The Skinny November 2023

FREE November 2023 Issue 214

JO B S WA P C H AO S

November 2023

THE SKINNY

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THE SKINNY

Art

November 2023 – Feature

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The Skinny's favourite cover songs Soft Cell – Tainted Love Lauryn Hill – Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (I Love You Baby) The Housemartins – Caravan of Love Sinéad O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U The Fall – Lost in Music Futureheads – Hounds of Love All Saints – Under the Bridge Franz Ferdinand – All My Friends The Slits – Heard It Through the Grapevine Grace Jones – Warm Leatherette Charlotte Day Wilson – Here You Come Again Pet Shop Boys – Always On My Mind Sylvester – Fever Phoebe Bridgers – Friday I'm in Love Flo Morrissey & Matthew E. White – Look at What the Light Did Now The Fugees – Killing Me Softly with His Song JPEGMAFIA – Call Me Maybe Listen to this playlist on Spotify — search for

'The Skinny Office Playlist' or scan the below code

Issue 214, November 2023 © Radge Media Ltd. November 2023 - Chat

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Championing creativity in Scotland Meet the team We asked – If someone was going to possess you for a day, what warnings would you give them about your life?

Editorial

Rosamund West Editor-in-Chief "You're going to be spending a lot of time arguing with a five-yearold."

Peter Simpson Deputy Editor, Food & Drink Editor "Working out the flickering kitchen light will take longer than a day – ignore it and move on."

Anahit Behrooz Events Editor, Books Editor "Pink is five, blue is three, brown is one!"

Jamie Dunn Tallah Brash Film Editor, Online Journalist Music Editor "You'll need to eat something every "I currently have a pinched three hours or you'll be a cranky bitch. nerve/torn muscle in my left butt Also, everything is sore." cheek; it hurts even when I'm just trying to put my shoes on.

Have fun xo"

Cammy Gallagher Clubs Editor "Good luck!!"

Polly Glynn Comedy Editor "The cat. He can climb you."

Rho Chung Theatre Editor "Our tummy is going to hurt."

Eilidh Akilade Intersections Editor "Legit one of your worst fears is nits and it keeps you awake at night — the real thing hasn't come up yet but it's good to know in advance I reckon."

Business

Production

Ellie Robertson Digital Editorial Assistant "Please see my 30-page handover doc."

Laurie Presswood General Manager "You're probably out of toilet paper."

Dalila D'Amico Art Director, Production Manager "I'm sorry "

Tom McCarthy Creative Projects Manager "Buckle up, it's all about to get pretty autistic!"

Sandy Park Commercial Director "Prepare to make many, many poor choices."

Harvey Dimond Art Editor "I spend the majority of my time overthinking everything and the rest of my time sending dog videos to my sister on Instagram."

Sales

George Sully Sales and Brand Strategist "You will be even more tired than you look."

Phoebe Willison Designer "Sorry but you won't want to go back to your own life afterwards cause mine is perfect in every way x"

THE SKINNY

Editorial Words: Anahit Behrooz

H

November 2023 — Chat

ello, this is your temporary captain speaking. This month’s issue is our inaugural Musical Chairs edition – in which we have all switched around sections like the madcap gals we are – so I’m at the editorial writing helm/wheel (how do ships work?) this month. I have also taken over the crossword (hot tip: all the clues are themed around the words ‘cross’ and ‘word’, which I personally think is hilarious), and have dabbled in the music section (more on that later). Food has inched its way into Books, our Theatre editor is helming the advice column (they’re not saying you should quit your job, but they’re not not saying that), and Music and Film have done a little switcheroo. We are the living embodiment of that “She’s so crazzzzzzzy. Love her!!!” meme. No one offered (or gave in when I aggressively demanded it) to take the listings off my hands, which is a grudge I will bear forever.

So, a whistle-stop tour of the, uh, chairs that we have been musically swapping. Our lead feature sees yours truly talk to Natasha Khan, aka THE Bat For Lashes about her new oracle deck and alternative forms of knowledge production and care (she told me I would create something rebellious, which I am interpreting as treating this editorial with the chaotic energy it deserves). Our Film editor Jamie talks to synth-pop artist Johnny Jewel about his musical influences and making film scores for Ryan Gosling. Our Food editor sits down with Nathalie Olah to discuss her new book Bad Taste and the politics of cultural taste-making, while one of our Books writers chats to Sean Wai-Keung about his poetry-food event Dumpling Poetry at Push The Boat Out. Intersections meets Art in a piece on Dundee-based art gallery Wooosh, while Art meets Intersections in our exploration of Turner Prize-nominated

collective The Otolith Group’s subversive exhibition at Cooper Gallery. Clubs also hangs out in Intersections, with an interview with community-owned culture house Take Up Space, who are seeking to decentralise media ownership and platform marginalised voices. And finally, our Music editor Tallah tells us about her love for Grease 2, which is exactly as old as she is.

Over in non-topsy-turvy land, one writer makes a case for libraries amidst decades of austerity and cuts (spoiler: we are pro-libraries). Ahead of The Great Western, we speak to musical artist Wu-Lu about his cross-genre approach, and with Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Raveloe. Film sees chats with Molly Manning Walker, director of the remarkable How to Have Sex, and Justine Triet, director of Anatomy of a Fall, and previews the programme for Scotland Loves Anime. We also talk to Tanatsei Gambura about her new installation at Edinburgh Castle over in Art, and do some yes-and-ing with Glasgow Improv Theatre over in Comedy. Theatre talks with Apphia Campbell about her new theatre piece Through the Mud and how to tell stories of crisis, and Food delves into the goods at new Japanese restaurant Miju in Dalry. And finally, we’re back to things being all over the shop with a Q&A with David Duchovny (!!) about his musical output (!!!), and why Jesus and Emily Dickinson should hang out.

We could say that this issue is about what happens when you collapse the arbitrary borders between ideas and places, and what might be possible when you refuse the pre-ordained way of things. I think that is true, but in a month when everything has felt so, so heavy, we’re also just happy to have been shaken up a little out of our boxes, and have made something goofy and fun. We hope that you love it as much as we do. A x

Cover Artist Anthony Gerace is a UK-based artist whose practice explores materiality and surface through a combination of collage, photography and archiving. Based in Glasgow, formerly in London, formerly in Toronto, Gerace supplements his art practice by shooting gigs, making illustrations, and designing for bands. He has worked with the New Yorker, Time, Rolling Stone, Upset the Rhythm, The New York Times and many others. anthonygerace.co.uk IG: @anthonywgerace

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Love Bites

Love Bites: A Letterboxd Lens This month’s columnist celebrates imperfect love, films about hobbies, and online obsessions Words: Xuanlin Tham

“G

November 2023 — Chat

IRLS MEET JAZZ!!!” reads the Letterboxd logline for Shinobu Yaguchi’s 2004 film, Swing Girls. I tap on its poster: a schoolgirl holding a saxophone, jumping into an idyllic, bright blue sky.

“A tale of delinquent and lazy school girls. In their efforts to cut remedial math class, they end up poisoning and replacing the school’s brass band,” its synopsis reads. Sounds perfect, I say to Louis (three exclamation marks in my head)!!!

Last night, we watched Nobuhiko Obayashi’s His Motorbike, Her Island: a joyous, summer love affair with motorcycles that fluidly pulsed between black-and-white and colour. It’d long been on our unruly and ever-growing Letterboxd watchlist, curated with a recklessness that lands Sans Soleil next to A Goofy Movie.

It is not the done thing to praise social media, but I do (mostly) love Letterboxd. I often find my thoughts broadened by the eloquence of a Letterboxd stranger, their thoughts penned with diaristic immediacy. It also encourages you to organically fall down a rabbit hole, once you know what you wish to chase. Right now, that’s Japanese movies about loving your hobbies, I think, as we click our way from His Motorbike, Her Island to Swing Girls.

I cry so much seeing these girls fall in love with jazz. Their newfound obsession awakens them to music everywhere, hidden in traffic and sun-dappled laundry and table tennis; I think I love things like they do, in a way that can’t help but recast the world through its lens. Philbert Dy writes on Letterboxd that they “risk caring about something in a world that can seem so uncaring. We won’t get it right every time, but as long as we really care, we’ll get it right eventually.” My review of Swing Girls, also trying to get it right, reads: “PERFECT.”

Down 1. NAME 2. CAT’S CRADLE 3. FURY 4. THE SKINNY 6. PISH 9. THWART 11. ENTANGLE 12. TRAVERSE 14. WAFFLE 16. SAY Crossword Solutions Across 2. CRUCIFIX 4. TALE 5. METAPHOR 7. TEXT 8. MORPHOLOGY 10. ZED 13. LINGUA FRANCA 14. WOE 15. ADJ 17. BEAR 18. ANGRY 19. SCRIPT 20. VERBOSE

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Heads Up

Club night anniversaries, multi-hyphenate poetry festivals, small radical filmmaking and huge cinema retrospectives… the year may be winding down but this month truly has the range.

Compiled by Anahit Behrooz

Heads Up

Image: courtesy Scotland Loves Animation

Scotland Loves Anime Various venues, Glasgow + Edinburgh, 2-12 Nov Playing back to back at the Glasgow Film Theatre and Cameo, Scotland Loves Animation returns for its ninth edition, with a carefully curated programme of classic and contemporary anime gems. Check out Lonely Castle in the Mirror, based on the acclaimed novel by Mizuki Tsujimura, and Komada: A Whisky Family, an anime – you guessed it – about whisky.

Decolonise Fest Mono, Glasgow, 11 Nov, 8pm London-based DIY punk endeavour Decolonise Fest is leaving the capital, with a special tour dedicated to bringing Scottish punx of colour to the stage. Kicking off the night are Afrobeat-influenced post-punk acts Trishaaa and R.AGGS, with Kapil Seshasayee bringing his unique blend of Indian classical and art-rock to the headlining spot.

Through the Mud

Push the Boat Out

The Lonely Castle in the Mirror at Scotland Loves Animation

Image: courtesy of artist

Photo: Marilena Vlachopoulou

Summerhall, Edinburgh, 24-26 Nov Push the Boat Out, Edinburgh’s international poetry festival, regularly pushes the boundaries of what poetry is, finding lyricism across artistic genres and forms.

Highlights this year include music and jam sessions from Hamish Hawk and Leyla Josephine, a night of reactive poetry from playwright Inua Ellams, and a closing night party DJed by Arusa Qureshi.

Image: courtesy of artist

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, 2-4 Nov, various times Apphia Campbell’s Black Is the Color of My Voice was a remarkable, runaway success; now the theatremaker returns with a new play, in which timelines entangle to explore the stories of two women – one the notorious Black Panther Assata Shakur, the other a university student against the backdrop of the Ferguson riots – engaged with the civil rights movement in America.

Freedom to Run

Kapil Seshasayee

Apphia Campbell's Through the Mud

Outlier, Glasgow, 2 Nov, 7pm The last chance (for now) to catch Freedom to Run, a wrenching and urgent documentary examination of land rights and freedom of movement in occupied Palestine, told through the story of two running groups – one from Palestine and one from Scotland – who train for both the Palestine and Edinburgh marathons. All proceeds from the night go to supporting Medical Aid for Palestine.

Photo: Stephen Sheriff

Inua Ellams for Push the Boat Out

November 2023 — Chat

The Great Western Various venues, Glasgow, 4 Nov, 1pm Taking place across Glasgow venues such as Maryhill Community Central Halls, The Hug and Pint, and The Piping Centre, The Great Western’s one-day, all-in music and arts festival is brimful of great musical acts whichever way you look. Leading the charge are London-based post-punks Warmduscher, with the likes of Wu-Lu, Gently Tender, and a specially curated lineup from Isle of Eigg-based record label Lost Map Records.

CMAT

Photo: Greg Hall

Photo: Alexander Smail

The Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh, 17 Nov, 7pm

Freedom to Run

Barrowlands, Glasgow, 24 Nov, 7pm Photo: Sarah Doyle

Image: ourtesy of artist and Cryptic

Creative Edinburgh Awards Ceremony 2023

Gently Tender at The Great Western

The Redistribution of Memory by Paria Goodzari Femmergy

Cryptic Nights: The Camp // The Redistribution of Memory Bee Asha

CCA: Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, 9 Nov, 7pm

Femmergy 2nd Bday Bash CMAT

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The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, 2 Nov, 11pm

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EYVE

The Red Shoes, Powell and Pressburger

Heads Up

Image: ITV Global Entertainment, Park Circus. Photo: Baron

Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, 4 Nov, 11pm Celebrating the launch of Glasgowbased rapper EYVE’s new track Um Indecisive and its accompanying music video, this dreamy intimate event features a live screening, a set performed by EYVE, and live music from DJ Babyjaii. Supported by Cross Borders, a Scottish Refugee Council Project, EYVE’s second EP (on which the song features) weaves together ballroom culture with the roots of her Zimbabwean heritage.

Photo: Najma Abukar

EYVE: Um Decisive

Rudi Zygadlo

Photo: Meara Sharma

The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, 12 Nov, 7pm Blending the heady euphoria of the best of classic pop with the ethereal, dreamy edge of synthy electronica, Glasgowbased musician Rudi Zygadlo’s output is strange, tongue-in-cheek, and an absolute riot to watch live. He’s headed out on tour in support of his latest album Doggerland, with a date in Glasgow’s SWG3 too.

Powell and Pressburger Retrospective

Photo: Luca Eck

DCA: Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee, until 16 Dec Cinemas across Scotland are putting on seasons in celebration of Powell and Pressburger, some of the Hollywood Golden Age’s most intoxicating and extraordinary directors. The retrospective over at DCA is particularly excellent, with screenings of major films such as Black Narcissus (in 35mm!) and The Red Shoes as well as lesser known classics such as their second feature Contraband.

Rudi Zygadlo

Shae Myles: Hush Lil Baby Photo: Julia Bauer Shae Myles: Hush Lil Baby

Photo: Alice Zoo

Ponyboy

1 Year of Ponyboy

SCO: Steve Reich +

Photo: Atsushi Nishijima

The Queen’s Hall + City Halls, Edinburgh + Glasgow, 9-10 Nov, 7:30pm

Pain and I by Sarah Hopfinger

Regina de Miguel by Abrazo Simbionte at The Recent

The Recent Poor Things

Photo: Tiu Makkonen

Eden Court, Inverness, 3-9 Nov

Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh, 9-12 Nov If everything seems terrible right now (it is!), find radical hope and strategies for action and community-building at the Radical Book Fair, organised by Lighthouse, Edinburgh’s queer bookshop. This year’s edition is themed around Revolutionary Feeling, exploring the pathways between the intimate and personal, with workshops, talks and stalls from the likes of Yara Rodrigues Fowler, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, Lavender Menace and Blunt Knife Co.

Photo: Marco Borggreve

Image: courtesy of Talbot Rice Gallery

Inverness Film Festival

Yara Rodrigues Fowler appearing at Edinburgh's Radical Book Fair

Edinburgh’s Radical Book Fair

Sarah Hopfinger: Pain and I

Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh, until 17 Feb — 9 —

Colin Currie for SCO Steve Reich+

Tramway, Glasgow, 8-9 Nov, 7:30pm

November 2023 — Chat

Stereo, Glasgow, 4 Nov, 11pm No-holds-barred queer club night Ponyboy celebrates its first birthday this month, with a wall-to-wall lineup of some of the biggest names in Glasgow’s queer underground scene, including Luca Eck, Miss Cabbage, VAJ. Power, and Femme Castratrice. The club night’s signature aesthetic will be on full display, with sonic and visual landscapes exploring ideas of queer futurity and post-human technology.

16 Nicholson Street, Glasgow, 23 Nov-16 Dec Summer was for Barbie, Autumn is for Polly Pocket (we hope this catches on as a universal catchphrase).

16 Nicholson Street’s autumn programme features the first solo exhibition by rising star visual artists Shae Myles, inspired by the 90s-drenched world of the Polly Pocket compact. Featuring interactive sculptural works that invoke femme and consumerist aesthetics, Hush Lil Baby is an inquiry into nostalgia and memory.

November 2023

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What's On All details correct at the time of writing

Photo: Harvey Pearson Katie Gregson-MacLeod

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Lucia & The Best Boys

Choose Irvine Welsh

November 2023 — Events Guide

Film The autumn film festival calendar is an embarrassment of riches this month with at least half a dozen great festivals taking place. There’s the final weekend of Dundee’s Discovery Film Festival (DCA, until 5 Nov), which serves up a wonderful selection of arthouse films aimed at a younger audience.

Collaborative festival CineAstra continues to go great guns with events across Glasgow (until 5 Nov). Scotland Loves Anime (3-5 Nov, GFT; 6-12 Nov, Cameo) is also back with a sharply curated programme of Japanese animation old and new (full preview p47).

You’ll also find an animation focus at Havana Glasgow Film Festival (15-19 Nov, GFT & CCA), with a programme of Cuban animation shorts spanning from 1966-2022 among the lively programme of films, talks and workshops. In Stirling, the Central Scotland Documentary Festival (2-6 Nov, Macrobert Arts Centre) goes from strength to strength with over 30 non-fiction screenings. Choose Irvine Welsh opens the festival, while Paul Sng’s Tish (see p56) brings it to a close.

Venture north and you’ll find an eye-wateringly good lineup at the Inverness Film Festival (3-9 Nov, Eden Court). It’s the place to be to see the

Photo: Ronan Park

Poor Things

Music Following on from the 2023 SAY Award ceremony at the end of October, start your November right by checking out some of the artists up for this year’s award. Young Fathers play Usher Hall on 1 November, while in Glasgow, Cloth play Stereo on the same night. On 2 November, Pippa Blundell, one of five artists up for this year’s Sound of Young Scotland, plays The Rum Shack, while back in Edinburgh, Becky Sikasa brings her neo-soul to Summerhall (3 Nov). On 25 November you’ll find more SAY talent at Summerhall as Hamish Hawk drops in for Push The Boat Out, while in Glasgow, Brooke Combe headlines SWG3’s TV Studio space.

November is another busy month of launch shows for local talent too. In Glasgow, EYVE releases Um, Indecisive at Transmission Gallery (4 Nov) and Teenage Fanclub bring Nothing Lasts Forever to Tramway (5 Nov). Glasgow cassette label GLARC launch their latest tape for Nottingham outfit Food People at The Old Burnt Barns (9 Nov), before MALKA brings Anatomy of Sight to The Hug & Pint (11 Nov) and Josef Akin celebrates a double EP launch at The Rum Shack (12 Nov). Also at The Rum Shack, Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lockpickers launch Murder 24/7 (16 Nov) via Errol’s Hot Wax. Headcleaner Clown Society bring a night of noise to The Hug & Pint to launch their EP (18 Nov), Glasgow’s Lawsuit (featuring the cover artist of this very issue) launch their debut single in The Old Hairdresser’s (19 Nov) while on the 23rd and 24th respectively, Lucia & The Best Boys and Barry Can’t Swim celebrate their debut LPs with shows at SWG3.

Edinburgh similarly has a bunch of release parties taking place, with Rosie H Sullivan at Voodoo Rooms (5 Nov), Carla J. Easton at Summerhall (11 Nov) and Katie Gregson-MacLeod at The Mash House (25 Nov), while in Dundee King Creosote launches I DES at Assai (6 Nov), NATI. celebrates Older at Beat Generator Live! (18 Nov) and Theo Bleak parties through the Pain at Chamber East (18 Nov).

There are a handful of festivals/festival-like events taking place this month too, ofc. In Glasgow, The Great Western features Warmduscher, Wu-Lu, LYNKS, Former Champ, Ruby Gaines and more (4 Nov); London’s Decolonise Fest bring the show on the road to Mono (11 Nov) with Kapil Seshasayee, R.AGGS and Trishaaa; BBC 6 Music bring New Music Fix Live to Pacific Quay and SWG3 (13-16 Nov); DIY all-dayer while music industry conference and live showcase Resonate comes to Platform (23 Nov).

Meanwhile in Edinburgh, Deep Time, a festival of new music featuring radical, experimental composers and improvisers comes to Fruitmarket (16-19 Nov). [Tallah Brash]

THE SKINNY

much anticipated new films from the likes of Hirokazu Kore-eda (Monster), while wry documentary Loch Ness: They Created a Monster should prove the perfect opener.

The French Film Festival (1 Nov-14 Dec, various venues) is also back, bringing the best of francophone cinema to every corner of Scotland. Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall from Justine Triet (see p40) and Oscar contender The Taste of Things, starring Juliette Binoche, are among the headline titles.

Make time in your schedule, too, for BFI’s lavish season Cinema Unbound: The Creative Worlds of Powell + Pressburger (until Jan), which has a plethora of screenings and events taking place across Scotland, including at GFT, DCA and Eden Court. The opportunity to see masterpieces like The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus on the big screen should not be missed, but make sure to also seek out the lesser spotted Powell and Pressburger titles screening, like their debut The Spy in Black or the pair’s seriously strange kids’ film The Boy Who Turned Yellow. [Jamie Dunn]

Photo: @stan_pro_photo Don't Buy Mi, 2021, Rachel Maclean

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Optimo

Photo: Rhona Muhlebach

Art In Ayr, Rachel Maclean has inhabited an empty shop unit in the town’s high street with her surreal installation Don’t Buy Mi (until 23 Dec), a reincarnation of her installation at Jupiter Artland and in Perth.

At the CCA in Glasgow, Rhona Mühlebach's multifaceted, richly textured installation Ditch Me (until 2 Dec) explores the history and contemporary resonance of the Antonine Wall through a constellation of intriguing characters.

Also in Glasgow, a presentation of new paintings and sculpture by Alberta Whittle fills The Modern Institute’s Osborne Street space (until 11 Nov). “Even in the most beautiful place in the world, our breath can falter” references the works of writers and poets including Kae Tempest, Jean Rhys and Rabindranath Tagore. In The Modern Institute’s Aird’s Lane and Bricks Space, Matt Connors’ Finder (until 18 Nov) is based around ideas of digital layering, the title being drawn from the Apple file manager.

At Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket, Zarina Bhimji’s exhibition Flagging It Up (until 28 Jan) comprises of works that span her career. Bhimji's examination of institutional power structures operates across films, photographs and installations.

At Collective, Thomas Abercromby’s John explores the intersections of grief, family and the complexities of social class. The moving image work, with an all working-class cast and crew, juxtaposes lavish gallery interiors with

Photo: David Moffat

Photo: Elliott Hatherley.

Courtesy of Jupiter Artland

November 2023

Decades of Dub 2

Clubs Witness a rare DJ set from Edinburgh’s own Young Fathers at The Mash House following an Usher Hall headline show (1 Nov). Melting Pot marks the weekend, opening Glasgow’s newly-renovated Paisley Town Hall with Optimo. Later that same night, high in demand, Hamdi joins Decades of Dub in Room 2. Otherwise, get Twisted at the Classic Grand beside hardcore heroes Dual Damage and Partyraiser (3 Nov). Saturday (4 Nov) Stereo celebrates 1 Year of Ponyboy, while La Cheetah dances for a decade of Nightrave with DJ Stingray. For warehouse parties, see Taikano’s 6th Birthday with Fatima Hajji at SWG3. Alternatively, Asphalt Tracks offers 96 Back at The Flying Duck. Moving northeast, Natasha Kitty Katt delivers a Dundonian Disco Love Affair to Kings. Meanwhile, 2AT brings the best of Latin Core to Edinburgh at Sneaky Pete’s.

Following recent collaborations on Warp, Hudson Mohawke B2B Nikki Nair look to set the roof on fire at SWG3 (9 Nov). Saturday (11 Nov) brings a sell-out for La Cheetah’s 14th Birthday with Joy Orbison. If you missed the boat on this, sail to Ibiza with Sasha and John Digweed at SWG3. In the capital, Sneaky Pete’s host Erol Alkan, as The Liquid Room presents Roni Size x LTJ Bukem (11 Nov).

Melbourne’s YL Hooi + Silzedrek head to Glasgow’s Southside, providing dubbed-out jams at The Glad Café (15 Nov). In Edinburgh, wobbly wizard Lukas Wigflex soundtracks Sneaky Pete’s (16 Nov). Friday (17 Nov) sees Prosumer play Glasgow's The Berkeley Suite for Shakara’s 5th anniversary.

In Edinburgh, Halina Rice takes her mesmerising live A/V Set to Summerhall.

Subsequently, celebrate Jungle Magik’s 3rd Birthday with D'n'B mainstays Fabio & Grooverider. Saturday (18 Nov) showcases a Glasgow debut for Clara! at Stereo, while Pigeon Steve plays La Cheetah for Partial's 9th Birthday.

Pulse sees 14 years in Edinburgh, hosting two days at The Mash House, beginning with techno Viking Rødhåd. For something lighter, check Mungo's Hi Fi at La Belle Angele (24 Nov). On Saturday (25 Nov) Pulse returns with long-time favourite Perc. [Cammy Gallagher]

The Red Shoes

Ditch Me, film still

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Photo: Stano Murin Photography

Comedy You awake to find yourself in a Dark November. Lucky for you, John Robertson’s live-action video game The Dark Room is touring (Edinburgh Stand, 5 Nov / Glasgow Stand, 26 Nov). It’s a cult Fringe favourite for good reason – take everyone you know, especially pals called Darren.

Glasgow Pavilion sees its fair share of comedy this month. Kiwi comic and now Hollywood star Rhys Darby brings his stand-up silver jubilee to the venue (7 Nov) while a few days later, Norwegian clown and, unbelievably, Britain’s Got Talent winner Viggo Venn hits the stage with British Comedian (14 Nov). Expect absurd antics from the pair of them.

Two of Hull’s finest comics also land in Edinburgh with their tour shows.

After stealing hearts and minds with her eccentric worldview on the current series of Taskmaster, Lucy Beaumont comes to Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall (15 Nov) with The Trouble and Strife. Also coming to town by way of the Humber is one of our favourite shows of Fringe 2022 – Amy Gledhill’s The Girl Before The Girl You Marry (Glasgow Stand, 20 Nov / Monkey Barrel Edinburgh, 21 Nov). It’s a powerhouse hour of vivid storytelling, centring on romantic mishaps which will soon have you in tears of laughter.

If more local acts take your fancy, don’t miss Stephen Buchanan at Glasgow Stand (19 Nov), performing his Fringe show to a home crowd. You can also catch him at Material, Girl, Susan Riddell and Amanda Dwyer’s monthly new material gig at McChuills in Glasgow. Rebranded for International Men’s Day, November sees the stellar Larry Dean headline Material, Guy (27 Nov). [Polly Glynn]

Dracula Mina's Reckoning

November 2023 — Events Guide

Photo: Mark Liddell Susan Riddell

Books There are two big book events on in Edinburgh this month. Push The Boat Out, Edinburgh’s international poetry festival, returns with a stunning programme of performances, gigs, workshops and walks. We’re especially excited about our three sponsored events: Dumpling Poetry with Sean WaiKeung, Song Exploder with Bemz, Dave Hook and Queen of Harps, and a performance of Inua Ellams’ Search Party (24-26 Nov). Over at Assembly Roxy a couple of weeks before, meanwhile, is Lighthouse Bookshop’s Radical Book Fair (9-12 Nov), with panels from Yara Rodrigues Fowler, Sophie Chauhan, Hannah Silva and Micha Frazer-Carroll, and even zine-making led by Blunt Knife Co. Elsewhere, Camilla Grudova launches her second short story collection The Coiled Serpent at Portobello Bookshop (2 Nov), and three poets from Ignition Press – Clementine E Burnley, Patrick James Errington and Alycia Pirmohamed – perform at Typewronger Books (6 Nov). Over at Glasgow Women’s Library, there’s a Story Café special (29 Nov) looking at eco-poetry, with readings from three Ginkgo Eco-poetry prize shortlisted women poets.

And finally, over at The Stand Glasgow, spoken word artist Kevin P. Gilday explores what it means to be working class (22 Nov). [Anahit Behrooz]

Thomas Abercromby, John, video still, 2023

Photo: Pete Dibdin

Photo: Lidia Crisafulli Dead Dad Dog

Theatre This month provides opportunities to see theatre at every scale, including ambitious projects by student and amateur groups.

John McKay’s Dead Dad Dog, which began its run in London last month, will visit Edinburgh’s Traverse (1-4 Nov). Thirty-five years after its initial run, the play provides a vital exploration of grief and male relationships.

The Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group (EGTG) will present the UK premiere of Chalk, a sci-fi thriller by award-winning playwright Walt McGough. EGTG’s original take on this tense work reflects life during and after a global pandemic (8-11 Nov, Assembly Roxy).

Bare Productions, a staple of Edinburgh’s amateur theatre scene, will stage a workshop of its first original musical, No Spray, No Lay (17-18 Nov, St Augustine’s Church). Set in the bathroom of a nightclub in 2005, the production celebrates female friendship and empowerment.

The Traverse also offers two new works – Learning To Fly (17-18 Nov), written by James Rowland, follows an unlikely friendship between a teenaged James and his unusual neighbour. Traverse will also host the world premiere of Framework Theatre Company’s Play Pretend (24-25 Nov). The production challenges historical fiction through a feminist lens and is staffed entirely by emerging and early-career theatre-makers. [Rho Chung]

Courtesy of the artist.

Photo Daniel Hughes

snapshots of Glasgow’s urban landscape and candid moments from the film’s production. Also at Collective, Liza Sylvestre’s asweetsea explores how her experience as an artist who is deaf lives within the structure of her family.

Made in collaboration with the artist’s daughter, the central moving image works reimagines a cartoon from Sylvestre’s childhood, alongside three large scale drawings. Both exhibitions continue until 23 December. [Harvey Dimond]

Viggo Venn

November 2023

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5 Meet the Team — 6 Editorial — 7 Love Bites — 8 Heads Up 11 What’s On — 16 Crossword — 17 Ask Rho — 32 Intersections 36 Poster by Anthony Gerace — 49 Music — 55 Film & TV — 58 Food & Drink 61 Design — 62 Books — 63 Comedy — 64 Listings 70 The Skinny On… David Duchovny

Features 20 Job swap special! Writers move between sections, starting with a Books-Music takeover as we do some tarot with Natasha Khan, aka Bat for Lashes.

23 Film invades Music with an interview with synth lord Johnny Jewel, currently embarking on his first live solo tour.

24 Nathalie Olah discusses her new dissection of class and taste, Bad Taste, in a FoodBooks crossover.

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26 Intersections meets a Dundee art gallery based in a car park, named after a gym – Wooosh.

