The Skinny Scotland July 2013 Issue 94 by The Skinny

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INDEPENDENT FREE

Scotland Issue 94 July 2013

CULT U R A L Music Wickerman T in the Park Fuck Buttons Adam Stafford Ultramagnetic MCs Phoenix MONEY Loki

J O U R N A L I S M Art Degree Shows: Edinburgh & Glasgow Jeremy Deller Dennis Reinmüller Clubs Michael Mayer Midland The Revenge Dixon Avenue Basement Jams Theatre Albert Drive Project

Books Unbound 2013 Canongate 40 Film Ben Wheatley on A Field in England Ulrich Seidl on The Paradise Trilogy Paradigm Shift: Contemporary Film Publishing Fashion Edinburgh International Fashion Festival

“America's a challenge...” Foals come home for the festivals

Want to Make Your Mark? ø Academy Glasgow are looking for artists, designers, illustrators and other creative beings who want a once in a lifetime opportunity! You can get your artwork up in the main room of this iconic venue. To enter and find out more go to ø Academy Glasgow’s Facebook page and find the “Make Your Mark” tab. Entries close on 30th July - #makeyourmark

UK16+. 4 winners will have their work displayed. Promoter: Talenthouse Inc. Terms apply, see www.talenthouse.com/design-for-o2#description.

ELECTRIC FROG + PRESSURE R I V E R S I D E F E S T I VA L

riverside museum & tall ship glasgow sat aug 24 / 4pm - 11pm (subject

to license)

3 stages of music. line up so far...

boYs noiZe jamie xx len faKi josh winK

presents timeline - live

slam optimo auntie flo -

live

plus much more to be announced

three outdoor stages • comedY on the tall ship • performance art • boutiQue stalls earlY bird ticKets

£25 + bf / standard £30 + bf

street food

the arches 253 argYle st, glasgow g2 8dl scotland box office: 0141 565 1000 hillhead booKclub (no booKing fee charge) 17 vinicombe street, glasgow g12 8be ticKets scotland (glasgow, edinburgh) / credit card booKings: 08444 155 221 www.ticKets-scotland.com www.residentadvisor.net

IN ASSOCIATION WITH WME

plus special guests Wonder Villains FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER

CHA RLOTTE Del Barber

plus

thur 12th sept Edinburgh Queen’s Hall

SUNDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER

G L ASGOW ORAN MOR

0131 668 2019

ETHAN JOHNS/ ZERVAS & PEPPER

IN ASSOCIATION WITH WME

Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou

O2 ABC GLASGOW

MON 12TH AUG

JUST ANNOUNCED

THU 14 NOV LIQUID ROOMS EDINBURGH SAT 16 NOV O2 ABC GLASGOW

JUST ANNOUNCED

the be good tanyas

THU 5 SEPT O2ABC GLASGOW

P.30 MONEY

JUST ANNOUNCED

GLASGOW Oran Mor

I N D EPEN DENT

CULTU R AL

JOU R NALI S M

Issue 94, July 2013 © Radge Media Ltd.

MONDAY 5 AUGUST EDINBURGH VOODOO ROOMS

Glasgow Nice N Sleazy Mon 12 & Mon 19 August

Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms

plus special guests

SAT 16 NOVEMBER

Wednesday 10th July

Glasgow Oran Mor

O 2 ABC2 GLASGOW

THE MILK CARTON KIDS

plus special guest Melody

Pool

Wed 4th September

GLASGOW Oran Mor

JIM WHITE Mon 16 Sept

0844 844 0444 www.ticketmaster.co.uk

regularmusic.com Contents

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

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Get in touch: E: hello@theskinny.co.uk T: 0131 467 4630 P: The Skinny, 3 Coates Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7AA The Skinny is Scotland's largest independent entertainment & listings magazine, and offers a wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business. Get in touch to find out more.

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glasgow Oran Mor

P.33 Unbound

July 2013

Thursday 24th October

Friday 9 August

Photo: Jennifer L Haley

FRI 27 SEPT O2 ABC2 GLASGOW

P.22 GSA & ECA Degree Shows

CHURCH

PLUS SPECIAL GUEST

plus special guests

P.14 Fat Goth play T in the Park & Wickerman

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

Rosamund West Dave Kerr Jac Mantle Ryan Rushton Ronan Martin Bernard O’Leary Ana Hine Keir Roper-Caldbeck Anna Docherty Alexandra Fiddes Jamie Dunn Peter Simpson Paul Mitchell Bram E. Gieben

Production Production Manager Lead Designer

Peter Marsden Maeve Redmond

Sales/Accounts Sales Director Sales Executive

Lara Moloney George Sully Tom McCarthy

Accounts Administrator accounts@theskinny.co.uk

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Image: Rachel McKean

THURS 29 AUG GLASGOW CONCERT HALL

Photo: Euan Robertson

EDINBURGH QUEENS HALL 0131 668 2019

Contents Front 06 Editorial; Edgar Wright on his filmmak-

ing hero, Sam Raimi; Stop the Presses; Online Only; Shot of the Month; The Skinny on Tour.

Jura Unbound 33

08 Heads Up: A calendar of impeccable cultural goings on for each day of July.

Features 10

Foals' mainman Yannis Philippakis reports from the frontlines on the complexities of cracking America and building a legacy in a nostalgic climate. Fuck Buttons' Andrew Hung discusses the Bristol duo's new album Slow Focus, and the Olympic reach of their music. An introduction to some of the best new Scottish bands playing at this year's T in the Park and Wickerman festivals, with Fat Goth, Honeyblood, Machines In Heaven and more. Interviews with Kompakt head honcho Michael Mayer, as the label celebrates its 20th anniversary; and producer Midland, launching his new label, Graded.

Lifestyle 38

Fashion: Curators Jonathan and Anna Freemantle unveil the special events taking place at this year's Edinburgh International Fashion Festival.

Showcase: A close look at the work of installation ingenue Dennis Reinmüller, whose work satirises the dole queue and rubs felt in the face of Richard Demarco.

Deviance turns its attention to The Friend Zone and asks what all the hetero fuss is about, and celebrates the usefulness of getting all offended, like.

Food & Drink offers a round-up of imminent scran-centric events and takes an excursion into the world of craft soda, while Phagomania is makin' bacon

Kill List and Sightseers director Ben Wheatley discusses his mind-bending, psychedelic English Civil War epic, A Field In England.

20 As the Ultramagnetic MCs reunite

Review

Music: A survey of July's impending

49 must-see gigs and releases, including

Fuck Buttons, Thundercat and Bosnian Rainbows; Loop-master and former Y'All Is Fantasy Island head honcho Adam Stafford returns with his strongest album yet; Scottish hip-hop's Chairman of the Board, Loki, reappears.

to tour their classic album Critical Beatdown, we talk to Kool Keith – just don't call him a legend.

A roundup of the highlights from this year's degree shows at Edinburgh College of Art and Glasgow School of Art held together with a tenuous animal theme.

Paradigm Shift: In the first of a threepart series on the future of the arts, we examine the pitfalls and possibilities of filmmaking in 2013.

Ahead of their T in the Park appearance, Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars muses on their heartening career arc.

29 Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller

makes a song and dance about needing a cuppa while discussing his very English exhibition at this year's Venice Biennale.

56 Clubs: This month Clubs chats to

Graeme Clark aka The Revenge about his new label, and celebrates the output of Glasgow's Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, plus a roundup of this month's dancefloor action.

58 Film and DVD: A focus on new work

premiered last month at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

60 Art: A look at Zoe Williams' SWG3

exhibition, and David Batchelor at Fruitmarket.

30 Newly signed to Bella Union,

Manchester's enigmatic MONEY trail debut album The Shadow of Death with a discussion of mortality.

Austrian director Ulrich Siedl discusses his Paradise trilogy, and why he's happy courting controversy.

A roundup of the best work from around the world in the Giardini at this year's Venice Biennale, including new work by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei.

Books: New writing by Iain Banks, James Agee and Robbie Morrison reviewed, plus a look ahead to Canongate's 40th anniversary celebrations. Theatre: Aiming to create dialogues

62 between communities on Glasgow's

Southside, the Albert Drive project culminates in July. Comedy: Jimmy Bread tells it like it is –

63 your baby is ugly.

Listings: You know the drill – what's on

64 where and when, every day. 71

July 2013

We present an in-depth guide to the Jura Unbound programme at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, looking at this year's comics-themed events, new works in translation, an interview with author Dan Rhodes, plus events by Illicit Ink and Writers Bloc, with music from Poppy Ackroyd and John Lemke; includes full listings.

Competitions: WIN! Tickets to Fiddler on the Roof or blackSKYwhite's OMEGA.

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24/06/2013 17:35

Contents

Editorial

s is traditional in July, everyone has gone music festival crazy, anticipating long balmy summer evenings sipping upon frosty bottles of Bucky in decimated fields while listening to the strains of their favourite songsmiths battling to be heard over the baying hoards waiting to see Rihanna. We’re pretty excited, and have put together a guide to twelve of the most excellent new homegrown acts you should be checking out if you’re heading along to T in the Park or Wickerman. Our cover stars Foals are also heading to T, and frontman Yannis Philippakis was good enough to talk to us about wanting to make an old school funk record and his frustrations at festival line-ups filled with revival acts. Elsewhere in Music, swearily-named cosmic Bristol duo Fuck Buttons pop up again, talking about new album Slow Focus. Back when they released the wonderful Tarot Sport we got banned from a bunch of venues after putting them on the cover – thanks Fuck Buttons. Ultramagnetic MC Kool Keith looks forward to the group’s reunion tour and takes exception to being called a legend; Manchester’s MONEY, our Northwest edition cover stars, take the chat into philosophical territory, questioning society’s avoidance of an acknowledgement of death in the age of science; French new wave revivalists Phoenix are also arriving to play T, so they called up for a discussion on their slowburning career. And with chatter from the likes of Adam Stafford and Loki, there’s much more besides. The centrepiece of our July issue is, as has also become traditional, the exclusive release of the Unbound programme for Edinburgh International Book Festival. Now in its fourth year, Unbound offers free late night events in the Charlotte Square Spiegeltent that re-imagine what a literary appearance entails, dragging the action kicking and screaming from the page and

Hero Worship: Sam Raimi

Edgar Wright, director of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz into a world of singing, dancing and fighting to and the forthcoming The the death all in a mirrored cabaret tent. This year World’s End, enthuses about his marks the thirtieth year of the Book Festival and filmmaking idol, Sam Raimi Unbound offers delights ranging from a celebration of the Fence collective to Alan Bissett dressing up as an angry feminist and berating everyone. Author Dan Rhodes will assemble an array of writers, comedians and musicians to celebrate his work, modestly, and Reel Iraq are bringing together poets, playwrights and musicians from here and there to promote and celebrate cultural dialogue. There is also free whisky. Yay! In Art, we’ve cast our critical eye over the degree shows of Glasgow and Edinburgh, braving the exhausting creative onslaught to bring you back a few highly subjective highlights. An all round favourite from Edinburgh, Dennis Reinmüller, is this month’s Showcase for some sterling work making uncomfortable performance art out of the local Job Centre and performing a long overdue exorcism of the spirit of Joseph Beuys from Edinburgh College of Art. Includes re-energising felt by rubbing it on impresario Richard Demarco’s face, which is freaking LOLarious if you have at least an undergraduate level degree in fine art. In Film, we have the first part of our Staff Writer Bram’s in-depth investigation into the changing face of publishing across the creative industries. This month he looks at how the film industry has been affected by the changing creative economy, from Kickstarter funding to the technological possibilities offered by the iPhone. Next month he’ll be looking at how it’s affected the world of music and the month after that is the turn of books and literary publishing. That next month will be August is filling us all with a strange blend of excitement and fear. If you live in Edinburgh, enjoy July before the insanity hits. [Rosamund West] COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY NEIL KRUG.

hen I was a teenager growing up in Somerset, I had wrongly assumed that directors were just born into Hollywood. I thought that someone like Steven Spielberg was just delivered to the gates of Universal Studios by a stork – this is patently untrue. But then I heard the story of how Sam Raimi made The Evil Dead. I used to watch the programme Jonathan Ross did in the late 80s called The Incredibly Strange Film Show and they did a whole hour on Sam Raimi. I was already interested in movies but that really was the flashpoint for wanting to become a film director, because it hadn’t really occurred to me until then that there was an entry level outside Hollywood. So to hear the story of this person, aged 18, making a horror film and eventually getting it seen worldwide was astonishing to me. At that point I don’t think I’d even seen The Evil Dead or Evil Dead II – I definitely hadn’t seen The Evil Dead as it was banned on video at the time – but I saw the Jonathan Ross documentary and I was staggered. I thought, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ Evil Dead II was also a big film for me when I was a teenager because of its mix of genres. On paper it was a horror film, and yet it was funnier than most comedies. That really stuck with me. I remember watching it and thinking, ‘Wow, I didn’t know you could make a film like this!’ It’s something else: a fever dream, a Looney Tunes horror

movie. That was a big inspiration when I was starting out. It just really appealed to me how go for broke it was. Not only have I met Sam on several occasions now, we’ve become friends, which is amazing. Later he actually offered me The Curse, which became Drag Me to Hell. He’d written it and he wanted me to direct it, but I couldn’t really accept, a) because I was doing Hot Fuzz and b) because it was so obvious to me that it should be Sam Raimi directing it that I said, ‘No, you’ve got to do this. If I did it, it would just feel like karaoke.’ So he ended up directing too. I visited the set of Drag Me to Hell years later. It was the second-from-last day of the shoot and Sam was shooting a scene in a graveyard. He was wearing his usual suit and tie combo but it was completely covered in flecks of mud, then he saw me and shouted across the stage, “This is all your fault, Wright.” His prankish, mischievous nature has never deserted him. He always makes me laugh, and that’s why he was a hero of mine growing up and to have become friends with him is quite extraordinary. The final part of Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, The World’s End, is released nationwide 19 Jul In interview with Jamie Dunn www.edgarwrighthere.com

The Skinny On Tour

Shot Of The Month

Super Adventure Club at Insider Festival, Sun 23 Jun by Ingrid Mur

Chat

ay back in 2006 DAnderson and Fi were two strangers who (literally) bumped into each other at The Skinny's first birthday party. This year they got married, and they were so grateful to The Skinny for introducing them that they convinced their celebrant to read from the May issue during the ceremony. If you can guess where this historic meeting took place you could be in with a chance of winning a copy of Lolito by Ben Brooks, courtesy of our good pals at Canongate. Head along to www.theskinny. co.uk/about/competitions to log you answer.

Was it: a) The Liquid Room b) Fury Murrays c) Ghillie Dhu Competition closes midnight Sunday 28 July. Winners will be notified via email within two days of closing and will be required to respond within one week or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.theskinny.co.uk/about/terms.

THE SKINNY

MISSING PERSON

THE VIOLENCE IS PREVENTABLE group in Dundee is looking for participants for their Diverse Lives Project. Their aim is to create oral histories and archives of what it is like to be LGBT. They are particularly keen to record the stories of older LGBT people. Anyone interested (in either helping out or having their story recorded) should contact lormac1053@aol.com or phone 01382 306222 BARRIE GIRLS A temporary exhibition of poster works will be popping up in Glasgow over the weekend of 26-28 July as part of the Merchant City Festival. Commissioned by design curators Panel, aka Catriona Duffy and Lucy McEachan, aka the folks behind the much-lauded projects and exhibitions; The Inventors of Tradition, Scotland Can Make It! and Carpets of Distinction. The show is a collaboration with graphic designers Sophie Dyer, Maeve Redmond and artist Fiona Jardine. Fri 26 Jul-Sun 28 Jul, 10am-5pm at Unit 2, The Briggait, Bridgegate, Glasgow, G1 5HZ

THE ARCHES has just announced a series of club nights to take place across various Glasgow venues between August and October as part of their re-launched Sync In Squares series. Among the impressive names announced in the initial run of events are Unknown to Unknown label boss DJ Haus, Detroitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DJ Andres, Pearson Sound and Benji B. The series kicks off on August 17th with hip hop production supremo, Just Blaze and Nightwave at the Berkeley Suite (ÂŁtbc) ANY.AND.OR. ARTISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COLLECTIVE are holding their first group exhibition at Coburg House Gallery from 11-24 July (preview 11 July 5.30-9pm). Bringing together artwork from six female artists the show explores issues of gender, myth, sexuality and what it means to be a woman (and an artist). Coburg House Gallery, 15 Coburg Street Edinburgh EH6 6ET. FREE

YULIA SOLODYANKINA, a student at the University of Edinburgh, has been missing since Friday 7 June. She was last seen at 4.55pm at Buchanan Street bus station, Glasgow. Her disappearance has taken Yulia's friends and family by complete surprise, and so many of her friends have been actively involved in searching for her. You can follow their #findyulia campaign on Facebook and Twitter. The police have also appealed to anyone who has seen or heard from Yulia to contact them immediately on 101.

Stuck At The Intersection Confronting the online furore among feminist thinkers over the issue of intersectionality, Claire Askew has feminist road rage

F Crystal Baws With Mystic Mark

ARIES After weeks of paranormal torment you discover the reason your fridge barks like a rottweiler, your walls have been bleeding, and gallons of maggots have been erupting through the phone receiver; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your dead uncle, Frank, trying to contact you from beyond the grave to let you know everythingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine and not to worry.

TAURUS Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not averse to letting your partner don their shoulder-length rubber gloves to romantically tickle your cavernous insides with their entire arm.

SCORPIO Your masturbation sessions are so exhausting you need to load up on carbs beforehand and isotonic sports drinks during. Your personal trainer runs in at one point to massage the balls and keep them refreshed.

GEMINI Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give up! Give in.

CANCER Curious about your past lives, you go to a therapist and regress hypnotically to discover you were actually once your own grandpa. You wake with memories you cannot shake of having riotous sex with your oiled up, moaning grandma.

LEO This month, after leaving them overnight in a restricted zone, your nipples are clamped by the local council.

VIRGO Life is like a dog. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard understanding whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on, you eat whatever comes near your mouth, fuck anything you can down the park and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re easily replaced once dead.

LIBRA Weighing your options, you decide to book an appointment with the local backstreet bum abortionist.

July 2013

SAGITTARIUS When you put your mind to it, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literally nothing you can do.

CAPRICORN Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have to pull your finger out if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ever going to get this job. Probably worth washing the finger as well.

AQUARIUS Your terrorist cell endeavours to harness the power of Cosmic Ordering, collectively wishing for the London Eye to spin off its moorings and crush entire packs of fleeing tourists. Please wait up to 28 days for the Universe to process your order.

PISCES In July youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited to hear our sun is about to go supernova! Enthusiastic to witness this once in a lifetime opportunity you rush outside to capture it on your phone. Experts warn however, that looking directly at the exploding sun may lead to permanent eye damage and recommend the safest way to enjoy the event is via pinhole projection. You watch excitedly as both Earth and your precious eyeballs are utterly obliterated.

eminism â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rebecca West famously claimed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is the radical notion that women are human beings. A useful, straightforward sort of definition, if you ask me. Intersectional feminism, then, is the radical notion that some women have it harder than others, and we should take that into account in our activism. Also pretty straightforward, right? If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re even vaguely interested in the section of the internet that identifies as feminist, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have noticed this word intersectionality popping up there with increasing regularity. It first started doing the rounds of said interwebs in October 2011, when Tiger Beatdown writer Flavia Dzodan wrote an article for that site entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;My feminism will be intersectional or it will be bullshit.â&#x20AC;? The article was a deliciously angry but also deeply smart response to some thencurrent events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; events that proved fairly conclusively the age-old theory that white, straight women reckon they own feminism. Dzodanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article, with its all-caps yelling and numerous obscenities, went about as viral as anything with the word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;feminismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the title ever could. And ever since, the word intersectionality has become prime feminist click-bait. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a new concept. Way back in 1989, bell hooks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; arguably the most important black feminist thinker of all time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; called for intersectionality in her book Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black. Women, she claimed, need to â&#x20AC;&#x153;work collectively to confront difference, to expand our awareness of sex, race, and class as interlocking systems of domination,â&#x20AC;? in order to aid â&#x20AC;&#x153;the making of feminist revolution.â&#x20AC;? In comparison to most feminist theory thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty accessible writing, but I still found it kind of head-scratching at first. So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll put it more simply: intersectional feminism is a form of feminism that looks beyond the idea that everything boils down to men = oppressors, women = oppressed. It acknowledges that, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re queer, or disabled, or trans*, or a woman of colour, or a sex worker, then your life is probably more difficult than the life of a straight, able-bodied, cisgendered, white woman. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re both queer and disabled, it becomes a little more difficult still, and so on. I love the analogy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which, of course, I found somewhere on the internet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of a big junction where a bunch of different roads intersect. Each road gets a different kind of traffic,

which represents discrimination: one road gets misogyny, the next gets homophobia, another gets trans*phobia, another racism, and so on. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re standing in the middle of any of these roads, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having to focus on dodging this traffic, and that really sucks. However, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re queer and disabled and a woman of colour, for example, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having to stand in the middle of the junction between three different roads, and you have much more traffic coming at you. If you get three times the traffic, then dodging it is way, way more tiring and frightening and difficult than just having to deal with one lane of the stuff. Intersectionality is understanding that. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literally it. So why is the concept still being so hotly debated? Basically, there are a bunch of feminists who want to stop intersectionality from being a thing. For example, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still a big, gobby wing of the feminist movement who think trans* women shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to call themselves women. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an even bigger club of folk who think that any sex worker who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend her every waking hour feeling thoroughly degraded and dehumanised must surely be an evil agent of darkness, come to lure your teenage daughter into a career in pornography. There are also a lot of feminists who devote a startling amount of their time to blogging and tweeting about how we all need to stop blogging and tweeting about the whole thing. Because you guys, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distracting! We should all be holding hands and marching forward together to lay wastes to the evil armies of patriarchy! Fun fact: these women are almost always white, almost always cisgendered, almost always straight, ablebodied, middle-class andâ&#x20AC;Ś well, you see where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going here. And then there are all those feminists who think we shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do intersectionality because it seems hard, or because it means we have to think before we speak, or because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distracting. Those feminists are essentially saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hey, you in the middle of the intersection! Quit whining! The traffic weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dodging is totally the worst! We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even want to hear about your traffic!â&#x20AC;? Rubbishing intersectionality basically means you think the concerns of a whole load of women are rubbish too. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in any way committed to tackling discrimination, that sort of thinking should give you some serious road rage.

Chat

Compiled by: Anna Docherty

In the month before Festival Madness Official we still manage a fair bit of festival-ing – with Edinburgh Fashion Festival, Kelburn Garden Party, T in the Park, Merchant City Festival, and King Tut's Summer Nights all on the calendar. Essentially, life is a festival...

Wed 3 Jul

Kicking off Sneaky Pete's month of birthday celebrations, the musically unstoppable Dominick Fernow – the powerhouse behind Hospital Productions and Prurient, with hundreds of CD, vinyl, and cassette releases under his belt – brings his Vatican Shadow project across the pond for a live lesson in militant industrial techno and ritualistic atmosphere. Amen. Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh, 9pm, £7

Following a successful run of Five Women Wearing The Same Dress, Glasgowbased theatre group All About Eve Productions revive Sue Townsend's Bazaar and Rummage for an inimiate outing at The Glad Cafe – an 80s-set comedy tale of a neurotic do-gooder, a trainee social worker, and three agoraphobics who come together to run a jumble sale. As you do. The Glad Cafe, 2-4 Jul, 7.30pm, £8 (£6)

Vatican Shadow

Bazaar and Rummage

Mon 8 Jul

Tue 9 Jul

In homage to the late Iain Banks, Edinburgh spoken work troupe Illicit Ink host a special celebration of his literary outfput – with focus on his science fiction body of work (under his Iain M Banks guise) – featuring original stories from writers including Ken MacLeod, Hal Duncan, Ariadne Cass-Maran, Erin McElhinney, Halsted Bernard, and Tom Moore. All profits go to charity. The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, 8pm, £4

Comedy Central return to The Stand for a run of live recording sessions for the second series of the Stewart Lee-curated stand-up show, The Alternative Comedy Experience – which this time features a batch of new talent, including Nish Kumar, John Hegley, and Grainne Maguire, alongside series one regulars Josie Long, and Henning Wehn et al. The Stand, Edinburgh, 8-12 July, £8 (£7)

We'd quite possibly go and see any play entitled Cannibal Women of Mars, but add to that a 2113 setting, two Martian princesses eating their way through the male population, and a specially-composed soundtrack by Belle and Sebastian's Mick Cooke – and you've got a bit of a gem, that even manages to tug at the heartstrings'. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, 9-20 Jul, From £8

Iain Banks

Stewart Lee

Sat 13 Jul

Sun 14 Jul

Mon 15 Jul

Another weekend, another music festival – this time in the form of T in the Park, which celebrates its 20th year. Highlights include Kraftwerk's return to Scotland, a surprisingly considered Slam Tent line-up (back-to-back sets from Berghain princelings Ben Klock and Marcel Dettman, we're looking at you), and handpicked fledgling talent care of the T Break stage. Balado, Kinross, 12-14 Jul, £194 (weekend)

Glasgow-based composer John Lemke takes to Mono to launch his new instrumental electronica LP, Make Do, with special collaborative guest Poppy Ackroyd helping him air it out in a live setting – fusing percussive piano, abstracted guitar landscapes, and disembodied vocal textures as they go. Support comes from Zoey Van Goey's Kim Moore, and Gareth Griffiths. Mono, Glasgow, 8pm, £donation

Glasgow-born Norman Blake (of Teenage Fanclub) and Massachusetts-hailing Joe Pernice (of The Pernice Brothers), now neighbours in Canada, take to Glasgow for their first collaborative Scottish outing as The New Mendicants. Having begun life in a Toronto tavern, expect a suitably low-key brand of sublime pop, marked with banter and open-tunings. Mono, Glasgow, 7.30pm, £12

Kraftwerk

John Lemke

Illustration Jamie Macdonald

Sun 7 Jul

The New Mendicants

Thu 18 Jul

Fri 19 Jul

Sat 20 Jul

The musical marathon that is King Tut's Summer Nights kicks off with a headline set from agressive Glasgow metalcore chaps The Recovery! (exclamation mark obligatory), before taking in the likes of Fake Major, Campfires In Winter, Plum, So Many Animal Calls, and, er, about 45-odd more across the 15-day schedule. See listings for full programme details. King Tuts, Glasgow, 18 Jul-1 Aug, Various times and prices

Heading into its second year, the Edinburgh International Fashion Festival spreads its wares over two weekends in July – with a programme's worth of runway shows, parties, and an interactive symposium of talks and pop-ups, kicking off with an opening gala preview of Clements Ribeiro's A/W collection in Mansfield Traquair. Various venues, Edinburgh, 19-27 Jul, Various times and prices

The 100-acre estate grounds of Jupiter Artland host a special late night Garden's Tour of the outdoor site specific artworks – doubling as a chance to view Sam Durant's new scaffold-style sculptural installation, which stands resplendent on a plinth of concrete in Jupiter’s newly planted orchard. Intimate session limited to 20 folk. Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh, 6.30pm, £15

The Recovery!

Clements Ribeiro design

Jupiter Artland

Wed 24 Jul

Thu 25 Jul

Fri 26 Jul

Sat 27 Jul

A lorra hip-hop talent join forces for The Heart of Hip-Hop, a charity fundraiser in aid of Yorkhill Children's Hospital – featuring [deep breath] Sons of Scotland crew member Werd, Edinburgh-based rapper Blasfima Sinna, Edinburgh-based MC Madhat McGore, plus MOG, Wee D, Nity Gritz, Riddlah, DeadsoundZ, Cererbus, and DJs Steg G and Toni Smoke. The Art School Union, Glasgow, 8pm, £5

Scottish contemporary jazz guitarist Haftor Medboe brings an international band of players to this year's Edinburgh Jazz Festival. Paying reference to his Scandinavian roots, he'll be joined by key musicians on the Oslo and Copenhagen jazz scene – Gunnar Halle (trumpet), Espen Eriksen (piano), Eva Malling (bass), and Benita Hostrup (drums). Bristo Place, Edinburgh, 7pm, £12

Indulging our wonder at how folk live in sub-zero climes, Architecture and Design Scotland host the premiere of a new touring exhibition – Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in Antarctica – presenting some of the most innovative examples of contemporary architecture in Antarctica, focusing on the design of five case study buildings. The Lighthouse, Glasgow, until 2 Oct, Free

Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite heads up a supergig cast of Aidan Moffat, RM Hubbert, Eugene Kelly, Emma Pollock, Remember Remember, and mystery 'very special guests' to collectively converge on Platform to play in aid of the campaign to Save Sighthill Stone Circle – which Glasgow City Council plan to demolish to make way for Commonwealth Games redevelopment. Platform, Glasgow, 5pm, £6

Blasfima Sinna

Chat

Haftor Medboe and co.

