz on the Monday, while more interactive events come courtesy of the Learning team, who’ll be running free family-friendly drop-in workshops over the course of the weekend. The Print Studio will also be running a series of workshops – on Saturday the focus will be on traditional printmaking techniques from Japanese woodblock printing to shadowgraphs, while on Sunday workshops will involve newer technologies like 3D printing and laser cutting.

DCA: A TIMELINE 1999 DCA opens on 20 March! A key show in its first year is the UK’s first solo exhibition of visionary Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, before he finds international fame with the Weather Project, the enormous sun in the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern in 2003, or his series of New York City Waterfalls of 2008. Your position surrounded and your surrounding positioned presents an immersive installation with vertical bands of light moved by air currents forcing the viewer to consider their relationship to their environment.

Discovery Film Festival

2014 In a bumper year for print, DCA host printmaking conference IMPACT8, and present an exhibition of works by Sister Corita Kent (1918-86) alongside five contemporary artists inspired by her printmaking and life-affirming teaching – Peter Davies, Ruth Ewan, Emily Floyd, Scott Myles and Ciara Phillips. They also hold a series of pop-up events in the Galleries and Print Studio throughout the exhibition including the Poster Club and Henningham Family Press Chip Shop. 2014 also sees David Shrigley produce Untitled in the Studio

Rabiya Choudhry, Dream Baby Dream, 2016

2003 Discovery Film Festival, Scotland’s international film festival for young audiences, launches. Running over three weekends, the programme includes screenings, gala events and creative activities. It aims to improve media literacy and offer young audiences an insight into the lives of children and young people in other cultures.

2005 DCA’s Learning team begins ST/ART, an ongoing programme collaborating with Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust (THAT) working with people who have had a stroke or suffered brain injury. Freelance printmaking tutors, DCA Learning team staff, and THAT volunteer artists work closely with ST/ART participants during four different summer school programmes introducing them to techniques including lino-cutting, mono printing, drypoint etching and screen printing.

Olafur Eliasson

Lorna Macintyre, Pieces of You Are Here

Martin Boyce: No Reflections

2009 Staking a claim to the international stage, DCA curate the surreal Martin Boyce: No Reflections for Scotland + Venice at the 53rd Venice Biennale. The upper floors of a Venetian palazzo are invaded by modernist forms, concrete stepping stones and geometric tracing paper leaves diligently folded by the team back in Dundee.

2015 As part of the national commemorations to mark the centenary of the Battle of Loos (known as Dundee’s Flodden), DCA present an exclusive screening of The Guns of Loos, with a specially commissioned live score by one of the UK’s leading silent film composers Stephen Horne, which then goes on to tour Scotland.

2017 To celebrate the 80th birthday of The Broons and Oor Wullie, DCA Thomson bring together six contemporary artists with the DC Thomson archive to create a playful multimedia exhibition. Rabiya Choudhry, Rob Churm, Craig Coulthard, Malcy Duff, Hideyuki Katsumata and Sofia Sita spend months deep in the vaults, emerging with a show celebrating contemporary life as seen through the lens of characters as seminal as the Numskulls or Dennis the Menace.

2018 Bringing us right up to date with a double header exhibition, Scottish contemporary artists Lorna Macintyre (Pieces of You Are Here) and Margaret Salmon (Hole) occupy the DCA galleries with photography, sculpture and film work exploring touchstones from archeology and symbolism to the female erotic gaze. DCA Print Studio

dca.org.uk Margaret Salmon, Hole

March 2019

ART

Feature

LE Y ST FE LI

Making veganism more inclusive As veganism becomes more popular, one writer looks at how to reconcile a greener lifestyle with disordered eating

fter kicking off the year by invoking unadulterated outrage and so, so much publicity, Greggs’ vegan sausage rolls are no longer on everyone’s lips. Having faded into the background like a common steak bake, it’s hard to believe we were ever so charmed by their unexpected existence. However, unlike the social media fury over this particular delicacy, the societal turn towards veganism shows no signs of stopping. It wasn’t just Greggs who began the year with a herbivorous bang. McDonald’s has a new vegan Happy Meal, M&S recently launched Plant Kitchen – a range of more than 50 plant-based meals, snacks and guilty pleasures – and Ben & Jerry’s came out with another vegan flavour at the end of last year. Whether as a trend or a long-term lifestyle change, veganism is in and has a new look. Vegans are shaking off their stereotypically ‘preachy’ façade in the face of more and more evidence pointing towards a vegan lifestyle being the best way to go if we want to save the planet and ourselves. Obviously veganism is a good thing for the environment (it takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef), conservation (each burger that comes from animals on ex-forestry ground is responsible for the destruction of 55 square feet of forest) and animal welfare (roughly 56 billion animals are slaughtered each year for food). However, the lifestyle’s wave of popularity hits a brick wall when taking into consideration people who can’t take on such a restricted diet for the sake of their mental health. As someone with a history of disordered eating, veganism didn’t work for me. I was a vegetarian for about five years and lasted 121 days consuming no animal products whatsoever. Personally, my brain didn’t like a restricted diet:

Lifestyle

the initial inevitable weight loss put me on a path of self-competitiveness which got a little hairy. While it needs to be highlighted and underlined several times that vegetarianism and veganism are not indications of eating disorders, nor do they lead to eating disorders, that doesn’t mean to say there aren’t some blurred lines. Rebecca Wojturska has been an Ambassador for Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, since 2012. She has raised awareness of eating disorders and the charity by sharing her personal experiences, speaking at inpatient units and events and appearing on television and radio. “I was vegetarian and at times vegan throughout my eating disorder but, because my choice to be so was founded on ethical concerns, it didn’t impact my mental health negatively,” she says. “I have a friend, however, who became vegetarian as an excuse to cut out food and eat less. So it’s important to keep an eye out for someone you think has disordered eating.” In her friend’s case, Wojturska points out, veganism is a disordered eating strategy being used for self-harm rather than for positive benefits. “Diet culture already puts pressure on people to cut out certain foods and is proven to negatively affect those with eating disorders,” she explains. “The fact that some people use veganism in the same shaming way is appalling. It’s fine to promote veganism but this needs to be done in a healthy way: as a respectable option with benefits and not as the only path for the righteous.” The worry lies in the fact that the popularity of veganism is still relatively new and – although big-name food companies are willing to provide more options – their food can often be quite expensive, making it inaccessible to all. In the UK, there was a 13 percent increase in the number of people

using foodbanks last year. The number of referrals to these foodbanks have risen significantly since April 2016; this is directly related to increased housing and utility bill debt. In the current climate, a large section of society simply can’t afford to think about changing their diet to suit society’s new moral standpoint due to more pressing issues they’re facing. Then there’s the ways in which the lifestyle is depicted in the media. “It’s either championed as morally superior or completely mocked as a fashionable lifestyle trend for the privileged,” says Wojturska. “We need a middle ground where vegan foods are accessible and people aren’t pressured to label themselves as vegan.” The idea of a non-threatening, affordable and respected way of embracing a vegan lifestyle could also be useful for those living with disordered eating who are finding their road to recovery. “Some people recovering from an eating disorder can find meal plans helpful as a way of providing reassurance and stability as they normalise their eating,” says Beat’s Director of External Affairs, Tom Quinn. “Following a vegan diet can make such meal plans socially acceptable and less daunting.” Therapists and, if available, dietitians, are useful resources to call on for anyone recovering from an eating disorder, to help manage these meal plans and then begin the transition to normalised eating. “Often this will involve challenging certain ‘fear foods’, which a patient may have cut out due to concern about them triggering binges or weight gain,” says Quinn. “These ‘fear foods’ can be part of a vegan diet, too.” As Wojturska points out: “It’s supposed to make you feel good, not bad. It is unreasonable to ask people to completely change their eating habits. And it’s a fallacy to think that you must do

INTERSECTIONS

Interview: Kirstyn Smith Illustration: Alisa Johnson something perfectly or it’s not worth doing at all.”

“ It’s fine to promote veganism but this needs to be done in a healthy way: as a respectable option with benefits and not as the only path for the righteous” Of course, another good thing about the constant media hand-wringing and lauding surrounding veganism is that supermarket aisles are opening up with both established and ownbrand choices. But, ultimately, when it comes to combining living with disordered eating and the desire to take on a vegan lifestyle, what needs to be taken into account is self preservation. A lack of pressure to succeed immediately, a strong network of either friends or professionals who’ve got your back when you need them, and the ability to forgive yourself if you slip up are all good starting points. After that, dipping your toe into the animal-friendly waters of veganism seems a little easier. Whether a dirty ol’ sausage roll or a roasted aubergine with three types of nourishing grains, the world is your meat-replacement oyster.

THE SKINNY

Artemisia Gentileschi, Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria

As Artemisia Gentileschi’s Self-Portrait embarks on its UK tour, stopping first at Glasgow Women’s Library, we look at the legacy of the feminist icon as an artist and assault survivor

he sits in a dark red dress, her hand resting on a broken wheel with large, vicious-looking iron spikes. Her face is unforgiving yet knowing, staring out at you with judgement, perhaps even disappointment in her eyes. Her chin is tilted up, maybe defensive or maybe proud. This is Artemisia Gentileschi’s Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, and what that look in her eyes means seems to depend on how much you know about her life or how much of herself you believe she put into it. Painted between 1615-17 and purchased by the National Gallery in 2018, the self-portrait is due to begin a tour of the country in March, starting in Scotland. Throughout the tour it will be hosted in unexpected locations and there is perhaps no more appropriate temporary home for the painting than Glasgow Women’s Library. The work of the artist and subject of the portrait, Artemisia Gentileschi, causes intense fascination and speculation whenever on display. Gentileschi was a painter, a woman, an artist, and a survivor of sexual assault. She was the first woman to join the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence and had a successful career, painting for clients around the world. She was all these things, yet her achievements are often qualified by the identifiers of woman and survivor before artist. The traumatic experience she survived is frequently used as a lens through which we project our own perceptions of her life experiences. An article in The Guardian announced the purchase of the self-portrait by describing how it 'alludes to her rape trial' within its first sentence, despite the only evidence of that being our own interpretations of the meaning behind the work. In 1611, around a year after her first surviving work, Susanna and the Elders, was completed, Gentileschi was raped by one of her father’s colleagues. Nine months after the assault, Gentileschi’s father pressed charges against Tassi, the rapist, for taking his daughter’s virginity, beginning a seven-month-long trial. Extensive records of the trial survive. We know that her father, Orazio Gentileschi, was only able to press charges on the grounds that Artemisia

March 2019

was a virgin before the rape. Artemisia herself describes the assault in graphic detail, including the fact that she attempted to stab Tassi in revenge. Her rapist offered to marry her, which she agreed to, but this never progressed.

“ What that look in her eyes means seems to depend on how much you know about her life” During the trial, Gentileschi was tortured with thumbscrews to verify her testimony, a horrendous image to a modern reader. In The Trials of Artemisia Gentileschi: A Rape as History, Elizabeth S. Cohen argues that this horror reveals something about our perceptions of our own justice system, writing that “while [Gentileschi] had to endure solitary interrogation, formal confrontation with her rapist, and some minutes of physical torture, [she] did not face the public ordeal of a modern jury trial with its hostile cross-examinations and legal dramatics.” Cohen’s point speaks true given how the Scottish Justice System treats survivors, and the problems around the uniquely Scottish verdict of ‘not proven,’ as well as the need under Scottish law for corroboration. Between 2016 and 2017, just 39% of rape cases prosecuted in Scotland resulted in a conviction, the lowest conviction rate in eight years. The majority of reported rapes never even make it to court. Glasgow Women’s Library is hosting the Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria alongside their Decoding Inequality exhibition. Saint Catherine is now known more for the

burning, spinning wheel on fireworks night, but at the time she was recognised as the patron saint of maidens and female students – perhaps a feminist symbol for the ages. Speaking to Sue John, Enterprise and Development Manager of the GWL, about the painting making its first stop in Glasgow, she reflects on the dichotomy of Gentileschi as artist, woman and survivor. “I think feminism has been keen to have its icons,” she says. “It’s important for us that we’ve claimed women and claimed their experiences.” She underscores the importance of this painting being hosted at an accessible, community space like GWL rather than a traditional gallery: “It’s valuing local people, or people that have maybe never been to a gallery before, along with everybody else.” In her painting, Gentileschi seems to stand tall and strong, perhaps enduring through the years with the weight of her trauma. Sue John describes how we see strength in the face of Gentileschi as Saint Catherine: “There’s a power in the way that she’s staring out, drawing you in as the viewer.” How we perceive the expression on her face is a reminder of how powerful and evocative the narrative of Gentileschi as the empowered survivor is; it’s something that survivors like myself want to believe in. But it’s important for us to look at Gentileschi as a whole, to give her the respect of seeing that specific experience as part of her total being. As a society, we tend to view survivors as ‘others,’ whether we’re elevating them to a surreal, non-human martyr status (as has happened with Gentileschi), or shaming and blaming them. Mythologising survivors in this way allows us to ignore their existence and turn the perpetrators of this violence into scary, secret Bogeyman figures, instead of acknowledging an endemic problem within our society. If we want Gentileschi to represent all of the things we project onto her then we have to do it right. When you look at her hands in this portrait, you can remember the thumbscrews from her trial – and it’s right to afford that the horror and anger it should induce – but we shouldn’t let that

INTERSECTIONS

Photo: ©The National Gallery, London

Lady in Red

Interview: Mel Reeve

be all. Think of her hands holding the paintbrush too, something she did for many more hours and years of her life. It’s hard not to look at her work and believe that she was trying to tell us something, that there are clues of her feelings and experiences in her art for us to unpick. As Sue John explains, “In the public eye those definitions become the story. Does that mean we’re looking less at her work and less at her as an artist and only focusing on those two things of erasure and her as a survivor?” To counter one definition becoming Gentileschi’s defining story, GWL are showing the self-portrait with multiple interpretations, as well as displaying the National Gallery’s own official, written interpretation of the work. When I think about sitting in front of Gentileschi’s work, seeing the strokes of her paintbrush up close, of course I think about Gentileschi as a survivor, a woman, and a creative. Her self-portrait allows us to see a glimpse of how she saw herself, but even then, she is wearing a costume. I find myself wondering what she thought would be the defining record of her life, and then I realise that most people don’t think of themselves that way. We live, we make and be and exist as complicated, breathing people – whole beings made out of a myriad of experiences. We look at Gentileschi’s paintings to try and understand what she thought and while there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, what do we lose when we look at those painted eyes and try to see hers looking back at us? It’s hard not to look at her work and want to believe that she was leaving secrets in it for us, but if we strip away our constructions and remember that she was a living person, we find that the eyes looking out from that self-portrait are perhaps our own – that we are using Gentileschi’s work as a way to hold our own world up to the light. Artemisia Gentileschi’s Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria will be at Glasgow Women’s Library 6-19 Mar Artemisia Gentileschi. Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria. ©The National Gallery, London. Bought with the support of the American Friends of the National Gallery, the National Gallery Trust, Art Fund (through the legacy of Sir Denis Mahon), Lord and Lady Sassoon, Lady Getty, Hannah Rothschild CBE and other donors including those who wish to remain anonymous, 2018

Lifestyle

Beyond the Megapolis Since 2015, Local Heroes has been resisting the idea that exceptional design can only be found in the big European cities. This month we explore Japan, discovering multiple creative communities beyond the bright lights of Tokyo Words: Stacey Hunter

“ Japan’s vivid design culture is a natural magnet for a design curator”

Photo: Stacey Hunter

To reach new markets, and particularly a European audience, products need to take into consideration cultural differences. While Japanese people have happily enjoyed drinking green tea (which is never served boiling) from cups without handles for hundreds of years, to pull itself out of economic decline Arita-ware needed to literally change shape. A group of traders and potters made the radical decision to combine centuries of traditional techniques with experimental contemporary design to create a world class collection of tableware that wowed audiences at the Milan Salone and that Wallpaper* declared ‘ceramic wizardry.’ The 2016/ project led by Teruhiro Yanagihara, Carole Baijings and Stefan Scholten brought together 16 contemporary designers and paired them with some of the world’s experts in mould making, glazing and painting. The designers selected are intriguing and their approaches are highly differentiated. With various ages, nationalities and backgrounds in the mix, some were already ceramic experts, while others were more unconventional choices as porcelain was new to them. Swiss duo Sarah Kueng and Lovis Caputo pushed craftsmanship to its limits with geometric forms sculpted by hand and airbrushed using fukitsuki, a method for applying subtle gradations of colour. With 27 dishes husband and wife Scholten & Baijings celebrated technique with carefully hand-painted abstractions of traditional motifs. All of their dishes have origins in historical forms but are superimposed on one another; by combining two, or even three outlines, complex new shapes have emerged. In four weeks my own experience of Arita, thoughtfully crafted by Creative Residency Arita’s Yoriko Ishizawa, has been an extraordinary behind the scenes exploration of Japanese design culture and an industry that was until recently a closely guarded secret. I’ve seen porcelain come Photo: Stacey Hunter

egular readers of this column about Scottish design might have noticed we took a little break at the start of 2019. 2018 was a busy year where Local Heroes commissioned souvenirs, articles and even a raincoat – all with the aim of celebrating our design community and developing an appreciation in Scotland for the contribution design culture makes to our everyday lives. We are a curatorial agency with no gallery and no collection – instead we work with pop-up mediums, in temporary spaces and with limited funds to promote and explore design and craft culture. This year, a new joint programme created by Scotland’s Cove Park, Arts Initiative Tokyo (AIT) and Creative Residency Arita offers the unique chance to participate in a two month design residency in Japan, with half the time spent in Tokyo (population 13.5 million) in January and half in Arita (population 20,000) in February. Time for an international exchange with a difference. Japan’s vivid design culture is a natural magnet for a design curator – and Tokyo offers an intense, often surreal rush of rich visual language. AIT’s Shintaro Tokairin introduces the endlessly fascinating mingei, which roughly translates as ‘anonymous objects of truth and beauty’ and skilfully steers us around Tokyo to meet product designer Daisuke Kitagawa for memorable conversation about national identity and design culture. A mix of artfully curated open-air antique markets and imposing high rise, high end department stores, Tokyo is extreme, fast-paced and unleashes a heightened sense of consumerist desire – even in a frugal Scot. But despite Tokyo’s dynamism, I was curious to travel to a place in the rural south west that many Japanese urbanites I met had never heard of. Arita is located on the island of Kyushu in Saga prefecture. Three years ago it launched 2016/, an extraordinary and ambitious design project which has put the town firmly on the international design map. Since the discovery of a porcelain stone quarry in 1616 the region has been known for producing Arita-ware, a high quality white porcelain with a distinctive blue pattern, originally carried to all parts of Europe by the Dutch East India Company. Four hundred years later, it is common to find third-generation potters carrying on the traditions of their family business in this quiet, idyllic town, cradled by densely forested mountains. A lullaby is played over the town loudspeakers at 5pm each day, and in many ways it feels like a place that’s lost in time. Picturesque shops line the streets but spend any time here and you notice that they rarely have any customers. Part of the problem is that the average age of buyers of traditional Arita-ware is always going up, meaning sales can’t follow the same trajectory.

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THE SKINNY

Photo: Yasunori shimomura

to know the local community and to spend as much time as they need to test and perfect their ideas. We discuss how Arita and the 2016/ project demonstrate that modern design can encompass traditional crafts in a respectful, equal partnership that makes space for experimentation and invention. The key elements to the 2016/ success story are the combination of unique and traditional craft skills, a beautiful though remote location – and the sheer heft of the European network of design expositions, media and market place. Scotland is experiencing a design renaissance and still has access to many valuable traditions and techniques in areas like knitted and woven textiles, jewellery, glassware and ceramics. I am struck by how contemporary designers like Jennifer Kent and Hilary Grant have built close relationships with their manufacturers and care deeply about preserving the quality of knitwear that Scotland is famous for. We know how diverse and distinctive contemporary design in Scotland and projects like Local Heroes have helped to map out the people and studios producing exceptional work. But that story is not disseminated widely enough. If Scottish designers are at a commercial disadvantage due to their geographic distance from major design centres, we need to consider how to position their work in the right places, at the right time and in a modern, high quality format. We’re currently completing research for Creative Scotland on this very subject and the ideas are expansive, ambitious and fun! So, watch this space...

Photo: Stacey Hunter

straight from the quarry to be processed into clay; had hands-on experience of pressing, moulding, carving and shaping porcelain into products; I have cleaned, smoothed and prepared greenware on a factory assembly line; painted delicate patterns with an improbably large underglaze paintbrush and finally hand dipped my own dishes in glaze to be fired at the famous Kyuemon Factory or ‘Factory of ten Kilns’. I meet with Yoriko and 2016/ brand manager Hiroko Jinnouchi to talk about how being on the edge of things geographically can work in your favour. We speak in the 2016/ showroom which looks more like a contemporary art gallery than a shop. It houses a minimalist cafe, neat rows of modern display shelves, and a film projected on to the concrete walls depicting Dutch, German, Japanese and American designers collaborating with local makers. Arita’s remote location encourages visiting designers to slow down, get

Photo: Takumi Ota

localheroes.design

March 2019

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Lifestyle

THE SKINNY

Chews Bulletin March’s food events round-up is mostly liquid, with beer events in Edinburgh and a pair of gin fests at either end of the M8

Words: Peter Simpson

True OriGINs

Photo: Nicol Rosie

e begin this month with some seriously funky beers, courtesy of Wild Beer Co. The Somerset-based brewery specialise in weird, sour and otherwise non-standard beers, and they’re bringing ten of their funkiest to Salt Horse in Edinburgh for a lip-smacking evening of drinking. For fans of tart and sharp flavours, extensive discussions on the merits of various types of barrel, and those of you who like to test yourselves in a game of ‘Which Of These Seemingly Innocuous Drinks Is So Sour It Will Make Me Cry?’ Salt Horse, 57 Blackfriars St, Edinburgh, 6 Mar, from 5pm, salthorse.beer Next up is a chance to get all veg-based, with the return of Scotland Vegan Festival. There will be more than 80 stalls to choose from at the slightly incongruous location of Hampden Park, as well as cookery demonstrations and various other vegan bits and bobs. There will also be yoga. Hampden Park, Glasgow, 9 Mar, from 10.30am, £3-15, tickets via Eventbrite Now it’s time for the monthly gin festival! It does feel like there’s one of the buggers in each of these round-ups, but Glasgow University Gin Festival is a little different. For one thing, it’s run by students and if there’s one thing students know, it’s partying. For another, the festival is soundtracked not by your standard ‘four lads playing soft jazz’ but by DJs from Subcity, so expect the thing to turn into an extremely well-curated rave at the drop of a hat. Two rooms of gin await; that’s two

rooms with gin producers in them, not two rooms filled to the brim with gin, but let’s see how this thing plays out. GUU, 32 University Ave, Glasgow, 20 Mar, 6pm, £6-8, tickets via fixr.co Next, more beer! The Great Grog’s beer fairs are big faves around these parts – take a church hall, put a load of brewers in it, send us round with a tasting glass and we’re set for the afternoon. This latest bottled beer extravaganza features just under 100 beers to check out, and because it’s bottled beer it’s all too easy to stock up the cupboard with delicious drinks for special occasions/sitting in front of the sofa later that afternoon. Come for the tasters and the convivial atmosphere, stay for the chance to spot The Skinny playing that sour beer game from earlier in this round-up. St Peters Church, Lutton Pl, Edinburgh, 30 Mar, from 1pm, £8-10, tickets via greatgrog.co.uk And finally, because one wasn’t enough, here’s another new gin festival to check out! The True OriGINs festival focuses solely on Scottish gins, of which – as you well know – there are loads. Stands to reason that there should be plenty of interesting sippers on offer across the festival’s eight bars, so if you’re a big ginhead save up your pennies for a juniper-packed end of the month blowout. The Biscuit Factory, 4 Anderson Pl, Edinburgh, 29 & 30 Mar, various times, £12.50, trueoriginsco.com theskinny.co.uk/food

New Openings This month’s crop of new venues, featuring some cracking pizza, a fancy new pub in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, and brunch dishes everywhere Words: Peter Simpson Mesa The latest venture from the people behind Glasgow favourite Cafe Strange Brew, Mesa brings a slice of Strange Brew’s brunch game to Dennistoun. Expect beautifully-presented plates of poached eggs, and massive pancakes – we suggest not planning anything too hectic to follow your brunch, maybe something like ‘napping in a chair for an hour or two’. 567 Duke St, Glasgow, instagram.com/mesa_glasgow The Lansdowne The great minds behind Mother India – the fantastic small plates Indian restaurants in Edinburgh and Glasgow – have branched out, taking their culinary stylings to the basement bar in the West End. If you’ve ever sat in a nice bar with a pint and thought to yourself ‘oh I could

absolutely demolish a monkfish kebab’, your luck is finally in. 7A Lansdowne Crescent, Glasgow The Amsterdam New in the Merchant City, The Amsterdam comes from the team behind Saint Luke’s, and offers up a pretty wild mix of options. There are brunch options a-plenty for the early risers among you, then you can get some lunch and a few beers, or you can wait until late and get well boozy. Plus, there’s a basement with live music and DJs. Basically, a bit of everything, all under one roof. 106 Brunswick St, Glasgow, thedamglasgow.com Errol’s Hot Pizza This new hole-in-the-wall pizza joint comes to you from two former chefs at the much-loved Finnieston spot Alchemilla. If that pedigree

Cold Town House

March 2019

Loudons New Waverley

wasn’t enough, there’s also the fact that it’s BYOB, which everyone loves. Pull up a pew (or more likely, wait a bit outside before sitting down), grab a slice, smash some cans, repeat. 379 Victoria Rd, Glasgow, instagram.com/ errolshotpizzashop Cold Town House A pub, you say? In the Grassmarket? But this isn’t a standard pub – for one thing, Cold Town House is spread over three floors with one of those floors being a flipping roof terrace right next to the castle. Expect beers from the eponymous brewery – who hooked up our pals at Fest with beer for their launch party last Fringe, and it went down fairly well – as well as pizza, live entertainment, and lots of space in which to roam around. 4 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, instagram.com/ coldtownhouse High Dive Pizza Pub This one’s been a while in the making, but it looks

FOOD & DRINK

like it’ll be worth the wait. The latest spot from the guys behind Civerinos, the High Dive bills itself as a neighbourhood bar that also happens to serve great pizza, which we’re right on board with. If it’s anything like their previous places, expect the food and drink to be immense, the design to be cool and interesting, and the music to feature a pleasing amount of 1990s hip-hop. 81 St Leonard’s St, Edinburgh, instagram.com/ the_high_dive Loudons New Waverley One of Edinburgh’s leading purveyors of egg-based dishes, Loudons’ Fountainbridge spot is permanently stowed-out every weekend which makes the launch of this new place a bit of a no-brainer. Expect more of the same – extensive brunch and breakfast options, with more Benedicts than a Sherlock box set – from one of your favourites in our Food and Drink Survey at the end of last year. New Street Sq, Edinburgh, facebook.com/loudons theskinny.co.uk/food

Lifestyle

Sausage Party We dip our toes into the highly-seasoned world of the meat-free sausage – safe to say, it was a mixed bag...

ausages: perennial breakfast favourite, go-to source for all your offal needs, and – thanks to their uniform cylindrical shape – annoyingly prone to rolling around in the pan. But head down to the shops in 2019 and you’ll see something else alongside the classic meatbags of previous years. The vegan sausage has exploded in popularity, like a meat sausage exploding on a barbecue, so we got a few pals together, fired up the hobs, and set to finding out which of the many options are actually worth bothering with. Packaging Most of our subjects did well on this front: there were early hits from Tofurky’s Beer Brat bratwurst imitations (£3.65, Real Foods) which feature a moustachioed pint glass for a mascot, and for the perfectly-lovely-if-a-bit-too-nice Cauldron Lincolnshire Sausages (£2.50, various). The long-revered Linda McCartney sausages (£2, various) also did well by remaining on-brand by avoiding plastic altogether; Heck’s Super Green Saus (£2.50, Sainsbury's) feature typography so nice it convinced us to pay good money for a pack of green sausages. The Chorizo Shroomdogs and Cumberland Shroompups (£2.50 & £1.75, Sainsburys) starred some strange Dr Seuss-esque font choices, and Aldi’s Masala Roast Cauliflower Sausages (£1.49, Aldi) were described variously as “nice in a safe way” and “not unappealing”. That’s more than can be said for the VegiDeli Lincolnshire Style Sausages (£2.69, Real Foods) which we really need to explore in more detail. Font that makes this look like pretend food from a child’s playset? Check. Gratuitous use of maroon? Check. And then there’s the central image of two of these sausages dumped on top of a pile of mash and gravy with three chunks of the saddest onion in the world for… garnish? Why is the onion there? And why is it raw?

“ The Garam Masala sausage has the texture of smashedup samosa filling stuffed inside a condom” Look So that’s the outside dealt with, let’s take a look at the aesthetics of the sausages themselves. What we’re looking for is a good shape, appealing colour, and ideally a nice glisten or shine. Those goddamn VegiDeli sausages were suspiciously smooth to begin with, then proceeded to get extremely dark extremely quickly. Linda M’s efforts were in a similar vein, looking a little bit like the meatiest yule log you’ve ever seen. As for the Super Green sausages, the colour is unappealing to start with, but throw in a meat-like sear on something the colour of a garden hedge and it’s a strong nope from us. The Masala Cauliflower sausage did a decent job in the pan, as did the Shroompups, Tofurky sausages and the Chorizo Shroomdogs. The winner of this little exercise were the lads from Cauldron which, as one of our tasters exclaimed, “look like real sausages”. And they do – nice

Lifestyle

Words: Peter Simpson Illustration: Julija Straizyte

brown colour, good shape, and lots of little flecks and speckles throughout. Mission accomplished. Texture The ideal sausage has a satisfying bite, offers a good amount of resistance and spring, and isn’t entirely uniform throughout. The Tofurky bratwurst have plenty of that going on, all dense and springy. Of course, this isn’t a case of more texture necessarily equalling better texture. The Shroompups, for example, are a bit too heavy on the bite, but there are some nice big chunks in there. Their Chorizo cousins are extremely firm to the touch but also strangely spongey. The VegiDeli are oily but dry at the same time, yet it basically balances out, and the all-time classics from Linda M are decent. Also, why has Linda never brought out a square sausage? Just putting it out there. But for every good sausage idea, there’s a sausage made of quinoa and spinach. The Super Green is a mushy, clumpy and confusing mouthful that feels like what would happen if you tried to make falafel after reading about the concept in a heavily-redacted book. The Garam Masala sausage, on the other hand, feels like smashedup samosa filling stuffed inside a condom. The Cauldron sausages are pretty damn good though. Chunky and faux-gristly with a good bounce – they put up a bit of a fight, but not too much. Taste It’s probably time to discuss how these actually taste, and when five people all independently make the same horrified noise upon first bite that’s probably not a good sign. The Super Green sausages may be made from real, identifiable ingredients, but that’s about the nicest thing you can say – the flavour is both strange and bad. The Chorizo Shroomdogs are also foul, tasting of both absolutely nothing and all the paprika in the world at the same time. The Shroompups, by contrast, just taste of nothing, which is preferable. The VegiDeli sausages accidentally stumbled on a passing mark here – the flavour is of wholemeal bread crusts and smashed-up onions, but at least it doesn’t hang around for too long. The fancy-pants Tofurky sausages talked a big game – they’re flavoured with amber ale, y’know – but they just taste like beer. The general vibe was these were closer to real sausages than many of the others; the kind you impulse buy once, then never again. And if you can ignore the disgraceful texture of the Masala sausages, it’s basically just the inside of a samosa, and those are delicious. Linda McCartney’s many decades in the game have served her well – nice seasoning, well-balanced flavour, and the kind of savoury smack we’re here for. As for the lads over at Cauldron, these are herby, garlicky, salty and extremely moreish. We’d think they were the product of some kind of witchcraft, if it weren’t for the fact that committing witchcraft while calling your company Cauldron sounds a bit too Scooby-Doo for our liking. Believability If there’s any reason for these things to exist at all, they need to convince the buying public that they are, in fact, actual sausages and not just weird coagulated vegetable rods. Two of our eight competitors have already shot themselves in the foot here – the Super Greens are a pretty brazen bit of provocation, as are the Garam Masala sausages. Why do these exist?!?