27 Take Up Space discuss their proposition for an alternative, community-driven, media model with equity at its heart.

30 Ahead of poetry festival Push the Boat Out’s return, we meet Sean Wai-Keung to discuss dumplings.

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35 Miles Romans-Hopcraft, aka Wu-Lu, talks community in music creation ahead of his appearance at The Great Western.

39 We meet Glasgow singer-songwriter Kim Grant, aka Raveloe, ahead of releasing her debut album, Exit Light.

41 Molly Manning Walker introduces her troubling tale of teen holidays, How to Have Sex.

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44 We talk experimentation and learning to fail with the founders of Glasgow Improv Theatre.

46 Apphia Campbell on her new play Through the Mud, an intergenerational story about the struggle for civil rights.

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Image Credits: (Left to right, top to bottom) Flora Mac; Paige Margulies; courtesy Nathalie Olah; Ben Douglas; courtesy Take Up Space; courtesy anatomyarts.co.uk; Machine Operated; Craig McIntosh; How to Have Sex; Rob McDougall; courtesy Robyn Collinge; courtesy of the artist

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On the website...

Our Weekly Spotlight On… series, our Spotify playlist of new Scottish music (search ‘Music Now’, enjoy yourself), news of Young Fathers’ win at The SAY Award, some lovely competitions, our film podcast The Cineskinny, and a whole bunch of reviews.

November 2023 — Contents

43 Tanatsei Gambura’s installation Nzira Yeparuware melds the sounds of Harare and the Scottish capital in Edinburgh Castle.

THE SKINNY

Shot of the month English Teacher @McChuills, Glasgow, 22 October by Elliot Hetherton

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2

3 4

5

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Down

2. Divine punishment, for the divine (8)

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4. Story, can be tall (4)

2. Stringy playground game (4,6)

5. Like something else (without the like) (8)

3. The Sound and the ____ (4)

7.

7

November 2023 — Chat

Across

Written words, phone and otherwise (4)

8. Linguistics – glory oomph (anag) (10) 8

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10. End of alphabet, phonetically (3) 13. Common language (see Isobel Sandoval) (6,6)

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14. Wretchedness (3)

Word tag for a person (4)

4. Word on the street (us) (3,6) 6. Talk ____ (Scottish, nonsense) (4) 9. Foil – hr twat (anag) (6) 11. Snarl (8) 12. Edinburgh theatre (8) 14. To go on and on, also breakfast (6) 16. To speak (3)

15. Descriptive (abrev.) (3)

13

17. Cross to ____ (4) 14

18. Annoyed like a bird (5) 15 16

19. Written words, to be spoken aloud (6) 20. Wordy (7)

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Compiled by Anahit Behrooz

Turn to page 7 for the solutions

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THE SKINNY

This month’s columnist ponders whether it’s worth it to keep your dream job if it’s terrible (no) I hate my job in the arts, but I worked SO HARD to get where I am. Should I pack it in? Or stick it out in the hopes that the pay and conditions improve?

November 2023 — Chat

I wish that I could offer a secret, third option that makes this choice easier. I’ll start by saying that no career choice is final.

There’s a fear, especially in the arts, of ‘falling behind’ or losing progress, but it’s okay to do those things. It’s normal.

Taking a step back now to pursue something like a quality of life doesn’t mean that you’ll never be able to find the same quality of life in the arts. And I hear where you’re coming from – leaving a job that you’ve poured so much time and work into feels like a waste. I’m not outright telling you to quit; but I’m not not telling you to quit.

If one is available to you, I would recommend joining a union. For those of us who have no choice but to stay in our jobs, labour organising does have a strong precedent in the arts. The mechanisms behind poor pay and working conditions can feel insurmountably large, but that is the point of a union – to show the workforce to be much, much larger. You can read more about arts unions in Scotland in this list by Creative Scotland (at the bottom).

Your time and energy are finite. And a job on which you rely to survive is still, no matter how creative, a job. The problem isn’t you; it’s capitalism. It’s the lie we’ve been sold since we were young – that a good and meaningful life is out of reach unless we work ourselves to the bone.

This may be a grim answer, but I give you permission to put your wellness before your career. After all, a career is kind of a construct, isn’t it? Not being paid for your art doesn’t make you less of an artist. But if you work so hard for your art that you become less of a person, then what is the point of art? creativescotland.com/about/strategy/fair-work/ fair-work-resources

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November 2023

THE SKINNY

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THE SKINNY

CLUBS BOOKS

Musical Chairs FILM

T

his month’s theme pages offer an opportunity for the section editors to try out something new, with our inaugural job swap issue. We open with Bat for Lashes aka Natasha Khan’s new oracle deck, the perfect collaborative scene-setter of Music and Books, before Film also takes a shot at Music, as Jamie interviews soundtrack artist Johnny Jewel. Tallah jumps into Film, offering an insight into what makes Grease 2 so special, to her and the world at large. Intersections takes on Art, with Eilidh interviewing Dundee’s supremely non-conforming Woooosh Gallery, while Harvey reciprocates to delve into the truly intersectional practice of The Otolith Group.

There’s a Books / Food swap, as Peter talks to Nathalie Olah about her new class-dissecting book Bad Taste, before we meet poet Sean Wai Keung to talk about dumplings. Cammy takes a departure from Clubs to learn about how Take Up Space are challenging mainstream media structures to build an equitable, community-driven model. Rho takes over the problem page to offer wise counsel about your personal crises, while Anahit has claimed the crossword as her own space in which to determinedly depart from all conventional practice.

Oh, and for the Q&A at the back of the mag, we speak to X-Files legend David Duchovny ahead of his band's European tour this month. Job. Swap.

FOOD

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MUSIC

THE SKINNY

Words: Anahit Behrooz

November 2023 – Feature

Musical Chairs

Ahead of it coming out this month, Natasha Khan, aka Bat For Lashes, talks us through her gorgeous Motherwitch oracle deck

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Photo: Novera & Ferri @noceraferri

Motherwitch

THE SKINNY

Natasha Khan, Bat For Lashes

WOODSMAN VALLEY “Every little creature vibrates...”

In this way, reading the Motherwitch – as intimate and interior a process as it is – demands the reader position themselves as much in relation to the mechanisms of the world beyond as the world inside, bringing about a collapse in boundaries between the natural and metaphysical realms. “It unlocks an interesting question about our relationship to the Great Mother, like Mother Nature,” Khan says. “Rulership and hierarchies have pushed us out of the feminine, and we’ve lost contact with our relationship to nature and the seasons. Everybody needs to reclaim that. The masculine needs to see its place in relationship to a healthy feminine, so there’s abundance and security and safety for everybody.”

Mothering, in this way, comes to encompass forms of care that extend far beyond the traditional family unit and our limited biological and social imaginations of motherhood. “It’s almost like by becoming a mother I created a blown-up archetype of what I was learning about motherhood,” she adds, “this feeling that I want to carry everyone in my arms and give them the tools to feel loved and safe.”

CUP OF LOVE “A heart drips into it from her throat.”

Care has always, often disparagingly, been associated with the feminine; with the Motherwitch deck, Khan reclaims these feminine ways of responding to the world rather than forcing herself within entrenched masculine ideals. The very concept of an oracle deck, after all – rooted as it is in practices of intuition, intentionality, and defiantly articulated desire – rejects rationalist philosophies of objectivity and science and looking at the world through hardened, blinkered eyes. Heartfelt and contemplative, the Motherwitch deck is a reflection of the ways that Khan has always determinedly clung onto her own inner worlds, feeling rather than thinking her way through life.

“I have always been really fortunate to retain absolute trust and faith in my intuition,” she says.

“I’ve held onto and championed that as one of my — 21 —

strengths – it’s like an inner resolve. Through hardships and traumas, I’ve held very steadfast to this feminine reliance: my inner voice, my intuition, my secret worlds. I never succumbed to the bullshit idea that those things weren’t important.”

DESERT WITCH “...a Rolodex of rhyming words...”

The Motherwitch might seem like a departure from Khan’s usual output, but nestled within its cards are the same motifs and values that have scaffolded her entire career – the opaque, devastating lyricism of songs like Daniel and Laura, the dense, cinematic storytelling of her albums The Bride and Lost Girls, the quiet intimacy of selfhood and self-expression that threads through it all. Each card comes with a description, interpretation, and rituals and artistic touchstones that continue to spin out a narrative beyond the card. This crossgenre entanglement – mysticism as myth-weaving – taps into Khan’s practice as both songwriter and storyteller, locating truth and meaning in the stories we tell each other and ourselves. The Motherwitch deck will be followed by The Dream of Delphi, Khan’s upcoming (and as of now, release date still unknown) album that explores motherhood through a more personal gaze. Both, however, Khan tells me, tap into this idea of intimate, impressionistic narrative-telling as a form of psychic discovery.

“I’ve done a lot of research on myths and archetypes and for me, both oracles and music feed so well into the subconscious mind and dream worlds. To me, using storytelling is a really great form of healing.” She shrugs, smiling. “I think humans understand stories better than they do logistics.” We are all, as she sees it, as Around The Fire envisages us to be – witches, storytellers, serpents, “dancing around a fire of freedom.”

A safe space, at last, to tell it – and imagine it – like it is.

The Motherwitch oracle deck is available to pre-order now via She’s Lost Control with shipping expected at the end of November sheslostcontrol.co.uk batforlashes.com

November 2023 – Feature

“I have always been really fortunate to retain absolute trust and faith in my intuition”

VAMPIRE DESIRE “...all that is taboo.”

Yet for all their splitting open of new vistas and possibilities, there remained something rigid about the traditional Tarot that Khan wanted to resist and reimagine, assembling her lockdown illustrations into a deck saturated with feminine language and symbolism. “It’s ancient and mystical but it’s a patriarchal deck, you know,” she says of the original Tarot. “With the kings and queens and male and female lovers. For me, it was quite liberating not to have to follow someone else’s storyline.” Instead, her Motherwitch deck is filled with witches and sirens, celestial bodies and trees, markers not only of a profoundly feminine mythos, but of oracle-reading as a form of extending care rather than seeking control.

Musical Chairs

THEREMIN SORCERESS “...a lightning rod for transmissions from outer space, and the circuits that map our own nervous systems.”

It was out of one of these gaps that Motherwitch, an oracle deck entirely designed and written by Khan, emerged. Having finished the Lost Girls tour midway through a pregnancy and just as the pandemic hit, Khan was confronted by a strange period of stillness that felt eerily dissonant with the unfolding crisis outdoors. “It was such a quiet, intense moment of reflection and solitude,” she explains, “this world of anxiety outside and then inside, I was incubating this new life. And obviously, I couldn’t go out into the world and do anything. But I had an empty Moleskine book and this desire to use black ink and draw, and it developed its own momentum. It was this new style of drawing, just letting my pen move – it was quite unconscious, really.”

For Khan, oracle decks – be they Tarot or otherwise – have a revelatory power that offers not so much a portent of the future but a mirror to the present, allowing us to reckon with our desires and choices with wide-open, inquisitive eyes. “I don’t

think it’s fortune telling,” she says. “It’s about where you’ve come from and what you might manifest. It’s really helpful knowledge, to be like, ‘Is this what I want to be creating in my life? Is this where I want to be going?’ I think all of those questions are part of a process rather than, ‘Am I going to meet, like, the man of my dreams tomorrow?’” She laughs.

“Everyone’s always looking for the Two of Cups.”

Photo: Flora Mac

AROUND THE FIRE “Finally, a safe space to tell it like it is.”

“Can you put out your hand, just like this?”

Natasha Khan, aka Bat For Lashes, asks, and I press the flat of my palm against the green light of the laptop camera, touching the cards through whatever ether connects us. She splits the deck, murmuring under her breath, and pulls a card, expression enigmatic. It is Around The Fire, strangely the first card of the Motherwitch oracle, a card of storytellers, ancestors and rebels; witches and angels are gathered around a fire, encircled by two mother snakes. “It’s about women who have gone before, who have been trailblazers and heretics and on the fringes of society,” Khan tells me, tracing a finger along the snakes. “The most recent person I can think of is Sinéad O’Connor. It means there’s a slightly disruptive, rebellious aspect to what you might want to make.”

The card makes sense for me, but it also makes sense for her. There has always been a disruptive element to how Khan has practised her creativity; for years, she frustrated her first label Parlophone with her doggedly uncommercial output, weaving delicate dreamworlds from grief-drenched concept albums and tingeing her love songs with a bruised ethereality, only to make her most pop-heavy album Lost Girls once her contract with Parlophone was up. In between albums, she has refused the potential churn of a music industry that demands constant production, instead taking creative writing courses and teaching meditation to formerly incarcerated people, resetting both her internal energy and her relationship with the world beyond.

November 2023

THE SKINNY

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THE SKINNY

Music-en-scène Ahead of embarking on his first solo tour, synth-pop powerhouse Johnny Jewel talks to us about his musical influences, his talent for film composition and the sonic and visual assault we can expect from his new live show

I

t’s only around 11am Pacific Time when I call Johnny Jewel at his home near Joshua Tree in the Californian desert, but he’s been up working for hours. “I get up at 6am and I go to bed around 1am,” he says. “I’m always up very, very early. It’s really bright here, so just naturally your circadian rhythms sync to the Sun.” In a week’s time, these rhythms will be interrupted a bit when he hits the road in Europe on his first solo tour, which ends in Glasgow on 17 November. Jewel is no stranger to live performance, of course, having toured for years with his various bands like Glass Candy, Desire and Chromatics, but he’s had a slight oversight when putting together his solo set. “I did a show in Hollywood at the Cemetery, I did a show at the Southbank in London for Christine and the Queens’ Meltdown festival and a show at the Munch Museum in Oslo, and at all three shows – and I hadn’t anticipated this – people wanted an

Photo: Paige Margulies

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“The music that I make just really sticks to the picture in a way that I can’t exactly explain; it just works” Johnny Jewel Jewel’s latest OST is for Dutch drama Holly. It follows a soft-spoken 15-year-old who’s bullied at school, but her relationship with her classmates changes after she displays some clairvoyant ability, which makes the film sound like Final Destination meets Carrie. Jewel’s music for Holly is a spine-tingling mix of dark synth with softer sounds like bells, chimes and sweet piano keys; it’s probably the closest thing he’s made to a traditional score. Jewel’s approach to Holly, like all of his work, was based on instinct. “I was very much reacting to the film. Immediately after I watched the version of the film I was given, I went straight to the piano and wrote the main motif within the first 30 minutes.”

Those attending Jewel’s Glasgow gig should expect an audiovisual aspect too. “Everyone’s takeaway from the show so far has been, ‘we don’t know what to call this.’” Jewel has a go at describing it, though, calling it a strange hybrid of “film, film score, and beat-driven improvisation.” The show takes the form of two different montages made up of films and television shows he’s worked on, like Lost River, Drive and Twin Peaks: The Return. “It’s not like I’m recreating these scenes verbatim, though,” says Jewel. “It’s more of a kaleidoscope of moments. So you’ll sort of be hit with nostalgia if you’ve seen the film, but the music is against the scene in a way that you haven’t seen.”

The music itself will sound a little different also. “The set is being put together live,” says Jewel. “So these songs you’ve heard a bunch of times are being deconstructed or are morphing out of another piece of music, and that’s exciting as a listener. It’s basically a sonic and visual assault for an hour. It’s a rollercoaster.”

Holly (OST) is out now via Italians Do It Better; Johnny Jewel plays CCA, Glasgow, 17 Nov

November 2023 – Feature

encore and I had nothing. So I’m designing an encore right now, so I should have something interesting if the option presents itself.”

As you might glean from Jewel’s gruelling sleep pattern, he’s a workaholic. He’s put out ten solo records and soundtracks since 2015, and that’s before I start counting his output with Glass Candy, Desire and Chromatics, and his myriad other side projects and production work. He reckons this obsession with music started when he was a skater kid living in Houston, Texas. “I think my love of music really began with discovering the recording process,” he says. “I was a teenager, around 14, and I was painting a lot and listening to music, and then I decided to start trying to record field recordings and sound collages and things like that. Once I started recording, I was totally bit with the bug.”

There was never an ambition to be a pop star, though. “I never thought anybody would listen to what I was doing,” he says. For a big chunk of his early career, they didn’t.

“In the beginning, there were people in the underground who appreciated what I was trying to do, but I never imagined it would be like it’s become,” says Jewel. “As a job, music is a pretty brutal choice, you know? I wouldn’t choose it as a job, it’s a passion.”

He’s certainly escaped this anonymity now. After all, The Weeknd personally asked Jewel to remix Blinding Lights, the most streamed song on Spotify ever. Partly responsible for Jewel’s breakout into the mainstream has been the influence of his soundtrack work, particularly his involvement with Nicolas Winding Refn on Bronson and the cult getaway flick Drive, although his soundtrack for Ryan Gosling’s unfairly maligned Lost River remains his richest soundtrack to date.

For him, asking why he was drawn to film composition is like asking what came first, the chicken or the egg. “I don’t know if it’s my natural interest, or it’s the films I was exposed to, or the experimental music I was exposed to, but my music really seems to resonate with directors; the music that I make just really sticks to the picture in a way that I can’t exactly explain, but it just works.”

Johnny Jewel

Musical Chairs

Words: Jamie Dunn

THE SKINNY

Taste the Difference We catch up with author Nathalie Olah to discuss her new book Bad Taste, dissecting the hierarchies of taste and class in 21st-century Britain

November 2023 – Feature

Musical Chairs

Words: Peter Simpson

N

athalie Olah’s 2019 book Steal as Much as You Can alights on a weird contradiction of post-Thatcher Britain. While education, expression and information are notionally available to more people than ever, our media and institutions are increasingly under the control of privately educated, wealthy, upper-middle to upper-upperclass people. As Olah tells us over Zoom: “It was essentially about the ways in which working-class people had been at first co-opted by a quite cannibalistic media culture in the 1990s and then essentially discarded in the age of austerity.

“As I was writing it, the question of what constitutes sort-of middlebrow taste just kept cropping up, so I decided to write a little chapter on it, but it wasn’t really something that I’d ever given that much time or thought to. When I spoke to lots of people afterwards, they said to me that it was the chapter that resonated with them the most, and so there was a sense of frustration after the first book came out that I hadn’t really had an opportunity to delve into that subject and to devote the time that I wanted and needed to really understand it.”

Bad Taste is the result of a truly deep dive into the subject. The book diagnoses the ways taste is constructed, consensus is formed, things are marked as ‘worthy’ or ‘frivolous’ or ‘serious’.

Olah takes Gramsci’s ideas of cultural hegemony and Freud’s notion of the narcissism of small differences and turns them on the food we eat, the films we watch, our hobbies, and the Christmas presents we buy.

“There was sort of a realisation that there is actually a political dimension to the fact that if you enter any place of work, if you want to apply for credit, or a flat, or a mortgage, there will be a consideration of how you present to the outside world,” Olah says, “and those sources of validation in today’s society only sanction a really limited scope of behaviour. You can’t just go in there

dressed however you like, talking however you like.

That is the cultural hegemonic force in action, saying that we will allow for one type of citizen, and that citizen has essentially been made in the image of an affluent, established elite.”

If that sounds serious, it is, but Bad Taste is also a funny, punchy, kaleidoscopic page-turner that pulls at the tangled threads of class, commerce and culture until they start to unspool, then keeps yanking. Olah tells us of a desire to create a more complicated and nuanced discussion, with chapters anchored around unexpected references.

The section on food is centred around key scenes from the 2013 film Blue Is the Warmest Colour, while the discussion of fashion leads on Jonathan Glazer’s Glasgow-shot adaptation of Under the Skin, where Scarlett Johansson was able to interact with the public incognito via the simple expedient of a fur coat.

“That is a comment on the phenomenon of Scarlett Johansson,” Olah tells us. “It’s not a person, really. It’s a product, and it’s a product that is entirely image-based. It’s a visual creation. And as soon as you disrupt it slightly, that product is destroyed. What does that tell us about how powerful the clothing that we wear really is, in the way that we’re forming impressions about one another?”

Bad Taste sits alongside Steal as Much as You Can as a document of the austerity years in Britain and beyond – a time of grim penny-pinching and flagrant waste at one end, shrinking horizons and faux-homestead insularity at the other. Olah cites the classics of the genre (your Keep Calm and Carry Ons, your Kilner jars filled with pine cones), but, she tells us, “what I’m really interested in is that it wasn’t an authentic return to more artisanal methods and an appreciation for natural resources and objects in and of themselves. It was entirely virtual and synthetic. It was a synthetic nostalgia.”

The solution to these issues is not to “embrace a kind of synthetic gaudiness” as a counterpoint. Instead, Olah says, it’s to be mindful of the pressures we face to conform and compromise, and to push back on them where we can.

And yes, that does also apply to the author of this article.

“The homogenisation of culture has always been attributed to the internet,” Olah says. “Everything was freely available and people had choice paralysis, so they all just kind of conformed because they all wanted to get the maximum traction on everything that they shared and

“The sources of validation in today’s society only sanction a really limited scope of behaviour.

You can’t go in dressed however you like, talking however you like…”

Nathalie Olah

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posted online. But I would say that the other thing that I think contributed to it was the loss of local and smaller journalism, because I think that that had a symbiotic relationship with culture.

“Movements would start in music and art and fashion, and it was actually the interest of journalists who found subculture fascinating that kind of validated them and gave them credibility, that only then reinforced them and made them popular with a slightly larger group of people.”

Across the globe, we can see the power and the deadly consequences of mainstream consensus around which stories ‘can’ be told and the ways we ‘should’ tell them. Bad Taste is a timely reminder that tastes and mores are real and powerful – but that if we can see them in action, we can, maybe, turn them from sour to sweet.

Bad Taste is out with Dialogue Books on 9 Nov Nathalie Olah discusses the book at The Stories We Bring, part of Edinburgh’s Radical Book Fair, Assembly Roxy, 9 Nov, 7.30pm

THE SKINNY

Musical Chairs

Novmeber 2023 – Feature

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THE SKINNY

The Skinny speaks to Dundee-based Wooosh Gallery about institutional voices, disrupting curatorial practices, and setting up an art gallery in a car park

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t’s got to have at least three ‘O’s. Any more is fine, but absolutely no less. Accuracy is, after all, very important for Wooosh Gallery: once Scotland’s Most Haunted Gallery; Scotland’s Most Romantic Gallery; and, even, the Best Gallery in the Whole World. Such titles can’t really be proven or denied – so Wooosh Gallery is claiming them as its own.

Back in 2019, Jamie Donald, Finlay Hall, and Jek McAllister founded Wooosh Gallery, based in Miller’s Wynd Car Park, Dundee. It’s free to attend, open 24/7, and usually consists of A4 paper pasted on a wall.

In their fourth year of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD), peers were putting on exhibitions, performances, gigs – and there was space to do so within the art school set-up. Upon graduating, however, it seemed this wasn’t really the case. Wooosh sought to do something about that.

The trio looked at several different commercial spaces, including one titled Woosh Gym. They joked they could take the ‘gym’ off – adding ‘gallery’ instead – saving money on an entirely new sign. From there, the name stuck, even though they didn’t end up opting for the space. “It’s such a perfect name. It goes with the theory: do it first and then think about it later. And then we added an extra ‘O’,” says Hall.

And Miller’s Wynd Car Park was the perfect place. Crucially, it was somewhere people already were. The car park happened to be next to the art school, nearby their old flats, and opposite their chosen pub. “It’s awkward if we’re having a big opening, and then someone has to come and get their car out,” says McAllister. “There could

Words: Eilidh Akilade

literally be 30 people standing around the car.”

The gallery’s regular programming consists of Woooshes: the opening of an artist’s work at Wooosh, accompanied by an artist talk and an “interrogation”, always ending with a trip to the pub. At the beginning, they set out to Wooosh weekly; now, realising that’s a lot, it’s slightly less frequent. Its one-off events are often collaborative, sometimes highly responsive. For instance, when DJCAD students were denied a degree show, Wooosh took matters into their own hands. And, in June of this year, Art Night Dundee saw them collaborate with local community gardens to facilitate a Flower Show.

Each Wooosh piece is pasted directly on top of the previous one (or the remnants of it). Usually, they use wallpaper paste – occasionally, wheatpaste. “Sometimes people steal them, or they get eaten by slugs,” says Hall.

“We quite quickly realised we had zero resources at all – including time, money, access to any facilities,” explains McAllister. “But you can sort of always find somewhere to print something off.” While studying, the trio found that their tutors and lecturers were fairly opposed to A4, a supposedly unintentional paper sizing. But, for Wooosh, A4 is mandatory. An institutional ruling is turned back on itself – while also allowing for ease of printing and archiving.

“Regardless of how many people come or not, or whose thing it is, a lot of the rituals are the same every time: being a bit late, not showing up on time; having to really last-minute print the thing; and then trying to remember where the Wooosh bag is; buying beers,” says Donald.

Wooosh bag contents include: wallpaper paste Photo: Ben Douglas

November 2023 – Feature

Musical Chairs

Scotland’s Most Haunted Gallery

REAL LIFE ONLY GRADUATE SHOWCASE, Wooosh Gallery with DJCAD Graduates, 2021

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“If anyone asks [to do a Wooosh], it’s a no. But we might just incidentally invite them two seconds later” Jamie Donald, Wooosh Gallery Co-Founder and a paintbrush; a folder with the current Wooosh and remnants of the previous Wooosh; and, usually, some tinnies.

“There’s certain people whose practices align with the Wooosh ethos or maybe the opposite, where it’d be funny if they did one, because they don’t usually do stuff like that,” explains Hall.

Wooosh Gallery isn’t afraid to disrupt itself. In fact, their “curatorial dictatorship” is all for it.

“If anyone asks [to do a Wooosh], it’s a no.

But we might just incidentally invite them two seconds later,” adds Donald. The pretence of exclusivity is part of the fun. But it’s also a pointed response to the closed-off, all too elitist art world; Wooosh can be just as mean as the big institutions – and get laughs while doing it.

Performance is, of course, key. “We were experimenting with a gallery voice, an institutional voice – and what if that voice is a bit stupid, or a bit mean?” says Hall. Wooosh emails are a little cheeky; Instagram captions are proud and longwinded; their stratified badges are highly exclusive and coveted. Hierarchies are sometimes fun – and Wooosh knows it.

“We wanted to get invited to VIP drinks and we wanted to go to V&A private openings. ‘Fake it till you make it,’ is what we used to say. Now we seem to get included in these things,” says McAllister.

But, overall, the gallery isn’t all too interested in adopting the mainstream approach. “We came up with the way we do things deliberately for it to be able to happen for free, essentially,” says Donald. “And it means that we don’t have to do any of the reshaping that you have to do when you’re getting into the funding racket.”

Wooosh Gallery is very much doing things its own way – subversive, exciting, and very Wooooosh indeed.

Find out more about Wooosh Gallery @woooshgallery on Instagram

THE SKINNY

Equitable and intersectional media Musical Chairs

Highlighting blind spots within current mass media supply chains, Take Up Space proposes an alternative, community-driven, model that is intersectional, and equitable for all – “a media that you can see yourself in” Words: Cammy Gallagher

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Paff Evara

particular admiration for Intercultural Youth Scotland and Spit It Out, the collective now set their sights on serving the communities in and around them. “I think we went everything online first,” Evara says, “which was awesome, but there’s something really magical about meeting people face to face, building in a more grassroots manner.” Evara and Peacock actively aspire towards a decentralised communications industry, where it’s possible to make and monetise honest media, whilst taking up space as your most authentic self.

“We’re not just highlighting culture,” they say, “we’re building it ourselves.”

Find out more about Take Up Space at takeupspace.io

November 2023 – Feature

endeavours through a shared bank account. The treasury is subsidised by members minting Founders Token NFTs (designed by Fat Baby), which grant access to the group’s Discord where owners can contribute towards communal interdisciplinary projects.

As the lines between audience and ‘artist’ increasingly blur within the nascent blockchain space, Evara emphasises the “need for as many people as possible at the ideation phase… that’s when you spot opportunities for new stories and new scenes to platform.” In forming their (sell-out) flagship event, CreatorThon – a two-day virtual summit comprised of expert social panels – initial ideas were envisioned across weekly “jam sessions”, suggesting potential subjects, speakers, and outcomes – “it was a true labour of co-creation.”

When working within an inherently financialised space, “you do feel the ups and downs with the market,” but Evara convincingly details “interesting use cases of the technology that do make sense” such as the ability of smart contracts to enable “an environment that is permissionless.” This means whatever conditional statements are coded into the blockchain’s ledger – such as creator royalty splits – will be auditable and fulfilled permanently, “ensuring all creators and contributors are fairly compensated for their work.”

With plans to realise all of the aforementioned on a platform of their own, uniting their fragmented outreach through developing a seamless platform – “where you don’t have to learn all the jargon” – that allows audiences to collect and support media, the duo are tapping into new user behaviour “where people want to collect and show they were here for this moment, while directly funding creators.”

With a physical zine (via Leith printmaker Out of the Blueprint), merchandise, and IRL events in the pipeline, TUS have set their sights on increased local integration moving forward. Noting

Image: courtesy of Take Up Space

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ass concentration of media ownership has been a constant since the steam press instigated the commodification of information as news. A minority of monopolies own the majority of worldwide outlets, swaying which stories are spread, and in which light. This has led to a watered-down output across a communications industry catered towards a majority audience, whilst the representation of underserved individuals rests with ever-struggling independents. In an exclusive conversation with The Skinny, Paff Evara of Take Up Space (TUS), highlights blind spots within current mass media supply chains, proposing an alternative, community-driven model that is intersectional, and equitable for all – “a media that you can see yourself in.”

Co-founded in February 2022 by Evara and partner Hannah Peacock, TUS are a communityowned culture house seeking to bring forth a new era of decentralised media that empowers BIPOC and LGBTQ+ voices. Based in Edinburgh, the initial duo has since blossomed into a wide collective of creatives, writers and storytellers across the globe.

Growing up in Australia, the birthplace of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, Evara highlights an ownership foothold, both back home and here, spread across a handful of companies and subsidiaries: “You can start to see there is a homogenous lens applied to stories.”

This money-centric model aligns the success of pitches with their exchange value, meaning a mainstream narrative dominates perpetually.

However, given the rise of the creator economy post-COVID, Evara highlights how “we’re starting to see this shift towards more direct ownership,” noting the “autonomy to create more authentically” afforded by subscription-based services such as Substack or Patreon. Still, despite social applications democratising mass distribution, their polarising success-style metrics – prioritising volume over content – make it tough to imagine a trajectory excluding algorithms, brand deals, and ultimately diluted authenticity. Being a content creator, Evara understands current limitations in creators’ pathways. “I love TikTok. I saw, firsthand, the power of storytelling and community and belonging,” yet despite generating millions of views for the platform, “I barely earned any money from it, they’re the ones extracting all the value.”