Halley VI Research Station

Aidan Moffat

THE SKINNY

Photo: Beth Chalmers

Heads Up

Tue 2 Jul

Former Y'All Is Fantasy Island mainman Adam Stafford launches his second solo LP, Imaginary Walls Collapse, continuing his inspired experimentation with loopstation, repeating rhythms, minimal guitar, and layered vocals. Pretty damn mesmerising in a live setting, FYI. Support comes from RM Hubbert, and Siobhan Wilson. Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh, 7pm, £6

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art host an evening viewing of From Death to Death and Other Small Tales, exploring the exhibition's themes of the body and the human condition via live music from Withered Hand, Wounded Knee, and Small Feet Little Toes – plus curator talks, DJs, and free-flowing vino. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 7pm, Free (but ticketed)

One of the more magical music festival offerings (aka they've got castle) Kelburn Garden Party host their annual boutique party weekender, with the likes of Hector Bizerk, Poppy Ackroyd, Conquering Animal Sound, and Mr Scruff all in attendence – plus the added bonus of a clubber's outpost in the trees, bespoke lighting installations, local cider, and idyllic waterfall pools. Bliss. Kelburn Castle, Largs, 6 & 7 Jul, £69 (weekend)

Adam Stafford

Wounded Knee

Kelburn Castle

Thu 11 Jul

Fri 12 Jul

The Ultramagnetic MCs – comprised of a selection of Bronx hiphop veterans, in the form of Kool Keith, Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love – take to the UK as part of their 2013 world tour, celebrating 25 years since the release of their seminal first album, Critical Beatdown. Expect a veritable showcase of ferocity and innovation, as per the Ultramagnetic law. O2 ABC, Glasgow, 7pm, £17

Returning for their third free gig outing at The Caves, Dewar (as in the whisky lot; there may be free drams) host a handpicked musical line-up headlined by the energetic indie-rock soundscapes of Kilmarnock trio Fatherson, with stellar local support from Sparrow and the Workshop, and FOUND. Entry is on a first come-first-served basis, so get yer toosh down early. The Caves, Edinburgh, 8pm, Free

Drawing to a close their 50th birthday celebrations in suitably gluttonous manner, Henderson's host a weekend of sugary indulgence – entitled A Sweet Ending – at which there'll be a duo of savoury dishes followed by a free-forall table of 50 puddings and cakes, including their classic cherry pie and a pop-up selecton of treats from Edinburgh's Queen of Tarts. Henderson's, Edinburgh, 12 & 13 Jul, £25

Ultramagnetic MCs

Fatherson

Tue 16 Jul

Wed 17 Jul

iAM’s resident young guns Beta & Kappa go guest-heavy for the month of July (see listings for their full line-ups), with their mid month Subbie outing playing home to one Mr Daniel Avery – the Fabric and Phantasy regular who's creator of some of the most inventive electronic sounds emerging today. And, well, he's got Andrew Weatherall's seal of approval, so all is well with the world. Sub Club, Glasgow, 11pm, £5

Post her SXSW dueting with longtime hero Billy Bragg, DIY songstress Amanda Palmer and her raucous new live crew (aka The Grand Theft Orchestra) take to the road to play their rescheduled European tour dates, showcasing their late LP, Theatre Is Evil – an ambitious album of lofty scale, themes, and overall length that would seem pretty much made for a live setting. Picture House, Edinburgh, 7pm, £16

Daniel Avery

Photo: Emily Wylde

Wed 10 Jul

Henderson's

Amanda Palmer

Mon 22 Jul

Tue 23 Jul

The veritable one-manband that is Miaoux Miaoux (aka mutl-tasking chap Julian Corrie) plays a special show to introduce two new stage members to his live sound – with drummer Liam Chapman and bass player Liam Graham adding new depth to his pedals, drum machines, synth, and guitar combo. We have it on good authority they'll be debuting some tougher, bass-heavy new songs on the night, mores the joy. Stereo, Glasgow, 8pm, £6

As part of the MGM HD series of screenings – showcasing fully remastered HD movies from the famous MGM library – the Cameo get their mitts on a shiny new print of drag queen classic, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert , for a one-off Monday evening airing. Any excuse to dig out the size 10 stilettos and sequinned dress and make a night of it, eh? Cameo, Edinburgh, 12pm, £5.80 (£5.30)

The comedic academics that make up the Bright Club take to The Stand to mark their 2nd birthday celebrations, mixing laughs and learning – taking time out from the research field to fill your evening will all the puns their larger-than-average brains can muster. And we have it on good authority that there is the 'potential' of cake. The Stand, Edinburgh, 8.30pm, £5

Miaoux Miaoux

Photo: Vito Andreoni

Sun 21 Jul

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Sun 28 Jul

Mon 29 Jul

Designer couple Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway bring their Vintage Festival – a celebration of the music, dance, fashion, film, art, and food of the 1920-80s – to Glasgow as part of Merchant City Festival, with a spread of workshops, film screenings, catwalk shows, fashion stalls, decadespecific makeovers, and the all-important themed cocktails. Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 27 & 28 Jul, Various times and prices

We end the month with a surefire King Tut's Summer Nights pick, which for the third last outing of their 15-day musical marathon (the festival draws to a close official on 1 August) sees headliners Fake Major (aka the Endor chaps in jangly melodic form) play alongside support from Croy indie-rockers Campfires in Winter, and former Little Eskimos frontman Kevin Harper. King Tut's, Glasgow, 8.30pm, £6

July 2013

Vintage Festival

Bright Club

Fake Major

Chat

Photo: Eoin Carey

Sat 6 Jul

Photo: Alex Woodward

Fri 5 Jul

Photo: David P Scott

Thu 4 Jul

Feature

MUSIC

THE SKINNY

Out of the Woods Foals’ ambitious third album Holy Fire has elevated the Oxford fivepiece to the next level, but Yannis Philippakis is hungry for more Interview: Simon Catling Photography: Steve Gullick

“I

feel really good actually! I had a great time out there.” At the moment you can’t keep Yannis Philippakis down. He hasn’t long returned to London after what’s been Foals’ longest time away from home in their career to-date, but he cuts off a question about mental fatigue on the road early on, like a boxer anticipating a jab, returning his own succinct, quickly-delivered counter-punch that shuts down a potential blow before it’s even had time to connect. Since Foals’ third album Holy Fire came out in February, they’ve been running the touring mouse wheel; bar one stately-environed show at the Royal Albert Hall in London, they hadn’t seen the UK between the middle of March and midJune, as they spanned Europe and both American continents. Yet even amidst such sapping toil, the frontman’s muse is currently insatiable and his words chirrup with the buoyancy of an artist possessed. “If touring’s been taxing then it’s only because it basically stops you creating,” he adds. “I’ve just been daydreaming a lot of the time about wanting to get into the studio … I’ve had a real appetite to just get in and work on new stuff.” The longest stint of Foals’ 2013 road trip so far has been more than two months spent shunting up and down North America, culminating in performances at Coachella in April and Bonnaroo Festival last month. In the otherwise patchy 2003 Britpop documentary Live Forever, writer Jon Savage concisely observes that, where British music fashions tend to be dictated by a pendulum that swings between the UK and the US, it simply does not exist Stateside. That still rings largely true a decade on, and Yannis admits that adjusting to that can be a “graveyard” for many of his national contemporaries. “There’s definitely a sector of America that’s super Anglophile,” he says. “But then there’s another side that doesn’t know about it or doesn’t care and that’s the side that you have to deal with first as a British band – and it can fuck with your head dealing with that sort of scepticism.” However, Foals are now beyond the feeble footing that most teeter upon when crossing the Atlantic. “There’s something building there now, which kept us up mentally. We’re not schlepping around with no one coming to our shows. I still don’t understand America any more than I did when we first went across. I like it more now though,” he says. As successful as the band’s 2010 second album Total Life Forever was, it is Holy Fire, fully plundering the vast space its predecessor had first created when in-turn pulling apart the fabric of debut LP Antidotes’ spindly intricacies, that has truly elevated them beyond territory-specific ascendancy. Foals now sit at an

July 2013

established place of being, beyond the boom and bust see-saw of circling criticism that envelopes those below. “But that’s why America’s a challenge,” Yannis comments, “and I relish it because you can get spoilt by playing to big crowds everywhere else. It’s nice to feel like you’re grinding it out again.” Holy Fire’s merits were many: the five-piece took even more encouragement to shift gears between their more water-coloured backdrops to the hot, tarry density of the likes of Inhaler and Providence’s baked-dry guitar sludge. A hook line through all that though was an emboldened directness lyrically, Yannis discarding completely the coding he was already starting to unravel on Total Life Forever, in lieu of phrases (“I’m the last cowboy in this town,”) that skirted cliché but worked in their blunt contrast to the elemental pirouettes around him. “All the great lyrics are essentially stories or they impart a message; they have a beginning, middle and end and I think I just didn’t do that on the first record, but since then I have been,” he states. “It’s just been realising that ‘this is the kind of lyric I want to write,’ rather than just writing a load of images that no one’s going to have a fucking clue about.” They also indicate a personal approach, with many seemingly exploring themes of isolation and loneliness; was there an apprehension in translating these intimate messages out into a physical live environment? “Not really,” he says dismissively, his bullishness remaining at the fore. “Once you start playing a song night after night it grows a bit of a skin on it, it develops a bit of enamel, it gets a bit thicker. It’s not like I’m doing a Freudian analysis during a gig. I guess these lyrics are more direct and so just resonate with more people, which contributes to making it a more emotionally charged experienced playing live – which I think all lyrics should do.” While still filliping Foals into a festival season that promises to be their most high profile yet (with Glastonbury already in the bag, they’re a matter of days away from playing the penultimate set at T in the Park, and headlining Latitude later in the month), Holy Fire is an album their front man is already ready to leave behind. “I’ve not listened to it really since we did it,” he ponders, “I hear tracks on the radio and they sound… good?” he offers noncommittally. “But, look, I also think that it’s part of the process of making a record that you have to fall out of love with it as you make it. If you’re not sick of it by the end you haven’t worked on it enough.” This obsessive creative streak runs at a paradox to the surface-level facts, that a time period of nearly three years passed between second and third albums – a sizeable gap in the music

industry’s hyper-accelerated state. But there has always been conflict within Foals’ creative process; a constant desire to surge forward is often hamstrung by self-critical backtracking which prevents the quick-fire outpouring of material you sense could be possible, if they loosened the shackles slightly.

“I want to go back into the studio and make five different records” Yannis Philippakis

So it goes as we talk; at one point Yannis hauls open the door of possibility regarding new material: “I’d be worried if I didn’t want to make something again soon, because it’d mean I was spent or I’d said what I had to say. But I don’t feel that way at the moment. I feel like I want to go back into the studio and make five different records, I want to make an old school funk record, I want to make another Foals record, make a stoner metal album – all sorts of things.” But then, when questioned further, he pulls it shut again. “The problem is that we want to put stuff out all the time, but then we’re crippled by our own perception and neurosis. We want things to be great when they go out and it just takes time.” Their issues with TV On The Radio man Dave Sitek were well-documented during the press trail around their debut LP Antitodes in 2008; the group discarded the respected producer’s original mix of the record in lieu of their own remix. Holy Fire meanwhile saw the group start out in Australia with Jono Ma, only to soon head back to London and work with legendary duo Flood & Alan Moulder (who can list Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails’ among past clients). Even with the celebrated duo – who the band have been praiseworthy of over the past few months – the implication given is of Holy Fire’s creation occurring from the foundation of several constructive battles, which, on one side at least, have continued long since the album was released. “Producers are a good outlet and are fine to have their say in the studio,” Yannis suggests, “but there have definitely been times where we’ve ended up losing some elements on the record that we’ve ended re-introducing live because we missed them.” Foals continual live reappraisal of their own work, even after it’s been committed to record,

MUSIC

is a sign of their well-known perfectionist streak, and also that of a group of five people constantly restless within their creative sphere. “If we did the same thing every night I would probably go mad,” he says. “I don’t really understand bands who rely on backing tracks that have to do a very similar structured set every night. I’d rather stab myself in the lung than play to backing tracks.” Foals are set to embark, once again, on a festival circuit that Yannis was vocally critical of earlier this Spring. “You get people in their late 30s going to festivals, in their dungarees with a couple of kids, wanting to relive their adolescence, pretending they’re baggy again by watching The Stone Roses,” he’d told The Daily Star. “They aren’t in touch with what’s going on now. I’m bored of seeing some dude from the 90s headline, it means nothing to me.” The comments have since been clarified – and it turns out Yannis is a fan of the baggy Mancunians – but he does still agree that this increasingly all-encompassing culture of nostalgia pervades strongly. “I think it’s a very British thing as well,” he says. “I might be wrong about that but I don’t feel it’s quite the same in the States or in Europe. Here, the press and the people who buy the tickets to festivals and the pundits and the promoters, they all know there’s an appetite; and the people who have money are the people in their 30s and older. Plus, I think a lot of music journalists do think that ‘things were better back then.’ The knock-on effect though is that if you start saying ‘how special it is that Fleetwood Mac are reuniting?’ and saying that’s way more exciting than anything going on at the moment? Well, personally I think that’s bullshit.” He agrees too, that fans’ patience in a bands’ development has been eroded and that with a comeback act, the context, stories and catalogue are already there to digest. “It’s part of something generally too, a lack of patience within everything,” he adds. “Like, people getting frustrated when their phones take two seconds to load up all of human knowledge that ever existed when really they should be in admiration at this technology. So maybe it’s symptomatic of something that’s a little bit bigger.” For Foals, a new album could occur “sooner rather than later,” Yannis’s thirst stark in response to the repetition of the touring grind. “Right now I’ve got a serious itch to scratch that’s just wanting to make more music and better music,” he says. “I don’t feel satisfied or sated right now. I want to do something soon.” Foals play Radio 1 Stage at T in the Park on 14 Jul Tickets are still available from www.tinthepark.com www.foals.co.uk

Feature

Gold Sounds

Having had their music played to almost one billion people across the world, cosmic dance outfit Fuck Buttons are about to return to normality with third album Slow Focus. Andrew Hung plants his feet on the ground to discuss the benefits of not talking

t may have been less than a year ago, but it’s easy to forget the collective sense of pride that followed the Olympic opening ceremony last July. Though the indefatigable Danny Boyle was at the helm of the ceremony itself, general issues with the games’ security and typical British indifference to the international sporting event meant many were expecting, even hoping for a false start right from the off. Yet, almost unanimously, Boyle’s Isles of Wonder spectacle was declared a success and became a water cooler discussion of some repute. Talk of the historical, political and cultural significance of it all was poured over from Twitter to the Telegraph for weeks to come. But, although equally enthralled, a smaller section of society were at least as impressed by the choice of music for the event. “Hey, didn’t they play a lot of Fuck Buttons!?” was The Skinny’s initial response. Indeed they did, with Surf Solar soundtracking film prologue Journey along the Thames whilst, more obviously, a reworking of the duo’s epic track Olympians accompanied The Parade of Nations. Then, during the raising of the Union Jack, The London Symphony Orchestra covered Sundowner by Blanck Mass, the musical side-project of one-half of Fuck Buttons, Benjamin John Power. Quite a hat-trick. One year on and the other half of the protofuturistic duo, Andrew Hung, is able to take stock of effectively having had his wares showcased to 900 million people. “Physically, I haven’t seen any benefit from it,” he laughs, indicating that copies of Tarot Sport haven’t been flying off the shelves in any greater number since the event. “But from a mental standpoint, it’s been extremely beneficial. It’s built my confidence so much, thinking that we can reach out that far. It’s evidence that our music can go anywhere.” Putting that theory to the test is third album Slow Focus, which is due for release this month.

Feature

Interview: Darren Carle

Though hewn from much the same audio equipment and tools as its predecessor, it’s a somewhat darker listening experience than we’ve had from the duo in the past. Those ethereal chimes may still sound like sunlight pulsing through a kinetic meteor belt, but it’s levelled by descending, atonal keys which are more likely to invoke a dystopian cityscape where technological beacons sit atop the underbelly of societal decay. And where Space Mountain played out like an ever-ascending flight fantasy, album finale Hidden XS sounds more like a sun-bleached day melting and swirling into a storm drain. “That’s important for us,” agrees Hung on The Skinny’s rather florid, hypnagogic reactions. “I guess at the time of writing, the music is doing those things for us too. Ben and I don’t talk about it, but I’m pretty sure we have a similar kind of imagery conjured by our music, which is why we’re on the same wave length so much. Everyone gets their own kind of ideas of what it sounds like, so it’s all valid in that sense. Whatever anyone gets from our music is valid.” This is one of several occasions during our conversation where Hung attests to the wordless interplay he has developed with his band mate, leading The Skinny to wonder if this lack of verbal communication has influenced Fuck Buttons in being a largely instrumental proposition. “I’ve never considered that until now,” he laughs. “But I think that may actually be the case. There is a language to the music but it’s not a verbal one. So maybe it has been easier for us to communicate via that language rather than actually talking. You might be onto something there.” We’re happy to offer our pop psychology services anytime. On that note, it seems prudent to ask about the subtle shift in tone of Slow Focus, from invoking sprawling vistas in the past, to charting more turbulent inner realms now. “It’s a palette of emotion that we haven’t really

explored in our work together,” explains Hung. “It’s new to us in that sense and so it was very exciting to explore, but it’s not really a reflection of ourselves. We’re relatively happy people but we’re not afraid to indulge those emotions when it comes to our music. For me, music is a shortterm experience in that sense. I don’t tend to feel depressed after listening to a depressing album.”

“Our music can go anywhere” Andrew Hung

To be clear, Slow Focus is certainly not a depressing listen and the sense of wonder and ambition imbued in the final product is matched by its creation. “When you make music on your own, you have a strong understanding of what your limitations are,” says Hung. “But I’m always surprised at the music Ben and I make. It’s music that’s just so striking to me and not something either of us could make on our own. For me, all of that is down to our relationship.” That relationship also entered the next phase during the recording of Slow Focus as Hung and Power embarked on production duties for the first time. In the past they had worked with Mogwai guitarist John Cummings on debut Street Horrrsing, followed by legendary producer Andrew Weatherall for Tarot Sport. This time however, all knob-twiddling was down to the duo themselves as they realised a long-fermenting desire to get behind the mixing desk. “It was a natural and logical next step for us,” explains Hung. “We’ve worked with amazing producers up until now, and it had become clear to us that production was one of our own considerations during the writing process. Often we

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start by finding a texture that we both enjoy and then we embellish it. That’s normally a production consideration but it’s something that’s very important to us in the music. We were thinking like producers without actually realising it.” With that final stamp, Slow Focus is now shimmering on the horizon, with anticipation among their followers already stoked high. Is the eventual reception of their music a pressing concern for Hung? “Not really,” he claims. “This interim period is super-busy for us, so for the moment we’re just concentrating on getting out there after months of writing music every day. With criticism, even with compliments, I don’t think it’s possible for me to accept them outside of my trusted circle.” However, the compliments flowed in when taster track The Red Wing was released in May. “It felt like a song which had the potential to be a single I guess,” is Hung’s answer to why it was given such a leg-up. “There’s a melody there that’s very quick to the attention.” However, as you may expect, Fuck Buttons – whose very name threatened to derail The Skinny’s distribution when they appeared on the cover in March 2010 – are not a group who actively pursue palatability for the masses. “With regards to the music, definitely not,” agrees Hung. “Our music has zero compromise - that’s the way I understand it.” Yet that lack of yielding, the often abrasive and unconventional sounds they make, and even that troublesome moniker have not stopped the duo from reaching a somewhat astounding global platform, no matter what the eventual outcome. If the Olympics were ever to stage an event of progressive and uncompromising music making, Fuck Buttons would surely take home the gold. Slow Focus is released on 22 July via ATP Recordings. Fuck Buttons play Glasgow's SWG3 on 10 Sep twitter.com/FuckButtons

THE SKINNY

July 2013

MUSIC

Feature

The Flock of the New This month’s T in the Park and Wickerman festivals are two prime opportunities to catch the finest up-and-coming artists this country has to offer. Here we talk to 12 burgeoning bands we recommend you see Interview: Chris McCall

he music festival has become such an integral part of the summer season in Scotland that it can be hard to recall what made these events so damn popular in the first place. Complaints about dodgy food, bad weather and indifferent headline acts have been so regularly aired over the years that they have almost lost all meaning. Those of us with memories not so badly damaged by annual treks to shit-strewn fields may recall that it was only two decades ago that Scotland offered little in the way of organised festivals. Down south, Reading and Glastonbury were long established live meccas, but those Scots without the inclination to travel had to make do with occasional events that were invariably badly run and lacking in basic facilities. The Fife Aid festivals of the late 1980s – to name but one of the various esoteric summer gatherings in those dark, pre-internet days – might have been raising money for some worthy causes, but its line-up would be laughed at by today’s relatively spoiled music fans. T in the Park – celebrating its 20th year – might be colossal in size, but its dedication to offering a platform, and in turn some much needed national exposure, to rising bands and unsigned artists cannot be doubted. This year’s BBC Introducing and T Break stage line-ups once again feature several acts who promise to offer unmissable shows, and at the very least these tents provide weary festival punters a valuable shelter – whether it is from the rain, or Mumford & Sons. Meanwhile, down in rural Kirkcudbrightshire, the Wickerman festival’s reputation for bringing together the very best cutting edge acts of the year continues to grow. The Solus and goNorth tents might not be the grandest of stages in

terms of physical size, but the talent contained within is immeasurable. Pitched in two opposite ends of the country, these four marquees are a very real reminder that Scottish festivals ain’t so bad; in fact they can be genuinely marvellous. The only question remains is: who should you go to see? Let The Skinny be your guide. Machines in Heaven Playing The T Break Stage at T in the Park and The Solus Tent at Wickerman Be prepared to scale a wall of bass when Glasgow’s formidable synthpop masters Machines in Heaven hit their stride. Declaring their intention to “put the humanity back into machines with our music,” the four-piece band are back with a new line-up and their seemingly boundless energy. “It’s a great line-up at Wickerman, and we can’t wait to see our pals Vasa,” says guitarist Graham Crossan. “We’ll certainly give the crowd something to dance to, anyway – and a wall of bass. Remember, even if the weatherman says it’s to be blazing all weekend, pack wellies anyway!” Wise words. Fat Goth Playing the BBC Introducing Stage at T in the Park and The Solus Tent at Wickerman No strangers to this magazine, Dundee power trio Fat Goth have enjoyed a turbo-charged 2013; they’ve gained rave reviews for their second album Stud and found themselves immortalised in Pandora Peroxide, Kerrang’s long-running cartoon strip. The group will be making their first appearance at T in the Park, and will return to Wickerman for a second time later in the month. If you’re lucky enough to be attending both festivals, you can look forward to two different Fat Goth sets. “I’m not a big fan of playing the same

Honeyblood

Feature

Plastic Animals

songs in the same order all the time so we tend to mix it up,” explains frontman Fraser Stewart, who also plans to keep an eye on Rihanna when she hits up Balado. “I’ve only heard her music in passing and first impressions are not good. That said, if I get the chance, I’ll try some of my chat and see what happens.” Plastic Animals Playing The goNorth Tent at Wickerman Many bands would settle for having their music played on the radio as well as releasing the odd record. Plastic Animals have already done both of those things in 2013 – and created their very own ale as part of the Beer vs. Records initiative. Sadly, licensing restrictions may prevent them bringing any kegs on site at Wickerman, but the Edinburgh group can be relied upon to serve up a refreshing round of their own-brand sludge rock, with an added dash of pop sensibility. “This will be our first time at Wickerman and our first proper festival show,” explains the band’s Dave Wark. “We played goNorth [in Inverness] at the start of June, which was great fun, but it’s not quite the same as playing in a muddy field. We’re not too nervous about playing, more just apprehensive whether anyone will come to see us.” With tunes as good as Ghost, they should have little to worry about.

Photo: Laura Coulson

Honeyblood Playing The T Break Tent at T in the Park and The Solus Tent at Wickerman Garage rock duo Honeyblood create a primal sound that’s impossible to ignore – it led to them playing a well-received show at this year’s Great Escape festival in Brighton and securing a support slot with The Twilight Sad, despite not having released any records. That’s a situation they plan to rectify with the release of their debut single in August, but before all that there’s the small matter of debuting at two of Scotland’s leading festivals to contend with. “Nerves?” asks singer and guitarist Stina Tweeddale. “It’s always good to get a little nervous before shows. It’s exciting more than anything!” She also has simple but sage advice to all you punters who plan to attend an outdoor gig this summer: “Don’t piss in your own tent!”

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Vasa Playing The T Break Tent at T in the Park Vasa will add a welcome dash of experimental post-rock to the usual cocktail served up at Balado. The four-piece from Glasgow have already shared stages with the likes of Maybeshewill, Brontide and Mutiny on the Bounty, and will adopt a straight forward approach when it comes to competing with other bands on bigger stages at T. “To be honest, we’ll just play very loud and hope to drown out the main stage,” states bassist John Niblock, confidently. “We’ll just do what we always do onstage and hope people appreciate us. We’re very different from most of the other bands, so hopefully the folk there will take notice.” Discopolis Playing The BBC Introducing Stage at T in the Park There’s four of them, they hail from Edinburgh and they’ve come a hell of a long way since making their T in the Park debut as relative live novices in 2011. “Those were such early days for our show and for us personally, so we’re really keen to get back in the ring and show people what Discopolis [all grown up] has to offer,” says the band’s Fergus Cook. Riding on the success of their current EP Committed to Sparkle Motion, you can expect a euphoric set. “I think the best chemistry we’ve had with an audience is when we haven’t held back. If [fellow band member] Dave wants to profess his love for the crowd while fighting back the tears, then so be it.” DARC Playing The T Break Tent at T in the Park Interest in Edinburgh electro outfit DARC has been rising for some time, so it’s no surprise that they’ve impressed this year’s T Break panel to make the Balado line-up. “We can’t wait to jump on a big stage with a big system and let rip,” producer David Thomas offers, with obvious excitement. Seemingly, playing to a typically boisterous T in the Park crowd is unlikely to faze these lads. “We’ll give them something to be boisterous about. We honestly can’t wait to have a bouncing festival crowd. The energy will be insane so we’re planning on giving everything we’ve got for the audience to have an amazing time. We just want to make people go mad and dance and jump about or whatever, so we’re happy for them to go as crazy as they like.”

THE SKINNY

Vukovi Playing The Solus Tent at Wickerman Headlining Wickerman’s Solus tent on the Friday will be Vukovi, who are perhaps the finest thing to emerge from the Ayrshire town of Kilwinning since the 1999 Junior Cup winning side. No strangers to Kirkcudbrightshire, the new wave rockers played a storming set at Wickerman two years ago and reckon they have more fans in southern Scotland than in their home town. “We’re proud and honoured that we’ve been asked back to headline Solus this year,” says singer Janine Shilstone. “It’s a great tent with a great line up. I think we’re more excited than nervous at the moment.” The band have been busy recording a mini-album, but remain tight-lipped about their other future plans. “It’s been exciting having new people coming on board that are wanting to work with us,” Janine adds, somewhat cryptically. “That’s all we can really say at the moment. We’re calling it the calm before the storm.” Roman Nose Playing The BBC Introducing Stage at T in the Park and The Solus Tent at Wickerman Roman Nose are likely to leave a lasting impression on the festival crowd before they even play a note of music. The band’s on-stage get-up includes the kind of mask that would frighten even the toughest ICP fan. The trio headline the Solus tent on Saturday night and will also bring their unique brand of black electro to the BBC

stage at Balado. “We’ve been lead to believe that the Wickerman crowd, in general, are an openminded group of individuals, so we are confident they will enjoy our set,” states Craig Wilson. “But if not… then there will be trouble! All of the bands playing on these various stages this year have worked incredibly hard to get there. We hope to be able to catch most of them – but to be honest; we’re quite excited about catching Kraftwerk at T. Kinda obvious, eh?” Casual Sex Playing The goNorth Tent at Wickerman Casual Sex are so over people making giggling jokes about their name. Instead, they’re slightly fretting about certain London broadsheet newspapers branding them as ‘the new Franz Ferdinand.’ “We did resign ourselves to the fact the Franz tag, along with the Orange Juice/Joseph K tag, was going to be tagged on to us,” sighs Sam Smith. “The ‘best bit’ is nice in a subjective sense, and indeed I like FF and OJ and JK – though thankfully a few folk have started to pick up on the fact musically we may spring from similar influences (large wide ocean) but we are a very different barrel of salty men.” You’ll have the chance to make your own mind up at Wickerman’s goNorth stage.