We wouldn’t fall for the VegiDeli sausages either, as they looked a little too much like plastic toy food. There were a few bangers that you might believe were real sausages, just not particularly nice ones – the Chorizo, the Shroompups, and those fancy-pants Tofurky sausages. Linda McCartney isn’t fooling anyone, but we do at least believe that her offering is real food. The Cauldron sausages get full marks – the flavour, texture and look are all perfect – and after topping

FOOD AND DRINK

most of the other categories as well, they are our unequivocal winner. No other vegetarian sausage will do, and the rest of them should get in the bin (except for Linda, who can go back in the freezer). Now, we’re off to check just how much salt is ‘too much’ for one afternoon... Read the extended version of this taste test at theskinny.co.uk/food Have an idea for what we should try next? Email us on news@theskinny.co.uk

THE SKINNY

March 2019

Lifestyle

THE SKINNY

RE V IE

Family Values

As Edinburgh three-piece Stillhound prepare to release their new self-titled album, they tell us their remarkable tales of early fame, musical reincarnation and the lows of dashed dreams

Interview: Kenza Marland

lasses are filled high with red wine and garlicky potatoes are put in the oven, ready for the mid-interview dinner that we’re so kindly being treated to this evening. Stillhound (plus puppy Olive) eventually settle around the kitchen table for a chat in band member Fergus Cook’s cosy Great Junction Street flat. There’s a calm confidence in the three Edinburgh friends’ relaxed storytelling. Stillhound – Dave Lloyd, Laurie Corlett-Donald and our host (and chef) for the evening, Fergus Cook – are on the cusp of an album release: this record is the one they know they’ve finally nailed. Their excitement is infectious. “We started as a group called Discopolis, fresh out of school,” explains Lloyd. “Laurie and Fergus were in a school rock band, and I was making terrible electronic music. For some reason we thought that would be a good combination.” Through the BBC Introducing radio set-up at the time (a system which has sadly become diluted since), the group’s first internet release was promoted to national airtime. “We had quite a bit of bizarre success really quickly. We made the tune Lofty Ambitions in Laurie’s bedroom. We were 19 and we were played multiple times, every day, for at least a week on BBC Radio One.” The next few months were a blur of live shows mixed with an array of festival slots; Discopolis ended 2011 supporting Wild Beasts and Friendly Fires at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party and were included in the NME’s 20 Most Exciting New Bands of 2012 list alongside the likes of Frank Ocean and Grimes. It’s almost impossible to imagine what such rapid success might have felt like for the, then, very young musicians. “I think after the Street Party we thought that we had kind of made it,” says Corlett-Donald. “But we just weren’t really ready. We didn’t have enough music written. That was the biggest thing… We needed to grow as songwriters.” That wasn’t the only issue, however. At this point, the group were predominantly producing anthem-esque, electronic dance music, which – while being picked up by international DJs and gathering the group an impressive fanbase – wasn’t what they’d ever set out to do. “We could have very much done the EDM stuff if we’d wanted to. But we just didn’t. Imagine wanting something your whole life, and then you see that the way it’s going is everything that you’ve been trying to avoid?” says Corlett-Donald. “It was like, ‘you can have everything you dreamed of, but you have to shoot yourself in the knee first’,” agrees Lloyd. The decision was taken to rename the group and generally transform the overall sound, a decision partly catalysed by the amicable exodus of fourth band member, drummer Cat Myers, who also played in Honeyblood at the time and has more recently been spotted behind the kit for KT Tunstall and Mogwai. “We realised we could keep all these fans, which would look great to a certain section of the industry. But they were going to expect more of the same: electronic dance music. It just wasn’t a wave that we wanted to ride,” says Cook. So Stillhound were born, with all three members acting as multi-instrumentalists and writing tracks collaboratively. The group speak beyond fondly about their songwriting, where taking semi-regular trips to the north of Scotland – sometimes for weeks at a time – has become a necessary part of their creative process. Going away together, Stillhound would cut off from city life and immerse themselves in the outdoors, with the space to write and develop the often electronic, melancholic, indie-pop sound they’ve

March 2019

Photo: Benedetta Margoni

fine-tuned today. “We tried a couple of times in Edinburgh – locking ourselves in a studio and turning our phones off or whatever,” says Corlett-Donald. “It categorically wasn’t the same.” With a winter trip to Gairloch and a sunshinefilled April in Ardnamurchan as just a couple of examples of their Highland excursions, all three musicians are clear about the relationship between their setting and their songwriting. “I think a big element of what drew the tracks together on this album as one cohesive piece was the way in which we wrote them – choosing two of our trips to write the whole body of work,” says Lloyd. So, how does the writing process work between the three of them? “How a tune starts is different every single time. Someone comes up with some sort of riff and then sees what the other guys think of it. We’ve gotten to know each other better in writing through these trips, and that sounds kind of crazy because we’ve been friends for a very long time, but it took a lot longer for us to figure each other out in terms of what works creatively,” says Lloyd. “Fergus writes nearly all of the lyrics though,” adds Corlett-Donald. Throughout the evening, Stillhound’s relentless interruptions, insults and jokes with each other reveal a familiarity and intimacy which is borderline envy-inducing to an outsider. “We all see each other more than our siblings,” says Cook. “Definitely more than any girlfriend I’ve had, 100 percent,” insists Corlett-Donald. “The whole reason for being in a band was about forming a really fucking tight-knit group, or family. It is how intense I wanted it to be.” This upcoming, eponymous second LP will once again be released on the band’s own Lost Oscillation label. As well as Stillhound, all three bandmates are immersed in a range of other creative, musical projects which include running Leith’s Lost Oscillation music studio and prod-

ucing solo music, as well as music for other artists. Why have they found themselves making music for a living? What is it about the process that drives them? “I find myself wondering all the time,” says Lloyd, “like what the fuck we’re doing here – deep kind of life questions – and writing music is one of the clearest ways I’ve found to rest those concerns.”

“ Imagine wanting something your whole life, and then you see that the way it’s going is everything that you’ve been trying to avoid?” Laurie Corlett-Donald

“When you’re writing, even when it’s bad it’s really good,” adds Corlett-Donald. “All the problems you take on a writing trip, or how you feel, even when it’s bad as fuck – it’s almost okay because you’re there doing something important. The three of us, I know we do it because we have to. For myself, I couldn’t imagine life without it. The idea of not creating music, or not creating something, would mean my life would fundamentally not be as good.”

Music

“I didn’t realise that until maybe even last year, I was still really wrestling with that question,” says Cook. “I was like, ‘Why did I fall into this, why am I doing it now?’ and it’s kind of just something that doesn’t bear any thinking about. Concentrate on the enjoyment you’re getting out of it.” There is something that does bear thinking about however, and it’s an area Stillhound speak honestly about. How do they reconcile their self-acknowledged privilege with their artistic voice? “There is a problem there, absolutely. Why do I get to do this? Someone else is missing out. But, is that worse? To just not do it all?” asks Cook. “You deal with it by doing as much art as you possibly can because you know that you are in such a privileged position,” adds Corlett-David, “and so it would be a travesty if you were wasting that opportunity.” Cook concludes: “Even when I have felt miserable, I get to a point where I am like, ‘you’re so extremely lucky to have all this.’ I just think you’ve got to be as decent a person as possible to as many people as you can be.” Throughout our conversation it’s evident that the trio now have a record they’re beyond proud to release into the world; something that encapsulates their musical infatuations, songwriting abilities and cherished friendship. Post-release, the band are open to what might happen next and it’s pretty hard to imagine that it could be anything other than continuing down this path of creative progression together. “The drive comes from inside,” Corlett-Donald says. “People who create something… It ultimately comes from within, and you do it for yourself. If people take it well, that’s fantastic. If they don’t, we still have to do it anyway.” Stillhound is released on 1 Mar via Lost Oscillation Stillhound play The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, 29 Mar; The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, 30 Mar stillhound.co.uk

Review

A New Chapter Gold Flake Paint founder Tom Johnson talks us through the story behind turning his beloved music blog into a print journal, and the benefits of slowing down

“A

s with any endeavour that grows a life of its own, often into shapes that you wanted, occasionally in ways you never really imagined, there comes a time when you have to take stock, to work out what you now want to get out of this thing that you’ve created.” Open issue two of Gold Flake Paint’s new journal to page 19, and you’ll find these lines within Tom Johnson’s story about The Twilight Sad, and their journey towards new album It Won/t Be Like This All the Time. Strangely, the words capture something about the changes he’s made in the last year, too. After eight years of nurturing his music site, based in Glasgow but beloved by a faithful global readership, Johnson replaced it with a paper journal, to be released four times a year in coincidence with the seasons.

“ I want it to feel like a real family, and it’s really exciting to let Gold Flake Paint’s voice grow into something else”

ships musicians and labels are building with their listeners. It’s here that Gold Flake Paint comes into its own. Since the very beginning, when Johnson was the site’s only writer, Gold Flake Paint has offered a counterpoint to the rapid pace of the music machine. The website offered deeply personal, deeply felt music reviews, with the perspective that often only comes after listening to a song for as long as it needs to take root. “The ethos of the site was about longevity,” Johnson says. “An album shouldn’t be ‘over’ within four weeks of it coming out.” Visiting the site felt like a deep exhalation of breath, and a world away from the competitive rush of would-be tastemakers. “I feel like it did well because it wasn’t a part of the whole ‘how many records is this selling’ side of the industry. We just wanted to write about what we liked, even if it had one [other] listener…” And yet, shortly after celebrating its eighth birthday, Johnson took the plunge and pressed pause on the site. The catalyst was a chance encounter a long way from home, at the infamously relentless music industry showcase South by Southwest in Texas. “The website was growing; it didn’t seem like a good time. But I’d just been at

Interview: Katie Hawthorne

this horrible festival and I was sat in a cafe talking to the waitress. She was like, ‘Oh, I know Gold Flake Paint!’ It was really overwhelming, and [after] the conversation I thought, I could go home and turn off the website. I felt like that would be an amazing moment to finish. As soon as I thought it, I was like… I’m going to do it. I think it’s the same with anything: if you’re self-releasing music on Bandcamp, the end goal [might be] to produce a beautiful vinyl. So, let’s try a magazine!” The patient process that set the website apart from many of its contemporaries makes even more sense on paper. The journal feels a conscious step away from the wave of new music that hits the Twitter timeline each day, and offers a chance to reflect on albums you might otherwise never have found. A generous combination of personal essays, reflections on music already released, and reviews of LPs to come ensures that there’s no need for a shelf-life – these are publications to savour, and to return to a year from now, when you need inspiration for a perfect Sunday afternoon soundtrack. The first issue took six months to put together, and sported gloriously tangerine pages and a luminous cover story on Mitski, a perennial

GFP favourite. It was also incredibly popular, selling 400 copies in the first two days. “I said to the printers, give us a quote for double!” For a brief moment, Johnson thought he’d made his millions – “I’m going to do this every three months and make £50,000 a year and retire to a French cottage!” – but the transition from producing free, daily content to creating a series of physical publications requires a whole new kind of patience, and an acceptance of a slower kind of growth. Johnson’s been seeking sustainability in the team behind the magazine, too. While his writing still makes up a large percentage of the page plans, the influence of editor Hannah Boyle and designer Tom Rogers has brought him fresh perspective. So, too, has his growing team of trusted contributors. “I want it to feel like a real family, and it’s really exciting to let Gold Flake Paint’s voice grow into something else,” he says, grinning. “I’ve spoken a lot, so I’m happy to guide it. It’s still Gold Flake Paint, but it’s a new chapter.” Gold Flake Paint: A Music Journal, Issue Two Winter 2019 is on sale now Gold Flake Paint's Issue Two Launch Party takes place at The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, 6 Mar goldflakepaint.co.uk

We’re often told that journalism is dying and people won’t pay to save it. Starting a print magazine in this financial and cultural climate might sound counter-intuitive, but when media organisations are under phenomenal pressure to translate digital page views into profit, perhaps it makes perfect sense. What’s more, within some corners of the music industry, there’s a growing movement towards a mode of cultural consumption that’s intimate and tangible. Not only in the fact that vinyl sales continue to rise (because, when you take a closer look, it’s more likely to be a Pink Floyd reissue than a new LP that make up these figures), but in the ever-closer relation-

Gold Flake Paint: A Music Journal

Review

Holy Now

Holy Now @ Leith Depot, Edinburgh, 15 Mar Edinburgh promoters The Gentle Invasion are putting on their first gig of the year tonight and as a total treat to ears everywhere are bringing the swooning sounds of Swedish four-piece Holy Now to Leith Depot. Expect to hear beautiful, sad indie-pop tunes from across their back catalogue, including their 2018 debut LP Think I Need the Light; perfect for a spring evening. What’s more, local angular party starters Golden Arm are on support duty for what will be their first outing of 2019. Oh, and Super Inuit are also playing. Lovely stuff all round we say.

Last Night from Glasgow’s 3rd Birthday Bash @ Stereo, Glasgow, 16 Mar Since launching in 2016, Last Night from Glasgow have been pretty busy doing a whole host of pretty good things for the local music scene. Run entirely as a not-for-profit outfit by volunteers, their focus is firmly on supporting artists they believe in and putting their music first. Head along to Stereo tonight to help them celebrate their third birthday and catch some excellent music from Sister John, Annie Booth, Foundlings and Cloth while you’re at it. Happy Birthday LNFG (insert confetti cannon here).

Music

Annie Booth

Photo: Jethro Optical

Martha Ffion

Photo: Beth Chalmers

Play It Like a Woman All-dayer @ The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, 9 Mar On 8 March, Glasgow DIY label Double A-Side Records are releasing a special compilation record, Play It Like a Woman, to coincide with and celebrate International Women’s Day. The record is comprised of an outstanding cross-section of music from female-identifying artists based in or with a connection to Scotland, and today sees some of those very talented musicians (LUNIR, Martha Ffion, L-space, Curdle, Jo Foster, Lou Mclean, Mona Soft and Life Model) take to the stage at The Glad Cafe for an all-day party, with all proceeds going to Glasgow Rape Crisis.

Photo: Hilda Randulv

Do Not Miss

Photo: Rachael Hood

Tom Johnson

The Japanese House

The Japanese House @ The Caves, Edinburgh, 18 Mar After being mistaken for The 1975 frontman Matty Healy during a run of tour dates with the Brit Award-winning band in 2016, and inclusion in the BBC Sound of 2017 longlist, Amber Bain, aka The Japanese House, brings her ethereal pop stylings to The Caves tonight. Fresh from releasing her stunning debut album Good at Falling on 1 March, and with a pretty extensive tour planned in the spring across the US and Canada, this could be the last time for a while you can catch her in Scotland, so don’t be foolish and treat yourself to a dreamy wee night out.

THE SKINNY

100% Feminista Ahead of her UK debut at Glasgow’s Counterflows Festival, we chat with MC Carol – the unapologetic baile funk star intent on opposing Brazil’s hard-right ruling party

Interview: Michael Lawson

Your Facebook page has been bombarded with thousands of angry messages, with many translating to “Terrible singer, terrible person and terrible influence.” With such a high level of online abuse, would it be fair to say you feel threatened as a black, feminist funk carioca artist in Bolsonaro’s Brazil? I have always felt threatened, even before that, for being black and a woman. My ex tried to kill me because I didn’t want to stay with him – we didn’t agree about the end of the relationship. Imagine what powerful men can do to women who decide to speak out loud against a government? Marielle’s death is a sad example.

now we are really good friends. Karol Conka is also an inspiration and a friend. I really like rap artists like Racionais MCs and others from the new generation of rap in Brazil, like BK and Baco Exu do Blues. From the other parts of the world, I love Beyoncé, Rihanna, Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, Usher and others. If you were to compare funk carioca to a style of music from another part of the world, what would it be? Maybe dancehall or kuduro: black music that makes the body move.

March 2019

What does the election of President Bolsonaro mean for those from Brazil’s poorest communities? How can Brazilians, and those from further afield, take a stand against this worryingly repressive regime? This government doesn’t care about women, black, gay or poor people, but there’s a lot of people from those groups that don’t realise it yet. It’s too dangerous for people like me to keep saying the things I do. Marielle died because of it but we can’t stay quiet. We need to keep fighting.

Your music tackles an array of topics, ranging from feminism and the history of Brazil taught in schools to the murder of Rio de Janeiro councillor Marielle Franco. How have these songs been received from an increasingly conservative Brazilian public?

Lazy Day @ Stereo, Glasgow, 26 Mar Following a string of releases on Eigg-based label Lost Map Records, including their excellent 10” Ribbons EP in 2017, London quartet Lazy Day, which started off as the bedroom solo project of singer-songwriter Tilly Scantlebury, are back in 2019 with their brand new Letters EP which celebrates the strong female and queer figures in Scantlebury’s life. Released on 22 March via their own label Weird Cool Records, catch them at Glasgow’s Stereo tonight as they celebrate its release with the first in a short run of UK tour dates.

Lazy Day

Vital Idles

Photo: Eleanor Crewes

Photo: Harry Clark x Portis Wasp

Which artists have you drawn inspiration from, both locally and from other parts of the world? I really love Tati Quebra Barraco. She was one of the main women in funk at the beginning. Everybody used to say that I was just like her and

Lab #1 w/ SHHE @ Summerhall, Edinburgh, 23-29 Mar Su Shaw, who performs as SHHE, recently toured with the mighty and majestic Kathryn Joseph, but when we spoke to her this time last year she was in Iceland taking part in the Westfjords Residency, creating music inspired by her surroundings. Following her most recent excursion to Iceland, you can find the Dundee-based electronic musician at Summerhall at the end of this month for a week-long mini-residency, entitled Lab, as she explores the connections between sound, the brain and the body, culminating in a performance on 29 March.

They say that I want to get famous and that’s why I talk and write about this, but I don’t care what they think. I was always a feminist before I knew this word existed and Marielle was someone that I really cared about. When they killed her, they killed a part of each black woman in Brazil – whether or not they knew her in person or through the media.

Photo: Allan Lewis

What was your gateway into this scene? And how does funk proibidão, the style of music you’ve become associated with, differ from traditional funk carioca? I did a song joking with a homeless person who always joked with me in my favela. Everybody loved it and they invited me to a baile funk [party] to sing it. The songs about sex are also a big part of the traditional funk carioca and the proibidão funk (about drug dealing) is also very common. Maybe the world just knows the funk melody because of artists like Anitta, but this is not the roots or the “real funk”.

SHHE

MC Carol

Upset the Rhythm 15th Birthday Label Tour @ CCA, Glasgow, 28 Mar To celebrate their 15th anniversary, London label Upset the Rhythm are taking a whole host of their awesome bands on the road. The excellently named London post-punks Sauna Youth continue to celebrate the release of their latest album Deaths by heading up the bill, with Trash Kit (featuring Sacred Paws’ Rachel Aggs), Glasgow’s Vital Idles (whose new 7” EP is released via the label on 8 March), Rattle and Robert Sotelo rounding out the bill. In short, if you like fun – and who doesn’t? – then this one’s for you.

Music

“ This government doesn’t care about women, black, gay or poor people... We need to keep fighting” Carolina de Oliveira Lourenço

What is the future of funk carioca? Can you see it spreading to other parts of the world and becoming a global phenomenon? It’s happening already! But I wish people in the world knew about the ‘real’ funk culture and not only superficially. The funk carioca came from the favela and we have so many good things and talented people there. And what does the future hold for MC Carol? I don’t know what the future holds for me but I am happy to be able to live doing what I love: singing! MC Carol plays Counterflows Festival at The Art School, Glasgow, 5 Apr Counterflows Festival takes place at various venues in Glasgow, 4-7 Apr facebook.com/mccaroldeniteroioficial counterflows.com

James Yorkston @ Perth Theatre, Perth, 1 Apr Four-and-a-half years since releasing his last solo record, Cellardyke native James Yorkston returned last month with the rather wonderful The Route to the Harmonium, released once again on London indie label Domino Records. Recorded with his trusty guitar Chris Isaak, an instrument he’s had since 2001, alongside a plethora of other instruments including dulcitones, nyckelharpas and, you guessed it, harmonium, you can catch the album in all its live wonder tonight in Perth. Get out of the city, you’ve earned it!

James Yorkston

Review

Photo: Ren Rox

The Skinny: Hi Carolina! Can you begin by introducing funk carioca and giving us a brief history of this style of music? Carolina de Oliveira Lourenço: Funk carioca was born in the favelas of Rio in the 90s. At first, it was just the beat that was really good to dance to, and then came the lyrics that were about life in the favela, like rap. Only later people started to talk about sex and drug dealing.

Photo: Fernando Schlaepfer

n 1 January 2019, Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in as the 38th president of Brazil. A homophobic, climate change denying antifeminist, his election was emblematic of the South American nation’s sharp lurch to the right – something Carolina de Oliveira Lourenço has experienced first-hand. Performing as MC Carol, de Oliveira Lourenço is a leading light in the country’s baile funk scene (also known as funk carioca or favela funk), with lyrics confronting everything from race and gender politics to domestic violence and the education system at a time when it’s becoming increasingly dangerous to speak out on such topics. Like grime and drill in the UK and trap in the US, baile funk’s honest depiction of day-to-day life in the country’s poorest communities has angered Brazil’s emboldened Christian conservative community. We caught up with de Oliveira Lourenço ahead of her UK debut at Glasgow’s Counterflows Festival to find out more. Translation courtesy of Ana Paula Paulino of Ubuntu Produções.

Album of the Month C Duncan

Health [FatCat Records, 29 Mar]

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Health marks a radical change in scene for acclaimed Glaswegian virtuoso, C Duncan. Where he was previously accustomed to writing and recording in the comfort of his bedroom, this new record sees Duncan venture into an entirely different setting. In a bid for new direction, he’s stepped out of the bedroom and into the studio. From the moment the striking chords of Talk Talk Talk begin, the change is palpable. It’s exciting; it’s lively; it’s very different. Duncan’s voice maintains its trademark suavity, but this time with a backdrop more dynamic than in his previous work. Lead single, Impossible showcases this vibrant new sound with a chorus that is unavoidably catchy. The texture of this record is broader than ever, with snappy strings and synths exhibiting a new depth of colour and complexity to Duncan’s sound. Yet the tracks that begin the album don’t necessarily reflect the record as a whole. In the fourth track, He Came from the Sun, and throughout Health, Duncan intermittently revisits his characteristic mesmerising, melancholic tone. But there’s something different: as well as a maturity in production, Duncan’s subject matter has

Foals

Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 [Transgressive, 8 Mar]

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You’d be hard pressed to count commercially and critically successful double albums, from the last 20 years at least, on two hands. In a time where leaner, 20-30 minute releases are all the rage, Foals have returned against the grain with a double-sided odyssey, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – to prove that more is more. While there’s nothing quite as heart-wrenching as Spanish Sahara here, nor anything catchy enough to become the next My Number, Part 1 is a statement of intent. Like all previous Foals works, this is a cohesive dance-rock fusion, one not revolutionary enough to be labelled a significant departure from their back catalogue, but with moments that see them enter new spaces. Cafe D’Athens – a return to melodic explorations off the back of 2015’s meaty stadium-rock LP What Went Down – is one of those and a real highlight, led by haunting xylophone jabs and ghostly high octave yelps. Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 can only really be contextualised upon the release of its final chapter, but on its own merit is yet another banger-laden album from an indie-rock machine who are now firmly established as one of the most consistent in their scene. [Jordan Foster] Listen to: Cafe D’Athens, Syrups, Moonlight

Review

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developed too. Songs such as Reverie and the title track are permeated not just with Duncan’s enthralling repeated instrumental motifs, but also an almost unsettling sense of something other. As his lyrics turn to topics of communication, sexuality and anxiety, the songs delve deeper too. Perhaps serving as a reflection of Duncan’s attitude to his music, Health is in a state of constant flux, attempting to reconcile old and new. This is at times fascinating, at times disorienting. In closing track Care, Duncan’s voice soars high, almost ghostly, over entrancing instrumentation. While Health marks a notable departure from his previous work, this overall change in production has inevitably left something behind and we can’t help but miss the familiar sounds that emanated from his old makeshift bedroom studio. However, it heralds the beginning of an exciting and revitalising change in direction for C Duncan, and one of his greatest talents is his ability to craft an album that takes the listener places. Health is no exception; like all greats it grows on you the more you listen. [Amy Hill] C Duncan

Listen to: Talk Talk Talk, Health, Care

Stillhound

Art of the Memory Palace

Stillhound [Lost Oscillation, Out Now]

Dusk at Trellick Tower EP [Static Caravan Records, 15 Mar]

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While their debut, Bury Everything, was a full on electronic dance record complete with contagious beats and funky rhythms, since retreating to the Highlands to write new material for their eponymous second album, Edinburgh trio Stillhound have kicked back with a new lo-fi record full of stunning soundscapes, giving a new definition to their name. Of the recording process, Dave Lloyd says, “We’ve worked through some tough times, in terms of going away, writing, and not being sure of what we were expecting. But it’s been really nice to get away. It was bliss – incredible weather, really beautiful surroundings, we could go swimming at the beach.” This environment has seeped into the record; the wilderness, landscapes and the complete ease with their natural surroundings are so apparent throughout the record’s use of mellow tones and smooth vocals. Opener Verses is the perfect instrumental introduction to Stillhound with minimal vocals that sets the mood for what’s to come; an album that can be background music, a soundtrack to a hike, a chilled night in. While it doesn’t hold any big moments or truly notable tracks that rattle around your head for days, Stillhound is consistent throughout and sets an idyllic visual scene purely through sound that distances them from their debut. [Harriet Willis] Listen to: Strangers Will Not Thank You, Crowds, Dreamed Up

London’s Trellick Tower was once dubbed ‘the Tower of Terror’ by a wary public as vandalism, flooding and violent crime began to plague its residents. Ernő Goldfinger, the architect responsible for it, was once a key source of inspiration for J. G. Ballard as he penned High-Rise. Now, his work, his temper, and his notorious distaste for humour have intrigued Andrew Mitchell and Raz Ullah, who, together, record as Art of the Memory Palace. Mitchell is no stranger to taking inspiration from his surroundings. In the recent past, he

CHAI

PUNK [Heavenly Recordings, 15 Mar]

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It’s all too easy to dismiss CHAI as some pseudoShonen Knife punk pastiche. The band – made up of identical twin sisters Mana (keys and lead vocals) and Kana (on guitar), Yuna (drums) and Yuuki (bass) – are oft-decked out in colourful garbs blasting out songs jam-packed with eccentric eclecticism. But you’re more likely to find CHAI taking their cues from N.E.R.D and Basement Jaxx than NOFX and Bad Religion. Busting onto the Tokyo scene a few years ago, where all four band members relocated to become full-time musicians, debut PINK was

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channelled the ethereal grandeur of the North Sea and its potential for destruction on The Paralian, his third release as Andrew Wasylyk. Allowing darkness to simmer beneath an invitingly surreal surface once again on Dusk at Trellick Tower; Mitchell (alongside Ullah) ably capture the sense of wonder that must have accompanied the rise of such an ambitious and alien structure, and the desolation that followed. Sonically, the EP consistently pleases and intrigues; each listen revealing new cause for euphoria and claustrophobia. A haunting exploration of Goldfinger’s work; only as the final track draws to a close do we fully comprehend the decadent and resplendent heights of modernity Mitchell and Ullah have led us through and the cruel, inhumane lows. [Fraser MacIntyre] Listen to: Man Spectre, Wretched Mortal rereleased via Heavenly Records in October last year. From PINK to PUNK then, as the band waste no time in putting out another full-length this spring; a genre-smashing assault of the senses and one of those excellent indie records that barely touches the 30 minute mark. Confidently taking on everything from the rave rock of Enter Shikari (GREAT JOB) to Paramore-plucked, rose-tinted tropic-pop (Wintime), and with former singles trashing tired beauty tropes, the band tackle our stereos – and societal stereotypes – head on. Chuck in those promised synchronised dance moves and it’s almost too much. New cute or not, CHAI make a pretty strong blend of all the best bits. [Cheri Amour] Listen to: CHOOSE GO!, GREAT JOB, Wintime

THE SKINNY

Photo: Jordan Curtis Hughes

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Compliments Please [Fiction Records, Out Now]

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One half of indie-pop duo Slow Club, Rebecca Taylor’s solo debut as Self Esteem is characterised by a wide musical divergence – one that explores another version of her and her music. Made in collaboration with The Very Best’s Johan Karlberg, short monologue (Feelings) sets the scene for the very existence of Self Esteem: ‘When you’re in a band everybody really doesn’t want the same thing you want... / You have to make a decision and not worry about somebody’s feelings’. Expressing the need to be a separate entity from a band and gaining the ability to make the music she wants to make, it provides the perfect launchpad for recent single The Best, with its ‘I did the best that I could, babe’ refrain; it’s instantly impactful and marks Taylor’s intent with

Snapped Ankles Stunning Luxury [The Leaf Label, Out Now]

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Snapped Ankles’ second record comes bearing many of the hallmarks of a band attempting to build upon an underground success. The rhythms are less wonky and the drums sound less like they were played on the contents of various skips. However, there is no sense of

The Japanese House Good at Falling [Dirty Hit, Out Now]

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Good at Falling is the debut LP from The Japanese House, a deeply personal account of love and loss set against a soothing electronic soundscape; a lucid dream, it’s tumultuous and tender, steeped in self-reflection, self-appreciation and self-growth. Navigating modern relationships with wisdom well beyond her 23 years, singersongwriter and producer Amber Bain’s own recent heartbreak is a central theme here, but the result is more reflective than it is reactive. Good at Falling has a feeling of the relief that comes after crying. It takes a moment to sit in sorrow, to feel every inch of it, only to find it washed away by hope and gratitude. [Katie Cutforth] Listen to: Lilo, Wild, Everybody Hates Me

March 2019

Self Esteem. The first standout of the record comes with Girl Crush, a haunting yet strangely upbeat piece that blends thudding beats with a crescendo of instrumentals. The piano-led, lyrically-charged Favourite Problem follow (‘You’ll never know because you’ll never let yourself grow’), accurately representing the message behind the album. Later, the upbeat and encouraging In Time gives you the confidence to carry on (‘Don’t feel sorry for me / I’m doing fine... / It’s okay / You’ll be fine’). Punctuated throughout with spoken word vignettes, the final surge of dialogue comes on (Truly Free) before the last three tracks juxtapose bursts of energy (Rollout) and tranquil quiet (She Reigns) with a more lo-fi and acoustic bent (On the Edge of Another One). Vocally and lyrically charged, Self Esteem’s debut is one that takes several paths in its journey, revealing Taylor as a remarkable vocalist and a powerful lyricist. [Malvika Padin] Listen to: Girl Crush, Favourite Problem, Peach You Had To Pick, In Time compromise on Stunning Luxury. If anything, they’ve heightened their idiosyncrasies, particularly their politicised anger, with lyrics addressing unaffordable rents, environmental ambivalence and gentrification. The band’s secret weapon, though, is frontman Paddy Austin’s vocals, which jump between twitchy sprechgesang and cartoonish squawk, turning potential po-faced political statements into effervescent chants, allowing him to present the insidious values of consumer capitalism with the enthusiasm of an unhinged

Jayda G

Significant Changes [Ninja Tune, 22 Mar]

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With Significant Changes, Jayda G has effortlessly intertwined her work in music and science. Her Masters degree in Resource and Environmental Management, where she specialised in environmental toxicology – orca captivity being a particular focus – is brought to the fore on Orca’s Reprise, and references to the deep sea are sprinkled throughout. The more club friendly Missy Knows What’s Up, featuring samples of prolific biologist Misty MacDuffee, being just one other example. Significant Changes may well plunge you below the surface but by the time you reach its outro track, Conclusion, we’re confident that even deeper sounds are still to come from Jayda G. But for now, S ignificant Changes shows remarkable maturity for a debut. [Jack Pugh] Listen to: Missy Knows What’s Up, Orca’s Reprise

Nilüfer Yanya

Self Esteem

CBBC presenter. Those familiar with the band’s debut will be aware of the form Snapped Ankles songs take – repetitive synth lines and motorik rhythms being key, but the sonics of the record are a leap towards a more synthetic sound. While opener Pestisound (Moving Out) features rattling percussion and eerie chords, the majority of the album features a more danceable energy. Letter From Hampi Mountain and Rechargeable meld fidgety rhythms with abrasive synths that yelp like malfunctioning fruit machines into out and out bangers, while lead

Karen O & Danger Mouse

Miss Universe [ATO Records / PIAS, 22 Mar]

Lux Prima [BMG, 15 Mar]

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‘What will you experience when you experience paradise?’ It’s a question posed by Nilüfer Yanya in one of several spoken word interludes on her debut, Miss Universe. Here, she enacts an automated message from WWAYHEALTH, a fictional health management company that comes to symbolise a sense of inherent, subconscious control in society. Spread between WWAYHEALTH segments, Yanya pushes herself into a diverse range of musical territories on an album where grungy guitar riffs can occupy the same space as more synth-led tracks, combining indie elements and electro-pop with ease. Miss Universe hangs together effortlessly and each part feels as vital as the last. [Eugenie Johnson] Listen to: Baby Blu, Safety Net

The woozy, glamorous pop that colours much of Lux Prima is new territory for Karen O, but for Danger Mouse, it’s the same as it ever was, recent production work for Parquet Courts aside. The nine-minute titular opener initially impresses, with its morphing structure and cinematic sweeping strings, but by the end of it you’ll have heard every sound you’ll hear across the whole album. This might have been salvaged with bold writing, but the core songs are mostly formed of simple choruses, with descending chromatic chord sequences that get repetitive. While it is endearing to hear Karen O working with a more patient form of songwriting, the raw energy and emotion of her best work isn’t here. [Stephen Butchard] Listen to: Lux Prima, Turn the Light

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Photo: Charlotte Patmore

Self Esteem

single Drink and Glide builds into an electronic, psychedelic, fuzzed-out cacophony. Barring the closer Dream and Formaldehyde, Stunning Luxury gloriously marries a fury with an energy that can only feel hopeful. With Stunning Luxury Snapped Ankles have achieved that rarest feat, a stridently political album that loses neither its sense of humour nor their capacity for bangers. [Joe Creely] Listen to: Letter From Hampi Mountain, Drink and Glide

Stephen Malkmus Groove Denied [Domino, 15 Mar]

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What does an electronic Stephen Malkmus record sound like? Would a foray into experimentation with sequencers and synths be a case of the indie rock old guard dabbling headstrong in something they shouldn’t? Would it sound like the Electro episode of The Mighty Boosh? The truth is less shocking, but relieving. Groove Denied is perhaps better than it has any right to be. Thankfully, Groove Denied doesn’t see Malkmus go full EDM raver, or embrace abstract ambience. What it does signify is a willingness to embrace and learn the uncomfortable from a prolific artist whose output may have seemed set in its way, and his continued willingness to think outside the box is much appreciated. [Tony Inglis] Listen to: A Bit Wilder, Come Get Me, Forget Your Place

American Football

American Football (LP3) [Big Scary Monsters, 22 Mar]

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If 1999’s LP1 was the introduction to American Football and LP2 its 17 years later reintroduction, then LP3 is their reinvention as the Chicago quartet expand their musical palette to accompany frontman Mike Kinsella’s concerns with aging. There’s an assuredness present showing a comprehensive range in composition, pop hooks and production. Part of this is thanks to the band’s use of guest vocalists, most notably Paramore’s Hayley Williams – who puts in an excellent performance on lead single Uncomfortably Numb. Elsewhere, American Football build on their distinct craft for creating pop songs out of odd time signatures, seamlessly weaving multi-minute epics without ever feeling overblown. [Adam Turner-Heffer] Listen to: Uncomfortably Numb, I Can’t Feel You

Review

Life Experience Ahead of the release of her debut album Significant Changes this month, we speak to Jayda G about juggling a Masters degree with completing her debut album

Interview: Nadia Younes

Review

to my own experiences, I think a lot of just that moment of being free when you’re able to let go and you’re one with the room musically. Those are really special moments, and when you’re on your phone that’s not happening. That’s definitely why I wrote the song; it’s definitely a bit of a social commentary.” The conversation turns to her upcoming show at Glasgow’s Sub Club, where she’ll be playing all night long for Bigfoot’s Tea Party, having also played at their 10th birthday party last year. As we discuss her previous shows in Sub Club and also at Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s, Guy’s passion for those kinds of more intimate club experiences is immediately evident. “Sneaky Pete’s is fucking fun!” she enthuses. “I had a night off… I had played [a] festival [in Edinburgh] during the day, so in the evening I could literally have just gone to bed but instead I went to Sneaky Pete’s.