TUS exists primarily on the internet, and draws upon Web3 tools to fund co-created

THE SKINNY

November 2023 – Feature

Musical Chairs

Reimagining Art School There’s more than one way to learn. Cooper Gallery’s third iteration of The Ignorant Art School series welcomes The Otolith Group with an exhibition of moving image works and a series of workshops-as-provocations Words: Harvey Dimond

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he Otolith Group comprises of Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun, who work at the intersection of artistic practice, curating, researching, producing and activism – but the roles they inhabit are truly infinite. The collective was founded in 2002, rejecting the individualism and artist-as-celebrity trope that the YBA (Young British Artists) rallied around in the 1990s and into the new millennium. As Ed Halter wrote in Artforum in 2022, The Otolith Group have, for over 20 years, “hijacked art-world structures to serve not the needs of investment capital and individual egos but rather the global circulation of radical ideas.” But There Are New Suns, the title of their current project at the Cooper Gallery in Dundee, is very much ‘a study of study’, the artists tell me – a way of creating discourse around the provision of education, using moving image as a catalyst.

While intensely engaged in research, the collective’s practice is also deeply tied to activism; their workshops for The Ignorant Art School are provocations, explicit calls to action. Sophia Yadong Hao, director and principal curator at the Cooper Gallery, says the wider aim of the programme is to nurture what Edward Said termed “interpretive communities” – communities in which “multiple and different perspectives and practices can co-exist and collectively question – against an ongoing economisation of education – Eurocentric assumptions of what knowledge is… and how knowledge is marked by the violence of power.”

These communities often come together (not necessarily just physically) around a particular text, artwork or set of theories.

One key aspect of The Otolith Group’s work is their use of curation as artistic practice to promote the work of artists that they admire, encouraging these ‘interpretive communities’ to congregate around these artists’ practices. As well as Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, who is the focal point of one of the two films on display, What The Owl Knows, the collective have programmed, curated and celebrated the work of artists including Black Audio Film Collective, Rehana Zaman and Emma WolukauWanambwa, amongst many others. Sagar and Eshun describe What The Owl Knows as being “a study, in and by video, of study in and by paint.”

The film very much attends to the tones, textures and moods that Yiadom-Boakye embodies in her intentional acts of making, rather than focusing on the physicality or form of the paintings themselves.

The Ignorant Art School is an ongoing project convened by the Cooper Gallery at The University of Dundee, and is formed of five exhibition projects labelled ‘sit ins’, referencing a form of direct action that often takes place in schools, universities and places of work in protest at institutional and governmental neglect. The programme began in 2021 with an exhibition and constellation of events in collaboration with Ruth Ewan, while the second rendition explored alternative arts education models through a series of events, with a

The Otolith Group, What The Owl Knows

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“Multiple and different perspectives and practices can coexist and collectively question Eurocentric assumptions of what knowledge is and how knowledge is marked by the violence of power” Sophia Yadong Hao response by Jade Montserrat. The Ignorant Art School recognises that arts education is fundamentally flawed; in the UK, art schools remain stubborn bastions of elitism and whiteness while masquerading as the opposite. The programme instead aims to reimagine the art school as a potentially liberatory site. Hao recognises that one of the key issues with art schools currently is the “misleading demarcation between those who know and those who come here to know”; this classification is “insufficient in capturing the actual diversity of opinion and thinking that characterise any art school.”

The Otolith Group inhabit the third ‘sit in’ as part of the series, using the structures of The Ignorant Art School as a way to stimulate critical conversations in and around the art school. To do this, they have created The Department of Xenogenesis or DXG, a ‘time space’ as a tool to extend the research practice of the collective out into the art school and into Dundee. DXG will operate across six workshops – two have already taken place, but four more of these public events will take place before the exhibition closes on 13 December.

The Otolith Group, But There Are New Suns, Cooper Gallery, Dundee, until 13 Dec

THE SKINNY

Grease 2 4EVA, I.D.S.T. Words: Tallah Brash Illustration: Jonny Mowat

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headed up by Adrian Smed as Johnny Nogorelli, with the more recognisable Christopher McDonald (Happy Gilmore) as one of his goofy sidekicks Goose. But the pièce de résistance, Grease 2’s secret weapon, is the inimitable Michelle Pfeiffer as the effortlessly cool Stephanie Zinone, leader of The Pink Ladies. And the plot? Well that’s simple – it’s lust at first sight for Michael when he meets Stephanie, but unless Michael gets himself a cycle, a jacket, and becomes a member of The T-Birds, then he’s plum out of luck.

— 29 —

But Stephanie’s smarter than that. After a summer of implied fooling around with Johnny, she returns for the new school year a changed woman.

“There’s got to be more to life than making out,” she sighs. Later, after an intense synchronised song and dance at the Bowl-a-Rama, she stands up to Johnny’s controlling, chauvinistic and sexist behaviour, declaring loudly, “I ain’t no one’s trophy.

I can kiss who I want, when I want.” What follows is a giddy encounter for the now even more smitten Michael, who, the next day, while rehearsing for the school talent show, asks if Stephanie’s free one day after school for a date, and Grease 2’s very own 1960s second-wave feminist movement Barbie responds to this Ken the only way she knows how: “I’m free every day. It’s in the constitution.” Iconic.

Michael, a man, of course, is persistent, refusing to take no for an answer. But instead of being a self-righteous pig of a bully à la Johnny, he simply asks what she looks for in a guy, leading to the film’s first musical peak, Cool Rider, with lines like, “I want a whole lot more than the boy next door / I want hell on wheels”.

Cue Michael’s bid to get the girl.

Getting a cash-in-hand job doing homework assignments for The T-Birds, he makes enough money to buy a fixer-upper bike, and he quickly learns how to ride. During a rumble outside the bowling alley, he leaves Stephanie agog (“He wears a pair of goggles like a man from outer space / It doesn’t really matter that I haven’t seen his face,” she sings), while everyone is asking, Who’s That Guy? (“What would they say if they knew it was Michael?”)

And the drama continues right to the end: Stephanie continues to do what she wants, Michael remains mysteriously suave, and The T-Birds care about little more than shagging, maintaining their reputation and “trying to be cool”. By the end, the dark undercurrent of sexism and patriarchal misogyny that courses through the veins of Grease 2 fortunately dissipates, with everyone – some more than others – coming to the conclusion that, really, you shouldn’t change for anyone. Maybe I should have pitched Grease 2 to my P7 teachers?

November 2023 – Feature

hen I was ten years old, my best friend and I transcribed the entirety of Grease, with the hopes of it becoming our end-of-year P7 musical; before pitching it, we even did a mockcasting among our peers, making valuable friendships along the way. Alas, it wasn’t to be as summer lovin’, car races, smoking, alcohol and unprotected sex obviously didn’t cut it with our teachers, who made us do Samson and Delilah instead.

Just like those summer days grew colder for Sandy and Danny, so too did my friendship with my then best friend when we went our separate ways, attending what were essentially rival high schools in the south of Edinburgh. But unlike Grease, fortunately for us, there was no gang of misfits showing up on our turf on the regular, challenging us at dance contests or racing us for slips.

From a young age, I fell in love with Grease – I loved the music, the fashion, the bravado of it all. But as I grew up, my heart was stolen by its successor, Grease 2, which I recently discovered I share my birthday with. Many people I speak to about Grease 2 either haven’t seen it or didn’t know it existed, so here’s the pitch: Grease 2 is Grease’s hornier younger sibling, where teenage lust rules the school, innuendos come in as thick and fast as the male actors’ five o’clock shadows, and even the teachers are concupiscent. Do I have your attention yet?

But the main question I get asked is, “Is it the same cast?” Set a couple of years after the original, the answer is both yes and no. Heeding the advice of her guardian angel, Didi Conn reprises her role as Frenchy, returning to Rydell High to get a pass in chemistry; Coach Calhoun is back, for some reason prattling on a lot about what to do if Russia invades America; everyone’s favourite principal/secretary double-act, Mrs McGee and Blanche are back and up to their old tricks, McGee still with a mild disdain for everyone; and with cars traded for motorcycles, bad guy Craterface returns as leader of the now Cycle Lords, lol.

But the core cast are all new.

This year’s exchange student comes in the form of Sandy’s British cousin, the well-spoken, booksmart Michael Carrington, played by Maxwell Caulfield, and The T-Birds are

Musical Chairs

In Grease 2, sexism and patriarchal misogyny hang heavy in the air like a bad smell, but Michelle Pfeiffer rules the school – we take a closer look at the cinematic flop turned cult classic

THE SKINNY

Word (Dumpling) Soup

November 2023 – Feature

Words: Riyoko Shibe

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ean Wai-Keung recalls the first time he began making dumplings. A teenager, he buys a pack of 100 dumpling skins, testing out different flavours and spices. And then he runs out. The nearest supermarket that sells them is too far away, so he looks up a recipe and, realising it’s just flour and water, decides to make them himself. “That’s the way that I get into a lot of food – from scratch,” Wai-Keung explains. “I think by making something from scratch, you gain an appreciation for how things used to be done, where the ideas for how this food comes together might have come from originally.”

We have met, conveniently, in Glasgow’s Dumpling Monkey. We order vegetable and special mix dumplings, flat noodles and salted fish and aubergine as Wai-Keung tells me about his journey as a poet and his upcoming event at Edinburgh’s international poetry festival Push The Boat Out – the appropriately named Dumpling Poetry. Part cooking-class, part poetry-reading, Wai-Keung will read from his debut collection Sikfan Glaschu, published in 2021, and come together with an audience to mix flour and water, fold in rich and nutritious fillings, boil to cook, and finally: eat.

An interdisciplinary writer and performancemaker, Wai-Keung’s creative practice blends community, art and performance through food and poetry. “I think of food as just being a natural extension of why I enjoy poetry,” he explains. While poetry helped him come out of his shell as a child, he quickly found himself wanting to expand his practice, to connect with people more directly than allowed in traditional performance settings.

Sharing food, he found, was the perfect way to do this, and it quickly became an avenue through which he could experiment and explore, allowing him to harness the connective ability and community abundancy of poetry.

His dumpling-making workshop builds on similar events over the past few years that sought to connect people with food, sharing and community, as well as with the materiality that produces all that nourishes us. Over lockdown, alongside a poetry reading, he showed people via Zoom how to make hand-pulled noodles in their own kitchens; last year at Push The Boat Out, he used fortune cookies to create collaborative poems with an audience while sharing warm broth.

The collection he will read from at this year’s event is anchored around a similar ethos. A snapshot of Glasgow in the five years up to the 2021 lockdown, the contents of Sikfan Glaschu alone conjures up a map – and for those familiar to the city, memories – of Glasgow’s most loved eateries, from Ranjit’s Kitchen to Paesano’s and, of

Image: courtesy of anatomyarts.co.uk

Musical Chairs

We chat with food-poet Sean Wai-Keung about his Push The Boat Out event Dumpling Poetry, and the community spirit inherent to both cooking and performance

course, Dumpling Monkey. The collection illuminates migration histories, the minimum wage service industry, and socioeconomic precarity before and during the pandemic. In his work, Wai-Keung seeks to demystify food in all its ways, from how it is made to its relationship with labour and capitalism. “Part of what I wanted to do was… hopefully encourage people to connect themselves back to what the food actually is, how the food developed, [and] what the ancestors who made that food from scratch might have been doing before the days of mass production and industrialisation.”

We close the interview chatting about the concept of dumplings, and our favourite way to eat them. “I’ve become a huge fan of kimchi in dumplings”, he enthuses, “like actually the inside of dumplings.” We debate boiling versus frying, and both of us settle on boiling as our favourite way to cook them, and he ponders his preference for thicker skins – it makes them chewier, which he likes. I lament my lack of skill in dumpling folding, growing up watching my mum fold meticulous, picture-perfect gyoza. We look together at the folded dumplings in front of us as Sean admits he’s not very good at it either. “The first dumpling I do, it’s perfect. It’s incredible. It’s magical. And the next one is a bit less good. And then the tenth one comes along, and I’m literally just doing the bare minimum to close it.” But that’s the thing, he says – there’s no correct way. “If you’re just eating with friends or with family, it doesn’t matter if they’re perfect or not. As long as they hold together and — 30 —

they’re in the soup – that’s how they were done originally. It was just a way to hold things in a skin.”

Dumpling Poetry takes place at Push The Boat Out on 25 Nov at 12:30pm at Summerhall Push The Boat Out takes place 24-26 Nov at Summerhall

Sean Wai-Keung’s Dumpling Recipes Chive in dumplings “Try pork and chive, or chive, beansprout, carrots, and cabbage.”

Frying dumplings “If you’re frying dumplings, add something a bit crunchy in there, like a king prawn. Och, amazing, amazing.”

Boiling dumplings “My favourite way of eating dumplings is always boiled and often in soup.”

Vegetables in dumplings “Something more vegetable-y, with a bit of pepperiness to it is always very, very nice.”

Kimchi in dumplings It explains itself.

THE SKINNY

Musical Chairs

Novmeber 2023 – Feature

— 31 —

Musical Chairs

THE SKINNY

Saving Words Cuts, cuts, and more cuts – our libraries are under attack.

One writer reflects on a lifelong love for her local library and the need to keep the doors open, especially in these difficult times Words: Nyla Ahmad Illustration: Amy Lauren

C November 2023 – Feature

oatbridge Library is what I refer to as a ‘Celebrity of My Life’: the places, people or things you are bound to hear about if you spend more than twenty minutes talking to me. Other ‘Celebrities of My Life’ include my shower-loving cat, my best friend, and my friend Heather’s borderline erotic aptitude when it comes to ordering dinner for the table. On 28 September,

“Coatbridge Library kept this spark glowing in me and there’s a wonder inside me that simply would not exist without it. I don’t want to lose it, and I don’t want to think about who I would have been if it was never ignited”

it was announced that North Lanarkshire council would close 38 leisure facilities across the constituency, including six libraries and their mobile library service. Although Coatbridge Library wasn’t one of those North Lanarkshire announced to close, I immediately thought of my second home and those of many others. I felt the worry that comes with the news that a dear friend could be leaving you. It felt akin to the time I knew the home I grew up in was a place I could no longer visit, that I’d never again do the jiggle and twist of moving my key in the lock.

Coatbridge Library is not a remarkable physical space. I struggle to conjure an image of the carpet in my mind, but I can see the shelves and tables clearly. I can smell the Mars Bar hot chocolate and coffee sachets I would Frankenstein together in the coffee machine, and I can very clearly feel the sense of comfort and awe I always felt there. The library itself changed location when I was in high school, moving from a standalone grand building to the bottom floor of the Buchanan Centre, which also houses doctors' offices and dentists. It is by no means an architectural marvel. Coatbridge Library is not exceptional against other libraries; it is exceptional precisely because it is simply a library.

Libraries are cornerstones of communities.

They reduce social isolation and come with huge socio-economic benefits. Estimates from CILIP suggest that every £1 invested in libraries returns between £5 and £7, which is a return of between £5bn and £6bn a year for the UK economy. These financial benefits extend to their users as well.

— 32 —

Following research conducted in 2020, Scottish Book Trust reported that 94% of those with children use the library to access print books for them. Meanwhile, according to National Literacy Trust, children and young people with good reading skills are four times as likely to have good financial skills, compared to their peers with poor reading skills. This is not a statistic to take lightly, considering that Joseph Rowntree Foundation found nearly one in five families in Scotland are living in poverty, and, as reported by Early Intervention Foundation, children from the poorest families in the UK are up to 19 months behind their peers in their vocabulary by the age of five.

Looking at the local community I grew up in, North Lanarkshire poverty is higher than the national

THE SKINNY

Musical Chairs

need to pay to exist in, is hugely important for our wellbeing but also to our creative souls. I will always champion the enthusiasm, interest, and imagination of other human beings. When I am 80 years old, I hope I maintain the knee dexterity to still get on the floor with a child to draw them a polar bear blinking in a blizzard (it’s easy, you just draw the nose). I hope I never stop being someone who starts conversations with people I see reading books I’ve read or want to read. Coatbridge Library kept this spark glowing in me and there’s a wonder inside me that simply would not exist without it. I don’t want to lose it, and I don’t want to think about who I would have been if it was never ignited.

Following an online uproar, North Lanarkshire council chose to reverse their — 33 —

decision to close all 38 facilities. I thought I’d feel relief but instead I felt a creeping dread about how the decision was made in the first place – without a full public consultation or clear evidence of empathy for how beloved these facilities are. Although the libraries where I grew up are currently safe, libraries remain under threat. Earlier this year, The Scotsman reported that since 2010, one in eight Scottish public libraries have closed and funding has dropped by 30%. I am not hopeful for the future of funding for libraries, but I am ready to shout loudly against their closures. Let’s not take these vital hubs for granted and let’s do everything we can to keep them open – for wellbeing, for opportunity, and for joy.

November 2023 – Feature

average, with the council reporting that nearly one in four children are living in poverty. I’m not saying one can simply read their way out of poverty, it’s obviously a lot more complex than that, but I am saying it has long been proven that reading for pleasure is one of the strongest indicators that a child will break the poverty cycle, and libraries are crucial blocks in building this habit.

But, for me, the sheer joy libraries bring to individuals and communities is reason enough to value them and keep them. My library was a place where I could read what I wanted simply because I wanted to. I was not going to be graded and I didn’t need to justify spending money I didn’t have on a book I wasn’t sure I’d like. Having access to books you can read for free, in a place that you do not

November 2023 – Feature

Music

THE SKINNY

— 34 —

THE SKINNY

Space for Everyone Ahead of his appearance at The Great Western, we speak to Miles Romans-Hopcraft, aka Wu-Lu, about the importance of community in the creation of his music and his audience Words: Rhys Morgan

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Loggerhead is out now via Warp; Wu-Lu plays The Great Western, Glasgow, 4 Nov wu-lu.net

November 2023 – Feature

Miles Romans-Hopcraft, Wu-Lu

that I’m still thinking about other people’s experience over my own.”

Wu-Lu sees this as a conversation of community, a kind of shared and reciprocal education in reality. He continues: “I’m always trying to give an example or a perspective, always open for people to give me their opinion so I can learn from that as well; musically, spiritually, mentally. Since putting out the album, I’ve definitely met people along the way who have told me, ‘it’s good to see the representation happening, a person of colour doing this.’ I’m just trying to make it cool for everyone. Hold space for everyone. When people have told me [things like] that, it gives me inspiration to keep going, progressing, widening the perspective of what I’m doing.”

Music

“Considering other people’s scenarios... lets people know that I’m thinking about other people’s experience over my own”

and playing in a band as “being a cog in the clock” – it was the fatigue of working in studio production that eventually yielded change: “Eventually I was like ‘this is long man, I’m just gonna do it myself.’”

It’s evident that RomansHopcraft’s broad church of style is due to a community in itself, though as a microcosm. In describing his musical upbringing, he mentions Hector Plimmer, with whom he was part of hip-hop outfit Monster Playground when he was younger, and playing music with his twin brother, Benjamin Romans-Hopcraft, of Warmduscher and Childhood fame. He sets the scene for just how collaborative he is artistically, especially when it comes to the conception and execution of Loggerhead.

Speaking about the process, the majority of which took place in Norway, he describes the social nature of the experience: “[I] sat down with basically my best mates.

So many different iterations of members and people joining the crew, [some] not having enough time [to be there for the duration of the process], or having, like, a job or whatever to focus on… [the process was] like having physical representations of my brain around me being like, ‘that’s banging!’, or ‘that’s shit!’, or ‘imagine we did this!?’”

Resultantly, Loggerhead is a confluence of the personal and the communal. We ask Romans-Hopcraft how he feels this translates to audiences that perhaps aren’t familiar with the realities that he describes, both personally and as an observer to his community.

“People just get drawn to different parts of it,” he muses. “People close to my age will get nostalgic from the grungy elements. But I’m always trying to keep things current and available for other people to relate to it.”

He refers to his youth work as a catalyst of Loggerhead’s consistent sense of community. “[I’m] trying to represent or talk about things that younger people might relate to a bit… Most of the time, I’m not necessarily talking about stuff that is related to me… I’ve been witness to other people’s experience and I do like to be able to pinpoint those things so that people can feel like it’s not just a sort of personal outpour all the time… considering other people’s scenarios shows a bit more of a community aspect, or lets people know

Photo: Machine Operated

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iles Romans-Hopcraft, better known as Wu-Lu, is South London’s own musical factotum. A self-referred “open book”, when we chat over Zoom one Monday morning he answers effusively when sharing his experiences.

We discuss the role of community in music conceptually, and in what ways – in a contemporary and current sense – there is interplay with the concept of ‘genre’; a conversation that seems particularly appropriate for a stylistic chameleon such as Wu-Lu. Both in the press and in the wider conversation, the deftness with which Wu-Lu combines facets of such ‘oil and water’ genres – grunge, hip-hop, jazz – is invariably mentioned, as is Romans-Hopcraft as a form of representation of his Brixton community. We enquire as to whether this evolution at an allegro pace – you need only listen to the gulf between 2015’s self-released Ginga and 2022’s Warp Records debut Loggerhead to illustrate this – concerning genre is something he consciously utilises, or whether it is less measured and more organic.

“It definitely is all organic… more of a vibe thing,” he tells us. “It can depend on how I’m feeling on the day, on the lyrical content. But the cross-genre stuff comes from, like, DJing and being into a load of different genres of music… and trying to be into turntablism, working out that sort of way of mixing. To kind of bring all the different genres – all the best parts of genres – using the breaks and stuff of different records, in a really short set; it’s like [trying] to do that, in a musical way.”

The sheer elasticity of Wu-Lu’s musical surroundings seems to infer his multidisciplinary process, dabbling in, he describes, “hip-hop beats… like sampled, chopped and screwed”, later layering in bass, which he played growing up.

Rejecting this genre-led separation of the recording processes he’d variably been a part of – hiphop as “beats, NPC, sampling records, Ableton”,

Anthony Gerace

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THE SKINNY

Not Your Usual is a new series from The Skinny and Glayva highlighting innovative artists from across the Scottish scene. For our fourth instalment, we chat to actorwriter-director Adura Onashile over a warming Gallivant glocktail Words: Jamie Dunn

November 2023

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ow does one become an award-winning actor and director across theatre and film?

According to Glasgow-based actor-writerdirector Adura Onashile, mostly by happenstance.

She can’t remember ever having a burning desire to be on stage growing up. “I just really liked stories, I liked language,” she recalls. “And those were the subjects I did well in. I just fell into it.”

Chance also brought Onashile to Glasgow.

She arrived in the city for the first time in 2010, to begin rehearsing for what would become her breakthrough acting role in Steff Smith’s bruising human trafficking play Roadkill, directed by Cora Bissett. “I remember the journey from Central Station to Dennistoun in the back of a cab, and I was just immediately overwhelmed by how beautiful the architecture of the city was,” she recalls.

The people weren’t bad either. “Glasgow felt like it was an art scene that was really accessible and open, which felt like quite a contrast to what I was used to in London.” Roadkill went on to be a smash, winning every major theatre award at that year’s Fringe. By then, Onashile had decided to make Scotland her home.

She returned to the Fringe in 2013 with her self-penned solo show HeLa, based on the story of Henrietta Lacks, an African-American woman whose cancer cells were used to create the HeLa cell line, which has been hugely important in medical research ever since. “HeLa was such a great experience,” says Onashile. “Writing a character for myself to play, that challenge made me grow as an artist. So after that, I really wanted to write.”

And write she did. In 2016, Onashile stormed the Fringe with Expensive Shit. “To be honest, I thought I had just one chance,” says Onashile, “so I threw everything at this play.” She’s not exaggerating. Expensive Shit, which Onashile also directed, explores parallel moral dilemmas taking place in two nightclub toilets: one in modern-day Glasgow, the other in Fela Kuti’s Shrine Club in Lagos in the 70s. The Glasgow portion was inspired by the story of the Shimmy Club, a garish nightclub that

installed a two-way mirror in the women’s toilets, the other side of which was a private room where the women could be observed without their knowledge. In a cinematic fashion, the play’s action switches back and forth between timelines.

Onashile reckons she only came up with an idea this ambitious because she didn’t know any better. “I think my ignorance of playwriting actually allowed me to take those risks,” she suggests. “If I’d been trained, maybe I would have been much more cautious about being so dynamic with the shifts in time and place.” This freedom to experiment was important though. “It’s influenced my work ever since because I like trying things out that maybe don’t necessarily make sense, but sometimes in that challenge, you find beauty.”

Expensive Shit caught the eye of Rosie Crerar and Ciara Barry, film producers based in Glasgow. “[Rosie and Ciara] got in touch with me and said, ‘You write with this very visual style. We think you might be able to write for film.’” Once again, chance was taking Onashile down a path she hadn’t considered before. “I was very excited to try [filmmaking] out, but I never thought anything would come of it.”

She was immediately taken with the idea of reworking Expensive Shit cinematically. “While adapting Expensive Shit, I learned a lot about screenwriting and directing,” she says. “I loved every minute of turning the play into a short and then shooting the film, editing that film and putting it out there. It was a great experience.”

The 70s-set scenes at the Shrine Club were stripped back to concentrate on the contemporary tale set in Glasgow clubland dealing with race, class, immigration and exploitation. The resulting short plays like a real-time thriller and was particularly well received at the Glasgow Short Film Festival, where it was awarded Best Scottish Short by both the festival jury and the audience.

The propulsive Expensive Shit doesn’t quite prepare you for Girl, Onashile’s much quieter, more intimate feature debut. Also set in Glasgow, it tells — 38 —

the story of Grace, a Black immigrant single mother, and her complex, co-dependent relationship with her ten-year-old daughter, Ama. The film isn’t autobiographical, but it does take influence from Onashile’s childhood.

“I’ve always been fascinated by how lines can be blurred when you have a young single mother and a young daughter,” she explains. “That’s how I grew up. I’m the only child of a single mother and lines often blurred. Are we sisters? Are we best friends? Are we mother and daughter? I wanted to push that to the extreme in Girl.”

Grace is a troubled young woman, and she’s carrying a deep trauma from before Ama was born, which is slowly revealed throughout the film in striking flashbacks to her youth. What distinguishes Girl from similarly themed British dramas is that for all the misery Grace has endured, there is colour and life in the film too. “When I see working-class black lives portrayed on screen, it can often feel like it doesn’t have much beauty in it,” says Onashile. “Especially if you’re dealing with traumatic situations. And I don’t think that’s reality – or it doesn’t always have to be. I think beauty and love can sit next to trauma quite closely.”

Girl is released 24 Nov by Studio Soho Distribution, and there is a preview screening at Glasgow Film Theatre on 17 Nov, followed by a Q&A Listen to an extended chat with Adura Onashile on The Skinny and Glayva’s new podcast, Not Your Usual, at theskinny.co.uk or wherever you get your podcasts This interview was conducted over The Gallivant, a Glocktail made with Glayva, Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth and Angostura Bitters, stirred in a martini glass with no ice and garnished with blackberries.

THE SKINNY

Natural Escape Ahead of releasing her debut album, Exit Light, we chat with Glasgow singer-songwriter Kim Grant, aka Raveloe Words: Tony Inglis my own listening,” says Grant of this growth, citing The Microphones and Phil Elverum’s way of “oscillating between intimate and big, textural sounds. That’s come by inviting a bit more collaboration, and playing live in the studio with a band, capturing an energy I wasn’t quite able to from home.”

Grant says she fell into songwriting “because it was a visceral way to place my emotions. I can still remember one of the first songs I wrote, when

“There’s this kinship between us and the natural world, and I wanted to touch on the escapism in it” Kim Grant, Raveloe

Photo: Craig McIntosh

I was 11 or 12, I remember this feeling of isolation, and putting it down to a melody was very cathartic and soothing. And I think that’s where my relationship with making music started. From then on, I kept writing, bits of poetry or short stories but also thinking of melodies, even though I couldn’t play any instruments at that point. It’s a little bit of magic. I’ll sing a line to a certain harmony, and that can be a really intense feeling.”

On Exit Light, nature can be a refuge, and have a mysticism and wonder, a “rustle in the leaves” that defies explanation, which manifests in the magical realist slant of some of Grant’s lyrics.

She admits there’s a sense of romanticising of rural habitats, something she was bound to do growing up in an urban centre like Motherwell, and living in one now. But there’s also a grappling with understanding it: Grant references the ways natural phenomena seem to mimic human behaviour, relationships, or systems. These songs don’t provide any answers or doctrine necessarily, but are a document of an artist contending with these themes and cultivating a connection with their surroundings.

“When I was growing up, I remember walks by the River Avon in Hamilton, and whenever I was in green spaces, forests, or just our own garden, I would feel this sense of awe and bewilderment,” says Grant.

“There’s this kinship between us and the natural world, and I wanted to touch on the escapism in it, but also the reflection of us in it, and it in us.”

On the album cover, Grant is depicted at Govan Docks sitting embedded amongst the reeds, a housing estate visible in the background. “We saw the brush in this disused area, and it encapsulated the duality of the record: this magical space that you can’t quite place, and then something that’s very grounding.”

Grant skateboards, and says it taught her a lot about commitment and being open to vulnerability. While that practice may seem perpendicular to her contemplative songwriting, it showcases a less outgoing part of Grant’s personality as an artist: a propulsive willingness to move forward, something the evolution represented by Exit Light encapsulates.

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Exit Light is released on 11 Nov via Olive Grove Records raveloemusic.bandcamp.com — 39 —

November 2023 – Feature

argaret Gallagher lives in a cottage in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

There’s no electricity, no internet, no running water. Eighty-one years ago, she was born there and, to this day, there she remains. She lights fires to cook, is active in her local community, and continues to live according to the knowledge and traditions handed down to her in the 40s and 50s.

She is content. “It’s shaky at the minute, but then so am I,” she told a reporter earlier this year, “so we’ll have a battle out to see which of us goes first.”

Gallagher’s way of life presents the dichotomy of human beings’ relationship with nature, how we can be at odds or at one with it, and how we came from it and can choose to return. Gallagher’s story struck a chord with Glasgow-based songwriter Kim Grant, who makes music as Raveloe, a reference to George Eliot’s Silas Marner, and a call to weave music and words into indelible impressions of moments and feelings.