Smashing Pumpkins

Photo: Alex Woodward

RUNGS Playing The Solus Tent at Wickerman Unlike most of the other artists profiled here, 2013 has thus far been a relatively quiet year for RUNGS, fine purveyors of fucked-up hardcore. But you can expect to hear much more from this Glasgow group, which includes former members of the much-missed Take A Worm For A Walk Week and Project:Venhell. “We all play in so many other bands we don’t have much time (to dedicate to RUNGS),” explains guitarist Johnny Docherty. “Saying that, we have self-released an EP entitled I Don’t Wanna Hug! I Just Wanna Cum! and we have recorded our first album with our good friend Italian Gal. We plan to get our first album out later in the year and play as much we can.” A suitably banging set in the Solus tent should be more than enough to kick-start RUNGS’ reign.

side from enigmatic front-man Billy Corgan, The Smashing Pumpkins are near unrecognisable as a line-up for those who first came to the band via their Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie albums. The near-perpetual membership shuffle that followed their golden output was reflected in some mediocre releases, a temporal hiatus and Corgan’s bizarre foray into professional wrestling. But who wants their stadium rock giants to be stable and ‘on the rails’ anyway? Remarkably, the band have purged through those wilderness years and are currently enjoying their most stable line-up in over a decade. The result was last year’s Oceania studio record, a high concept “album within an album” that also scored the group some of their best reviews in years. This accompanying show at the O2 Academy on 2 July promises to be equally ambitious, boasting a technological live show that is “something new and previously unseen.” A second half set will see classics from the back catalogue given an airing. A win-win then. Released in 1988, Ultramagnetic MCs’ (O2 ABC2, 10 Jul) debut album Critical Beatdown is regarded as a classic of the golden age of hiphop. However, it’s taken time to reach such high esteem, with many of its glowing reviews and plaudits being retrospectively handed down. Yet even a quick listen 25 years later makes its influence on the likes of Public Enemy immediately apparent, while ten years after its release The Prodigy were using contentious samples from Give The Drummer Some as the backbone for genre-smashing, international dance hits. So, as is perhaps de rigueur these days, founding member Kool Keith will be heading up this celebration of what may well be their defining moment. Change that man’s pitch up. So, from colossal stadium titans, to influential hip-hop outfits to, um... Bam Margera (O2 ABC2, 18 Jul). For the uninitiated, Brandon Cole Margera, as he is rarely called, is a professional skateboarder who came to prominence as part of the Jackass television crew at the turn of the century. Since that launch pad, Bam has had a scattershot career that, among many other things, lists pursuits such as a “prominent non-sex role” in pornographic movie Fantasstic Whores 4. Quite how that little release passed us by remains a mystery. Backed by his motley band for the evening, expect alcohol, nudity, strong language, personal injury and songs by Bloodhound Gang from Bam as he brings his ‘pure punk rock’ brand to Glasgow. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. [Darren Carle]

Book Group Playing The goNorth Tent at Wickerman This Edinburgh group’s debut EP Homeward Sound has attracted sincere praise, and they delivered a stirring set at the Fence Records Gnomegame bash in April, but Michael Morrison isn’t about to start taking things for granted. “Obviously now someone will slate it, but in general people seem to have got exactly what we were aiming for. I’d go as far as to say the Solus and goNorth stages have the strongest line-ups of the whole festival, and we can’t wait to be part of it all.” As well as promising to deliver the goods on stage, the band have another important task to carry out on the night. “I want to be as close to Nile Rodgers as possible. We plan to get the pints in and dance like total fannies to Good Times.” Don’t we all. T in the Park takes place in Balado on 12-13 Jul Wickerman takes place in Dundrennan on 25-26 July.

Casual Sex

July 2013

Photo: Gemma Dagger

www.o2abcglasgow.co.uk

MUSIC

Feature

THE SKINNY

Kompakt at 20

In the trend-determined world of dance and electronic music, imagine running a record label for twenty years. Michael Mayer, one of a community of musical devotees behind Cologne’s seminal imprint Kompakt, has managed just that

Interview: John Thorp

Midland Interview

Meet Midland, creator of the anthem Trace, and one of the UK’s most exciting producers, now preparing his new EP on his own label Graded after collaborations with Breach, and Pearson Sound of Hessle Audio

Interview: John Thorp

idland, best known as Harry Aguois, spent an ex-pat childhood in both Africa and Greece before ultimately settling in Leeds as a postgrad, drawn by cheap rent and a great music scene. Here, he met contemporaries such as Ben UFO and Pariah, founders of Hessle Audio along with David Kennedy (aka Pearson Sound). Whilst Hessle blossomed, slowly but surely, Midland has emerged as one of the most nuanced and creative young producers around, trading not in the strands of what quickly became known as ‘UK bass,’ but a rich and urgent house and techno sound, as well as warming up the room for bigger names all over Europe whilst never playing second fiddle. This summer, it’s already difficult to navigate any dance music festival without the distinctive synth line of Midland’s Trace drifting from all sorts of tents. A real breakthrough anthem after a series of releases on Will Saul’s Aus label, as well as collaborations with the likes of Pearson Sound (who collaborated with Aguios on his first ever release, in 2009) and Breach, the next Midland release will drop on 15 July through his own personally curated label, Graded. Entitled Archive 01/Realtime, it could be his strongest work yet and at this stage, surely a dream signing for any respected label. So why choose to release it on his own platform? “The idea of being able to dictate how, where and in what form the music is presented is very appealing,” Aguois tells us. The busy release schedule at Aus and an urgency to get his music out also informed his decision to found Graded, a name which he feels is indicative of the sound of his music in general (Midland tunes are generally rendered through cassette tape). Despite his personal analogue leanings, Graded will trade digitally, as well as on wax. “This is something I thought about long and hard when starting the label, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised it's not my place to dictate how people should acquire and digest the music,” considers Aguios. “The focus of the label is presenting a beautiful vinyl product, and I want people who buy the vinyl to be rewarded. But I think it is unfair that someone who desperately wants to hear the music and

July 2013

doesn’t have turntables should be subjected to listening to YouTube rips,” he adds. A Midland DJ set utilises a Serato and vinyl deck set up, with Aguios estimating that he spends “around £80” a week on new or old records for his sets, which are then digitised. “I am not bothered about having all the new stuff,” he says of his performances. “Everyone has that. If a song is worth playing in six months time then I am happy to pay for it then. For me there is nothing better than watching a room freak out to something a bit off the beaten track.” This attitude that has lead to some truly exciting gigs, including a forthcoming back to back at Space Ibiza’s We Love Sundays with Paul Woolford, as well as a recent warm up for an unfortunately delayed Joy Orbison that stretched to nearly five hours. Even on bigger stages with more established artists, a Midland set is still all about pacing. “It’s a balancing act,” Aguious reckons. “Knowing you have these bigger tunes to play, but timing when you play them and keeping people interested in between. If you play three massive piano tunes in a row, then they lose their impact.” Despite his increasing appeal and knack for re-discovering tunes, he “doesn’t see himself as a taste maker at all.” Once infamously retreating on a pilgrimage to Spain away from recorded music altogether, Aguios now uses the likes of Boomkat and Phonica to keep him in the loop like the rest of us, as well as “kicking round the internet, going on little tangents.” In the search for transcendent records, being friends with the likes of Ben UFO does no harm. “I have massively enjoyed being involved in every part of the process, from attending the mastering and cutting the locked grooves, to shaping the artwork with our designer Alex Sullivan and beyond,” enthuses Aguios, prompted by The Skinny highlighting the fact that setting up a label is never an easy task in any instance, never mind while juggling production and touring. Seeing a potential future for Graded in which he is able to release material from producers and DJs he wishes to bring to the fore, in the meantime, expect more releases from Midland that are set to only surpass his own ethos.

lways distinctive and yet wildly multi-faceted, Kompakt has throughout its continuing evolution represented mind-blowing big room techno, leftfield pop experimentation and chin-stroking shoegaze, depending on which angle you’re listening from. It has at once been accused of being too serious and too silly, too samey and too weird, but by showcasing the work of artists as diverse as The Field, Matias Aguayo, WhoMadeWho and DJ Koze, has left few alternative record collections untouched. Having recently stated that “the best is still yet to come,” fans have to wonder what the formula is that keeps life in the Kompakt community so consistent and exciting? “Every Monday morning, there’s a roll call under the Kompakt banner, where the Pet Shop Boys’ Being Boring is played,” explains Mayer, returning from Barcelona where the label has hosted its annual beach party at the close of the city’s Sonar festival. Mayer has always had a keen sense of humour; the history of the label extends back even further, to 1988, when he visited a new branch of underground record store Delerium in Cologne on its first day. Despite the pedigree of the store in Frankfurt, Mayer was openly dismayed by the lack of selection and quickly drew up a list of what to order. Six months and some part-time shifts later, and he was a partner alongside Wolfgang Voigt and Jurgen Paap. Nowadays, the original team and many more run a communal headquarters that incorporates basement studios, a distribution warehouse and living space for staff. Kompakt’s most recent offering, a four track remix package of Mayer’s 2012 LP Mantasy, marks their 272nd release. That’s not counting the various sub-labels and imprints also threaded through the whole two decade operation, which altogether pushes the 500 mark. For this year’s well-earned victory lap compilations, Kollection 1 + 2, Mayer has had a lot of music to revisit. “I wanted the collection to be more than a best of, I was aiming for a nice blend of stone cold classics and personal favourites,” he explains. Featuring a time honoured span of releases, both aim for the dancefloor as well as home listening.

CLUBS

Any pleasant surprises? “Listening to Detinger’s Totentanz from 1999 made me laugh. It’s the first dubstep track ever made. Sorry UK, we did it first... Seriously, there are many very early Kompakt releases that still sound surprisingly current.” While The Skinny are sure there would be a few figures keen to contest Mayer’s presumably tongue-in-cheek claim that Kompakt invented dubstep, the label has never been afraid to push things forward into new territory. Perhaps its biggest success story is not only its eventual synonymousness with minimal house in the noughties, but that it has been able to reinvent itself almost completely since. Mayer has recently returned from a seven date tour of the US, where he argues the scene is “very healthy, away from the glowstick madness.” One of the most admirable aspects of his personality, as reflected in Kompakt, is his ability to, if we can quote Source Delight, “just like, do his own thing, and all that sort of thing.” Whilst many producers and DJs end up locked in what can appear to be a dull and potentially creatively prohibitive cycle of production, promotion, rinse and repeat, he instead presents a more freespirited personal aesthetic; production work and remixes seem to occur in flurries, and whilst he’s almost always DJing. Fans, who only seemed to increase in number during the period, spent the best part of a decade between 2004’s Touch waiting for his most recent full length endeavour. Does Mayer agree with this assessment of his admittedly successful methodology? “That is true”, he says, whilst adding a brief proviso. “Sometimes, I suffer from not having enough time to spend in the studio. But between travelling, running the company and my little family, there’s not much time left for production. It’s a fact I got used to it, and I don’t regret having chosen this road. It’s still better than hiring ghost producers like so many others do. I’m taking a certain pride in my authenticity. I never thought I would say this... But in that sense my music is like German beer. Don’t you use that as a headline!” www.kompakt.tm

Feature

Escape the city with us... citycarclub.co.uk

01.08.13

Change of Address This summer Collective will open its doors for the first time in our new home on Calton Hill.

City Observatory Calton Hill Edinburgh EH7 5AA ++44 (0)131 220 1260 mail@collectivegallery.net www.collectivegallery.net

Funded by

Hourly car & van rental

THE SKINNY

A Very English Pyschedelia Ever wondered what the English Civil War might have looked like to someone tripping on magic mushrooms? Director Ben Wheatley shares his unique vision in A Field In England Interview: Bram E. Gieben en Wheatley’s first feature, Down Terrace, made on a microbudget of just £6000, announced the arrival of a bold and adventurous new British director. Violent, with a wry sense of humour, Down Terrace was the opposite of a thriller – the killings revelled in a bleak, banal inevitability. He followed Down Terrace up with Kill List, a film that starts out as a tense, claustrophobic crime caper, before taking a sharp left turn into murder, madness and mysticism. With Sightseers, the comedic elements were pushed to the fore, as co-writers and stars Alice Lowe and Steve Oram embarked on a blood-soaked caravan holiday around the twee tourist traps of England. All three films (and, arguably, Wheatley’s previous work, as a television director on shows including Ideal and Modern Toss) explore the weirdness hidden underneath the veneer of ordinary British culture. “I think if you scratch the surface of life, there’s a lot of weirdness underneath,” says Wheatley, speaking from his home in Brighton. “I don’t think it’s exclusive to England.” And yet, his films are quintessentially English, revelling in the kind of self-deprecating humour and bleakly hilarious understatement that’s peculiar to the English national character. Perhaps it is no surprise, then, to learn that Wheatley, a self-confessed history buff, has always wanted to make a film about the English Civil War. A Field In England sees him reunite with Amy Jump, his writing partner on each of his features apart from Down Terrace. Also his wife, Jump gets full credit for the script of Field... “The last version, I’d given to Ames and she’d done her version,” says Wheatley. “When I looked at it, she’d changed the character names and the characters. She changed the title of the film, and every action in it. So at that point I had to take my name off it.” He gives a deep, throaty chuckle. The script’s psychedelic elements are perhaps its most interesting feature – the consumption of magic mushrooms, and the attendant myths and legends that surround their use and presence in the British landscape, drive the plot. “There were some really interesting bits of folklore, like the mushroom circle, which is seen as a portal into another world, and where time moves at a different speed,” explains Wheatley. A mushroom circle is the locus of the film’s action. “If you go into a mushroom circle, you need four men and a rope to pull you out of it, otherwise

you could be stuck there for months.” Jump and Wheatley researched the use of psilocybin in the seventeenth century: “Then there was a lot of stuff about magic men going around blowing dust into people’s faces, which was basically ground up magic mushrooms. That part of the research really spoke to me.” The character of the ‘magic man’ in Field... is taken by regular Wheatley collaborator Michael Smiley, perhaps still best known as the madcap, MDMA-ravaged bicycle courier from Spaced, but increasingly recognisable for the complex, palpably menacing anti-heroes he plays in Wheatley’s films. “In terms of what he means on a metaphorical level throughout the three films, I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to put my finger on it,” says Wheatley. “He’s a romantic character, but he’s an angry character. He’s trapped by his own anger, and I feel that a lot. There’s a melancholy in Michael that I really like, he grounds the film. He gives it soul. That’s in his eyes.” Smiley is the villain of the piece, but as with every Wheatley film, it’s never that simple. All of his characters are vividly human, frail, vain, and full of contradictions. The three protagonists of Field... are played by League of Gentlemen’s Reece Shearsmith, turning in a performance which oscillates between nervous naïveté and bug-eyed lunacy; Richard Glover, last seen as the hapless bike enthusiast Martin in Sightseers; and an almost unrecognisable Julian Barratt. Indeed, Barratt’s character – a foul-mouthed, pessimistic Cockney soldier – is so different from his portrayal of eccentrics like The Mighty Boosh’s Howard Moon, or Nathan Barley’s Dan Ashcroft, that this writer spent half the film trying to figure out which character he was in fact playing. Was Barratt wearing a prosthetic nose or something? “No!” exclaims Wheatley, once again collapsing into laughter. Barratt is, it seems, just a fantastic actor. Casting him was “a punt” according to Wheatley – he was one of the actors on Jump’s wishlist, and he was available. They met Shearsmith through Michael Smiley: “Michael had taken Reece along to see Down Terrace when it played in London, so I met him then.” Wheatley says he is “a massive League of Gentlemen fan,” and even found himself a little starstruck when meeting Shearsmith. Part of the film’s appeal is its visual aesthetic – shot in black and white, it echoes the expansive landscapes of Sightseers, with long panning

Ben Wheatley on the set of A Field in England, with Ryan Pope

July 2013

Julian Barratt as Trowler

Reece Shearsmith as Whitehead

“I think if you scratch the surface of life, there’s a lot of weirdness underneath” Ben Wheatley

Photo: Dean Rogers

shots of the bleak, rain-sodden English fields of the title. As the drugs kick in, everything gets a bit weirder, with Wheatley and director of photography Laurie Rose using hand-made lenses cobbled together from children’s telescopes to achieve some macroscopic detail in close-ups. “We wanted to be free to experiment in the kinds of ways that are just much more difficult on a bigger budget,” says Wheatley. “There was this idea that we were in a period before cinema, so the rules of cinema don’t necessarily apply. There are other types of aesthetic involved in that period. So the tableau vivant stuff in Field... is mimicking painting, and the woodcuts from the pamphleteering, which was going on at the time.” These tableau vivants are some of the film’s starkest and strangest images. The lonely, mysterious psychedelia of Field... captures something of the epic strangeness and solitude of Aguirre, the Wrath of God, and the desolate, cross-cut, abstract psychedelia of Valhalla Rising. Shots of rippling wheat fields and grey, clouded skies dominate. It’s a fecund, if bleak and almost empty landscape. “The field is a thing in itself,” says Wheatley elliptically. “That’s why you’ve got a lot of characters pissing and getting their cocks out, and doing these kind of earthy things. The earth and the ground are much more important to them.” Now, he says, “we just visit it occasionally. We might go out with our thermals on and our waterproof trousers, tiptoe around a mountain for five minutes and go back to a gastropub... but if you did this in that era, you’d die.” Wheatley laughs again. “It’s a fact – you’d go up there, and you’d die! These things aren’t to be

FILM

messed around with.” The scenes of the characters sitting around a meagre campfire, telling tales and singing songs, and the latter part of the movie, which contains some epic, psilocybin-assisted gunplay, definitely give the impression that the soldiers were what Wheatley describes as “prototype cowboys.” He explains: “This was something that came to us when we were shooting, which seems bleeding obvious now, but at the time it was a bit of a revelation,” he says. “Once they started stalking around with those hats on, firing pistols, we realised: these are cowboys! Guys like this, after the Civil War, would have gone off to America, and were doing so, to escape religious persecution.” Shot on a shoestring budget, with complete creative freedom, Field... is a very different proposition to Wheatley’s next film, Freakshift, a high-octane urban fantasy where rugged bounty hunters take on armies of mythological creatures. It’s perhaps his first film to court the tastes and interests of the so-called ‘tentpole movie’ audience. Wheatley doesn’t find the scale of Freakshift intimidating in the slightest: “That side of it’s never been a worry – how you work with more people, or with sets and sound stages, or any of that stuff. It’s more the back room stuff, the production and financing.” It is, he admits, “complicated,” and “kind of saps your will to live.” He says the biggest challenge on a long shoot is that the director is not allowed to take time off if they are sick. Once again, he proves he is every bit as self-deprecating and understated as his characters: “That’s not a very interesting insight, is it?” Perhaps not, but with Wheatley, the work speaks for itself – nuanced, deeply human, skilfully combining pitch-black humour and visual flair, he’s one of a generation of British filmmakers slowly establishing themselves as among the most creative and interesting voices in world cinema. As our conversation comes to a close, we discuss the future of the film industry, and his motivations for staying in it. “It’s the question of ‘why do you do it?’” he says. The answer he comes up with is devastatingly simple: “I do it because I want to make films.” A Field In England launches simultaneously in cinemas, on Film4, DVD, Blu-ray and VoD on 5 Jul

Feature

Still Ultramagnetic

As his seminal hip-hop group Ultramagnetic MCs prepare o hit the UK to play their classic album Critical Beatdown, Kool Keith tells us why he doesn’t want to be called a legend

013 has been the year of the hip-hop reunion – everyone from golden age innovators such as Big Daddy Kane to silver age heroes like Jurassic 5 have resurfaced and hit the road, playing to nostalgic fans and a new generation of rap enthusiasts. The latest group to announce their return to the live arena are the Ultramagnetic MCs, the group consisting of Kool Keith, Ced Gee, Moe Love and TR Love, who released their ground-breaking album Critical Beatdown in 1988. Comprised of rapid-fire samples programmed into the SP1200 drum machine by Ced Gee, also a key creative force behind much of Boogie Down Productions’ 1987 classic Criminal Minded, and the densely-written, often surreal braggadoccio of Kool Keith, the album was a unique and powerful statement, even in the intensely creative period in which it surfaced. Despite all that, Kool Keith is not happy with being called a legend. “I’m basically current, you know. We don’t put stigmas to ourselves like that,” he explains in a laconic, New York drawl. “We don’t really want to be called legends. There are a lot of groups who came up with us who really live off of those stigmas from the past, they see themselves as legends. Me, I don’t like to be called a legend. I don’t like that drag on me.” The reasons for getting the old gang back together were less about a nostalgia for their classic albums, and more to do with wanting to create new material. They plan to follow up their first new track since 2010, Let the Bars Go, revealed online last month, with a series of singles and an EP. Keith is working on a new solo album as well, his passion for hip-hop completely undiminished. He has been dabbling in production: “I stay on new beats, I try to evolve and be brand new. That’s always been a part of me. I don’t have no ending. I’m the number one producer, and I don’t make toilet tissue music. My production rumbles.” With a fearsome reputation as a solo artist – his 1996 album Octagonecologyst, released on the British Mo’ Wax label, still crops up frequently on hip-hop all-time best-of lists, while subsequent collaborations and projects saw him

Feature

Interview: Bram E. Gieben

find favour with fans on tracks with The Prodigy, Princess Superstar, Kutmaster Kurt, Tim Dog, and a whole host of others – Keith is in no danger of slowing down, despite officially announcing his retirement on last year’s Love and Danger, on a track called Goodbye Rap. “Rhyming is like basketball. If you don’t practice for a while, you get stiff,” he says. “That’s what happens to a lot of rappers from the past, they get stiff, their cadence can freeze up. I’ve always got a modern cadence, it’s always ahead of it’s time. There’s never a glitch in my cadence. There’s never a stiffness. I always flow smooth and modern over tracks, from day one. A lot of artists were behind, but I was never behind. They were good in their time, but they can’t adapt to the new cadence. They can’t flow with it. They just can’t play no more. They just don’t have that ability to push that ball up the floor no more. So they got to perform those old records for the rest of their life.” Hence the new recordings, which in Keith’s mind justifies the reprisal of Critical Beatdown, and earn he and his group the right to hit the road again. “It’s cool to do old records,” he says. “You can put me in the hall of fame, but that’s not the end of it – it’s not the end of my music. I don’t need all that, because I don’t want to live off that. I don’t want to be [retired baseball players] Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle.” His rap contemporaries, he feels, are just trading on their pasts, and ignoring the present and future. “A lot of these motherfuckers, they’re gonna live off that. And it’s sad.” There is more than a hint of the classic hip-hop brag in his banter about tired contemporaries, and before you know it, he’s off on one of his famous rants. “You have to start looking modern. People are jealous of me and Ced Gee because we’re still slim, we look like we’re twenty years old. The average rapper, he got a giant big belly, he got a Yankee cap on, he got like three pig feet behind his neck. He has to look like, grey hair growing, the face like, ‘That’s it for me.’ He has that look already of like, your fellow classmates. Nobody has to do that. You see Sugar Ray

Leonard, he don’t box, but he look just as young as Floyd Mayweather. You know what I’m saying?” When Keith calls rappers fat, he isn’t spelling it with a ‘ph.’ His voice drops an octave as he mimics sad, ageing, defeated hip-hop stars: “Everybody feels like, you know, ‘I have to eat barbecue ribs and let myself go. I’m looking for a group that’s old, wrinkled, fat, overweight... I’m eating everything, not taking care of myself, going into obesity because I’m a legend. I’m old school. That’s it for me, I got my wife and kids. I’m supposed to just sit around the house and barbecue all day and all that, because I’m a legend. I’m gonna eat poorly and let myself go, let my belly grow and my beard come out...’” So what makes the Ultramagnetic MCs a

“You can put me in the hall of fame, but that’s not the end of it” Kool Keith

different proposition? “We stay away from that miserable movement, like all those backpackers and all that who hate everything commercial.” His enthusiasm for the possibilities inherent in the current hip-hop landscape is infectious: “You can rap on what you want, there are no limitations. You can rap on a bassline with cowbells. It’s cool, it’s open-minded. Kids now, everybody’s open.” It hasn’t always been a smooth ride in the industry for Keith. He’s seen other rappers with less talent get rich, and even Octagonecologyst, his most successful album in European markets, passed almost unremarked in certain quarters of the US scene. “You’ve got people who were following us, but they don’t even know about Octagon,” he says. “They don’t know I was on a record that sold three million. They don’t know I’m recording with Future People, and other projects... They’re so slow they’re like people walking

MUSIC

around with an afro and a beatbox, stuck in time.” Will the UK crowds be treated to some classic solo tracks on the Ultramagnetic tour? “I might perform Blue Flowers,” he says with an audible grin. “That’s cool, but I’m really focused on Ultramagnetics. We’re focused on our modernism and everything like that. Nothing’s a comeback. Everything’s just what we are supposed to be doing. We’re not like the Five Blind Boys getting back together for the telethon. We’re not forming back up so that the climax can be a telethon show. We’re not doing all the industry stuff.” Asked about Ced Gee’s legacy as a producer, Keith reflects on the disposable nature of most modern beat-makers’ work. “I give Ced credit as a producer who could do a whole album,” he says. “Most of the producers now are just beat throwers. I still think about Cameo, doing a whole album with his sound. Back then, everybody had a sound. The Jets had a sound, the Moments had a sound, the Delfonics had a sound. Nowadays you’ve got these superstar producers who do tracks with everybody. Most of these producers now don’t want to be album producers, they want to be superstars. To me they get no credit.” Yet again, he’s on a roll: “They kill me, trying to act like they’re the best producer. They might come up with a sound that becomes a trend but they don’t have no long-term jeopardy. They’re hot for a minute, then a new person comes in. And it’s like, whoever Spuds MacKenzie [a dog used in an 80s Budweiser commercial] produced, he’s hot now; so now everybody gotta get a track from Spuds MacKenzie.” Still incredibly driven, he refuses to be drawn on his own extra-curricular activities. “I’m just writing and recording and staying current, eating well, apples and vegetables, making sure I don’t go to barbecues and cook til I look like the Nutty Professor,” he says with another gentle chuckle. “I’m staying in shape in case I have to smack the shit out of somebody.” Ultramagnetic MCs play Glasgow’s O2 ABC on 10 Jul twitter.com/UltraMan7000

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July 2013

Animal Farm

On our tireless quest for emerging talent we journey to the Central Belt degree shows and scan the plain for infinite marvellous spectacles. OK, maybe not tireless... First up, Glasgow Words: Jac Mantle

James MacEacheran, 2013

ou’ve probably heard about this one already: someone at Glasgow School of Art has brought a camel into the Mackintosh building and filmed it. It immediately sounds sensationalist. “What’s so good about that?” you might ask. Screened from a large unwieldy box in a corridor, Rosie O’Grady’s video parallels the camel’s ungainly proportions in that selfsame corridor, and the bloody cumbersome act of getting it in there. The creature towers among dismembered marble statues with barely room for the camera, which peers out awkwardly from behind torsos and up the animal’s nose. Fur caked and matted like a mangy bathroom carpet, one wonders how many circuses the poor sod has worked today. Far quieter and loads smaller than a camel, Patrick Queen’s clay sculptures share with it a distinct animal-ness. Tenderly kneaded, they resemble the inside of an ear, assorted phalluses and other members, enough to re-adorn the school’s marble statues. Curiously deformed, dry and cracked, these pricks have had their day. Their blatant phallic form, standing proud atop table, causes one to consider what else they might in fact be. Things they probably aren’t include the inside of a camel’s nostril. But how do you know? Have you looked up there? Catherine Cameron also deals in objects of uncertain origin. Her large format, grainy black and white photographs show a room with a couch all draped in fabric, the texture of the drapery and folds echoing a still life tradition. Sculptures of twisted paper appear as symbolic votives. The whole field is heavy with a rash of pockmarks and cloggy toner, giving it a Turin Shroud-type patina and the feeling of something having departed. Unquestionably staged, they leave us wondering

about the presence of aura or sacredness in contemporary art. Larger than life and frankly terrifying, Chris Silver has donned a Marie Antoinette-style frock and wig and set up an Austerity Café, in a bleak view of the Tories’ spending cuts. Handing out tea bags, bingo cards and all you need to make your own gruel – just flour, it turns out – he suggests that for many, life under George Osborne’s austerity programme is akin to that during wartime. In a self-imposed ritual of extremism, Silver has eaten nothing but bread and porridge since January. James MacEachran has also explored state-sanctioned brutality. In a wooden pen, a music video on YouTube satirises the proliferation of talent-less vocalists by splicing in footage of goats bleating. Highlighting the U.S. military practice of shooting goats for training purposes and our dispassionate corralling of the animals for our base amusement, MacEachran brought in his own goats for the day, thereafter leaving their shit to fester as part of the installation. Appearing from a distance as traditional figurative portraits, Katie Carlisle’s oil paintings blend acute physical observation with a kind of sci-fi illustration of contemporary social prejudices. Figures covering their faces with gas masks suggest inhabitants of cities with massive pollution problems, but on closer inspection the bemasked figure is that of the homophobe, conferring disdain on others in the picture. Employing the kind of moral impulse currently little seen in painting, it also chimes with recent discourses on queerness and toxicity. www.gsa.ac.uk/m/degree-show-2013

Psychedelic Safari And now, Edinburgh

eaving the Edinburgh College of Art after hours of eclectic visual onslaught, with aching feet and weary eyes, it’s a little difficult to process what just happened. Going to a degree show can be a bit like going on psychedelic safari through the middle of a multiway shoot-out, so in a sprawl of works competing for the public’s applause perhaps it boils down to what is memorable. This year’s graduating students exhibit a newfound boldness in their work. Where last year’s show abounded with timid mark-making, this year’s crowd display restlessness. Landscape painting, celebrity portraiture and vulgar vagina art aside (which unfortunately still rears its ugly head year upon year), it is quickly apparent that at the core of this show is an eagerness to toy with the boundaries of humour, play and human interaction. Perhaps the tone was set when, in the first room, I pulled back a curtain to find a bundle of children and adults frolicking shamelessly in showers of rainbow confetti amid dangling seaweed strips, nauseatingly effervescent projections of fish and the semi-hallucinatory tunes of the tropical 80s. This is the space of Frances Hetherington, whose work also includes a seascape of rhinestone jellyfish and a video unveiling a castellated fish tank feature to the tune of Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get it On. Next door, Sally Sears-Black’s performance consists of four disturbingly detached living human arms that manifest from opposing walls in a white, dead-end corridor. Despite sounding faintly morbid, the piece is comical in an absurd way that is reminiscent of Surrealist fashion photography. One hand holds a notebook, turning pages; another holds a catalogue aloft as if reading from it without eyes; one fumbles with pens, while the final hand probingly ponders an orange. As the audience projects human traits on to these disembodied limbs they attract interaction and empathy.