“ When you’re able to let go and you’re one with the room musically, those are really special moments, and when you’re on your phone that’s not happening” Jayda G

Photo: Farah Nosh

ver the last 20 years, the population of Salish Sea whales, or orcas, found in Canadian Pacific waters has diminished massively, with only 74 still remaining in the entire world. This was the subject of a Masters thesis by Vancouver-born DJ and producer Jayda Guy – more commonly known as Jayda G – and, in turn, a direct influence on her debut album, Significant Changes. Created while completing her Masters degree in Resource and Environmental Management, in which she specialised in environmental toxicology, the album is closely linked with Guy’s thesis focusing on the effects of human activity on the orcas of Vancouver. As well as sampling sounds of actual orcas on one track – Orca’s Reprise – Guy also samples the voice of biologist Misty MacDuffee on Missy Knows What’s Up, with one phrase in particular used repeatedly: ‘Why are these whales threatened and what are we gonna do about it?’ As Vice-chair of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation in British Columbia, MacDuffee has played a key role in campaigning for the protection of the species for over ten years. In 2008, MacDuffee, along with several other conservation groups, filed a lawsuit against the Canadian government to protect Canada’s two populations of resident killer whales, calling for the use of an Emergency Order under section 80 of the federal Species at Risk Act. The study of this court case took up an entire chapter in Guy’s thesis, and the quotes by MacDuffee that were sampled were taken from a radio show she came across in her research and decided to transfer over into her music. “As an artist it’s impossible to think that your surroundings and your personal experiences aren’t going to affect your art… so it definitely kind of intertwines in that way just organically,” says Guy. “It’s more like taking inspiration when inspiration comes and that’s usually, at least in my experience, when things have come across the best way to the audience.” It feels timely too, with environmental concerns and climate change weighing heavy on people’s minds. Just last month, thousands of young people across the UK walked out of school to protest the lack of governmental action on climate change. Organisers estimated that around 10,000 young people in around 60 towns across the UK took part in the strike, with further protests also taking place across the world in recent months. Coinciding with her four-week residency at London’s Phonox last month, Guy set out to further engage people in her studies by hosting a series of talks under the banner JMG Talks. The two talks at Bar Ninety One on Brick Lane offered young scientists the opportunity to discuss their work, explaining their research and experiences within academia, and allowed members of the public the opportunity to ask them questions about it. All the proceeds from the talks were donated to the volunteer-led charity Free to Be Kids, which helps disadvantaged children in London. At the time of our interview with Guy, the first of the two talks had already been completed, where she was joined by her friend Dr Lily Zeng, with the second talk with Dr Lindsay Veazey still to follow. “It was from, honestly, me being interviewed for my DJing and the music I was making… And I just kind of realised there wasn’t really anything like that for science, for researchers,”

she says. “If you read about research, it’s always about the research; it’s not really as much about the person behind that research. “It is just about connecting people to the work in a slightly different way, so that people can empathise and also have an understanding of the personal experience because then they might find it more interesting,” she continues. “And this is our environment, this is our home; we should be interested in it, we should be interested in the work that is happening around us and sometimes that stuff is just not as accessible as maybe it should be… So it’s also just about bridging that gap, that communication gap between the academic world and the rest of the world.” But environmental issues are not the only topical subject covered on Significant Changes. Guy also alludes to our addiction to technology, presenting a particular sense of dismay towards

the increase of phone usage in clubs. Both Stanley’s Get Down (No Parking on the DF) and Move to the Front (Disco Mix) address the stagnant nature of certain clubgoers on the dancefloor who are more likely to be taking pictures or Shazaming tracks than actually dancing. ‘Hey you, I see you, with your phone, looking at Instagram,’ announces Guy at the beginning of Stanley’s Get Down, something she says she has noticed becoming more prominent on dancefloors in recent years. “It’s definitely something that has grown over the course of my DJ career,” she says. “You know, the whole point of going to the club is either to dance or pick up somebody; you’re trying to interact with the room around you, so it’s really something I’ve noticed especially as Instagram has grown as this crazy phenomenon that it is,” she continues. “When I think back

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“Those clubs, like Sneaky Pete’s and Sub Club and stuff, those are real special places and I love playing there; I’ve loved playing in those kind of atmospheres,” she continues. “It’s just a little bit smaller so you can connect with the audience just so much more, which is really special, then you can reach those moments as I spoke about before where you’re trying to get everyone to be on the same page experiencing the same thing at the same time.” Achieving the optimum experience is something that Guy seems incredibly passionate about. With the story surrounding Significant Changes influenced by her studies and the accompanying JMG Talks engaging people even further, Guy brings us deeper into her world, giving us a taste of her life and ultimately helping us better understand her as an artist. “That has been my life for the last ten years; science, academia – that has been the meat of my experiences… And it’s so kind of funny in a way that here I now have this musical platform but no one knows that about me,” she says. “I kind of felt like, again, it was a combo of just informing people in a different way but also sharing what my life has actually been like for most of it.” Significant Changes is released 22 Mar via Ninja Tune Jayda G plays Sub Club, Glasgow, 15 Mar

THE SKINNY

March 2019

Review

THE SKINNY

Club, Actually This month’s clubbing highlights include birthday parties from Overground and Loose Joints, La Cheetah Club’s second 2019 residency announcement, as well as the opening of their new club spot Room 2, and more

Photo: Darlyne Komukama

Words: Nadia Younes Illustration: Andrew Denholm

B2B: S/A/M x Kampire Ahead of their sets at the Carnival Arts Social Club this month, Glasgow-based DJ S/A/M goes B2B in an interview with Ugandan DJ, and member of the Nyege Nyege collective, Kampire Words: Nadia Younes

ased out of the old Jewellery Factory in Port Dundas, Glasgow, The Carnival Arts Social Club is an arts and community space home to many artists’ and musicians’ studios and hosts irregular club nights, exhibitions and community events. For their latest event, and to coincide with International Women’s Day, the Club have invited Ugandan DJ Kampire to make her Glasgow debut, following previous sets in Edinburgh and at last year’s Kelburn Garden Party. Part of Uganda’s Nyege Nyege collective – a group of creatives shaking up Uganda’s music scene – Kampire caught the attention of a global audience playing at festivals around the world, and alongside the likes of The Black Madonna and Diplo, with her energy-fuelled, bass-heavy DJ sets. Joining her on the night are one of Glasgow’s most in-demand DJs right now, Sofay, and half Sri Lankan, half Scottish DJ and producer S/A/M, with more still to be confirmed. S/A/M: We know you DJed in Scotland last year at the Kelburn Garden Party but this will be your Glasgow debut. Knowing what a Scottish club audience is like, how do you feel about making your first visit to the city? Kampire: I’m super excited to be in Scotland again. I may be biased because my experiences at Kelburn and in Edinburgh were so good, but Scottish people are so nice and seem to love to party, which is exactly what I’m hoping for in Glasgow. You’re part of Uganda’s Nyege Nyege collective – can you tell us a little about that? Yeah, it’s our ragtag crew of East African party people – DJs, producers, musicians, visual artists, party organisers. It has grown in the past four years from an annual festival and party series to encompass two music labels, a studio and a year-round residency. It’s exciting to see acts that Nyege Nyege introduced getting booked on the continent and in Europe as well. And how did you personally come to be involved in East Africa’s underground electronic music scene? My friends, sort of on a whim, decided to throw a music festival back in 2015 and it just spiralled from there. I never even thought about taking up DJing, but when you have an audience and a scene that inspires you, perhaps it was inevitable. Your Boiler Room set at the Nyege Nyege Festival is pretty unbelievable – it blew me

March 2019

away and everyone else that’s seen it! What was it like for you performing at something that you have been so personally close to? I’m overwhelmed by people’s responses to Boiler Room. I just wanted the Uganda I know to be represented. We love to dance, we love to party, so it gives me great joy to watch my friends and community show up and show out. Your sets are a booty shaking hybrid of bass-heavy electronic rhythms and traditional African sound forms. How would you best sum up your sound for the dancefloor and what genres can we expect to hear on the night? Lots of bass, beats, some Soukous guitar, lots of Afro-influenced music from the continent, the diaspora and East Africa of course. Last summer you played at some key festivals and this tour includes playing 11 dates – can you tell us some of the highlights and what you’re particularly looking forward to during 2019? Glasgow is definitely a highlight. I’m also supporting Branko in Berlin and London on his Nosso album release tour, which I still can’t believe. On top of DJing and working with the Nyege Nyege collective, you’re also involved in campaign work for women’s rights and gender relations – what does that involve? I wouldn’t say I’m involved in campaign work for women’s rights, necessarily, though I used to work in that sphere. I’m a writer first and being a woman and a feminist, that’s the lens that I apply to all my work. Similarly, as a DJ and being a minority in this industry, my existence is political, and hopefully I’m expanding possibilities by being here.

Shanti Celeste’s Peach Party (Residency 1/4) with Peach @ La Cheetah Club, Glasgow, 8 Mar La Cheetah’s 10th birthday celebrations keep getting better and better, and it’s still only March. Their second residency announcement for 2019 is another stormer, as Chilean-born DJ Shanti Celeste brings her Peach Party to the club, and who better to bring along as her first guest than Peach. In keeping with the theme, we’re hoping for complimentary bowls of peaches on the bar, the peach scene from Call Me By Your Name screening on a loop and justice for Peach Salinger. Just an idea. Headset with Cera Khin & Ribeka @ The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, 8 Mar As well as hosting regular slots on Noods Radio and NTS, Berlin-based Cera Khin runs her own LazyTapes record label, renowned for its forward-thinking approach to electronic music. Raised in Tunisia, Khin was introduced to a diverse range of music by her record-collecting father, before going on to explore further sounds herself. Also joining her tonight is Glasgow-based Ribeka, who’s been making waves in the city’s club scene, frequently performing alongside her friend Sofay, as well as on her own. Overground: upsammy @ The Mash House, Edinburgh, 15 Mar Celebrating slightly fewer years in existence, Edinburgh crew Overground’s two-part third birthday celebrations begin at their home of The Mash House with De School Amsterdam resident upsammy. With a string of releases on Rotterdam-based label Nous’klaer, Young Turks’ techno branch Whities and Oliver Hafenbauer’s Die Orakel over the past couple of years, Thessa Torsing has been steadily building a name for herself as one of the most exciting new producers in electronic music. Loose Joints 3rd Birthday: Violet @ The Berkeley Suite, Glasgow, 16 Mar Over in Glasgow, another group of partystarters celebrating their third birthday this month are Loose Joints. Not many DJs can be credited with livening up an entire city’s nightlife scene, but this kind of heightened praise can definitely be afforded to Violet. Since moving back to Lisbon in 2016, following a three-year stint in London, Inês Coutinho has seen huge success with her label Naive, the internet radio station Rádio Quântica she co-founded with her partner Marco Rodrigues, AKA Photonz, and her queer party, mina.

Animal Farm Records Label Night @ Room 2, Glasgow, 22 Mar A new venture from La Cheetah Club to coincide with their 10th anniversary is the opening of their new party spot Room 2 on Nelson Mandela Place. Following the two-day launch earlier this month, which saw the likes of JD Twitch and Moodymann christen the booth, the venue’s tantalising programme of events continues as local techno purveyors Animal Farm throw a party with labelmates and special guests. On the line-up as it stands currently are Quail, Ancestor, AISHA and Scarbo. Nightrave x La Cheetah: Laurel Halo @ La Cheetah Club, Glasgow, 22 Mar Next to take the reins on !K7’s DJ-Kicks series, following Leon Vynehall’s brilliant release last month, is the ever-inventive Hyperdub signee Laurel Halo. Over the course of three criticallyacclaimed albums on the label, the Michiganborn artist has proven a knack for experimenting across genre and textures, with her DJ-Kicks tracklist looking to follow in the same vein. On the night of its release, Halo will join Nightrave boss Nightwave in the La Cheetah basement to celebrate, where we imagine more than a few bottles will be popping. Heaters: Yu Su @ Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 27 Mar Also making an Edinburgh debut this month is Vancouver-based DJ and producer Yu Su, dropping in for a midweek show for Sneaky’s Wednesday night regular, Heaters. Su’s latest release, a mini-album titled Preparations For Departure, was released on New York label Arcane Records in May last year and dedicated to both Su’s mother and label boss Edgar RojasMasferrer’s father, who both passed away around the same time period. Known for developing emotional narratives in her DJ sets, she’s sure to take you on an eclectic musical journey. Overground x Substance - Gesloten Cirkel (Live) @ The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, 29 Mar For the second part of their third birthday celebrations, Overground are teaming up with long-standing Edinburgh techno crew Substance to bring one of the most mysterious characters in electronic music to The Bongo Club for his debut in the capital. In even more exciting news, the mysterious Russian-based producer will be performing his mind-bending live show for only the second time ever in Scotland, and you can be sure to expect a massive sonic assault. Ear plugs at the ready.

You’re going to be in Glasgow for 24 hours, what’s on your hit list apart from playing at the Carnival Arts Social Club at the Jewellery Factory? 24 hours is not enough! But I’m hoping y’all will show me what a good Glaswegian night out looks like. When in Glasgow, which would you rather have and why: a) A Ruby Murray b) A Glasgow kiss c) A taps aff night I don’t know what any of these are! A Ruby Murray? She sounds nice. Kampire and S/A/M play at the Carnival Arts Social Club, The Jewellery Factory, Glasgow, 9 Mar

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Review

Rhyme Watch

Bangkok Wakes to Rain By Pitchaya Sudbanthad

Stubborn Archivist By Yara Rodrigues Fowler

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March’s poetry highlights include a clutch of new collections launching alongside the usual stellar array of live events Words: Beth Cochrane

im Mackintosh’s first solo exhibition, Flipstones, will be drawing to an end on 14 March. The exhibition is housed in Perth Concert Hall, in the Threshold Artspace. It pairs the performance poet’s work with visual art from the Horsecross Arts Museum’s collection of contemporary art, with one form working to complement the other and inspire new perspectives in each piece. The poetry responds to art of the moving image, to photography, sound and sculpture from over a dozen artists. With free admission Monday-Saturday, make sure you get a chance to visit in these last two weeks. Edinburgh’s Assembly Roxy will be hosting several spoken word artists as part of its Formation Festival (March-April). One such artist is Leyla Josephine, who will be premiering her new show, Daddy Drag, on 27-30 March. Through the performance, Josephine will be exploring what it means to be a dad, including dads who are present, absent, good or bad and all the in-betweens. Also at Assembly Roxy, separate from Formation Festival, Nadine Aisha Jassat will be launching her debut poetry collection, Let Me Tell You This (404 Ink). Jassat’s much anticipated collection was shortlisted for the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award 2018 and has been called ‘a punchy, powerful debut’ by Jackie Kay. The Edinburgh launch’s line-up (TBA) will showcase some of Scotland’s most talented writers. Accompanying this launch is the Glasgow event, taking place at the earlier date of 7 March in the Glasgow Women’s Library. This event will be supported by guest performers Esme Allman and Iona Lee, and will feature a Q&A chaired by journalist and

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper By Hallie Rubenhold

rrrrr When a woman is murdered by a notorious serial killer, she dies two deaths: once in the killing itself and once again through erasure, the focus almost always on the murderer. Works of true

Review

writer Chitra Ramaswamy. Poet and performance artist MacGillivray (Kirsten Norrie) will be launching her third collection, The Gaelic Garden of the Dead (Bloodaxe Books). The collection is three Books of the Dead bound as one: a trilogy comprising of a forest quartet, 10 pattern poetry dream diagrams and 35 Petrarchan sonnets deconstructed to Mary, Queen of Scots. MacGillivray will be launching the collection, described as ‘occulted, fire-warped, close-stitched in freshly butchered skin’ by Iain Sinclair, on Friday 1 March at the Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh. Carcanet Press is continuing with a blazing 2019, launching Jane Yeh's Disciple on 13 March and Isabel Galleymore's Significant Other on 20 March. This will be Galleymore’s debut collection, although her debut pamphlet Dazzle Ship was published by Worple Press in 2014 and her work has featured in several major literary magazines, such as the London Review of Books. Jane Yeh has experienced huge success with previous collections, her debut Marabou even being shortlisted for both the Whitbread and Forward First Collection prizes. Although having launched in February, it’s worth mentioning Speculative Books’ newest publication by multi-disciplinary artist, Lorna Callery-Sithole. Her debut poetry collection, pigeons with Warburtons, is interactive and visual; an absolute pleasure to pace through, complete with the poet’s own visual accompaniments. Speculative will be continuing its monthly publications in March with a debut collection from spoken word artist, Imogen Stirling.

crime are often guilty of the too-familiar pitfalls of the genre: ‘evil’ is evoked to avoid deep engagement with the social issues and misogyny that shape the circumstances of such crimes, and the women, although named, are framed as poor victims of the ‘genius’ killer. The focus is on the killer’s Othering from society without questioning what aspects of society need to change. Hallie Rubenhold not only avoids these pitfalls but actively challenges them. The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper dedicates a chapter each to the biographies of Mary Ann ‘Polly’ Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine ‘Kate’ Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly, all murdered in 1888. Five exceptionally different women met the same fate, and Rubenhold explores the poverty, alcoholism, sexism and health issues that defined their lives and contributed towards their deaths. Rubenhold presents this historical true crime with extensive research and astonishing narrative energy. She breathes life into ‘the five’ and her language, using colloquial terms from the nineteenth century, makes you feel the injustices experienced by not only sex workers but all women. The Five is a much-needed, devastatingly brilliant book. Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Kate and Mary-Jane died two deaths, but Rubenhold lays before us an act of resurrection, bringing back into the world what it has been possible to save, recovering the dignity of those women erased. [Rebecca Wojturska] Doubleday, 28 Feb, £16.99 penguin.co.uk/books

Pitchaya Sudbanthad’s debut novel begins as a trickle. A woman – no one, including herself, seems to know her age – walks towards a building, stops, looks up, and braces for impact. Short chapters then follow introducing us to an array of characters: a doctor living in Siam as part of a Christian missionary colony; a student bleeding out on the streets during the Thai 1970s student massacres; a fish-out-of-water woman running a Thai restaurant in Japan; an American jazz musician asked to play for ghosts; a plastic surgeon who designs teenage girls’ faces. Soon a trickle becomes a swamp as storylines spill out and begin to cross – not quite Cloud Atlas, but rather the past, present and future vibrating against one another. Bangkok Wakes to Rain’s strength and weakness is in its denseness. Some storylines are substantially long – nearly short stories – while others are brief vignettes that sometimes tip from the poetic into obscurity. Sudbanthad’s descriptions can be gorgeous, but they can also be muddy – the writing as clammy and claustrophobic as the streets of Bangkok. There is a heaviness to the book as the plot begins to bloat. Sudbanthad is clearly a confident and inventive writer. The portions of the book that take place in the future especially stand out. Bangkok Wakes to Rain is certainly worth the read – however by the end of the novel, you may have to grab a mop. [Katie Goh]

Stubborn Archivist is a little like finding someone’s notebook on a long train journey and reading it cover to cover by the time you reach your destination. Focusing on a young BritishBrazilian woman who has grown up in South London, it maps the lives of her family – including her grandmother, her mother and aunt in Brazil – to her own life in London. We’re taken through her experience of love and loss, a first tentative step in a career, sexual awakening and, most importantly of all, identity and belonging. Written in poetry with prose, Fowler melds these two techniques skilfully. It feels like the unfiltered version of a young person’s life. This is not to say it is not polished – it is – but it has the effect of being real. The language of the novel is the language we use, capturing the way we stutter and make mistakes when we talk, creating a natural flow to the writing. The occasional Portuguese word has the effect of heightening the sense that the protagonist is balancing between two worlds, beginning to form an idea of who she is. The time she spends with her friends and family is (often painfully) relatable. The arguments and discussions they have, we will probably all recognise. The novel is a slice of her life, which is ultimately a slice of everyone’s life. Complicated, often messy but full of promise, we only hope if someone found our notebook on the train, it would be half as compelling. [Rebecca Smith]

Sceptre, 21 Feb, £18.99

Fleet, 21 Feb, £14.99

hodder.co.uk/books

littlebrown.co.uk/books

Trout, Belly Up By Rodrigo Fuentes (translated by Ellen Jones)

Berg By Ann Quin

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Trout, Belly Up features a number of short stories set in the Guatemalan countryside, centred around Don Henrik and his trout farm. The stories feature loss and death, linked by the motif of the trout, suffocated by lack of oxygen and floating belly up in their tank. The stories do not seem connected in any formal manner, and Don Henrik himself is particularly enigmatic and malleable. While his motives for setting up the trout farm in Trout, Belly Up reportedly came from his travels to Scandinavia, Dive hints at an actual Scandinavian heritage. This recurs in Henrik, where Henrik, with his ‘deep Viking voice’ has inherited a cardamom farm. Above all, however, the stories are drawn together with an innate sense of urban violence imposing on, and juxtaposed with, the countryside. The general effect is that of curiousness, particularly in Perla, Out of The Blue, with a cow who wishes she were a dog. The stories each provide their own takes on the world, which change and throw up new perspectives with each reading. As we have come to expect from Charco Press, Ellen Jones’ translation is stellar. Fuentes’ writing is precise, yet delicate and beguiling, and is beautifully captured in translation. Trout, Belly Up is quirky, dynamic and thoughtful, and begs the question whether Charco Press are capable of publishing anything less than brilliant. [Mika Cook]

Berg is the madcap debut novel by Ann Quin, the experimental, working class writer who came to prominence in the 1960s, and who has recently seen a resurgence in appreciation following a new edition of her short stories last year. In this book, Quin’s gift for the disquieting domestic comes to the fore in a travelling salesman named Berg, who assumes the identity of Greb and travels to a seaside town intending to kill his father, who lives with his lover, her cat, a ventriloquist’s dummy and a beloved pet bird in a cage. As Berg becomes entangled with the eccentric couple, having rented a shabby room next door from which he can listen through the thin walls, he alternately spies on them and ingratiates himself by doing small favours and stopping by; putting off the killing until the right, decisive time arrives. Meanwhile, letters from his mother arrive, enquiring after the business of hair tonic sales and pleading for return letters. The best novels about the seaside highlight its capacity for freakshow oddity, of hopes dashed and penny-pinching, temporary pleasures among the helter skelters. Berg reminds a little of Veronique Olmi’s tragic Beside the Sea, or Ferrante’s lost dolls in the sand, but with a runaway, off-kilter style all of its own that reminds the reader how celebrated Quin ought to be. [Laura Waddell]

Charco Press, 7 Feb, £8.99

And Other Stories, 7 Mar, £10

charcopress.com/bookstore/trout-belly-up

andotherstories.org/berg/

BOOKS

THE SKINNY

Where Art Now? With the beginning of spring come new exhibitions across Scotland, as well as events and opportunities to follow up on through March

t’s March, and that means one thing: you survived another winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real, but thankfully this is the time for the upswing. With renewed energies, and a spring (pun intended) in your step, hop back into being social and cultured with some of the excellent exhibitions and events launching this month. Early in the month, a new exhibition will open in Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, titled Domestic Bliss. It brings together a range of works from the permanent collection, including controversial former Young British Artist ceramicist Grayson Perry, beloved Glasgow author and artist Alasdair Gray, and renowned 20th century sculptor Niki de Sant Phalle. Also with new commissions by Glasgow artists Mandy McIntosh and Camara Taylor, the exhibition experiments with domestic design and traditional museum displays. Cooper Gallery in Dundee this month presents the first solo show in a public institution of the artist Anne Marie Copestake, who for a long time has been working between sculpture, print, installation, moving image works, performance, text and sound. Across her diverse works, she returns to ideas of the voice spoken in

isolation, community and its relationship with the moving image. The Common Guild took the bold decision not to programme exhibitions in this year while they move to accessible premises. Keeping their promise of a suite of events in place of a gallery, this month they begin an ambitious series of talks that aims to generate discussion around the needs, expectations and possibilities of the space for art today. The first of these by the artist Nicole Wermers is on Thursday 21 March at 6pm, then the next week they will host architect Stephanie Macdonald on Thursday 28 March at 6pm. At the newly reopened Collective Gallery, until 10 March there is the exhibition by Emmie McCluskey, these were the things that made the step familiar. In the new works presented, McCluskey uses photography and a form of dance notation to explore interaction in and between bodies, considering the systems that control and record them. On the penultimate day, the 9 March at 4-5pm, the artist will host a conversation event with the independent dancer and choreographer Janice Parker. Then from 5.30-7.30pm, there will be the launch of the exhibition publication, titled A Strange American Funeral.

Making Ground Embassy rrrrr

Also making an oblique approach towards the effects of colonialism, Zoe Zo, Zoe Tumika & Zoe Guthrie’s videowork Part 1: The Dinner is mainly a fish eye recording of an informal dinner at a kitchen table. Warmth and solidarity is represented, at the same time as the silence of the video restates the importance of Black-only spaces of discussion, socialising and sharing. Continuing celebration of colonialism is brought to attention when the video cuts to a video of the Glasgow streets named after colonised territories and merchants, and the image of a young Black person held on a thin leash. There’s a subtle line of reasoning between the protective muting of the conversation and the light allusion to continuing colonial violence and subjugation. Throughout the works, there’s an emphasis on disturbing associations. Queerness is seen as culpable in the effacing of colonised lifestyles, the absolute horror of infanticide becomes an animating force instead of petrifying, and the welcoming warmth of The Dinner is necessarily tempered by the surrounding streets that monumentalise colonial histories. [Adam Benmakhlouf]

March 2019

Upcoming Opportunities Refugee Festival Scotland Open Programme have an open call to take part in their celebration of the contribution refugees make to life in Scotland – food, drink, music, poetry, dance, visual art and ideas. The theme of this year’s festival is Making Art, Making Home. Anyone can pitch their idea for an event or activity all across Scotland for this year’s festival, to raise public awareness about the nation’s many communities and strengthen connections and partnerships

Dependency 16 Nicholson Street rrrrr

Until 24 Mar, Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh

Making Ground, Installation view, Embassy, 2019

It’s also the 20th birthday of Dundee Contemporary Arts, and they’ve planned a weekend of events to mark the occasion on 15-17 March. See p39 for full details for the events they’ve got planned.

between people from different backgrounds. Applications can be made via refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk/about until Sunday 17 March. Moray Arts Centre, a busy and expanding arts venue based in Findhorn, is seeking artists to include in its upcoming programme for this year and beyond. They are accepting applications throughout the year, and ask for an e-portfolio with 6-15 samples of work, an artist’s statement and current CV. The Creative Scotland Open Project Fund deadline is at the end of this month, on 31 March. Anyone can propose a cultural project, including individuals and organisations. Applications can be made for amounts between £1,000 and £150,000.

Dependency, Installation view, 16 Nicholson Street, 2019

Photo: Jen Martin

Throughout the gallery, the audio is heard from the shared work of artist Rosa Johan Uddoh and poet and artist Ebun Sodipo. They present an academic exchange on Queerness as a legacy of colonisation. Following their careful historical analysis, queerness as imagined to be new and radical is a further forgetting of already violently destroyed languages of ways of thinking of love, death, sex and living within autochthonous cultures. Queer is thus considered as a Western term that has emerged from the death and violence of colonisation. Around the partition from the large table of reading materials, there’s the work and the sea brings forth new lands. Through the video, there’s a narrative thread of the routine and secret killing of mixed race Black and Asian babies during the 70s in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The video’s juxtaposition of imageries of Black and Brown people dancing, singing, retelling the brutalities of living – and murderous – histories of colonisation is an atmospheric and ambiguous resistance of conventional mourning.