“I was fascinated by her resourcefulness and independence,” says Grant. “She survived her environment and is still going. In her house, everything has a purpose – it isn’t a museum. It was a refreshing, minimalist way to live.”

Grant stumbled upon a documentary about Gallagher after falling down a YouTube rabbit hole about slow living (“people chopping logs and building their own houses”).

Eventually, it became the inspiration for the centrepiece of her debut album, Exit Light. Clouds Are Release is a rollicking ode to Gallagher’s ability to adapt, even in the face of ominous weather. ‘There is a grace in every line on her face’, sings Grant.

‘The clouds are coming, so I learn to read them’.

Clouds Are Release alone is a thrilling step forward for Grant.

Originally a home recording artist, to great effect on 2021 EP notes and dreams, here she plays with tempo, loud/quiet dynamics, and the kind of communal atmosphere perfected by bands like Big Thief – the playing has an organic, and even telekinetic, sense of oneness, helped by the presence of Scottish music mainstays Susan Bear, Simon Lidell, and others. Elsewhere, field recordings, strains of Celtic folk, and Grant’s suspended vocals add to Exit Light’s ability to balance otherworldliness with something more grounded.

“I love contrast, and distorted textures are an element I’m drawn to in

THE SKINNY

Court’s in Session This year Justine Triet became only the third female director to win the Palme d’Or, for her fantastic fourth film Anatomy of a Fall.

She talks to us about upending the staid courtroom drama and her obsession with her extraordinary star, Sandra Hüller

Film

Words: Jamie Dunn

November 2023 – Feature

I

’m in bed with the director of In Bed with Victoria. Well, virtually. French filmmaker Justine Triet is in a hotel room lying flat, her head propped up on a mountain of pillows, as she discusses her extraordinary fourth feature Anatomy of a Fall over Zoom. The film centres on Sandra, played by German actor Sandra Hüller, who’s a writer who’s been accused of the murder of her husband, Samuel (also a writer, but less successful). His body is found bloody and broken on the snowy ground below the attic window of their Alpine chalet. Did he fall, jump or was he pushed? The only possible witness to the crime is Sandra and Samuel’s son Daniel, who’s blind.

Triet’s three earlier films – Age of Panic (2013), the aforementioned In Bed with Victoria (2016) and Sibyl (2019) – are all very good, each spiky, spry and smart, and centred on complex female characters, but Anatomy of a Fall is a huge leap forward in her filmmaking. It’s being described as a courtroom thriller but it’s a world away from a John Grisham potboiler. It has some of the genre’s ingredients – a person dies under suspicious circumstances, we have a suspect who seems to be holding back information, there’s a sanctimonious prosecutor – but Triet undercuts expectations at every opportunity. “When you make one of these procedural movies you go into a big big box,” says Triet. “Every month there are so many movies, so many series of this genre, so to stand out you have to be very very personal.”

When Triet started to write Anatomy of a Fall with co-writer Arthur Harari, they were determined to do things differently. “We didn’t use any additional dramatic score [all the music is diegetic, so playing within the reality of the film], we didn’t want to have the typical suspense of a Hollywood movie.”

One way Triet’s film stands apart from Hollywood is the courtroom scenes. Similarly to last year’s Saint Omer, Anatomy of a Fall shows that they do things quite differently in France, where the courtroom feels closer to theatre than a trial. “I don’t know how it is in Scotland, but in the US, the judge gives everyone permission to speak, but in France, it depends on the judge,” explains Triet. “So sometimes it’s more like the American system but more often our courts are more anarchic.” The trial in Anatomy of a Fall is towards the chaotic end of this spectrum, with everyone – be they defendant, lawyer or witness – liable to go off on poetic monologues as much as they are to answer questions directly.

Samuel Theis and Sandra Hüller on set of Anatomy of a Fall

This proves particularly tricky for Sandra. Her mother tongue is German and she has excellent English, but her French is not so hot. Despite this, she’s expected to give her testimony in French, although she often has to slip into English to stop herself from being misunderstood. “She has to learn French to be a ‘good person’ in the courtroom, but when she gets caught up with the emotions in the court she switches to English,” says Triet. Language is clearly central to the film.

“For Sandra, French is the mask. It’s a filter between her and reality. She has many faces, and French is just one of them, but when she goes back to English, that’s when it slips.”

Triet had Hüller in mind from the start. Hüller had a small but scene-stealing role in Sibyl as an exacerbated film director, and Triet evidently had a great time directing her. “I was totally obsessed with [Hüller],” recalls Triet. “All the team on Sibyl were. It’s very rare when an actor comes on to a set for a few days and gives so much. And when me and my editor were watching the rushes, I said I have to work with her again.” It’s hard to think of the film working with another actor, which Triet was well aware of, and this had her worried. “I was very afraid Sandra wouldn’t want to do the role, so — 40 —

I resorted to calling the character Sandra to force the issue,” she laughs. “To say to her, ‘OK, you have to do this now.’ It’s ridiculous but sometimes you have to try everything.”

Hüller is matched every step of the way by young Milo Machado Graner, who’s heartbreaking as Daniel, whose testimony may make or break his mother’s case. Unbelievably, Triet was initially resistant to casting Graner. “The first time I saw him I said ‘No, he doesn’t look right. He doesn’t look enough like Sandra.’” Co-writer Harari convinced her that this boy was special by having her ignore the image and simply listen only to his self-tape. “Arthur was right, he had such an interesting voice, an interesting way of speaking.

So we saw him just for the voice.” During Graner’s call-back, Triet wasn’t feeling the best, but this young performer soon perked her up. “When we saw him I was so exhausted but when Milo performed… I was like wow. We filmed the casting and I asked to have it downloaded onto my phone because I couldn’t stop watching it; it was like that video with the kid from the ET casting.”

Anatomy of a Fall is released 8 Nov by Picturehouse

THE SKINNY

Ooh Ahh Malia Perhaps the strongest British debut of the year, Molly Manning Walker’s How to Have Sex is a tale of liberating holiday shenanigans that descends into an ever-buzzing, neon-soaked hellscape of pressure to have more fun, more booze, and more sex Words: Stefania Sarrubba into Tara’s brain and really understand how she’s feeling about the situation. That kind of went into everything: costume design, makeup, music, sound design.”

Costume designer George Buxton moved to Malia before shooting to observe teens and 20-somethings in their Saturday night bests: splashy, mesh, cutout dresses that may not look very practical but serve as the perfect party uniforms. These outfits are an up-to-date version of the ones Walker used to wear on her own summer trips. “We were looking at photos of me,” Walker says, explaining the girls’ looks are carefully colour-coded. “Each colour represents a different thing. Skye wears green, and then when Tara wears the green, you feel the pressure of Skye on her. Orange is danger… there’s all these hidden things in it.”

The meticulous prep also comes through in the film’s most harrowing scenes. Walker had intimacy coordinator Jenefer Odell choreograph two sequences confirming the mundanity of sexual assault and coercion. “Both scenes are shot in very similar ways,” she says. “You focus on the face, you see [Tara’s] emotions rather than visualising the act itself. There’s no human connection in it. There’s no love and support for her. I wanted to make a comment on the fact that it might be a yes, but she’s so uncomfortable.”

Hard to put a name on when you’re so young, these experiences are the result of a warped

How To Have Sex is released 3 Nov by MUBI and is screening as part of The CineSkinny Film Club on 7 Nov at Summerhall, Edinburgh and 8 Nov at CCA, Glasgow. To attend one of these free screenings, head to theskinny.co.uk/tickets — 41 —

November 2023 – Feature

understanding of intimacy and a lack of communication that hardly gets any better post-adolescence. Opening the conversation to men is crucial, and How to Have Sex holds a much-needed mirror to problematic masculinity and camaraderie with Badger and Paddy. “The lesson that we wanted to teach was [that] we need to call our mates out,” Walker says. “We need to be kinder to each other and talk about things more, communicate better, and not put pressure on each other to do stuff.

And when something’s going on, not let it slide.”

Discussing the comparisons with Spring Breakers, the filmmaker prefers Andrea Arnold’s American Honey and Catherine Breillat’s Fat Girl, citing “reality and TikTok” among her other influences. In workshops carried out before filming, teens across the UK helped shape the final draft of the script penned by Walker, which includes a sweet, organic queer summer fling. “One thing that became really apparent was that it was much more acceptable to be queer and people were finding lots of queer joy,” Walker says of the workshops.

“Something we did when we updated the film was to put that in there. Let’s make sure [to show that] if the conversation around consent hasn’t changed, what has changed is that queerness is shining.”

In its brightest moments, How to Have Sex doesn’t just celebrate queerness but both the lifelong and brief bonds in our lives: ride-or-die best friends, quasi-romances that never materialise, nice strangers in clubs. “We wanted to highlight that there’s good in these situations,” Walker explains. “That if you have respect and understand each other, and there’s fun in it, these holidays could be amazing things where you have real connections.”

And some mutually enjoyable sex, too. Ironic and provocative, the film’s title has attracted many eyeballs since its Cannes premiere, with the story defying the crassest expectations. “It’s always been the title since the beginning,” says Walker. “My idea was like, ‘This is how we learn how to have sex. This is how we pressurise each other into having sex. This is how we would be like, ‘No, that’s how you do it.’ And we actually had no knowledge ourselves,” she continues, looking back at her teenage years.

“The title is almost tricking people into thinking, ‘Oh, we’re gonna go on this party holiday.’

And then, hopefully, you learn something from it.”

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olly Manning Walker’s poignant debut How to Have Sex is ecstatic and sobering at once. The cinematographer-turneddirector was inspired by her own teen holiday memories to balance highs and lows for protagonist Tara, played with endearing, subtle fragility by Mia McKenna-Bruce. “We didn’t want to make something that was really dark,” Walker says. “[The film] summarises those holidays that we used to go on. Some of those memories are still some of the best of my life.”

Awaiting their GCSE results in Malia, Crete, Tara, Em (Enva Lewis) and Skye (Lara Peake) want to go wild. It’s conforming to some supposed standards that motivates them, but also some pure, unadulterated enthusiasm; the kind that instantly turns a drab motel room with a pool view into a five-star oceanfront suite.

“It’s the joy that you feel as a teenager when you’re free,” Walker says, and you get a gutwrenching nostalgia for that happiness that’s chipped away at as you grow older.

In Malia, Tara is looking to lose her virginity.

Who to have sex with doesn’t seem to matter as long as Skye approves of them; the how isn’t ever investigated. When the gang befriend goofy Badger (Shaun Thomas), fuckboy Paddy (Samuel Bottomley) and their pal Paige (Laura Ambler), the movie takes a sadly familiar turn. “The film is designed in two halves,” explains Walker. “The first half is the joy. And then in the second half, you go

November 2023

THE SKINNY

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THE SKINNY

A Tale of Two Cities Tanatsei Gambura’s new installation at Edinburgh Castle fuses the sounds of Harare and Scotland’s capital city – and discusses their inevitable entanglement Words: Sofia Cotrona

Art

Tanatsei Gambura

and musical improvisations developed in response to them by The Edinburgh Composers Orchestra.

The result is an immersive work capable of transporting people across national borders and into alternative geographies. Harare’s geographical panorama unravels as music intertwines with the city’s background noises and Gambura’s voice, producing harmonic and dissonant combinations to express the city’s urban complexity. Nzira Yeparuware is also a time-specific experience, in the way that unique layers of sounds from the surroundings of Edinburgh Castle mingle with the recordings.

Gambura recurs to sound for its ability to guide listeners to imagine and feel another place.

“Through sound, there is a sense of empathy and understanding to grasp the experience of being from and in another place, related to the one where you are standing right now,” she says. While the immersive nature of the soundscape blurs the two national realities, Gambura underscores that this coming together is not meant to be harmonious. The sounds of Harare and the music compositions speak of a warm urban landscape dissonant to visitors’ experience of Edinburgh. Likewise, Gambura’s calm voice and the length of the soundtracks invite visitors to slow down, in contrast with the excited chatter of this fast-paced environment. “There is a feeling of delirium as you are in one place, listening to another place; but in some ways these locations are the same as they share their name.” This soundscape evokes real discomfort and a sense of confusion as listeners try to grasp a reality that doesn’t quite make sense. “As colonialism scrambled people’s identity and experience of reality, I wanted to evoke this tension through clashes that disturbs listeners’ sense of reality, too,” the artist explains.

— 43 —

Linking Scotland and Zimbabwe “doesn’t mean that there is clarity, nor that this is not an antagonistic contact.” Gambura’s selection of Edinburgh Castle among all of Historic Environment Scotland’s sites expresses the artist’s intention of seeking out and exploring this tension in a site that is deeply symbolic of Scottish nationalism and history. Nzira Yeparuware’s challenge to ideas of nationalism is particularly evident in the track Crown Square, intended to be experienced outside the Castle War Memorial (dedicated to Scottish soldiers fallen during both World Wars and numerous other conflicts). In this track Gambura takes the words inscribed in the building but redirects them to form a eulogy to the indigenous people of Zimbabwe – re recontextualising the sentiment of the memorial to victims of colonialism.

Nzira Yeparuware works towards spotlighting the gaps in Scotland’s colonial history, as it brings listeners’ attention to what Gambura defined as a “deep sense of long-term amnesia” about British colonialism’s erasure of indigenous cultures, identities, and landscapes. Through its juxtapositions and tensions, this piece presents the adjacent but removed realities of Scotland and Zimbabwe – linked by their names and their colonial relationship. The artist asserts that this is an artwork not for Scotland, but instead for racialised and colonised people as a space for imagination and to proclaim their presence in the past, present and future of Scotland.

Nzira Yeparuware runs until 30 Nov and is included in the admission price to Edinburgh Castle. To book tickets visit the Edinburgh Castle website

November 2023 – Feature

“One of the most effective things colonialism does is erase indigenous experiences and remove the right to imagine yourself differently”

Photo: Rob McDougall. Image courtesy of Historic Scotland

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midst the hectic crowds climbing the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle, voices and noises clash in one of the Scottish capital’s most popular tourist attractions. Among the grey stones and the typically gloomy Edinburgh sky, the stillness and colour of a bright yellow box stands out, signalling the presence of Tanatsei Gambura’s Nzira Yeparuware (Shona for ‘a path upon a rock’, drawn from a longer proverb that translates as ‘only the one who walks upon a rock knows a path is there’).

Created by the Harare-born artist for The University of Edinburgh’s Managing Imperial Legacies project, it is composed of eight soundtracks that can be listened to in specific locations throughout the castle. Each site is indicated by colourful signposts in yellow, red, green and black, which both visually stand out among this grey-dominated landscape but also invoke the Zimbabwean and Pan African flags, staking out a space at the symbolic heart of Scottish history and identity. Gambura says this stands as a metaphor to assert “the right to be different and be other, to come from somewhere else, not to be Scottish and to be here.”

Having moved to Scotland in 2019, Gambura realised that many streets and suburbs in Harare were named after Scottish places. These Scotnamed sites tangibly represent one legacy of the 19th century colonisation of Zimbabwe by the UK (including many Scots), who “stamped their mark” on the landscape, society, and culture of the nation.

“One of the most effective things colonialism does is erase indigenous experiences and remove the right to imagine yourself differently,” commented Gambura. As a response, Nzira Yeparuware was developed as an imaginative and anticolonial work to ask what indigenous people would make of their own geography given the opportunity: “what would be here if not this, how would I be if Zimbabwe was not colonised?” reflects the artist.

The eight tracks of Nzira Yeparuware consist of field-recordings collected in Harare locations with Scottish place names, spoken word elements

THE SKINNY

Learning to Fail Glasgow Improv Theatre has been growing steadily since 2016.

We chat improv, learning to fail, and the impact of experimentation with founders Martin James and Hannah Cruickshank

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s an adult, one of the scariest things you can do is go to a new thing on your own.

That’s the exact leap that a student, who recently moved to Glasgow, decided to take as she walked into the upstairs venue at The Old Hairdresser's. Finding someone nearby who seemed to be more comfortable in the surroundings, she asked: “Do you know what is happening tonight?” Amused by the question, the stranger explained: “It’s improv, no one knows!”

Glasgow Improv Theatre has been organising unscripted comedy since 2016. It started when Martin James, who, having enjoyed improv podcasts like Comedy Bang Bang, decided to do a beginners class during a trip to Los Angeles. The passion for the medium developed fast: “I watched more improv shows than any normal person would consider an appropriate amount.”

Photo: Awaiting Credit

Comedy

Words: Sam Gonçalves

“There are no mistakes, only choices”

November 2023 – Feature

Manoj After returning to Glasgow and realising there weren’t many options around for improv fans, James took it upon himself to organise Harold nights (a longform improv structure which switches between games and scenes).

Hannah Cruickshank joined early on as a participant and was soon helping organise shows and classes. Today, GIT has weekly performances, regular beginners’ workshops and multi-level courses. Booking events and teaching classes is now a fulfilling part-time job for Cruickshank: “You see such a confidence boost [in the participants].

The classes are really silly, they’re getting to play with people in a way we don’t do as adults,” she explains.

Manoj, who works in tech and decided to join GIT after finding the group online, explains he felt quite nervous before his first session but soon adjusted to the surprisingly comfortable environment. The fear of ‘going to a thing on your own’ kept getting quickly replaced by a welcoming community. And even though he doesn’t plan to do comedy professionally, doing improv has helped him in other areas: “I feel more confident telling stories.”

At the start of his improv journey, he admitted to some nerves, and the awful feeling of saying something you thought was funny and being met with complete silence. The moment Manoj finished his first performance, he “couldn’t remember a single thing that happened.” Watching him on

Improv Cage Match

stage now, there’s not a hint of self-consciousness; he just seems to be giving himself to the process and having a lot of fun along the way.

Despite the tension of improvising on stage, or maybe because of it, the local scene keeps gaining new fans. “...It’s steadily growing,” James says. “Having said that, longform improv is always going to be a niche artform. The Glasgow scene will also never get to the size of the Los Angeles or New York improv scene. But I’d say we’re probably punching above our weight at the moment, and things are still relatively new here.”

For some, the draw of improv is in its inconsistency. What you see on stage is an experiment; in people trying to listen to each other and trying something out. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t, either way you get to see something unique developing: “If something doesn’t work, we’re gonna change what we’re doing,” Cruickshank explains. To Manoj, that high wire act is itself the reward. He demonstrates by repeating the improv mantra: “There are no mistakes, only choices.”

— 44 —

Del Close, one of the biggest influences on improv as we know it today, co-authored Truth in Comedy which has become something of a manual for improvisers. In it there’s a description of Sufi weavers and how, if a mistake was made on a pattern, they would then repeat that mistake over and over in order to incorporate it into the design.

You can’t predict what might happen when you go see improvised comedy live, but in a culture saturated with over-produced content, watching (or even joining) some creative chaos has its own appeal.

A few days before their latest Harold night, the format that has existed since the very beginning of Glasgow Improv Theatre, Cruickshank sums up her approach: “Not every show is gonna be good, but we’re never gonna do that show again.”

Listings for GIT’s upcoming performances and classes are on their Eventbrite page @improvglasgow on Twitter and Instagram

THE SKINNY

Art

November 2023 – Feature

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THE SKINNY

Hard Questions Asked Through Time Apphia Campbell speaks about her upcoming show, Through the Mud, an intergenerational story about the struggle for civil rights

Image: courtesy of artist

Theatre

Words: Rho Chung

Apphia Campbell's Through the Mud

November 2023 – Feature

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s a veteran of the Scottish theatre scene and beyond, Apphia Campbell’s solo work is known for its vigorous engagement with Black culture and history, as well as for stunning performances and vivid storytelling. Having adapted her solo show, Woke, for two performers, Campbell now prepares to re-envision the piece in today’s context.

Through the Mud follows two Black women living 42 years apart – one, a present-day university student, and the other, famous Black Panther Assata Shakur. As both characters become involved in growing movements for liberation, the narratives weave together to ask vital questions about how justice is won and protected.

On bringing in second cast member Tinashe Warikandwa, Campbell says: “I’ve really enjoyed seeing Tinashe’s take on the Ambrosia character. There’s an innocence that she brings to the character that I find so interesting to watch, and so engaging as well. It’s been really wonderful to see her, and the choices that she makes that are different from mine, and being able to expand the story and find Assata’s journey in a different way. I’ve really been enjoying that journey.” The intergenerational links between the two characters speak to the necessity of memory and oral history in political movements; when so much has been silenced, twisted, and scrubbed out of public consciousness, how do we even know what questions to ask?

“There was a question I had for myself – is this still really relevant?” Campbell says. “Is this knowledge that everyone has?

The Black Lives Matter movement with George Floyd was a huge transitional time for that movement, and I think for the world as a whole.” Campbell talks about how these pivotal moments – so often moments of horror – can push us to ask harder questions.

“Asking those questions like, how do we move forward?

How can we create a system that’s equitable for everyone? And I think that the piece still asks those questions and tries to understand how we can move forward with that.” Both characters in Through the Mud are criminalised for their participation in political movements. I cannot help but think now of what is happening in Gaza at the moment of my writing. The parallels between what happens to the characters in Through the Mud and what is happening in our current political consciousness makes Campbell’s work all the more timely.

Campbell remarks, “It’s heartbreaking. I feel like the older I’ve gotten, you just realise peace is so fragile.” That fragility seems to reside at the heart of our discussion; we are so constantly inundated by horrors that we feel powerless to change. But, Campbell wonders, how do we turn those feelings into actions? And how do we find solidarity in those feelings?

“And if I were a refugee, how would I want people to see me?

How would I hope the world would reach out to help me?”

Through the Mud reaches not for a solution, but for something more empowering. It emboldens the audience to think of their own position in relation to these movements, to liberate Blackness and racialised experiences from the constraints that seek to define them.

Above all, Campbell hopes that audiences leave the theatre wondering, “What starts a movement? What ignites a movement,” and how can we all be a part of it? “And I hope that people walk away with more questions and then maybe start seeking the answers for themselves.”

Through the Mud, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, 2-4 Nov, £10-26

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THE SKINNY

One More ’Toon Annual celebration of Japanese animation Scotland Loves Anime returns with a diverse programme offering something for everyone Words: Zoe Crombie

Film

Image: courtesy Film Partners The Concierge

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tastes of animals, and Lonely Castle in the Mirror (4 Nov, GFT; 11 Nov, Cameo), a fairytale mystery blending western folklore with Japanese imagery about a castle and a terrifying wolf. These are the kinds of spectacularly unusual stories that you only see in the form of Japanese animation, and having the rare chance to celebrate them on the big screen in Scotland each year with like-minded people is a fantastic opportunity.

The lineup isn’t just brand-new releases, either. Scotland Loves Anime are giving audiences plenty of chances to catch some true classics, whether you’re watching them for the first time or taking the chance to see them on the big screen where their meticulous visuals belong. Two noughties gems are having a deserved moment in the sun: Mamoru Oshii’s violent techno-thriller Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (6 Nov, GFT; 9 Nov, Cameo) and Satoshi Kon’s visually formidable fever dream Paprika (7 Nov, Cameo). Slightly less intense are Rintarou’s Galaxy Express 999 and Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis, but both are big on the kinds of 20th-century anime visuals fans have come to love. Tezuka mega fans have an extra reason to celebrate, as Scotland Loves Anime are showing the new Phoenix: Reminiscence of Flower (5 Nov, GFT; 12 Nov, Cameo) – like Metropolis, it’s based on one of the classic comics from the ‘Godfather of Manga’. There’s also a major movie in the programme celebrating its birthday: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (8 Nov, Cameo), which turns 25 this year, and is well worth a watch on the big screen for fans of the show.

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Looking for something more off the wall and unexpected? Two transnational treats are likely to appeal: Michael Arias’ Tekkonkinkreet (10 Nov, Cameo) is a bizarre, aesthetically unorthodox adventure from Studio 4°C, the company behind Masaaki Yuasa’s explosive Mind Game among many others.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a familiar world given the anime treatment, The Animatrix (2 Nov, GFT; 12 Nov, Cameo) is a beloved anthology that gathered some of anime’s most prodigious talents to take on the universe of the Wachowskis’ The Matrix.

If you’ve never seen The Matrix, though, fear not; The Animatrix can be appreciated without knowing the ins and outs of Neo and friends.

Many of these screenings are accompanied by an introduction from Dr Jonathan Clements, a bona fide expert on the cultural phenomenon of anime, who has written numerous books on the topic, including the essential Anime: A History.

Even if you’re an enthusiastic anime viewer and know your Otomo from your Oshii, these talks are sure to give you some food for thought on the films you’re about to see, as well as some new facts you may not have known about the background of the movies and their creators.

As the UK’s largest and oldest anime festival, Scotland Loves Anime is the best place to catch new releases and beloved classics alike, and the programming remains as idiosyncratic and imaginative as ever in this 2023 edition.

Scotland Love Anime, GFT, 2-5 Nov; Cameo, 6-12 Nov. Full programme at lovesanimation.com/films

November 2023 – Feature

nime fans are once again in for a treat, with Scotland Loves Anime returning this month. A celebration of Japanese animation, the festival runs at Glasgow Film Theatre from 2 to 5 November before moving to Edinburgh’s Cameo, where it runs from 6 to 12 November. It’s an event made for anime fans by anime fans, with some of the most knowledgeable anime experts in the UK playing a role in bringing together the festival’s wide-ranging programme.

Plenty of new anime films that made their Japanese debut earlier this year are arriving on the western scene via Scotland Loves Anime, with some making their UK or European debuts. It’s a diverse selection. A highlight of these brand-new works looks to be Yuzuru Tachikawa’s Blue Giant (4 Nov, GFT; 11 Nov, Cameo), a coming-of-age tale that follows a jazz saxophonist determined to be the very best. There’s also Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom (5 Nov, GFT; 10 Nov, Cameo), the long-awaited adaptation of the epic romance manga, which should be perfect for viewers who enjoyed Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume from earlier this year. And whisky fans should get a kick out of Komada – A Whisky Family (4 Nov, GFT; 11 Nov, Cameo), a heartfelt ode to the traditions of making the golden spirit, grounded in processes passed down between generations. In short, there’s truly something for everyone here.

Two of the festival’s quirkiest titles are The Concierge (5 Nov, GFT; 11 Nov, Cameo), a vibrant offering from Ghibli animator Yoshimi Itazu about a department store catering to the consumer

November 2023

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Album of the Month

Album of the Month Actress — LXXXVIII Released 3 November

by Ninja Tune rrrrr Listen to: Push Power ( a 1 ), Memory Haze ( c 1 ), Game Over ( e 1 )

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there’s tracks like Typewriter World ( c 8 ), that sound both antiquated and cutting-edge; like standing at the precipice of a post-human world but still feeling uncomfortable about your home’s AI assistant knowing how many times you visit the bathroom.

Like the pieces on a chess board, each of these tracks is assigned a grid position and adheres to its own rules and movements. Some are gradual and contemplative, like the tranquil and near-ambient Hit That Spdiff ( b 8 ) or Green Blue Amnesia Magic Haze ( d 7 ) which indulges Cunningham’s taste for the spectral and murky. Elsewhere, the skeletal structure of the album’s more club-oriented tracks like Memory Haze ( c 1 ) and Azd Rain ( g 1 ) recall the eerie weightless feel of Cunningham’s earlier work, and allow the producer to articulate his fascination with the interplay between moves and countermoves.

The product of deep strategic thinking, LXXXVIII is an incredibly unpredictable album, with Cunningham seemingly determined to push his imaginative limits, vivifying his unique brand of experimental techno by cataloguing the possibilities of the genre. At times, these eccentric – and often downright baffling – transitions in style and tone can be disorienting, but they also speak to Cunningham’s dexterity as an electronic auteur, and his refusal to play by the rules. [Patrick Gamble]

Find reviews for the below albums online at theskinny.co.uk/music

Laura Veirs Phone Orphans Out 3 Nov via Raven Marching Band Records

Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee Los Angeles Out 3 Nov via Play It Again Sam

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Jockstrap & Taylor Skye I<3UQTINVU Out 3 Nov via Rough Trade

Beirut Hadsel Out 10 Nov via Pompeii Records

November 2023 — Review

aking its inspiration from game theory – a branch of applied mathematics frequently associated with chess – Darren Cunningham’s ninth release as Actress sees the producer pit his techno-oriented rhythms against his avant-garde impulses in a knotty single-player game.

This conflict comes across loud and clear on opener Push Power ( a 1 ) where a pattering house rhythm and a ponderous piano-led melody interact in a back and forth dialogue between analogue and digital modes; as if each were waiting for the other to make their first move. Built around a set of recurring themes and ideas – namely, the disjuncture between technology’s promise of a better world and the frustrating ways in which it magnifies the imperfections of its human creators – the album dives headlong into a heady mix of garage, house and R’n’B. Cunningham’s fascination with human-machine symbiosis continues on Game Over ( e 1 ), a haunting downtempo number in which melancholic vocals bristle against a mechanical beat. Evoking the ambition and anxiety surrounding machine learning, its title could relate to a dystopian future where sentient machines have rebelled against their human creators or simply be a loving tribute to IBM’s supercomputer Deep Blue who defeated chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov in 1997. Then

Albums

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Tirzah trip9love…???

Domino, out now digitally / physical 17 Nov

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November 2023 — Review

Listen to: F22, 2 D I C U V, their Love

King Creosote I DES Domino, 3 Nov

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Listen to: Blue Marbled Elm Trees, Burial Bleak, Walter de la Nightmare

Love as an artistic concept has been so brutally demystified and spotlit over its many crevasses that it is biblically miraculous Tirzah can find time in the day to add to the canon.

Following the deeply romantic abstraction of 2021’s Colourgrade, trip9love…??? exists in part as a live companion for her current tour, and as a neurotically rhythmic take on her past work, resulting in a record more impactful and approachable than any in her catalogue, while losing none of its scorched anxiety or lovesickness.

There’s a sense that hearing the first minute of the record can clue in a studied listener to the residual 32, yet Tirzah takes this uniformity as a welcome hypnosis. The instances of a beat being as profound the tenth time may be few across album-length releases, but Tirzah and company manage via a host of carefully burnt synthesizers and balanced drum programming; rather than the repetition of a single idea, she explores every angle of an idea with singularity. While it lacks the truly avantgarde attention of her previous record, trip9love…??? still contributes to her tripped-out, sensual surrealism with the intent of an artist willing to unfurl. [Noah Barker]

With a tombstone on the cover and a title that’s an anagram of ‘dies’, one might be mistaken for believing that the latest release from Kenny Anderson, aka King Creosote, might be something of a gloomy rumination on life, death and fleeting mortality.