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Words: Emma Ewan

Sarah Boulton delights with her confident renouncing of that old bitter adage that you could stick a piece of A4 paper on the wall and get through art school. Choosing the humble yet direct text-on-paper medium, her piece A Little Faith is a bewildering mix of razor-sharp whimsies and narrative charm. Most captivating is the uncertainty as to whether the occurrences recollected really occurred or are merely fanciful notions that never manifested. While her straightforward writing style performs naïvety with bravado, the works display relentless curiosity with underlying ingenuity. In her exploration of space and everyday experience, Catherine Smith’s objects have emerged from her drawings to become bright and knobbly prop-like structures that, when combined, feel a bit like a playground gone wrong – failing health and safety checks for spiky bits and swallow-ables. Her encouragement to ‘touch the artworks’ satisfies many an inquisitive visitor but there is an uneasy feeling that the objects are, in some way, missing their human counterpart and that at some stage they should all come back to life. João Abbott-Gribben’s room of optical illusions is unnervingly calm and alluring. An eerie green light is shed from a series of backlit images of unnaturally marbled, impossible shapes, casting a semi-sacred glow. Mounted in weighty gold frames, they offer a clash of classical antiquity and modern technology that encourages the viewer to consider the boundaries of the real and the perceived. For those traditionalists craving evidence of the ‘technical skill’ coming out of Edinburgh in 2013, there’s plenty of that too. There’s no denying that ECA can foster a talented draughtsperson; the photo-realist botanical works by Rachel McKean couldn’t be further from the mad vigour of the works on the floors below. Her calm and almost inconceivably controlled recreations of nature offer a welcome respite. Sally Sears-Black

www.degreeshow.eca.ed.ac.uk/2013

ART

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Paradigm Shift: Beyond the Silver Screen In the first of a three-part series on the future of entertainment media, Staff Writer Bram E. Gieben examines the threats and possibilities of the changes in production, funding and distribution for emerging filmmakers

n the early years of the film industry, films were projected onto a screen embedded with particles of reflective silver or aluminium. These silver lenticular screens became a metonym for cinema itself, effortlessly capturing some of the glamour and mystery associated with film. In recent years, the return of 3D films – in a newer, technologically souped-up version, of course – brought back the relevance of the term, as silver particles became useful once more for projecting polarised 3D images. This story, in miniature, tells us something about the constant peregrinations and evolutions filmmaking has undergone to reach its current form; and, of course, it tells us that nothing is ever certain. As producer Claire Mundell, also the current chair of Scottish BAFTA, says: “William Goldman was right.” When it comes to film, “nobody knows anything.” The current changes and challenges facing the film industry are of an unprecedented scale. The cost and availability of cheap, high-quality digital cameras mean the tools to make a film, one that looks professional, are easier to obtain than ever before. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter present the possibility of funding films without any support or involvement from studios, whether big and corporate or small and independent. Digital distribution methods – from video-on-demand services offered by the likes of LOVEFiLM, to streaming sites like YouTube and Vimeo make access to audiences easier than ever before. Steven Spielberg recently gave a speech at the University of Southern California predicting the total dominance of the ‘tentpole’ or summer event movie, while Steven Soderbergh commented: “Cinema is under assault by the studios with the full support of the audience.” Do new technologies and markets mean more opportunities for filmmakers, and greater diversity of product? Or do they reduce cinema’s magic by channeling it on iPad screens and mobile phones, and keeping

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all but Avengers-style blockbusters out of the theatres? In and around last month’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, we asked a selection of established and up-and-coming filmmakers to speculate on the future of the Silver Screen.

“modest” budget of under £1 million for Not Another Happy Ending. But they are also commerical – her latest is a romantic comedy, starring Dr. Who’s Karen Gillen. Charlie Parker and Joe McTernan are at the other end of the scale – they set up their production company Broken Blonde a year ago after graduating from Napier FOLLOW THE MONEY University, and for Parker at least, the worry is en Wheatley is one director who isn’t afraid that too many ‘industry’ filmmakers are getting in to embrace these new opportunities, but on the crowdfunding action. neither is his optimism blinded by the rise of He cites Zach Braff’s successful campaign crowdfunding and digital distribution. As he puts to fund Garden State 2: “There’s something quite it, “I just want to make films.” His debut feature, unfair about someone running a Kickstarter from Down Terrace, was shot for a micro-budget of just their million-dollar mansion. People like us are £6000. Most of that went on accommodating cast chewing our own feet off to make films – I literally members who had travelled up from London for take every penny I earn out of my own pocket and the shoot. “If we’d done it with our mates instead, put it into indie films. I’m not financially stable, it would only have cost £1000,” he tells me. “At I’m spending the money I should be spending on which point, if you can get three people togethfood on making films, because it’s my passion. er, it’s hard to believe no-one’s got £350 they The chances of our campaign making the ‘front couldn’t put into something. There you go, bosh, page news’ section of Kickstarter is negligible you’ve made a film.” now, because you have all these big, celebrityFor producer Claire Mundell, whose most re- fronted campaigns. They’ve watered it down. cent film, Not Another Happy Ending, closed this They presented a non-industry route, and then year’s EIFF, “crowdfunding has become part and the industry were like: ‘Hey! We’re back!’ If I was parcel of the producer’s job now,” and that job at that stage of my career, there is no way I would “is getting bigger all the time,” she explains. “You use crowdfunding.” have to be a social media manager, you have to do Parker and McTernan are also critical of a crowdfunding campaign, you have to understate funding organisations such as Creative stand traditional finance routes.” Crowdfunding Scotland. “A lot of filmmakers don’t even know can ensure a successful and well-financed prepa- that there are resources available for them, let ration period for a film, as it did on Not Another alone how to apply for those resources,” says Happy Ending. Crucially, it connects a film with Parker. “If you are passionate about film, but its potential audience, before a single frame come from an underprivileged background, you has been shot. “It forces you, as a filmmaker, to might never hear of Creative Scotland.” They also say: ‘Who am I making this film for?’ Ultimately, perceive the spectre of cronyism: “If you’ve got if you’re not thinking like that, why are you maka proven track record, you’re more likely to get ing that film? You make a film to connect with an funding,” says Parker. “There’s a constant flow audience, and to communicate something.” As of new filmmakers coming in to the market each a result, “people are going to have to be really year, so they shouldn’t have time to be funding sharp about what they are doing and why.” the same people over and over. It should be a Mundell’s films are independent, with a case of: ‘Here’s your chance, go make something

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Illustration: Emer Tumilty

of it.’ It’s that conflict between what’s good business and what’s morally right.” Sebastian Fowler, an emerging 3D animator and director from Australia, identifies the same tension between creativity and profit in his country’s state sponsorship: “By their very nature, those bodies tend to make conservative decisions regarding what films they fund,” he offers. “The majority may have some kind of perceived cultural significance or merit, but they’re not necessarily the kind of films that the general public are interested in seeing or will pay to see.” John McKay, the director of Not Another Happy Ending, says: “It is very important that funding be responsive to the market, and evolving. The rules of filmmaking that were true ten years ago are no longer true today. In a smaller economy, like Scotland, we are in an ideal position. We’re quite good at talking to each other, when we can stop arguing. We can make changes quite quickly, in a way that larger places, like say Creative England, or the Lottery-funded BFI, cannot.” Wheatley offers a final word for aspiring filmmakers. To paraphrase the Nike slogan, his advice is Just Shoot It. “People make up excuses not to make stuff,” he says. “The dearest thing is time, and that gets harder and harder as you get older, because you’ve got to pay the mortgage and feed the kids. But if you’re a feckless 25 year-old filmmaker, and you have an iPhone, and you haven’t made a film, you should be asking yourself why.”

JUST SHOOT IT

ust how easy is it to make something that satisfies your creative ambitions, and that people want to see? Scott Byrne, an emerging 3D animator, explains the principal driver behind the rising number of aspiring filmmakers. “The affordability of HD cameras (chiefly DSLR cameras with a video function) and computer editing

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equipment has completely levelled the playing field,” he says. “For a couple of thousand pounds you can now become a one person movie studio.” The young Broken Blonde filmmakers carried this to its logical conclusion: “What we set out to do was to be fiction filmmakers, and to create a foundation for people to make the kind of films they want to make with complete creative freedom,” explains Parker. “We bought our own equipment, so we’re completely self-sufficient, and now we’re bringing in people with creative minds to use that equipment. What we’ve found out along the way is that the process of making fiction films at an indie level isn’t all that rewarding, so we’ve had to move into doing promotional videos, in order to make money, so we can make more films.”

the telly, then that’s it,” she says. “Now, there are a myriad of possibilities, and I think that’s great. Lots of voices can be heard, because of those different portals.”

NARROWCASTING

he idea of ‘narrowcasting’ is a function of these new models of content delivery – finding niche audiences for specific products, whether through film festival screenings, traditional distribution, on down to video-on-demand and online streaming. In light of this, says John McKay, Spielberg’s pessimism is unwarranted. “I always resist ‘end of the world’ quotes,” he says. He isn’t worried about the cultural dominance of effects-driven event movies. “You’ve got to remember that cinema started as a special effect in a carnival tent. It didn’t start in the art gallery, and it’s always had its feet in turning a buck. So it’s no surprise that currently we’re going through one of cinema’s spasmodic periods of spectacle, just like we were in 1955. It didn’t die then, and it’s not about to die now.” Furthermore, he believes, “every Avengers creates a demand for something that isn’t the Avengers. That stuff never goes away – it moves to the indie movies, it moves to TV. It moves to ways of narrowcasting. There is a future between film, video-on-demand and TV, where people are going to make interesting things. The John Cassavettes of the future is probably already planning something, and it will be narrowcast on demand via something like Distrify for the people who want to see it. People burning with the wish to make something will just make it.” Distrify, established by Edinburgh-based Ben Wheatley filmmaker Peter Gerard, allows filmmakers to distribute, showcase and earn revenue from their Corporate videos pay, but that doesn’t mean independently-produced films online. Although they are without value: “Everybody wants to still comparatively new, it offers the prospect of leave university or college and be the next Danny a coherent and unified market for emerging filmmakers, completely outside traditional chains of Boyle, but it doesn’t happen like that,” says Joe distribution. The possibility for a film to emerge McTernan. “You need to do things you can use your creative talents on, but which also make you from success on Distrify and cross over to cinemas is inherent. In that sense, this new market is money.” only technologically different from the crossover Wheatley, who says that working in television “was like film school” for him, got his break route taken by a director like Quentin Tarantino, directing the animated show Modern Toss, and who transitioned from a small, Sundance-backed episodes of Ideal, before making Down Terrace. debut to big budgets, while retaining creative He still shoots ads in between his film projects. control of his output. “I did an ad last week, and I earned as much doThe proliferation of new viewing platforms, ing that as I did from Sightseers. One day versus from handheld devices to pop-up cinemas, a year. I don’t really think about whether it’s well streaming services and independent film festivals, should be embraced, according to Claire paid or not. I just like doing them. I could probably just about survive just doing the films, but I’d Mundell. It is this proliferation which allows for have less money.” The distinction between ‘crea- narrowcasting, giving filmmakers the opportunity to stick to their creative vision and still tive’ and ‘professional’ filmmakers seems more find a niche audience for the finished product. spurious today than it has ever been. “The world has changed. Viewing habits have John McKay also started in TV, and moves changed,” she offers. between TV and film to this day. “I think the “You only have to get on any form of public career trajectory as a film director is whatever transport and you see people watching movies on works for you,” he says. “It could be four years their handheld devices. Even five years ago, most as a librarian, or it could be forty years of TV, or people would have said, ‘Nobody’s ever going to you could be someone like Quentin Tarantino, and you spring fresh from the ground. It’s hard to watch a movie on a bus.’ But it has happened, and it’s only going to keep going that way. I’m sure make recommendations, because each director people will be watching movies on Google Glass. works his or her mojo in their own different way. I don’t think that viewing things this way diminEveryone comes to fruition at a different time ishes them at all – thinking that it does is being in their life. I like to get out the house. If you’re in denial about the way audiences have changed, working, you have a chance of doing good work.” the way our lives have changed, about the impact But what constitutes ‘good work’? Does the ease of access to production and editing technol- of technology.” ogy open up new vistas and possibilities, or does TV, too, offers a site for creative and independent filmmakers to strut their stuff, with the it risk flooding the market with inferior product? level of quality and production value being chanScott Byrne is enthusiastic: “Choice is only ever nelled into shows over the last ten years rising a good thing and quality is subjective,” he says. “Let’s open the floodgates and see it all! After all, sharply, from the too-soon cancelled Deadwood to more recent, lavish productions such as Game one man’s unwatchable trash is another’s lo-fi of Thrones. This year even saw the launch of a masterpiece.” high-profile internet-only long-form drama, in the Claire Mundell does not feel threatened by shape of House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey, the rising tide of filmmakers – she embraces it, citing the broad scope of options available for the with its first episode directed by David Fincher, screening exclusively via streaming service distribution and viewing of films as an effective counter-balance to the proliferation of new crea- Netflix. tives. “There’s so much choice, whereas there Wheatley brings us back to Spielberg’s comused to be one choice – it goes to the cinema, it’s ments: “I think what Spielberg was talking about quite specifically was his big historical films, there for 16 weeks, then it’s on DVD, then it’s on

“If you’re a feckless 25 year-old filmmaker, and you have an iPhone, and you haven’t made a film, you should be asking yourself why”

July 2013

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like Lincoln,” he offers. “He was saying, ‘That could have ended up on HBO,’ but I don’t really see why that’s so bad. Perhaps it should have been on HBO. You don’t necessarily want to sit through something for three hours which is being massively telegraphed down. Perhaps from his perspective, it seems like the writing’s on the wall. But I don’t think many people are going to be as worried as he is.” Wheatley is currently working on a new long-form series for HBO, showing once again the willingness of young and talented film-makers to move between markets, and make films wherever and in whatever format suits them best.

CASUALTIES OF SCALE

rom the comments given to us by these filmmakers, both established and up and coming, it seems that film – especially independent film – is in rude health. Spielberg and Soderbegh’s doom-mongering is just that – the worried mewling of ageing, threatened creatives who can only see their market share drying up, completely ignoring the expansive market opening up beyond the technological horizon. Furthermore, Wheatley talks of an increase in the number of theatres in his home town of Brighton showing art house films, and films which have done well on the festival circuit. As he sees it, there is a massive demand for creativity-driven product, as well as the more brainless but spectacular Hollywood fare. Claire Mundell reminds us that all filmmaking is inherently risky, no matter what the scale. “It’s a numbers game,” she says. “You only have to look at all the massive US studio flops, alongside the successes, to show that. It’s like predicting the weather. The only thing you can hold onto is your absolute gut belief and instinct in what you want to do. And if you keep holding onto that, if you’re really pure about it, and you surround that project with the talent who also see that, and feel

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the same way, then you can reach an audience. It’s like Russian roulette, every time, but that’s what I love about it.” She emphasises the role of the producer in maintaining and caring for the creative vision of a project. “The risk is that you get quite far down the line and find out, ‘Wait a minute, I thought we were making this film, but you think we’re making that film.’ The producer’s job is to constantly take

“I'm spending the money I should be spending on food on making films, because it's my passion” Charlie Parker, Broken Blonde

everyone with them, holding hands, checking in, asking: ‘Are we still making the same film?’ When you don’t do that, that is when you get a confused film, something that doesn’t know what it is or who it’s trying to reach. And you see a lot of those! There will be failures. To achieve success, you need to be prepared to fail.” Mundell, John McKay and our emerging directors McTernan and Parker believe that the plans to build a Scottish soundstage, with a potential site being mooted in Glasgow, on Govan Road, represent an important next step for the Scottish film industry. “We have to dispense with the kind of default Scottish scarcity theory,” Mundell believes. “There’s such a fear that if we

don’t get it right, we’ll never get another one. Why can’t we think the other way? We get that one to start with, we make it a success, we prove that there’s a demand, and then we build from there.” With Creative Scotland claiming to have doubled its investment in Scottish film over the past five years, and with high-profile overseas productions such as Prometheus and World War Z shooting in the country with increasing regularity, McTernan and Parker believe the studio is essential. “It’s great using Edinburgh as a backdrop, but we’re just getting treated like a postcard,” says McTernan. He remains critical of the priorities of Creative Scotland, and the Scottish Government: “Alex Salmond gave £6 million to Pixar to promote Brave – why, when he could have given that money to companies like ours?” he asks. “Perhaps with that money we could have made the next great British film.” The spectre of piracy, where the availability of films via illegal file-sharing sites encourages complacency in audiences, is at least in part responsible for declining audience figures for films without the requisite spectacle and scale. “The only reason most people will get up off their arse and go to the cinema is if it is going to be a sensational experience, one that will be very different from watching the same film at home,” offers Parker. “Cinema needs to be an experience in order to trump the ease of access you get from piracy.” Offering direct access to audiences, and simplifying the process of getting your name out there with a view to participating in festivals, sites like Vimeo and YouTube have become vital to up-and-coming filmmakers. Scott Byrne says: “I can get instant feedback and connect directly with my audience. For an emerging filmmaker there’s really no comparison. Film festivals are still important, but I can afford to be strategic with the festivals I choose to enter, and the application process is now seldom more than a YouTube or Vimeo link.”

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Sebastian Fowler agrees, and he is optimistic about his chances of being discovered this way: “Crossing over from DIY to big budget once the director has achieved some success and acclaim doesn’t seem like that big of a leap,” he says. “Everyone has to get their start somewhere and if they’ve had success with a film that people love, at the end of the day, they know how to make a good film and people will go to see what they do next.” Whether filmmakers choose to produce intimate, experimental, character-driven narratives, like Wheatley’s latest film A Field In England, or action-driven narratives packed with explosions is up to them, and arguably, has nothing to do with funding or scale. As Parker and McTernan tell me, they produced a crowdfunded action movie with special effects and exploding buildings for a little under £200. More filmmakers can only be a good thing, and a broader conception of the market for films is an absolute necessity to avoid the pessimism of dinosaurs like Spielberg. “We’re entering a period of great new potential, because there is more of a chance for people to make stuff they just want to make, and still get it out to people who just want to see it, without the intervention of or the need for a studio,” says John McKay. “That’s got to be good for diversity. Does it mean there’s going to be more crap? Sure. But think about it, it’s always been 90% crap. We just remember the 10% that’s wonderful.” John McKay and Claire Mundell’s Not Another Happy Ending is in cinemas now Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England is released simultaneously in theatres, on DVD and Blu-ray, and via video-on-demand services on 5 Jul Broken Blonde: www.brokenblonde.com Scott Byrne: www.youtube.com/user/ScottByrneSchema Sebastian Fowler: sebfowler.com Thanks to Jamie Dunn, Tom K McCarthy, Janos Honkonen and Pete Ross for additional research

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Tales from the Cryptic As synth-powered new wave revivalists Phoenix prepare to take Balado, frontman Thomas Mars reflects on a career arc less ordinary

Interview: Ross Watson

hoenix are not your typical success story. Formed almost fifteen years ago in Versailles, the French quartet released album after album with efficiency and consistency, but despite positive critical reception and the increased exposure of having a track featured on the score of a Hollywood flick (Too Young appeared on the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation in 2004), the band found it hard to make an initial mark on the public consciousness. That all changed in 2009 with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, a confident, approachable landmark frontloaded by their two most affecting singles to date: the bouncy, feel-good Lisztomania and the amped-up synth orgy that is 1901. The months preceding its release saw the band’s popularity soar – four albums and ten years into their career – securing them the award for best alternative album at the 52nd Grammy awards. A follow-up has since arrived in the form of Bankrupt! Four years in the making, the band continue to utilise the poppy, energetic qualities also present on Wolfgang, but with some notable differences. With its light, slick production, the album makes much more explicit references to 80s musical styles and synth-pop in general. Such was their commitment that guitarist Laurent Brancowitz even purchased the same model of recording console used on Michael Jackson’s Thriller for the record, and the band purposefully sought out Prince’s drum machine of choice. Talking to The Skinny via telephone, frontman Thomas Mars speaks in a pleasant, heavily accented tone of voice, describing how he and his bandmates approached the writing and recording process. “We wanted something that wasn’t trying to be perfect,” he admits. “It wasn’t trying to communicate with the Gods. It was as if we were attempting to make something mediocre, something in the middle. Finding the beauty in this was our way of having high ambitions.” As for merging the old with the new, he explains their collective decision to echo the past while retaining their own signature sound: “To me, my favourite records are the ones that are always looking forward, but they have roots in some tradition. There’s elements that trigger your brain somehow and tell you that there’s a link. It’s like a postmodern record for us. Whenever I hear that drum sound I could cry,” he says with a laugh. With so much to live up to after blowing up in such a big way with their last LP, it’s tempting to think of Bankrupt! as Phoenix’s post-success record. The title suggests irony, as if it’s a jokey reference to it all going wrong from here. Surprisingly, Mars didn’t consider the band's creative process to be any different this time. “When we go back into the studio, we have to somehow learn to write a song again. We mostly try to impress each other – the four of us – and the more we make music, the harder that is to do. So I guess that’s our quality control.” As well as the band’s newfound popularity, Mars’ personal life has also taken a turn in the past couple of years, with his recent marriage to long-term partner Coppola, who he met whilst working on the soundtrack to her melancholy 1999 debut, The Virgin Suicides. This is a man who once wrote songs about hooking up with girls at protest rallies; he finds the comparison amusing. “It’s funny, because my wife gets that same question with her movie right now (The Bling Ring) which talks about celebrity culture and how the kids – how everybody is obsessed with celebrity and fame in general, and how fame has become something different. There’s no content, there’s nothing to hold onto. She gets that same

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“We take the longest route to explain the simplest things”

years as incoherent sentences flow into one another. It’s a step away from his formative, more directly expressive days in the band. “Some stuff can seem pretty straightforward to me, but they don’t seem straightforward to everybody else,” he realises. “I think there’s two kinds of bands; there are people who can be very direct and say simple things without shame, with complete honesty and truth. When I listen to an honest song, I get that. I think we’re part of a different songwritThomas Mars ing style. We’re part of a group of people who are shy about things, who go on forever and take the longest route to explain the simplest things. question. I think in our music it’s more of a candid way to see things, of not judging things but I read somewhere that in Heart Shaped Box, the just witnessing them.” Nirvana song, that the line ‘I wish I could eat your The cover artwork for Bankrupt!, a plain cancer when you turn black’ was a way of saying background with a computer-generated image something as simple as ‘I love you,’ basically. It’s of a still life drawing, also observes the absurdity this circling around things, and the more abof wealth and currency. Like the music contained stract the better. It’s never a conscious decision, it’s never something we choose. It just happens within, it nods towards tradition, but it’s also taking influence from more modern forms of art. to be that way, and I’m very happy with it. There’s something cryptic about it, and there’s a certain Inside the sleeve, scattered coins litter the grey canvas. “Around two years ago, a group of people beauty about that.” One talnet that Mars has always excelled discovered a giant treasure trove in India; it was worth like a billion dollars,” Mars explains. “One of at is giving the most danceable, joyous songs a the biggest treasures was a golden coconut. The strong undercurrent of melancholy and emotion. Songs like Rome and Bourgeois drive that point fact that humanity could consider this a piece of home. He’s certainly aware of this ability: “I think treasure was fascinating to me.” it’s something very French. I know that Serge As a result, fame, wealth, celebrity culture Gainsbourg would write his most joyful songs and the fashion industry are dominant subject when he was in a sad state, and vice versa. The matter on the LP, most obviously on its title thing about songwriting is, even if a song is totally track, which pairs up phrases like “Caledonian happy or totally sad, somehow in music - and in rich and young” and “self-entitled rich portrait.” art in general - they are more and more together; Mars’ lyrics have taken a cryptic bent in recent

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they’re not that distinct. When you create something beautiful you’re scared that it’s precious, so precious that you’re going to lose it and it’s not going to last.” Phoenix promised a more experimental offering with Bankrupt! “We always get out of our comfort zone,” says Mars. “Because comfort and creativity, they are enemies – they don’t get along. We rely more on things that are random. I don’t think we were scared of not having inspiration; we were more scared of not highlighting the good things, editing the good things, and not choosing the right moment for a song.” Recently, the frontman claimed that his favourite song to play live is a new track called The Real Thing. “It’s the most personal song on the album,” he suggests, “I think it’s the most ambitious song, too. We wanted to create our Purple Rain, to have this epic, overwhelming song that hits you like a big wave, something that’s very dense and powerful. You can’t really breathe throughout the song – it breathes for you.” He’s audibly smiling: “It doesn’t sound nice, but it’s like one of those machines that helps you breathe. It’s that kind of omnipresence, and when I play it live I can feel that strange dynamic, and that’s really satisfying.” You can feel it for yourself when they roll into Balado in a few weeks time. Phoenix play King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent at T in the Park on 12 Jul Bankrupt! is out now on Atlantic Records www.wearephoenix.com

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Master of Ceremonies Batting for Britain this year at the Venice Biennale is Anglophile Jeremy Deller. We quizzed him about national identity, cultural stereotypes and how he avoids exploiting people. Over a cup of tea, naturally

ot to be a prima donna or anything, but could we get some tea and biscuits?” Jeremy Deller calls to the PR person. “A selection of biscuits,” he adds. A modest request for a Turner Prize winner who’s representing Britain this year at the Venice Biennale – no one could easily accuse him of being a prima donna. But all the same, he is playing a part. A down-to-earth Brit wearing his trademark flash of pink – he urges men to reclaim the colour – Deller consciously styles himself as a bit of a maverick. Many established artists are known only by their work and we couldn’t pick them out in a crowd. Deller, however, is a public figure. Staging parades and concerts and collaborating with various social groups, his work is inherently theatrical and he is often visible within it. Joy In People, his 2012 retrospective, included a recreation of his childhood bedroom, where he held his first ever exhibition while his parents were away. But his work isn’t really about him, or only to the extent that he positions himself as a kind of everyman. Drawing on news stories and collective memories of popular culture, he aspires to be a man of the people. Meeting Deller at the British Pavilion on the second day of the Biennale, he’s not the expansive character I was expecting. Having given interviews all day long, he’s understandably tired and apt to be rather brief. Though he visibly brightens when the tea arrives. It’s the second cup I’ve had here today, as tea features in the show itself, proffered by stewards using Deller’s now familiar tea urn. This is just one element of the show that weaves the myth of English culture, along with references to William Morris, David Bowie, birds of prey, Aneurin Bevan, Prince Harry and steel bands. These days the work that national pavilions show at the Biennale rarely has anything to do with national identity, but Deller has really embraced the tradition. His strong promotion of ‘Englishness’ can only be genuine. “I hope so,” he says. “It’s a personal view. Obviously it’s a big art exhibition, but it’s still very much for myself. I’m not just choosing things because I think they’re cool or controversial, but because I think they actually have a resonance. I hope the humour comes over. There are serious

issues, obviously. There’s one that has no humour whatsoever. The one about the war in Iraq and the build-up to it is very dark, quite depressing. But I’d like to think it was all heartfelt.” The show evokes historical figures – such as Morris and Bowie – who, while having made a considerable mark on English culture, don’t feel especially relevant for art today. I suggest to Deller that he seems to be playing to an idea of Englishness, reinforcing cultural stereotypes rather than how people now might actually regard their identity. “Like what?” he asks. “Well, how English it is to have a cup of tea, for instance.” “Well, it’s very Chinese to have a cup of tea. It’s very Indian to have a cup of tea. But you’re right, actually. But that’s not an artwork. There’s no art there. That’s just somewhere to sit, you know?” “It’s just part of the experience?” “Yeah.” Although there are interactive elements to this show, it’s not participatory or collaborative in the way some of Deller’s works are. His back catalogue includes street processions, a bouncy castle of Stonehenge, and touring the US with the wreckage from a Baghdad car bomb and a US Army officer to provoke conversations. The Battle of Orgreave, his most famous work, re-enacted the violent clash between miners and the police during the miners’ strike of 1984, and involved over 800 participants. His Venice show conveys a sense of his collaborative work in a video which includes footage of a London steel band with whom he has worked previously, the Melodians Steel Orchestra. The band provide the soundtrack to the video and also perform on the pavilion steps at the exhibition opening, which everybody seems to really enjoy. Hearing people exchange bits of trivia about the songs – one is the 80s acid house track Voodoo Ray by A Guy Called Gerald, transformed by the steel band into a carnival anthem – it’s clear that this, at least, taps into a typically English appreciation. It’s in watching the steel band and the video that Deller’s role as project manager is really evident. He’s been called a ‘director of complex

dramas’ and a ‘catalyzer of collective histories.’ He’s clearly infinitely more aware of his position than many artists who attempt audience participation. From the vantage point of the Biennale press week, though, where many visitors are very rich, it’s easy to have reservations about what it’s actually like to take part in these events. I ask Deller if he’s ever concerned that he might inadvertently end up exploiting the groups he works with, making a spectacle of them. “Not with the steel band.” He is adamant. “I know that’s a common criticism of certain kinds of art. You raise expectations… But I don’t do that.” “How do you avoid it, then?” “You just don’t do it,” he says bluntly. “You tell people what you’re doing and what the result may be, and you don’t promise things that aren’t going to happen.” “Do you try and get to know them?” “Yeah, of course. You try to. Essentially, you’ve gotta have a relationship with people if they’re gonna be working for you. With the steel band, they contacted me and said, if you want to work with a steel band, let us know. And then I was making this film and needed a soundtrack. So I was very happy about that.” Last year the BBC commissioned a documentary about Deller for The Culture Show and titled it Jeremy Deller: Middle Class Hero. Deller didn’t dub himself thus, but it seemed as though he might have done – a gesture which, obviously ironic, would nevertheless have been pretty cringe-worthy. His Venice show provokes the same discomfort. This presumably being conscious and deliberate makes it no easier to swallow. Perhaps the most classic instance of

TEA ROOM, BRITISH PAVILLION 2013

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Englishness in the show is the awkward conspicuousness of social class. We’ll soon have another chance to observe Deller on home turf, though. He and long-time collaborator Alan Kane will exhibit at Jupiter Artland in August for Edinburgh Art Festival. Another steel band, this time from Manchester, will head off proceedings with covers of Joy Divison and Buzzcocks. The installation will make connections between the digital revolution and the Industrial Revolution – a particularly resonant subject for Manchester, which rose as one of the world’s foremost industrial cities with its cotton manufacture. Deller will then take this theme to the city itself, exhibiting at Manchester Art Gallery in October. Titled All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, the show will explore how the trauma of industrialisation and chaotic urbanisation impacted on British society, once again evoking historical figures to tell the story. The show will also feature industrial folk music, heavy metal and glam rock, and will subsequently tour to other cities formed by their industrial past – Nottingham, Coventry and Newcastle. With his insatiable curiosity for all aspects of our society and our past, Deller could replace up to half of UK public culture and history services by 2017. Jeremy Deller: English Magic British Pavilion, Giardini di Castello, Venice, Italy. 1 Jun - 24 Nov 2013 The show will tour national UK venues in 2014 www. britishcouncil.org/visualarts. www.venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org/people/reference/ jeremy-deller

WE SIT STARVING AMIDST OUR GOLD, PAINTED BY STUART SAM HUGHES

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Photo: Courtesey, British Council

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Photo: Courtesey, British Council

Interview: Jac Mantle

Soul Searchers Newly signed to Bella Union, uncompromising Mancunian quartet MONEY release their searching debut album next month. Livewire frontman Jamie Lee espouses his thoughts on death, determination, and living in The Shadow of Heaven Interview: Lauren Strain Photography: Jennifer L Haley

whether Johnny Marr really has just walked in for a slash, or if he’s going to at least buy a coffee to justify use of the toilet. “I think that [if] we could comprehend the magnitude of our own disappearance, we would certainly re-evaluate the nature of being alive in varying degrees,” he expands. “I think this is one of the things that the mad understand near perfectly – that they are going to die. Most people would rather not think about death. In British society death has lost its place in our way of life. We try to hide it, we feel awkward talking about it. It is a kind of taboo to even give it internal credence. With the loss of religion, we have lost a cathartic dialogue with mortality. Science suggests that our death will be so total that we would rather forget it’s ever going to happen. This is the state that I think most people find themselves [in] – in a kind of temporal immortality, a place where everything tells them that they will lose absolutely everything, and yet they suspect or trick themselves into thinking that they will never really die. To admit it, to understand the totality of their own death, would be too much to live with.”