Emmie McLuskey, these were the things that made the step familiar, Collective Gallery, 2019

There are flowers in dark liquid around the stairs and two floors of the exhibition, a reliable signifier of a live courtship. Though looking like the brown water of old, wilted flowers, it’s honey and the carnations are still bright after 10 days because of it. Untrimmed and in the small jars, they lankily lean around corners and in a recess. It’s an effectively icky combination of otherwise innocuous objects. Into the ceramics of the first floor, James St. Findlay has carved poetry and drawings. In one, there’s a monstrous looking humped-back, spiked-back creature with red eyes and mouth. Tears stream as the equally stretched and distorted, pregnant-looking sexual partner’s erect dick glows painfully red inside the demonic hunched figure. ‘SORRY not feeling this’ borders the drawing. Rejecting the exacting dissection of scientific figurative representation, the drawings instead

ART

Photo: Malcolm Cochrane

Photo: Tom Nolan

Words: Adam Benmakhlouf

become accurate recording of the embarrassing dysmorphia that can come when vulnerably or unconfidently getting into position during sex. The upstairs gallery is given over to Findlay’s video work, Apex Predator. ‘Nameless heterosexual male’ is the character Findlay plays, variously strutting and calamitously clambering through an open plan office space that has been furnished with dozens of easels. Findlay’s performance is a well-observed satire of the corporate, macho overconfidence. A call comes, and the male’s wife leaves him. Findlay then plays a hilarious, flailing – and at points touching – breakdown. The laugh out loud absurdity of Dependency is frequently disturbed and enhanced by a spare poignancy that brings to mind the ecstasy and painful sadness of the late artist David Robilliard’s economic paintings. Tenderly but sharply, Findlay brings to light the worst trash that’s been hoarded away in the dead end alleyways of heterosexual and gendered love roles. [Adam Benmakhlouf] until 10 Mar. 16 Nicholson Street, Glasgow

Review

In Cinemas Minding the Gap

Director: Bing Liu Starring: Bing Liu, Zack Mulligan, Keire Johnson

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Minding the Gap is ostensibly a skateboarding documentary. Director Bing Liu (also the cinematographer and co-editor) captures the way his friends, Zack and Keire, glide across the tarmac with an almost ethereal quality. The camera feels like it’s floating on air as it traverses the abandoned streets of their hometown of Rockford, Illinois, as if you’re skating alongside them. When the boys fall off their boards, they get back up again. But that journey from adolescence to adulthood isn’t as simple. News clips inform us that their town is suffering from widespread unemployment and low wages, and as a result, more people have moved out of Rockford than anywhere else in the state. Bing, Zack and Keire became friends through their love of skateboarding, but their bond grows much deeper, inextricably tied by their shared childhood trauma

dominated by domestic abuse. “How did you get disciplined?” Bing asks Keire. “Well, they call it child abuse now,” Keire answers, with his reluctance characteristic of anyone confronting their personal demons. Liu’s emotional and powerful cine-memoir depicts a devastating portrait of how toxic masculinity can manifest in destructive ways. Growing up, the three boys were told to hold their emotions inside and never shed a tear. Switching seamlessly between amateur home footage, talking head interviews and fly-on-thewall observation, the film subtly reveals how the repercussions of such damaging teachings emerge as they become adults, and even fathers themselves. Abuse isn’t confined to a single person, but is an endless cycle that is doomed to repeat itself and pass down through generations. What it means to be a man is a definition that is always in flux, and Minding the Gap demonstrates how the men of today are trying to alter that definition for the men of the future. [Iana Murray] Released 22 Mar by Dogwoof; certificate 15

The Kindergarten Teacher

Director: Sara Colangelo Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parker Sevak, Rosa Salazar, Anna Baryshnikov, Michael Chernus, Gael Garcia Bernal, Ajay Naidu, Samrat Chakrabarti, Daisy Tahan

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Over the last decade, Maggie Gyllenhaal has carved herself quite the niche playing smart, capable, but deeply flawed women (if you haven’t seen HBO’s mini-series The Honourable Woman, you really should). Such roles are few and far between, so thank heavens for director Sara Colangelo, who uses the hell out of Gyllenhaal’s often inscrutable face, and then some, in beguiling drama The Kindergarden Teacher. Gyllenhaal’s Mrs Spinelli (‘Lisa’ to her husband – and seemingly to no one else) teaches a kindergarten class, and does it well, pulling the children into her enthusiastic, giving orbit. Outside of school, she’s attending a weekly poetry group, and doing so with all the enthusiasm of one who feels they ought to be doing something

high-minded and literary, but unable to do so without being thuddingly pedestrian. At home, her children are grown and have little use for her, and her husband seems bemused, but willing to let his wife process her dissatisfaction with life as she needs to. Then, one day after school, as her kindergarten student Jimmy (Parker Sevak) waits to be picked up, he haltingly mumbles out a poem of his own that suggests a hidden talent. There’s a deep tension from early on, built up by Lisa’s just-off-kilter-enough responses to those around her, as she discusses Jimmy, her poetry and her hopes for her children. Like the poetry we hear dissected – much of it Jimmy’s passed off as Lisa’s – there prove to be multiple ways to read it, some less charitable than others. Lisa is uncomfortably calm and logical, always ready with a practical reason for her less and less practical behaviour with Jimmy, suggesting someone teetering on a cliff edge, making this relatively simple drama a much tougher watch than you’d imagine. [Tom Charles] Released 8 Mar by Thunderbird; certificate 12A

Minding the Gap

The Kindergarten Teacher

Under the Silver Lake

Sorry Angel

At Eternity’s Gate

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Director: David Robert Mitchell Starring: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace, Patrick Fischler, Grace Van Patten, Callie Hernandez, Zosia Mamet This thrillingly dreamlike and borderline baffling detective yarn, set in the sunny but sinister LA familiar to David Lynch and Thomas Pynchon fans, follows Andrew Garfield as Sam, a feckless layabout who idles away his days getting stoned, playing Nintendo and perving at his female neighbours. It’s the latter, creepy hobby that gets him embroiled in a conspiracy when his object of lust, Sarah (Keough), mysteriously vacates her apartment overnight. Despite hardly knowing her, he turns sleuth, stumbling from one bizarre clue to another. Like this writer-director’s previous genre riffs – coming-of-age movie The Myth of the American Sleepover and slasher It Follows – it’s the skewwhiff atmosphere that sells Under the Silver Lake’s convoluted story. Sam discovers a city filled with secret codes and disquieting characters: a canine killer on the prowl, a naked assassin with the face of an owl, and the obscenely wealthy, who’re up to something untoward in tunnels below the Hollywood hills. The score suggests Vertigo, and like that film, our detective hero is not to be admired, although Garfield’s endearing goofiness might fool you into doing so. [Jamie Dunn]

Director: Christophe Honoré Starring: Pierre Deladonchamps, Vincent Lacoste, Denis Podalydès, Quentin Thébault, Sophie Letourneur Christophe Honoré’s latest work opens in 90s Paris, where HIV-positive writer Jacques (Pierre Deladonchamps) has decided he will never suffer the pain of love again. That is until he encounters a young student called Arthur (Vincent Lacoste). With a notable literary quality, Honoré tenderly renders the characters’ relationship, lingering on small details to allow the emotion of a scene to gently play out. Honoré is an accomplished screenwriter, as Les Chansons d’Amour demonstrated, but the tone here is more potent and poetic. Deladonchamps’ Jacques is a captivating mix of fragility, arrogance and loneliness. He knows that he’s living on borrowed time, and so he lives life fiercely. But he’s also a desperate cynic afraid to get his heart broken. All of which adds up to a refreshing LGBTQ romance, even in the wake of more mainstream hits such as Call Me By Your Name. Here, Honoré offers up a love story that lingers in the mind. The intensity of feeling and love between his characters will haunt you long after the credits have faded. [Joseph Walsh]

Director: Julian Schnabel Starring: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Niels Arestrup

Border

Director: Ali Abbasi Starring: Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Jörgen Thorsson, Ann Petren

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Fat daubs of oil paint are applied to a canvas, a field of decaying sunflowers is drenched in golden light and, in a yellow room in a yellow house, a Dutch painter is trying to buy love for 50 centimes. So begins the world seen through the eyes of Vincent van Gogh in Julian Schnabel’s entrancing portrait exploring the life of one of the world’s most famous artists. Unlike Kirk Douglas, Tim Roth or Jacques Dutronc’s interpretations of the great post-impressionist painter, Willem Dafoe’s take, with his sun-cracked skin and burnt sienna hair, escapes the clunking clichés of most artist biopics – it’s a masterful performance. Schnabel isn’t wrapped up in recording historical details. Instead, the director wants us to feel the ebb and flow of what it was like to be Van Gogh. Across a couple of hours, we are allowed to engage in the emotional intensity of the artist’s life – both the manic highs and the pitiful lows. It’s a rapturous and honest portrait of a rare and brilliant life. [Joseph Walsh]

Ali Abbasi’s fable-like Border is full of dreamlike imagery, which comes with a hint of the bleakness of Scandinavian detective dramas – but he does so in service to a story that pulls in one too many directions. We follow Tina (Melander), a border guard with unusual facial features – prominent forehead, wide nose, pockmarked skin – and an uncanny sense of smell, which allows her to identify smugglers by sniffing out fear, anger and even guilt. Then a passenger gets off the ferry who looks just like her, and her sense of self is shaken. Does this new figure have the same defective chromosome that Tina insists she has? Or are they both something more? There’s a lot to get your teeth into in Border but Abbasi’s film struggles with its opposing instincts. One moment the mode is a cold practicality, particularly in respect to a dark subplot about child abuse, the next we’re in a world that walks the forgotten path of myth and legend. It’s perhaps commendable that Abbasi comes close to melding the two. [Tom Charles]

Released 29 Mar by Curzon; certificate 12A

Released 8 Mar by MUBI; certificate 15

Released 22 Mar by Thunderbird; certificate 15

Released 15 Mar by Mubi; certificate 15

Review

FILM & TV

THE SKINNY

At Home High Flying Bird

Director: Steven Soderbergh Starring: André Holland, Zazie Beetz, Melvin Gregg, Sonja Sohn, Zachary Quinto, Glenn Fleshler, Jeryl Prescott, Justin Hurtt-Dunkley, Caleb McLaughlin

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Elite athletes today are living, breathing brand names. In the Instagram age, as the line between private and public continues to blur, their image and identity are as valuable as their athletic ability. When so much money is involved, that blurry boundary becomes a battle line. In Steven Soderbergh’s High Flying Bird, negotiations between team owners and players have broken down, resulting in a ‘lockout’ which burns a hole deeper in the players’ pockets with each passing day. Fast-talking agent Ray (André Holland) is the man in the middle, working behind the scenes to end the standoff. Soderbergh’s latest is not about champions or underdogs. It eschews all of sport’s grand narratives to focus on the day-to-day business of making a living playing ball, told up close and unglamorous by an iPhone camera that gives the movie an intensity and a street-level look that feels in tandem with the protagonists’ simmering rage against the NBA’s gluttonous corporate machine. The reduced visual vocabulary does have its drawbacks though, sometimes leaving the film feeling a little stilted and rhythmless. Similarly, while the screenplay’s quickfire dialogue is exhilarating, its attempts to thread through a B-story about Ray’s cousin are oddly inelegant. High Flying Bird also makes no concessions to those who don’t know the ins and outs of pro basketball. It takes off at a mile a minute and expects you to keep up, making it a difficult film to enjoy if you can’t. But if you can parse the jargon and stay the pace, you’ll find a sports movie unlike any that have come before, distinct from its lo-fi look right down to its sombre, seize-the-means heart. [Ross McIndoe]

Russian Doll

Possum

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Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Charlie Barnett, Elizabeth Ashley “I don’t believe in dictating the boundaries of a sentient being’s existence,” Nadia (Natasha Lyonne), Russian Doll’s supremely spikey anti-heroine, tells her friend Lizzy at her 36th birthday party, after Lizzy insists Nadia should keep her beloved cat Oatmeal locked inside her apartment to keep him safe from New York City’s mean streets. Ironically, Nadia’s boundaries are about to shrink to the size of the tiniest Matryoshka – not so much in space as in time – and she most definitely isn’t any safer for it. She’s about to die and come back to life over and over again, stuck in a Groundhog Day-style loop where she has to continually relive the same night. In other words, it’s her party and she’ll die even if she doesn’t want to. Naturally, she starts to question her sanity and, as a crack game programmer, eventually suspects a bug in the code. But to its considerable credit, Russian Doll is less concerned with the what and how of her predicament and more with the who and why. As a result, what starts out as a brilliantly bleak existential black comedy becomes a heady examination of mental illness, deep-seated trauma, and what we owe to one another as beings in a shared universe (of both the 'normal' and decaying time-loop varieties). Co-created by Amy Poehler, Leslye Headland and Lyonne herself (who also wrote several episodes and directed the finale), Russian Doll was reportedly inspired by the actor’s time as an addict, when days blurred together and life felt like a continual waking death. But that belies the joie de vivre found in nearly every meticulously composed, lit, scored, and shot frame in this dazzling Netflix series, as well as the inimitable performance of its deliriously original star. She may not be playing much against type, but that type consists solely of 'Natasha Lyonne'. [Michelle Devereaux]

Director: Matthew Holness Starring: Sean Harris, Alun Armstrong The twisted mind behind Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace delivers a taut psychological horror thrill-ride that quietly unsettles before it explodes. The film burns with dread – amped to unbearable levels by unchronological smash cuts and a hypnotic score from the Radiophonic Workshop; the latter’s unwavering rhythm and never-resolving tonalities deserve special mention in creating this chilling, claustrophobic atmosphere across the expansive Norfolk broads. Possum only reaches breaking point in its final minutes, luxuriating in this mood as it follows Philip (Sean Harris) as a failed puppeteer who moves back in with his abusive stepfather. Echoes of The Babadook are evident in Possum’s set-up, hinging on a fraught two-person family and a children’s book/creation that causes terror and mayhem. However, Possum eschews the former’s frenetic terror for an equally effective, if quieter, probing into its abyss. Holness’s desire to make a modern silent film palpably, almost perfectly translates the overwhelming oppression of one’s inability to face his past or his emotions. While the film’s concept and construction are more than serviceable, the tour-de-force performance at its heart is the true standout. Harris's Philip is a shell of a man, eaten by a trauma that unfolds through flashbacks and the sparsest dialogue. However, even without this explanation the deep tragedy would be evident; Harris commits body and soul to Philip’s agonising emotional scars to the point that any words spoken feel superfluous. Possum is not particularly scary, but its portrait of a ruined life and horror of psychological trauma will haunt viewers well after the cut to black – as will Philip’s white-faced, spider-like puppet with a mind of its own. [Carmen Paddock] Out on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD on 4 Mar from Bulldog Films

Streaming on Netflix now

March 2019

FILM & TV

Review

Stage Directions What’s happening on the Scottish stage this month? It’s probably easier to ask what isn’t happening, because it's all kicking off in March Words: Amy Taylor

t’s really not an understatement to say that March is an incredibly busy month in theatre, and in Scotland, the stages are groaning with the sheer volume of shows due to perform around the country this month. It was hard to choose a few, but here are a handful of the month’s highlights. Approaching Empty, the new razor-sharp new drama by award-winning playwright Ishy Din opens at the Tron Theatre on 5 March and tours to Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh on 8 & 9 March. Presented by Tamasha and directed by Pooja Ghai, the play is set in Northern England in the aftermath of Margaret Thatcher’s death, and lays bare the everyday struggles of a post-industrial generation of British men. Dundee Rep’s production of Arthur Miller’s classic 20th century drama All My Sons opened last month and continues until 9 March. Directed by Jemima Levick, it’s a gripping story of a family in crisis in post-WWII America, where the past threatens to destroy the future. Lost in Music, Scottish director Nicholas Bone’s collaboration with composer Kim Moore (WOLF), premiered at North Edinburgh Arts to kick off March, and plays at Platform, Glasgow from 6 to 7 March. A mix of gig-theatre and verbatim performance, Lost in Music features new songs inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice – the story of a talented musical couple’s journey to hell and back – and the voices of young musicians talking about what music means to them and how it informs their lives, friendships and sense of self.

English Touring Theatre and Papatango’s production of The Funeral Director will arrive at Traverse Theatre from 7 to 9 March. Written by Iman Qureshi, The Funeral Director is an incisive and heartfelt story of sexuality, gender and religion in 21st century Britain, and won the tenth annual Papatango Prize. First performed at the 2017 Hidden Door Festival, the new full-length version of Tragic Carpet’s Rendition runs from 5 to 9 March at Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh. The play uses detailed research findings from The Rendition Project, which researches the involvement of the US and its allies in human rights abuses in the aftermath of 9/11. The play tells the story of one man’s nightmare experience as the first suspect to be taken into the CIA’s detention programme using an innovative mix of puppetry, soundscapes and visual theatre. Scottish Opera are set to open “one of the greatest 20th century operas”, Leos Janáček’s intense drama Kátya Kabanová, in a version directed by Stephen Lawless and conducted by Stuart Stratford. This new co-production with Theater Magdeburg opens at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow on 12 March, and then tours to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, opening on 21 March. Showing as part of the Citz’s Citizens Women programme, Stef Smith’s Nora: A Doll’s House opens at Tramway on 15 March and runs until 6 April. A radical new version of Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 play, A Doll’s House, this bold new production

Kátya Kabanová

reframes the drama in three different time periods. The fight for women’s suffrage, the swinging 60s and modern day intertwine in this urgent, poetic play that asks how far have we really come in the past 100 years? Also opening on 15 March is Fat Blokes, by Scottee, which runs at the Traverse Theatre for two nights. It uncovers why fat men are never sexy but are always funny, always the ‘before’ but never the ‘after’ shot. Made in collaboration with Lea Anderson and “four fat blokes who’ve never done this sort of thing before”. The world premiere of Jo Clifford’s new version of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew opens at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow on 20 March. This riotous new play invites us to imagine a world in which women hold all the power. Exploring gender and identity, this is perhaps the Shakespeare adaptation for our times. If you like your musicals big, loud and

CCA Highlights

Nilüfer Yanya

atchbox Cineclub is on an excellent adventure. Having already curated Cage-a-rama and Weird Weekend – celebrating Nicolas Cage and obscure, avant garde cinema respectively – it comes as no surprise the independent exhibitors now announce Scotland’s first film festival dedicated solely to Keanu Reeves. From the history-crammed time travel of the first Bill and Ted instalment, and also the film Homer Simpson once described as being called ‘The Bus That Couldn’t Slow Down’, to the 22nd century reality of The Matrix, KeanuCon (27-28 Apr) is screening nine films over a single weekend. The Keanucentric events continue with lots of bodacious extras and special guests. Yes way! Arriving in Glasgow on the back of her debut album Miss Universe is 23-year-old Londoner Nilüfer Yanya (3 Apr). A fusion of R‘n’B, soul and indie, her first LP is thematically inspired by

Review

Photo: Cameron Brisbane

From Keanu Reeves to corner shops, CCA’s spring programme flourishes with variety Allah’s latest exhibition (20 Apr-2 Jun) explores how local areas adapt to city planning strategies. Allah also looks at those secret economies that sprout in order for local businesses to survive. For instance, the further proliferation of chain supermarkets has seen a corresponding rise in old fashioned corner shops adopting new and illicit trade. These include the exchange of food stamps and welfare cards for money. If Britain is still ‘a nation of shopkeepers’, the exhibition offers contemporary perspective and commentary on small businesses’ adaptive response to austerity politics and the free market-driven ideology that has favoured the fortunes of big business over the local. In a new series of work produced during and

Charlie Brooker’s dystopian sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror. For this gig, part of her inaugural headline tour, Yanya is joined by Westerman, also on the Blue Flowers label, who brings his understated sounds. Starting as an underground and experimental music festival, Counterflows (4-7 Apr) returns for its eighth year. Committed to being a platform for different voices and boundless thinking, this year the festival defines its opposition to the corrosive agenda of isolationism. And Counterflows’ commitment to pluralism is certainly reflected in the international line-up. This includes the Iranian percussionist Mohammed Reza Mortazavi, Brazil’s MC Carol and The Humming Dogs, who bound in from France with their mix of rock, pop and poetry. Ten months after the second fire at Glasgow School of Art, when CCA’s surrounding area has undergone many transformations, Shadi Habib

THEATRE / ART

colourful, Sir Tim Rice and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s best-loved family musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat comes to Edinburgh Playhouse from 19 to 23 March as part of its UK tour. This newly-revived production of ‘the classic musical’ retells the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours and stars Union J’s Jaymi Hensley. Leviathan, multi-award-winning choreographer James Wilton’s reimaging of Herman Melville’s seminal novel Moby Dick, comes to the Dundee Rep for one night only on 30 March. Featuring a cast of seven, as well as Wilton’s trademark blend of athletic dance, martial arts, capoeira and partner-work, all accompanied by a powerful electro-rock soundtrack by Lunatic Soul, it tells a tale of deadly obsession, and of mankind versus nature. theskinny.co.uk/theatre

Words: Ben Venables since her residency in Cove Park, Danish-born artist Lotte Gertz presents Migrating Eye (until 9 Mar). Gertz’s interests are often found in the everyday and this latest exhibition is similarly rooted in down-to-earth personal histories and also typography. Gertz will be joining the CCA’s curator Ainslie Roddick for an artist talk on Thu 7 March. Glasgow Zine Fest (20-21 Apr) is a treat for anyone involved in publishing, especially those with a DIY ethos. As the biggest fair of its kind in Scotland, anyone involved in the industry can benefit from a programme of practical workshops, talks, performances and readings. Glasgow Zine Fest is an annual opportunity to meet, learn and showcase work with other innovative publishing minds.

Glasgow Zine Fest

THE SKINNY

Nish Kumar Lyceum, Edinburgh

Nish Kumar

Photo: Idil Sukan

and ramifications of increasing intolerance. He has done his research and it shows; Kumar considers perspectives from every side of the debate, rrrrr which amounts to an absorbing evaluation of In his latest show, It’s in Your Nature to Destroy Western society. Yourselves, Nish Kumar has crafted a dynamic set Kumar doesn’t let anyone off the hook, either, that keeps audiences clinging to every word of from comedians to politicians and even himself. his incisive humour and fast-flying commentary. It’s this self-awareness that’s refreshing; he lays Kumar delivers a high-octane analysis on the state his flaws bare and recognises his social responsiof Western culture and politics, but what differbility to use his platform to encourage others to entiates him from other comedians with similar become more informed and engaged members of material is the strength of his critical mind. society. What’s more, he’s leading by example. From the outset, Kumar establishes a It’s heartening to come out of this show with near-instant rapport with the audience: he has a something of a positive message: that we must knack for reading the room and playing with the assume the mantles of our own social responsibilcrowd. The show starts with the now requisite ity to “fight for the soul of Western democracy.” cracks about Brexit and Trump; guaranteeing Though this is certainly a long road, with laughs from even the slightest of left-leaning folks. comedians like Kumar, there are enough moments Then, plying his acerbic wit, Kumar deftly weaves of wholehearted hilarity to keep you going on this in personal anecdotes on racism, racial profiling, uphill hike. [Emily Corpuz] gender issues, feminism and male entitlement. Nish Kumar continues to tour It’s In Your Nature To Destroy Though this ground has been tread before, Yourselves across the UK until 31 Mar Kumar sets his comedy apart by going beyond nishkumar.co.uk/gigs the here-and-now and delving into the causes

Best Heckle: Krystal Evans Love them or hate them, heckles happen to even the most experienced comics, and Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2019 finalist Krystal Evans is no stranger to audience jibes Words: Krystal Evans

was on at a wee Scottish gig where an English comedian was opening the show and he kept slagging off the town and the venue. To his surprise, all the locals in the audience weren’t digging it. He then asked some very old people in front, “Why did you come to a comedy show if you don’t want to laugh?” And the, like, 89 year old guy said, “We love to laugh, just not at you, you’re rubbish.” It got a huge laugh. The comedian couldn’t win them back after that. Another time, I was gigging in Dundee, and it was actually going really well, but there was a

March 2019

group of rowdy young guys in the front. I was doing a bit about how I miss smoking weed now that I have a kid. A guy said to me, “You should smoke weed again, maybe you’d be funnier.” So I said, “Joke’s on you buddy, ‘cause I am high.” OK, so it’s a decent heckle but more just an excuse for me to tell my zinger of a comeback. Zing zing. Krystal Evans is appearing at Glasgow International Comedy Festival in Infiltrate with Krystal Evans and Matt Watson, Jest Below @ Mango, 29 Mar glasgowcomedyfestival.com/shows/2367

COMEDY

Review

THE SKINNY

Glasgow Music Tue 05 Mar JOAQUIN GARCIA

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

Joaquin Garcia’s music is brutally honest, it speaks in a truthful way, and within three minutes it has you hooked and wanting more. P.O.D. & ALIEN ANT FARM

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 18:00, £21

Double headline tour from the nu metal bands who gave us Alive and Movies retrospectively. LIGHT YEARS (COAST TO COAST + CRASHES)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £9

Ohio pop-punk four-piece.

Wed 06 Mar NEON SEAS (BLICERO)

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

A band from Glasgow playing an optimistic blend of guitar-driven synth-pop.

SCORDATURA (INIQUITOUS SAVAGERY + GODEATER + APHOTIC)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

Violent death metal from Glasgow. SZUN WAVES (ANNA PLUTO + WORKY)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £8

Szun Waves is comprised of electronic producer Luke Abbott, Laurence Pike of PVT and Jack Wyllie of Portico Quartet. EMBRACE

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £32.20

Indie crooners Embrace return with a new album and UK tour.

Thu 07 Mar THE CORAL

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £22

The Wirral five-piece make a comeback. DECLAN HEGARTY

ORAN MOR, FROM 21:30, FREE

Fully trained folk harp player who also plays the guitar and sings, bringing his multi-instrumental talents to a regular Oran Mor crowd.

RYLOTH (OLD GUARD + BRAIN FLUID)

BLOC+, FROM 21:30, FREE

New screamo/emo-violence mob hailing from Hamburg packing plenty of blasts and black metal influence. SKINNY LISTER (THE WOOD BURNING SAVAGES + TRAPPER SCHOEPP)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £16.50

London-based folk group, fronted by Dan Heptinstall and Lorna Thomas, delivering a reliably foot stomping show. BRIAN CALLAGHAN GROUP

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, FREE

The former frontman of Glasgow band The Highlanders, back with his new group. GUS DAPPERTON

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £16.50

21-year-old New York musician. Real name Brendan Rice. RENDEZ-VOUS (VLURE + BLUEBIRDS)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £9

Parisian five-piece touring in support of their debut album, Superior State.

MARY OCHER (RICHARD YOUNGS + VITAL IDLES)

STEREO, FROM 19:30, £8

Moscow-born Mary Ocher’s work is as enchanting as it is polarising, ranging from traditional folk to raw 60s garage, ambient with ethereal vocals and abstract synths, to experimental pop with African and South American rhythms. BLUE ROSE CODE

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:30, £17.50

Edinburgh’s own jazzy folk talent Ross Wilson, joined by his squad of talented multi-instrumentalists. HANDLE (NORMAL SERVICE)

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 20:00, £6 - £8

An offshoot from the Manchester group DUDS making contemporary post-punk. CRYPTIC NIGHTS: WATCHTOWER & SILENT CHAOS

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 20:00, £6 - £9

An immersive sonic double-bill from English and Italian artists who have recently relocated to Scotland.

March 2019

REINA DEL CID (JOSH TURNER) THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £15

Part singer-songwriter group, part rock band, you can find Reina del Cid and company at the intersection of lyrical storytelling, catchy riffs, and scorching solos. GUS STIRRAT BAND

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5

The Glasgow five-piece blend an array of sounds in their highoctane and colourful original material.

Fri 08 Mar JACK LUKEMAN

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £13.50

Respected and loved performer in Ireland, stopping by for a live show. GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB

CLASSIC GRAND, FROM 19:00, £19.25

Gentleman’s Dub Club are a ninepiece band who are true connoisseurs of blending influences from genres such as dub, reggae, ska, bass culture, jazz and everything in between. QUEEN TUT’S (THE VEGAN LEATHER + THE VAN T’S + SCARLETT RANDLE)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

King Tut’s rebrands as Queen Tut’s for International Women’s Day, with some women performing. THULA BORAH (SWEARWOLVES)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, FREE

More in the way of post-rock, ambient and math-y indie textures from the Glasgowbased lot. KYLE FALCONER

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, FROM 19:00, £17.60

The riotous frontman of The View tours solo. BAS

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £17.50

Signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records, Sudanese rapper Abbas Hamad is currently touring his third album, Milky Way. VENGABOYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:30, £20

Sounds like they’ve finally finished partying in Ibiza (or EatPizza, as they like to call it), and are back on the road. THIS FEELING (RED RUM CLUB + THE CAPOLLOS + RANZAS)

VOICEX (GRAVELLE + QUOTES OF THE DEAD) MONO, FROM 20:00, £5 - £7

Edinburgh’s post-punk supergroup, featuring members of Scars, Boots For Dancing, Fistymuffs and Matt Vinyl. FEELS (POT NUDOS)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

Freakender bring back melodic noise punk quartet Feels for another Glasgow show. CAROLINE JONES

SWG3, FROM 13:00, £15

American country music singersongwriter and radio host. KT TUNSTALL (LAUREL)

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £31.85

More singalong pop with substance, via Tunstall’s trademark earthy melodies and folky guitar, mixed to great pop effect with disco stomp and clever keyboards. YUNGBLUD

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £11

Hyped up young indie rocker, whose real name is the less hip Dominic Harrison.

STEVE GROZIER & THE WILDCATS (MEGAN AIRLIE) THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:30, £6 - £8

PLAY IT LIKE A WOMAN ALL-DAYER (LUNIR + MARTHA FFION + LIFE MODEL + LOU MCLEAN + CURDLE + JO FOSTER + MONA SOFT) THE GLAD CAFE, FROM 15:00, £8 - £22

Double A-Side Records are launching their new compilation LP with an all-dayer. All proceeds go towards Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis. FALLOPE & THE TUBES

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, £4

A full fat comeback featuring an all-star cast of unusual delights. Proceeds go to Ubuntu Women’s Shelter. MANDULU & HEPHZIBAH

High-octane contemporary folk harmony duo, whose songs are dark but upbeat and lyrically mature.

One of the most energetic, exciting and powerful live bands to emerge from the post-rave scene. NIMBUS SEXTET

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 19:30, £6 - £8

Contemporary jazz six-piece, blending jazz, hip-hop and world music elements. ADVENTURES IN PARADISE

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 22:00, £3 - £4

80s electronic funk, soulful disco and more from Grooveline/Big Break Records’ Wayne Dickson. KELORA (ARM WATCHES FINGERS)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7

Kelora are the medieval futurist, nu-celtic folk band you never thought you needed.

EMMA MURDOCH (DJ POPPY AMBER ROSE)

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Emma is a singer-songwriter based in Glasgow. BRODIE JARVIE

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

Brodie Jarvie’s well-contoured play between tension and release puts the music in a constant momentum, drawing the listener closer with every note.

Sat 09 Mar SARI SCHORR

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £15

Sari, who trained as an opera singer, mixes blues, rock, and soul with concrete melodies and poetic lyrics to striking effect. THE STRANGLERS (DR FEELGOOD)

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £30.75

The long-standing punk-rockers take to the road once more, marking some 40+ years and still standing.

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £18

VONDA SHEPHARD & SHARON CORR

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £30

Great friends Vonda Shepard, the musical star of Ally McBeal, and Sharon Corr of The Corrs join forces for a tour. SNAPPED ANKLES

MONO, FROM 19:30, £11 - £13

One of the most exciting bands in the UK right now, Snapped Ankles are ferocious, wildly creative and utterly enthralling. OPEN MIC W/ JER REID

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, FREE

Chilled open mic session with Gerry Lyons. SLEAZYOKE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:00, FREE

The big sleazy karaoke sesh with Gerry Lyons. HOODIE ALLEN

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £22

New York-based rapper and songwriter with a knack for candid storytelling and witty punchlines.

CREMATION LILY (KNIFEDOUTOFEXISTENCE + NATURAL ORTHODOXY + OTHERWORLD + ANANKE)

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:00, £8.80

SARAH DARLING

DREADZONE

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £17.50

Mon 11 Mar

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 19:45, £9 - £13

Gaelictronica 2019 features a distinctly Nordic/Scottish crossover, where three diverse acts show that traditionally inspired music can find valid interpretation in the electronic genre.

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

FAMILY BAND

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5

The Family Band takes as its starting point the freewheeling music of those musicians who, back in the 1960s, were at the forefront of the free jazz revolution.

Sun 10 Mar MASHROU’ LEILA

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £25

Tue 12 Mar ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £15

The reggae icons make a triumphant return to the UK. JIGS & REELZY

SOEUR

A dual-fronted three-piece making pop songs drenched in grunge-heavy noise, with mathrock seeping through the seams.

VITAL IDLES (THE BIRTHMARKS + ROBERT SOTELO)

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 20:30, £5

Vital Idles celebrate the launch of their latest EP with a handful of guest support acts.

EMMA MURDOCH (DJ POPPY AMBER ROSE)

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

DUNCAN EAGLES GROUP

Sat 16 Mar

SKINNY LIVING

Soulful vox and four-part harmonies which defy the coat hanger of any genre in particular. AYRSHIRE BANDS SHOWCASE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

A showcase of Ayrshire bands – yeah, that’s right. NATURALLY 7

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £25.50

A cappella group hailing from New York City, showcasing their beat boxing and vocal play. SWMRS

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £13.20

Punk rock from Cali.

CUT (THE BUCKY RAGE + THE KIDNEY FLOWERS)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7

A lesson in punk rock dynamics.

Wed 13 Mar RESCUE RANGERS

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

Rock band led by vocalist/guitarist Pascal Mascheroni. FEET (HOME$LICE + QUICHE)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £7

The indie newcomers making a splash.

Thu 14 Mar BROTHER ALI

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £15

DAPPY

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £15

DABBLA (SUMGII BEATS)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £13.75

Ever since Dabbla first cut his teeth on the D'n'B scene back in 1996, the trajectory of his career has only expanded.

BOOTSIE BLUE (BLACK TILES + HOWLETT)

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £11

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £12.50

Self Esteem is the brand new project from Rebecca Taylor of Slow Club. Her new sound is dramatic, direct, charming and deafeningly exciting.

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.50

Three of London’s vibrant young jazz voices come together to create their own take on vocal jazz harmony singing.

Bootsie Blue make their return to gigging with their first gig of 2019.

SELF ESTEEM

The latest artistic statement from Duncan Eagles comes in the form of his new album Citizen.

THREEBOP

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £7

Singer-songwriter of the YouTube stable, with a channel called ‘doddleoddle’ and a side channel called ‘doddlevloggle’. Mhm.

Caustic and doomed out postpunk from Glasgow.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 18:00, FREE

Trad/folk open floor with Neil McDermott.

DODIE

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £22

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £10

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

THE WAILERS

EMILY BURNS

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £8.50

Singer-songwriter originally from Rugby, England, now based in London, who once worked as a receptionist at Abbey Road Studios.

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

AUFBAU PRINCIPLE

The N-Dubz chap entertains the yoof, avec baseball cap. Obviously.

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £28.10

Actual good indie pop. Hooky as fuck, upbeat and airy, with lyrics that read like a Californian’s Tumblr feed. (Seriously, their 2016 EP was called ‘kinda’ and featured songs called ‘yea, babe, no way’ and ‘WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS’.)

Emma is a singer-songwriter based in Glasgow.

With a back catalogue that spans 20 years, rapper and producer Brother Ali is back on the road.

Weekly Open Mic with host Jamie Stuart and friends.

LANY

American singer bringing her ‘dream country’ to the UK.

Meeting at the American University of Beirut in 2008, Mashrou’ Leila is a six-piece band fusing the craftiness of a music workshop with the punch of stadium rock. BLOC+ JAM OPEN MIC

DAMIEN DEMPSEY SWG3, FROM 19:00, £20

Branded as an ‘energy rock trio’ we can only imagine that means they have energy and play rock music, so good.

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £13.20

Ambient electronics and noise from England.

CEOL’S CRAIC: GAELICTRONICA

ADRENALINE ANIMALS NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5

Big Freakender faves from Venice make a welcome return to Glasgow.

Steve Grozier & The Wildcats launch their new single Goodbye Rose/Jason Molina’s Blues.

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £8

The indie club night returns.

NEW CANDYS (THE KUNDALINI GENIE + GELATINE)

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Fri 15 Mar AJ TRACEY

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £23

MOBO-nominated AJ Tracey cements his place as one of the UK’s premiere grime exports with his biggest headline tour to date. PANDACAR (CHOKA + THE SUPER PUMAS)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

A three-piece post-punk band from Glasgow.

Find full listings at theskinny.co.uk/whats-on

THE DIRTY SUITS (THE LABEL)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Another one of those rock’n’roll bands from Glasgow. DARIA

MONO, FROM 21:00, FREE

No, not TV’s resident emo overlord – unfortunately – but instead, a group of French rockers.

ST. CLEMENTS (VICTORIA’S FLIGHT + ASTER + GASBIN BAPEER) NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £6

St. Clements launch their debut EP at Sleazys. DESPERATE JOURNALIST (LIFE MODEL + NASARI)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £12.10

Irish contemporary folk.

BNDWGNESQUE 002 (FAIIDES + TWIN MIRRORS + FOGGY CITY ORPHAN) BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £5

Documenting Glasgow’s music scene. STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £21

70s punk-pop foursome par excellence, on the go now for a ridiculous amount of years. SUMAC (BAPTISTS)

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £13.50

American/Canadian post-metal band. TYKETTO

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £18 - £20

A prolific live band first put together by frontman Danny Vaughn in 1987, reformed again in 2008. If you’re a fan of hard rock, get involved. NICKI MINAJ (JUICE WRLD)

ANDERSON .PAAK & THE FREE NATIONALS

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £27.50 - £31.45

American rapper, producer and generally cool human Anderson .Paak trades in the California rays for a trip to our gloomy Glasgae. Bringing with him a slice of sun to accompany his latest album, Oxnard. We hope, anyway... KRISTIN HERSH

MONO, FROM 19:30, £20

BLOC+ JAM OPEN MIC

Weekly Open Mic with host Jamie Stuart and friends.

JIM JONES & THE RIGHTEOUS MIND (IDKID) KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £13.20

Rock’n’roll artist Jim Jones plays a set with his new(ish) band The Righteous Mind. SHRUTI ANDROID

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 17:00, FREE

Indian folk reimagined by local legends. SMOKEASAC

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £10

Close friend and collaborator of the late Lil Peep, Dylan Mullen, aka Smokeasac, makes a move into the solo realm.