However, while I DES is undoubtedly an album that reckons with these themes, such a description does not even begin to do justice to the soaring euphoria with which Anderson has infused in almost every track.

‘No I shan’t complain / I had the best life laughing with my girls’, Anderson asserts in Blue Marbled Elm Trees, an uplifting whirlwind of a song, and the unequivocal high point of the album. It’s a track that reflects upon the joys of a fleeting time on this blue marble we call Earth, but done so in a curiously and quintessentially Scottish way. Other standouts are the discomfitingly romantic Burial Bleak, which is anything but bleak, and the softly melancholic Walter de la Nightmare.

Overall, I DES is a largely jubilant and life-affirming meditation on life and mortality; a triumph for Anderson, it’s a more than worthy addition to his extensive and revered body of work. [Mia Boffey]

TALsounds Shift NNA Tapes, 3 Nov

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Listen to: Eye Lines, Climbing, Searching

There Will Be Fireworks Summer Moon The Imaginary Kind, 3 Nov

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Listen to: Smoke Machines (Summer Moon), Classic Movies, Second City, Setting Sun

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TALsounds has long specialised in songs that work as much like a spectral fog than through traditional song structure, her operatic voice and synth mastery creating a combination of scale and delicacy rarely executed so well. On early records there was a sharpness to these malaises, a homemade quality that rooted it to the physical, but here on Shift, abstraction takes hold entirely.

It’s a record of drifts, a floating plaster away from 45 minutes in a lazy river.

This makes the record sound meandering, but what it lacks in momentum it makes up for in sheer, consuming beauty. Time and again the sheer gossamer grace of her voice is an ideal bed for her perfectly judged synth work, like the gentle arpeggios that corkscrew through the centre of Eye Lines, or the Julee Cruise-like echoing bass rolling through Climbing. It manages this focus of space and tone whilst never slipping into predictability, songs like Searching, with its flashes of eerie atonality, giving enough variety to the landscapes she’s creating.

Shift is a beautiful record, one that coaxes you into letting it overtake you, whilst never pushing itself for a second, simply drawing you in with its sheer mesmeric shape.

[Joe Creely] There Will Be Fireworks’ Summer Moon immaculately distils a sense of maturity, crucially, without having to forgo any of the vitality that swarms the Glasgow outfit’s earlier work.

Frantic guitar charged by nervous energy jolts through Bedroom Door as they pine for hope: ‘I just need a little space, a little time, a little faith, and to tell myself the sky is still not falling’, while on Something Borrowed, the creative magic of their instrumental arrangements is highlighted. Layers of fuzzing guitar and bass are topped tastefully by strings that nudge the track ever-closer to its cinematic climax.

Second City, Setting Sun displays one of the most impressive and devastating vocal performances of Nicholas McManus’s career – through rise and fall, explosion and whisper, it’s always close and hinged on the sense that an emotional capitulation may be on the horizon.

So much of the album is retrospective, heavily considered, but never distant. Since 2013s The Dark, Dark Bright, much has changed, in the world as a whole and for the band on a personal level. Nonetheless, Summer Moon retains the most visceral and passionate elements of its predecessor, and blossoms new quirks and qualities. [Jo Higgs]

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Listen to: Amorphous Shape, Carry On, Essence

ENOLA All Is Forgiven EP Hell Beach/ONELOVE, 3 Nov

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Listen to: Hurt, Metal Body

Raw vulnerability and post-punk grit mark Australian artist ENOLA’s searing debut EP, All Is Forgiven.

Echoing shoegaze elements of My Bloody Valentine with screeching guitar reminiscent of Sonic Youth, ENOLA conveys post-punk grunge for new audiences in their own distinct styling.

Their vocal haunts across tracks at times, lingering over guitar and drum beats. On Miss You, the simple lyric: ‘I miss you so much / I should learn to keep my mouth shut’ is transformed into a vessel heavy with the weight of pain and longing.

A subdued hope breaks through – ‘Am I off to the slaughter?’ they ask in a moment of almost hope, wishing for a ‘no’ on Hurt, guitar fading into the background. But it’s the calm before the storm of closer Waves, where uninhibited, they shout, a cathartic breakthrough of anger.

Heavy in subject matter and emotion, it’s liberating to hear unspoken, messy emotions take such brutally honest form. ENOLA’s unique presence and urgent energy is something felt through the tracks, making All Is Forgiven an engaging listen with distinctive oeuvre. It never feels like just a rumination of inwardlooking pain, rather we’re taken right there with them. [Anita Bhadani]

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Listen to: We Can Be Anything, Dream Girl, kid genius

bar italia The Twits Matador, 3 Nov

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Listen to: glory hunter, Brush w Faith, worlds greatest emoter

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bar italia are masters of homage.

They embody the dissociated attitude of many a band from indie rock’s past. But there’s a vagueness to it, their references on the tip of the tongue, morphed enough to fog up your brain and leave you unsure of where they’re pulling from. There are nods to Robert Smith in Jezmi Tarik Fehmi and Sam Fenton’s bleary vocals, and the boy/girl drama brings to mind everyone from Slowdive to The xx. You spend so much time asking who they remind you of that you worry there isn’t anything of themselves in the songs.

A few more spins reveal a rare and exciting dynamic between the three members. The Twits, their scrappy and expansive second album on Matador, is at its best in these moments. Brush w Faith moves from dreary, cyclical jamming to explosive angst, while Nina Cristante turns ‘worlds greatest emoter’ into a curdled love story. The album works in short bursts of adrenaline, leaving midtempo ballads like Shoo feeling aimless.

As a buzzy UK guitar band, many will inevitably ask if there’s substance behind the pastiche. Their two records from 2023 ask: what’s wrong with a good pastiche?

[Skye Butchard]

November 2023 — Review

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Baby Queen Quarter Life Crisis Polydor Records, 10 Nov

In the two years since releasing her mixtape, The Yearbook, Baby Queen has kept busy – writing songs for Netflix’s Heartstopper soundtrack and going on the road with Olivia Rodrigo. As far as zeitgeisty pop culture goes, that’s about as good as it gets.

Quarter Life Crisis represents a step forward for the pop star. Packed with irresistible hooks and confessional lyrics, it’s clear Baby Queen understands the cinema of pop. On Dream Girl she fantasises about stealing some guy’s girlfriend, while ‘kid genius’ is a wry complaint about the burden of brains in the digital world. Both are playful anthems to scream-sing along to. ‘every time I get high’ offers a kind of chemicallyinduced super hope, only for the album’s closer to immediately dismantle that, while ‘a letter to myself at 17’ is a thoughtful advice ballad, uplifting and sad in equal measure: ‘Try to be happy’, she urges her younger self, ‘your wildest dreams came true’.

If anything, the album perhaps suffers slightly from front-loading with massive bangers, making Quarter Life Crisis feel like a comingof-age movie without its third act resolution. But life isn’t a movie, is it?

Perhaps that’s the point.

[Tara Hepburn]

Albums

Conscious Route Belterz True Hold Records, 10 Nov

Calling your album Belterz is like tossing a giant banana skin directly in your path. Put a foot wrong, and the fall will be hard. But if anyone’s earned the right to be so bold, it’s Conscious Route. For over two decades, the London-born, Edinburgh-based rapper has been honing his craft, emerging from the underground as one of the finest hip-hop artists in the Scottish scene.

Any residual worries are dispelled quickly by lead single Amorphous Shape, a lazy urban banger with a great chorus and silky bars from Paisley rapper Empress – the first of many guests on the record, each one bringing something different. Kryptik delivers a scathing message on Carry On amid throbbing jabs of electronics; Lynzie Dray provides creaking, powerful vocals on Ducks In a Row; Wends brings her soulful singing to the reggaeheavy Late; Original closes with chants from Solareye; and Essence epitomises the album’s title, with beats and Jennifer Anne Todd’s vocals reminiscent of Ultra Nate’s 90s classic Free.

Conscious Route is clearly at the peak of his abilities here, and – despite the odd dip in quality – this is an album of absolute belters. Banana skin avoided.

[Chris Sneddon]

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Music Now Winter is creeping in, but alongside some great releases – this month a creative coven of Scottish songwriters give us records exploring love, loss, reality, dreams, and even magick

Photo: Agnes Haus

November 2023 – Review

Photo: Marc Sharp

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Photo: Mila Austin

Local Music

Words: Ellie Robertson

Alex Amor

Rosie H Sullivan

Elisabeth Elektra

ctober was surprisingly sunny, yet still gave us some terrible weather. It felt like it went on forever, and it seemed to fly right by. Scottish artists have been hard at work making a music scene as multifaceted as the season itself.

Some of our favourite singles from last month came from Bottle Rockets (Limerence), Belly Rachel (Cynical), rEDOLENT (nothing bad will ever happen to me), Aino Elina (Hold On), Savage Mansion (There Goes My Habit), Kinbote (Rotate) and LAMAYA (COMING FOR UR <3).

November is a conflicting time of year – we’re still waiting to see the toll we’ll take as we slip into darker weather. Fortunately, there are some great rainy-day releases to bundle up and get wistful to, starting with In My Nature, by Rosie H Sullivan (10 Nov). Sullivan’s lyricism, grounded in lived experiences, will help bring you back down to Earth. She sings in the EP’s opener: ‘Trading wildflowers and country roads for bus lanes and tramways and cobblestones / As long as I’m living my imperfect life, I’ll be happy and sad at the same time’. Simple, serene guitarwork complements her soothing voice, whereas tracks like Chapters boast a more full-bodied country sound, with an upbeat acoustic tempo, showing that Sullivan’s vocals and ideas work against a range of instrumental backdrops.

The following day, Glasgow’s Kim Grant, “a weaver of words and song” under the moniker Raveloe, gives us finely-tuned folk album Exit Light, her first full-length. The thunderous effect of the electric guitars on tracks like Countertop and Clouds Are Release are balanced by more pared-down songs – Rustle In the Leaves has an almost Arthurian aura about it, and on the mournful, melodic Ghost Beach, Raveloe sings: ‘I don’t want to run / Keep seeing the exit light above every turn’. The allure of an escape from everyday life buzzes through the album, just as its title describes, but ideas of nature, loss and love are threaded through its lyrics to create a work where reality, however painful, triumphs. Read our full interview with Grant on p39.

Not all of November’s records are best enjoyed from the mounting pile of blankets on your sofa – Broken Promises, by Elisabeth Elektra (16 Nov), is the high-octane EP needed to

power through the last week of Scorpio season. Aesthetically shifting from the icy-coloured psychedelia presented in 2020’s Mercurial, Elektra’s recent work sees them rise as a high priestess of goth-pop, summoning the technical skills of Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite, CHVRCHES’ Jonny Scott, and Blanck Mass’s Benjamin John Power to appear across the record.

Elektra’s vocals echo around the sonic geometry they have concocted with their masterful collaborators, their ruminations on dreams and magick dancing in the very centre.

Other releases worth looking out for this month include Super Sonic, the sticky-sweet dreampop EP from Alex Amor, and the gorgeously crafted piano version of Erland Cooper’s Folded Landscapes, both of which drop on the 3rd. Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lockpickers return with Murder 24/7 (17 Nov), the first offering from new record label Errol’s Hot Wax, which runs out of the Victoria Road eatery Errol’s Hot Pizza. Inspired by the BBC crime documentary of the same name, this exercise in noir intertextuality is eerie, atmospheric, and delivered with the same plinking strings and dreary vocals as Nick Cave at his best.

Scotland’s musicians are so prolific this month that all their works can’t fit on one page. But don’t worry, if you turn back a page, you’ll find our responses to Summer Moon (3 Nov), the first album by There Will Be Fireworks in a decade, as well as I DES

by King Creosote (3 Nov) and Belterz by Conscious Route (10 Nov). Plus, later in the month we shine a spotlight on Edwin R Stevens (fka Irma Vep), who gives us God On All Fours on 10 November.

Our local record shops and labels have been hard at work too. Monorail Music give us The Glasgow School edition of Mogwai’s Ten Rapid recording sessions (17 Nov), and Last Night From Glasgow release False Highs, True Lows by The Kundalini Genie (24 Nov), as well as a live version of the record’s launch party. For singles that hit right this month, see Honey by Elephant in Red (1 Nov), Fragmented In Time by The Dazed Digital Age (3 Nov), Um, Indecisive by EYVE (4 Nov), Make it Real Good (feat. Roisin McCarney) by Disco Mary (7 Nov), and Cold Star (feat. Aortarota) by Outblinker (16 Nov).

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October 2023

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October 2023

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Film of the Month

Film of the Month — Anatomy of a Fall RRRRR Released 10 November Certificate 15 theskinny.co.uk/film

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ustine Triet’s extraordinary new feature takes stylistic inspiration from her documentaries of the 2000s to create a work of fiction that’s much more down-to-earth in terms of its narrative and characterisation than her spry comedies like Sibyl and In Bed with Victoria. Sandra Hüller plays Sandra, a successful German novelist living in the French Alps with her husband, Samuel (Samuel Theis), who’s also an author, and their ten-year-old son, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), who’s partially sighted. We’re first introduced to Samuel as the heavy timbre of 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P. blares through the house on a loop. The music is so disruptive that Sandra has to cut short an interview she’s having in another room and we become immediately aware of her husband’s ominous presence within the household.

Later, P.I.M.P. continues to echo from the alpine chalet when Daniel stumbles upon the bloody body of his father lying dead in the snow. As police arrive at the scene, Sandra quickly finds she is no longer a wife in mourning but instead a suspect on trial for the murder. What unfolds is the story of a woman who must grapple with her husband’s death while defending herself against the seemingly absurd allegations that she is responsible for his demise. The result is a courtroom drama that completely spins the genre on its head.

The focus of Anatomy of a Fall isn’t on the crime but on its characters. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Sandra and Samuel are far from the perfect couple. Sandra feels — 55 —

isolated living in Samuel’s hometown, having to get by in French, a language in which she is not fluent. Samuel, meanwhile, has struggled to find inspiration for his own writing and instead has taken responsibility for home-schooling Daniel, whose impaired vision is due to an accident that Sandra blames Samuel for, in part.

The couple’s acrimony makes for a complicated court case.

Sandra and her representatives must defend her honour as the prosecutor uses Sandra’s own writing as evidence of motivation to murder, while also proving that Samuel’s fall was a result of suicide. It’s a narrative that’s tricky to prove, given that Daniel, the sole eyewitness, is practically blind. Machado Graner is heartbreaking in the role, aptly capturing the complexity and emotional distress of both discovering his father’s dead body and being a driving factor in determining his mother’s fate.

Triet’s screenplay, which she wrote with Arthur Harari, is razor-sharp. At first, it appears Sandra is in some way responsible for her husband’s death but thanks to Triet’s intricate direction and the cast’s compelling performances – especially on the part of Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall is much more complex, delving into themes of resentment, sexuality and the trials of modern relationships. Ambiguity is maintained throughout, making for a compelling watch but also a realistic portrait of human nature. [Jojo Ajisafe] Released 10 Nov by Picturehouse; certificate 15

November 2023 — Review

Director: Justine Triet Starring: Sandra Hüller, Samuel Theis, Milo Machado Graner

THE SKINNY

Scotland on Screen

Scotland on Screen: Paul Sng Paul Sng’s latest film is a tender portrait of Tish Murtha, a hugely talented photographer who documented working-class lives in 70s and 80s Britain.

Sng talks to us about coming to film late, imposter syndrome and Scotland’s supportive doc community Words: Jamie Dunn

Filmography: Tish (2023), Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché (2021), Social Housing, Social Cleansing (2018), Dispossession: The Great Social Housing Swindle (2017), Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain (2015)

Photo: Alicia Bruce

November 2023 — Review

IG: @paulsng1

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ilm culture loves to celebrate rookie youngsters fresh from film school. Just consider the number of industry training schemes, competitions or funding opportunities where the cut-off to participate is around the time you disqualify for a young person’s railcard. Plenty of filmmakers weren’t born with a silver camera in their hand, though. That’s certainly Paul Sng’s story. As a working-class kid growing up in southeast London, film school seemed like an impossible dream. “It’s very important, I think, when you’re looking to do anything in life that you can see yourself in those positions,” Sng tells us over Zoom from his home in Portobello. “For me, how I grew up and where I grew up, film school just didn’t seem to be an option.”

Sng was in his late 30s when he picked up a camera in earnest for his debut feature. “My first film happened because I met the Sleaford Mods,” Sng explains. He’d been interviewing the post-punk duo for another project and they mentioned they were planning a tour of unglamorous small towns. Sng realised a documentary of that tour would also double as a potent state of the nation film about places in the UK that have been left behind by deindustrialisation; this idea became Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain.

“I had a full-time job while I was doing Invisible Britain, and then they didn’t renew my contract. So at that point, I sort of thought, well, I’ve made one film, I’ll try and make another.”

That follow-up was 2017’s Dispossession, a clear-eyed investigation of the UK’s malfunctioning housing system that only feels more pertinent five years on. “It probably wasn’t until I’d made Dispossession, and it had done fairly well, that I felt able to call myself a filmmaker,” says Sng. “I had intense imposter syndrome.”

The last time Sng felt this twinge of imposter syndrome was at this year’s Sheffield Doc/Fest, just before going out to introduce his excellent new documentary Tish, which was opening the festival. “It was a big honour, but I panicked on opening night,” he admits. “I had to introduce the film and it was in Sheffield City Hall, which is a 2000-capacity venue. I don’t usually get nervous at public speaking but I was waiting in the wings to come on, and my knees were knocking. I was like, ‘Oh God, what am I gonna do? I can’t walk out there.’” Luckily there was some inspiration on the walls backstage.

A plaque was up sharing the names of the luminaries who had appeared on stage there, names like the Beatles, David Bowie and Blondie. “I just looked at this sign and I thought, ‘I’m just a wee guy from southeast London who’s here to introduce a film, and then walk off. I don’t have to sing Heart of Glass or Ziggy Stardust. This is easy. I’ve got this.’ And my knees stopped shaking.”

Tish tells the moving story of Tish Murtha, a hugely talented Tyneside photographer who spent much of her career chronicling marginalised lives in the northeast in the 70s and 80s. Sng first became aware of Murtha when he saw her extraordinarily vivid picture of her brother jumping from Paul Sng — 56 —

Tish

the first floor of a half-demolished building onto a pile of discarded mattresses. “It just reminded me of my childhood,” says Sng of that photograph. “I remember some of the kids that I used to knock about with would play games in building sites. I was always too scared, but they would do things like that.”

Sng was struck by the beauty of Murtha’s compositions, but he was also drawn to her ethics as a documentarian. “She wanted to use that camera as a weapon to document inequality,” says Sng. “Tish would explain to the people she photographed what she was doing, and then she would give them a copy of the photograph afterwards. She was from the same deprived background. She wasn’t on a poverty safari, like certain other documentary photographers I can think of.”

As well as a celebration of an important artist, Tish shows how Murtha was underappreciated in her time. Despite her extraordinary talent, she couldn’t break through the class barriers of the UK’s art scene. Murtha died in extreme poverty in 2013, aged just 56, and one thing that was important to Sng was not to mess with her images. “The first thing we said was we would present [the photographs] as they are: no zooming in or zooming out, no 3D effects. Tish framed them and Tish isn’t here to say ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ to do any of those tricks.”

During our chat, Sng cites some of the people on Scotland’s documentary scene who’ve been integral to his career since he made the move here, names like Mark Thomas and Dani Carlaw at Screen Scotland’s Unscripted, Flore Cosquer at the Scottish Documentary Institute and fellow filmmakers like Mark Cousins and Lizzie MacKenzie. “I think Scotland is punching above its weight in the arts generally, but particularly in documentary film,” says Sng. “There are several reasons for that, but I think chief to those reasons is that there’s a community of people who know each other and can support one another and nourish one another.” Long may this documentary scene thrive.

Tish is released 17 Nov by Modern Film and is the closing film of the Central Scotland Documentary Festival, Stirling, 6 Nov, and there are additional preview Q&As throughout Nov (including Cameo in Edinburgh, 2 Nov and GFT, 18 Nov). Full details at modernfilms.com/tish

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How to Have Sex Director: Molly Manning Walker Starring: Mia McKenna-Bruce

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How to Have Sex

May December

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Melodrama and a generous helping of dark comedy combine in this compelling character study from Todd Haynes, which manages to be hilarious and heartfelt all at once. Natalie Portman stars as Elizabeth, an actor researching her next juicy role: that of Gracie (Moore), a former school teacher who was caught having a sexual relationship with 13-year-old Joe 20 years ago when she was 36. Gracie subsequently served a prison sentence for statutory rape but is now married to Joe (played by Charles Melton). Haters still send them boxes of faeces in the post from time to time, but the couple seem happy. That is until Elizabeth comes to town to pick Gracie’s brains for the role, and ends up picking apart her life.

Director: Paul Sng Starring: Ella Murtha, Maxine Peake (voice)

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Screening as part of The CineSkinny Film Club, get free tickets at theskinny.co.uk/tickets

Striking workers in the pub; children playing amongst rubble; a young girl selling cigarettes. These are the subjects of Tish Murtha’s extraordinary black-and-white photography, and they fill the screen in Paul Sng’s poignant documentary, casting a shadow long after they’re gone.

Immersed in the lives of the unseen and underserved – from the hardscrabble streets of South Shields to Soho’s strip clubs – her photos show people resilient in the face of the hardship, unemployment and poverty of Thatcherism. Sng’s documentary is built around Murtha’s images and words (read by Maxine Peak), and steered by the loving anchor of Murtha’s daughter, Ella.

Unpacking memories with family members, friends and mentors, a

May December

Tish

Released 3 Nov by MUBI; certificate 15

Portman and Moore are electric together. A passive-aggressive battle of wills erupts between their characters as Elizabeth attempts to chip away at Gracie’s façade. Haynes captures this emotional carnage using the flat film grammar of daytime soaps, with dramatic zooms and a strident piano score often mistimed to throw us off-kilter.

Elizabeth becomes more like Gracie with each passing scene, wearing similar clothes and makeup, and eventually aping her subtle lisp. Melton is great too as Joe, who cuts a poignant figure as a man who went from child to middle-aged overnight, and is only starting to come to terms with his relationship’s insidious beginnings. May December is a film designed to make you feel on edge, but with performances this good, you’ll also be on the edge of your seat. [Jamie Dunn] Released 17 Nov by StudioCanal; certificate 15

Saltburn Director: Emerald Fennell Starring: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant

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Saltburn very much resembles its cast of colourful characters: it’s sexy, it’s funny and it doesn’t have a single original idea in its pretty little head. It concerns the intense friendship that forms between Oliver (Keoghan), a shy wee working-class lad from Merseyside who’s embarking on his first year at Oxford, and Felix (Elordi), a statuesque aristocrat whose charisma has the gravitational pull of the sun. The chalk and cheese pair become fast friends over first year, with Felix enamoured with Oliver’s tales of growing up poor in a filthy council house, while Oliver is simply enamoured.

The bromance kicks up a gear when Felix invites Oliver to stay at his family pile, the sprawling country estate of the title where weeknight

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respect for Murtha’s fierce talent and her unshakable world-view echoes throughout these tender conversations. In the film, as in her work, joy and pain exist side by side.

Tish is a rare opportunity to see the work of an artist and activist who was largely unrecognised by the artistic class of her day. Her vision of a fairer society burns white-hot throughout the film and, for the shutter-click of an image, we are Murtha’s eyes to the pain, joy and relentlessness of her circumstances.

That she didn’t achieve the acclaim she deserved in her lifetime makes this moving, forceful portrait of her life all the more impactful. [Anna Ireland] Released 17 Nov by Modern Film; certificate 12A Tish is the closing film of the Central Scotland Documentary Festival, Stirling, on 6 Nov, with preview Q&As throughout Nov. Full details at modernfilms.com/tish

Saltburn

dinners are black-tie events and impromptu birthday bashes are wilder than Berghain. Here we meet Felix’s blue-blooded brood and they’re a riot of awfulness.

Particularly hilarious is Rosamund Pike as Felix’s mother, an ex-model with a talent for withering comments disguised as compliments.

Initially, it seems writer-director Emerald Fennell is trying to make a comment on the British class system but as her lurid plot unfolds it becomes clear her politics around social status are as incoherent as they were on rape culture in Promising Young Woman. Saltburn thankfully doesn’t leave the same bitter taste, though. Derivative it may be – the plot is a salad of ideas pinched from Evelyn Waugh, Patricia Highsmith and Pasolini – you won’t be bored for a second as you swim in its jaw-dropping imagery and thighslapping one-liners. [Jamie Dunn] Released 17 Nov by Warner Bros; certificate 15

November 2023 — Review

Director: Todd Haynes Starring: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, Cory Michael Smith, Elizabeth Yu, Gabriel Chung, Piper Curda

Tish

Film

Molly Manning Walker’s ominous and affecting debut How To Have Sex is The Inbetweeners Movie’s indie, introspective upgrade. A bubbly trio of teen girls take a rite-of-passage holiday to Malia as they await the release of their dreaded GCSE results.

But after befriending older boys, their coming-of-age escapades mutate into formative trauma.

How To Have Sex is a remarkable feat in modern social realism – polyester Pretty Little Thing dresses and propulsive Joel Corry club tunes create evocative mise-en-scène.

Anyone who’s been on a debaucherous holiday like this might find it triggering. From the end-of-night cheesy chips and slurred proclamations of sisterhood, to the overpopulated hotel pools and overzealous reps promoting suggestive drinking games,

the feverish saturnalia is too real.

Mia McKenna-Bruce’s performance as Tara controls devastating subtleties, whether during a dissociative episode while partying or when registering a friend’s shallow power move in real-time. Walker plots trepidation and sobering fallout – imagine Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents but with more sombre psychic shifts. Rousing chants of “Ooh ah Ma-lia! Said, oh ah Ma-lia!” take on a sinister ring, and the party strip transforms from neon-nightlife fantasy to grim morning reality.

This formidable new piece of British filmmaking is essential viewing for any young person; if schools can get past the film’s provocative title, PSE syllabi would benefit from its powerful insight into sexual assault. [Lucy Fitzgerald]

THE SKINNY

MIJU, EDINBURGH A new Japanese restaurant arrives on the block with all the classics you could want, and enough artwork and paraphernalia to start a small museum

Food

Words: Peter Simpson

Tue-Fri, 12-2.30pm and 5-10.30pm, Sat-Sun 12-10.30pm

November 2023 – Review

miju-jp.com

Gyoza

t’s a cold, wet October night, and Edinburgh is full of half-hearted cowboys. Walking to MIJU – the new Japanese restaurant that search engines will insist on autocorrecting to everyone’s favourite fancy pen shop – takes us past a host of students heading for an early Halloween despite the fact that it’s literally raining in multiple directions at once.

This is it for the foreseeable, so what better than a piping hot bowl of ramen, all umami and noodles and big slices of meat? There’s a ‘soupy season/spooky season’ pun in here somewhere, but we can’t find it because the rain has seeped into our pockets.

As glum as it is outside, stepping into the Dalry Road spot instantly takes you from ‘can’t see because rain’ to ‘can’t see because too much’.

From the pumpkin-shaped lamps on the tables to the flags, bunting and lanterns everywhere, MIJU is an explosion of script, signage and graphic design. Less is not more, more is more, and this is more than anyone can process in one go.

Anyone with a soft spot for retro iconography will have an absolute blast scanning the objects, posters and artwork – see how many smoking children you can spot on the walls! It’s more than you’d expect! In fact, there’s so much going on that we didn’t initially notice a child-sized vinyl figure sitting on MIJU’s short staircase with his head in his hands.

That’s child-sized as in ‘the size of a human child’.

Takoyaki

But this is a restaurant, not a museum of Japanese advertising and cool USB-powered lamps, so let’s get to the food. First, sushi: maki with Oshinko radish (£3.90) and salmon and avocado (£4.70) are well put-together, with flavourful rice and wasabi that lets you know it’s there without trying to set your sinuses on fire. The tuna nigiri (£4.90) is great; there is so much subtle skill and technique to sushimaking that we can’t necessarily pinpoint why, but the texture of the fish is fantastic, so props to the chef and to the fish.

Our socks are slowly drying out, so let’s speed that process up with some hot bits. The takoyaki (£6.90) are tasty if a little underpowered (more octopus in the octopus balls, please) and the vegetable gyoza (£5.80) are solid but unspectacular.

No, this paragraph is all about the Japanese pork cheese sausage (£4.30). A skewer of three dinky, super-smoky and soy-glazed sausages somehow infused with oozy, gooey cheese. Is it bits of cheese, or one long tendril of cheese, or some kind of injection situation?

Who’s to say, all we know is these are just the kind of comfort foods that will see us all through winter.

Finally, to the ramen.

The Tonkotsu ramen (£11.90) and Miso ramen (£11.50) are

both meaty bowls that don’t overplay their hand. The flavours are there, but delivered in a lighter and less-industrial tone than in some ramens.

(This writer’s all-time top bowl of ramen had a broth so thick it was basically gravy – incredible, but you couldn’t eat it every day). The pork belly balances sweet and smoky nicely, and, mercifully, is delivered in thin slices rather than in one big ol’ block. As for the differences, the Miso ramen lightens things up with green beans and a gingery tang; the Tonkotsu is a direct hit from the meat cannon.

MIJU is a welcome addition and a good place to start a winter of ‘trying all of the ramens’, but there is a sense of attempting one or two too many things at once. This is typified by the incredible waitress literally running around the restaurant serving eight tables at once, dashing back and forth past the lad with his hands on his head. The decor has the maximal part of the brief covered; MIJU can concentrate and take their time with the rest. After all, it’s not like anyone’s rushing to go back outside in *that* weather.

Miso ramen with pork belly

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All photos: Peter Simpson

I

93 Dalry Rd, Edinburgh, EH11 2AB

THE SKINNY

Food

November 2023 – Review

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November 2023

THE SKINNY

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THE SKINNY

Design Credit A campaign from Canada, Who Is The Designer? seeks to highlight the creatives behind projects in Montréal and Dundee

November 2023 – Feature

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Design

mini Bandstand retains its pride of place in the new design.