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here are two fundamental things that human beings don’t want: one is they don’t want to die, the second one is they don’t want to be alone,” decides Jamie Lee, dishevelled and devilish frontman of MONEY, as he discusses the title of his band’s upcoming debut album dressed in all-black and gobbing a wedge of lemon fished from his tap water. “It can literally be boiled down to those two things, and in a way they’re the same. So our ideas of how we create our gods – at least in the West and the Judeo-Christian tradition – is that we don’t wanna die, so we create a God that is immortal, and we don’t want to be alone, so we create a god that is everywhere. “And in a way,” he continues, hands paddling, “we pin all our mortal hopes to this point in the universe that, as human beings, we want to reach but can’t. Where do we put ourselves on that scale? How do we deal with the fact that we want to be everything and yet we know we’re going to die at some stage? That creates a terrible almost insolubility of two things that you have to, to remain sane, combine, and I suppose that is the reason that the record is called what it is: we’re always gonna live in the shadow of what we want to be; we’re never going to be able to acquire it fully.” Comprising Lee, guitarist Charlie Cocksedge, bassist Scott Beaman and drummer Billy Byron, MONEY, as you might have guessed, are a band with big ideas. But they’ve a simple sound – combining traditional guitar-band instrumentation with glassy atmospheres and plunging reverb

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– and a clear ethos: that is, to never compromise. Over the past couple of years, what Lee describes as their “obsession for the veracious” has seen them mutate through a number of names including Meke Menete, Youth, Books, and um, Youth/Books, and participate in a variety of live experiments that have taken them everywhere from SWAYS Records’ headquarters The Bunker, a caged stage in a semi-derelict district of Salford lit by the gloaming of HM Prison Manchester, to David Lynch’s Paris haunt Club Silencio – and this month, they will perform their forthcoming LP The Shadow of Heaven in full for two headline shows at Manchester International Festival. It’s an engagement that feels like an announcement, presenting them to the world on a stage that will attract a global gaze, not just that of the looming Strangeways – but it is perhaps an appropriately ambitious platform for a sonorous, swooping first record that, in its best moments, dives into close, claustrophobic balladry (Black, Goodnight London), and seems to strive for either a higher state of consciousness or its opposite, a persistently elusive sweet relief (Hold Me Forever, Cold Water). Lee defines the album’s narrative, when pushed to identify one for a soundbite to toss to journalists, as that of “a Hell-descent – one into the modern world – where man has been told that he is both God whilst at the same time being told that he is nothing,” and it’s this idea that he’s exploring on a drab Monday lunchtime in an empty Manchester cafe – inbetween deliberating

“We’re always gonna live in the shadow of what we want to be” Jamie Lee

Finding a way to navigate this schism is a preoccupation that clearly fuels Lee both personally and artistically: “Writing music,” he says, “is an attempt to create more time. To stretch it out, weigh it down. To live more. So it is both an acceptance of and a vehement attack against death and the cruelty of reality.” In both conversation and the texts he publishes to the band’s sites, which can take the form of rambling mini manifestos, flashes of imagery or quotes from admired writers, Lee’s verbosity careens wildly from the consciously meandering (“that doesn’t make any sense does it, I’m just babbling on, you’re looking at me like, God, what the fuck?”) to the concise. It’s this seemingly genuine lack of fear of stumbling in the pursuit of something lucid – something essential, something that finally hits the nail on the head – that has earned his band a devoted following; as well as detractors who, with Lee’s abstractions and dramatic behaviour as ammo, are swift to shoot them down as lyrical looseness dressed up as poetics, as all gesture and no, erm, gonads. There was some kerfuffle over the cover of their debut single, 2012’s Who’s Going to Love You Now?/Goodnight London, which featured Lee stark bollock naked clutching a rifle. “Lots of people who see that picture think it’s stupid and provocative and isn’t very thoughtful,” he comments. “I think it has

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merit, y’know? I wanted it to say, I’m gonna show you what I am.” But it’s the fans that seem to be winning, with word of gigs having gained traction outside of Manchester – the band have a number of European festival appearances lined up – and hyperbole spewing from breathless blogs. Lee is well aware, however, of the rapidity with which something once authentically exhilarating can be commodified; he’s mortified that the promotional spiel surrounding The Shadow of Heaven describes him as ‘a fallen angel with a Macbeth haircut,’ and expresses frustration with the way external commentary attempting to eulogise something before it’s even properly begun can misunderstand the true origins or energy of a moment. “With The Bunker gigs, we did want to provoke, but we also wanted to do something very genuine,” he says. “Any band could play, people could express themselves freely regardless of how extreme that was, because there wasn’t a place like it in Manchester if not in Europe if not in the world. So when people would come from the outside and try and understand it, they would always do a bad job of it, I thought. “Our name tells you everything you want to know about us in a way,” he offers, as concession. “What is value? What do we find valuable? You go to see Van Gogh in any capital city in the West that would have a painting or two by him, and there’s this big crowd of people, and they’re engaging with the tragedy of the story... and they’re the ones who killed him, really. They kind of represent the static values of mainstream society. That’s a crude way of looking at it, but what I want to know is, regardless of all the social or financial value that those paintings have or where you see them, what is their essential value? What does it actually mean?” To try to grasp this as an artist, he suggests, “you have to try and represent a person, a moment, whatever, as well as you can, and that mythologises it, rather than imposing a mythological status on it. “I would like to be able to get to that stage with lyrics,” he says, admitting that, having barely listened to The Shadow of Heaven since its recording, he’s restless to reconvene this idea of capturing the ineffable. “I’ve been quite lofty; not lofty in my ideas, but I’ve been looking at things from an elevated point rather than right on the surface, and [on the next album] I want to be able to describe the surface.” “We want to make something powerless, really,” he surmises, “but that, at the same time, still has value and meaning. We don’t want to follow the same kind of conventional lines of success that a lot of people want. I think we all want to create a genuine experience – not for other people, but for ourselves, primarily. What is at the heart of the individual? What would you say is at the very bottom of yourself? At the very bottom of the world?” The Shadow of Heaven is released via Bella Union on 26 Aug www.lonelysexydeath.com

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Trouble in Paradise

We speak to that (other) great Austrian filmmaker, Ulrich Seidl, about his ambitious Paradise trilogy and he explains why it’s healthy for a director to court controversy Interview: D W Mault

he great film critic (and painter) Manny Farber acclaimed in his famous essay White Elephant Art vs. Termite Art the very idea of cinema that feels its way through walls of particularisation and always moves forwards, eating its own boundaries and leaving nothing in its path other than the signs of eager, industrious, unkempt activity and turning these boundaries into the condition of the next achievement. Ulrich Seidl is most definitely the creator of termite art. He burrows away from the maelstrom of filmmaking distractions and quietly makes films that stare into the void of unknown unknowns and the like. Whether it be documentaries like Jesus, You Know or Animal Love (Werner Herzog said after watching it: “Never have I looked so directly into hell.”) or Dog Days and Import/Export. Seidl does what few directors manage to do, he makes films only he could have made and takes you to places few could imagine. His new films are a trilogy, entitled Paradise, and they are split into Love, Faith and Hope. They show three women from the same family attempting to make an emotional connection in a harsh world; they’re looking for love, intimacy and emotional wantonness rather than sex. Around these themes we touch on sex tourism, religion as mental illness, gluttony and the dying days of a hegemony on its last legs. “We had material that we had shot for 90 hours and by putting that together we had a film

that would have lasted 6 hours, which is not a disaster.” Seidl says about his unique way of shooting. “Maybe it’s a disaster in commercial terms but not in artistic terms. But I wasn’t satisfied with it artistically so after numerous attempts in the cutting room we ended up having three films. We also tried out in what sequence the films should be shown and I think it’s in this sequence that you should see the films: Love, Faith and Hope.” He goes on to explain why the trilogy isn’t a Béla Tarr-esque six and a half hour film. He claims, though, that he would prefer the audience to see the three films in one sitting: “I think as a viewer you would then realise what is the linkage between the films and you would get a different perspective on the issues as such. It is this interaction that is the best approach to seeing these three films rather than seeing the films individually.” We go on to talk about Austrian cinema. There are lots of interesting directors coming out of Seidl’s homeland – Jessica Hausner, Michael Haneke, Markus Schleinzer, Nikolaus Geyrhalter and Götz Spielmann – is there something about Austrian culture or the support mechanisms that allows such uncompromising work to be made? “For a very long time Austria was a developing country in terms of the film industry and actually Austrian films did not exist at all and Austrian audiences did not want to go and see Austrian films,” says Siedl. “Where we

are now is I think the outcome of a policy that eventually led to this development, and let me say that Michael Haneke wouldn’t have become Michael Haneke, for example, if he hadn’t been able to produce films that were not commercial successes in the beginning.” Many in the Anglo-Saxon world misread Seidl completely and accuse him of exploitation and misanthropy, so how does he feel about being so misunderstood? “As a filmmaker you need to have a long life, so at the beginning I was not accepted for what I was doing but I was consistent and continued working in the way I wanted to and it took until Dog Days when I was faced with hostility but now things have changed and I have become a star with the Paradise trilogy,” he says. “Actually, there is a certain quality to creating something that is controversial. I think it is good if your work creates some sort of argument and discussion.

This is more important than if people just say good things about your work and if this did exist I would be very suspicious.” What then is the cinema of Ulrich Seidl and what are his aims? “My films have nothing to do with psychoanalysis, the Vienna School or psychology, because what I produce is something physical, something tangible and I want to show people in search for something, people who want to escape their own prison. My work is a study of these people but I’m not making any value judgments or any explanations. I am just offering this to the viewer and leaving it to the viewer to come to their own conclusions.” Paradise trilogy is distributed by Soda pictures Paradise: Love was released 14 Jun Paradise: Faith is released 5 Jul Paradise: Hope is released 2 Aug www.sodapictures.com

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Postcard from Venice Biennale Our Art editor travels to Venice and gives us a selection of highlights from this year’s Biennale, including new work by dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei Words: Jac Mantle

enice is like a giant pop-up card of incredibly ornate churches, palazzos and cafes where, on any given day, people are having a lovely time. Of course its main industry is tourism, but most of the year is also taken up with one or another strand of the Venice Biennale. The Art Biennale kicks off every other summer, and with Scotland participating again I just had to head over there. As well as elbowing my way through hoards of sightseers and drinking my own weight in prosecco (they pretty much force it on you), I saw a heck of a lot of art. There’s a big curated show, this year called The Encyclopedic Palace, which is just as wideranging and extensive as that sounds. And then there are the national pavilions, where each of the participating countries shows work by an artist at the peak of their career. Most of the pavilions are in a park called the Giardini, including Great Britain, represented this year by Jeremy Deller. You can read an interview with Deller on page 29 , but here are some highlights from the rest of the Giardini. Denmark Jesper Just’s show in the Danish Pavilion is one of the best in the Biennale. Entering the five-screen video installation we find ourselves in a kind of

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underground lair, with plants and purple lighting. The first video shows a man striding purposefully through rural wasteland until a city comes into view. Crawling under a fence, he enters and finds signs of devastation. It seems uninhabited. The architecture suggests Paris, but the shop signs are in Chinese. Totally compelled, we feel robbed when we realise it’s on a loop and we’re none the wiser. The other videos add to the narrative but it remains far from the well-trodden apocalypses of mainstream cinema. Germany Much hyped for featuring Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei, Germany’s group show is surprisingly unshowy and serious-minded. In a bid to examine the significance of traditional forms of national representation at the Biennale, it is showing four non-German artists. Weiwei’s work is a sprawling stack of 886 three-legged stools – items which, once found in every household in China, were superseded with the Cultural Revolution and are now antiques. Typically symbolic, the sculpture is one you can absorb quickly and file away to think about later. Not so for the films by Romauld Karmarkar and Dayanita Singh, which are fascinating but require you to set up camp and watch them in full.

Russia The Russians have had more fun. Vadim Zakharov has enacted the Greek myth of Danaë, whose seduction is an allegory for human desire and greed, and the corrupting influence of money. The pavilion is occupied by two men, tall, with severe Russian jawlines. They could almost be waxworks, so sleek are their suits. One is feeding a pulley with gold coins, which then rain onto the floor below. Male visitors can kneel on church benches to watch, while women must stay downstairs, sheltering from the coins with umbrellas. With a mischievous humour and slick execution à la Maurizio Cattelan, the illusion is broken only by the custodian of the coins telling visitors, ‘Don’t touch!’ Romania At an event where some shows were installed over two days in April, it’s an unexpected treat to see live performance. Alexandra Pirici and Manuel Pelmus’ work will be performed every day of the six-month run. Taking as its subject the entire history of the Venice Biennale, it reflects on various national pavilions in choreographed re-enactments. For instance, one is a 2007 installation which featured a PlayStation ‘so beautiful teenagers could crush each other to death.’

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The performers enact this in slow motion, the blows becoming dance moves. Another scenario is political, featuring the penis and the Pope and damning Papal propaganda against condoms. ‘Religion reared its ugly head,’ says a young man, rearing his own while lying on the ground. Key to its impact is the youth of the performers, whose trainers and hoodies and confident, economic movements make it seem as fresh as improv. Japan Japan’s show by Koki Tanaka is a pure headache to look at, with videos and text on every available surface. But it doesn’t really lose anything for this, as the videos document activities Tanaka has instigated rather than being works in themselves. Perceiving a need to rebuild community spirit in Japan post-tsunami, Tanaka asked groups of strangers to collaborate on ‘collective acts’ such as giving a haircut, composing a tune to play together on the piano, and throwing a clay pot. With the boundaries of the work set by the participants rather than the artist, many of the videos are quite moving. www.labiennale.org/en/art/index.html Until 24 Nov. Jet 2 fly direct from Edinburgh to Venice

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Photo by Daniel Zakharov

Vadim Zakharov DANAE Russian Pavilion Venice 2013 (view from inside detail)

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Discover a World, in Words

Edinburgh International Book Festival

very August the Edinburgh International Book Festival takes place in Charlotte Square Gardens, a leafy green space just a stone’s throw from views of the Castle and Princes Street. Attracting around 200,000 visitors every year, it’s the place to be if you want to be challenged, entertained and inspired (or just to laze around and soak up the festival atmosphere). All events take place in a speciality-built tented village in Charlotte Square Gardens, with cafes, bookshops, bars and the Guardian Spiegeltent. In 2013, the Book Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary by looking back on the last three decades of British and international culture and forward to what the next three decades may bring. The programme is a festival of ideas and a forum for discussion, bringing together authors and leading thinkers from the worlds of science, politics, business, economics and journalism from Scotland and across the globe. This year Margaret Atwood, Gavin Esler, Kate Mosse and Neil Gaiman each take on the mantle of Guest Selector, hosting a series of events on genre, the collapse of trust, women in the 21st century and the reshaping of modern fantasy respectively. Ian Rankin joins pop legends Tim Burgess and Peter Hook; Duran Duran’s John Taylor and Tracey Thorn from Everything But The Girl discuss their lives and careers; and Vic Galloway launches his new book on Fife’s Fence Collective. Leading thinkers put forward blueprints for the future in debates on defence, the

environment, copyright, mental health and the arts with the aim of improving life in 2043. And with the Independence Referendum only 16 months away leading Scottish journalists, including Kirsty Wark and Iain Macwhirter, seek to identify the key questions that need to be answered before we can make an informed decision. Superheroes, comic book characters and even Don Quixote swoop into the Book Festival as comics, graphic novels and the people who create them are celebrated in Stripped. More than forty events lay bare the incredible scope of comics and graphic novels being produced today, featuring Joe Sacco, Chris Ware, Posy Simmonds, Bryan Talbot and many others. The 2013 Book Festival programme is shamelessly eclectic: Salman Rushdie, Ron Rash, Will Storr, Ali Smith, Melinda Gebbie, Caitlin Moran, Hadley Freeman, Grant Morrison and David Peace are just a few of the authors and debut writers jostling for attention. The Baillie Gifford Children’s Programme, running alongside adult events, brings together writers for young people. Julia Donaldson, Theresa Breslin and the new Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman are joined by hundreds of other children’s favourite authors and characters and plenty of new talent. [Roland Gulliver] Full details of the programme can be found online at www.edbookfest.co.uk To book tickets, visit the website or call 0845 373 5888

An Introduction to

Jura Unbound 2013 I

Nile Rodgers at last year's Unbound

I N D EP EN D EN T

C U LT U R A L

J O U R N A L I S M

Editors: Rosamund West & Ryan Rushton Designer: Maeve Redmond Illustrator: Eva Dolgyra

t is 2013 and the Edinburgh International Book Festival is celebrating its 30th birthday. If the Book Festival is the respectable adult of Charlotte Square Gardens, then Jura Unbound is its scruffy tearaway tyke of an offspring. At the tender age of four, it is a bookish bairn, a literary toddler, beginning to find its voice but still susceptible to creating a bit of chaos. The essence of Unbound has always been to do something a little different, to offer authors a different space to tell their stories, to explore the relationship between literature, music and performance. 2013 is no different so among this year’s events is Multiples, a compilation of 12 stories, translated by 60 writers; Adam Thirlwell brings the process to life on stage through your participation. Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists for 2013 is celebrated and Dan Rhodes, never a man for literary convention, hosts a night of readings and performances. A special strand of events on graphic novels and comics called Stripped is taking place at the Book Festival in 2013 and Jura Unbound offers its own interpretation: a Literary Death Match cartoon spectacular and Illicit Ink, who bring comics alive on stage. There’s also a night of stories and songs with Scottish poet and novelist Kevin MacNeil in a musical collaboration with Willie Campbell; John Lemke and Poppy Ackroyd create a unique fusion of their music with the stories of Writers Bloc; Ljodahått, a Norwegian musical collective who defy explanation, bring poems to life and play a

JURA UNBOUND

mean wine glass solo. Like the petulant child we are, we want to play the grown-ups’ game, so Jura Unbound has embraced the Book Festival’s theme of 30 years back, 30 years forward. We will journey through the decades and into the future. From Alan Bissett’s latest incarnation, Andrea Dworkin, heading up our 80s night; to celebrating 20 years of the Fence Collective, and finally heading back to the future with Electric Tales, to remember how technology was supposed to be – clunky and chunky, and never going to take over the world. We reflect the changing times of the last 30 years. Gutter magazine launch their new collection of LBGT writing 20 years after the publication of Footsteps & Witnesses and The Reel Festivals Iraq marks ten years since the invasion of Iraq with a riot of poetry, theatre and music. Come and join us every night at 9pm in the atmospheric Guardian Spiegeltent; 16 nights of surprises, discovery and literary entertainment await. It’s free and the bar stays open late. Plus thanks to Jura whisky, our new sponsor, there's a free dram for everyone. And remember, many of the authors and artists in Jura Unbound can be discovered in the main programme. If something inspires you here, take a look at the Book Festival’s website too, you’ll find complementary events – not quite as raw but just as intoxicating. Go and find them and find more like them, you won’t be disappointed. [Roland Gulliver]

THE SKINNY

Three Decades

Edinburgh International Book Festival is celebrating its 30 year anniversary and Jura Unbound is getting in on the action. We spoke to the organisers of three events reflecting upon a specific decade and one that encompasses all three The 80s: Alan Bissett Who are you and what do you do? An ‘Alan Bissett’ performance can be unpredictable, and can involve anything from chat about superheroes to left-wing politics to Game of Thrones to a reading from one of my books to an audience sing-a-long to me pretending to be a spider. I like to keep the audience guessing. Maybe I won’t even show up! Who knows. Why the 80s? Well, the 80s formed the entirety of my childhood, so it’s fascinating for me to go back and examine them at some remove. They were a titanic period, politically. The Miners’ Strike, for example, was the last stand of the British working-class against Thatcher’s capitalist onslaught, and, depressingly, we’re now living through the results. We’re still in the 80s, basically. Blair, Brown, Cameron: all Thatcherites. That said, there were some great films. Ghostbusters, Back to the Future and the Indiana Jones films will all live forever. And Scottish literature, perhaps because of Thatcher, was on fire. Hello, James Kelman, Liz Lochhead and Alasdair Gray! What can we expect? I will be playing the world’s angriest ever woman Andrea Dworkin. In the nude. You’ll love it. It’s going to be like being stung by a giant, radical, lesbian, feminist bee. But in a good way. The 90s: Craig Taylor – Five Dials Who are you and what do you do? I’m the editor of Five Dials, which is now in its fifth year of production, and currently enjoys an average readership of 100,000, with about 15,000 email subscribers. The magazine promotes work from both emerging and established talents, and over the years has featured a diverse collection of literary fiction and non-fiction from the likes of Zadie Smith, Hari Kunzru, W.G. Sebald, Sam Lipsyte and Noam Chomsky.

July 2013

Why the 90s? Nirvana, Fugazi, The Secret History, Saramago’s Blindness, Infinite Jest, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Disgrace, The Savage Detectives, Alias Grace, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s ‘Got Your Money.’ What can we expect? The guest list is secret at the moment but we will have at least one prize-winning novelist in attendance. The 00s: Reel Iraq – Ryan Van Winkle Who are you and what do you do? Reel Iraq is part of Reel Festivals, a charity which celebrates contemporary culture in regions typically seen in the media as ‘conflict laden.’ We try to work against mainstream perceptions of these countries. Through translation and performance we are reminded of our common concerns and pursuits across cultures. Reel Festivals has worked with artists and individuals from Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and, in January, we brought a select group of Scottish poets to the Erbil Literature Festival in Kurdistan to meet their Iraqi contemporaries, work on new translations in English, Kurdish and Arabic and, importantly, made some very close friends while inhabiting and sharing their work. I’m the literature coordinator and will be hosting the evening. Why the 00s? In March Reel Iraq marked the 10 year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq with a week-long festival of film, poetry, music and discussion throughout the entire UK. In some ways, the start of the millennium was defined by the post-9/11 wars waged in Afghanistan and Iraq. While bearing in mind the political context and the humanitarian situations which they created, the message of Reel Festivals is simple: there are people, art, and culture in Iraq which continues and flourishes behind the headlines. We think our friendship, camaraderie, and sense

Interview: Ryan Rushton of play will come out in this performance and hope that this connection will be imparted to the audience, something that will hopefully be at the forefront of their minds when they leave the Guardian Spiegeltent.

“It’s going to be like being stung by a giant, radical, lesbian, feminist bee. But in a good way” Alan Bissett

What can we expect? We’re very proud to be bringing Sabreen Kadhim to Edinburgh as she was denied her visa for participating in our March tour. She’s an excellent young poet and journalist from Baghdad who is a strong and inspiring figure. She’ll be joined by the poet Ghareeb Iskander from Baghdad as well as our Scottish translators Krystelle Bamford, John Glenday, Jen Hadfield and William Letford. In addition, we’ll have an excerpt from Dina Mousawi’s theatre piece Return which showcases the humour and strength of Iraqi women. Despite rave reviews in the international press, this piece has never been seen in Edinburgh and we’re pleased to be premiering a bit of it here. And, if that wasn’t enough, we’ve got oud and choobi music lined up so there will be some clapping, stomping and dancing in fine Iraqi style. I really want to stress that while the background of the event is deadly serious, we’ll be highlighting the joys of the culture rather than focusing on the destruction of the past decade.