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £8

Alternative hip-hop artist and multi-instrumentalist. THE PINEAPPLE THIEF

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £19.80

IAN SIEGAL

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £16

Fri 22 Mar ALICE MERTON

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £13.20

Born in Germany and raised in Canada and England, Alice Merton’s music absorbs a range of different styles. PSYDOLL

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

SEAN MCGARVEY

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Lead singer/songwriter in Glasgow indie band Static Union, who has been writing his own music since he was 11 and gigging in bars since he was 13. JESSICA PRATT

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £11.50

The San Francisco-hailing freakfolk singer brings her new album Quiet Signs to a live setting.

Sun 24 Mar BLOC+ JAM OPEN MIC

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

Weekly Open Mic with host Jamie Stuart and friends. SHARON VAN ETTEN

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £26.95

NYC singer-songwriter back after four years away from music, where she earned a psychology degree and dipped her toe in the acting pool. PANIC! AT THE DISCO

THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £39.75 - £68.10

THE RAINBAND

A handful of acts from Electric Honey Records perform live.

Come and see some of the best unsigned artists in the country for free. SPORTS TEAM

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £8.80

English six-piece lumped in with the indie revival lot. MAXSTA (RANSOM FA + SCRULOOSE)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £9.50

East Londoner Maxsta has been active in the grime scene since his teenage years, observing Roll Deep sessions under the mentorship of Wiley. JAKE ISAAC (LINDA EVANGELINE)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £11

THE EUROSCEPTIC SONG CONTEST

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, £2 - £5

NOT LOOKING LIKE THAT (ROLO GREB + VIVA AMOR AND THE DAY DREAM)

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

DYLAN CARTLIDGE (PURPLE PHANTOM)

ELECTRIC HONEY RECORDS SHOWCASE (NICOL AND ELLIOTT + FLEW THE ARROW + CHRIS GREIG AND THE MERCHANTS)

Formed in early 2018, The Social are an indie rock band from Inverclyde.

Sun 17 Mar

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £20.50

Back after 19 years away, English rockers Sleeper return to the road.

SOUND OF THE SIRENS

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £10

Folk-rock Devonshire duo, AKA Abbe and Hannah.

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £22.50

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT W/ GERRY LYONS

THE SOCIAL (PARAGON + ANTHONY MCELWEE)

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

SLEEPER

GENERAL ECHO SOUND SYSTEM

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, £5

General Echo is a regular reggae disco in North East London playing dub, dancehall, roots, rockers, ska, rocksteady and other bass transmissions on two turntables and a space echo.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, FREE

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £9

Talk of the Town are the UK’s only tribute to the music of Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders.

Four East Coast Village lads making a rammy of rock sounds.

Now that prodigal son Simpson’s returned, the pop-punk trio tour their new album, Half Way There.

Japanese tech rockers.

LNFG’S BIGGEST BIRTHDAY BASH (SISTER JOHN + FOUNDLINGS + CLOTH + ANNIE BOOTH)

THE PRETENDERS BY TALK OF THE TOWN

DEAF HAVANA

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £18.50

BUSTED THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £34.05 - £51.10

Throwing Muses’ linchpin, Kristin Hersh’s prolific career has seen her heralded queen of the alternative release, now returning with new LP Possible Dust Clouds.

The Eurosceptic Song Contest is very much a song against Europe, curated by The Iain Duncan Smiths.

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:00, £5

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £11

Delta blues dub trio, who supported Seasick Steve on his UK tour.

Mon 18 Mar

Tue 19 Mar

Debut headline show from the duo.

MY BABY

Contemporary blues singer/ songwriter rich with passionate guitar playing and soul-infused vocals.

The American rapper takes her latest LP on the road, hopefully bedecked in a feather headdress.

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £21

Last Night From Glasgow celebrate their third birthday.

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

Lieko Quintet is a Manchesterbased group turning contemporary jazz on its head with melodic, groove-infused compositions.

Progressive indie rockers formed by mainman Bruce Soord back in 1999.

Ascendant South London singersongwriter.

70s punk-pop foursome par excellence, on the go now for a ridiculous amount of years.

LIEKO QUINTET

THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £45.40 - £68.10

Blaring riffs, spiralling melodies and an inevitably sweaty live show. STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

Thu 21 Mar

ÓLAFUR ARNALDS

SEC, FROM 18:30, £34.05

The Icelandic multi-instrumentalist makes merry with his usual other-worldly blend of ambient/ classical/electronic pop. THE INTERNET

Grammy-nominated neo-soul group featuring ex-Odd Future members Syd and Matt Martians. THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £8

Mancunian five-piece, founded in 2009 by lead singer Martin Finnigan and guitarist Phil Rainey.

THIS FEELING (GLAS + BLACK DOVE + THE ASURAS + THE LUTRAS) BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £7

The indie club night returns.

THE WORLD OF HANS ZIMMER

THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £59.60 - £70.95

Under the direction of Gavin Greenaway, Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack conductor, a large symphony orchestra will deliver an intense and unforgettable concert experience. SAINT PETERSBURG

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 19:00, £7

Alternative pop/rock four-piece from Sheffield.

EMMA MURDOCH (DJ POPPY AMBER ROSE)

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £6

Emma is a singer-songwriter based in Glasgow.

Wed 20 Mar

The UK horn section return with their two-decade strong discography.

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:00, £13.75

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £12

EASY LIFE (CHE LINGO)

Leicester five-piece attempting to blend hip-hop, funk and jazz with little success. MICK JENKINS

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £17.50

Member of Free Nation, a hip-hop group promoting creative thought without accepting narrow views imposed by The Man. WILLE & THE BANDITS (THE RAINBREAKERS)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £13.50

Blues rock act rated by many as one of the best bands on the live circuit. SQUARE ONE

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Square One are an award-winning Glasgow-based quartet, known for their brand of heavy-hitting melodic jazz and energised live performances.

THE HAGGIS HORNS

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £12

NUBIYAN TWIST

Ten-piece live show featuring a four-piece horn section, two vocalists, electronics and an international rhythm section skirting between Afrobeat, neo-soul, hip-hop and jazz with seamless virtuosity.

Sat 23 Mar ERJA LYYTINEN

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

Finnish slide guitarist and singersongwriter. RIVERSIDE

SWG3, FROM 18:00, £18.50

American alternative rock ensemble of dapper chaps (aka they wear shirts and clearly visit the hairdresser a lot), formed by Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith 10+ years ago.

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £6

MATT ANDERSEN

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £15

He’s mad popular on YouTube, winner of a 2013 European Blues Award and Best Solo Performer at the Memphis Blues Challenge. Maybe worth seeing him do his thing IRL?

Mon 25 Mar HOLIDAY GHOSTS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

Four-piece rock’n’roll group from the bustling musical hub that is Falmouth. NONAME

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £18.50

Chicago rapper proving to be one of the most important voices in the genre right now with her debut album, Room 25, and preceding debut mixtape, Telefone. ARCTIC LAKE

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £10

Electronic trio creating reflective and thoughtful music. NORMANDIE

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £10

Post-hardcore/alternative rock band from Sweden. BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH (ROSIE CARNEY) ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £16.50

Citing Arcade Fire and Bruce Springsteen as his inspirations, BFL’s known for his hearty, wistful acoustics and rounded melancholy. COLOSSAL SQUID (MNDMTH)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £8

The new project from Adam Betts of Three Trapped Tigers, Heritage Orchestra and Emperor Yes. GRACE CARTER

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:00, £12

Piano-pop starlet being tipped for big things.

Progressive rock band from Warsaw.

Tue 26 Mar

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £27.10

Brighton quartet playing mathtinged grunge explorations.

VINTAGE TROUBLE

R’n’B and soul project of Canadian duo Ty Taylor and Nalle Colt, brought to life in their basic home studio in Venice Beach.

EL MOONO

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

KEUNING (OTHER HUMANS)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:00, £14

New project from The Killers’ former guitarist Dave Keuning.

Listings

SLOWTHAI

NEON WALTZ

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £12

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £13.20

Northampton born and bred, slowthai is the rapper speaking out for a generation of kids who’ve been ignored for too long by the powers that be. TOUTS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £8.50

Derry trio peddling punk rock sounds. THE LUKA STATE

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £6

Six-piece indie rock band from Caithness.

DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON (SEALIONWOMAN)

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

The ever-mercurial multi-instrumentalist and singer steps out for another improvisatory turn. CRUCIAL ROOTS (ISTA LION + BABASCUM)

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, TBC

Four-piece hailing from that notorious hotbed of rock’n’roll – Winsford.

Glasgow’s youth roots controllers.

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £7

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

LAZY DAY

EMMA MURDOCH (DJ POPPY AMBER ROSE)

Edinburgh Music FOALS

TRIBUTE TO DZEM (BARBER Q)

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 19:00, £38.50

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 19:00, £8

The Oxford math-rockers are back, touring ahead of their new two-part album project.

The Barber Q band and SZTUKA Art Agency present a tribute to Polish blues-rock band Dzem.

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £9 - £11

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £7

ROOTSBASE (RACHEL HAIR + RON JAPPY)

A new live music club dedicated to presenting the very best in folk, trad and roots-based.

The Lost Map signees play their usual lo-fi dreamy-grunge sounds.

Emma is a singer-songwriter based in Glasgow.

Wed 06 Mar

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 19:00, £12.50

A Gift from Midnight album launch.

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £0 - £7

The 565 Specials showcase one of the most influential decades in the history of music, 1956 to 1965.

HEALTH

Health is an American noise rock band from Los Angeles, California. START TO END: COLDPLAY – PARACHUTES

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £10

The Start to End lot take on Coldplay’s debut album Parachutes, performing it in full.

Wed 27 Mar DRENGE (THE WYTCHES)

KING TUT’S, FROM 19:00, £17.60

Sheffield-based brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless provide the guitars and drums-built soundscapes. BELZEBONG (THE NECROMANCERS)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

Stoner metal band from Poland.

WHISPERING SONS (MOTHERS LOVE + AUFBAU PRINCIPLE)

FENELLA

Sat 30 Mar

BANSHEE (START STATIC + NOAH NOAH)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Female-fronted alt-rock/pop. MIDDLE CLASS GUILT

MONO, FROM 21:00, FREE

Like Shame if they were from Shetland. PROSE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

Three Trafford kids, from Davyhulme and Stretford, who defy genres but sound a little like the auditory lovechild of the Chilis and Oasis, punctuated with rap. Make your own mind up. THE XCERTS

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £13

THE 565 SPECIALS (ERIC WALES)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £6

Thu 07 Mar

MOONRUNNERS (SCRUFFY BEAR)

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, TBC

Five-piece signed to Twin City Records.

NOMAD PRESENTS: FANCY THAT

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 20:00, £4 - £5

Indie pop artist Amy Lou will have you singing for more after every chorus. LUNIR (KHALID AL KHAJAH)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £7 - £10

Lunir return to Edinburgh to play songs from their forthcoming EP Wadidi.

CATHOUSE, FROM 19:00, £12 - £13.50

KING WITCH (IRON ALTAR + ANCIENT OF DAYS)

NEVER BEEN KISSED

Old school doom with a heavy lean towards 70s rock.

Thu 28 Mar

BROWNBEAR (BILLY MITCHELL + DENI SMITH + LUKE LA VOLPE)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Musical collective led by singersongwriter Matt Hickman, whose debut single Dead or Alive gained them national radio exposure and high profile gigs. ORCHARDS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £17.60

Alt-pop from Brighton. THE ZUTONS

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £30.25

The iconic indie rockers reunite to perform their debut album, Who Killed the Zutons, in its entirety.

UPSET THE RHYTHM 15TH BIRTHDAY LABEL TOUR

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 19:00, £10

Saramago present this 15th birthday celebration in conjunction with Upset the Rhythm. Sauna Youth, Trash Kit, Vital Idles, Rattle and Robert Sotelo all play. AN EVENING WITH JASON RINGENBERG

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 20:00, £12.50 - £14

Jason & the Scorchers frontman, Jason Ringenberg makes a welcome return. JAMES STEELE

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Utilising a band of superior musicians, James Steele presents a notso eclectic mix of jazz standards and film soundtracks.

Fri 29 Mar NOCTURNE WULF

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, £6

Dance and sing along to girl band/ boy band belters. MOTOWN MOMENTS

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

On the last Saturday of every month, Glaswegian starlet Kitty and her hand-picked band play everything from old school Motown and soul, to neo-soul jams. ULRICH SCHNAUSS

THE ART SCHOOL, FROM 19:00, £16.50

Kiel-born Ulrich Schnauss serves up a sensory feast of multi-layered synthesisers and ethereal vocals.

Sun 31 Mar BLOC+ JAM OPEN MIC

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

Weekly Open Mic with host Jamie Stuart and friends. U.F.O. (TARA LYNCH)

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £28.10

U.F.O. Embark on their 50th anniversary Last Orders tour. ALMA

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £13

Finnish pop sensation, with the brightest hair you’ll ever see. LLOVERS (WHO’S OLIVIA)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, FREE

Indie-pop outfit producing dream driven tracks channeled with unquestionable pop sensibility. BOB REYNOLDS

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £15

Bob Reynolds is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and Grammy Award-winning member of the band Snarky Puppy.

Mon 01 Apr STAND ATLANTIC

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £10

Rock/pop/punk from down under. CHERRY GLAZERR

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £12.50

Glasgow-based heavy metal band.

LA rock trio, led by frontwoman Clementine Creevy.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:30, £8

OOZING WOUND (GHOLD + CARTILAGE + BOAB’S BREXIT BBQ)

Chicago-based metal-meets-rock unit of the grimy hardcore sludge variety. HAYSEED DIXIE

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, FROM 19:00, £20.35

US novelty metal legends playing a mixture of hard rock cover versions and original compositions. BOB LOG III

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £13.75

The one-man blues punk dynamo and slide guitar legend that is Bob Log III takes to the stage, most likely avec crash helmet.

Listings

LEWIS MCLAUGHLIN & FRIENDS

The young aspiring musician will be joined by a host of multi-talented musicians for a hometown gig.

Tue 05 Mar

PRESSURE VALVE UNPLUGGED

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, FREE

Local artists play stripped back sets, before the public get to be the stars at karaoke.

Fri 08 Mar

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £6 - £7

BOOTLEG BLONDIE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £16

The only Blondie tribute band to play the legendary CBGB’s in New York City before its demise in 2006 and to have the honour of being mentioned on Blondie’s 11th album. LOGANS CLOSE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £7

Rock’n’roll, rhythm & blues. SLOW READERS CLUB

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 19:00, £15

Electro/indie outfit from Manchester, churning out everything from catchy upbeat indie tunes to introspective ballads.

HOWL (FINNO + THE CUNTS + POPPY RICHLER + ELLA RADLEY)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £6

A night presenting female and non-binary artists to celebrate International Women’s Day. All profits go to Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre. GYPSY CIRCUS

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 19:00, £6

Edinburgh-based quartet Gypsy Circus combine vintage Blues roots with modern raw indie/rock inspired hooks. PATAWAWA

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 19:00, £9

DIY disco trio who have been hotlytipped by the likes of NME, The Line of Best Fit, DIY and Clash.

ARMS & HEARTS + B-SYDES + PAPER RIFLES + MAX MITCHELL

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

A night of acoustic punk rock.

Sat 09 Mar OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 15:00, FREE

MIDGE URE

JOSH SMITH (BLIND LEMON GATORS)

THE CAVES, FROM 19:00, £15

A perfect blend of sweeping, pristine melodies and mournful lyrics.

JACK LUKEMAN

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £7 - £10

The former Ultravox bassist and Live Aid man revisits his back catalogue. LA singer-songwriter and guitarist.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:00, £13.50

SNAPPED ANKLES

One of the most exciting bands in the UK right now, Snapped Ankles are ferocious, wildly creative and utterly enthralling. CONTINENTAL DRIFT

SUMMERHALL, FROM 15:30, £0 - £15

Keyvan Chemirani, Bijan Chemirani and Sokratis Sinopoulos join Scottish Ensemble musicians to explore the connections between the music of Baroque Europe and the Eastern musical traditions of the same era.

Mon 11 Mar

SOUNDHOUSE: THUNDER & RAIN

TRAVERSE THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £11

This Colorado-based five-piece has their roots in traditional bluegrass and folk. HARBOTTLE & JONAS

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £5.83 - £8

Combining the rich traditions of folk music with original and contemporary interpretations through a blend of closely intertwined vocal harmonies.

Tue 12 Mar

PRESSURE VALVE UNPLUGGED

BANNERMANS, FROM 17:00, FREE

Local artists play stripped back sets, before the public get to be the stars at karaoke.

BIG SANDY AND HIS FLY-RITE BOYS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £15

Since forming 25 years ago, Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys have toured continuously and become torchbearers of American roots music.

ROOTSBASE (ADAM SUTHERLAND)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £9 - £11

A new live music club dedicated to presenting the very best in folk, trad and roots-based.

Wed 13 Mar

JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE (THE BRINK + SILK ROAD)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £13 - £15

Legendary frontman brings his killer band back for a set of greatest hits and more. CUT

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

A lesson in punk rock dynamics.

A cappella group hailing from New York City, showcasing their beat boxing and vocal play.

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 19:00, £19.25

Gentleman’s Dub Club are a ninepiece band who are true connoisseurs of blending influences from genres such as dub, reggae, ska, bass culture, jazz and everything in between. RAFFER

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

DIY clean-cut indie-pop artist from Kent, RAFFER, aka Callum Rafferty, has jumped from stage to stage across the UK tearing up crowds wherever he goes.

AGP: BAHOOKIE

Scotland’s leading rock ceilidh band.

USHER HALL, FROM 19:00, £33 - £38.50

GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 19:00, £16.50

THE QUEEN’S HALL, FROM 19:30, £24

Thu 14 Mar

LOREENA MCKENNITT

DAPPY

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 19:00, £12

Classic rock covers from the 60s to present day.

Free music all day from acoustic to blues and rock. The multi-award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and musician.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, FREE

Edinburgh Blues Club is a Social Enterprise established to harness popular support for regular blues events in Edinburgh to ensure that the city and surrounding areas do not miss out on quality touring blues acts. The N-Dubz chap entertains the yoof, avec baseball cap. Obviously.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £10

AMY LOU (THE PLASTIC MAC)

PEATBOG FAERIES

Korn tribute act, with bagpipes and all.

CRANACHAN

EDINBURGH BLUES CLUB (KRIS BARRAS BAND + ERIN HARPE)

BANNERMANS, FROM 21:00, £7 - £9

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 19:30, £20 - £23

Hailing from the Isle of Skye, these legendary Scottish trailblazers have created a glorious mixture of traditional sounds and dancefloor grooves that have been embraced worldwide.

Sun 10 Mar

Respected and loved performer in Ireland, stopping by for a live show.

Belgian post-punk band currently residing in Brussels.

KORN AGAIN

A night of independent music at Leith Walk’s very own independent venue.

A night of jazz and funk music to raise funds for NOMAD’s newest issue.

Hard-riffing Scottish trio, whose impressive sound has been honed to perfection (i.e. they sound bloody massive live).

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £8.50

WREST + STEPHEN MCLAREN + PELTS + THE MAP DEPT

Fri 15 Mar

NATURALLY 7

THE QUEEN’S HALL, FROM 19:30, £27

WHITEY (WIVES)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £6

A double bill of very new, but very exciting local bands. MEGAN BLACK + BURNT PAW + KATHY MUIR + BEN INGLIS & BAND

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £5

Leith Depot presents a live showcase of top local singersongwriters.

HOLY NOW + GOLDEN ARM + SUPER INUIT

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Sat 16 Mar KATIE ELLEN

Sparkle pop, fuzz twang from NYC. SHAKIN’ STEVENS

THE QUEEN’S HALL, FROM 19:30, £37

The platinum-selling entertainer and performer will be joined by his band to perform fan favourites, surprises and his much-loved hits. HYBRID THEORY, NOT ROBOTS?

THE HIVE, FROM 18:00, £10

The UK’s leading tribute act to Linkin Park. BOB MOULD

KRISTIN HERSH

STEAMGOAT BILLY

BOB LOG III

SUMMERHALL, FROM 19:30, £20 - £25

WEE RED BAR, FROM 19:00, FREE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £12.50

Throwing Muses’ linchpin, Kristin Hersh’s prolific career has seen her heralded queen of the alternative release, now returning with new LP Possible Dust Clouds.

Thu 21 Mar

SKARLETT RIOT (FAHRAN + SERTRALINE)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

MARTY WILLSON-PIPER

Fast-paced punk to heavy rock singalongs.

Triple bill of outstanding up and coming rock acts. THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £14

Marty Willson-Piper is best known for his tenure as a lead guitarist, singer-songwriter and occasional bass player with disparate acts.

EDINBURGH BLUES CLUB (WILLE AND THE BANDITS + RAINBREAKERS)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £13.50

HIGH FADE (JIMI GET YOUR FUNK ON + ROMARZS) SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5 - £7

Funk-tinged tunes from Edinburgh-based three-piece High Fade. LEE ‘SCRATCH’ PERRY

SUMMERHALL, FROM 19:30, £25

Regarded with awe throughout the music world, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry holds status as one of the most enduring and original reggae producers and artists of all time. SAMEDIA PRESENTS KOG & THE ZONGO BRIGADE (LIVE!)

DAYGLOW FOR WOMEN V CANCER

High-energy West African grooves via Sheffield, drawing on Afrobeat, soul, funk, rock, hip-hop and reggae.

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 14:00, £11.25

A daytime clubbing event in aid of the Scottish Association of Mental Health (SAMH).

Sun 17 Mar OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, FREE

Free music all day from acoustic to blues and rock. CRANACHAN

BANNERMANS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Classic rock covers from the 60s to present day.

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 19:00, £10 - £13

ASTRID

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 19:00, £10

After forming in the 90s then taking an 11 year hiatus in 2014, Astrid return with their best material yet. TUFLAMENCO PRESENTS

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Bossa nova, flamenco, Scottish traditional folk and a little bit of everything.

PADDY’S DAY 2019

Fri 22 Mar

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 12:00, FREE

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, TBC

PUNK FOR PAM

Live music all day in Cafe Voltaire on St Patrick’s Day.

Charity punk event.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

FKA The Royal Thieves, Human Renegade are just four guys from Glasgow that love creating fresh music and performing live. Simple.

THE RAH’S

Headline gig from the Prestonpans four-piece who are starting to turn heads in Scotland and beyond.

Mon 18 Mar

ELECTRIC BOYS (LAST GREAT DREAMERS)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:00, £15 - £18

Swedish rock legends ready to blow the roof off. THE JAPANESE HOUSE

THE CAVES, FROM 19:00, £13.50

Dark and dreamy synth-heavy soundscapes from the young solo artist less cryptically known as Amber Bain. SOUNDHOUSE: ROSS & ALI

TRAVERSE THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £11

SLEEPER

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 19:00, £22

Back after 19 years away, English rockers Sleeper return to the road. THIS FEELING: THE VAN T’S (BLACK DOVE + FELIX AND THE SUNSETS + ECHO MOON)

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 19:00, £26

Alternative San Franciscoan rocker (and one time Hüsker Dü and Sugar man), out and touring.

Covers band playing rock and pop hits from the likes of Primal Scream, The Sex Pistols and Abba. Eclectic.

HUMAN RENEGADE

WEE RED BAR, FROM 19:00, £5

SCOTT CANDLISH EP LAUNCH (SARAH OWENS + VINCENT GAUCHOT)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £4 - £6

Singer-songwriter Scott Candlish is preparing for the launch of his third EP A Little While, A Bit of Time before embarking on his first UK/European tour. THE YOUTH AND YOUNG

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 19:00, £7

Taking the energy of Celtic rock and marrying it to the exuberance of modern Scottish indie-folk. STAR ROVER

TEMPORARY (THE ORANGE TILES + BAD PROTAGONIST CLUB)

PUNK FOR PAM EDINBURGH (G.B.H + VARUKERS + PARANOID VISIONS + THE DEFECTS)

Newly-formed Edinburgh-based group Temporary celebrate the release of their debut EP with a killer local line-up.

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 12:00, £20

Legendary punk festival.

PAUL VICKERS AND THE LEG + FOX OPERA + DR.VZX MOIST

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

A fine evening of cosmic country blues.

Sun 24 Mar OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, TBC

Free music all day from acoustic to blues and rock. TAYLOR WILSON

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:15, £15 - £17.50

Taylor Wilson and the Schadenfreude Orchestra perform Take a Walk on the Weill Side, before taking their show on tour to Europe. HOLIDAY GHOSTS

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £6

Four-piece rock’n’roll group from the bustling musical hub that is Falmouth. WAX LYRICAL (IONA LEE)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 20:00, FREE

An evening focusing on spoken word and music centering on the release of hip-hop duo Nova Scotia and Theta’s debut album, Risin Up. TRANQUA LITE

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

An evening of art rock/post dad rock.

Tue 19 Mar

SANHEDRIN (GATEKEEPER)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £10 - £12

A mix of classic metal and doom.

ROOTSBASE (THE BEVVY SISTERS)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £9 - £11

A new live music club dedicated to presenting the very best in folk, trad and roots-based.

Wed 20 Mar

TEN TON SLUG (HAMMER + A RITUAL SPIRIT)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, TBC

A night of crushing metal.

Bon Jovi tribute act. EBB

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 19:00, TBC

EBB are a hard/prog rock outfit led by award-winning singer-songwriter, Erin Bennett and comprised of ex members of 90s shock metal band, Rockbitch. DOUNE THE RABBIT HOLE WARM-UP SHOW (THE COSMIC DEAD + OTHER LANDS + KAPIL SESHASAYEE)

ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 19:30, £12 - £13.50

The Japanese rockers make a welcome return with their energetic live show. SOUNDHOUSE: RANT

TRAVERSE THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £11

RANT is the meeting of four of Scotland’s finest fiddle players, two from the Shetland Islands and two from the Highlands. BUFFET LUNCH

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Edinburgh’s own post-punk guitar wranglers are back at the Depot.

Tue 26 Mar

PSYDOLL (METAL TECH + NIGHTMARE FREQUENCY + ANGELBOMB)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

Japanese tech rockers.

BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH (ROSIE CARNEY) THE CAVES, FROM 19:00, £15

Citing Arcade Fire and Bruce Springsteen as his inspirations, BFL’s known for his hearty, wistful acoustics and rounded melancholy. OVERLAPS

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

BOWIE EXPERIENCE

USHER HALL, FROM 19:30, £22.50 - £27.50

Celebrating the music of the world’s greatest icon.

THE REAL INK (VANDERBLUES + FELONY & THE BULLDOG + MILLIE)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £4

Funk/ska outfit The Real Ink visit Sneaks as part of their UK tour. BLACK LILYS (JODY JODY + SCOTT CANDLISH)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

The last date of the Black Lilys’ tour from Paris to Edinburgh.

Sat 30 Mar HEAVY PETTIN

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £15 - £18

The rock legends continue to strengthen on their comeback tour. IST IST

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £8

SUPPER CLUB

Supper Club is an irregular night for irregular people; a danceable pop, hip-hop and electronic extravaganza with live music from local music-makers and resident DJs playing vinyl. REGGAE GOT SOUL

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Bringing the dub reggae ska vibes to Leith Depot.

Sun 31 Mar OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, FREE

Free music all day from acoustic to blues and rock. CRANACHAN

BANNERMANS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Classic rock covers from the 60s to present day. LEWIS MCLAUGHLIN & FRIENDS

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 20:00, £8

The young aspiring musician will be joined by a host of multi-talented musicians for a hometown gig. SIXTIES ON A SUNDAY (FAYNE AND THE CRUISERS)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 14:00, £7.50

A Sunday afternoon to drink, dance and sing along to simply the most authentic 60s band you will ever hear.

ROOTSBASE (KIM EDGAR)

A new live music club dedicated to presenting the very best in folk, trad and roots-based.

Wed 27 Mar BONE CULT (VENTENNER)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

Alternative industry/electro night.

GRAEME STEPHEN & FRASER FIFIELD

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

THE HAGGIS HORNS

Thu 28 Mar

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £15

All-new live band project from the unit that was Discopolis.

THE SAFARI LOUNGE, FROM 20:00, £0 - £5

THE HOWLING LORDS

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 19:00, TBC

The UK horn section return with their two-decade strong discography.

STILLHOUND

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:00, FREE

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, TBC

Dirty blues with a hard rock edge.

Celebrating 20 years of their critically acclaimed musical partnership.

Warm-up gig ahead of this year’s Doune the Rabbit Hole festival.

LIMEHOUSE LIZZY

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £15 - £18

Thin Lizzy tribute classed as one of the best in the world.

Mon 25 Mar

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £9 - £11

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 19:00, £12 - £13.50

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Majestic post-punk from Manchester’s Ist Ist, who have just released their new EP.

JUST JOVI

Charity punk event aftershow.

GAY PANIC DEFENCE + DROVES

Fri 29 Mar

THE GOAT ROPER RODEO BAND + DAVID LATTO + BRANDON RIDLEY

Experimental jam sessions.

James will be performing their well-loved classic hits alongside new material from their most recent album Living In Extraordinary Times.

Six-piece indie rock band from Caithness.

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

BANNERMANS, FROM 22:00, TBC

PUNK FOR PAM AFTERSHOW

NEON WALTZ

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 19:00, £11

Simply beautiful chaos.

USHER HALL, FROM 18:30, £39.60 - £49.50

Sat 23 Mar

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

An afternoon of weird and noisy chaos.

Edinburgh’s premier guitar-pop power trio launch their first album.

JAMES

AN EVENING WITH ALFIE BOE

USHER HALL, FROM 19:00, £38.50 - £71.50

One of the world’s greatest classical singers, Alfie Boe returns to the UK.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £6

Skillfully performed instrumental music deeply rooted in the Scottish tradition from two of Scotland’s most prominent musicians, Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton.

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

The one-man blues punk dynamo and slide guitar legend that is Bob Log III takes to the stage, most likely avec crash helmet.

THE ROCKETZ (THE BIKINI BOTTOMS)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £7 - £9

Quality psychobilly rock.

Dundee Music Thu 07 Mar SLOW READERS CLUB

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, FROM 19:30, £15

Electro/indie outfit from Manchester, churning out everything from catchy upbeat indie tunes to introspective ballads. ORANGE CLAW HAMMER PLAYS CAPTAIN BEEFHEART

CLARKS ON LINDSAY STREET, FROM 19:00, £10

Avant rock jazz-blues from the classic albums of the legendary Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band.

THE SKINNY

Fri 08 Mar BEN OTTEWELL

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, FROM 19:30, £10

Gomez singer and lead guitarist Ben Ottewell rides solo for a stint of Scotland sets.

Sat 09 Mar THE CHERRY BOMBZ

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, FROM 20:00, £6

Glasgow Clubs

Tue 05 Mar ONLY THE SUBJECT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

New wave of underground Glasgow DJ talent.

Classic rock night with a DJ.

#TAG TUESDAYS

CLARKS ON LINDSAY STREET, FROM 15:00, £5

Aberdeen’s finest ten-piece funk, soul and R’n’B band.

Indoor hot tubs, inflatables as far as the eye can see and a Twitter feed dedicated to validating your drunk-eyed existence.

Sun 10 Mar

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £0 - £8

FUNK CONNECTION (FUNK CONNECTION LIVE!)

CLARKS ON LINDSAY STREET, FROM 15:00, £5

U2 tribute band.

Mon 11 Mar CUT (ASTROPHE + FAKE)

CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:30, £5 - £6

A lesson in punk rock dynamics.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

I AM

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa play the usual fine mix of electronica and bass, with a special guest or two oft in tow.

Wed 06 Mar IT’S NOT A PHASE, MOM!

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Wed 13 Mar

Nu-metal, pop-punk, emo and early 00s tunes.

CLARKS ON LINDSAY STREET, FROM 19:00, £12

DJ Jonny soundtracks your Wednesday with all the best poppunk, rock and hip-hop.

Sat 16 Mar

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

FINDLAY NAPIER & MEGAN HENWOOD: THE STORY SONG SCIENTISTS

Two exciting voices in British folk music team up for a joint project. TRIBUTE TO DZEM

CHURCH, FROM 21:00, £8

The Barber Q band and SZTUKA Art Agency present a tribute to Polish blues-rock band Dzem. MACTALLICA

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, FROM 20:00, £8

Metallica tribute act.

Sun 17 Mar OUT ON THE FLOOR

CLARKS ON LINDSAY STREET, FROM 15:00, £6

CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

GLITTERED! WEDNESDAYS

DJ Garry Garry Garry in G2 with chart remixes, along with beer pong competitions all night. SUNNY SIDE UP! ITALO SPECIAL (ERNESTO HARMON + DANNY MORROW + PHATBUTCHER) LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3

Sunny Side Up goes Italo for the March edition.

Thu 07 Mar

STAR SIGNZ PRESENTS: A CLUB KIDZ EXPERIENCE

CEILIDH CLUB NIGHT

THE FLYING DUCK, FROM 22:30, £5

The JimJam Ceilidh band will have you jigging around the dancefloor with high-tempo ceilidh tunes and songs.

SHANTI CELESTE’S PEACH PARTY (SHANTI CELESTE + PEACH)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £10 - £12

Shanti Celeste kicks off her Peach Party residency in the club by inviting InterGraded signing Peach to join her in the booth. RETURN TO MONO (SLAM + SAM PAGANINI)

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £12 - £16

Monthly night from Soma Records, often with special guests. SGÀIREOKE!