Opened in 2017, V&A Dundee’s Community Garden is an innovative co-design project creating a world class, contemporary public space linking the city, Slessor Gardens, and the museum. The project was led by architectural design studio kennedy twaddle and designer and co-design specialist Linsey McIntosh. The design team worked collaboratively with 20 people who formed the community co-design team. Features include a sunken ‘hearth’ for people to socialise or partake in workshops, and a stage to facilitate performances. The double-pitched roof, informed by potting sheds, provides shelter and the varying height planters provide easy access to gardening for the volunteers. The root-inspired ‘water catcher’ collects rainwater, maximising sustainability and access to water. One of the purposes of the garden was to have a positive impact on health and well-being and it continues to achieve that today.

Commissioned by Nature Scot, the much-needed shelter of Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve Education Pavilion acts as a welcoming point for visitors to the reserve, showcasing information about the local wildlife and nature you can see V&&A Dundee Community Garden - Gary Kennedy + Linsey McIntosh there. Designed by Kirsty Maguire, it serves as a place of education where best practices is an important part of supporting children are encouraged to explore and learn the rich design culture we have in Scotland. hands-on – feeling the sand in their fingers, picking Some of the featured projects in Dundee are up feathers and watching insects. The roof shape is new, others are well-established but all are part of reminiscent of a bird wing in flight, the sail of a the story of the city. boat, the historic tents that gave Tentsmuir its For more than a hundred years the elevated name and the ever-shifting dunes themselves. The site of Seabraes Viewpoint on the Perth Road site has been carefully chosen to minimise the has been a focal point to admire views across the impact of a build on the fragile landscape and River Tay. In 2022, Dundee City Council emhabitat. It is designed for deconstruction at the end barked on a redevelopment project for this small of its life – leaving no trace on the environment in but important public space, making use of which it has been located. reclaimed and sustainable materials and planting. The planting design by Callum McRobbie and To see all of the projects visit cityofdesigndundee.com and to get involved yourself, you can participate by mentioning Rachael Higgins creates an unobstructed whole an architect or designer in your social media posts (or by view which guides visitors through the greensflagging up any posts or articles that overlook mentioning pace. Modern permeable paving slabs and the contributions of their design team) by using the hashtags twig-shaped seating create a central hearth area. #whoisthearchitect #whoisthedesigner Planting at different heights, textures and forms evokes natural grassland while cobbles reclaimed @designmtl @designdundee @kollectif from Dundee streets become a paving feature and sections of railway track run through the @localheroesdesign space, recalling past industries. The much-loved Photo: Grant Anderson

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reat contemporary design in the public realm is rarely celebrated, it’s typically only in the spotlight when it goes spectacularly wrong, massively over budget – or both. A new project aimed at righting this wrong and giving some kudos to the architects and designers behind a variety of exceptional projects is Who Is The Designer? The campaign was conceived of by digital architecture and design platform Kollectif who are based in Québec. Now in its third iteration, it simultaneously spotlights projects by architects and designers from two UNESCO Cities of Design, Montréal and Dundee.

The joint initiative has emerged from a desire to highlight the importance of acknowledging architects and designers and their contribution to everyday life as Martin Houle, Architect and Director and Founder of Kollectif explains: “The enthusiasm generated by this campaign underlines a real challenge in recognising the essential contribution of designers and architects in materialising various projects intended for all citizens. If artists and photographers, for example, are systematically credited for their work, we believe at Kollectif that it should be the same for our colleagues in the various design fields to raise awareness towards design culture here and abroad.”

This joint initiative between Dundee and Montréal, emerged from a desire to highlight the importance of acknowledging architects and designers, and a desire to collaborate and share best practices aimed at supporting the design sector in our cities.

“Collaborating and learning from fellow UNESCO Cities of Design around the world is what makes being a part of this network really special,” says Annie Marrs at UNESCO City of Design Dundee. Marrs and her team appointed photographer Grant Anderson to capture designers in situ with their projects resulting in a very personal and atmospheric series of portraits. “Through this series of stunning photos, the initiative introduces us to some of the designers who are helping to make Dundee a city of design,” she explains.

With international campaigns like Who Is The Designer? the featured cities tell the story that behind each photographed project, regardless of its scale, stands a committed team of city representatives, engineers, contractors and trades led by many talented designers and architects.

It’s rare that the design teams behind longterm design projects receive any public recognition in Scotland. With no national design policy or government department for the promotion of design, it’s a breath of fresh air to see this campaign launch and to gain an insight into the people and thinking behind great spaces and places. This commitment to collaboration and the sharing of

Words: Stacey Hunter

Books

THE SKINNY

Let Us Descend

Blackouts

Praiseworthy

The Coiled Serpent

By Jesmyn Ward

By Justin Torres

By Alexis Wright

By Camilla Grudova

Let Us Descend opens with: “The first weapon I ever held was my mother’s hand” – a sentence, unsettling and compelling, that embodies just how Jesmyn Ward’s lyrical prose acts as a weapon itself. A weapon can be many things – among them, a tool for liberation. Following Annis, a young woman enslaved in the US South, the title for Ward’s fourth novel comes from Dante’s Inferno, aligning our protagonist’s journey with a descent into hell. Yet, Annis’ story rejects the terms of Dante’s abyss: the abandonment of hope, the acceptance that punishment is deserved, the worship of anything besides love and freedom.

There are direct parallels between this historical narrative and present-day struggles for freedom: twice, Ward uses the phrase “I can’t breathe”, words that echo those of George Floyd, whose murder at the hands of the police set the world alight with protests. Ward wrote about this movement and its relation to her own personal grief in a 2020 Vanity Fair piece following the death of her husband – her reference here reminds us that the structural violence of racial capitalism endures, as does resistance.

Ward’s description of people whose lives are narratively predetermined to tragedy is defiant, fiercely imbueing them with love and a will to life even in situations of extremely compromised agency. She reminds us that this is what we owe to each other, and what will set us free.

[Maria Elena Torres-Quevedo]

Blackouts, the long awaited second novel by Justin Torres, is about bringing queer histories out from the dark. It centres around an older man Juan Gay – who is dying in The Palace, a decaying institute in the desert – and his haunting conversations with an unnamed younger narrator.

The novel is innovative in its form, featuring numerous found texts, photographs and illustrations all the while blurring fact with fiction.

“Right away, I felt the magnetism, the mystery of these books; a work of intense observation transformed into a work of erasure,” recounts the narrator. He will be charged with turning Juan’s story and documents into an academic monograph upon the older man’s death. The titular Blackouts might mean many things, be it psychological spells, lapses in memory, and the blacking out (or erasures) of very real queer lives who participated in a 1941 pseudo-scientific study Sex Variants: A Study in Homosexual Patterns.

Central to this is the amateur 20th-century queer historian, Jan Gay, whose expertise was co-opted by bad actors who exploited her connections to the queer underworld. As the novel unfolds, we learn more about real-life Jan Gay through Juan’s fading memories which are never quite objective but powerful for bringing this queer history to the forefront. This ambitious novel forces the reader to reflect on whose histories are shared and which are left decaying in the dark.

[Andrés Ordorica]

Some books you have to simply let happen to you. Alexis Wright’s Praiseworthy is one such book, filling over 700 pages with lyrical flowing prose almost without break. Set in a place named Praiseworthy, where an ancestor hangs as a dust cloud that can’t be removed, heating the place and clogging the lungs, causing problems and attracting tourists, Wright’s strange novel follows the misadventures of a family closed off in this town.

From this, Wright summons a portrait of Indigenous knowledge, culture and colloquialisms that flies in the face of simplified and romanticised ideas of First Nationhood and aboriginal Australia. Instead we are taken, and not without difficulty, on a winding story where the blurry edges of fiction and telling, naming and accounting for meet in ways that entangle the digital and the Anthropocene with storylines and lived reality. Against the backdrop of an Australia that just voted No to changing the constitution in favour of an Aboriginal Voice to parliament Praiseworthy packs a punch. Alexis Wright has written something which is often funny, heartbreaking and politically doesn’t hold back; First Nations literature should be allowed to speak for itself and this does, educating us as we trail in its wake.

[Marguerite Carson]

Hot on the heels of her acclaimed debut novel Children of Paradise, Camilla Grudova returns at top form with a second collection of grotesque and inscrutable short stories. A pair of spa workers exact a cursed revenge on their employers. A group of computer programmers practise semen retention with disastrous consequences. Giant, sweater-clad creatures swoop from above, leaving remnants of their victims behind in the form of monstrous owl pellets.

Threaded throughout this collection is an abiding sense that each dilapidated miniature world depicted is on the cusp of utter collapse. The twin spectres of fear and precarity skulk on the outskirts, as protagonists navigate the timeless hellscapes of work, money, pregnancy and housing. Whereas its short story predecessor, The Doll’s Alphabet, was concerned with the dysfunctional and often absurd relations between women and men, The Coiled Serpent widens its scope, turning a jaundiced eye towards labor and the conditions of the working poor, with depictions at once bizarre and uncomfortably familiar.

Indeed, discomfort and familiarity go hand-in-hand as Grudova unfailingly finds the abject terror in our most intimate places. Foods, poisons, and bodily effluvia blend together in a foamy, dark concoction, and scenes of visceral cruelty are not leavened by hope but instead brought confrontingly close. These stories are not for the faint of heart, and reading them is as sharply satisfying as picking at a scab. [Eris Young]

Bloomsbury, 24 Oct

Granta, 2 Nov

And Other Stories, 2 Nov

Atlantic Books, 2 Nov

November 2023 — Review

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THE SKINNY

Dream Gig Spanish-Welsh comic and Live at the Apollo star Ignacio Lopez delivers a dream gig with a surreal edge in this month’s feature Illustration: Magda Michalak Comedy

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films, and worked with Salvador Dalí a lot. Dalí can paint the show posters and backdrop in our pop-up comedy club. Buñuel might make things weird, but every gig needs challenges to overcome. I’d have suggested David Lynch, but he ACTUALLY runs a variety show in Paris. I’ve never been booked for it, so I assume it’s shit.

Opening: Peter Sellers doing some improv (or a character, but none of the racist ones). I’d have loved to have seen him do live stuff, and this is my chance; punch 1948 into the time travelling phone-box.

Break 1: Waiters walk around, carrying trays filled with food for nobody. FFS, Buñuel.

Act 2: Goldie Hawn. She started out in comedy, and has impeccable delivery. I’d like to hear observational stuff about her relationship with Kurt Russell, but it’s her set, she can do what she likes.

Next up: Raúl Juliá. An incredible actor who would have made a phenomenal comedian. I’m not saying actors make great comics (stay in your lane, thesps!) but he had great charisma and mischief in many performances. Such an interesting life to draw from too.

Break 2: A priest meandering, selling bottles of holy water.

Nobody’s buying.

Headliner: Eddie Murphy. The only actual stand-up I’ve booked. He’s alive, but I need 1980s Eddie. Phone-boxed him a couple of months prior to the gig, so he could hit the modern clubs, tighten up his set, and update his material. He’s going to do what the British couldn’t in the 40s, and blow the roof off this place.

Buñuel abruptly cuts the lights, and releases a goat herd into the venue. I hit the bar with the acts so we can bitch about the gig. Then I head to a late night cafe with Michelle, we look over her photos, have a bite, and I consider how lucky I am to be living my dream.

Ignacio Lopez: Nine IG Fails, Monkey Barrel Edinburgh (8 Nov) and The Stand Glasgow (9 Nov), 8pm, £15 @comedylopez on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok

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November 2023 — Review

omedians who say their best ever gig was at a comedy club, a festival etc, are either full of shit, or haven’t been going long enough to know that the best gig is one you don’t want to do – a corporate for arms dealers, or an aircraft hangar filled with stag parties – but before you leave home you’re messaged five magic words: ‘Gig Cancelled. Paid In Full.’

My favourite gig (not involving me watching Columbo at home), was a solo show in Neath Gwyn Hall. Near enough to where my mother’s from that it’s a homecoming, but far enough from the anxiety radius around my old comprehensive school.

I’ve been performing since 2009, and this was 2021, well beyond the point of doubting myself; I’ve gigged for every kind of crowd (haven’t gigged for arms dealers, they ended up booking Jimmy Carr). I did my favourite material, and local jokes I can only make in South Wales. I’ve gigged in Neath loads thanks to comic Paul James. He’s put on gigs in every conceivable venue in town, and runs Neath Comedy Festival (it’s like the Fringe, except acts don’t lose money, and there are fewer English public school bellends).

My favourite type of people were there; people who had paid to see me. As well as friends I hadn’t seen in ages. My partner, Michelle, was taking pictures. My mate Leroy Brito opened, and smashed it. I was furious. I had an amazing reception. It felt like every rubbish gig, every late night coach journey, every stage death, had all been worth it. I filmed it, but I’m worried if I watch it back, it’ll be like the scene in The Simpsons when Homer thinks he was witty and charming at his dinner party, but he was actually a drunken dick.

I already gig with my favourite comics, in stunning venues.

Topping that would take something absurd. So here’s the craic: Venue: When I met my German sister for the first time, we went to a Berlin art-house cinema: a beautiful 1920s building, still standing after the war. Classic red seats/curtains, just add a stage.

Host: Me. I can enjoy the other acts, play with the crowd, and avoid all my MC pet hates (the audience don’t need to practise clapping, you dork).

Right, I’ve got Bill & Ted’s phone-box, ok?

Show Manager: Luis Buñuel. He made surreal, darkly funny

THE SKINNY

Listings Looking for something to do? Well you’re in the right place! Find listings below for the month ahead across Music, Clubs, Theatre, Comedy and Art in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.

To find out how to submit listings, head to theskinny.co.uk/listings

Glasgow Music

Thu 02 Nov

CHRISTINE BOVILL

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Pop from Paris.

THE STREETS

Tue 31 Oct NOTHING BUT THIEVES

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:00

Garage from the UK.

TIGERCUB (JAMES AND THE COLD GUN)

FINCH

Alt folk from Newcastle.

RIOGHNACH CONNOLLY (HONEYFEET)

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

JLS

THE OVO HYDRO, 18:30–22:30

Pop from the UK.

Rock from Southend.

KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:30

TRADE + THE MODERN KIND

KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:00

THE PIGEON DETECTIVES

Rock from Glasgow.

PIRI

Pop from the UK.

Alt from Brighton.

HOME FRONT

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 19:00–22:30

Synth pop from Canada.

THE SOUP DRAGONS

MONO, 20:00–22:00

CITY AND COLOUR

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:00

Folk rock from the US. LANCEY FOUX

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Rap from London.

BAILEN

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Indie pop from New York.

WATER FROM YOUR EYES THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Pop from New York.

Wed 01 Nov NOTHING BUT THIEVES

November 2023 — Listings

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

ME LOST ME (WORMHOOK + MUIREANN LEVIS)

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Rock from Southend.

JALEN NGONDA

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Jazz from Liverpool.

ELLA JANE

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Jazz pop from the US. MARUJA

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Post-punk from Manchester.

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

Americana from Nashville.

CLOTH

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Electro pop from Glasgow.

ANDREW CUSHIN

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Indie rock from Newcastle.

CHRIS STAMEY (WARREN STARRY SKY) THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Singer-songwriter from the US. DEMI MARRINER

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Singer-songwriter from the UK.

Indie rock from Leeds.

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Indie from Scotland.

DEADLETTER

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Post-punk from Yorkshire.

CASH SAVAGE & THE LAST DRINKS

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Indie from Melbourne.

RICHARD YOUNGS AND RAYMOND MACDONALD

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 19:30–22:30

Indie.

SAM LEWIS

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Singer-songwriter from Nashville.

CUT CAPERS

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Funk from Bristol.

MARYJANE (DAVID WILT’S + RACHELLE RHIENNE + LAURIE)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

Eclectic lineup.

Fri 03 Nov

THE RUM SHACK, 19:00–22:30

MAN ON MAN (CLT DRP) THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Queer indie rock from New York.

Sat 04 Nov

CODY PENNINGTON COUNTRY SHOW

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Country from Nashville.

LIL TJAY

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Rap from the US.

MEDIUM BUILD (PHILINE SONNY + GOODNIGHT LOUISA) KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Indie from the US.

PANCHIKO (CJ’S MIRRAMAZE)

MONO, 20:00–22:30

Indie rock from the UK.

APOLLO JUNCTION

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Alt rock from Leeds.

BRISTON MARONEY STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Indie folk from Nashville.

HALEY BLAIS

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:00–22:30

DICTATOR

Pop from Canada.

Indie pop from Scotland.

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Sun 05 Nov

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

BAR ITALIA

VISTAS

Alt from London.

Indie rock from Scotland.

STEVE’N’SEAGULLS

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:30

Country from Finland.

ANIMALS AS LEADERS (ALLT) THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Prog metal from California.

GRETEL HÄNLYN

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Alt indie from London.

THE CLIENTELE (NIGHTSHIFT)

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Indie pop from London.

KENNY THOMAS

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Soul from the UK.

CODY PENNINGTON COUNTRY SHOW

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Country from Nashville.

OLIVER TREE

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Indie pop from the US. MODEL/ACTRIZ

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Post-punk from New York.

SCOUTING FOR GIRLS SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Pop rock from the UK. TOM A. SMITH

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Singer-songwriter from the UK.

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Post-hardcore from California.

INHALER

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

Irish rock from Dublin.

BABY QUEEN

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Pop from London.

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Folk from Ireland.

HANNAH GRACE THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Folk pop from London.

ROSE CITY BAND

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Country rock from the UK.

Mon 06 Nov

Wed 08 Nov PEACE

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Indie rock from Worcester.

LIL TJAY

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Rap from the US.

SUNNY WAR

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:30

Pop from Sweden.

Synth pop from Sheffield.

CHARTREUSE

KATELYN TARVER

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Indie pop from the US. THE RAVEN AGE

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Dark pop from the UK.

PEARL & THE OYSTERS

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Psych pop from LA. INHALER

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Indie from London.

OFF!

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Hardcore punk from LA.

OVERDOSE (HEAVY SENTENCE + VENOMWOLF + PISS BATH)

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:30

Indie from the UK. THE OVO HYDRO, 18:30–22:30

Rap from the US.

Experimental from Toronto.

Shoegaze from Ireland.

LEITH ROSS

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

MCFLY

PALE BLUE EYES

Punk from the Isle of Wight.

DEEPER

RUDI ZYGADLO

Indie rock from Chicago.

Pop from Scotland.

SNÕÕPER

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Punk from Nashville.

THE DAVID TATTERSALL GROUP

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

JOSHUA HYSLOP

THEE SACRED SOULS

Soul from California.

LITTLE SIMZ

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Hip-hop from London.

THE MURDER CAPITAL QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 19:00–22:30

Post-punk from Dublin.

Country from the UK.

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:3022:30

Folk from Canada.

OLD 97’S

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Alt country from Texas.

HIS LORDSHIP

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

TOMMY ASHBY

Rock from the UK.

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Thu 09 Nov

Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

JAMIE WEBSTER

DUST

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Hard rock from New York.

MALEVOLENCE

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Metalcore from Sheffield.

GODCASTER

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Art rock from Brooklyn.

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Indie from the UK. FAZERDAZE

Alt indie from the UK.

DYLAN JOHN THOMAS

Indie pop from Scotland.

BLEACH LAB

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Dream pop from London.

PISTOL DAISYS (LIV DAWN + CORMAC NAGLE) THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00

Rock from Glasgow.

DALI MURU & THE POLYPHONIC SWARM + SUSANNAH STARK

Indie hip-hop from the UK.

DYLAN JOHN THOMAS BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

Indie pop from Scotland.

SILVER MOTH

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

EACH CONFIDE (WUKASA + ONG! + EMILIE LESLIE)

Alt pop from Glasgow.

OLD FRUITMARKET GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Folk pop from LA.

DROPKICK (NEIL STURGEON & THE INSOMNIACS + ADRIANA SPINA) THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Power-pop from East Scotland.

Indie from Scotland.

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Country from New York.

Mon 13 Nov CIAN DUCROT

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Singer-songwriter from Ireland.

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Folk blues from the UK. TURIN BRAKES

Rock from the UK.

BRICKNASTY

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Neo-soul from Ireland.

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Indie from the UK.

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

Pop from the UK.

COLLEEN GREEN

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Indie from LA.

TANGERINE DREAM

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Electronica from Berlin.

ONDARA

MALKA (MOKUSLA)

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Pop from Scotland.

Tue 14 Nov

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

NIGEL CLARK (DODGY) + DARREN ‘LOKI’ MCGARVEY + CAPTAIN HOTKNIVES + ERB ‘N’ TING ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

Eclectic lineup.

Sun 12 Nov AQUALUNG

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Pop from London.

COREY TAYLOR

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

MONO, 15:00– 17:30

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

— 64 —

DOUGIE POOLE

ANTONY SZMIEREK

FUNKE AND THE TWO TONE BABY

Eclectic lineup.

THE WONDER YEARS

Alt rock from the US.

Pop from the US.

Rock metal from the US.

Sat 11 Nov

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

THE RUM SHACK, 19:00–22:30

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Alt indie from New Zealand.

JOSEF AIKEN

GLAIVE

JESSIE WARE

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Tue 07 Nov

Pop from the UK.

WEYES BLOOD

Indie from the UK.

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 19:30–22:30

THE OVO HYDRO, 18:30–22:30

THE GOA EXPRESS

Fri 10 Nov

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Pop from the UK.

LOUIS TOMLINSON (THE ACADEMIC + RACHEL CHINOURIRI)

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00

GRADE 2

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Post-punk from Manchester.

Noise rock from Norway.

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Singer-songwriter from Canada.

Eclectic lineup.

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Post-rock from Scotland.

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

MONO, 20:00–22:30

A CERTAIN RATIO

ARABROT (JAY JAYLE + KARIN PARK)

THE KOUNT

Irish rock from Dublin.

DECOLONISE FEST ON TOUR (KAPIL SESHASAYEE + R.AGGS + TRISHAAA)

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Heavy metal from London.

Indie rock from the US.

Indie rock from LA.

SENSORY ILLUSIONS

Heavy metal from the US.

JUST MUSTARD (NO WINDOWS)

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

JAMIE WEBSTER

BC CAMPLIGHT

LO MOON (ZOE GRAHAM + SAMUEL NICHOLSON)

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–23:00

50 CENT

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

CAR BOOT SALE

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

LOREEN

HEAVEN 17

Metal from the US.

Folk punk from LA.

Indie from Glasgow.

Alt indie from Salt Lake City.

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:30

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

TERRA KIN

KROOKED KINGS

GALACTIC EMPIRE

CARLA J EASTON (THE CORDS)

Pop from Scotland.

FIDLAR

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Garage punk from the US. STATIC DRESS

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:30

Rock from Leeds.

THE CULT

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

Rock from Bradford.

Americana from Kenya.

YOUTH LAGOON

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Indie from the US. EMBRACE

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Rock from the UK. EMPIRE STATE BASTARD

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Metal from the UK.

MIC RIGHTEOUS

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Rap from the UK. BOB VYLAN

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Grime from London.

CHAI

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Pop from Japan.

JESSIE WARE

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

Pop from the UK. ALI SETHI

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Composer from Pakistan.

THE SKINNY JAZZ AT THE GLAD: NIGEL PRICE ORGAN TRIO THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:00

Jazz.

WRECKLESS ERIC THE RUM SHACK, 19:30–22:30

Rock from the UK. CLARE SANDS

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Folk from Ireland.

CARA HAMMOND (REBECCA HURN + ABBIE GORDON)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

Indie from Wales.

Wed 15 Nov ETHAN P. FLYNN

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Psych pop from London.

XADI

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Rap from London.

PETE & BAS

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Grime from the UK. ATREYU

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Metalcore from California.

LOW HUMMER

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Alt rock from Hull.

HANNAH ALDRIDGE STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Americana from Alabama.

YL HOOI (SILZDREK) THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Electronica from Melbourne.

MELANIE MARTINEZ THE OVO HYDRO, 18:30–22:30

Indie pop from the US. RATBOYS

THE CABEYTU BROTHERS SHOW

TARA CLERKIN TRIO (CHIZU NNAMDI)

World from Benidorm.

Acid jazz from Bristol.

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 19:00–22:30

ALABAMA 3

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Americana from the UK. CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:30

JOE HICKS

THE SUMMER SET

Rap from the US.

Pop rock from Arizona.

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

AIM FOR TWO (VERSINIO + KNACKERED)

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00

Indie from Glasgow.

BRUNO MAJOR

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Singer-songwriter from the UK.

THE JACKAL IV + THE REVERSE COWGIRLS

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 19:00–22:30

Garage punk from Glasgow.

JOHNNY JEWEL

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:00–22:30

Composer from the US. LIVING BODY

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Pop from Leeds.

JOSH KELLY (COSMIC EMPIRE + THE STREAMS + VANDERLYE)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

Indie pop from Glasgow.

Sat 18 Nov BILLY STRINGS

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Bluegrass and rock from Nashville.

THE ANSWER

KING TUT’S, 19:00– 22:30

Hard rock from Northern Ireland.

ENOLA GAY

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

Alt indie from Belfast.

Thu 16 Nov NOAH KAHAN

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Indie folk from the US.

GEMMA DUNLEAVY KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:30

Pop from Ireland.

KEVIN DAVY WHITE SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Blues soul from France.

FLAT PARTY

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Post-punk from Bristol.

HEADBUSSA (NOTHIN’ BUT ENEMIES) THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00

Hardcore beatdown from France.

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Alt indie from the UK.

STEPHANIE LAMPREA + RICHARD CRAIG

HOT MILK

Power pop from the UK. L DEVINE

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Indie pop from the UK. LIP CRITIC

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Noise punk from New York.

SPACE

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Alt dance from Liverpool.

HOLY MOLY & THE CRACKERS CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 19:00–22:30

Folk rock from Newcastle.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE (THE END IS NERO) THE OVO HYDRO, 18:00–22:30

Rock from Seattle.

EWAN MACFARLANE DRYGATE BREWING CO., 19:00–22:30

Rock from Scotland.

HEADCLEANER (MONI JITCHELL + JUNK PUPS + SCOTT J BRICE)

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 19:30–22:30

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

FINDLAY NAPIER (MIMA MERROW)

Sun 19 Nov

Composers from Scotland.

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 20:00–22:30

Trad from the UK.

Noise rock from the UK. CIGARETTES AFTER SEX O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

BADO RETI GROUP

Dream pop from Texas.

Composers from Scotland.

KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:30

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

JACOB YATES AND THE PEARLY GATE LOCKPICKERS

WILLIAM PRINCE

Country folk from Canada.

THE LEISURE SOCIETY MONO, 20:00–22:30

Folk pop from the UK.

Mon 20 Nov

GRETA VAN FLEET (MT. JOY) THE OVO HYDRO, 18:30–22:30

Rock from Michigan.

Tue 21 Nov BAKAR

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Indie from London.

COSMO PYKE

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Fri 17 Nov SIPHO.

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Alt from Birmingham.

JULIE BYRNE

MONO, 20:00–22:30

Indie folk from the US.

KOJAQUE

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Indie rap from Ireland.

HOLDING ABSENCE THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:30–22:30

Rock from Cardiff.

Indie from London.

THE SISTERS OF MERCY

YVES TUMOR

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Pop from the US.

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

Rock from Leeds.

STARSAILOR

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Indie rock from the UK. SLØTFACE

JADE HELLIWELL

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Pop from Yorkshire.

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Rock from Norway.

MOVEMENTS

GRGR (SOFT RIOT)

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00

Synth-punk from Munich.

SANAM

Post-hardcore from California.

NIGHTSHIFT

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Jazz rock outfit from Beirut PETER BREWIS

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Indie pop from Glasgow.

Mon 27 Nov

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

THE INSPECTOR CLUZO (NATE BERGMAN)

Rock from the UK.

MANSUR BROWN

SKINNY LISTER

FRIENDLY FIRES

SUNDARA KARMA SWG3, 19:00–22:30

KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Folk punk from London.

Indie rock from the UK.

EDDIE PRÉVOST + SILVAN SCHMID + TOM WHEATLEY THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Experimental jazz.

THE BLUE ORCHIDS THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Post-punk from Manchester.

Wed 22 Nov DAVID ARNOLD

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Composer from the UK. ECHOSMITH (LARKINS)

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

House and shoegaze from Edinburgh.

THE SUN’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE NIGHT (THE ORACLE + SPIDER GOD) THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Black metal from the UK.

THE CASTROS + SUB VIOLET + THE STAINTS

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Eclectic lineup.

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

THE KUNDALINI GENIE - ALBUM LAUNCH STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

THE REZILLOS

M1LLIONZ

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Rap from Birmingham.

GREEN LUNG

CATHOUSE, 19:00–22:30

Stoner doom from the UK.

PHIL CAMPBELL & THE BASTARD SONS THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

Rock from Wales.

WATERPARKS

BARROWLANDS, 19:00– 22:30

SWG3, 19:30–22:30

Edinburgh Music Tue 31 Oct

SCHEME (TP + FRENCESCA)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Alt hip-hop from Edinburgh.

PASSENGER

Psych rock from Glasgow.

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

New Wave from Edinburgh.

THE DECLINING WINTER (EPIC45)

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 20:00–22:30

Pop from Yorkshire.

Hip-hop from Edinburgh.

Wed 01 Nov DEADLETTER

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:30

Post-punk from Yorkshire.

JIZZY PEARL (DIG LAZARUS)

BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Hard rock from US. TOM WALKER

THE PIGEON DETECTIVES

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

Rock from Texas.

IDA MAE

Garage psych from Glasgow.

STEREO, 19:00–22:00

Folk from Norfolk.

Sat 25 Nov

NINE BELOW ZERO

Thu 02 Nov

ORAN MOR, 19:30–22:30

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

THE JOY HOTEL

ST LUKE’S, 19:00–22:30

Alt rock from Glasgow.

DAVE ARCARI (ISMO HAAVISTO) THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Blues from Scotland.

SUNBIRDS

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Americana from the UK. GEORGIA

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

Pop from London.

Thu 23 Nov PHILIP SAYCE

ORAN MOR, 19:30–22:30

Guitar from LA.

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 19:00–22:30

MICHAEL ALDAG

KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:30

Indie from the UK.

LUCIA & THE BEST BOYS SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Electro rock from Scotland.

Indie rock from Leeds.

JIM JONES ALL STARS

Blues from the UK.

SMASH INTO PIECES (CYAN KICKS) KING TUT’S, 20:30– 22:30

Garage blues from London.

DIRTY SOUND MAGNET

Metal from Sweden.

BANNERMANS, 19:00– 22:30

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

SPACE

JOE GOODALL

Alt dance from Liverpool.

Rock from Switzerland.

BROOKE COMBE

R’n’B from Edinburgh.