Jura UNbound

30 Years: The Bookshop Band Who are you and what do you do? The Bookshop Band are myself, Poppy Pitt and Beth Porter. We’re the in-house band for our local independent bookshop, Mr Bs Emporium of Reading Delights, in Bath. When they get an author in for an event, we read the book before hand, and write a couple of songs inspired by it to play at the start. We did that for a year, wrote four albums of songs, and then thought it’d be quite nice to go and play them in some other bookshops around the UK too. And it’s kind of gone from there. The source of all the songs is still the Mr Bs author evenings, but we’ve been all around the UK, and this year to Paris and Ireland too. Why the last 30 years? On the night we’re going to dip into our musical reserves and choose songs that were inspired by books set in those three decades. Books will include Billy Lynn’s Long Half Time Walk by Ben Fountain, Notes From An Exhibition by Patrick Gale, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, Maggie and Me by Damian Barr, and many many more. We’ll intersperse them with a few other songs inspired by other authors who will also be at the Book Festival. What can we expect? We’re going to be joined on stage by Jack Wolf, author of The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones, for which we wrote a song last year, and we’ll also have another very special secret guest author, for whom we’re busy writing a song for at the moment, which we will debut on the night. Alan Bissett/80s is on Sat 17 Aug Five Dials Unwind to the 90s is on Wed 21 Aug Reel Iraq: The Golden Hour is on Mon 19 Aug Back to the Future with The Bookshop Band is on Tue 20 Aug All events are start at 9pm in the Guardian Spiegletent and are free

Super-Powered The debate about the legitimacy of comics as an art form is over. As Literary Death Match and Illicit Ink prepare comics-themed events for Jura Unbound, we celebrate the rise and rise of sequential art Words: Bram E. Gieben

rtist and comics historian Scott McCloud saw comics as “one of the very few forms of mass communication in which individual voices still have a chance to be heard.” The ideas, characters and situations depicted in comics are often more transgressive, inventive and counter cultural than those found in literature, art or mainstream cinema. Even superhero comics, the form’s most commercial incarnation, referred to by the acclaimed writer Warren Ellis as “underwear pervert” comics, often take on big, sometimes controversial themes, from allegories for racism and multiculturalism (X-Men), to posthuman futurism (Iron Man), to vigilantism and social control (Batman). “Comics deal with two fundamental communicating devices: words and images,” writes Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, and widely acknowledged as one of the founding fathers of modern comics. In his fantastic treatise on the form, Comics and Sequential Art. “Admittedly this is an arbitrary separation. But, since in the modern world of communication they are treated as independent disciplines, it seems valid. Actually, they are derivatives of a single origin and in the skillful employment of words and images lies the expressive potential of the medium.” Slowly, over the past three decades, this separation has become less important, and both comics and graphic novels (another spurious distinction) have gained traction as serious art and literature. The rise of the ‘original graphic novel’ – self-contained stories, often with a literary bent, and aimed (some might say cynically so) at an older, more mature reader, as opposed to the collections of serialised monthly comics, has now almost completely done away with the perception of sequential art as a debased form. Nonetheless, the debate about whether or not comics are a ‘real’ art form is nearly always the hook for a news piece about sequential art, or graphic novels, or whatever term the voguish literary establishment currently prefer. Journalists will usually wheel out some well-worn,

classic examples – Alan Moore’s Watchmen, Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis – as evidence of a growing trend of maturity in the form. The literary merit of these graphic novels is a moot point – the oldest of these works is 27 years old, and has been adapted into a big budget Hollywood film. Thankfully, this year’s Jura Unbound programme at Edinburgh International Book Festival doesn’t waste time debating the merits or otherwise of graphic literature – rather it dives straight in to the culture, with two events marrying the word and the image in new and inventive ways. On 23 August, a very special edition of Adrian Todd Zuniga’s internationally popular Literary Death Match series will pit four writers against each other in a battle for supremacy, with the results judged by three expert critics. Always fun, since 2006 the Literary Death Match events have gained a reputation for unpredictability and anarchy that is a perfect fit for a form where anything is possible, because as critic and comics editor Dwayne McDuffie has said, there is an “infinite effects budget,” with the only constraints on realism and depiction of characters and worlds the creators’ imaginations. With the evening’s performers still to be confirmed, what is absolutely guaranteed is that the audience will enjoy a spectacular voyage into the minds of four skilled comics enthusiasts, pitting their wits against each other in a highpressure, knockout competition. On 24 August, Edinburgh-based literary collective Illicit Ink, headed up for the evening by writers Barbara Melville and Ariadne CassMaran, present an innovative live literature event called Tales From The Strip, which will see writers reading their fiction, and having it interpreted live on stage by leading comics artists Stephen Collins and Emma Vieceli. The event is presented in association with Graphic Scotland, an independent online community set up to support the comics community in Scotland and beyond. Illustrator Collins produces regular work for the Guardian, and is a past recipient of the prestigious Cape / Observer Graphic Short

Story Prize. He recently published his full-length graphic novel, the strange and whimsical The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil. Vieceli meanwhile is a prolific comics artist and writer, acclaimed for her work on titles such as Manga Shakespeare, which saw her adapting Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing into graphic form, and the longrunning fantasy epic Dragon Heir, not to mention work for Tori Amos’s Comic Book Tattoo project, and the comics adaptation of Vampire Academy. On the night, both artists will undertake live drawing sessions inspired by the fictional work read by Melville, Cass-Maran and their

“ Mainstream culture is not what it once was when science fiction and comics fans huddled in cellars like Gnostic Christians dodging the Romans” Grant Morrison

guests, resulting in a unique and inspiring live collaboration quite unlike anything else in the Book Festival programme. It’s a rare chance to see two gifted artists drawing in public, inspired by leading lights from Scotland’s live literature community. Vieceli returns to the Book Festival on 25 August to discuss her adaptations, while Collins joins Tom Gauld on 24 August to discuss Beard... and his other delightfully eccentric creations. Both Jura Unbound events are part of the Stripped strand at this year’s Book Festival,

jura UNbound

entirely dedicated to comics creators and the graphic novel form. The Book Festival has a strong tradition of welcoming comics legends – both Sandman creator Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison have given enormously popular talks in previous years, and both return this August – but the Stripped strand represents the first dedicated programme of events entirely focused on the art form. With appearances from creators as diverse as Chris Ware, creator of the acclaimed Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (12 Aug), and Joe Sacco (13 Aug), creator of the politically-charged graphic novels Palestine and Footnotes in Gaza, Stripped casts its net as wide as possible, addressing everything from newspaper strip cartoons to superhero comics; from underground classics to Sacco’s tough, gritty, journalistic depictions of life in conflict zones. Sacco and Ware will be in conversation on 14 August at an event sponsored by The Skinny, titled Reinventing Comics. The above is literally the tip of the iceberg – with the Literary Death Match and Illicit Ink’s live collaborations at Jura Unbound presenting the comics form in unique and original ways, and a cross-section of international and UK comics talent in attendance, this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival has finally put paid to the debate over the legitimacy of comics as an art form. The 2013 programme is a thrilling celebration of one of the most vibrant, diverse and inventive sites on the literary landscape. In 2000, Grant Morrison identified the coming sea change which would see comics finally emerge resplendent into popular awareness: “Mainstream culture is not what it once was when science fiction and comics fans huddled in cellars like Gnostic Christians dodging the Romans,” he said. “We should come up into the light soon before we suffocate.” On the evidence of this year’s Unbound programme, that emergence is now complete. Literary Cartoon Death Match, 23 Aug, 9-11pm, free Illicit Ink: Tales From The Strip, 24 Aug, 9-11pm, free The Guardian Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens

THE SKINNY

Extracts from Marry Me

Hat My mother told me that the time had come for my girlfriend and I to legitimise our sex life. She had a point, so a few days later I found myself down on one knee in a romantic location. Unfortunately, I was rejected. My girlfriend told me she just wasn’t able to see us growing old together, that I had never been quite as good in bed as she had hoped, and that under the circumstances it would be best not to drag things out any longer. When I broke the news to my mother, she was furious. She had already bought a massive hat. She took it out of its box, put it on her head and pointed at it. ‘What am I supposed to do with this fucking thing now?’ she bellowed.

The Open Rhodes Dan Rhodes chats with us about mainstream acceptance, mellowing with age, and what to expect from his Jura Unbound event

he last year or so has been pretty productive for Dan Rhodes, what with the release of his fifth novel, This Is Life, and then Marry Me, a collection of witty little pieces on that holiest of unions. Both have been very well received, and his list of admirers grows and grows (he’s the only writer Stewart Lee reads that isn’t dead). Having kindly agreed to take time away from the pressures of work, family and... urm “trying to get the tumble dryer fixed,” Rhodes ponders whether mainstream acceptance bothers him, especially as it generates less and less material for the ‘Dan Rhodes is disliked by...’ part of his website. “My acceptance hasn’t been that mainstream,” he explains.“You won’t have seen my books anywhere near the charts. Unfortunately my readers can rest assured that they aren’t following the herd.” Anniversaries are definitely the order of the day, with the Book Festival celebrating its thirtieth and it being ten years since Rhodes’ debut, Timoleon Vieta Come Home, was released. This was the catalyst for his inclusion in the 2003 Granta Best of Young British Novelists list; a number of the writers featured on this year’s once-in-a-decade list are also performing at Jura Unbound. At the time Rhodes was quite outspoken about the value of the list and the refusal of other writers on it to sign a statement protesting the Iraq war. Looking back on that and how his career has progressed, Rhodes reflects “I leave the Granta list off my CV, so I’m not exactly setting off fireworks to mark the occasion. I was full of piss and vinegar back then, as any ‘young’ writer should be, but now I’m a serene elder statesman I try my best to take a least-saidsoonest-mended approach to the whole sorry business. My advice to anyone on it this time around? Squeeze some free travel out of them,

July 2013

Interview: Ryan Rushton

“The idea of mixing book readings with music and alcohol is a splendid innovation. These days I won’t do a reading anywhere that doesn’t have a bar” Dan Rhodes

then put it behind you.” His event at Jura Unbound is listed as ‘Dan Rhodes & Friends,’ raising hopes he may be accompanied by some of the musicians and comedians who recorded videos of themselves reading stories from Marry Me – Stewart Lee, Tim Key, Josie Long and Aidan Moffat to name a few – some of whom he has performed with in the past. Rhodes has new names up his sleeve though: “My first choice for the role of other writer was Neil Forsyth” – writer of the Bob Servant character, recently adapted for TV – “whose books I’ve been lapping up this year. It was a long shot, but it turns out he’ll be in town and has agreed to join us. Treble twenty with the first dart. He’s not a friend though – I’ve never met him, and as far as I

know he’s never heard of me.” Whether or not that is true, the potential for hilarity is pretty high with both involved. Jura Unbound is about more than just straightforward readings though, and in the way of music Rhodes has enlisted “Richard James, who used to be in the sublime Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and who now makes wonderful records in his own right. We’re hoping to get another illustrious participant or two, but it’s all TBC at the moment. We’ll see who’s around on the night.” This eclectic mix of performers suits Rhodes, who admits, “I don’t really enjoy droning out chapters from novels (I didn’t tour This is Life at all for that reason) so I think I’ll be doing shorter stuff – bits from Marry Me, a few oldies and some cover versions.” Considering how prolific he has been in the decade since his debut – four more novels and three collections of short stories – it doesn’t seem too cheeky to ask if we might hear some new material debuted. “I doubt there will be any brand new material,” he explains. “I have a knackering day job and small children, so I can’t find the time to write at the moment. And besides, the poor human race needs a break from my output. There’s even been a petition from Venezuela, and I can see where they’re coming from.” On his opinion of Jura Unbound as a whole Rhodes admits, “I’ve not seen the programme yet, but the idea of mixing book readings with music and alcohol is a splendid innovation. These days I won’t do a reading anywhere that doesn’t have a bar.” I think we can all drink to that. Dan Rhodes & Friends is on Fri 16 Aug in the Guardian Spiegeltent, part of Jura Unbound

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Revealing My wife feels desperately sorry for women who wear revealing clothes. Whenever we’re out together and we pass a girl in a short skirt that offers an uninterrupted view of long, smooth legs, she’ll tut, and mutter something like, ‘It’s such a pity – she’s got no self-respect.’ I completely agree with her; if I’m ever out on my own and happen to catch a glimpse of a young lady in a dress so tight that it clings to every contour of her supple body, showing in minute detail the luxuriant shape of her breasts and the outline of her pert behind, I am consumed by an overwhelming sadness. Sighing, I look away almost as quickly as I can. Marry Me is out now, published by Canongate, RRP £8.99

Found in Translation In which Adam Thirlwell explains how he got 61 writers to push 12 stories through 18 languages Interview: Paul F Cockburn

“I

had this idea of doing it almost as some kind of art project,” says Adam Thirlwell of the concept which would eventually become an issue of iconoclastic US literary magazine McSweeney’s Quarterly, and is being published in the UK by Portobello Books. “I just thought it’d be fun to get one story translated in a chain of languages to see what would happen at the end.” Attending a literary festival in Paris, he mentioned this idea to the writer Vendela Vida, not for a moment thinking of it as an issue of McSweeney’s, published by her husband Dave Eggers. Two weeks later, however, Vida emailed Thirlwell to see if he’d be interested in guestediting what would eventually become the ‘Multiples’ issue 42, in which 61 writers took 12 stories through a journey of 18 languages. “We chose 12 original stories – either unknown stories by famous dead people or by living foreign authors who should be more famous,” Thirlwell explains. “Each of these stories was translated in a chain of five or six, going in and out of English. So, a story might start in Spanish, be translated into English, then go into Hungarian, back into English and then into French and back into English finally. For Thirlwell, it was strange to experience life on the other side of the editor’s desk. “It took about two years from literally thinking of the idea to getting a finished copy in our hands,” he says, “although the real work was done over about a year. The basic problem was that none of the story chains could progress until each person had done their work; you were always reliant on the next person in the chain. A month could go by when I was just waiting for people to finish.” One factor in this was Thirlwell’s decision to choose novelists rather than ask trained, professional translators. “Obviously, people’s language abilities were variable, but I wanted to explore what people thought of as style. So I deliberately chose people like John Banville, who is such a stylist that you know even a book review is by him without seeing his byline. I wanted to

see what would happen when you put all these stylists together. Thirlwell is stepping into Jura Unbound territory on 11 August. “I’m doing it with Daniel Hahn, who’s one of the directors of the British Centre for Literary Translations in Norwich,” Thirlwell explains. “Daniel’s brilliant at making translation this fun thing to watch. He’s pioneered events where he gets two translators to work on a short text, but they’re not allowed to see each other’s versions until they’re presented on the night – and then they sort of go head-to-head!

“I just thought it’d be fun to get one story translated in a chain of languages to see what would happen at the end.” Adam Thirlwell

“I want to do an event that’s not so much about presenting the book as exploring some of its ideas in a fun way. One of the aims of the project was how to see just how much a story would change after it had gone through five different translations. So we might do something similar; we’ll give the audience one sentence to translate, and sort of pass it round so at the end of the night we’ll see what happened to it. Daniel’s keen, rightly, to do things in parallel, to show how creative translations can be and how you can have more than one right answer.” Multiples, Sun 11 Aug in the Guardian Spiegeltent

Celebrate comics, graphic novels and the people who create them at the 2013 Edinburgh International Book Festival. Over 40 events featuring comics legends alongside rising new talent including: Neil Gaiman, Melinda Gebbie, Grant Morrison, Joe Sacco, Rutu Modan, Chris Ware, Glyn Dillon, Will Morris, Hannah Berry and many more! Plus: An exhibition of incredible comic art and a Mini Comic Fair.

www.strippedbookfest.co.uk @StrippedFest. Ticket prices £4.50 - £15.00 Book Tickets:www.edbookfest.co.uk / 0845 373 5888 6

JURA UNBOUND

THE SKINNY

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he collective of wordsmiths known as Writers’ Bloc are moving into new territory for their show at Jura Unbound this year. We caught up with them to find out a bit more. Tell us a bit about the night in general: what is Writers’ Bloc and where did it all start? Writers’ Bloc is a mix of professional writers and new voices. It staged its first show in Edinburgh on Halloween 2001. At that time there wasn’t really a spoken word ‘scene’ in the sense that it exists today – the events there were mainly poetry ones and we wanted to present stories with genre leanings and a bit of an edge. Since then we’ve done quite a few festivals and toured throughout Scotland. We did Unbound in 2010 and 2011, and we’re glad to be back.

crowd-pleasers with more serious work. Previous themes have included B-movies, intoxication, fast food, and antisocial networking. Our last event was a full-on literary séance where we summoned the spirit of Robert Louis Stevenson and a long-dead rollergirl, among others.

Sounds excellent. What have you got planned for Jura Unbound, and how is it different from the usual nights you put on? This year we’re doing something a bit different. Or quite a lot different, really, because we’re taking our cues from musicians John Lemke and Poppy Ackroyd. In TV and film, musicians have to 9pm, Sun 25 Aug, free work to the framework provided by the writer; we’re turning that on its head and presenting ell don’t be! The Fence Collective, a loose new spoken word inspired by their debut albums: grouping of musicians based around the Poppy’s Escapement and John’s People Do. It Berlin , Volksbühne © Paul Pistorius Kingdom of Fife, are one of the most inspiring What’s a regular Writers’ Bloc night like? won’t be so much a typical Writers’ Bloc show as AB4:(,M++#?"#T""(#U?*3.4'5>/#/*++?"9#I4.#7V.4W"H(":=#3D#0,.?/+4C,#F(.+,(H*. and heartening collectives working in Scotland Normally we would present a themed programme a Poppy and John gig with spoken word. today. Eschewing a desire for success in the of new short fiction, blending humour and [Galen O'Hanlon] homogenous quagmire that is contemporary mainstream music, they favour a commitment to community and collaboration. Fence are a bulwark against the boring poison that seeps into our ears from every radio, car, and iWhatever around. Their label, Fence Records, has been quietly delivering quality output for the past fifteen years. Founded by Kenny Anderson (AKA King Creosote, who recently departed from its roster), Johnny Lynch (AKA The Pictish Trail) now takes the lead in the running of the label, but it is a true collective, with the emphasis firmly on artistic autonomy. Humbly, they describe themselves as “a collective of musicians, artists, craftsfolk, chancers and slackers.” However, such surface insouciance belies the seriousness and

On The Fence?

Ljodahått

Trollsong

Oslo, Litteraturhuset

his group take their name from a verse form in Old Norse poetry. ‘Ljodahått’ can be roughly translated as ‘magic song’ or even ‘trollsong,’ but what they do is a lot more complex than the assortment of grunts and growls from the average beast-beneath-a-bridge. Ljodahått take the work of Norwegian poets – mostly from the late 19th to early 20th century – and compose original music to fit alongside. Think of something in between Arcade Fire and Leonard Cohen and you’d be on the right track: poems and lyrics sung and spoken to the accompaniment of a band that can reach up to 14 members. At times they can be slow and lilting, at others they shift into something closer to rock and pop. It’s an intriguing range that reflects the polyglot backgrounds of this group of Norwegian, French, English, German, Swiss and

July 2013

depth of their endeavour. Fence were founded out of a disillusion with the modern industry and they stand in opposition to their larger, profitobsessed contemporaries, all the while churning out organic, celebratory performances based on the honest, unpretentious craft of their music. It is with good cause, therefore, that Vic Galloway’s new book, Songs in the Key of Fife, details their establishment and the extraordinary intertwining of East Fife’s finest. This Jura Unbound night will follow on from Galloway’s appearance in the main Book Festival programme and promises to be a gift. Fence have a reputation for creating intimate performances and this looks to be an affirmative celebration of how music emerges from community, imagination and friendship. Anyone who has come into contact with Fence sticks with them; this event will undoubtedly convert everyone in the Guardian Spiegeltent to Fence obsessives. [Daniel Davies]

Inked and Lettered 9pm, Sat 24 Aug, free

9pm, Mon 12 Aug, free

Pictish Trail

Austrian musicians and composers. Lead man Magne Håvard Brekke set up the project after 25 years of wandering Europe. His ambition is to celebrate Norway’s cultural heritage of poetry and music, exploring how one can inspire and transform the other. The words could be taken from Nobel prize winner Knut Hamsun, or poetcum-lumberjack Hans Børli, but the music is all original composition. And although the vocalists hail from across Europe, everything’s sung in Brekke’s native tongue. Don’t let this put you off: even if your Norwegian is a little lacking, it sounds pretty good all the same. They’ve toured in Paris, Berlin, Oslo, and Vienna (amongst others), so expect a distinctly continental feel to their performance at Jura Unbound. [Galen O’Hanlon]

So, who are you guys? We started out as a bunch of graduates from Napier University’s creative writing course, wanting to do something very different from what was going on in Edinburgh. Basically, we wanted to play in the dark and pull the wings off fairies. Your event is part of the ‘Stripped’ strand of Book Festival events. Are we reaching a golden age for comic books? Heavens no. I think we are about to, but there’s still a long way to go. The surface of what this medium is capable of has only just been scratched. It will be a golden age when a great graphic novel is no longer considered unusual and can sit alongside everything else without being relegated to a niche genre. Your event is a collaboration with Graphic Scotland and will involve both aural and visual literature, how are you going to do this?

JURA UNBOUND

Emma Vieceli and Stephen Collins, two great illustrators, are joining us on stage to draw as we read. The broad idea is that we challenge the illustrators to condense what they hear into a story that can be told in just a few panels. It will show us exactly what words and pictures can do, and how the narrative merits of each can create lovely tension. One of Illicit Ink’s greatest strengths is your belief in variation and versatility. What is your ethos for designing events? We like to keep things as fresh and vibrant as possible, which is why our events are themed. Writers absolutely have to come up with something new every time, which creates a lovely unstable vibe. Anything could happen. Ultimately, all that matters to us is that we make the best possible show. And that we’ve all had a good chance to guddle about in the dark. [Daniel Davies]

Photography: Jassy Earl

dda*). /tunes other.

Poppy Ackroyd

Photography: Kat Gollock

Events Listings

Be Unbound every night of the Edinburgh International Book Festival in the Guardian Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens. Events start at 9pm, and are free and unticketed. Best get there early if you want a seat

Sun 11 Aug

Multiples To celebrate the UK publication of the translation-themed issue of McSweeney’s he guest edited in 2012, novelist Adam Thirlwell and acclaimed translator Daniel Hahn improvise a wild multilingual evening. Featuring individual tasks and collective games; a sentence snaking round the room in every language possible; and short texts being remade in the languages spoken by the audience including mime and gesture.

Mon 12 Aug

Ljodahått Created by the Norwegian actor Magne Havard Brekke, Ljodahått are a musical collective that gives new life to some of Norway’s finest poetry from Henrik Ibsen to Knut Hamsun. Think of the soaring sound of Arcade Fire coupled with the dark cabaret of Tom Waits. Strange, ethereal, compelling and all wrapped up in a gorgeous book and CD.

Tue 13 Aug

Best of Young British Novelists 2013 2013 saw Granta’s fourth installment of their Best Young British Novelist Series highlighting the 20 most exciting authors under the age of 40 in the UK today. To celebrate, a night of readings brings together some of the very best of the writers: Jenni Fagan steps onto the stage with The Panopticon; Sarah Hall’s novels have been shortlisted for the Booker, the Commonwealth Prize and the Arthur C Clarke Award; Evie Wyld arrives with All the Birds, Singing, a novel which follows her prize-winning debut.

Wed 14 Aug

John Lemke & Poppy Ackroyd with Writers’ Bloc In TV and film, musicians have to work within a framework built by the writer; to respond to and underscore the drama and emotion demanded by the text. For Jura Unbound, the Edinburgh collective Writers’ Bloc turn that on its head and present new work inspired by Poppy Ackroyd’s debut album, Escapement, and John Lemke’s debut album, People Do. Enjoy John and Poppy’s live sets in the cosy and atmospheric Guardian Spiegeltent while taking a journey of the imagination in this unique event.

Thu 15 Aug

Kevin MacNeil & Willie Campbell Long-time friends and artistic collaborators, Kevin MacNeil and Willie Campbell last year produced the album Visible From Space, and they’ll bring together their songs and stories for a special night of Jura Unbound. Kevin is an acclaimed novelist, poet and playwright born and raised in the Outer Hebrides. His works include The Stornoway Way and Love and Zen in the Outer Hebrides. Willie was lead singer and guitarist with Astrid. He still tours both as a solo artist and as a member of The Open Day Rotation.

Fri 16 Aug

Dan Rhodes The author of eight books, each one a delightful discovery, each one unlike the other, Dan Rhodes delights in defying expectations, subverting conventions and finding humour in the darkest moments. Unsurprisingly, he is not a man for the regular Book

Festival event. Instead we have created a special Unbound night to celebrate his work and for Dan to bring together some of his favourite authors, comedians and musicians featuring Bob Servant creator Neil Forsyth, singer-songwriter Richard James, formerly of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and a very special guest…

Sat 17 Aug

Alan Bissett/80s The 80s: hard times and guilty pleasures, cassette tapes and hair gel, picket lines and protest, and the birth of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. It was the decade that shaped a generation, and it did so in dubious fashions. Led by Alan Bissett’s radical feminist and anti-porn campaigner, Andrea Dworkin, this Jura Unbound evening takes a look back at that era, its wonders and horrors.

Sun 18 Aug

Out There Gutter, the country’s leading magazine of new writing, hosts a night of queerness to mark the official announcement of Out There, a new state of the nation book of LGBT writing planned for 2014. Out There editor Zoë Strachan is joined by Damian Barr, author of the acclaimed and controversial Maggie and Me, and emerging writers Kirsty Logan and Allan Radcliffe, for stories, music and more.

Mon 19 Aug

Reel Iraq: The Golden Hour Revel in a special evening of contemporary Iraqi culture, to mark ten years since the invasion of Iraq, with poetry, theatre and music. Featuring acclaimed Iraqi poets Sabreen Kadhim (coming direct from Baghdad) and Ghareeb Iskander, accompanied by new translations from renowned Scotland-based poets Krystelle Bamford, John Glenday, Jen Hadfield and William Letford; compelling theatre from Dina Moussawi and Iraqi Choobi dance music. This event is supported in part by Creative Scotland and LIFT Festival.

Tue 20 Aug

Back To The Future With The Bookshop Band The Bookshop Band, fresh from touring Paris, Ireland and the UK bring their unique musical take on contemporary fiction to Jura Unbound. The band have been writing songs inspired by the books of the authors coming to their local bookshop, Mr Bs Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath. Songs are picked from their vast repertoire and themed around the Book Festival’s 30 year anniversary.

jura UNbound

Wed 21 Aug

Five Dials Unwind To The 90s Join a secret selection of writers and musicians (we’ve lured in Colm Tóibín and Ross Raisin in the past) as we look back at the 90s and launch the latest issue of the world’s favourite literary magazine, Five Dials, which will be sent out to subscribers around the world from the stage. A very special guest will press the send button. It could even be someone from the 90s, though we guarantee Courtney Love will not be in attendance.

Thu 22 Aug

This Is The Modern World Join Faber Social for an evening of stories, music and performance with a heady and decadent collection of acts including Booker Prize-winning DBC Pierre reading his new work Petit Mal; filmmaker, author and Culture Show presenter Michael Smith premiering his new book Unreal City accompanied by an exclusive soundtrack by legendary producer and DJ Andrew Weatherall; plus Luke Wright will hop over from the Fringe to put the world to rights as only he can. @fabersocial

Fri 23 Aug

Literary Death Match Literary Death Match are back but this time with speech bubbles and extra Kappow! to present an extra special comic cartoon caper. The live show brings together four authors to read their most electric writing for seven minutes or less before a panel of three all-star judges. The two finalists then compete in a vaguely literary competition (think ‘Pin the Moustache on Hemingway’) to determine who takes home the Literary Death Match crown.

Sat 24 Aug

Illicit Ink and Graphic Scotland: Tales from the Strip Graphic Scotland and Illicit Ink combine stories on the page with illustrators on the stage – while our writers read, our guest cartoonists and graphic novelists draw what they hear. Performers include Stephen Collins, author of The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil and comic artist Emma Vieceli whose work includes Manga Shakespeare and Vampire Academy. Art materials are provided but feel free to bring your own.

Sun 25 Aug

Songs in the Key of Fife Vic Galloway, BBC broadcaster, journalist and champion of the Scottish music scene, has written Songs in the Key of Fife, which documents the amazing story of the Fence Collective. In recent years the music industry has been defined by its much publicised decline, with creativity consumed by the mass market, but for the past two decades, in a little place across the water, a group of musicians have been building and battling against this. Join Vic and some special guests for a memorable night of music to celebrate the book’s publication.

Mon 26 Aug

Robots Dream of Electric Tales Electric Tales is a cabaret of comedy storytelling, usually based at the Stand Comedy Club, but braving it down the road to the Book Festival for one night only. Tonight they imagine the future like we thought it would be, when robots were proper robots with square heads and beeping and moon boots. Hosted by Sian Bevan.

THE SKINNY

Edinburgh International Fashion Festival 2013 Ahead of this summer’s Edinburgh International Fashion Festival, we speak to curators Jonathan and Anna Freemantle about art, storytelling, and the new talent they have unearthed for this year’s programme

Amanda Harlech

his July, Scotland’s capital will provide the setting for a number of glamorous fashion events, including runway shows, gala parties, exhibitions and industry talks – all as part of this year’s Edinburgh International Fashion Festival. The event, spearheaded by the formidable husband-and-wife partnership that is Jonathan and Anna Freemantle (you may know them as the organisers of Noir!), is still in its infancy; this year will be only the second outing of the festival in its current incarnation. Even so, the EIFF has seen a remarkable evolution since its debut appearance last year. This summer the festival will span over the two weekends between the 19 and 28 of July, a considerable expansion of last year’s 4-day event. Despite not being Edinburgh-born themselves (he was born in Cape Town, she’s originally from Amsterdam), the city was an obvious choice for Jonathan and Anna as the stage for a fashion festival. Anna says: “I guess apart from the obvious fact that myself and Jonathan were living in Edinburgh, we always loved and admired Edinburgh for hosting the festival and always were amazed or surprised that the festival didn’t hold an element of fashion in it. To embrace and celebrate the beauty of Edinburgh, the intellect it hosts, as well as its talented inhabitants. Something that most likely was easier to spot for someone who wasn’t originally from here.” Last year’s event was held as part of Edinburgh’s Fringe, but this year the organisers have made the decision to take the EIFF out of the Fringe programme. Anna explains: “That was mainly to do with the general ‘fashion calendar’ – August is tricky in two ways: it is too close to the

July 2013

kick off of all the fashion weeks and if not that, it is also considered the ‘holy’ month amongst the fashionista, the month of sabbath, of rest.” The decision has also enabled them to take advantage of the greater number of venues available before the Fringe begins: “To include various venues is an obvious step. Part of the greatness of Edinburgh one can find in its buildings, the buildings that carry history, many a story… as it happens, storytelling is the red thread, our theme for this year so it made sense to explore various venues. Venues are hugely important to me – it’s the canvas from where the ‘creation’ starts.” The events that made up last year’s festival all took place at Summerhall, the former Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh; while the venue will still be used to host some events this year, the EIFF will be staged at various locations across the city. From historic buildings such as the impressive Mansfield Traquair and the City Art Centre to the ultramodern Inspace laboratory at the University of Edinburgh. These multifarious venues will provide the setting for a number of industry leaders. Designers, writers, stylists, artists; creatives in all fields, both local and international, will descend upon Edinburgh for this year’s festival. At the launch of the EIFF, Jonathan explained that the themes for this year’s event would be ‘storytelling’ and ‘fashion as art.’ Regarding the process of choosing designers to invite to take part in the festival, Anna says: “We always look for a link back to Scotland. The love for texture, fabrics, colours, the art of storytelling – each collection is a story and some years some

“We always look for a link back to Scotland. The love for texture, fabrics, colours, the art of storytelling – each collection is a story” Anna Freemantle

designers make more sense than others within the particular story we’re aiming to portray/tell.” Those keen to view the work of this year’s Scottish Fashion Awards nominees in the flesh could do worse than to head to the Future Fashion all-day event on Saturday 27 July. Young Designer of the Year nominees Jacob Birge, Obscure Couture and Rebecca Torres will be there showcasing their work at a pop-up design market during the day and at a runway fashion show in the evening. The event, held at the City Art Centre, will coincide with an exhibition of the work of three students graduating from Edinburgh College of Art – including a Skinny favourite, Lauren Smith, who recently made headlines by winning the gold award at Graduate Fashion Week in London.