THE ART SCHOOL, FROM 23:00, £0 - £3

Sgàire Wood hosts an evening of music, performance and various curated madness with a special International Woman’s Day theme. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £5

A celebration of the biggest, baddest females in R’n’B, Soul, Funk and Jazz, hosted by Kitti with special guests.

VAJ.POWER PRESENTS: SPACE FOR BASS (LIMA + MAVEEN + ROSEHIPS + VAJ.POWER)

ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

VAJ.Power present the first instalment of Space for Bass, a new night dedicated to showcasing and celebrating the local bass scene.

Sat 09 Mar

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

Resident DJ Bobby Bluebell mixes up the house, R’n’B and chart.

Classic Northern Soul and Motown anthems featuring local band The Messarounds.

Flamboyant disco dream weavers.

Thu 21 Mar

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

Botch meets Beyonce DJ smash. A club night like no other.

ELEMENT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

THE HAGGIS HORNS

CLARKS ON LINDSAY STREET, FROM 19:00, £11.25

The UK horn section return with their two-decade strong discography.

Fri 22 Mar

PLEASE BELIEVE (THE UNION ARES + KADDISH) CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:30, £5 - £6

Bringing love, righteous fury and melancholic introspection, these east coast punk stalwarts are one of the quintessential ecoseemo bands.

Sat 23 Mar

GERRY JABLONSKI BAND

CHURCH, FROM 19:00, TBC

Powerful and energetic stand-out act with an ultra confident, noholds-barred swagger. THE ABSOLUTE JAM

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, FROM 20:00, £8

Tribute band capturing the authentic raw energy and sound of The Jam’s early punk roots. THE PHASE

CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:00, £5 - £6

UK-based rock band formed in Larissa, Greece in 2003.

Fri 29 Mar

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

UNHOLY

Cathouse’s Thursday night rock, metal and punk mash-up. THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

Ross MacMillan plays chart, house and anthems with giveaways, bouncy castles and, most importantly, air hockey. FOUNDRY (UNCONSCIOUS)

Sun 31 Mar BABY ISAAC

CLARKS ON LINDSAY STREET, FROM 15:00, £5

Baby Isaac set out to capture the essence of 50s Chicago blues and swing.

COUNTRY TO COUNTRY OFFICIAL AFTERSHOW PARTY

SWG3, FROM 23:00, £15

Live performances each night after Country to Country festival. HELLBENT

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, TBC

From the fab fierce family that brought you Catty Pride comes Cathouse Rock Club’s new monthly alternative drag show. SESH

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Twister, beer pong and DJ Ciar McKinley on the ones and twos, serving up chart and remixes through the night. PUSH IT: 1999!

STEREO, FROM 23:00, £4

PUSH IT’s latest theme is an ode to pop princess Charli XCX, with the usual pop, hip-hop and R’n’B also thrown into the mix.

Mon 11 Mar BARE MONDAYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Lasers, bouncy castles and DJ Gav Somerville spinning out teasers and pleasers. Nice way to kick off the week, no?

Rock’n’roll, garage and soul.

Tue 12 Mar

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £6 - £10

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

SWG3 PRESENT IBIZA CLASSICS

A night of euphoric timeless classics, straight from the Balearic Isle. COUNTRY TO COUNTRY OFFICIAL AFTERSHOW PARTY

OBZRV MUSIC

All the electronic dance. #TAG TUESDAYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £0 - £6

ALL U NEED IS KETTAMA

One of the most exciting talents in electronic music, Kettama joins the All U Need crew.

Fri 08 Mar FRESH! FRIDAY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

Resident DJ John McLean brings you the biggest tunes and best deals to make your weekend one to remember. DEATHKILL4000

BLOC+, FROM 23:00, FREE

Ultra-cutting edge dark electro, hip-hop and post punk.

FOREVERLAND: ENCHANTED FOREST

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 22:00, £19.10 - £21.90

SHAKA LOVES YOU

Hip-hop and live percussion flanked by wicked visuals.

A CELEBRATION OF TRAVIS SCOTT

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £5 - £10

A celebration of trap man and Kylie Jenner’s baby daddy, Travis Scott, known as La Flame to his pals. COUNTRY TO COUNTRY OFFICIAL AFTERSHOW PARTY

SWG3, FROM 23:00, £15

Live performances each night after Country to Country festival. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

Screamy, shouty, post-hardcore madness to help you shake off a week of stress in true punk style. FRESH BEAT

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £6

Dance, chart and remixes in the main hall with Craig Guild, while DJ Nicola Walker keeps things nostalgic in G2 with flashback bangers galore.

March 2019

Sun 10 Mar

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Dundee locals play a headline show.

ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £12 - £15

Two live performances on stage, from NAKED and another special guest, as well as full production and DJ sets from residents Bonzai Bonner, DJ Goff and Shaun.

Live performances each night after Country to Country festival.

Sat 30 Mar

TH13VES (NOVELLA + PLASMAS)

ANNA & HOLLY’S DANCE PARTY

VERNALIA (NAKED (LIVE) + MOTHER (LIVE) + BONZAI BONNER + SHAUN + DJ GOFF)

Foundry invite Italian EBM don Unconscious for a live set, with Foundry residents on the warm up.

Hard-riffing Scottish trio, whose impressive sound has been honed to perfection (i.e. they sound bloody massive live).

CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:00, £5.50

BLOC+, FROM 23:00, FREE

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 23:00, £5

A collective fuelled almost exclusively by the rawest of sauces, Orion is made up of some of Scotland’s finest young(ish) musicians.

Indoor hot tubs, inflatables as far as the eye can see and a Twitter feed dedicated to validating your drunk-eyed existence.

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

The ultimate adventure through music, time and space, merging debauchery and the paranormal. Expect DJs and live performers, circus acts and giant inflatables, plus much, much more.

THE XCERTS

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, FROM 19:30, £11

MONSTER HOSPITAL

REBECCA VASMANT PRESENTS: ORION

SWG3, FROM 23:00, £15

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

I AM

Or Caturdays, if you will. Two levels of the loudest, maddest music the DJs can muster; metal, rock and alt on floor one, and punky screamo upstairs.

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa play the usual fine mix of electronica and bass, with a special guest or two oft in tow.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

RETRONIC W/ FRANKIE ELYSE

I LOVE GARAGE

Garage by name, but not by musical nature. DJ Darren Donnelly carousels through chart, dance and classics, the Desperados bar is filled with funk, G2 keeps things urban and the Attic gets all indie on you. SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

Long-running house night with residents Harri & Domenic, oft’ joined by a carousel of super fresh guests. LOFT (BOOSTERHOOCH + COY HIRN)

THE ART SCHOOL, FROM 23:00, £6

Britney Spears edits and abstract dance music from one of Manchester’s most forward-thinking producers. Support from Subcity Radio’s staple of late night club kids. A LOVE FROM OUTER SPACE

THE BERKELEY SUITE, FROM 22:00, £10

Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston’s rather ace London night comes our way. BALKANARAMA

DRYGATE BREWING CO., FROM 21:30, £9 - £10

Wed 13 Mar

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Rock’n’roll, and 50s and 60s bangers. CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

DJ Jonny soundtracks your Wednesday with all the best poppunk, rock and hip-hop. GLITTERED! WEDNESDAYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

DJ Garry Garry Garry in G2 with chart remixes, along with beer pong competitions all night. ARCADE (IDA + DJCJ)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £4 - £5

Returning to the harder side of dance music, Arcade presents local legend IDA and West End Communications producer and selector DJCJ for a night of quality electronic music.

Thu 14 Mar SCIENCE FICTION

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

The Queens of the Glasgow disco scene, fka Drugstore Glamour. UNHOLY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

All singing, all dancing Balkan orgy, plus belly dancing and free brandy. As in, we’re sold.

Cathouse’s Thursday night rock, metal and punk mash-up.

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 22:00, £4

Ross MacMillan plays chart, house and anthems with giveaways, bouncy castles and, most importantly, air hockey.

LOOSEN UP! (CHARLIE MCCANN + FERGUS CLARK + DAVID BARBAROSSA)

Afro, disco and fun times with three of the best record collections in Glasgow (and beyond).

ELEMENT

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

AFLOAT

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

Wednesday night regulars at La Cheetah.

Find full listings at theskinny.co.uk/whats-on

RESPEKT RECORDINGS SHOWCASE (SPEKTRE + SAMA + PATRIK BERG + LUCA DE-SANTO)

I LOVE GARAGE

ELEMENT

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

FEED YOUR HEAD (LEVON VINCENT + THE BURRELL CONNECTION + RYAN WASON)

PALA (HIGHFIELD CASUALS)

Ross MacMillan plays chart, house and anthems with giveaways, bouncy castles and, most importantly, air hockey.

Fri 15 Mar

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

Pala’s first guest booking of 2019 with Highfield Casuals.

Feed Your Head is a forwardthinking electronic music night bringing the finest music and artists from the realms of house, techno, breakbeat and everything in-between.

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £12 - £15

Fri 22 Mar

Sun 24 Mar

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £4 - £11.25

Spektre and the Respekt team take their inimitable sound to the people of the UK and beyond. FRESH! FRIDAY

LA CHEETAH X EZUP (ANTAL)

Resident DJ John McLean brings you the biggest tunes and best deals to make your weekend one to remember.

Rush Hour boss and selector extraordinaire, Antal brings his mighty record bag to La Cheetah for an all nighter.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

THE LANCE VANCE DANCE

Exotic dreamy disco. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

Screamy, shouty, post-hardcore madness to help you shake off a week of stress in true punk style. FRESH BEAT

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £6

Dance, chart and remixes in the main hall with Craig Guild, while DJ Nicola Walker keeps things nostalgic in G2 with flashback bangers galore. SOLID STATE (RON WELLS + THE BURRELL CONNECTION + PARTS UNKNOWN)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

Jungle Techno pioneer Ron Wells, aka Jack Smooth, is sure to pack a selection of fast-paced breaks, jungle and techno into this set. BIGFOOT’S TEA PARTY: JAYDA G

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £6 - £12

Vancouver-born DJ Jayda G plays all night long for Bigfoot’s Tea Party, ahead of the release of her debut album, Significant Changes, via Ninja Tune.

SUBCULTURE

Long-running house night with residents Harri & Domenic, oft’ joined by a carousel of super fresh guests.

OH141 PRESENTS (JOHN T GAST + ELHEIST + SARRA WILD + MM + ISO)

THE ART SCHOOL, FROM 22:00, £7

OH141 present their first party of the year with five of their favourite names in the game right now. LOOSE JOINTS 3RD BIRTHDAY: VIOLET (CHESTER)

THE BERKELEY SUITE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

As the brain’s behind Näive Records and co-founder of Rádio Quântica, Inês Coutinho, aka Violet, is credited for shaking up Lisbon’s nightlife culture. MOJO WORKIN’ (FELONIOUS MUNK)

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 21:00, £2

60s rhythm and blues, ska, Motown and Northern soul. MILLION DOLLAR DISCO 20TH ANNIVERSARY PT.1 (AL KENT)

ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £8

Million Dollar Disco celebrates its 20th year with its founder at the the helm all night long.

ITS TOO HOT TO SLEEP (AMY KRAWCZYK + BOOSTERHOOCH + ROSEHIPS)

Sun 17 Mar

THE ART SCHOOL, FROM 23:00, £0 - £5

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, TBC

The first of a new monthly residency at The Art School featuring your favourite local DJ’s favourite local DJs. DJ DEEON (MIND YER SELF)

THE BERKELEY SUITE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £10

Chicago house and booty techno don DJ Deeon returns to Glasgow. FOOTWORK PRESENTS KALITA RECORDS

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 21:00, £5 - £7

Kalita Records head honcho Chris Webb plays a full vinyl set from his enviable collection.

THE BLUE ARROW HOUSE BAND (MATT CARMICHAEL) THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 23:00, £5

MELT RECORDS PRESENTS

Disco, funk, house and soul. SESH

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Twister, beer pong and DJ Ciar McKinley on the ones and twos, serving up chart and remixes through the night.

INCEPT: ILARIO ALICANTE (FRAZIER & RADIATE) SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £12 - £15

iNCEPT welcome Italian techno figurehead Ilario Alicante to join them in the Subbie booth.

Mon 18 Mar BARE MONDAYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

The Blue Arrow House Band is a new live jazz collective featuring a rotating line-up of some of the finest young musicians in Glasgow.

Lasers, bouncy castles and DJ Gav Somerville spinning out teasers and pleasers. Nice way to kick off the week, no?

ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £10

Tue 19 Mar

MAGIC CITY (JARREAU VANDAL)

Magic City bring Jarreau Vandal to Glasgow for his debut Scottish show, known for his buttery smooth mix of hip-hop, R’n’B, grime, funk and everything in between.

Sat 16 Mar

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

Resident DJ Bobby Bluebell mixes up the house, R’n’B and chart. SINGLES NIGHT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Beans + Divine explore the hits on 7” vinyl. WAREHOUSE ‘89

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £6

SWG3 takes you back to the late 80s warehouse raves when thousands partied to the new sounds of acid house and rave. 80S OBSESSION

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £4 - £5

Expect all the best 80s dancefloor obsessions to spin you round like a record baby. SONGS YA BASS XVIII

BUFF CLUB, FROM 19:00, 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. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Or Caturdays, if you will. Two levels of the loudest, maddest music the DJs can muster; metal, rock and alt on floor one, and punky screamo upstairs.

UP IN THE CLOUDS II: ZIBALUNI

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

FRESH! FRIDAY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

DJ Kelmosh takes you through Mid-Southwestern emo, rock, new metal, nostalgia and 90s and 00s tunes.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

SHAKA LOVES YOU

Hip-hop and live percussion flanked by wicked visuals.

BELLY TREE PRESENT SPRING EQUINOX

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £4

A club night created by Outgoing Person, Lily Carmen Smith, Plantainchipps, Cain Martin and Belly Tree residents. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

Screamy, shouty, post-hardcore madness to help you shake off a week of stress in true punk style. FRESH BEAT

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £6

WE SHOULD HANG OUT MORE (SEB WILDBLOOD + NACHTBRAKER + LAURENCE GUY)

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £10

WSHOM invite Seb Wildblood, Nachtbraker and Laurence Guy to go B2B2B, all making their Sub Club debuts.

THE BLUE ARROW HOUSE BAND (NOUSHY) THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 23:00, £5

The Blue Arrow House Band is a new live jazz collective featuring a rotating line-up of some of the finest young musicians in Glasgow.

ANIMAL FARM RECORDS SHOWCASE (QUAIL + ANCESTOR + AISHA + SCARBO) ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £5 - £10

Animal Farm debut at Room 2 inviting some labelmates and special guests along for the ride.

Sat 23 Mar

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

EXCELLENT WOMEN

Hip-hop, bass and trap. HAVIN’ IT LARGE: AUN

GLITTERED! WEDNESDAYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

DJ Garry Garry Garry in G2 with chart remixes, along with beer pong competitions all night.

ATTENTION//PLEASE X EYEANGLE: CHOOSE LIFE

Or Caturdays, if you will. Two levels of the loudest, maddest music the DJs can muster; metal, rock and alt on floor one, and punky screamo upstairs. I LOVE GARAGE

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

LA CHEETAH CLUB PRESENTS... (DEKMANTEL SOUNDSYSTEM + WARDY & DOM D’SYLVA)

Thu 21 Mar

Dekmantel Soundsystem’s founding fathers, Thomas Martojo and Casper Tielrooij, return to La Cheetah following their 2017 debut.

GET STAFFED: EASTERN BLOC

BLOC+, FROM 23:00, FREE

A new club night dedicated to keeping our bodies and minds healthy, featuring R’n’B, disco, 80s and soul for your soul. PRAY 4 LOVE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

All love songs + all bangers. UNHOLY

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

Indoor hot tubs, inflatables as far as the eye can see and a Twitter feed dedicated to validating your drunk-eyed existence. FREAK LIKE ME

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Soul, hip-hop and funk.

CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

DJ Jonny soundtracks your Wednesday with all the best poppunk, rock and hip-hop. GLITTERED! WEDNESDAYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

DJ Garry Garry Garry in G2 with chart remixes, along with beer pong competitions all night. EUTONY (AWB)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5

For their third birthday, Eutony welcome another Parisian, and one of their favourite DJs/producers, to play all night long.

Thu 28 Mar BREAKFAST CLUB

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

An 80s mega-mix party. UNHOLY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

Cathouse’s Thursday night rock, metal and punk mash-up. ELEMENT

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

Ross MacMillan plays chart, house and anthems with giveaways, bouncy castles and, most importantly, air hockey.

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5

Eyeangle Records team up with A//P for a stop on their Choose Life tour, raising funds for SAMH.

#TAG TUESDAYS

Renegades of Funk residents play all night long for their second party of 2019.

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

DJ Jonny soundtracks your Wednesday with all the best poppunk, rock and hip-hop.

CRATER COVE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

RENEGADES OF FUNK (ALSHY + NOWICKI)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

Tue 26 Mar

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £12

Wed 20 Mar

CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

BARE MONDAYS

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Lasers, bouncy castles and DJ Gav Somerville spinning out teasers and pleasers. Nice way to kick off the week, no?

Wed 27 Mar

Laurel Halo brings her DJ Kicks tour to Glasgow for Nightwave’s first Nightrave party of the year.

Playing the most euphoric, enlightening and thumping trance they can lay their hands on.

All-out decadence in the name of euphoria.

Mon 25 Mar

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £10 - £12

NIGHTRAVE (LAUREL HALO + NIGHTWAVE)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

DON’T BE GUTTED

Twister, beer pong and DJ Ciar McKinley on the ones and twos, serving up chart and remixes through the night.

Funk, disco, boogie and house.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

Indoor hot tubs, inflatables as far as the eye can see and a Twitter feed dedicated to validating your drunk-eyed existence.

SESH

Dance, chart and remixes in the main hall with Craig Guild, while DJ Nicola Walker keeps things nostalgic in G2 with flashback bangers galore.

In aid of First Aid Africa. #TAG TUESDAYS

CHEERS FOR THIRD SUNDAY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, TBC

Resident DJ John McLean brings you the biggest tunes and best deals to make your weekend one to remember.

Resident DJ Bobby Bluebell mixes up the house, R’n’B and chart.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £5 - £6

ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £7 - £10

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £12 - £15

SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

Long-running house night with residents Harri & Domenic, oft’ joined by a carousel of super fresh guests.

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

Fri 29 Mar FRESH! FRIDAY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

Resident DJ John McLean brings you the biggest tunes and best deals to make your weekend one to remember. EASY PEELERS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Bangers ripe and ready for your enjoyment. ABBA DISCO WONDERLAND

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £12

An extravaganza of soul shaking and body rocking disco classics alongside the greatest hits from the legendary ABBA. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

Screamy, shouty, post-hardcore madness to help you shake off a week of stress in true punk style. FRESH BEAT

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £6

Dance, chart and remixes in the main hall with Craig Guild, while DJ Nicola Walker keeps things nostalgic in G2 with flashback bangers galore.

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

Cathouse’s Thursday night rock, metal and punk mash-up.

Listings

PPLRSTRANGE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY (FANTASY SNACK + DJ BITCHCOIN + WHEELMAN + WECHT) STEREO, FROM 23:00, £5

pplrstrange celebrate one year in business with a party in Stereo. 9000 DREAMS WITH AVALON EMERSON (ROI PEREZ )

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £12 - £15

Avalon Emerson kicks off her residency in La Cheetah by inviting Roi Perez to join her in the booth. ANIMAL FARM: DAX J (QUAIL)

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £15 - £20.20

Monnom Black label boss and one of the most exciting and explosive DJs to come out of the UK in recent times, Dax J returns to Sub Club. KEEP IT ROLLING (LOEFAH)

ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £8 - £12

Keep It Rolling welcome Swamp81 boss and dubstep veteran Loefah to Room 2 for a session of UK club and bass music.

Sat 30 Mar

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

Resident DJ Bobby Bluebell mixes up the house, R’n’B and chart. CLUB TROPICANA

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Have some faith in this fruity cocktail 80s feast. GLITTERBOX

SWG3, FROM 20:00, £35

The Glitterbox phenomenon comes to Glasgow for the very first time. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Or Caturdays, if you will. Two levels of the loudest, maddest music the DJs can muster; metal, rock and alt on floor one, and punky screamo upstairs. I LOVE GARAGE

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

CRAIG MOOG PRESENTS… ELISCO (SOUNDSTREAM + CRAIG MOOG)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £10 - £12

Craig Moog continues his Elisco parties, this time inviting Berlin disco edit don, Soundstream. SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

Long-running house night with residents Harri & Domenic, oft’ joined by a carousel of super fresh guests.

LUNACY (THE HACKER + LUKE EARGOGGLE + SEBASTIAN SWARM + GORBALS NEBULA + JAMIE GILLESPIE) ROOM 2, FROM 23:00, £10 - £15

The Lunacy crew welcome electronic heavyweights The Hacker and Luke Eargoggle.

Sun 31 Mar SLIDE IT IN

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, TBC

Classic rock through the ages from DJ Nicola Walker. SESH

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Twister, beer pong and DJ Ciar McKinley on the ones and twos, serving up chart and remixes through the night.

Edinburgh Clubs SOUL JAM: OVERDOSE OF THE HOLY GHOST

POWERHOUSE: HEDONISM, UNITY & FREEDOM

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £8

Reverend Tuesday Gonzalez and Pastor Percy Main explore the gloriously danceable sounds of gospel boogie, divine disco and sacred soul for a whole night. Hallelujah!

Wed 06 Mar WILD ONES

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures.

HEATERS: C-SHAMAN + ADAM ZARECKI

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

C-Shaman welcomes back powerhouse producer and DJ Adam Zarecki to Sneaks, hot off the back of his uplifting release on Roots For Bloom. ITCHY FEET

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £10

Massive funk, soul, rock’n’roll, rhythm and blues, reggae and ska party returns.

Thu 07 Mar UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill. TASTY

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour. SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al. POPULAR MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

A new weekly night with a danceable mix of music made by bands, cutting across genre, age and nation.

Fri 08 Mar FLY (OR:LA)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £12

LazyTapes boss Cera Khin and Glasgow’s Ribeka head up the bill for Headset’s International Women’s Day show.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY RAVE

THE CAVES, FROM 22:00, £15

No Scrubs Club present an International Women’s Day Rave packed with some of Edinburgh’s finest female selectors. All profits go to Scottish Women’s Aid and Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre. FLIP - 6 NATIONS: ENTER THE DRAGON

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

#Backingblue as the Welsh arrive. Chart, mash-ups and alt anthems

MAIDEN VOYAGE PRESENTS: KALITA RECORDS

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £6 - £8

PROPAGANDA

Clubber’s favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like. COLOURS PRESENTS: GARUDA (GARETH EMERY + ASHLEY WALLBRIDGE + ALEX SONATA) THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 23:00, £17.85 - £21.70

COASTAL HAZE (SEB WILDBLOOD + HOLLICK) SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

BALKANARAMA

SUMMERHALL, FROM 22:30, £9 - £10

Weekly Bongo night by Electrikal Sound System, dishing out drum and bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage.

All singing, all dancing Balkan orgy, plus belly dancing and free brandy. As in, we’re sold.

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £7 - £10

Listings

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Baz and Dave spin out some belters under a strictly vinyl-only policy. SOULSVILLE

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5

Residents Cameron Mason and Calum Evans spin the finest cuts of deep funk, Latin rhythms and rare groove into the early hours. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Saturday mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics thrown in for good measure. IDEEP PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: MIGUEL TOVAR (PAKO VEGA + MEL DEEP)

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £6

IDeep productions bring Miguel Tovar, one of the most versatile and acclaimed DJs of Spain, back to Edinburgh.

Stepping up for his Edinburgh debut, Heaters loyal Aidan Gibson brings a honed taste and knack for partystarting to the sweatbox.

Thu 14 Mar

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill. TASTY

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour. SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al. POPULAR MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

A new weekly night with a danceable mix of music made by bands, cutting across genre, age and nation.

THE HIVE, FROM 21:00, £0 - £4

More merry madness in the run up to the big night. Chart, pop and R’n’B. Glamorous, glittery, flamboyant, feathery, ostentatious and rock‘n’roll, Heart of Glass plays only the best music from the 70s and beyond. NIGHTVISION PRESENTS SAM PAGANINI (LUCY + SETAOC MASS)

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £18.65 - £27.45

The legendary Sam Paganini plays his first ever Edinburgh club show following his set at Terminal V in 2018. CLUB MEDITERRANEO: DJ SCM

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

A new night from one of Edinburgh’s best selectors, Andrea Montalto, treating us to a double Sicilian slice for his first outing with WATAJ Records boss DJ SCM. DECADE - POP PUNK KARAOKE

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

DISTRACTION PRESENTS: TRANCE ANTHEMS

Edinburgh and Glasgow-straddling night, with a powerhouse of local residents joined by a selection of guest talent.

Error404 and Pinnacle team up to host a very special night of techno, house and disco.

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £7 - £9

ALLSORTS PRESENTS: AMMI BOYZ

Ammi Boyz combine raw energy, stage presence and powerful tracks.

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 23:00, £7 - £8

WECHT

WECHT residents Bissett and Creg play all night.

PALIDRONE X TREEHOUSE: HAPPA & JABES THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £10

Palidrone team up with Leeds party collective and record label Treehouse to bring Happa and JABES to The Mash House. LE COWBOI

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

An evening of house, techno and new wave sounds from one of Glasgow’s up and coming DJs. Get yer dancin’ shoes oan.

Sun 10 Mar SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of/ handle on a Sunday. COALITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion.

Mon 11 Mar MIXED UP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Monday-brightening mix of hiphop, R’n’B and chart classics, with requests in the back room. NAPIER UNI TECHNO SOCIETY

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £4 - £5

FUNKTION

FLIP - PADDY’S PRE-PARTY

Start Paddy’s weekend right with FLIP. Chart, mash-ups and alt anthems. CONVOLVE

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £5

A club night of RnG, Bashment, Afrobeats and Wifey riddims. PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £2 - £4

Clubber’s favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like. ON LOOP: NATHAN MICAY

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

Moxie is joined by Nathan Micay, fresh from his recent RA mix, to celebrate the third birthday of On Loop.

CRAIG CHARLES FUNK AND SOUL CLUB

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 23:00, £15.50

DJ and actor Craig Charles will be manning the decks until 3am, playing his picks of funk and soul, with an array of guest spinners and live acts joining him. 3 YEARS OVERGROUND PT. 1: UPSAMMY

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4.50 - £6.50

ERROR404 X PINNACLE

SOFAY

Tue 12 Mar

Representing the full spectrum of drum and bass featuring residents Aesthetics, Upfront, Jammin and Reevah.

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday.

Glasgow’s finest digger and beard proponent joins the Tuesday crew for another masterclass in disco, post punk and house rarities.

Wed 20 Mar WILD ONES

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures. HEATERS: MIND YER SELF

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

Glasgow party Mind Yer Self make the trip East to show Sneaky’s what their charity party is all about; always for a good cause and packed full of fire from start to finish.

Thu 21 Mar

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill. TASTY

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour. SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al. POPULAR MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

A new weekly night with a danceable mix of music made by bands, cutting across genre, age and nation.

Though their music evokes the time-honoured heritage of classic disco and house, CITCBD’s interpretation of jazz brings a unique inventiveness to the genre.

PADDYS DAY RAVE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 21:00, £0 - £6

A full venue party with some of the best local talent that Scotland has to offer. GROOVERS & BROKEN DISCO DO ST PADDY’S DAY

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

Groovers team up with Glasgowbased underground heavyweights Broken Disco, with visuals provided by VJ Planet Arm, for this St Paddy’s Day party. ST PATRICK’S DAY

THE HIVE, FROM 21:00, £6

Irish decor, face painting, cocktails, giveaways and more. COALITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion. TRANCE WAX (HWTS)

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £10

Mon 18 Mar

M.U.M - PADDY’S HANGOVER

Party too hard or miss out on the big night? It’s the hair of the dog as we do it all again for the craic.

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

MAIN INGREDIENT

Following back to back sell outs at The Mash House, Night Tube will be hosting a one-off exclusive at Sneaky Pete’s.

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Alternative Tuesday anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie, punk, retro and more.

Sun 17 Mar

NIGHT TUBE: GOLD STANDARD (TOMMY GOLD)

A musical voyage with three of the nicest gentlemen in the industry. They could make a statue dance.

TRASH

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

WE DO DISCO W/ CHAOS IN THE CBD (ASHMORE)

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

RAW DRUM & BASS

Weekly Bongo night by Electrikal Sound System, dishing out drum and bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage.

Funky house DJs back at Leith Depot.

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £6

A night of loud, hard house and techno ranging from old school classics to modern tracks.

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, TBC

AMBIDECKSTROUS

Trance Wax, aka Garry McCartney, aka Ejeca, is the Belfast man that has been turning a few heads over the past few years.

A night of bangers, melters and fizzers from Napier Uni Techno Society. One of the best Monday nights in the city, with a peak vibe and busy dancefloor. HECTOR’S HOUSE: 90S RAVE (YOGI HAUGHTON)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

One of the most talked-about young DJ/producers on the Dutch electronic music underground, upsammy joins Overground for the first part of their third birthday celebrations. CONTROL

MIDNIGHT BASS

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £1 - £5

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

Fri 15 Mar FLY (SAM SIGGERS)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday.

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £6

From Athens and new to Edinburgh, EH-FM DJ Sofia Stergiou joins DJ Cheers at this serving of the All You Can Eat Mind Buffet.

HECTOR’S HOUSE

SOUL JAM WITH DAVID BARBAROSSA

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day one night early, as Decade throw the best pop-punk/emo/party night in town, with karaoke in the second room.

TEESH (DJ CHEERS + SOFIA STERGIOU)

Tue 19 Mar

HEART OF GLASS

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 20:00, FREE

MIDNIGHT BASS

Pop-punk and pancakes. Live the dream.

DR NO’S SKA CLUB

HEATERS: AIDAN GIBSON

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

BUBBLEGUM - PADDY’S EVE

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Coastal Haze, the label and party curated by Seb Wildblood and Hollick, heads to Sneaky Pete’s for an all night long B2B session.

TRASH - PANCAKE TUESDAY

Regular Saturday night at Cab Vol, with residents and occasional special guests.

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures.

Conscious roots and dub reggae rockin’ from the usual beefy Messenger Sound System.

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £3

HEADSET: CERA KHIN & RIBEKA

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £1 - £5

PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

WILD ONES

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

MESSENGER

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

Colours present the first ever Edinburgh show for one of the UK’s most respected brands, Garuda.

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday.

Sat 09 Mar

Wed 13 Mar

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 23:00, £5

A mix of classic goth, post-punk, new wave, dark wave, synth, deathrock and more.

New student-run night at The Bongo Club.

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £2 - £4

HECTOR’S HOUSE

50% PURE is a record label born out of a short-lived contemporary art programme and Edinburgh club night Supermodel.

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Alternative Tuesday anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie, punk, retro and more.

SHADOWPLAY (DJ VILKAS)

Glasgow-based DJ and radio show host, Sofay comes through to grace the decks at Palms.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Tue 05 Mar

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

TRASH

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

Regular Saturday night at Cab Vol, with residents and occasional special guests.

The very best trance music by the finest artists to have graced the genre.

Mon 01 Apr Lasers, bouncy castles and DJ Gav Somerville spinning out teasers and pleasers. Nice way to kick off the week, no?

50% PURE (LINDSAY)

Weekly Bongo night by Electrikal Sound System, dishing out drum and bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage.

PLEASURE

Edinburgh and Glasgow-straddling night, with a powerhouse of local residents joined by a selection of guest talent.

Chris Webb, the collector, digger, music-obsessive and mastermind behind Kalita Records joins Maiden Voyage in the Wee Red.

BARE MONDAYS

Edinburgh underground heavyweights channeling serious nae-nonsense techno and dark body music.

MIDNIGHT BASS

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £1 - £5

Sat 16 Mar

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5 - £10

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £12

NIKNAK PADDY WHACK

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

A St Patrick’s Day extravaganza, hosted by NikNak, filled with bangers and only a little cheese. Give the dog a bone.

Fri 22 Mar FLY (ECLAIR FIFI)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £10

Edinburgh and Glasgow-straddling night, with a powerhouse of local residents joined by a selection of guest talent.

ELECTRIKAL: HOT SAUCE BASHMENT & DANCEHALL CARNIVAL

Sat 23 Mar PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

Regular Saturday night at Cab Vol, with residents and occasional special guests. MUMBO JUMBO & THE GOGO

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £7

Funk, soul, beats and bumps from the Mumbo Jumbo gang and room two residents The GoGo. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Saturday mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics thrown in for good measure. A NIGHT OF PULP

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Clap along with the common people at Wee Red. I AM A RAVER

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £7 - £16.75

A night of happy hardcore, DJ Rankin, DJ Cammy and co. DEFINITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £0 - £5

Underground house and techno inspired by the likes of Sonar, Berghain, Fabric and Pressure from our residents Mark Balneaves and Marty Lightbody. LA NOCHE DE OGIGIA (GASCÓN )

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5

La Noche De Ogigia is the crossover club concept for Sounds Of Ogigia, a show on EH-FM Radio from Pako Vega. PMSC

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Percy Main flings wide the doors to his social club for an evening filled with melters, belters, boogies, woogies, sweat and daiquiris.

Sun 24 Mar SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of/ handle on a Sunday. COALITION

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion.

Mon 25 Mar

M.U.M - RUN’S THE WORLD: BEYONCÉ NIGHT

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

We celebrate Queen Bey with all her biggest hits and videos on the big screen plus more. FRUIT X ZERO PRESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £4 - £5

Online magazine FRUIT are back to feature the Edinburgh-based DJ group ZERO PRESS.