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:30

CODY PENNINGTON COUNTRY SHOW

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

THE TOLERATED (WREAKING JOY + FEART.)

Country from Nashville.

ELLA JANE

THE FLYING DUCK, 19:00–22:00

SUMMERHALL, 19:00– 22:30

ANDRE

THE BUG CLUB

Pop from Poland.

Rock from Wales.

Punk and hardcore.

Jazz pop from the US.

DRYGATE BREWING CO., 19:00–22:30

SUMMERHALL, 19:00– 22:30

SHREDD

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

THE ROBIN ROBERTSON BLUES BAND

GIRL RAY

Blues from Edinburgh.

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

Garage psych from Glasgow.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

Americana from the US.

CODY PENNINGTON COUNTRY SHOW THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

Country from Nashville.

BECKY SIKASA

SUMMERHALL, 19:00– 22:30

Indie rock from Sunderland.

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00

Tue 07 Nov

NIX NORTHWEST

LEITH ROSS

SUMMERHALL, 19:00– 22:30

Singer-songwriter from Canada.

PEARL & THE OYSTERS (THE RAEBURN BROTHERS + DISCO MARY)

Soul from Scotland.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:45–22:00

Wed 08 Nov

HORSE

Indie rock from Scotland.

PANCHIKO

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

Indie rock from the UK.

SCOUTING FOR GIRLS LA BELLE ANGELE, 19:00–22:00

Pop rock from the UK.

ONE NINE EIGHT (LUKE WALKER) SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Alternative from Glasgow.

Sat 04 Nov RIOGHNACH CONNOLLY + HONEYFEET

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

Folk from the UK.

THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE

Psych pop from LA. SLACKKER (THE STOATERS + THE GULLIOTINES)

BANNERMANS, 19:00– 22:30

Rock from the UK.

CAR BOOT SALE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:30

Indie from Chicago.

SASQUATCH (BLIND RIVER) BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Heavy rock from the US. PROJECT SMOK

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:30

Neo-trad from Scotland.

Pop from the UK.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

Fri 10 Nov

KING CREOSOTE

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

ROOM 2, 19:00–22:30

Pop from the UK.

— 65 —

THE MURDERBURGERS

Rap from London.

SHREDD (COSMIC EYES AND THE COLLIDERS) SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Garage psych from Glasgow.

Mon 13 Nov

WRECKLESS ERIC THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

Rock from the UK.

DOUGIE POOLE SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Country from New York.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

SQUIRREL FLOWER

Alt indie from the UK.

Folk rock from Scotland.

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

Thu 09 Nov

MCFLY

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:00–22:00

Folk from Scotland.

Tue 14 Nov

Indie from London.

BANNERMANS, 20:00– 22:30

Americana.

KARINE POLWART

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

PALE BLUE EYES

Rock from the US.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

Folk from the US.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

Queer indie rock from New York.

Hip-hop from Edinburgh.

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

CAMPBELL JENSEN

WILLI CARLISLE (JACK BROWNING)

TOM A SMITH

COLDSVILLE (LONGSTAY)

USHER HALL, 19:00– 22:30

SHREDD

Fri 03 Nov

Avant-pop from England.

USHER HALL, 19:00– 22:30

YOUNG FATHERS

Country from the UK.

Post-punk from Manchester.

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00

MAN ON MAN

Alt indie from Scotland.

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

PENGUIN CAFÉ

USHER HALL, 19:00– 22:30

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:30

MY DARLING CLEMENTINE

MARUJA (INSIDER TRADING)

Folk from the UK.

THE CAVES, 18:30–22:30

YOUNG FATHERS

CHIARA BERARDELLI SWG3, 19:00–22:30

LEO MIYAGEE + CHEF

Rap from the UK.

BARRY CAN’T SWIM

Indie pop from Ireland.

Indie folk from the US.

Indie rock from the UK.

Alt pop from the UK.

THE 502S

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

CMAT

Indie pop from California.

Blues rock from France.

DEVON

KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:30

Electronica from Nottingham.

Singer-songwriter from Louisiana.

BROADCAST, 19:00–22:30

Fri 24 Nov

ODIE LEIGH

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

ME REX

Indie folk from the US.

KESTON COBBLERS CLUB

Folk pop from the UK.

Rock from Wales.

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

SLEAFORD MODS

Pop from the US.

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:30

Producer from London.

QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 19:00–22:30

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Electro pop from Lancashire.

GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV

Rock from the UK.

Rock from Glasgow.

MIKE PETERS

KING TUT’S, 20:00– 22:30

Reggae from the UK.

THE RUM SHACK, 19:30–22:30

SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS

SWG3, 19:00–22:30

IAN MCNABB

Singer-songwriter from Liverpool.

SNIDE REMARKS

HANNAH ALDRIDGE BAND

Americana from Alabama.

JONAH MATRANGA BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Rock from the US.

INDIE SOCIETY PRESENTS WEST COAST WONDERS

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

Indie lineup.

ENOLA GAY

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

Alt indie from Belfast.

BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Indie rock from Oregon.

Wed 15 Nov

POUR ME (EVE + PHIL HUGHES + CHARLOTTE ALLAN) BANNERMANS, 19:00– 22:30

Rock from the UK. FLAT PARTY

BANNERMANS, 19:00– 22:30

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

SAMH fundraiser.

THE DETROIT COBRAS

Thu 16 Nov

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Garage rock from Michigan.

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

BAS JAN

Post-punk from London.

Sun 05 Nov

Punk rock from Teesside.

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

SPG1 (COD O’DONNELL + THE CRYPTIDS)

ROSIE H SULLIVAN

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

Indie folk from the Hebrides.

DROPKICK (WYNNTOWN MARSHALLS)

BANNERMANS, 18:30– 22:30

Power-pop from East Scotland.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:30

Post-punk, psychedelic

MARISA AND THE MOTHS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Alt rock from the UK. MATTHEW & THE ATLAS

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:30

Folk rock from the UK. DŻEM

THE LIQUID ROOM, 18:00–22:30

Blues rock from Poland.

Sat 11 Nov

CARLA J. EASTON

Post-punk from Bristol.

EWAN MACFARLANE THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

Rock from Scotland.

WILD THORN (HOLYRUDE VAULT + TANTRUM) BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Rock from Newcastle.

THE GLASGOW AFRICAN BALAFON ORCHESTRA SUMMERHALL, 19:30– 22:30

Afrobeat and soul from Glasgow.

SUMMERHALL, 19:30– 22:30

SLEEKIT (SHEBEAT + BENBEN)

THE RULERS OF THE ROOT (RESTRICTED CODE)

Indie lineup.

Pop from Scotland.

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

JAH WOBBLE

BUG HUNTER (THE NARCISSIST COOKBOOK)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

LA BELLE ANGELE, 19:00–22:00

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

TIDE LINES ACOUSTIC TOUR

GROVE

Pop, folk and rock.

DUNCAN CHISHOLM - BLACK CUILLIN IN CONCERT

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00

Folk pop from Scotland.

New Wave

GOTTS STREET PARK

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

POSITIVE EXPERIENCE (BEE ASHA + MALAIKAH)

AIDAN MCIVOR CROSSFIRE ALBUM LAUNCH

Indie from Edinburgh.

Singer-songwriter from Edinburgh.

Folk from Scotland.

Alt R’n’B from Leeds.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

LA BELLE ANGELE, 19:00–22:00

Mon 06 Nov

PRETTY BOY FLOYD

Sun 12 Nov

Glam metal from California.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

RUDI ZYGADLO

Pop from Scotland.

Rock from the UK. SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Live dance/hip-hop from Bristol.

Fri 17 Nov

SECRET AFFAIR (SQUIRE)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

Rock from the UK.

SIBLINGS OF SAMHAIN (BUZZBOMB + A MURDER OF CROWS + 13 TOMBS) BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Horror rock from the UK.

November 2023 — Listings

WILLIE J. HEALEY

50 CENT

THE OVO HYDRO, 18:30–22:30

THE HUG AND PINT, 19:30–22:30

Indie rock from Chicago.

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–22:30

Sun 26 Nov

TOM RASMUSSEN

THE SKINNY

GLASVILLE

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

Country lineup.

HALINA RICE

SUMMERHALL, 19:30– 22:30

Electronica from London.

TERRORCLAWS (CHARLIE TANGOS + THROWN AWAY + AGONISER)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

Hardcore punk.

WILLIE J. HEALEY THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

Alt indie from the UK.

CAPITAL CHAOS: EVILE LA BELLE ANGELE, 19:00–22:00

Thrash metal from the UK. LIP CRITIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Noise punk from New York.

Sat 18 Nov LIVING BODY

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:30

Pop from Leeds.

WARRIOR SOUL

BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Rock from the US. BEN FOLDS

USHER HALL, 19:00– 22:30

Pop from the US. TALISK

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

Neo-trad from Scotland.

RANDOLPH'S LEAP SUMMERHALL, 19:30– 22:30

THE CAVES, 19:00–22:30

Indie rock from Halifax.

VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ SUMMERHALL, 19:00– 22:30

Guitar from Mali.

ME REX

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Indie from London.

Thu 23 Nov

THE SILVER ARROW COLLECTIVE THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–22:30

Country from the UK.

THE BLUE ORCHIDS (HARPO RHUM + SPGONE) THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

Post-punk from Manchester.

PAUL D’IANNO

BANNERMANS, 19:00– 22:30

Metal from the UK.

THE BLOW MONKEYS THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

Pop from the UK.

SLIME CITY (FISTYMUFFS + SERIOUS ADULTS)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

Power art pop, riot grrrl.

CARA DILLON

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:30–22:00

Folk from Ireland.

SNAKE EYES

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Gritpop from Brighton.

Indie pop from Scotland.

Fri 24 Nov

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

ALABAMA 3

LA BELLE ANGELE, 19:00–22:00

MATT PEARCE & THE MUTINY (ROMEO’S DAUGHTER)

THE RACKETS (PUPPY TEETH)

Blues rock from the UK.

VERBT

Hip-hop from the UK.

Americana from the UK. SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Indie rock from London.

Sun 19 Nov GUY DAVIS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–22:30

MARTIN HARLEY

Blues from the UK.

BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

DYLAN JOHN THOMAS O2 ACADEMY EDINBURGH, 19:00–22:30

Indie pop from Scotland.

BIG LANES BACK TO EARTH SINGLE LAUNCH

Blues from the US.

WEE RED BAR, 19:00– 22:00

BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

WREST (DEAD SEA SOULS + JIM WILSON)

MARCO MENDOZA

Rock from the US. KING KING

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

Blues rock from the UK. THE WOLFETONES LA BELLE ANGELE, 19:00–22:00

Trad from Ireland.

November 2023 — Listings

THE ORIELLES

Indie.

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 19:00–22:00

Rock from Scotland.

WAVERLEY

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

Indie pop from Edinburgh.

SCALER

DAN BYRNE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Rock from Liverpool.

Sat 25 Nov

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Mon 20 Nov

FAR FROM SAINTS

USHER HALL, 19:00– 22:30

Rock from the UK.

NIAMHY MAC (MIMA MERROW + MC BLANCE) SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Folk from Edinburgh.

Tue 21 Nov BOB MOULD

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:30

Techno punk from Bristol.

BARRY CAN'T SWIM THE BONGO CLUB, 19:00–22:30

House and shoegaze from Edinburgh.

Mon 27 Nov

COLLATERAL (WICKED SMILE + CASSIDY PARIS) BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Rock from the UK.

LOW RISE (JOE GOODALL AND THE FREE RADICALS + DELTAMANIC) SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Indie rock from Edinburgh.

Dundee Music Thu 02 Nov

LIZ JONES & BROKEN WINDOWS + FUNKDOZER CHURCH, 19:00–22:30

Eclectic lineup.

Sat 04 Nov THE MEMBERS

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 19:00–22:30

Punk from the UK.

Sat 11 Nov

KULLNES (PORTABLE HEADS + OCHRE DUNDEE) CHURCH, 19:00–22:30

Indie from Scotland.

Sat 18 Nov

PEATBOG FAERIES

CHURCH, 19:00–22:30

Celtic from Isle of Skye.

NATI DREDDD

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 19:00–22:30

Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

BANNERMANS, 19:00– 22:30

Metal from the UK.

Techno and acid.

Sat 04 Nov BLACK TRAFFIC

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Techno.

TAIKANO 6TH BIRTHDAY: FATIMA HAJJI SWG3, 23:00–03:00

LP RHYTHM

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Techno and house.

1 YEAR OF PONYBOY STEREO, 23:00–04:00

Bass, techno and ambient.

96 BACK (SHELL COMPANY + NOBLE LEISURE) THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00

Experimental club from Manchester.

10 YEARS OF NIGHTRAVE WITH DJ STINGRAY & NIGHTWAVE

STEREO, 23:00–03:00

Experimental and noise.

XL SUB CLUB HALLOWEEN

SUB CLUB, 23:00–04:00

Club.

POLKA DOT DISCO CLUB: HALLOQUEEN PARTY THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

House and electro.

Wed 01 Nov

CIRCA PRESENTS: COOKED HALLOWEEN FEAT. TAIS-TOI & C FRAME

HAMISH HAWK

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

Indie from Edinburgh.

Thu 02 Nov

THE MASH HOUSE, 19:00–22:00

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Club and rave.

WHIPPED CREAM WITH ROSEHIPS THE RUM SHACK, 21:00–01:00

KEEP ON: TELFORD

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Hip-hop and pop.

RARE CLUB W/ MELLA DEE SUB CLUB, 23:00–04:00

Trance and techno.

Fri 10 Nov

5 YEARS OF WELL BLESS: TENEMENT SOUNDS X CRUCIAL ROOTS SOUND SYSTEM SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Roots, dub and bass.

KOBOSIL

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Techno.

CL!CK W/ YAZZUS (MISS CABBAGE + VAJ.POWER + BLAIRO + TALK2FRANKIE + HALAL KITTY) STEREO, 23:00–03:00

Techno and bass.

Sat 11 Nov SASHA + JOHN DIGWEED

SWG3, 21:00–03:00

Speed metal from Scotland.

Techno.

STEREO, 23:00–03:00

Fri 03 Nov

LA CHEETAH’S 14TH BIRTHDAY (JOY ORBISON)

Irish folk punk from Germany.

NATONAL PLAYBOYS (BRAT COVEN + COWBOY HUNTERS) SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

Indie rock from Edinburgh.

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

ROOLER

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

B.A.D MUSIC INSTITUTE

Bass, UK funk, dancehall.

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Electronica and rave.

House and techno.

Sun 12 Nov

STEREO, 23:00–03:00

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

SUPERSTAR BRUT: LAGOON FEMSHAYMA + DIESSA

KEEP ON: OOFT! + DAVID BARBAROSSA

Bass and breaks.

Disco and Balearic.

BASS INJECTION (BESKAR + POLLYANA + RESIDENTS) THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00

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

FRIDAYS (SECOND OF THE MONTH) RETURN TO MONO

SLAM’s monthly Subbie residency sees them joined by some of the biggest names in international techno.

Cathouse

Cabaret Voltaire FRIDAYS FLY CLUB

Edinburgh and Glasgowstraddling night, with a powerhouse of local residents joined by a selection of guest talent.

SATURDAYS PLEASURE

CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

Screamy, shouty, posthardcore madness to help you shake off a week of stress in true punk style.

SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

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.

SUNDAYS (FIRST OF THE MONTH) HELLBENT

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

SUNDAYS (SECOND OF THE MONTH) FLASHBACK

Pop party anthems and classic cheese from DJ Nicola Walker.

CHEERS FOR THIRD SUNDAY

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

SUNDAYS (LAST OF THE MONTH) SLIDE IT IN

Classic rock through the ages from DJ Nicola Walker.

The Garage Glasgow MONDAYS

BARE MONDAYS

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

TUESDAYS

#TAG TUESDAYS

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

WEDNESDAYS

GLITTERED! WEDNESDAYS

THURSDAYS ELEMENT

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

FRIDAYS

FRESH BEAT

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

SATURDAYS

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.

SUNDAYS SESH

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

DJ Garry Garry Garry in G2 with chart remixes, along with beer pong competitions all night.

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

SATURDAYS (LAST OF THE MONTH)

Skillis and guests playing garage, techno, house and bass downstairs, with old school hip hop upstairs.

Monthly no-holds-barred, down-and-dirty disco.

HEADSET, 23.00

SATURDAYS (FIRST OR SECOND OF THE MONTH) MESSENGER, 23.00

Regular Saturday night at Cab Vol, with residents and occasional special guests.

The Bongo Club

MUMBO JUMBO, 23.00

TUESDAYS

MIDNIGHT BASS, 23:00

Big basslines and small prices form the ethos behind this weekly Tuesday night, with drum'n'bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage aplenty.

FRIDAYS (THIRD OF THE MONTH) ELECTRIKAL, 23.00

Sound system and crew, part of a music and art collective specialising in BASS music.

Exploring the legacy of dub, reggae and roots music and sound system culture in the contemporary club landscape.

FRIDAYS (EVERY OTHER MONTH)

DISCO MAKOSSA, 23.00

Disco Makossa takes the dancefloor on a funk-filled trip through the sounds of African disco, boogie and house – strictly for the dancers.

FRIDAYS (EVERY OTHER MONTH)

OVERGROUND, 23.00

CÉLESTE W/ SWIM

FRIDAYS (FIRST OR LAST OF THE MONTH)

Roots reggae rocking since 1987 – foundation tune, fresh dubs, vibes alive, rockers, steppers, rub-a-dub.

SOUND SYSTEM LEGACIES, 23.00

Deep house.

HELLRIPPER

MR IRISH BASTARD

SATURDAYS

FRIDAYS (MONTHLY, WEEK CHANGES)

Techno and house.

Techno.

Sub Club

FRIDAYS

SUNDAYS (THIRD OF THE MONTH)

Regular Edinburgh club nights

Disco and Italo.

FOUNDRY057

KETTAMA

Afro, disco and funtimes with three of the best record collections in Glasgow and beyond.

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

DJ Jonny soundtracks your Wednesday with all the best pop-punk, rock and Hip-hop.

Techno and house.

LA BELLE ANGELE, 19:00–22:00

SATURDAYS (SECOND OF THE MONTH)

UNHOLY

CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

SUMMERHALL, 19:30– 22:30

REZILLOS

Soul party feat. 60s R&B, motown, northern soul and more!

THURSDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

HUDSON MOHAWKE B2B NIKKI NAIR

OUT OF BOUNDS PRESENTS: DE_ NOISEHALLOWEEN1 (KAVARI [LIVE] + EMME + S280F + EKSTASIS + STABLE)

MOJO WORKIN’

SUBCULTURE

Techno and house.

Thu 09 Nov

Tue 31 Oct

SATURDAYS (THIRD OF THE MONTH)

LOOSEN UP

Glasgow Clubs

Folk punk from the UK.

PAUL D’IANNO

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

Deep house and disco.

BANNERMANS, 19:30– 22:30

Wed 22 Nov

Drum ‘n’n bass and garage.

RUSH INVITES FEAR-E (BASH MAN + MIS COSMIX + FEAR-E)

Rock from Germany.

KHAOTIC EVENTS: SPINECHILLERS

Punk folk from Canada.

SUB CLUB, 23:00–04:00

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Sun 26 Nov

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00

The Rum Shack

MAGIC CITY - Y U QT

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 19:30–22:30

THE NEW ROSES

THIS IS THE KIT

EUGENE RIPPER

Techno.

Fri 24 Nov

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

SUMMERHALL, 19:00– 22:30

Regular Glasgow club nights

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Sun 05 Nov

Punk from Edinburgh.

Rock from the US.

MISSING PERSONS CLUB: U.R.TRAX + ANDY BARTON

A safe space to appreciate all things rave, jungle, breakbeat and techno.

House and techno.

Drum ‘n’ bass and jungle.

— 66 —

SATURDAYS (MONTHLY)

Everything from disco, funk and soul to electro and house: Saturday night party music all night long.

SATURDAYS (MONTHLY)

SOULSVILLE INTERNATIONAL, 23.00

International soulful sounds.

SATURDAYS (EVERY OTHER MONTH) PULSE, 23.00

Techno night started in 2009 hosting regular special guests from the international scene.

Sneaky Pete’s MONDAYS

MORRISON STREET/STAND B-SIDE/CHAOS IN THE COSMOS/TAIS-TOI

House and techno dunts from some of Edinburgh's best young teams.

TUESDAYS RARE

Weekly house and techno with rising local DJs and hot special guests.

THURSDAYS (FIRST OF THE MONTH) VOLENS CHORUS

Resident DJs with an eclectic, global outlook

FRIDAYS (SECOND OF THE MONTH) HOT MESS

A night for queer people and their friends.

SOUL JAM

SUNDAYS POSTAL

Weekly Sunday session showcasing the very best of heavy-hitting local talent with some extra special guests.

The Liquid Room

SATURDAYS (FIRST OF THE MONTH) REWIND

Monthly party night celebrating the best in soul, disco, rock and pop with music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and current bangers.

The Hive MONDAYS

MIXED UP MONDAY

Monday-brightening mix of Hip-hop, R'n'B and chart classics, with requests in the back room.

TUESDAYS

TRASH TUESDAY

Alternative Tuesday anthems cherry picked from genres of rock, indie, punk, retro and more.

WEDNESDAYS

COOKIE WEDNESDAY

90s and 00s cheesy pop and modern chart anthems.

THURSDAYS

HI-SOCIETY THURSDAY

Student anthems and bangerz.

FRIDAYS

FLIP FRIDAY

Yer all-new Friday at Hive.

Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and noveltystuffed. Perrrfect.

SATURDAYS BUBBLEGUM

Saturday mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics thrown in for good measure.

SUNDAYS

SECRET SUNDAY

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of/handle on a Sunday.

Subway Cowgate MONDAYS TRACKS

Blow the cobwebs off the week with a weekly Monday night party with some of Scotland’s biggest and best drag queens.

TUESDAYS TAMAGOTCHI

Throwback Tuesdays with non-stop 80s, 90s, 00s tunes.

WEDNESDAYS TWISTA

Banger after banger all night long.

THURSDAYS FLIRTY

Pop, cheese and chart.

FRIDAYS

FIT FRIDAYS

Chart-topping tunes perfect for an irresistible sing and dance-along.

SATURDAYS

SLICE SATURDAY

The drinks are easy and the pop is heavy.

SUNDAYS

SUNDAY SERVICE

Atone for the week before and the week ahead with non-stop dancing.

The Mash House FRIDAYS RESIST

A weekly techno extravaganza.

SATURDAYS (FIRST OF THE MONTH) SAMEDIA SHEBEEN

Joyous global club sounds: think Afrobeat, Latin and Arabic dancehall on repeat.

SATURDAYS (LAST OF THE MONTH) PULSE

The best techno DJs sit alongside The Mash House resident Darrell Pulse.

THE SKINNY

Fri 17 Nov

BELTERS ONLY

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

House.

MUTT

STEREO, 23:00–03:00

Techno, hard dance, baile funk.

PARTIAL 9TH BDAY WITH PIGEON STEVE LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

House and techno.

SHAKARA 5TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY (PROSUMER) THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

House and techno.

Sat 18 Nov AZYR

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Techno.

Sun 26 Nov

KEEP ON: OOFT! + DAVID BARBAROSSA LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Disco and Balearic.

Edinburgh Clubs Tue 31 Oct KINKY DISCO HALLOWEEN

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Disco.

CLUB NACHT

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

House and disco.

SWEATBOX X STEREO: CLARA! (DJ MAICOL + CHICHA)

Wed 01 Nov

Reggaeton and bass.

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

STEREO, 23:00–03:00

BASEMENT 108 PRESENTS BILLY DAVIDSON (PAUL STUART + NICK FERRARA) THE FLYING DUCK, 17:00–22:00

Deep house.

SHOOT YOUR SHOT: NARCISS THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

House and trance.

ANNA AND HOLLY’S DANCE PARTY THE RUM SHACK, 21:00–01:00

Dance and club.

Sun 19 Nov KEEP ON: IRIS PERTEGAZ

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

House and disco.

Thu 23 Nov

BREATHE: FAFI ABDEL NOUR THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

House and electro.

Fri 24 Nov CLOONEE

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Tech house.

CALVIN LOGUE

SWG3, 23:00–03:00

Techno.

EXCUSE MY BEAUTY STEREO, 23:00–03:00

Bass and techno.

SENSU: MACEO PLEX + AVNU

SUB CLUB, 23:00–04:00

House and techno.

SLOW RUSH YOUNG FATHERS AFTERSHOW PARTY

Hip-hop and dance.

HAPTIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

UK garage and house.

Thu 02 Nov

LA CHEETAH CLUB PRESENTS: HUNEE LA CHEETAH CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Club and house.

EROL ALKAN - TO THE RHYTHM THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00

Indie and house.

BERKELEY’S EARLY DOORSP: HORSE MEAT DISCO

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 17:00–22:00

Disco.

WORLD OF TWIST: ZAG ERLAT THE RUM SHACK, 21:00–03:00

Vinyl and disco.

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00

House and techno.

CLUB NACHT

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

House and disco.

FEMMERGY

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Queer club.

Fri 03 Nov

INDUSTRIAL ESTATE THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

Hardcore and industrial.

MONSTER’S BALL: THE LADY GAGA CLUB NIGHT LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Pop.

Sat 04 Nov

MCFLY AFTERPARTY LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Pop.

LUCKY DIP: 2AT SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Hyperpop from Columbia.

NIGHT TUBE X ECFS LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

PLANT BASS’D SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Bass and breaks.

Thu 09 Nov

DISORDER: DOC SCOTT + ANIKONIK THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00

House and techno.

MANGO LOUNGE SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Mon 13 Nov

PULSE: PERC (3 HOUR SET)

MILE HIGH CLUB: KESSLER SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Breaks.

Wed 15 Nov

DRIFT: RAJI RAGS

Techno from London.

CANDY FLIP

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00

Club.

BOLLYNIGHTS

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Bollywood tunes.

SIGNAL: LUKAS WIGFLEX SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Techno from Nottingham.

Fri 17 Nov

JUNGLE MAGIK: FABIO & GROOVERIDER

Jungle and rave.

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

Indie.

THE BIG GREEN THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

Disco and house.

INKOHERENT UPSTAIRS V

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

BACK TO THE 80’S LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Pop and disco.

HEADSET

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

UK garage and bass.

Sat 18 Nov

EDINBURGH UNDERGROUND PRES. STEVE DEKAY THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

CALL ME MAYBE: 2010S PARTY

Trance.

BANGER AFTER BANGER THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

Pop and dance.

Sun 26 Nov

VINYL VOYAGES (UMBRELLA VINYL, ALAN FENTIMAN, PERCY MAIN AND SNIDE RHYTHMS)

WEE RED BAR, 17:00– 22:00

Funk, soul, disco, and reggae.

NIGHTS LIKE THIS (JIMMY JAMMIN’, LEE MARVIN AND MARTITIME) WEE RED BAR, 23:00– 03:00

House, techno and disco.

Drum ‘n’ bass and jungle.

PINK PARTY: LIFE IN PLASTIC, IT’S FANTASTIC

Pop and disco.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Queer house.

Wed 22 Nov ECLIPSE

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Pop and disco.

HYPNOTIKK

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Bass.

Thu 23 Nov

Hip-hop and R’n’B.

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

HITS DIFFERENT: THE NEW WAVE OF POP

SHANE TODD: MUMMY 19 NOV, 7:00PM – 8:00PM

Following a US and Canada tour and supporting for Kevin Hart, Shane Todd returns to the UK. 22 NOV, 7:00PM – 8:00PM

Everything is taken so seriously now, and it’s up to Andrew to point out how ridiculous it all is.

The Stand Glasgow

FREEDOM FROM TORTURE BENEFIT

8 NOV, 8:30PM – 9:30PM

RHYTHM PRESENTS: A GUY CALLED GERALD CHURCH, 22:30–03:00

Acid and jungle.

DISCO LOVE AFFAIR KINGS, 23:00–03:00

Disco.

Sat 11 Nov LUKE UNA

Stuart McPherson, Ruth Hunter, Fearghas kelly and headliner Liam Farrelly in Benefit for Freedom From Torture.

JAGS FOR GOOD FUNDRAISER

26 NOV, 4:00PM – 5:00PM

An independent, fan-led initiative that mobilises Partick Thistle fans for social justice causes in the north west of Glasgow.

KEVIN P. GILDAY: SPAM VALLEY

KINGS, 23:00–03:00

Techno.

22 NOV, 8:00PM – 9:00PM

A LUV BARCELONA PRESENTATION: DJ HARRI

Techno and house.

Join RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Lawrence Chaney to discuss the trials and tribulations of being plus size.

ANDREW BIRD: TAKEN SERIOUSLY

Mon 27 Nov

KINGS, 23:00–03:00

13-14 NOV, 6:30PM8:30PM

7 NOV, 7:00PM – 8:00PM

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Fri 24 Nov

DAN NIGHTINGALE’S SPECIAL

LAWRENCE CHANEY: OVERWEIGHT & OVER IT!

Techno and hardcore.

Sat 04 Nov

After a mammoth 87 date run in 2022, Carl Hutchison is back with his best show yet.

Dan has spent the last two years changing the comedy industry from the inside out, paving new career paths for himself and many others.

Techno.

Drum ‘n’ bass.

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

CALIFORNIA LOVE LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

NITESHIFT

Techno.

Join one of the most underrated comedians in the world as he tries to finally get some recognition for how consistently good he's been over the years.

16 NOV, 6:30PM – 7:30PM

70s rock ‘n’ roll.

Dundee Clubs

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

DANNY MCLOUGHLIN

CARL HUTCHINSON: WATCH TILL THE END

LIONOIL

WEE RED BAR, 23:00– 03:00

HEYDAY

PRESSURE WAVES

Soundsystem.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

Fri 10 Nov

Acid and house.

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

GLAM!

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00

EDINBURGH DUB CLUB MUNGOS HIFI SOUNDSYSTEM

EROL ALKAN

The Glee Club 12 NOV, 6:00PM – 7:00PM

Techno.

Sat 25 Nov

Bass.

ANDROMEDA SOUNDS: ALEC FALCONER

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

House.

House and trance.

Techno.

PULSE : RØDHÅD (3 HOUR SET)

Reggae.

House from London.

Glasgow Comedy

Fri 24 Nov

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

ETERNAL: STEPHEN BROWN + DJ SMOKER

THE MASH HOUSE, 23:00–03:00

House.