FASHION

Besides these young and emerging designers, a multitude of names well established within the industry will be participating in the festival. Central St Martin’s graduates Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro, the husband-andwife partnership behind Clements Ribeiro, will open the festival with a dramatic presentation of their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection at Mansfield Traquair. The London-based designer Bella Freud, footwear designer Georgina Goodman and Karl Lagerfeld’s right-hand woman Amanda Harlech will all be appearing on the panel at the day-long Symposium on all aspects of fashion. In addition to the Future Fashion event, the opening runway show and the Symposium, other EIFF highlights look set to be the Harvey Nichols-hosted curated showcase of some of the designers who showed at London Collections: Men and the StitchLab masterclass with Reykjavik-based design studio Sruli Recht. When pressed for a personal highlight, Anna says: “That’s a question I wouldn’t want to answer, for me it’s the same as asking which one of my sons I prefer… I love them all and am excited about them all. They all have very much their own individuality.” This individuality is what seems to symbolise Edinburgh International Fashion Festival and set it apart from similar events. The festival isn’t concerned with commerciality or impressing VIP guests, its focus is the skill and imagination of a variety of talented creatives coming together to show off and share their work. www.facebook.com/EdinburghInternationalFashionFestival edinburghinternationalfashionfestival.com

Lifestyle

Photo: Nick Knight

Interview: Natasha Cornall

Galaxy

n a face-achingly bleak early spring evening in the capital a quietly baffled audience trudged to a re-imagining of one of the most iconic spaces in contemporary culture. Just what was this magical place? The dole office. Our Pied Piper was the ever-enterprising Dennis J Reinmüller. He and Timothea Armour selected performance proposals from 28 of their peers for JobCentreSuperPlus. With degree show prep looming a few sweaty months away, it takes a certain gumption to confront the spectre of unemployment with such a precocious project. On arrival, the cowed audience were brusquely ushered around a burlesque human zoo of grey-clad ‘bureaucrats.’ Posters told us: ‘Dreams are great; but do they pay the bills?’ We were offered little reassurance. Affirmation is not a language that Reinmüller is comfortable with indoctrinating. If it is in times of financial instability that the populace is most at risk of investing belief in authoritarian voices, Reinmüller challenges and subverts them at every opportunity. “Of course there’s anxiety about what’s next – hat’s what people are these days: their jobs. I hate that outlook, but that’s the ideology of now,” he

Dennis Reinmüller says. With absurdist tragicomic appropriation, he shows us that fear of failure is just another construct – we can chase our dreams, although it might cost us. Reinmüller came to Edinburgh as a jobseeker after escaping the immersive augmented reality of video games testing (“an unbelievably weird thing to do!”) Now, following a successful degree show, he reflects on how his past experiences have informed his work. “With sculpture and performance you can create another reality, one which challenges our assumptions and can interfere with actual reality.” Reinmüller debunks myths, poking at ideological constructs to reclaim their power. Growing up in West Germany in the 80s as the country asserted its reinvention, he was immersed in a world of heroic TV figures imported from the US. Kids were fed the idea that they could start afresh, aim high; could be heroes. The stark realisation that the bad guys lurked in his cultural heritage cemented Reinmüller’s decision to cut ties. His work Player 1 follows a series of self-destructive, failed super heroes. He inserts a bloody full stop into their cycle of reincarnation, vanquishing the myth of immortality. “We imagine ourselves to be the most

important things in the world,” he says, but by freezing the moment of “complete and utter failure,” he bursts our narcissistic bubble. His selfportrait (on show at GSS, from 13 July) is brought back to earth with an inglorious bump. The dichotomy between aspiration and failure forms a cornerstone to his work, coming from a background in philosophy. “Art is philosophy in practise – you can dare to make statements that are silly or obviously wrong and see what happens,” he tells me. On coming to ECA, he was amused by the quixotic lingering influence of Joseph Beuys, whose fleeting visit 43 years earlier has become local legend. Surprised that “there existed no criticism of the notion of trying to make magic with art,” the idea of ‘aura’ in objects made with materials “mass-produced, sourced from ebay” was laughable. “Art has an inner logic,” he says. Otherwise, it falls apart. “I try to have an inner logic in my work. It needs to stand by itself.” At his degree show Reinmüller and a team of collaborators performed an exorcism rite: entrapping Beuys’ mystic spirit ironically in the fat and felt which were the art shaman’s calling cards. The fat was ‘I bet Beuys can’t believe he used a synthetic butter substitute’ while the

SHOWCASE

felt was the real deal – sourced from the factory which produced Beuys.’ Courting contradiction, the punchline is typically dry: in ‘re-branding’ the iconic corridor in Martin Kippenberger’s honour, the art exorcists have substituted one patriarch for another. The attempt to dispel Beuys’ myth propagates it for the next generation. Now Reinmüller, who describes himself as a “subtle narcissist,” is inviting applications for the DJR residency (djr-residency.org) in which applicants are invited to create portraits of their host at their own expense. The artwork and rights will remain with him, as will the £310 fee. Such withering acknowledgement of the power and exploitation levied against aspiring artists is typical of Reinmüller’s irreverent humour. For a narcissist, he is uncharacteristically affable, and keen to acknowledge collaborators. Although I am certain this would grate on and please him in equal measure – Reinmüller’s own geist already seems to have evicted Kippenberger’s. What a hero! [Kate Andrews] Slice, Glasgow Sculpture Studios, from 13 Jul djr-residency.org / artexorcists.com / dennis reinmuller.com / vimeo.com/djr

THE SKINNY

Job Centre

Player 1

Ritual

July 2013

SHOWCASE

Recharge the Felt

In Defence of Taking Offence One writer recounts a recent trip to Abu Dhabi and discusses what she learned about the importance of taking offence – in an era that’s all too comfortable with causing it

Words: Kate Pasola Illustration: Laura Griffin

Why I Love ‘The Friend Zone’ Words: Matthew Bobbu

t’s important first to clarify that despite taking exception with the particulars of Richard Dawkins’ teachings, the startling work that he does to protect the rights of those oppressed by religion mustn’t go unaddressed. Forced marriage, unnecessary hymen reconstruction surgery, genital mutilation, honour-killings, compromised sex education, and oppression of women and homosexuals are only a handful of the bitter symptoms of fundamentalist religious practice. Dawkins administers logic as the antidote to these problems and for this work alone he deserves recognition. However, perhaps, when Dawkins boldly denounces the right of the religious to take offence, we should approach the proposition more critically. A quote from his talk in UC Berkeley: “So what if my feelings are hurt? Does that give me a right to prevent others from expressing their opinion?” inspired a whole culture of offence-rejection. Comedians like Louis C.K. and Steve Hughes expressed their exasperation with the offended, which unfortunately fed a troupe of ignoramuses – who’d clearly misinterpreted the debate – exactly what they needed to excuse socially impertinent behaviour. Cue the grand finale, a cacophony of numbskulls yelling, “You didn’t like it when I laughed at you for being such a slut? Stop being so easily offended or quit listening then, dumb bitch!” But the self-centred approach to cultural difference has graver consequences. Take the inexorable westernisation of Abu Dhabi, a predominantly Muslim city. Abu Dhabi’s knitting together of East and West has lead to the evolution of a cultural conglomerate. Mosques designed by Britons; the heady scent of oud oil bottled and disseminated in shopping malls; Muslim women pairing traditional abaya gowns with Jimmy Choos and come-hither false eyelashes; teenagers rebelling against the hijab with under-padding to imply concealment of lustrous hair. Traditions are diluted if inconvenient, and sprinkled with European dazzle-dust if deemed financially stagnant. That’s not to say the Euro-Arabia patchwork quilt isn’t beautiful. The panorama of locals

Lifestyle

in traditional dress gliding against the glassy cityscape is electric. Shores of the Persian Gulf transformed into hazy Parisian boulevards with terracotta skies are dreamy. But the land of juxtaposition is often a sparring ground for disagreeing cultures, and that’s when expression of offence is necessary to maintain fairness and reason.

“What constitutes liberation and equality is geographically and culturally specific” Consider the Emirati indecency code. In public it’s expected that Muslim women wear a full length abaya to maintain a modest appearance and that non-Muslims are covered from shoulder to knee. An influx of ex-pats, international workforce and tourists – to whom the dress-code is irrelevant – has led to frequent incidences of ignorance and opposition. Voices of those offended within the Emirati population – a 10% minority – have been hushed, leading to the creation of the @UAEDresscode twitter which expresses the concerns of lost tradition and the resultant offence felt. Deviants of the dress-code feel oppressed by the regulations, liberating themselves in western dress. Muslims feel oppressed by exposed flesh and its frequent side-order of objectification, and liberated when concealed under an abaya. So whose offence is less valid? What constitutes liberation and equality is geographically and culturally specific. When opinions are at odds, the west-is-best attitude isn’t as fruitful or forward-thinking as we’d like to feel. On top of the dress code disputes, Saadiyat Island (off the coast of Abu Dhabi) is undergoing

hear the term ‘Friend Zone’ used a lot these days, particularly online. If I understand it properly, it means being friends with someone who you find attractive, but who doesn’t want a relationship with you beyond friendship. Personally, I love being in the ‘Friend Zone.’ My friends are all beautiful people – in some cases absolutely stunning. As a rather eccentric creative I have a lot of friends who are burlesque dancers, models, and performers. They are all wonderful people; startlingly attractive, talented as all hell, and absolutely uninterested in having sex with me. And that’s just grand. I went to one of my friend’s birthday parties just the other week. She’s a fairly well-known fetish model, with an amazing figure, long legs, and brilliant red hair. I’ve been friends with her for about half a decade, and we have supported each other through some really rough times, as well as enjoying some thoroughly wonderful events together. I find her incredibly attractive, and if she were to ask me out on a date I would bang my head on the ceiling from leaping at the chance. a tourism reconstruction project, including the But you see, I don’t feel the need to be commissioning of its own Louvre. The tricky little rewarded for being a good friend by someone issue of the matter lies in religious resistance. Islam hasn’t been overly keen on the vast majority having sex with me. The reward of good friendship is good friends, and that alone is worth all of European art since the Prophet Muhammad the time and effort I put into being as splendid an decided figurative design didn’t cut the mustard at around 622AD. Islam firmly discourages artistic individual as I possibly can. So my friend remains depiction of religious figures and sentient beings. my friend – an amazing, supportive, thoroughly valuable person in my life. And you know what? That in mind, it’s difficult to imagine an affable This is far more important to me than whether or reception to one of Picasso’s raunchiest, or a not I ever get to put my penis inside her. cheeky homoerotic Renaissance number. Of course, some people disagree with me. This seems to have been conveniently overlooked by curators at the Louvre. You’d think Some men in particular use the term ‘Friend such disharmony between Eastern and Western Zone’ as though it were some kind of curse. For preference would encourage development of a some reason these chaps, always self-declared culturally sensitive collection. Because surely ‘nice guys,’ seem to feel that being ‘just’ someone’s friend is a bad thing. That they are somethere’s no need to piss off even more locals, how getting a bad deal if they befriend someone right? Wrong. Head curator, Laurence Des Cars, they are attracted to, perhaps even flirt with has firmly stated that no artistic subject will be them, and then that person doesn’t want to off-limits – including sexuality and religion. Of have sex with them – even though these men are course. The Muslim population will be relieved, clearly such wonderful individuals by merit of the I’m sure, to hear that the collection “won’t try to shock just to be shocking.” Fingers crossed she’ll simple fact that they are somewhat friendly. I have news for these people: you don’t get steer clear of ‘offending just to be offensive’ too. rewarded with sex for being ‘nice.’ You are supOf course, one of the main roles of art is posed to be nice to people – the only thing it to shock. It’s a beautiful little troll that exposes earns you is respect. And, quite simply, not evehuman truths to those who need to see them. It ryone who likes you as a person is going to want integrates cultures and catalyses social change. to fuck you. This is an immutable part of life, and It’s particularly useful in combatting violation it is not something you can change. I don’t know of human rights and oppression. Indisputably, why you would want to, either. I know a lot of very encouragement of tolerance and equality are large biker gents: though they are charming, and both excellent motivations for dancing with the we have thoroughly enjoyable times together, the devil and risking offence. But in the case of the thought that they would thank me for being nice Louvre, one feels compelled to question the to them by shagging me is quite, quite terrifying. motives of the decision-makers. If the curators But that really is the bottom line of the aren’t ‘shocking to be shocking,’ indeed why are problem with the ‘Friend Zone,’ isn’t it? It is virthey shocking? Does it have anything to do with tually always a man claiming that a woman they tailoring the collection to a western audience of are attracted to is being mean to them by not tourists and ex-pats? Shocking to make money? being attracted to them in return. No man would Abu Dhabi’s cultural tussles directly exemplify the power of expressing offence. Let use the phrase ‘Friend Zone’ to refer to where Dawkins scorn the offended, let the offended feel his male friends have placed him in their social offended from such scolding. But, if Abu Dhabi circle. No, he would just call them his friends. teaches us – and Dawkins – any sort of lesson, it’s So why, unless you are an unappreciative, sexist, that we should never mute the offended in the selfish, sex-obsessed imbecile, would you do anyinterests of making money. thing different for the beautiful women you are Now that’s just offensive. lucky enough to have in your life?

DEVIANCE

THE SKINNY

Around the World in 20 Drinks: Soda Special This month we take a lap of the globe in a booze-free soft drink round-up, featuring bizarre uses of animals and ludicrous flavour combinations from the outset

n honour of Phagomania’s coke-fuelled baconmaking, we thought we’d take a brief spin around this whole wide world to pick out some of the weirdest sodas available today. So strap yourselves in, because it’s going to be a rough ride. Seriously, that’s not just a poorly stretched metaphor, it’s the truth – this column may make you feel truly terrible. Don’t believe me? OK. Placenta juice. That’s right. Placenta, in a juice. It’s marketed as a health drink in Japan, and comes in a lovely golden bottle. The other ingredients actually sound quite nice: kiwi fruit, caramel, honey... All good choices, things are going well. Then you scan back and read ‘pig’s placenta.’ Anyway, best not dwell on it, let’s just see what’s next on the list. Cow urine. The urine of a cow, in a glass, with some other stuff. It’s called Gau Jal, and it’s currently under development in India. Apparently, cow urine has medicinal properties, and these are what many of today’s non-urine-based soft drinks are missing. If you think this sounds strange already, here’s the stranger part: this drink is being punted by an extremist Hindu

Words: Peter Simpson

paramilitary group. A paramilitary that has a side interest in nabbing some market share from Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Which brings us neatly on to... Yoghurt-flavoured Pepsi. Part of the notorious family of bizarre seasonal Japanese Pepsi variants, this bad boy made its way into our hearts as well as to that bit at the back of our throats that sometimes tastes of vomit back in 2011. Sadly, its crystal clear blend of creamy yoghurt and unspecified sweetness left us too soon, like a candle in the wind – but our final offering has stood the test of time. It’s a Vietnamese speciality called the Bird’s Nest drink. What to do is: get a glass, add some condensed milk and an egg yolk, then fill ’er up with some soda water. Given the South Asian heat and the horrendous curdling, we can’t imagine a straw would do much good in the circumstances, but you could give it a go. What’s the alternative? A fruit juice? A refreshing glass of water? Pffft. Pass me a Bird’s Nest, and a knife and fork. Catch up on our global drinks adventure at www.theskinny. co.uk/food

Food News

This month’s food news is an entirely liquid affair. It features sharks, slang, old buildings, ‘real’ things, and lots and lots of alcohol

his month we begin with a question: have you ever looked at a nip of whisky, and thought ‘I wish that was actually a super-duper strength form of beer’? You haven’t? Well, just imagine you have, because it’s here! Hooray?! Yes, Brewdog have made a spirit, a 35% abv, IPA-based concoction with a crazy name and cartoon sharks on the bottle. It’s called WattDickie, reminding you that while this isn’t a Brewdog product, it was made by everyone’s favourite high-concept booze-branding duo. Brewdog say WattDickie is “the shiver down the spine of the grease-slick ad-man relying on people lapping up the ‘same-old, same-old.’” We pick up a stone, nod at a nearby greenhouse, and let you complete the metaphor. Get it? Good, because it’s time for more booze! In Glasgow! The Merchant City Festival is this month, and among all the fun and festivities is a chance for a drink or two. That’s thanks to the weekend-long Swallae Fest, which we believe is Glaswegian for ‘drinking festival.’ How charming. Anyway, Swallae Fest runs over the four days of the Festival, with tastings, demos, and various other events designed to keep you indoors and take your mind off the summer happening

July

Words: Peter Simpson

outside. Committee Room no.9, 18 John Street, 24-27 Jul, all day. Now, more booze! In Glasgow again! The first Southside Beer Festival will take over the historic Langside Halls for a day of beer and chat from some of the country’s best indie brewers. Fyne Bros, Houston, Loch Lomond and WEST are among the names set to turn up and turn the big ol’ building into a craft beer version of Animal House. That is to say, a large building full of beer but without any idiots in togas. Langside Halls, 5 Langside Ave. 27 Jul, tickets limited – southsidebeerfest.org for more info. Finally this month, yet more booze! Real booze at that, with the Scottish Real Ale Festival at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange. Everyone who’s anyone in the Scottish beer scene will be along at one of the country’s biggest beer bashes, for four days of ponderous sipping and conversations about barley. Expect plenty of variety, some lively if overly-technical discussion about ale production techniques, and your very own glass! Despite the lack of food on offer this month in this rather misleadingly-titled column, please don’t feel tempted to eat that glass. We need you on fine form for the Fringe next month – don’t let us down.

FOOD AND DRINK

Lifestyle

Coke-heads: Making bacon and getting crafty Phagomania hits the kitchen this month, to make bacon. Rum and coke-flavoured bacon. Rokeacon. We’ll come up with a name later...

Words: Lewis MacDonald Illustration: Joachim Sperl

Craft Soda: What’s going on? Why is this a thing? When we heard about a new ‘craft soda’ being made in Edinburgh, we had two thoughts: ‘What the hell is that?’ and ‘Let’s try it then ask its creators some questions.’ Here are the results Words: Peter Simpson

acon is big. Bacon is heavyweight. Bacon is perfume, condoms, vodka, dresses and pretty much any other product you care to imagine. Why do you think Kevin Bacon’s so well-connected? Footloose? No, bacon. But what could be better than bacon? Making bacon. Go on, say it: ‘Oh, what have you been up to?’ ‘Making bacon!’ The great news is that it is easy. When my partner-in-crime for this escapade first suggested curing meat I was skeptical. Then he said it mostly involves leaving it for ages and you can flavour it however you want. The challenge was on. Everyone and their dog has been crafting away on home brews and flipping cupcakes, but you can trump all that with some seriously exotic bacon. Now most people would have gone for some sensible flavourings, perhaps some traditional spices, herbs and seasonings. But this is Phagomania, and we had to see how far we could push this bacon. My natural instinct was to go for rum, cola and lime. Cuba Libre bacon. Step one, get some pork. You can actually make bacon from just about any cut of meat from any animal, so the possibilities are boundless. But we wanted cheap, and picked up a large hunk of loin joint on offer at the supermarket. Now funnily enough, we had to improvise a rum, coke and lime marinade – it’s not the kind of thing you can just pick up. You may have heard stories about coke dissolving meat into nothing, well The Skinny can happily report that is does not. But we did want to take the ‘bite’ out of it. We chucked two litres of coke in a pot, brought it to the boil, and then

Lifestyle

essentially mulled it, tossing in cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, orange peel and whatever else was lying around. We gazed in suspense as it reduced to a thick nectar. To finish: 300 ml of dark rum, the juice of 4 limes and 100 g of muscovado sugar.

“The final stage is to soak your meat. Stop sniggering” It tasted like pure essence of the best Cuba Libre you’ve ever had, with the added cozy enjoyment of a great mulled wine. It was extremely difficult to part ways, so close was I to chilling the mix and slurping it over ice until I couldn’t feel feelings. But this concoction hadn’t come to town for that, it had a showdown with bacon to see through, and it clearly meant business. So we wished it bon voyage and poured it over the pork. After a week of marinating (and a couple of turns) it was time to embrace the ancient art of curing. Simply salting meat is a great preserving method, and adding sugar helps the process and flavour. They didn’t use coke as marinade in ye olden days, but we’re sure that they would approve. With this sense of lore in mind, we deliberately avoided ‘pink salt’ that would typically be used for curing. It is laden with sodium nitrate, and I feel we get enough of that in our food and this was an opportunity to make something sincere and healthy (well, ‘healthier’, as far as salty meat soaked in booze and cola goes).

ome things in life take time, effort, and a special artisan’s touch. Italian sports cars, action films with decent characters, and your craft beers and small-batch spirits. But soda? Really? Craft soda? Is that a thing? Well now it is, thanks to Roots Soda. The Edinburgh team have just launched two flavours of unconventional pop – Hoodoo (citrus, hibiscus and chilli) and Kaleidoscope (strawberry, orange, balsamic and basil). It has all the craft trappings – handwritten batch numbers, minimalist packaging, poetry. Yep, poetry, right there on the back of the bottle. What’s going on? Why is this a thing? Mark Pool from Roots explains: “We loved fizzy drinks as kids. Now though, we find them unnerving. It seemed to us that fizzy drinks should have been a treat. Like apple crumble, or the sticky toffee puddings our mums used to make now and then for us as kids. And just like those apple crumbles, they should have been made on the kitchen stove with real wholesome ingredients. Not pharmacists’ percolators, extracts and technicians in white coats.” You want around a kilo of salt, and you’ll Right, that... that hasn’t really cleared need a big plastic tub or very small bin to coat things up has it? Let’s move on. In terms of the meat in. In addition you want around 250g of sugar. The salt and sugar play a number of chemi- flavour, Hoodoo brings the most to the table. Pomegranate, grapefruit, orange and cal tricks, but mainly they draw water out and chilli – we’ll put up with all kinds of haikus and preserve the meat by slowing down oxidation. Better make sure there’s room in fridge, we need Instagram-production photos for that stuff. Tasty. Kaleidoscope, on the other hand, tastes to leave this bad boy in there for 2 weeks. From like Fanta. Admittedly, a posh take on Fanta, but Phagomania’s experience, there will be comFanta nonetheless. Therein lies the rub – if it’s a plaints, so be prepared for your girlfriend/boychoice between a can of factory-produced sugary friend/spouse/flatmate to argue fridge politics. juice and a bottle of craft-made sugary juice that Just remember: you’re making bacon, baby. tastes the same but costs four times as much, The final stage is to soak your meat. Stop sniggering. Leave it covered in water for 24 hours then why pick the crafty stuff? Well, according to Mark, the factory stuff and this will draw out a lot of the saltiness. Do is bad. He says: “Fizzy drinks and their ingredinot do what we did and impatiently taste the ents are difficult to understand, although we bacon before the soaking, unless your favourite understand enough to know they are not good things are salt and disappointment. Drum roll. for us. It seemed to us that they were crying out This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. The for someone to take them back to their roots, to taste test. make their ingredients easier to understand, to Cut as thin and consistent a slice as you can manage and chuck in the pan. The texture was both be imaginative and creative, to make them with softer yet meatier than your regular bacon, almost love and care.” OK... So in conclusion, craft soda is a bit flakey. I put that down to the marinade. However, salt sadly won the flavour battle for the most part. pricey, but each bottle comes with a free poem. It is like hypothetical apple crumble from the The edges had the lovely sweetness, especially past. The red version is quite nice, and the where it had crisped up, but the centre had lost orange one makes no sense. It’s no Irn-Bru, but out on our ambitious flavourings. And I’ll admit it Irn-Bru is bad for you for some reason. It’s all very – the sharpness of lime was a bizarre, unwelcome confusing, but we do know one fact for sure – guest, much like the last guy to leave a party. But craft soda, it is a thing. hey, at least he had brought his own bacon. Now what’s better than making bacon? Roots Soda is available in venues around Edinburgh, and Making smoked bacon! And what is better than Brewdog bars across the UK that? Chorizo! We’ll tell you how we got on with rootssoda.co.uk that one next month.

FOOD AND DRINK

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BELLA HARDY & THE MIDNIGHT WATCH Thu 15 August

THE CHAIR Fri 16 August KARINE POLWART Sat 17 August

SCOTTISH NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA Sun 18 August

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CROSS THE TRACKS

19-28 July 2013 Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival

UNDERGROUND HIP-HOP, ELECTRONICA, SOUL AND FUNK MEET JAZZ AND BLUES

Hot 8 Brass Band 19.7.13 Palazzo Spiegeltent

Hidden Orchestra (av performance) 20.7.13 Liquid Room*

Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate 21.7.13 Voodoo Rooms*

Snarky Puppy 22.7.13 Queen’s Hall

Submotion Orchestra 26.7.13 Liquid Room*

Four Corners featuring The Haggis Horns 26.7.13 3 Bristo Place*

Ghostpoet 27.7.13 Liquid Room*

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Church of Noise

he idea that former Y’All Is Fantasy Island front-man Adam Stafford considered giving up music after the release of his 2011 album Build A Harbour Immediately is upsetting – proof that sometimes, our most talented and original musicians aren’t given enough support. Thankfully, he’s back this month with the excellent Imaginary Walls Collapse. He’ll be showcasing his intricate blend of leftfield folk rock, replete with live looping, beatboxing and unpredictability, with support from Scottish Album of the Year Award winner RM Hubbert on 4 July at Edinburgh’s Wee Red Bar. Here come the Scottish summer festivals! Kelburn Garden Party (6-7 Jul) offers an embarrassment of riches. The headline slot comes from madcap multi-deck beatsmith Mr Scruff. Other must-sees include the arthouse electronica of Conquering Animal Sound, psych-rockers Woven Tents, and the electronic post-rock of Machines In Heaven, plus hip-hop from the likes of Hector Bizerk. Packed with good vibes, Kelburn’s the more comfortable choice for those put off by the sheer scale of T in the Park. Nazoranai are a noise-rock supergroup comprising Sunn O)))’s Stephen O’Malley, Oren Ambarchi of Gravetemple, and revered Japanese experimental drummer Keiji Haino. Together, they make doom-laden, propulsive drone rock with motorik rhythms underpinning shimmering walls of brutal, psychedelic noise. Cry Parrot bring them to Stereo in Glasgow on 10 July. On 12-14 July, lo and behold, T in the Park is upon us. Scotland’s largest festival celebrates two decades of lager-fuelled musical hedonism with a packed bill which, while it brooks a somewhat dubious popularism with the likes of Jake Bugg and the effing Mumfords heading up the bill, also offers a wealth of up-and-coming talent. The urgent, epic math-rock of Vasa and masked electronic terrorists Roman Nose represent but a few of our brightest hopes, while epic indie rock is well represented with sets from Foals, Frightened Rabbit and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. And then there’s Kraftwerk, in the (robotic) flesh. On 14 July, John Lemke and Poppy Ackroyd take the stage at Mono in Glasgow, in support of their new albums – Lemke’s debut album People Do occupies the middle ground between experimental jazz and the washed-out, stately electronics of Boards of Canada. Poppy Ackroyd, a long-term collaborator with Hidden Orchestra’s Joe Acheson, brings her neo-classical piano compositions, showcased on debut release Escapement, to the live arena, gilding them with found sounds and washes of heavenly static. Just one word to describe the music made by these two – exquisite. On 20 July, one of the highlights of the King Tut’s Summer Nights programme takes place as rising dubstep star Teklo heads up a bill including Roman Nose, fellow bass warrior The Mighty

Kraftwerk

Cream, and much-touted electro/rock/dubstep fusionistas DARC. Wear comfortable shoes, you’re going to be dancing. A lot. On the same night, you can catch visual maestro and electronic experimentalist Stefan Blomeier showcasing tracks from his recent album Unexpected Journey at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, under the banner of Black Tent, the club night run by Skinny favourites Errors, who offer DJ support. 21 July sees Mogwai return to the live arena for a very special one-off concert at 220 Broomielaw. Having debuted their 2006 live score for the documentary about French football legend Zinedine Zidane at Manchester International Festival, Braithwaite and head home for its Glasgow premiere, twinning their magisterial post-rock with the visual poetry of one of The Beautiful Game’s most revered practititioners. As the Edinburgh Jazz Festival rumbles and parps along, one unmissable highlight will be Haftor Medbøe and friends, performing at Bristo Place on 25 July. Medbøe’s band combine lush jazz textures and excursions into improvised melody with hints of ethereal electronica and experimental rock. There’s a vital immediacy to his playing, so no need to grow a beard to stroke just for the occasion.