Tue 26 Mar HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday. MIDNIGHT BASS

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £1 - £5

Weekly Bongo night by Electrikal Sound System, dishing out drum and bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage. TRASH - PANIC! AT THE DISCO VS BRING ME THE HORIZON

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

TASTY THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour. SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al. POPULAR MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

A new weekly night with a danceable mix of music made by bands, cutting across genre, age and nation. HWTS PRESENTS: TESSELA

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £9

Of-the-moment DJ chap, Tessela stops by The Mash House to drop some rattling bass over shaking house, as is his merry way. SHOOT YOUR SHOT

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Discotheque provocateurs SYS take you higher with a programme of Italo and synthetic house DJs.

Fri 29 Mar FLY (CROMBY)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £12

Edinburgh and Glasgow-straddling night, with a powerhouse of local residents joined by a selection of guest talent. OVERGROUND X SUBSTANCE: GESLOTEN CIRKEL (LIVE)

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £7 - £10

Mysterious Russian-based producer Gesloten Cirkel makes his Edinburgh debut, as Overground team up with Substance for the second part of their third birthday celebrations. FLIP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and novelty-stuffed. Perrrfect. HEY QT

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

Sweaty dance disco for queer folk and their pals.

TONTO TECHNO PRESENTS REINIER ZONNEVELD

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £10 - £15

Dutch DJ Reinier Zonneveld brings his much-lauded live show to Edinburgh. FLEETMAC WOOD PRESENT: RUMOURS RAVE

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £8

A night of remixes and edits from the Fleetwood Mac back catalogue, and a celebration of one of the best albums of all time. A good excuse to pretend it’s 1977 again. MAXI JAZZ

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 23:00, £20

The Faithless co-founder and frontman brings a selection of club and party classics that have influenced him over the years, plus Faithless classics. SHIVA SONIC

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £8

Crazy decor, UV action, top DJs and the best Psytrance this side of Goa. ALIBI LAUNCH PARTY (JOE HIGHET + DARKALI + BOLAM)

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

Music meets art. A host of local electronic DJs showcasing techno’s more minimal flavours, with visuals by Ambient Projections. JACUZZI GENERAL PRESENTS..

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Electrikal bring you the wildest bashment and reggaeton vibes.

High Hopes for our True Friends. Head to head showdown. Rock, pop-punk and alt anthems.

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Wed 27 Mar

First installment of a soon to be weekly evening hosted by Palms own musical big man ‘The General’. Expect towels, shower curtains, dancing and maybe a hot tub.

THE CAVES, FROM 22:00, TBC

Sat 30 Mar

WILD ONES

Regular Saturday night at Cab Vol, with residents and occasional special guests.

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

FLIP

Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and novelty-stuffed. Perrrfect. MINISET: HODGE

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

SENSI

Sensi is an original and innovative club night which fuses art, film and music.

Headset’s Skillis goes back to back with good pal Hodge, a big name on the Bristol scene having released on Berceuse Heroique, Livity Sound and Punchdrunk.

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures.

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 23:00, £12

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

FREDDIE’S OUTRAGEOUS RADIO GAGA

Fancy dress, audio visual bonanza Queen tribute club.

LIQUID FUNKTION 3RD BIRTHDAY (LENZMAN + UNGLUED + DEGS)

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £8 - £12

Liquid, drum and bass, jungle and breaks at The Mashy. FONO (OC + CALTON TOI)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

The lads from Aviemore once again grace Palms with their envyinvoking record collection. Expect the unexpected.

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

HEATERS: YU SU

Vancouver’s Yu Su has landed with a bang, with a massive release on Arcade, picked out for RA Mix of the Day and upcoming appearances at some of the world’s finest festivals and venues.

Thu 28 Mar

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY (ADAMANT)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill.

PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

HOTLINE 2ND BIRTHDAY: GARDEN OF EDEN PARTY (TAAHLIAH + LISALÖÖF + NADIA SUMMER) THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

Smashin’ cloob, run by women, for everyone celebrating their second birthday. R’n’B, disco, funk and dancing. BUBBLEGUM - SPRING FORWARD

THE HIVE, FROM 21:00, £0 - £4

The clocks change but not at The Hive! Six hours of chart, pop and R’n’B. DE-ICE THE DANCE

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

A night of bass music on Honkin Hifi’s soundsystem.

THE SKINNY

PLEASUREDOME WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Funk, disco and oh-so-soulful house. NIGHTVISION PRESENTS EATS EVERYTHING

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £15

Musika invite Bristolian Eats Everything back for a rare all night long slot to join them for their 12th birthday celebrations. RIDE

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

Live fast die yung, Ride gals do it well. Teacha El and Checkyer Strides play 00s R'n'B and 90s hip hop and put their lighters up. CLEAN CUT KID

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £12

New Liverpool fuzz-pop band out on their UK headline tour. PULSE: STRANGER

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £8

Tipped as being one of Rotterdam’s best kept techno secret DJ/ producer Stranger moves in mysterious ways and has quickly proven to be one to watch. MANY ANIMALS

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Al Mackenzie/A Field of Dreams joins Palms favourite, 90s pop star Davie Miller for an end of the month techno party.

Sun 31 Mar SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of/ handle on a Sunday. PROSUMER & GIDEON

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £8 - £10

Edinburgh’s man about town Prosumer and London’s Gideon, cocreator of Glastonbury’s Block9, swap the big room for the small room and encourage you to take Monday off.

Mon 01 Apr MIXED UP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Monday-brightening mix of hiphop, R’n’B and chart classics, with requests in the back room.

Theatre Glasgow Theatre

CCA: Centre for Contemporary Art ZOE KATSILEROU: ICEBERG: BETWEEN THE TWO OF US

12 MAR, 7:30PM, £5

An evening of improvised duets incorporating dance, music and narrative. BUZZCUT DOUBLE THRILLS: NIGHTCLUBBING

20 MAR, 6:00PM, £5 - £20

Rachael Young and her band of super-humans embrace Afrofuturism and the cult of Grace Jones in Nightclubbing; an explosive new performance bringing visceral live music and intergalactic visions to start a revolution. SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE

26-27 MAR, 7:30PM, £8.80 - £10

Short Attention Span Theatre present four new half hour plays.

Platform LOST IN MUSIC

6-7 MAR, TIMES VARY, £5 - £8.50

A new gig/theatre show about the power of music to take us where we never expected. FERGUSON AND BARTON

11-12 MAR, 7:00PM, £5 - £8.50

A contemporary couple scrambles to re-create Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece Vertigo live. THOUGH THIS BE MADNESS

14 MAR, 7:00PM, £5 - £8.50

Bouncing on a pilates ball in the Land of Lounge Room, a recovering mum and love-struck, sleep-deprived teat is desperate to soothe her baby.

The King’s Theatre

MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE

5-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, £19.40 - £62.90

Dundee Clubs

Matthew Bourne (y’know, he who is tirelessly reimagining just about every classic in theatrical existence) presents his re-telling of the majestic Swan Lake. MENOPAUSE: THE MUSICAL

Sat 09 Mar

JUTE CITY JAM (MAX GALLOWAY + RONAN BAXTER)

READING ROOMS, FROM 22:30, £5 - £7

Resident pushers Max Galloway and Ronan Baxter will be in control for the evening’s dance.

Fri 15 Mar

DISCLAIMER: XXX SPECIAL (KAI KASPAR + ACID BONER + CABHAGG & SATURN (LIVE))

READING ROOMS, FROM 22:30, £6

Kai Kaspar will be bringing the sound of Berlin to the small town club. Expect techno, trance and minimal sounds all night.

Sat 16 Mar

BOOK CLUB’S LOCAL HEROES (GUESTHAUS + PSA + IS KILL + MARC JD) READING ROOMS, FROM 22:00, £5 - £10

Book Club’s Local Heroes invites the best home grown talent to showcase how they get down.

Fri 22 Mar HANNAH WANTS

READING ROOMS, FROM 22:00, £10 - £21.15

British DJ and producer hailing from Birmingham with serious credentials, bringing ‘dark and raw raves’ to her parties.

Fri 29 Mar

ALL GOOD PRESENTS KETTAMA (VAN D + ETHAN BELL)

READING ROOMS, FROM 22:30, £10 - £15

Galway native Kettama continues his rapid ascent, with a slew of big-name DJs supporting him on his rise.

10-11 MAR, TIMES VARY, £25 - £30

Four women bond over the menopause in a department store in this musical. We’re as confused and bewildered as you are. GHOST THE MUSICAL

1-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Musical based on the 1990 film, starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg.

The SSE Hydro

MRS. BROWN’S BOYS D’MUSICAL?

28-31 MAR, TIMES VARY, £25.55 - £44.85

Brendan O’Carroll promises to take audiences on an exhilarating, side splitting and musical adventure with Mrs. Brown’s Boys D’Musical?

Theatre Royal ROMEO & JULIET

19-23 MAR, TIMES VARY, £13.90 - £43.90

TENSILE STRENGTH (OR HOW TO SURVIVE AT YOUR WIT’S END)

20-22 MAR, 8:00PM, £8.50 - £11

14-28 MAR, 8:00PM, PRICES VARY

King’s Theatre Edinburgh

(CAN THIS BE) HOME

Half music gig, half spoken word, Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir examines the immigrant experience of Brexit. APPROACHING EMPTY

5-7 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

A razor-sharp new drama by award-winning playwright Ishy Din, which lays bare the everyday struggles of a post-industrial generation of British men. IN OTHER WORDS

6-9 MAR, 8:00PM, £8.50 - £11

Connected by the music of Frank Sinatra, this intimate, humorous and deeply moving love story explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and the transformative power of music in our lives. HEART OF DARKNESS

7-9 MAR, 7:45PM, £11 - £17

Written more than 100 years ago, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a tale of lies and brutal greed and of the dark heart which beats within us all.

Edinburgh Theatre Assembly Roxy FERAL

23 MAR, 7:30PM, £8 - £10

Visual theatre that creates and destroys a world in front of its audience’s eyes. INVISIBLE LINES

13 MAR, 7:30PM, £8 - £12

An intimate, daring odyssey that uses the human body as a canvas to explore ageing, loss, life-cycles, seasonality, death and defiance. PAGE2STAGE EDINBURGH

5 MAR, 7:30PM, £5

An exciting addition to Edinburgh’s new writing scene, showcasing extracts from four brand new plays read in front of a live audience. RENDITION

5 MAR, 8:00PM, £8 - £12

The story of one man’s nightmare experience as the first suspect to be taken into the CIA’s detention programme. APPROACHING EMPTY

5-7 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

A razor-sharp new drama by award-winning playwright Ishy Din, which lays bare the everyday struggles of a post-industrial generation of British men. FROM MORNING SUN TILL DINE

7 MAR, 8:00PM, £6 - £7.50

A play about people, friendship and the effects of eating disorders, set in 1980s Edinburgh. IN-PROCESS: GOOD SEX AFTER BAD SEX

25-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, £13 - £44.90

27 MAR, 7:30PM, £8 - £12

Bill Kenwright presents the inaugural Classic Screen to Stage Theatre Company production of Rain Man, based on the Oscarwinning film.

SCOTTISH OPERA: KÁTYA KABANOVÁ

12-23 MAR, 7:15PM, PRICES VARY

Renowned British director Stephen Lawless brings his trademark theatricality to Janácek’s intense drama, illuminating the shattering effects of oppression and isolation.

Tramway

NORA: A DOLL’S HOUSE

A radical new version of Henrik Ibsen’s play, by Stef Smith.

IN THE WILLOWS

27-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, £22 - £32

A performance about stress and figuring out why so many of us feel it to an unhealthy degree.

17 MAR, 7:00PM, £5

RAIN MAN

Renowned British director Stephen Lawless brings his trademark theatricality to Janácek’s intense drama, illuminating the shattering effects of oppression and isolation. The classic story leaps into the 21st century with ballads, beats and back flips.

The Royal Shakespeare Company returns to Glasgow with a fresh and contemporary version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

15 MAR-6 APR, TIMES VARY, £12.50 - £26.50

March 2019

Tron Theatre

SCOTTISH OPERA: KÁTYA KABANOVÁ 12-23 MAR, 7:15PM, PRICES VARY

A part autobiographical, part verbatim play exploring women’s journeys as they navigate from sexual violence to sexual pleasure. LEYLA JOSEPHINE: DADDY DRAG

Leyla attempts to understand what it means to be a father through her witty performance style, drag costumes and complex but unconditional love for her dad.

Festival Theatre DIRTY DANCING

4-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, £35 - £65.50

The cult 80s film revamped for the stage – cue Baby and Johnny, sexy dancing and a good dose of hungry eyes. BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

13-16 MAR, TIMES VARY, £21.50 - £49

Birmingham Royal Ballet perform their take on the tale of Belle and the Beast, with live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

NO SUCH THING AS A FISH

1-24 MAR, 8:00PM, PRICES VARY

Join Dan Schreiber, Andrew Hunter Murray, Anna Ptaszynski and James Harkin as they serve up their pick of the most bizarre, extraordinary and hilarious facts known to man. SOUTHERN LIGHT PRESENTS MY FAIR LADY

5-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, £16 - £21

My Fair Lady sparkles with wit, elegance and romance, telling the story? of an Edwardian cockney flower girl’s transformation into the pride? of London society. EDGAS PRESENT THE MIKADO

12-16 MAR, TIMES VARY, £17 - £25

Edinburgh Gilbert and Sullivan Society present the timeless G&S classic, The Mikado. THE BOHEMIANS PRESENT THE WEDDING SINGER

20-23 MAR, TIMES VARY, £16 - £20

Join New Jersey’s favourite wedding singer Robbie Hart, sweet natured Julia, her best friend Holly and Wall Street bad boy Glenn in the 1980s party of the year. THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

25-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, £18 - £31.50

Adapted from Paula Hawkins’ novel, and starring Samantha Womack and Oliver Farnworth, this gripping new play will keep you guessing until the final moment.

Royal Lyceum Theatre LOCAL HERO

14 MAR-4 MAY, TIMES VARY, £10 - £68

A wry comedy about a man who sets out to buy a beach, but ends up losing his heart to a village.

Summerhall

ANATOMY #19: ADEQUATE

RESPECT – THE ARETHA FRANKLIN SONGBOOK 24 MAR, 7:30PM, £30 - £65

An amazing tribute to the Queen of Soul, featuring guest vocalists and a live orchestra.

Traverse Theatre THE DARK CARNIVAL

1-16 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Tue 05 Mar

7-9 MAR, 8:00PM, £5 - £17

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £3

THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR

Forced to confront a secret she has hidden even from herself, Ayesha must decide who she is – no matter the cost. BREXIT BLUES: A FAREWELL TO FREE MOVEMENT

10 MAR, 7:30PM, £6 - £10

As we stumble towards the Brexit cliff edge, join a diverse range of artists for a cabaret evening to celebrate the joys that free movement around the world can bring. FAT BLOKES

15-16 MAR, 7:30PM, £5 - £17

Fat Blokes is a sort of dance show about flab, double chins and getting your kit off in public. NT CONNECTIONS 2019

17-20 MAR, 7:00PM, £6 - £8

The National Theatre Connections festival is a celebration of young people, theatremaking and the importance of access to the arts. VELVET PETAL

23 MAR, 7:30PM, £5 - £17

A performance inspired by Robert Mapplethorpe, set to a dance-punk score including LCD Soundsystem, James Holden and Four Tet. WE ARE ALL JUST LITTLE CREATURES

28-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, £5 - £17

8 February, 1587. An executioner’s scaffold, draped in black cloth awaits Mary, the fallen Queen of Scots. Condemned as a traitor by her own family, accused of adultery and murder, hear her sorry tale before the final axe blow.

The Edinburgh Playhouse JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

19-23 MAR, TIMES VARY, £12 - £43

Union J’s Jaymi Hensley dons the Technicolor Dreamcoat for his first ever major musical role.

RUSSIAN STATE BALLET OF SIBERIA: SWAN LAKE

8-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, £13 - £38.90

Russian State Ballet’s retelling of the classic love story, brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting score. WANNABE - THE SPICE GIRLS SHOW

30 MAR, 7:30PM, £13 - £36

A touring musical celebration featuring the hits of the Spice Girls.

Half music gig, half spoken word, Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir examines the immigrant experience of Brexit.

Dundee Theatre THE ELO EXPERIENCE

15 MAR, 7:30PM, £23 - £24

ELO tribute act.

Dundee Rep 1-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, £10 - £25

Arthur Miller’s first commercial and critical success, based on a true story about a successful self-made businessman whose factory supplied the US military during the war. LEVIATHAN

30 MAR, 8:00PM, £9 - £17

Featuring a cast of six, Wilton’s trademark blend of athletic dance, martial arts, capoeira and partnerwork, LEVIATHAN will have you on the edge of your seat. THE DARK CARNIVAL

1-16 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

The Dark Carnival will transport audiences into an unexpected vision of the afterlife full of long-lost lovers, half-hearted ghosts, and songs. VERVE: MIXED BILL

18 MAR, 8:00PM, £9 - £11

COMEDY CLASS OF 2019 SHOWCASE

DRYGATE BREWING CO., FROM 20:00, £5

Strathclyde Comedy Class of 2019 present their end of term showcase, compered by the Brewhaha’s Jim McCreadie.

Wed 06 Mar

COMEDIAN RAP BATTLES (THE WEE MAN)

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £4 - £6

The country’s best comedians battle it out.

NEW MATERIAL COMEDY NIGHT

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

Resident host Julia Sutherland introduces a variety of stand-up comedians from the Scottish circuit delivering all new material.

Thu 07 Mar

THE THURSDAY SHOW (STU & GARRY + ADAM HESS + DONALD ALEXANDER + KIRSTY MORRISON + SUSAN MORRISON)

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £7 - £10

YESBAR VIRGINS

Graham Barrie introduces a selection of fledgling comedy talent handpicked fae Scotland.

Whitehall Theatre FASTLOVE

7 MAR, 7:30PM, £13 - £38.90

THE ROCKET MAN

A tribute to George Michael. 30 MAR, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

A tribute to Sir Elton John.

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £3

Legendary new material night with up to ten acts. LIGHT BULB

BLACKFRIARS BASEMENT, FROM 20:00, FREE

Stand-up, characters and sketches for fans of weird and silly things.

Wed 13 Mar YESBAR VIRGINS

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

Graham Barrie introduces a selection of fledgling comedy talent handpicked fae Scotland.

BENEFIT IN AID OF WOMEN’S SUPPORT PROJECT (JAY LAFFERTY + JAMIE DALGLEISH + CHRISTOPHER KC + AMY MATTHEWS + JOJO SUTHERLAND) THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £6 - £10

Comedy benefit in aid of Women’s Support Project. LIMMY: SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £16 - £19.80

Join Limmy for a night of anecdotes and chit-chat as he introduces his autobiography, featuring the true stories of how this permanent tripper ended up on the telly.

Thu 14 Mar THE EARLY SHOW

YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit. MARK NELSON: BREXIT WOUNDS

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:30, £12.50

As we leave the EU, the awardwinning stand-up equally renowned for his brilliantly dark material offers up his unique view on the state of the world. LIMMY: SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £16 - £19.80

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £10 - £12

STEREO, FROM 19:30, £8

THE FRIDAY SHOW (STU & GARRY + ADAM HESS + DONALD ALEXANDER + KIRSTY MORRISON + SUSAN MORRISON)

The big weekend show with five comedians. THE EARLY SHOW

YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit.

FRIDAY NIGHT COMEDY (ROB DEERING + JARLATH REGAN + SCOTT AGNEW + RAY BRADSHAW)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £20

The perfect way to end the working week, with four superb stand-up comedians.

Sat 09 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (STU & GARRY + ADAM HESS + DONALD ALEXANDER + KIRSTY MORRISON + SUSAN MORRISON)

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £17.50

The big weekend show with five comedians. THE EARLY SHOW

YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit.

SATURDAY NIGHT COMEDY (ROB DEERING + JARLATH REGAN + SCOTT AGNEW + RAY BRADSHAW)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £17

YESBAR VIRGINS: COMEDY SUNDAY SCHOOL

Discover the fruits of comedian Phil Differ’s failure in this autobiographical one-man show.

RED RAW (ASHLEY STORRIE + DARREN CONNELL)

Fri 08 Mar

29 MAR, 7:30PM, £9 - £15

BILLY BREMNER AND ME

Tue 12 Mar

Join Limmy for a night of anecdotes and chit-chat as he introduces his autobiography, featuring the true stories of how this permanent tripper ended up on the telly.

An evening of award-winning comedy, with four superb stand-up comedians that will keep you laughing until Monday.

8 MAR, 8:00PM, £28.50

Find full listings at theskinny.co.uk/whats-on

One hilarious show, completely improvised by two teams, based off an audience suggestion. Improv comedy at its finest.

In 2019, VERVE presents an ambitious programme of bold new dance work created by internationallyacclaimed and award-winning choreographers Joan Clevillé, Maxine Doyle and Ben Wright.

RUSSIAN STATE BALLET OF SIBERIA: GISELLE

Russian State Ballet’s classical ballet about love and betrayal, brought to life with mesmerising sets and lavish costumes.

BLACKFRIARS BASEMENT, FROM 20:00, FREE

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

ALL MY SONS

1-31 MAR, 11:00AM, £14 - £24

GLASGOW HAROLD NIGHT

14-28 MAR, 8:00PM, PRICES VARY

(CAN THIS BE) HOME

22 MAR, 7:00PM, £8 - £10

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS – HEADS WILL ROLL!

Legendary new material night with up to ten acts.

Start the weekend early with five comedians.

Caird Hall

The Edinburgh Dungeon

RED RAW (GARETH WAUGH + MARC JENNINGS)

We Are All Just Little Creatures celebrates the weird and wonderful things about being alive.

Entering its seventh year in a golden age of cultural wealth, ANATOMY is a quarterly live art cabaret based in Edinburgh’s Summerhall and occasionally venturing elsewhere. DREAMS OF SMALL GODS

Glasgow Comedy

The Dark Carnival will transport audiences into an unexpected vision of the afterlife full of long-lost lovers, half-hearted ghosts, and songs.

22 MAR, 8:00PM, £7

Inspired by folk mythology and how it can be relevant in today’s culture, Dreams of the Small Gods blends aerial circus, masked ritual and performance art.

Comedy

Sun 10 Mar YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

A selection of five fledgling comedians do their best to win over the audience and graduate Yesbar’s Comedy Sunday School.

Mon 11 Mar

MONDAY NIGHT IMPROV (BILLY KIRKWOOD + STU MURPHY + GARRY DOBSON)

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £3

Comedian improv battle.

VIVA LAS VEGANS (RYAN DALTON + JAMIE D’SOUZE + MC MATT HOSS)

The world’s first ever vegan comedy club, apparently. Come early for the vegan food and stay for the high quality comedy.

Sat 16 Mar

THE FESTIVAL CLUB (NICK REVEL + VLADMIR MCTAVISH + JAMIE MACDONALD + ROSCO MCLELLAND + ASHLEY STORRIE) THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 22:30, £17.50

Late night comedy at its best at The Stand Comedy Club, because who really wants an early night anyway?

YESBAR VIRGINS: COMEDY SUNDAY SCHOOL

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

A selection of five fledgling comedians do their best to win over the audience and graduate Yesbar’s Comedy Sunday School.

SATURDAY NIGHT COMEDY (ANDREW BIRD + MIKE WILMOT + GARETH WAUGH)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £17

An evening of award-winning comedy, with four superb stand-up comedians that will keep you laughing until Monday. DAD CLUB (BILLY KIRKWOOD + JOHN GAVIN + JAMIE DALGLEISH)

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 15:00, £6 - £7

Award-winning comics Billy Kirkwood, John Gavin and Jamie Dalgleish bring you a brand new comedy show. GARETH WAUGH: OH BOY…!

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 17:00, £10

Scotland’s widely tipped next breakthrough comedy star brings his evolving show about the Law of the Playground. REGINALD D HUNTER: FACING THE BEAST

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £21.25 - £24.15

Celebrating his 20th anniversary as a comedian living and performing in the UK, Reginald D Hunter takes his new show on tour.

LOU SANDERS: THE FACE THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND DICKS (WORK IN PROGRESS) THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 16:00, £6

A show about context. Content about context and a lot in-between. GRÁINNE MAGUIRE: IT’S PROBLEMATIC

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 17:30, £6

As seen on RTE’s Cutting Edge and heard on Radio 4’s The Now Show, Gráinne Maguire performs ‘a show about effort’.

EVELYN MOK TRIES TO MAKE YOU LOL

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 20:30, £6

This Swedish stand-up’s honesty and self-referential comedy is unapologetic as it explores topics from intersectionality to adult virginity.

Fri 15 Mar

SARA BARRON: THE COCONUT (WORK IN PROGRESS)

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit.

YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

The Best Newcomer nominee at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe aims to dissect the decency – or lack thereof – inherent to humans.

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 22:00, £8.50

Sun 17 Mar

THE EARLY SHOW

LOU SANDERS: SHAME PIG

Lou Sanders talks about her most shameful experiences and somehow manages to fit it into 50 minutes. FRIDAY NIGHT COMEDY (ANDREW BIRD + MIKE WILMOT + GARETH WAUGH)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £20

The perfect way to end the working week, with four superb stand-up comedians. MARK NELSON: BREXIT WOUNDS

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £12.50

As we leave the EU, the awardwinning stand-up equally renowned for his brilliantly dark material offers up his unique view on the state of the world. DARREN CONNELL: ABANDON ALL HOPE

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 22:30, £10

Star of Scot Squad, Darren Connell returns to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival at the venue that gave him his first ever gig so many years ago.

AN AUDIENCE WITH ELAINE C SMITH

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £22.50 - £25.40

BAFTA Award-winning Elaine C Smith returns to the stage for a hilarious evening of stand-up comedy, songs, audience participation and some very special guests. JOHN KEARNS: WORK IN PROGRESS

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 20:30, £8

Another round of utter bollocks from the faster than he looks, two time Edinburgh Comedy Award winner.

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 22:00, £6

ST PATRICK’S DAY IRISH COMEDY SPECIAL! (KEITH FARNAN + JOHNNY CANDON + MICHAEL REDMOND)

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £13 - £15

Celebrate St Patrick’s day in style with Ireland’s finest under one roof. KEITH FARNAN PRESENTS… KIDOCRACY

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 15:00, £5

Kidocracy is an interactive comedy show for children aged 6+, presented by Brehon.

BOB DOOLALLY: LIVE AND HALF-CUT

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £10 - £12

The legendary ex-manager-cumpundit is back with some more outrageous drink-fuelled opinions on the state of the modern game. FOIL, ARMS AND HOG: CRAICLING

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £24.15

Craicling is a fast-paced sketch show featuring a tutorial in how to hold a baby, a Gregorian chant about drunken monks and a step-by-step guide in how to kill an actor. LIMMY: SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £16 - £19.80

Join Limmy for a night of anecdotes and chit-chat as he introduces his autobiography, featuring the true stories of how this permanent tripper ended up on the telly.

Listings

GARY MEIKLE: THE IBROW GUY THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 20:00, £15

RUSSELL KANE: THE FAST AND THE CURIOUS

TOMMY SANDHU (ESHAAN AKBAR + HYDE PANASER + WILL E. ROBO)

JANEY GODLEY: 20 YEARS & COUNTING

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG FRIDAY SHOW

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £24.15

GLEE CLUB, FROM 18:00, £15

ORAN MOR, FROM 18:30, £14 - £16

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £10 - £12

The Scottish Comedy Award winner guides you through eyebrow etiquette, logic, laws and how it’s changed his life as he’ll now forevermore be known as the eyebrow guy.

Packing more energy than a Duracell factory, Russell Kane’s RS Turbo laugh engine will motor through love, family and life.

Mon 18 Mar

THE EARLY SHOW

BRIGHT CLUB: FASCINATING FACTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £9 - £10

The comedy night that transforms academics into stand-up comics, returns to the GICF with a brand new show. LIMMY: SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £16 - £19.80

Join Limmy for a night of anecdotes and chit-chat as he introduces his autobiography, featuring the true stories of how this permanent tripper ended up on the telly.

Fri 22 Mar YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit. FRIDAY NIGHT COMEDY (ALISTAIR BARRIE + DAVE FULTON + STEPHEN BUCHANAN)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £20

The perfect way to end the working week, with four superb stand-up comedians. BEST MEDICINE COMEDY

PLATFORM, FROM 19:00, £4

Tue 19 Mar

A special edition of Best Medicine Comedy Live at Platform as part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £5

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 22:30, £10

THE BEST OF RED RAW

The long-running new comedy showcase is regarded as the best open mic nights in the UK. Catch up to ten new acts, with some treading the boards for the very first time.

ANDY ZALTZMAN: THE BUGLE LIVE

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £10 - £12

The hit global podcast comes to Glasgow for the first time, to address the world’s latest news with its trademark cocktail of incisive satire and premium-grade hogwash. AN EVENING OF ERIC AND ERN

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £23.75 - £26.65

An homage to the West End hit Eric & Little Ern, crammed full of renditions of those famous comedy sketches. LIMMY: SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £16 - £19.80

Join Limmy for a night of anecdotes and chit-chat as he introduces his autobiography, featuring the true stories of how this permanent tripper ended up on the telly.

Wed 20 Mar

NEW MATERIAL COMEDY NIGHT

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

Resident host Julia Sutherland introduces a variety of stand-up comedians from the Scottish circuit delivering all new material. CARMEN LYNCH: AWKWARDLY HOT

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:30, £9 - £10

Carmen Lynch shares her twisted, bubbly stand-up that frequently dips into the dark side. JACK DOCHERTY: MIEKELSON AND MCGLASHAN – SERIOUS MEN

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £23 - £26.90

Scot Squad star Jack Docherty performs two of his best-loved comedy creations, Cameron Miekelson and McGlashan.

BISCUITY BOYLE: MY BASTART LIFE – ONE LAST TIME! ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £14 - £16

Burnistoun’s favourite son Biscuity Boyle (Robert Florence) returns for the final performance of his sell-out live memoir.

Thu 21 Mar YESBAR VIRGINS

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

Graham Barrie introduces a selection of fledgling comedy talent handpicked fae Scotland. NEWS HACKS

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £12

Writer of the long-running hit topical radio show Watson’s Wind Up, Rikki Brown presents a fresh take on the news and those making the news. ASHLEY STORRIE: HYSTERICAL

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:30, £10

Ashley Storrie returns to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival with an all new hour.

JAMIE MACDONALD: DESIGNATED DRIVER

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:30, £9 - £10

Foot to the floor comedy courtesy of that funny blind guy; charming, disarming, eye-opening comedy brought to you by the critically acclaimed Glaswegian.

Listings

ASHLEY STORRIE: HYSTERICAL

Ashley Storrie returns to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival with an all new hour. SUSIE MCCABE’S GREAT EXPECTATIONS

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Susie McCabe’s back with another show detailing her hopes, dreams and expectations. JERRY SADOWITZ: MAKE COMEDY GRATE AGAIN

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £26.90

The man with no visible demographic returns to make you laugh while simultaneously depriving you of money. KINKYFISH

THE FLYING DUCK, FROM 20:45, FREE

KinkyFish take their improv jam to The Flying Duck, as part of Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Sat 23 Mar THE EARLY SHOW

YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit.

SATURDAY NIGHT COMEDY (ALISTAIR BARRIE + DAVE FULTON + STEPHEN BUCHANAN)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £17

An evening of award-winning comedy, with four superb stand-up comedians that will keep you laughing until Monday. ANDREW MAXWELL: SHOWTIME

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 17:00, £14

A memorable cocktail of personal stories, astute political observations and the odd surprise foray into character cameos. ANDREW MAXWELL: SHOWTIME

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £14

A memorable cocktail of personal stories, astute political observations and the odd surprise foray into character cameos. SUSIE MCCABE’S GREAT EXPECTATIONS

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:30, £10 - £12

Susie McCabe’s back with another show detailing her hopes, dreams and expectations.

GARRY DUNN PRESENTS… MONKEY BUSINESS

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 15:00, £5

Gary and his cheeky sidekick Chico the Monkey are back with more magic and banana buffoonery to amaze and entertain all ages. JULIAN CLARY: BORN TO MINCE

THE KING’S THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £27.90

In this outrageously camp new show, Julian Clary will bare his soul as never before in the interests of light entertainment. PHIL DIFFER: ME

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £12.50

Me is about what makes us us, the ‘us’ in this case being Phil Differ. SCOTT GIBSON: WHITE NOISE

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:30, £13 - £16.50

An all new hour delivered in Scott Gibson’s breathlessly inimitable and darkly comedic style, covering everything from depression to love, mental health and dugs.

Sun 24 Mar

YESBAR VIRGINS: COMEDY SUNDAY SCHOOL

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

A selection of five fledgling comedians do their best to win over the audience and graduate Yesbar’s Comedy Sunday School.

Tommy Sandhu comes to the Glee Club as part of Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

GARRY DUNN PRESENTS… MONKEY BUSINESS

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 15:00, £5

Gary and his cheeky sidekick Chico the Monkey are back with more magic and banana buffoonery to amaze and entertain all ages. VLADIMIR MCTAVISH: 25 YEARS OF STAND-UP

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £8 - £10

Vladimir McTavish became a full-time stand-up comedian in 1993, since then he has performed to audiences worldwide and gigged with some of the biggest names in the business.

JASPER CARROTT'S: STAND UP & ROCK

THEATRE ROYAL, FROM 19:30, £27.90 - £32.90

Jasper Carrott returns with a new stand up show before introducing his musical compatriots that have been ‘rockin’ audiences all over the world.

Mon 25 Mar

JOHN ROBERTSON’S SWEATY SEX PARTY

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:30, £9 - £10

John Robertson (creator of cult hit The Dark Room) used to plan his shows, but now, it’s party time.