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

TAIS-TOI: NARCISS

FUSION

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

REGGAETON PARTY

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00

MARGINS: JAGUAR

Kevin takes a verbal sledgehammer to lazy stereotypes and attempts to deconstruct what it really means to be “working-class” in modern Britain.

STEPHEN BUCHANAN: CHARICATURE 19 NOV, TIMES VARY

Award-winning stand-up comedian, as seen/heard on: Jonathan Ross' Comedy Club, Scot Squad, The Now Show and more.

HAYLEY ELLIS: HAYLEY’S COMIC

7 NOV, 4:00PM – 5:00PM

It’s a show full of silly stories, observations and audience interactions.

JAMIE HUTCHINSON: WATERSLIDE

1 NOV, 8:30PM-10:30PM

One of the brightest sparks on the UK circuit. From the outside looking in, some would say his life is pathetic - but is it?

Pop.

— 67 —

Regular Glasgow comedy nights Drygate Brewing Co.

FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH DRYGATE COMEDY LAB, 19:00

A new material comedy night hosted by Chris Thorburn.

The Stand Glasgow

FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH

TUESDAYS

RED RAW, 20:30

Legendary new material night with up to eight acts.

FRIDAYS

THE FRIDAY SHOW, 20:30

The big weekend show with four comedians.

SATURDAYS

THE SATURDAY SHOW, 20:30

The big weekend show with four comedians.

MONDAY NIGHT IMPROV, 20:30

The Glee Club FRIDAYS

FRIDAY NIGHT COMEDY, 19:00

The perfect way to end the working week, with four superb stand-up comedians.

SATURDAYS

SATURDAY NIGHT COMEDY, 19:00

An evening of awardwinning comedy, with four superb stand-up comedians that will keep you laughing until Monday.

Host Billy Kirkwood and guests act entirely on your suggestions.

Regular Edinburgh comedy nights The Stand Edinburgh MONDAYS

RED RAW, 20:30

Legendary new material night with up to 8 acts.

TUESDAYS (FIRST OF THE MONTH) STU & GARRY’S IMPROV SHOW, 20:30

The Stand’s very own Stu & Garry’s make comedy cold from suggestions.

THURSDAYS

THE BEST OF SCOTTISH COMEDY, 20:30

Simply the best comics on the contemporary Scottish circuit.

FRIDAYS

THE FRIDAY SHOW, 21

The big weekend show :00with four comedians.

SATURDAYS

THE SATURDAY SHOW (THE EARLY SHOW), 17:00

A slightly earlier performance of the big weekend show with four comedians.

THOMAS GREEN: END OF DAZA

4 NOV, 4:00PM – 5:00PM

In a lightning strike, career-defining epiphany moment Tom realised that there's more to life than just following the flock.

JOHN ROBERTSON’S DARK ROOM 26 NOV, 8:30PM – 9:30PM

The world's only live-action, text-based adventure game. Strange, insane and addictive, it's a chooseyour-own-adventure, so choose it!

KIERAN HODGSON: BIG IN SCOTLAND

2 NOV, 8:30PM – 9:30PM

Kieran Hodgson moved to Scotland. Now he’s travelling around the stilljust-about United Kingdom to tell you how it’s working out, for him and for the Scots.

IGNACIA LOPEZ: NINE IG FAILS 2023 TOUR

9 NOV, 8:00PM – 9:00PM

Spain's best export scrutinises his immigrant upbringing and family tree in a relentlessly funny show about clashing cultures and never fitting in.

Theatre Royal

ROSS NOBLE: JIBBER JABBER JAMBOREE 26 NOV, 8:00PM – 10:00PM

Ross Noble’s tour history is officially drinking age (almost) everywhere as he embarks on the 21st tour of his career.

SATURDAYS

THE SATURDAY SHOW, 20:30

The big weekend show with four comedians.

FRIDAYS

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY'S BIG FRIDAY SHOW, 19:00/21:00

Monkey Barrel's flagship night of premier stand-up

Monkey Barrel comedy.

SECOND AND THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH

THE EDINBURGH REVUE, 19:00

The University of Edinburgh's Comedy Society, who put on sketch and stand-up comedy shows every two weeks.

WEDNESDAYS

TOP BANANA, 19:00

Catch the stars of tomorrow today in Monkey Barrel's new act night every Wednesday.

THURSDAYS

SNEAK PEAK, 19:00 + 21:00

Four acts every Thursday take to the stage to try out new material.

Edinburgh Comedy Monkey Barrel Comedy Club JORDAN BROOKES: WORK IN PROGRESS 11 NOV, 8:00PM – 9:00PM

Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Jordan Brookes brings a work in progress of his new show to Monkey Barrel Comedy.

ED NIGHT: RISE AND SMILE 25 NOV, 8:00PM – 9:00PM

A cutting-edge hour of stand up from the acclaimed comic.

MARK WATSON & FRIENDS 27 NOV, 8:00PM – 10:30PM

As part of our monthly Monday-night series, Mark Watson hosts a riotous selection of local and imported talent.

The Queen’s Hall LUCY BEAUMONT 15 NOV, 8:00PM – 10:00PM

Award winning stand up comedian.

SHANE TODD

18 NOV, 8:00PM – 10:00PM

One of Ireland's most popular stand-ups.

FRIDAYS

DATING CRAPP, 22:00

Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, Farmers Only...Come and laugh as some of Scotland's best improvisers join forces to perform based off two audience members dating profiles.

SATURDAYS

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY'S BIG SATURDAY SHOW, 17:00/19:00/21:00

Monkey Barrel's flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

SUNDAYS

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY'S BIG SUNDAY SHOW, 19:00/21:00

Monkey Barrel's flagship night of premier stand-up comedy.

The Stand Edinburgh

SUSAN MORRISON IS HISTORICALLY FUNNY 26 NOV, 5:00PM – 6:00PM

Host of BBC Radio Scotland’s Time Travels takes you through some of Scotland’s seediest, skankiest and scandalous history. And the funniest.

JAMIE HUTCHINSON: WATERSLIDE 2 NOV, 8:00PM-9:00PM

One of the brightest sparks on the UK circuit. From the outside looking in, some would say his life is pathetic - but is it?

THE STAND’S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 31 OCT, 8:00PM – 9:00PM

Savour ghoulish gags at The Stand’s annual Halloween special.

THOMAS GREEN: END OF DAZA 4-5 NOV, 4:00PM – 5:00PM

In a lightning strike, career-defining epiphany moment Tom realised that there’s more to life than just following the flock.

JOHN ROBERTSON’S DARK ROOM

5 NOV, 8:30PM – 9:30PM

The world's only live-action, text-based adventure game. Strange, insane and addictive, it's a chooseyour-own-adventure, so choose it!

November 2023 — Listings

Bass, baile funk and trance.

HOBBES MUSIC 10TH BIRTHDAY PARTY PART II (JACKSONVILLE + LEONIDAS & HOBBES)

Pop.

House and electro.

STEREO, 20:00–03:00

Sat 11 Nov

Thu 16 Nov

LA BELLE ANGELE, 23:00–03:00

Disco and club.

STEREO 16TH BIRTHDAY (SLYN + GLORIA + INDIGO + PURINA ALPHA + TOP SURGERY + VAJ. POWER + BUM NOTES KARAOKE + SOYF§G + PUREG1RL)

Bass and house.

SWIFTOGEDDON

Wed 08 Nov

Sat 25 Nov

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00

FANTASTIC MAN + JOCK FOX THE RUM SHACK, 20:00–01:00

PALIDRONE: JOY ORBISON

THE SKINNY

CHARLIE BAKER: 24 HOUR PASTY PEOPLE

8 NOV, 8:00PM – 9:00PM

Award-winning comedian, tap dancer and Talksport radio host Charlie Baker brings an hour of stand-up drenched in manure, cider and clotted cream.

DAN NIGHTINGALE’S SPECIAL

15 NOV, 8:00PM-9:00PM

Dan has spent the last two years changing the comedy industry from the inside out, paving new career paths for himself and many others.

Glasgow Theatre Oran Mor

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: PLAYTHROUGH 1-4 NOV, 1:00PM – 2:00PM

A new spooky interactive play - join friends Biggs and Wedge as they play a cursed video game live and recount the most chilling digital myths ever told.

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: CASTLE FALLON

6-11 NOV, 1:00PM – 2:00PM

A tragicomedy showing how grand narratives of heritage and identity meet their match in office politics.

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: FLEG 13-18 NOV, 1:00PM – 2:00PM

A new dark comedy by Meghan Tyler exploring the romanticised notion of the union, and how extreme that loyalty can become.

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: THE GUNS OF JOHNNY DIABLO 20-25 NOV, 1:00PM – 2:00PM

A new hilarious farce by Philip Differ about blazing bullets, oversized egos and actors behaving like arses during a radio recording.

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

NAE EXPECTATIONS 1-4 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:30PM

Glaswegian theatremaker Gary McNair's fresh look at the Dickens classic.

Assembly Roxy CHALK

8-11 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:00PM

At the end of the world, a mother and daughter square off in a chalk circle in this dynamic piece.

Festival Theatre

SCOTTISH OPERA: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 3-11 NOV, TIMES VARY

Scottish Opera’s popular production about a cheerful barber and his elaborate plan to unite the young Rosina and Almaviva.

THE PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN

25 NOV-31 DEC, TIMES VARY

The Festival Theatre’s Christmas pantomine heads to Neverland.

Royal Lyceum Theatre THE SNOW QUEEN

23 NOV-31 DEC, TIMES VARY

A festive magical adventure taking place in a frozen world.

THROUGH THE MUD 2-4 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:00PM

A new play by Apphia Campbell exploring the parallel lives of Assata Shakur and a student in the midst of the Ferguson riots.

DEAD DAD DOG AND SUNNY BOY 1-4 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:00PM

Tender double bill from Scottish playwright John McKay.

Summerhall FLIP!

A blazing battle of wills between Mary Queen of Scots and John Knox unravels in this Linda McLean piece.

A new social media platform threatens two girls with fame and fortune in this biting satire.

1-4 NOV, 7:00PM – 10:00PM

The King’s Theatre

The Edinburgh Playhouse

14-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

1-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

ELF

DISNEY’S ALADDIN

Gear up to the festive season with this take on the classic film.

Discover a whole new world with this magical reinterpretation of the Disney classic.

2:22 A GHOST STORY 21-25 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:00PM

The Studio

A supernatural thriller that took the West End by storm.

OPEN FLOOR: SCRATCH NIGHT

Theatre Royal

The Studio’s new scratch night, where theatremakers can test out new ideas.

EDDIE IZZARD: THE REMIX 8-11 NOV, 8:00PM – 10:00PM

Comedy legend Eddie Izzard offers a fresh look at some of her performance classics.

PRETTY WOMAN THE MUSICAL

1 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:30PM

UNEARTHED DANCE COMPANY: ALL, HERE & NOW 3-4 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:00PM

A contemporary programme of dance work by acclaimed dance company.

Traverse The iconic Julia Roberts rom-com takes to the stage. Theatre JAMES ROWLAND: LEARNING TO FLY Tramway 14-25 NOV, TIMES VARY

PLINTH

7:30PM-8:30PM

Renowned theatremaker Al Seed explores ideas of mythmaking and collective memory through statues.

PLAY PRETEND

24-25 NOV, 8:00PM – 10:00PM

A rehearsal for a new play turns into an exploration of how historical narratives are told and reclaimed.

Dundee Edinburgh Theatre Theatre

GLORY ON EARTH

8-10 NOV, 7:15PM – 10:00PM

November 2023 — Listings

Tron Theatre

17-18 NOV, 8:00PM – 10:00PM

Master storyteller returns with a tale of unexpected friendship.

Dundee Rep

A CHRISTMAS CAROL 25 NOV-30 DEC, TIMES VARY

Dundee Rep return with their critically acclaimed staging of the Dickens classic.

THE BERRIES

1-4 NOV, 7:30PM – 10:00PM

Set in the summer of 1974 in the berry fields of Kirriemuir, this hilarious play follows the dreams and aspirations of four friends from Dundee.

Glasgow Art 16 Nicholson Street

SHAE MYLES: HUSH LIL BABY

23 NOV-16 DEC, TIMES VARY

Inspired by Polly Pocket compacts, this interactive sculptural exhibition explores ideas of coming-ofage, memory and nostalgia.

CCA: Centre for Contemporary Art RHONA MÜHLEBACH: DITCH ME 1 NOV-2 DEC, TIMES VARY

A moving image work drawing on the history of the Antonine Wall in Scotland, transposing historical events into a new fictional world.

Compass Gallery CLEO MUSSI : BOTANICALS

1-3 NOV, TIMES VARY

Folkloric ceramic mosaics repurposing tableware to consider the social, cultural, and migratory history of herbs and plants.

Glasgow Print Studio

STUART DUFFIN RSA: A REDDER SUN 1-18 NOV, 11:00AM – 5:00PM

A solo exhibition of etchings and mezzotint engravings exploring ideas of conflict and resolution.

GoMA

BEAGLES & RAMSAY: NHOTB & RAD 1 NOV-28 APR 24, 11:00AM – 4:00PM

Artist duo use life-size sculptures and video to create a flagship store interrogating ideas of consumerism and labour.

Kendall Koppe

SEVINA TZANOU: THE GREAT DISASTERSS 1-11 NOV, 12:00PM – 6:00PM

Dynamic paintings by Athens-based artist.

SWG3

City Art Centre

THE POETRY CLUB: EST. 2012

1-17 NOV, 12:00PM – 6:00PM

An exhibition of photography documenting over a decade of SWG3’s The Poetry Club.

South Block

FIONA ROBERTSON: TIT-BITS 13-24 NOV, 9:00AM – 5:00PM

Drawings and sculptures crafted from the material and psychic detritus of the everyday.

Street Level Photoworks SIMON MURPHY: GOVANHILL

1 NOV-27 JAN 24, TIMES VARY

Street portraiture of Govanhill residents encompassing several years of work.

The Briggait MARTIN IRISH: ABSTRACTED PERSPECTIVE

2 NOV-21 DEC, TIMES VARY

Inverness-based artist exploring the subtleties of form and texture.

The Modern Institute MATT CONNORS: FINDER

1-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

Reworked found images, sketches and photographs that explore the intersection between technological and artistic representation.

ALBERTA WHITTLE: EVEN IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN THE WORLD, OUR BREATH CAN FALTER 1-11 NOV, TIMES VARY

Stunning textile and painting work by acclaimed Scottish artist.

Tramway

BILLIE ZANGEWA: A QUIET FIRE

1 NOV-28 JAN 24, TIMES VARY

Figurative collages handstitched from fragments of raw silk challenging the social perceptions of Black women.

RAMESH MARIO NITHIYENDRAN: IDOLS OF MUD AND WATER 24 NOV-21 APR 24, TIMES VARY

Elaborate ceramic sculptures examine the iconographies of social, political and cultural narratives.

iota @ Unlimited Studios

NOT BEFORE TIME

4-18 NOV, 12:00PM – 5:00PM

Multidisciplinary work by various artists explores and celebrates what keeps us going in an increasingly dark world.

Edinburgh Art &Gallery

JAMES LUMSDEN: FUGAL PAINTINGS 1 NOV, TIMES VARY

Bleached colour canvases explore ideas of light, depth and mark-making.

SHIFTING VISTAS: 250 YEARS OF SCOTTISH LANDSCAPE 1 NOV-2 JUN 24, TIMES VARY

Sweeping landscapes both classical and modern are drawn from the City Art Centre’s permanent collection.

WINDRUSH LEGACY CREATIVE REFLECTIONS

1 NOV-28 JAN 24, TIMES VARY

An exhibition of poetry, prose and artwork made by people of Caribbean descent, co-curated by Scottish-Caribbean writers Jeda Pearl and Courtney Stoddart.

THE SCOTTISH LANDSCAPE AWARD

4 NOV-3 MAR 24, TIMES VARY

The inaugural exhibition of Scotland’s newest art open call, exploring both natural and man-made environments through traditional and boundary-pushing media.

DEEP ROOTED

18 NOV-25 FEB 24, TIMES VARY

A group exhibition interrogating the both symbiotic and extractive relationship between people and trees.

Collective Gallery

LIZA SYLVESTRE: ASWEETSEA

1 NOV-23 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Moving image and drawings exploring the complex boundaries of disability.

THOMAS ABERCROMBY: JOHN

1 NOV-23 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

SORE THROAT

10-12 NOV, 10:00AM – 6:00PM

An interactive moving image work in which a solo performer navigates a nighttime world, exploring themes of queerness and public space in the Philippines.

Ingleby Gallery NICK GOSS: SMICKEL INN, BALCONY OF EUROPE

1 NOV-16 DEC, 11:00AM – 5:00PM

Figurative paintings exploring dreamlike, figurative spaces.

National Gallery

YOUR ART WORLD

1 NOV-14 APR 24, TIMES VARY

Community exhibition created by young people, examining the power of creative process.

GRAYSON PERRY: SMASH HITS

1-12 NOV, TIMES VARY

The largest ever exhibition of Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry, exploring his lifelong fascination with punk, sex and counterculture.

National Library of Scotland

1 NOV-2 MAR 24, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

An exhibition exploring the ongoing cultural legacy of Monarch of the Glen, from shortbread to Schitt’s Creek and beyond.

Edinburgh Printmakers

THE FUTURE FLOW: FROM WHERE I STAND 1 NOV-3 DEC, 11:00AM – 4:00PM

Royal Scottish Academy RSA GRAEME TODD

1-5 NOV, TIMES VARY

A retrospective by Scottish artist exploring the boundaries between real and imagined landscapes.

HENRY KONDRACKI: JOIE DE VIVRE

1-19 NOV, TIMES VARY

RISING TIDE: ART AND ENVIRONMENT IN OCEANIA

An examination of our relationship to the natural environment told through responses to climate change by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.

Open Eye Gallery

TOM WILSON: MISCELLANY AND MUGSHOTS

1-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

Recent crayon and pencil works on paper highlighting the beauty in mundane domestic moments.

DIANE RENDLE: INVOKING THE MUSE 1-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

Paintings exploring human desires at the intersection between traditional and modern culture.

ALBERTA WHITTLE: CREATE DANGEROUSLY 1 NOV-7 JAN 24, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

An immersive exhibition exploring compassion and collective care as a mode of anti-racist resistance.

DECADES: THE ART OF CHANGE 1900–1980 1 NOV-7 JAN 24, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

MAKING SPACE: PHOTOGRAPHS OF ARCHITECTURE 1 NOV-3 MAR 24, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Exploring the social footprint of architecture, and the ways people have documented it through the decades.

Summerhall SYNAESTHESIA

9-19 NOV, 12:00PM – 5:30PM

A mixed media collaborative exhibition exploring experiences of neurodivergence.

Talbot Rice Gallery THE RECENT

1 NOV-17 FEB 24, TIMES VARY

1 NOV-28 JAN 24, 10:00AM – 6:00PM

2-25 NOV, TIMES VARY

4-29 NOV, TIMES VARY

Abstract paintings in which layers of paint are applied and peeled off to explore palimpsestic ideas of representation.

— 68 —

SIT-IN 3: ...BUT THERE ARE NEW SUNS 1 NOV-16 DEC, TIMES VARY

DCA: Dundee Contemporary Arts RACHEL EULENA WILLIAMS: HAIR AND BODY 1-19 NOV, TIMES VARY

Bricolage paintings that take an expansive, subversive approach to ideas of representation and colour.

The McManus

HIDDEN HISTORIES: EXPLORING EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN DUNDEE’S ART COLLECTION 1 NOV-30 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

Exploring the McManus 20th-century collection through different positionalities, to examine the responsibility of the museum as institution in responding to history.

V&A Dundee A major new exhibition looking at the social, political, and aesthetic history of tartan.

Spotlighting the work of Café Royal Books, an independent publisher dedicated to post-war photography from Britain and Ireland.

1-11 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

JOAN DOERR: INTO THE LIGHT

Dundee Art

10 NOV-10 FEB 24, 12:00PM – 5:00PM

The Scottish Gallery

An exhibition by Out of the Blueprint’s recent artistin-residence Levi Richards exploring methods of creating and curating queer archives.

Textiles and jewellery that create mesmerising optical effect art.

TARTAN

CAFÉ ROYAL BOOKS

Out of the Blue Drill Hall

Photographic installations examine the possibilities of voice, politics and beauty as forms of resistance.

2-25 NOV, TIMES VARY

Stills

Fruitmarket

LEVI RICHARDS: BLOKE IN A DRESS

ANDREW LAMB: LINEAR FREQUENCY

The third in Cooper Gallery’s ground-breaking five-chapter exhibition, and the first major exhibition in Scotland by the Turner Prize nominated artist collective The Otolith Group.

Watercolours depicting the changing seasons.

ZARINA BHIMJI: FLAGGING IT UP

Image-making that considers the transition from representation to abstraction.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

1-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

ANN ROSS RSW: ‘BY LEAVES WE LIVE’

2-25 NOV, TIMES VARY

Cooper Gallery

Group exhibition centring ideas of deep and geological time, examining how art can place us in a futureoriented timeframe.

Seven contemporary artists from India and Scotland exploring ideas of traditional and non-traditional storytelling.

JOHN BROWN: THE KASBAH AND SOUKS OF MARRAKECH

Depictions of Edinburgh informed by daily observed experience and veils of memory.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

1 NOV-14 APR 24, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

MONARCHS OF THE GLEN

An extraordinary survey of Indian botanical drawing.

Showcasing archival materials and oral histories, exploring the devastation and stigma of the HIV crisis in 1980s Scotland, as well as its emerging treatments.

1 NOV-2 DEC, TIMES VARY

Dovecot Studios

Celebrating centuries of important artistic contribution from Scottish women artists.

1 NOV-13 APR 24, 10:00AM – 6:00PM

A dramatic journey through 80 years of art and moments of significant artistic change.

National Museum of Scotland

1 NOV-6 JAN 24, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

CONNECTING HISTORIES

BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS: SCOTLAND’S HIV STORY

A collaboration with an all-working-class cast and crew to explore the intricate ties between family, grief and the multifaceted layers of social class.

SCOTTISH WOMEN ARTISTS: 250 YEARS OF CHALLENGING PERCEPTION

Royal Botanic Garden

AKIKO HIRAI: PENDULUM

Blending Japanese and British pottery traditions to create organic ceramic forms.

EUAN HENG: ARCHIPELAGO

2-25 NOV, TIMES VARY

Paper-cut collages examine the bounds of figuration and artifice.

2 NOV-14 JAN 24, 10:00AM – 5:00PM

THE SKINNY

Glasgow Venues From award-winning kebab shops, to art-inspired pubs and familiar pizza places – we take a look at some of the latest openings in Glasgow

Words: Tara Hepburn

Photo: TheDorkyFrench

Bar Basquiat 21a Kent Rd, G3 7EH Named after famed New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, Bar Basquiat is located at the M8 end of Finnieston and is really beginning to hit its stride after opening in summer 2023. This straightforward, cosy pub has an affordable selection of drinks, with pints from £3.50 and cocktails at just £6. The bar’s proximity to the Mitchell Library means it is not unusual to find the tables busy from late afternoon with writers, freelancers and procrastinators of all descriptions who have finally admitted defeat and swapped their laptop for a pint. The menu is a simple bar-snacky affair: sandwiches, charcuterie boards, crisps, that sort of thing. While the place still feels like something of a work-in-progress, with occasional music nights and hints of more to come, an early-evening quiz on a Monday evening has recently become a permanent fixture. Bar Basquiat is a promising addition to an otherwise slightly barren stretch of the Finnieston strip.

TheDorkyFrench 39 Parnie St, G1 5RJ TheDorkyFrench sits on Parnie Street in the Trongate area of the city. The glass-fronted French bakery is minimalist in style, with wooden floors, white walls and wooden bench seating; with small signage and just a few plants in the window, it would be easy to mistake it for an exhibition space from the street.

Venture in, however, and you’ll find the best selection of vegan patisserie that the city has to offer. Their menu of baked goods is 100% plant-based and although the options vary, their extremely popular pain au chocolat, croissants and cinnamon swirls are always on the team sheet. They do savoury bakes too, with a particularly good gluten-free selection. Open ThursdaySunday from 8am, TheDorkyFrench has quickly become a destination for vegan foodies from across Scotland.

Shawarma King 232 Paisley Rd, Springfield Quay, G5 8NG For a long time, it has been an accepted fact that the best place for kebabs in Glasgow is the famous Shawarma King. Based under the arches of a railway bridge in the Briggait area of the city centre, the small takeaway spot is easily identifiable by its long lunchtime queues. Recently named Scotland’s Best Kebab Shop for the second year running, the team have expanded their operation with their first ever sit-in establishment just south of the river. Based in the downstairs area of King’s Lounge Shisha Bar at Springfield Quay, it is terrific to see the legendary wraps and meal deal combos plated up and served in a restaurant setting. The large dining space is open every day from lunchtime until midnight. Adopting the “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” model, the team have kept much of the menu consistent with their takeaway spot: all the classics are here, from donner kebabs and falafel to mixed grill and houmous plates. And the prices haven’t taken the huge jump you might expect with the move to dining in – most dishes come in at around a tenner.

Civerinos 9-13 Radnor St, G3 7UA Edinburgh pizza place Civerinos has finally set up shop in Glasgow. The ever-popular restaurant has been operating in the capital since 2014, with a growing number of restaurants and a loyal fanbase across the city. The Glasgow branch opened its doors in September 2023 on Finnieston’s Radnor Street, and is the first of two Glasgow locations (a Southside slice bar is also on the cards). Civerinos' menu is predominantly pizza, served New York style, by the slice, in fun and colourful surroundings.

This incarnation is a particularly nice space, roomy and full of natural light, and the small Glasgow details in the decor and graffiti art are a nice touch. The place is popular for a reason – the menu is reliably good; service is friendly and efficient.

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November 2023 — Listings

Image: courtesy of Civerinos Civerinos

TheDorkyFrench

THE SKINNY

The Skinny On...

David Duchovny

The Skinny On...

Best known for playing FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder in The X-Files, David Duchovny is also a musician. Ahead of his forthcoming European tour, we catch up with him over Zoom as he takes on our November Q&A Words: Tallah Brash What’s your favourite place to visit?

Now that I live in LA, I’d say New York is my favourite place to visit. But I grew up there, so it’s kind of cheating.

What’s your favourite food?

I feel like I’d have a different answer every day...

I’m such not a foodie... I like my sticky rice sushi.

What’s your favourite colour?

Oh wow, I do like colour... I’ll say blue today.

Who was your hero growing up?

Probably Mickey Mantle, a baseball player, he was a Yankee. He was great, I loved baseball, I wanted to be as good as him, be him and all that stuff. So he was my first hero, my first kind of role model, I guess.

November 2023 – Feature

What three people would you invite to your dinner party and what are you cooking?

I’m not cooking, because nobody’s gonna come to that party, I’m gonna order in. I’ll invite Jesus, and I’ll let him choose the menu... maybe Buddha, just to balance it out a little bit, and then Emily Dickinson, even though I’m not sure she’s gonna be much of a conversationalist. When Jesus turns the water into wine, maybe she’ll loosen up a little bit. And I wanna end up in a drunken brawl.

What’s your all-time favourite album?

I’ll go back to what I remember as my first favourite album – The White Album by The Beatles... It was just so eccentric to me as a kid... I just thought wow, they’re just kind of amusing themselves, which was weird, they weren’t trying to amuse me.

What’s the worst film you’ve ever seen?

I only ever walked out of one film... It was called Aloha, Bobby and Rose. I feel like it might be a good movie, I just might have been too young for it.

What book would you take to a desert island?

Probably American Pastoral, the Philip Roth novel, it’s just a very American book that kind of manages to confront America from the 60s [and early 70s]. And that’s really my coming-of-age time, so

Who’s the worst?

I hate Trump.

When did you last cry?

I cry all the time, I’ll cry with music, I’ll cry just being with my kids; sometimes it’s with sadness, sometimes joy. I find time passing to be a very cry-making thought; stubbing my toe can make me cry.

What are you most scared of?

I’m scared of the way that we relate now, in terms of social media, and even just doing Zooms like this... It’s great that we can do this, but I’m afraid that we’re becoming a little less human [...] It’s tough to communicate, trying to answer specific questions about what do you love, what do you hate, we tend to devolve into a lack of nuance.

That lack of discussion, it scares me.

[Gestureland] out in the pandemic, so we’re just happy to get out there and play the songs.

What’s a David Duchovny concert like?

I had a revelation the first time I was singing live in front of anybody. I was waiting to go on, I was super nervous... I realised that [the crowd] had come to have a good time, and they weren’t really that concerned with me. So I try and get out of my own head and just realise that I’m like a conduit there to have a good time. Then if I see it on YouTube, I’m like, “oh, that’s just so lame.”

Thank you so much, see you soon in Edinburgh!

Bring the magazine and I’ll dust off my best worst rock star moves.

David Duchovny plays Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, 6 Nov; Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 7 Nov Find a longer version of this Q&A online at theskinny.co.uk/music davidduchovny.com

When did you last vomit?

I’m not a vomiter... I tried to vomit when I ate a brownie that had maggots in it, maybe 30 years ago, and I tried to make myself vomit [...]

But even then, I couldn’t barf, I couldn’t do it. You’ve kind of gotta give up to vomit. Maybe I’m too controlling.

Tell us a secret?

Never!

Which celebrity could you take in a fight?

Most of them. All the dead ones – every single one.

If you could be reincarnated as an animal, which animal would it be and why?

A dolphin’s life seems pretty good to me, a mammal yet still in the sea – the best of both worlds.

You’re about to head out on a European tour – what are you most excited about?

Playing live is always great, and playing in Europe is fantastic, and meeting people that are into the music, it’s always so gratifying. On top of that, I had a new album — 70 —

Photo: Chris Frape

Whose work inspires you now?

I’m reading a biography of Lou Reed right now, so I’m going back and listening to his music, I’m finding it really inspiring. As an actor I always find Daniel Day-Lewis inspiring. As a writer, I find Philip Roth inspiring. As a lyricist, I find Tom Petty, Jeff Tweedy inspiring. If you ask me tomorrow, I’d maybe have a whole different list.

to read a very small personal book that manages to touch upon the major movements in America of those years, it’s very profound for me.

THE SKINNY

Young Fathers Takeover

February 2023 – Feature

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November 2023 – Feature

The Skinny On...

THE SKINNY

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