Tue 26 Mar THE BEST OF RED RAW

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £5

23 years of Fringe shows, 20 years of touring and so many stories from the Godmother of Scottish comedy. ARCHIE HENDERSON: MUSICAL COMEDY

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

Award-winning musical comedian Archie Henderson brings a new show to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. THE GSR COMEDY NIGHT

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, £7 - £10

Award-winning comic Bruce Morton and poetry legend Jim Monaghan with stand-up comedy guests downstairs.

Fri 29 Mar THE EARLY SHOW

YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit. FRIDAY NIGHT COMEDY (NATHAN CATON + STEVE GRIBBIN + CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD + JAY LAFFERTY)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £20

The perfect way to end the working week, with four superb stand-up comedians.

TERRY ALDERTON: BI-POLAR GUY

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 20:30, £10 - £12

The incredible mind of Terry Alderton distilled into a thrilling hour of stand-up, songs and silliness. RAYMOND MEARNS: CONFESSIONS OF A CONTROL FREAK!

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 22:30, £10 - £12

The long-running new comedy showcase is regarded as the best open mic nights in the UK. Catch up to ten new acts, with some treading the boards for the very first time.

Nobody really wants to see a film or a play or read a book about a person who had a great life, successful in their career and lucky in love.

BLACKFRIARS BASEMENT, FROM 20:00, £3 - £5

23 years of Fringe shows, 20 years of touring and so many stories from the Godmother of Scottish comedy.

IMPROV F*CKTOWN

Special one-off for the Glasgow Comedy Festival, some of the best improvisers in the country are leaving home comforts behind to perform in a variety of fun and exciting long-form improv formats.

Wed 27 Mar

RACHEL JACKSON AND FRIENDS

TRON THEATRE, 8:30PM, £8.50

A brand new comedy show hosted by Rachel Jackson, with a changing line-up of comedians. DAMIAN CLARK

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £9 - £10

Aussie Damian Clark has become one of the hottest tickets in comedy clubs and festivals. NEW MATERIAL COMEDY NIGHT

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

Resident host Julia Sutherland introduces a variety of stand-up comedians from the Scottish circuit delivering all new material. PARL MCCAFFREY: I THOUGHT I’D HAVE GROWN OUT OF THIS BY NOW

GLEE CLUB, FROM 18:45, £12

Award-winning comedian and recent Sean Lock and Kevin Bridges support, Paul McCaffrey embarks on a brand new tour. MARC JENNINGS: GETTING GOING

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £9 - £10

Join rising star of the Scottish comedy circuit Marc Jennings for his first solo show at The Stand Comedy Club.

BISCUITY BOYLE: MY BASTART LIFE – ONE LAST TIME! ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £14 - £16

Burnistoun’s favourite son Biscuity Boyle (Robert Florence) returns for the final performance of his sell-out live memoir.

Thu 28 Mar YESBAR VIRGINS

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

Graham Barrie introduces a selection of fledgling comedy talent handpicked fae Scotland. AL MURRAY: LANDLORD OF HOPE AND GLORY TOUR 2019 (WORK IN PROGRESS)

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:30, £15

Citizens of Hope and Glory! Our new tomorrow beckons. A new tomorrow that smells reassuringly of yesterday, but with wifi. DAVID KAY: LIVE 2019

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:30, £10 - £12

David Kay, as seen on The Alternative Comedy Experience: Comedy Central and heard as the reluctant wizard in Modrin McDonald 21st Century Wizard on BBC Radio 4.

JANEY GODLEY: 20 YEARS & COUNTING

ORAN MOR, FROM 18:30, £14 - £16

DES CLARKE: BROKEN

23 years of Fringe shows, 20 years of touring and so many stories from the Godmother of Scottish comedy. DES CLARKE: BROKEN

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:30, £15

Glasgow’s own star of stage and screen gets a lot off his chest in this roller coaster show of high energy comedy nonsense.

Sun 31 Mar

YESBAR VIRGINS: COMEDY SUNDAY SCHOOL

YESBAR, FROM 20:00, £3

A selection of five fledgling comedians do their best to win over the audience and graduate Yesbar’s Comedy Sunday School.

BREW HAHA! PRESENTS: PHIL KAY – A HAPPENING

DRYGATE BREWING CO., FROM 20:00, £14 - £15

Still wild, and anything could happen, a man from whom the words just flow in a bawdy stream of comic consciousness. ZOE’S KIDS SHOW

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 15:00, £5

Join Zoe for some good old fashioned family friendly silliness, with interactive games, mess and at least one joke. NEIL DALAMERE

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 21:00, £12 - £14

Neil Delamere is one of the most in demand comedians on Irish television and well on track to repeat his success in the UK. OH WIT A NIGHT!

TRAMWAY, FROM 19:30, £12.50 - £15

Witsherface and the Citizens Theatre present an outrageously funny new show from Scotland’s best female-led comedy troupe. JANEY GODLEY: 20 YEARS & COUNTING

ORAN MOR, FROM 18:30, £14 - £16

23 years of Fringe shows, 20 years of touring and so many stories from the Godmother of Scottish comedy.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:30, £15

Glasgow’s own star of stage and screen gets a lot off his chest in this roller coaster show of high energy comedy nonsense.

MAGNUM PI (POLICE IMPROV) (IMPROV KILLED MY DOG) YESBAR, FROM 19:10, £4 - £5

Improv Killed My Dog perform an improvised episode of Magnum based on audience suggestions and what they’ve read on Wikipedia.

Edinburgh Comedy Tue 05 Mar EDINBURGH REVUE

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, TBC

Sat 30 Mar

The University of Edinburgh’s stand-up and sketch comedy show.

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 22:30, £17.50

Wed 06 Mar

THE FESTIVAL CLUB (WILL ANDREWS + CHRIS FORBES)

Late night comedy at its best at The Stand Comedy Club, because who really wants an early night anyway? AMERICA STANDS UP

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 19:30, £13 - £15

Be the first to see some of the biggest stars from across the pond in this superb showcase of American comedy talent. THE EARLY SHOW

YESBAR, FROM 19:30, £10

Resident MC Viv Gee hosts a weekend comedy club with some of the best comedians on the circuit. CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD: HOME SWEET HOME

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 17:00, £9 - £10

The critically acclaimed debut hour from one of the hottest prospects in Scottish stand-up. MR FIBBERS: OUT OF TUNE

THE STAND GLASGOW, FROM 15:00, £5

A kids comedy show filled with awesome songs and awesome jokes; guaranteed to make you laugh from start to finish.

SATURDAY NIGHT COMEDY (NATHAN CATON + STEVE GRIBBIN + CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD + JAY LAFFERTY)

GLEE CLUB, FROM 19:00, £8 - £17

An evening of award-winning comedy, with four superb stand-up comedians that will keep you laughing until Monday. SAJAD AYUB AND MATT WATSON: ONE OF US ISN’T FROM HERE

DRYGATE BREWING CO., FROM 20:00, £10

Double bill show from Sajad Ayub and Matt Watson. Part of Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

GRASSROOTS COMEDY

THE PLEASANCE, FROM 19:30, £1

Come and see the freshest comedy Edinburgh has to offer, watch acts grow and perform brand new material. BONA FIDE (JAY LAFFERTY)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £5 - £6

New comedy show with a different theme every month. TOP BANANA

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £3

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

THE COMEDY SHOW (GIANTS + SCOTT GIBSON + GARY MEIKLE + WIS JANTARASORN)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line-ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening every Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Sat 09 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (MARK NELSON + RIA LINA + NICO YEARWOOD + BRYAN GHOSH + JAY LAFFERTY)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £17.50

The big weekend show with five comedians. STEVE BUGEJA

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 17:00, £12

Steve Bugeja was voted “most likely to be forgotten” at school (the reunion was in February, apparently). MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SATURDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £14

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

THE COMEDY SHOW (GIANTS + SCOTT GIBSON + GARY MEIKLE + WIS JANTARASORN)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line-ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening every Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Sun 10 Mar

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 13:30, FREE

Improvised comedy at its very best. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SUNDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £5

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

FRED MACAULAY IN CONVERSATION (GARY MEIKLE) THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 17:00, £8 - £10

Fred MacAulay, one of Scotland’s best-loved stand-ups, is back with his monthly live chat show. Joining Fred will be stars from the worlds of sport, entertainment, business and politics.

Mon 11 Mar

RED RAW (GARETH WAUGH)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £3

Legendary new material night with up to ten acts. PETER PANCAKES’ COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:30, FREE

Phil O’Shea brings a handpicked selection of riotous lols to Monkey Barrel.

Tue 12 Mar PROJECT X

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £3

BELTER COMEDY THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £6

Bringing you the best and brightest of the comedy scene, showcasing brand new gags alongside tried and tested material.

Fri 15 Mar

THE FRIDAY SHOW (KEITH FARNAN + CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD + ALISON SPITTLE + CHRISTOPHER KC + JOHNNY CANDON) THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £10 - £12

The big weekend show with five comedians. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG FRIDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £10 - £12

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

THE COMEDY SHOW (MAISIE ADAM + SCOTT GIBSON + RED RICHARDSON + HARRIET DYER)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line-ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening every Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Sat 16 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (KEITH FARNAN + CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD + ALISON SPITTLE + CHRISTOPHER KC + JOHNNY CANDON)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £17.50

The big weekend show with five comedians. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SATURDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £14

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. KEITH FARNAN PRESENTS… KIDOCRACY

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 13:00, £5

Kidocracy is an interactive comedy show for children aged 6+, presented by Brehon.

THE COMEDY SHOW (MAISIE ADAM + SCOTT GIBSON + RED RICHARDSON + HARRIET DYER)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line-ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening every Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Sun 17 Mar

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 13:30, FREE

Improvised comedy at its very best.

Mon 18 Mar

RED RAW (GUS LYMBURN + JAY LAFFERTY)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £3

Legendary new material night with up to ten acts. CABARET FROM ELSEWHERE

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £5

The University of Edinburgh’s stand-up and sketch comedy show.

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £3

Wed 20 Mar

Start the weekend early with five comedians.

SCOTT GIBSON AND FRIENDS (TRY NEW JOKES)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £5

An entirely improvised Sherlock Holmes comedy play from Scotland’s hottest improv troupe.

Multi-award-winning comedian Scott Gibson is joined by some handpicked comedy pals as they road test new material, half-baked ideas and ramble on about a story or two.

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, FREE

Thu 14 Mar

SPONTANEOUS SHERLOCK

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £5

THE COMEDY SHOW: NEW SH*T

The Comedy Show’s wee sister, where old pros and new talent try out fresh material for free.

Fri 08 Mar

THE FRIDAY SHOW (MARK NELSON + RIA LINA + NICO YEARWOOD + BRYAN GHOSH + JAY LAFFERTY) THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £10 - £12

The big weekend show with five comedians.

THE THURSDAY SHOW (KEITH FARNAN + CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD + ALISON SPITTLE + CHRISTOPHER KC + JOHNNY CANDON)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £7 - £10

Start the weekend early with five comedians. SPONTANEOUS POTTER

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £5

A brand new Harry Potter play from some of Edinburgh’s most top notch improv wizards.

SPONTANEOUS SHERLOCK

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £5

An entirely improvised Sherlock Holmes comedy play from Scotland’s hottest improv troupe. SONNET YOUTH

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £5

Sonnet Youth is a spoken word house party curated and hosted by Kevin P. Gilday and Cat Hepburn.

Fri 22 Mar

THE FRIDAY SHOW (BENNETT ARRON + CARMEN LYNCH + ROSCO MCLELLAND + STUART MCPHERSON + SCOTT AGNEW) THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £10 - £12

The big weekend show with five comedians. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG FRIDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £10 - £12

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

THE COMEDY SHOW (DESIREE BIRCH + CHRIS FORBES + THANYIA MOORE + HUGE DAVIES) THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line-ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening.

Sat 23 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (BENNETT ARRON + CARMEN LYNCH + ROSCO MCLELLAND + STUART MCPHERSON + SCOTT AGNEW) THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £17.50

The big weekend show with five comedians. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SATURDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £14

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

Sun 24 Mar

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 13:30, FREE

Improvised comedy at its very best. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SUNDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £5

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. ANDREW MAXWELL: SHOWTIME

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £14

A memorable cocktail of personal stories, astute political observations and the odd surprise foray into character cameos.

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £5

TOP BANANA

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £7 - £10

Start the weekend early with five comedians.

Tue 19 Mar

Thu 07 Mar

Monkey Barrel’s comedy competition for new folk on the scene.

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £7 - £10

Mon 25 Mar

Iain Campbell hosts an experimental and new ideas alternative comedy showcase.

Wed 13 Mar

THE THURSDAY SHOW (BENNETT ARRON + CARMEN LYNCH + ROSCO MCLELLAND + STUART MCPHERSON + SCOTT AGNEW)

Elsewhere is a troupe of artists, musicians and circus performers. Find them staging shows, telling stories or playing music and games anywhere people gather in celebration.

Monkey Barrel’s comedy competition for new folk on the scene. THE THURSDAY SHOW (MARK NELSON + RIA LINA + NICO YEARWOOD + BRYAN GHOSH + JAY LAFFERTY)

Thu 21 Mar

EDINBURGH REVUE

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, TBC

GRASSROOTS COMEDY

THE PLEASANCE, FROM 19:30, £1

Come and see the freshest comedy Edinburgh has to offer, watch acts grow and perform brand new material. TOP BANANA

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £3

Monkey Barrel’s comedy competition for new folk on the scene. ANDY ZALTZMAN: THE BUGLE LIVE

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £10 - £12

The hit global podcast comes to Glasgow for the first time, to address the world’s latest news with its trademark cocktail of incisive satire and premium-grade hogwash.

RED RAW

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £3

Legendary new material night with up to 10 acts. MONKEY NUT LIVE

A monthly round-up featuring sketch, character, musical and stand-up comedy all from the minds of Joe McTernan, Megan Shandley and Jojo Sutherland.

Tue 26 Mar PROJECT X

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £3

Iain Campbell hosts an experimental and new ideas alternative comedy showcase.

PAUL MCCAFFREY: I THOUGHT I’D HAVE GROWN OUT OF THIS BY NOW

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £12

Award-winning comedian and recent Sean Lock and Kevin Bridges support, Paul McCaffrey embarks on a brand new tour.

Wed 27 Mar TOP BANANA

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £3

Monkey Barrel’s comedy competition for new folk on the scene. ROAST BATTLE

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, FREE

Roast Battle Edinburgh pits two comedians head to head as they rip apart their friendship before your very eyes.

THE SKINNY

AL MURRAY: LANDLORD OF HOPE AND GLORY TOUR 2019 (WORK IN PROGRESS) THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £15

Citizens of Hope and Glory! Our new tomorrow beckons. A new tomorrow that smells reassuringly of yesterday, but with wifi.

Thu 28 Mar

THE THURSDAY SHOW (SUSIE MCCABE + ADAM HESS + NICOLA MANTALIOS THOMPSON + VLADIMIR MCTAVISH)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £7 - £10

Start the weekend early with five comedians. SPONTANEOUS POTTER

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £5

A brand new Harry Potter play from some of Edinburgh’s most top notch improv wizards. BESOMS: COMEDY & CABARET (JAY LAFFERTY)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £6

A monthly night bringing you the best from across comedy’s glorious communities, hosted by self confessed cheeky besom Jay Lafferty.

Fri 29 Mar

THE FRIDAY SHOW (SUSIE MCCABE + ADAM HESS + NICOLA MANTALIOS THOMPSON + VLADIMIR MCTAVISH) THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £10 - £12

The big weekend show with five comedians. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG FRIDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £10 - £12

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. THE COMEDY SHOW (TONY LAW + KATIE MULGREW + KEIR MCALLISTER + AMY MATTHEWS)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line-ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening every Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

MUM’S THE WORD (KATIE MULGREW)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 13:00, £9 - £10

A comedy gig designed for parents with babies hosted by comedian and mum, Katie Mulgrew.

Sat 30 Mar

THE SATURDAY SHOW (SUSIE MCCABE + ADAM HESS + NICOLA MANTALIOS THOMPSON + VLADIMIR MCTAVISH)

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £17.50

The big weekend show with five comedians. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SATURDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £14

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. THE COMEDY SHOW (TONY LAW + KATIE MULGREW + KEIR MCALLISTER + AMY MATTHEWS)

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line-ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening every Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Sun 31 Mar

STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 13:30, FREE

Improvised comedy at its very best. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SUNDAY SHOW

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY CLUB, FROM 19:00, £0 - £5

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. JOJO SUTHERLAND & SUSAN MORRISON: FANNY’S AHOY!

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 17:30, £4 - £5

Set sail with the award-winning grand dames of Scottish comedy as they navigate you through rough seas with their distinctly comedic take on life. TOM STADE: I SWEAR TO…

THE STAND EDINBURGH, FROM 20:30, £17.50

The Canadian comedy legend is back with a new show, I Swear To…, picking up just where he left off as an hour simply wasn’t long enough. TONY LAW: A LOST SHOW

THE BASEMENT THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

A mind-changing, comedy-art, laugh-affirming experience you’ll never forget.

March 2019

Dundee Comedy Fri 08 Mar GARY FAULDS LIVE

THE GARDYNE THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £16.75

Gary Faulds Live features hilarious stories about Gary’s eventful upbringing in Glasgow and how he came to be the black sheep of the family.

Fri 22 Mar

GARY MEIKLE: THE IBROW GUY

THE GARDYNE THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £16.75

The Scottish Comedy Award winner guides you through eyebrow etiquette, logic, laws and how it’s changed his life as he’ll now forevermore be known as the eyebrow guy.

Sun 31 Mar

LIMMY: SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY

DUNDEE REP, FROM 19:30, £15 - £17

Join Limmy for a night of anecdotes and chit-chat as he introduces his autobiography, featuring the true stories of how this permanent tripper ended up on the telly.

Mon 01 Apr

LIMMY: SURPRISINGLY DOWN TO EARTH, AND VERY FUNNY

DUNDEE REP, FROM 19:30, £15 - £17

Join Limmy for a night of anecdotes and chit-chat as he introduces his autobiography, featuring the true stories of how this permanent tripper ended up on the telly.

Glasgow Art Acid Bar

DAVID EUSTACE: NEW YORK POLAROIDS, 2004

4-28 MAR, 8:30AM – 4:00PM, FREE

Art

Glasgow Print Studio ROSALIND LAWLESS & HETTY HAXWORTH

1-31 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A two-woman show featuring abstract works inspired by their surrounding environments, both architectural and rural. FEATURED ARTIST: BOBBY JOHNSTONE

7-31 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Ayrshire-based artist Bobby Johnstone is March’s featured artist at Glasgow Print Studio.

Glasgow Women’s Library RUTH BARKER & HANNAH LEIGHTON-BOYCE

1-22 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

The exhibition includes specially commissioned works by Ruth Barker and Hannah LeightonBoyce, with some works being shown for the first time.

GoMA

STALKING THE IMAGE: MARGARET TAIT AND HER LEGACY

1 MAR-5 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

This exhibition provides an opportunity to honour Tait’s achievements in her centenary year alongside work by nine contemporary artists and filmmakers, many of whom have been inspired by Tait. QUEER TIMɘS SCHOOL PRINTS

1-10 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition exploring aspects of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Polysexual, Queer, Intersex + Allies (LGBTPQI+A) histories and experiences in Scotland from the past 50 years.

Mary Mary

GERDA SCHEEPERS: ROOMS

1-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A collection of 16 SQ70 Polaroids created in Wooster St, New York, which serve as a comment on the transient and ever-changing nature of the area and city.

South African artist Gerda Scheepers presents her fourth solo exhibition at Mary Mary, drawing on various bodies of work spanning the last 15 years.

CCA: Centre for Contemporary Art

ANGUS FERNIE AND MOSS TAYLOR: HEARING THE BIGGER PICTURE

KATHERINE MACBRIDE: HAVING BEEN BREATHED OUT / PATRIARCHY OVER AND OUT

1-24 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Katherine MacBride’s work explores different forms of hospitality, thinking about how listening and attentiveness can happen in conflicted spaces and times. INTERMEDIA: LOTTE GERTZ – MIGRATING EYE

1-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Lotte Gertz will be presenting a new series of work produced during and since her residency at Cove Park in the spring of 2018, exploring themes of the everyday, typography and personal histories through painting and experimental mark making. INTERMEDIA: JENNIFER CLEWS – THE LURE OF COMPLETENESS

30 MAR-14 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

The lure of completeness is an imagined physical response to the holographic model of reality, perceived by human ability to have two distinct yet overlapping levels: a two-dimensional ocean of energy, and a three-dimensional concrete image.

Compass Gallery STUART DUFFIN RE RSA SSA: IF ANGELS CAST SHADOWS... NEW PAINTINGS

7-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A graduate of Gray’s School of Art, Stuart Duffin is a master printmaker and painter whose work explores the theme of conflict and resolution with both science and religion.

New Glasgow Society

POPPY NASH: CARE

ANOTHER COUNTRY

1-17 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Poppy Nash presents textiles telling stories of free labour and the economy of care. REFLECTING MACKINTOSH COLLECTION

1 MAR-16 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Craft Design House presents a bespoke collection of original pieces by designer makers, celebrating Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s 150th anniversary.

The Modern Institute

VICTORIA MORTON: TREAT FEVER WITH FEVER

1-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

In her latest exhibition, we encounter new paintings that expand upon Victoria Morton’s enduring investigations of nature, biology, desire and loss, alongside meditations on musical composition, deep colour perception and memory.

The Modern Institute @ Airds Lane JACK MCCONVILLE

1-9 MAR, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

In this new body of work, Jack McConville experiments with a gradient of interchanging images of figures both isolated and in groups – seemingly conjoined in action. ANDREW J. GREENE: UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER

1-9 MAR, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

For his first solo exhibition in Europe, Andrew J. Greene has produced a series of photographs that will be presented on a sprawling commercial display system installed throughout The Modern Institute’s Bricks Space.

Tramway

CÉCILE B. EVANS: AMOS’ WORLD

1-17 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

This exhibition represents Cécile B. Evans' most ambitious installation to date and constitutes the culmination of a three-part installation and video work titled AMOS’ WORLD (2017-ongoing). KRIS LEMSALU

2 MAR-7 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Tramway presents a new body of work by renowned Estonian artist Kris Lemsalu just before she represents Estonia at the Venice Biennale 2019.

MICHAEL ANGUS: A WALKER’S DIARY

20-30 MAR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Michael Angus’ diary and a photographic record of his travels – a reflective record of a father, whilst in a state of extreme grief, searching for purpose, meaning and comprehension.

Platform SEA AT PLATFORM

1-9 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Now in its 8th year, SEA is the annual exhibition by selected 4th year students from the Sculpture and Environmental Art department at The Glasgow School of Art.

Street Level Photoworks ARPITA SHAH: NALINI

1 MAR-7 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Arpita Shah’s Nalini is an ongoing series of work that focuses on her mother, her grandmother and herself. It explores the intimacy between the three of them and how their histories, memories and physical bodies are entangled and connected to one another.

The Lighthouse STILL LIFE

1-31 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Over the course of their sixmonth residency in Gallery 2a, Aaron Ziggy and Will Jenkinson will investigate plastics, its potential uses and shortcomings. BEST USE OF TIMBER AWARDS 2018

1-24 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

The Best Use of Timber Awards 2018 exhibition showcases the winner and shortlisted entries to the annual RIAS Awards scheme.

Collective Gallery

JAMES N HUTCHINSON: RUMOURS OF A NEW PLANET

1-31 MAR, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE

For his research project Rumours of a New Planet, Glasgow-based artist James N Hutchinson has investigated the life, work and travels of historical figures connected to Calton Hill. EMMIE MCLUSKEY: THESE WERE THE THINGS THAT MADE THE STEP FAMILIAR

1-10 MAR, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE

Emmie McLuskey’s project explores interactions in and between bodies, considering the systems that control and record them.

Dovecot Studios ORLA KIELY: A LIFE IN PATTERN

1-30 APR, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, PRICES VARY

This exhibition offers a privileged insight into Orla Kiely’s world, and explores the story of pattern and how some designs can come to epitomise the style of their time.

Embassy Gallery MAKING GROUND

1-24 MAR, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

EMBASSY presents new video, installation and performance work by Rosa Johan Uddoh, Ebun Sodipo and Zoë Zo, Zoë Tumika and Zoë Guthrie in an exploration of futurity, utopias, world building, and the intersection between place and identity formation. SA-LON , SUCKERS

29 MAR-6 APR, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

Sa-lon, Suckers is EMBASSY’s annual members’ show. This year it features a diverse range of practices and showcases the work of the gallery’s ‘pukkaaa’ emerging artists.

Ingleby Gallery SOMETIMES I DISAPPEAR

1 MAR-13 APR, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition of photographic works by four artists: Zanele Muholi, Cindy Sherman, Oana Stanciu and Francesca Woodman.

Museum of Childhood BRINGING UP BABY

16 MAR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition showing six of Angus Fernie’s oil canvases, each accompanied by a recorded musical response composed by Moss Taylor.

Another Country examines contemporary immigration to Scotland, exploring themes of integration, nationality and identity.

Edinburgh Art &Gallery

ANNA SOMERVILLE: REFLECTIONS

2-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Anna Somerville reflects on memories of moments of places she has travelled in these dynamic and mesmerising colour scapes.

Arusha Gallery THOMAS ADAM: LIGHTNING WITHOUT THUNDER

22 MAR-7 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Thomas Adam’s aluminium installations and etchings explore the intersection of the mundane and fantastical. KATE WALTERS: SHETLAND NOTEBOOKS

1-17 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Trained in fine art and classical shamanism, Kate Walters presents delicate watercolours inspired by dreams she had on Shetland.

City Art Centre

IN FOCUS: SCOTTISH PHOTOGRAPHY

1 MAR-12 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

In Focus: Scottish Photography showcases the City Art Centre’s photographic collections, charting the development of fine art photography in Scotland from the 19th century to present day. ROBERT BLOMFIELD: EDINBURGH STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

1-17 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

The exhibition displays a selection of Robert Blomfield’s stunning private archive, documenting the dramatic shifts taking place in Scotland’s urban landscape during the 1960s.

1 MAR-29 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

A new exhibition exploring the choices and challenges faced by parents, featuring a range of objects from the museum’s collection.

National Museum of Scotland ROBOTS

1 MAR-5 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £0 - £10

From early mechanised human forms to today’s cutting-edge technology, this major exhibition reveals our 500-year quest to make machines human, featuring more than 100 objects.

Open Eye Gallery

MARIAN LEVEN RSA RSW: COASTAL RESPONSES

8 MAR-1 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

This exhibition is the result of Marian Leven’s observations and reactions over the past year to a specific area of coast in the north west of Scotland. DONALD PROVAN: SNOW BOUND

8 MAR-1 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Beautifully atmospheric snow covered landscapes from the Edinburgh-based artist.

FIONA MACRAE: DON’T BE ABSURD, IT’S NOT ABOUT BIRDS

8-30 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Fiona MacRae’s latest paintings of table top still lifes are a celebration of colour. From tonal greys to pulsing pinks, her work depicts the simplest objects from everyday life; pots, birds, fish pans and fruit. ANNA YOUNIE: CERAMIC VESSELS

8 MAR-1 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A recent graduate from Gray’s School of Art, Anna Younie presents a showcase of handbuilt stoneware ceramics inspired by the rugged, textured Orkney coastline.

Royal Scottish Academy RSA

RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES 2019

9 MAR-3 APR, TIMES VARY, £0 - £6

Now in its 11th year, this carefully curated exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see some of Scotland’s finest emerging talent under one roof, showcasing 63 graduates selected from the 2018 degree shows.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

NOW: MONSTER CHETWYND, MOYNA FLANNIGAN, HENRY COOMBES, BETYE SAAR, WAEL SHAWKY

1 MAR-28 APR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

At the centre of the fourth instalment of the NOW series of contemporary art exhibitions at Modern One is a major survey of work by the Turner Prize nominated artist Monster Chetwynd.

ANDY WARHOL AND EDUARDO PAOLOZZI: I WANT TO BE A MACHINE

1 MAR-2 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Taking its theme from a muchquoted remark by Andy Warhol, this exhibition examines Warhol’s and Paolozzi’s work, showing how they captured images from photography and advertisements.

CONTEMPORARY PAINTERS: MICHAEL ARMITAGE, GEORG BASELITZ, PETER DOIG, CHRIS OFILI, RAQIB SHAW

1-17 MAR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

This room brings together five artists whose work critically engages with and expands the field of contemporary painting.

BP PORTRAIT AWARD 2018 1-10 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

The most prestigious portrait painting competition in the world, representing the very best in contemporary portrait painting. Over the years, this has attracted over 40,000 entries from more than 100 countries. BEINGS

1 MAR-28 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

In this interactive exhibition addressing well-being, young people explore their feelings by creating new art in direct response to particular works of art from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery’s collection.

Summerhall

SYLWIA KOWALCZYK: LETHE

1-17 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Lethe is a collection of collages, portraits, objects and landscapes and drawn from Sylwia Kowalczyk’s own images, where these loose prints from her past grow into new entities. 369 REVISITED: THE MEN

1-17 MAR, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Following the success of 369 Remembered: The Women last year at Summerhall, the 40th anniversary celebration continues with an exhibition of work by male artists associated with the gallery over the last four decades.

Talbot Rice Gallery BORDERLINES

1 MAR-4 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

Borderlines is a group exhibition that gives form to the conceptual, geo-political, economic and cultural impacts of borders.

Scottish National Portrait The Fruitmarket Gallery Gallery SCOTS IN ITALY 1-5 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A showcase of the Scottish experience of Italy in the 18th century, a time when artistic, entrepreneurial and aristocratic fascination with the country was reaching boiling point. THE MODERN PORTRAIT

1 MAR-27 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

A display collating paintings, sculptures and works from the Portrait Gallery’s 20th-century collection, feat. a variety of well-known faces, from Ramsay Macdonald to Alan Cumming, Tilda Swinton to Danny McGrain. REFORMATION TO REVOLUTION

1 MAR-1 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition examining the cultural consequences of the national religion becoming Protestantism in 16th century Scotland. HEROES AND HEROINES

1 MAR-31 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

A re-examination of major Scottish figures which questions our habit of framing history around individuals and idols.

ART AND ANALYSIS: TWO NETHERLANDISH PAINTERS WORKING IN JACOBEAN SCOTLAND

SENGA NENGUDI

16 MAR-26 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE

The first solo institutional exhibition of the work of Senga Nengudi outside the United States brings together pioneering sculpture, photography and documentation of performance from 1969 to the present, including recreations of work not seen since the 1970s and a major new installation.

The McManus LINKS WITH THE PAST

1-31 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A partnership project between The McManus and the University of Edinburgh’s Unit for Forensic Anthropology Research has uncovered new details about a Pictish man’s life and death, which are revealed in a new display.

AS WE SEE IT: TWENTIETH CENTURY SCOTTISH ART

1-31 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Exploring the innovative and diverse approaches artists have taken in their creative practice. Whether representing the real world, abstracting elements from it or depicting a realm from the imagination, each artwork is unique and individual.

WISE WAYS: TRAVELS OF A DUNDEE DOCTOR

8-31 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Thanks to a loan from the British Library, this exhibition reunites the maps and objects collected by physician and surgeon Dr Thomas Alexander Wise.

V&A Dundee MAEVE REDMOND

1 MAR-15 SEP 20, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A compelling piece of graphic design that unpacks the wider context around a 19th century trade catalogue by cast iron manufacturers Walter MacFarlane & Co. CIARA PHILLIPS

1 MAR-15 SEP 20, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A new commission, championing the often-unseen process of making by evoking a moment suspended in time where vital decisions about materials and their composition are made. SCOTTISH DESIGN GALLERIES

1 MAR-15 SEP 20, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Explore the everyday relevance of design and how it improves our lives, experience the processes that underpin it and discover little-known stories of Scottish design with international impact.

Upright Gallery

TONI HARROWER: FRESH THOUGHTS

1-15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Toni Harrower explores the physicality of paint in line with her interest in dementia and the unforeseen in life.

Whitespace RUN RABBIT

2-7 MAR, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

The Watchman, the Pirate Queen and some curious cows. Oils, acrylics and words from Edinburghborn artist Lucy Johnstone.

Dundee Art

1 MAR-26 JAN 20, TIMES VARY, FREE

A small exhibition focusing on two 17th century artists, Adrian Vanson and Adam de Colone, showcasing a group of paintings which have been examined by paintings conservator Dr Caroline Rae, along with the findings from her research. IN FOCUS: THE EXECUTION OF CHARLES I

1 MAR-26 JAN 20, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition centred around a painting of the execution of Charles I – based on eye-witness accounts and contemporary engravings – by an unknown Dutch artist.

THE REMAKING OF SCOTLAND | NATION, MIGRATION, GLOBALISATION 1760-1860

1 MAR-21 JUN 20, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition exploring the lives and careers of the Scots behind the period of dramatic change between 1760 and 1860, when Scotland rapidly attained a central role in European cultural life and in Britain’s industrial and imperial expansion. It documents the material and artistic benefits of their achievements, while also confronting the darker shadows they cast.

Cooper Gallery

ANNE-MARIE COPESTAKE: LOOKING IN EITHER DIRECTION...

15 MAR-13 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Looking in either direction the whole street was filled with people, some singing, moving towards x... is a vivid mediation on the politics of the unsung, unuttered and the tangible passion of collectivity in the everyday.

DCA: Dundee Contemporary Arts DAVID AUSTEN: UNDERWORLD

23 MAR-9 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

This exhibition will offer up a new constellation of work by British artist David Austen, bringing the breadth of his artistic practice to audiences in Scotland for the first time.

Listings