On 26 July Wickerman kicks off: new wave party-starters Vukovi and the balls-to-the-wall indie rock of Casual Sex are particular up-andcoming highlights, while main stage action is led by Primal Scream and Nile Rodgers and CHIC. Elsewhere you can catch indie giants Admiral Fallow, and the expansive, proto-gothic rock of Holy Esque. 27 July brings Ghostpoet back to Edinburgh to play the Liquid Rooms – his Mercurynominated debut Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam was a strong first outing, but his new album, Some Say I So I Say Light offers a darker, more introspective, bass-led sound which deserves just as much attention, if not more. One of the most interesting artists bridging the UK indie and hip-hop / electronic scenes. Edinburgh’s Electric Circus continue to smash it – on 29 July they welcome Texan gothic soul ensemble My Jerusalem, featuring sometime Twilight Singer Jeff Klein at the helm, playing tracks from last year’s pitch black sophomore album Preachers, defined by country leanings and Klein’s gravel-scarred vocals. [Illya Kuryakin] See listings for times and prices

Do Not Miss

queegee your third eye and start the month with experimental, instrumental jazz-hop outfit BadBadNotGood. The Ontario trio have collaborated with members of Odd Future and reinterpret songs by artists as varied as Kanye West and My Bloody Valentine. They’re hitting Broadcast (2 Jul). If you’d rather let out all that stored up primal energy, Boston hardcore crew Hounds of Hate ought to provide an outlet. They’re playing with like-minded Violent Reaction and Make The Effort at the 13th Note (3 Jul). If that’s not your bag, a night of minimalist techno and noise is on the cards on the same night with Vatican Shadow at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy (also playing Sneaky Pete’s on 2 Jul). Head back to Nice ‘n’ Sleazy soon after and you’ll be able to catch local boys Halo Tora showcase their moody, textural sprawls. Muchloved art rockers Atlas : Empire support, as will up and coming indie rock outfit Pale Fire, who will be playing an unplugged set (5 Jul). If you’re concerned about the lack of blastbeats at that show, don’t fret: Preston punks The Day Man Lost play with demented grinders Sufferinfuck. If the band names are anything to go by, Burt Ward and Deathwank are worth heading down early for. That’s at Auld Reekie’s Banshee Labyrinth (6 Jul). If griefcore is your niche, you’re in luck: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone main man Owen Ashworth makes his return as Advance Base, playing Sleazy's with rising post-pop mentalists Machines In Heaven (10 Jul). Next, get your monthly fix of death metal with Swiss brutalists Carnal Decay, who headline a packed bill which includes Pighead, Cancerous Womb and Scordatura at Auld Reekie’s Opium (14 Jul). If you’re in Glasgow, however, don’t pass up the ice cold synthscapes of Com Truise with support from Glasgow producer Sad City. That’s on the same night at Broadcast (14 Jul). You won’t want to dodge The Locust’s main man Justin Pearson belt out paranoid schizo jams with Retox, especially when they’re part of a great lineup including the equally abrasive ZEUS!, experimental noise merchants Battery Face and two-bass’d good guy collective Thin Privilege at Broadcast (16 Jul). An array of doom / drone / stoner madness awaits at Bannermans with Virginian instrumental collective Karma To Burn, bluesy UK outfit Desert Storm and Edinburgh hard rockers Gareeda at Bannermans (17 Jul). Back west, the violence continues with d-beat sadists Razoreater and blackened death metallers The Infernal Sea at the 13th Note (20 Jul), while Glasgow’s Departures bring the noise to King Tut’s Summer Nights series on 28 Jun, flanked by Salo and Owls in Antarctica. Finally, the Merchant City Festival hauls in a variety of class acts out of the woodwork to finish up July, from dreamy shoegazers to demented filthbringers. Highlights include No Island, Gunfinger, Skullwizard, Galoshins, Big Hogg, Giblets of Yesterday, Los Tentakills, Smack Wizards and Woe. All bands play the 13th Note (26–28 Jul). [Ross Watson]

lasgow's Sighthill Stone Circle, erected in 1979, is the first authentic stone circle built in Scotland for 3000 years. Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, who headlines this benefit concert, got involved in the campaign to save the stones from demolition because his father was one of the main organisers behind its creation. He recently explained to us why it’s so important to keep the monument, which is currently scheduled to be destroyed to make way for facilities intended to host the 2018 Youth Olympics, should Glasgow’s bid be successful. “The Sighthill Stone Circle was the first astronomically aligned one built in Britain for

July 2013

Braithwaite commented. Heavily involved in the ongoing campaign to secure the future of the stone circle, Braithwaite was inspired by the Scottish artistic community’s response: “I’ve been taken aback by how into helping everyone has been. It’s been a really heartening experience seeing people from all strands of the community come together.” Support comes from an all-star cast of players from the Chemikal Underground and Rock Action rosters, including Aidan Moffat, RM Hubbert, Emma Pollock, Remember Remember and more. A memorable gig is in store, and it’s all for a good cause, too.

MUSIC

Mogwai

Preview

Photo: Euan Robertson

SAVE SIGHTHILL STONES CONCERT thousands of years. Its story is fantastic, and PLATFORM, 27 JUL was only halted by the Thatcher government,”

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The Stone Roses

Glasgow Green, 15 Jun

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Every reformed act must dance with their past one way or another, but today The Stone Roses rekindle history in a very specific way, revisiting the scene of a landmark 1990 gig that’s since been consecrated by fans as one of their finest moments. The 50,000 tickets sold out fast, and all roads leading to the gates of the Green are crowded with bucket hats and lined with blues and twos, treating the already ailing and nicking misbehavers. But while outside things are uncomfortably lairy, inside the arena the atmosphere is more welcoming (albeit burdened with an abundance of bad apples), with an air of devotional joy mingling with the fast food aromas and pot smoke. A three-strong support bill stokes anticipation, with The View and Jake Bugg laying the groundwork and Primal Scream poised to reap the rewards. But rather than capitalise on the marked hunger for older favourites, the Primals proudly allot half their slot to More Light, and consequently garner only a fraction of the singalongs they’re warranted. When the hits arrive, though, the impact is high, with Swastika Eyes instigating much shape-throwing and Rocks seeing many a-pint lofted skywards. Then – a between-band downpour and a solo

piper intro later – the Roses walk out to get reacquainted with a city Mani later labels “the second best in the world.” I Wanna Be Adored occupies its standard vanguard position, Brown pacing his territory and all-but buried by the sea of disciples singing every word. Elephant Stone follows (a welcome appearance, having only recently been reintroduced to their set), while early outings for Ten Storey Love Song and Sally Cinnamon confirm they aren’t about to play hard to get with the tent-pole tracks. Everyone gets a chance to shine: Fools Gold sees Squire indulge in some premiere fretwork; Mani supplies Made of Stone with its anthemic clout; Reni delivers a blistering drum solo without instigating a bar-wards exodus; and Ian… Well, true to form his vocals aren’t exactly on point, but his cocksure demeanour is present and correct – which for a frontman of his styling is rather more vital than tonal accuracy anyway. Admittedly, it’s hard to shake the feeling that, at its core, this is hawked nostalgia and little more; a victory lap for the partisans rather than a new chapter. But with I Am the Resurrection hoisting spirits higher and higher, the misgiving pales: tonight is ‘crowd-pleasing’ epitomised, and aloofness is not an option. [Chris Buckle]

www.thejeffreylewissite.com

Photo: Kat Gollock

Jeffrey Lewis has always been astute in his choice of collaborators, and his work with 60s psychfolk survivor Peter Stampfel continues to be endearingly bonkers. The sense of rootedness in an American counter-cultural tradition is also evident in a support slot tonight from Lach, a central figure in New York’s anti-folk movement, whom Lewis acknowledges as a driving force behind his own development as a live performer. Lach’s songs range, in a seemingly freeassociative style, across subjects including high-school cliques, watching The Wizard of Oz on acid, and unsettling encounters in peep shows.

Danny Brown

The Arches, 15 Jun

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Danny Brown’s hyper-exaggerated caricature is in full effect tonight. From his mad-haired, gap-toothed appearance to his comically high-pitched voice, it’s all there in plain sight. With partner-in-crime producer Skywlkr stood comfortably behind the decks, the Detroit-born rapper begins by spitting satirically self-aware, ultra-misogynistic boasts over The Purist’s sinister Jealousy beat. This instantly sets the crowd off, transforming The Arches’ atmosphere from one of a static club night to an all-out shindig. Brown’s

enthusiasm can’t be faulted; he struts up and down the stage, pulling devil horns and sticking out his tongue. He draws surprisingly lightly from his breakthrough mixtape; tracks which should have been live staples (Die Like a Rockstar, XXX) are strangely absent in favour of standalone singles, upcoming material and lesser known cuts (Dope Song, Piss Test, Molly Ringwald). Live hip-hop often relies on the strength of the performer; luckily, the collective enthusiasm on display gives Brown the boost he needs to deliver a highly hyperactive set that will lodge itself in memory for some time to come. [Ross Watson] www.facebook.com/xdannyxbrownx

www.thestoneroses.org

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

are frighteningly on form for a man of 67, and his SECC, 13 Jun band are fully capable of rocking out with the best of them. rrrrr They’ve got an album to promote, so choice It would be an understatement to bill Neil Young cuts from last year’s Psychedelic Pill are a given. & Crazy Horse’s first Glasgow date since 2001 as The studio version of the title track is awash with an extravagant return. As comically oversized phaser effects to the point of distraction, but amplifier case props are lifted up from the stage tonight there’s no such reliance on trickery. The and mad scientist roadies make preparations for aggressive, sixteen-minute Giant on the Land the prolific quartet’s arrival, Flower of Scotland towers high with their best work in a live context. is blasted over the PA. Naturally, there’s a huge Young later performs a solo rendition of Heart saltire strewn up as a backdrop between two giof Gold to overwhelming fanfare, with a cover of ant, retro TV sets. Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind thrown in for added When they emerge, the bulk of material flower power. A poignant My My, Hey Hey (Out is typically distortion-led; it’s more difficult to of the Blue) closes the set in the thunderous predict which songs are going to be culled. Love manner of its electric counterpart, bringing the and Only Love from 1990’s Ragged Glory is an curtain down on a rare night in the presence of electrifying opener, and the mid-tempo melody of legends. [Ross Watson] Rust Never Sleeps’ Powderfinger sets the nostalwww.neilyoung.com gia stakes even higher. Young’s high tenor vocals

Review

Marnie Stern

Marnie Stern / Sky Larkin Broadcast, 2 Jun

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For a support slot on a Sunday night, Leeds quartet Sky Larkin attract a notably enthusiastic crowd, and a blistering set showcasing material from their up-and-coming third LP illustrates why. Maintaining a restless pace, these songs effortlessly mesh post-rock intricacy with swirling, twin-guitar dynamics. It’ll be familiar enough to fans of Sonic Youth circa Murray Street, but few acts master this approach with such adroitness and assurance. Marnie Stern is more difficult to place generically: while the New Yorker’s recorded output has traced a gradual development from Lightning Bolt-style frenzied syncopation, to

MUSIC

Photo: Vito Andreoni

Mono, 1 Jun

It’s a set of topics which complements Lewis and Stampfel’s similarly hallucinogen-addled stories and anecdotes; familiar highlights include Stampfel’s ode to bottle cap design (complete with slideshow), and Demon in the Ground, an inspired subversion of Spirit in the Sky. Behind the humour, however, there’s a rare earnestness to Lewis’ contributions, which illustrates the faith he still holds in the values of 60s counterculture; WWPRD (What Would Pussy Riot Do?) is a sustained defence of the idea that guitar music still can — and should — challenge political authority. Lewis’ unfashionable adherence to such maxims demonstrates the integrity and independence he’s inherited from figures like Lach and Stampfel. [Sam Wiseman]

a (slightly) more conventional take on melodic post-hardcore, Stern’s live sound tends to efface such distinctions. The need to perform what are effectively four different tasks — vocals, along with guitar loops, tapping, and rhythm segments — leaves her without much elbow room. Nonetheless, whatever is lost in subtlety is matched by Stern’s charisma and energy, and the thundering rhythm section (Nithin Kalvakota on bass, newbie Joe Wong on drums) ensures that the bruising force of Stern’s records is retained; inevitable highlights include classics like Transformer, but the rapturous spirit of recent single Year of the Glad provides evidence that Stern is still at the peak of her powers. [Sam Wiseman] www.marniestern.net

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Photo: Ann Margaret Campbell

Jeffrey Lewis and Peter Stampfel / Lach,

Hope For Men Below No stranger to these pages, Adam Stafford is a multi-talented filmmaker who has won numerous awards for his pictures of industrial life in Scotland’s central belt. Now he’s ready for his equally dynamic music to enter the cultural fast lane Interview: Chris McCall Photography: David P Scott

n 1939 Glasgow was served by 114 cinemas containing an impressive total of 175,000 seats. As the city’s population dropped and television sets became relatively affordable, many of these picture houses were converted into bingo halls or furniture salesrooms, but the majority were simply flattened. One that has survived – or its frontage at least – is the Ascot, which still proudly stands facing Great Western Road, next to Anniesland station. Its impressive art deco foyer has been preserved and is now used by people going to and from the modern apartment blocks that have replaced the auditorium. You may think that living in such surroundings would provide a regular source of inspiration for any resident filmmakers, but Adam Stafford admits that he’s stayed here so long that he now barely registers the fact it was once a cinema. For mental stimulation, the 31-year-old instead looks to his home town of Falkirk, one of the birthplaces of the industrial revolution and still home to some heavy duty commercial enterprise. In 2009 Stafford directed The Shutdown, a multi-award winning short film written and narrated by novelist and fellow Falkirk native Alan Bissett. The film told the story of an accident at the Grangemouth petrochemical plant that seriously injured Bissett’s father and the emotional impact it had on his family. The human cost of industry is an important theme for Stafford. It directly influenced the choice of subject matter for his next film, more of which later. But the principal purpose of The Skinny’s visit to the Ascot one bright summer evening is to talk music, not cinema; specifically the album Imaginary Walls Collapse, due for release this month. Walls is Stafford's fourth album as a solo artist (if you discount his excellent mini covers LP, Music in the Mirabel) and his first for the Edinburgh independent label Song, by Toad – home of such other singular artists as Meursault and Withered Hand. For a man who runs his own label, Wiseblood Industries (which has released singles by the likes of PAWS), he explains that the motivation to work with another was simple. “The big reason was money and exposure. Matthew [Young] and Ian [Greenhill, Song, by Toad’s honchos] have a really great track record and a good relationship with the music community in general,” he suggests. “I’m just excited to be bringing it out on a ‘proper’ label. With Wiseblood, I’m trying to make it a more physical label in the future, instead of digital as it has been for the past few years. It’s only been a digital distribution platform for me and my friends – whereas Song, by Toad have a distributor, they press all of their stuff either on CD or record, and they are really well-connected in the radio and press industry. It just seemed like a no-brainer.” That link-up is already reaping benefits, with Please, the first single to be taken from Walls, receiving airplay from BBC 6 Music – a first for Stafford. But the album almost never saw the light of day. Despite attracting numerous glowing reviews for his last, Build a Harbour Immediately, and steadily building a reputation as a unique and engrossing live performer, last year Stafford seriously considered quitting music for good. “I think I was going through some mad funk,” he exhales. “I kind of get... not self-doubt, but exhaustion. I ask myself ‘how long can I keep

July 2013

going and not progressing?’ The fact Walls is coming out on two labels [Song, by Toad in the UK and Kingfisher Bluez in North America] is a big deal for me, it feels like a big progression. The support tour with The Twilight Sad [in 2010] was a big point. I could finally take the music out to others. Their audiences were just the right kind of people for that. But it’s the in-between parts that are difficult. Like, if I’m not recording, or if I don’t have any blocks in place to make that progression, I start to think: ‘what the fuck am I doing?’ Any musician that doesn’t make a substantial living out of playing live or recording probably thinks the same too. But the reason I didn’t completely quit is that Matthew and Ian had said ‘We won’t allow it! Do the album and we’ll sort something out.’ And I also got a phone call from RM Hubbert, which was really nice, when he said [deadpans]: ‘You should probably continue.’” Stafford describes Walls as sounding like the “cousin” of Harbour. “The noticeable difference is the lack of acoustic instruments; whereas Harbour had a few downbeat acoustic ballads, this one doesn’t at all, it’s all quite propulsive and electric.” Working with long-term musical collabora-

“It’s the kind of pop I’d like to hear in the charts” Adam Stafford

tor Robbie Lesiuk, the record again showcases a quick-thinking artist with a talent for taking looped guitar effects, beatboxing and sharp hooks and combining them to create a sound that’s occasionally challenging but always satisfying – as well as being strangely addictive. “It’s the kind of pop that I’d like to hear in the charts – slightly subversive and quite catchy with melodic hooks. There was a definite drive to try and make songs more simple and instantaneous.” Before turning solo, Stafford was the driving force behind Y’all Is Fantasy Island (YiFi), a band that many felt never received the recognition they were due before they called it a day in 2010. YiFi fans will be pleased to know that a future reunion has not been ruled out, but there are no definite plans for one as yet. In the meantime, Stafford has more than enough projects to keep him busy. In addition to promoting Walls, which will be launched with a duo of gigs at Edinburgh Art School’s Wee Red Bar and The Glad Cafe in Shawlands on 5 July, there’s the small matter of his forthcoming film, No Hope For Men Below. Stafford revealed in The Skinny in 2009 that he and Bissett would follow The Shutdown with a short film inspired by the 1923 Redding pit disaster, in which 40 men were killed at a coal mine two miles from Falkirk. After initial funding fell through, the project never made it past the development stage and was shelved indefinitely. But then Stafford was given a shocking reminder that this was still a very real and contemporary issue in the UK. “There was a pit disaster in Wales in 2011 (at Gleision in Swansea Valley, in which four men were killed), caused by flooding – almost exactly like Redding. I thought: this is still

relevant – nearly 100 years later it’s still happening in small communities. Men are still putting themselves in danger in this way.” With Bissett tied up by other commitments, Stafford approached Falkirk poet Janet Paisley, the mother of an old school friend. “I emailed her asking if she would be interested in writing a poem based on the Redding disaster. She was recovering from a stroke at the time, which she had about nine months earlier, and she replied saying she had not written anything in more than a year, but this sounds like a great idea – but I’m worried I’ll let you down. I think she was on the verge of saying no. The poem that she produced was just fantastic. One of the things she did say, her one clause, was that the poem would be written in broad Scots, as she doesn’t write in English anymore. And I thought, well, it will either sink the film or it will make the film, it will be the unique thing about it. I think it was worth taking the risk.” Filming in a Fife mine shaft, ordinarily used to train members of the emergency services, gave Stafford a revealing insight into the working

MUSIC

life of a miner. “It was a little glimpse into what these men had to put up with. The actors were completely cramped up. And to think that this was your job for ten hours a day for five to six days a week, with the added paranoia of the safety of it, the risk of collapse… I mean for fuck's sake.” No Hope For Men Below has been submitted to various film festivals around the world, in the hope that it will be selected and then potentially picked up by a distributor. Regardless, Stafford plans to arrange a screening of the film in Falkirk for the relatives of those who died at the No. 23 pit all those years ago. “I was concerned that they were going to turn round and ask ‘what is this?’ but they have been really incredible, the support they’ve shown has been great.” Adam Stafford plays Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh on 4 Jul and The Glad Cafe, Glasgow on 5 Jul Imaginary Walls Collapse is released on 15 Jul via Song, by Toad www.soundcloud.com/adam-stafford

Feature

Album of the Month Fuck Buttons

Slow Focus [ATP Recordings, 22 Jul]

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After the giant leap in ambition, scope and production that was 2009’s Tarot Sport, it’s entirely judicious of electro-noise duo Fuck Buttons to make follow-up Slow Focus a more confident and measured next step. Though it’s cut from a similar cloth to its predecessor, this third album is somewhat rougher in texture and darker in tone. It’s a deliberate tack, of course, and a showcase of just how refined their sprawling palette has become. The hard, percussive element that often pervades is reminiscent of debut album Street Horrrsing, with the pair’s latter production and towering synths carefully woven in, gradually unfurling in the mind after repeated listens.

Adam Stafford

Imaginary Walls Collapse [Song, by Toad, 15 Jul]

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This is an album that very nearly never saw the light of day. Adam Stafford, former Y’all Is Fantasy Island main man and a respected solo artist and filmmaker in his own right, came close to quitting music last year. Those who persuaded him to reconsider are sure to have their faith repaid with a collection of songs that ranks amongst his finest work yet. Imaginary Walls Collapse continues with the recording techniques for which Stafford is by now well-known: reverb-heavy riffs are looped, layered and built upon with beatboxing or heavy drums, but the songs never lose their essential pop hooks. His recent Americana-inflected single Please is a case in point – a prospective radio staple just waiting for a DJ to open their ears. More focussed in intent than Build a Harbour Immediately, there’s plenty of nourishment on offer here. Stafford still remains relatively unknown outside of Scotland, this could be the album that quickly changes that. [Chris McCall] www.soundcloud.com/adam-stafford Playing Edinburgh’s Wee Red Bar on 4 Jul and Glasgow’s Glad Cafe on 5 Jul

Daughn Gibson

Me Moan [Sub Pop, 8 Jul]

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On debut All Hell, Daughn Gibson triple-filters country ballads through crackles, loops and warped samples, teasing out an atmospheric production closer to the likes of Vatican Shadow or Demdike Stare than the acts to whom his stage name pays homage (namely 50s/60s cowboy crooner Don Gibson and blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn). Me Moan confidently elaborates upon this already impressive vision, with opener The Sound of Law seizing focus with gritty lyrics (opening line: “my daddy was a beast”) and a colossal, propulsive chorus. Elsewhere, Mad Ocean revels in a voodoo vibe built from bagpipe wails and Gibson’s oaken baritone, while The Pisgee Nest – based on a real-life tale of sexual exploitation – takes another step into the shadows, with distorted slide guitar wriggling under the skin. But it’s not all so unsettling, with Kissin on the Blacktop’s Footloose-string bends and Won’t You Climb’s romantic shimmer providing the dawn after the darkness. [Chris Buckle]

Thundercat

Apocalypse [Brainfeeder, 8 Jul]

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A funky lovechild of Prince, Frank Zappa, Herbie Hancock and Flying Lotus (the latter incidentally co-produces this album), Thundercat, aka multiinstrumentalist Stephen Bruner, follows up 2011’s The Golden Age of Apocalypse with another noodly hybrid of an album. For much of Apocalypse, Bruner propels a straightforward pop template through an experimental meat grinder of genres; his unapologetically sugary lyrics (“I just wanna party,” etc) belie a level of intricacy and craft you just won’t find in the average pop record. An elaborate wash of FlyLo-esque hip-hop dictates the beats; old-school Los Angeles disco sets the tone; rich layers of jazzy instrumentation fill it out. Standout track Heartbreaks + Setbacks succinctly encapsulates his approach, incorporating sitars, a syncopated beat, and a swell of soulful vocals. And, bubbling throughout, an inescapable pulse of bass, played by virtuoso bassist Bruner himself. If not quite a bass odyssey, Thundercat is certainly embarking on a fair old trek. [John Nugent] www.thundercattheamazing.tumblr.com

Yet Slow Focus is still a wide-eyed wonder of an album, particularly as it warms up; penultimate track Stalker emerges from a John Carpenter-esque sci-fi horror motif into a sky high paean, while epic finale Hidden XS is a kinetic belter of childlike melody and pumping percussion. Even though such moments are more understated than on Tarot Sport, when they come, Fuck Buttons still sound untouchable. Quite where the cosmic duo go from here seems an earthly concern. [Darren Carle] Playing SwG3, Glasgow 10 Sep www.fuckbuttons.com

Bosnian Rainbows

Bosnian Rainbows [Sargent House, 24 Jun]

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Former At The Drive-In / The Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and Les Butcherettes founder Teri Gender Bender come from distinct musical backgrounds, but their new band Bosnian Rainbows – also featuring synth-player Nicci Kasper and ex-Mars Volta drummer Deantoni Parks – is a different entity entirely. Eli is a dark, shamanistic opener; its soaring sonics reject listener preconceptions. The other tracks follow suit: the sweet sway of Turtle Neck collapses into a psychedelic hard rock jam in an instant, and The Eye Fell In Love builds up menacingly before settling into a gorgeous lead melody. It’s weird, retro-indebted pop with a sturdy, punk backbone. Teri is an alluring presence throughout; she’s passionate and fierce, cautiously echoing the most prolific performers of the 70s and 80s without sounding derivative. Rodríguez-López is infamous for his dictator approach in the studio, but he adopts a collaborative mentality here, complementing the record’s ebb and flow rather than dominating it. [Ross Watson] www.bosnianrainbows.bandcamp.com

Six. By Seven

Star & Dagger

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Love and Peace and Sympathy [Borrowed Tune Motion Pictures, 8 Jul] After a brief spell in the limelight in the late 90s with The Things We Make – which sat somewhere between Britpop’s darker, angst-ridden edges and Mogwai-style post-rock – Nottingham’s Six. By Seven spent a decade in relative obscurity. With Steve Hewitt (Boo Radleys, Placebo) now behind the kit, Sympathy marks a new phase of sorts, though the band’s take on reverb-heavy rock remains mostly unchanged. While the influence of acts like Spacemen 3 remains obvious, Sympathy possesses an impressive emotive power: main songwriter Chris Olley is not afraid to explore expansive rock structures, particularly on tumultuous nine-minute epic Truce. This willingness to embrace the unfashionable probably explains Six. By Seven’s decline in popularity, but it also illustrates their unwavering belief in their sound; this could be the record that reaches a new audience, repaying that faith. [Sam Wiseman] www.sixbyseven.bandcamp.com

www.daughngibson.com

Tomorrowland Blues [Cauldron 333, 22 Jul] Two-thirds of Star & Dagger’s membership (White Zombie’s Sean Yseult, Dava She Wolf from Cycle Sluts from Hell) should give budding listeners some idea of what to expect from their new project featuring vocalist Von Hesseling. Opener In My Blood features low-end guitar grooves, high-pitched instrumental wails and bluesy solos. Hesseling’s vocals are strong and commanding; her presence helps to fully form the image the band presumably wishes to project – bad-ass rock ‘n roll built for late nights in dive bars. Sleazy vibes are repeatedly driven home, though there’s the occasional surprise moment: the title track contains brief flashes of melancholia, and Selling All Things slows down the tempo and thickens up the tones for some retro-doom worship à la Electric Wizard. These switch-ups are well-timed, appearing just as the same old tropes begin to get monotonous. A fun novelty piece built for those about to rock. [Ross Watson] www.stardagger.blogspot.co.uk

Fists

Walton

Benin City

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Phantasm [Gringo / Hello Thor , 8 Jul]

Beyond [Hyperdub, 1 Jul]

Fires in the Park [Audio Doughnuts, 1 Jul]

Phantasm won’t be lauded for its originality, channelling as it does a scrappy fuzz-pop sound that’s grown endlessly familiar: a garage-rock lip curl here, a whammy-barred guitar twang there, with insouciance across the board and brusque distortion wall to wall. But there are plenty other reasons to salute Nottingham quintet Fists, who pack their debut with enough scuffed melodies and energy that initial feelings of déjà vu soon subside. Producer Rory Brattwell (aka former Test Icicle/current Warm Brains bloke Rory Attwell) helps bring out their best side, keeping the edges rough on bluesy opener Go but ensuring the compact hooks of tracks like Solvent (a sort of Britpopped Bleached) or Big Wave (a Fever to Tell-type rock number) aren’t swallowed by the lofi clamour. It does the trick: by the time breezy closer Try comes around, Phantasm has comfortably transcended its chosen limitations and delivered something decidedly satisfying. [Chris Buckle]

Walton moves away from the dubstep and garage sounds of his early EPs, broadening his scope to take in influences from house, techno and experimental electronic music. There’s a familiar, lived-in feel to many cuts here, with drums that evoke 808 patterns, samples chopped in a way that recall classic early dance music, and occasional nods to acid house in the basslines of tracks like Help Me Out. Beyond is polished, but never over-produced or self-indulgent – each piece is kept short and punchy, with intelligent, well thought-out structures. The highlights – from the bubbling synths and washed-out female vocals of Can’t U See, to the glitchy minimalism of You & Me, to the filtered house of Every Night – have the timeless feel of music from a simpler, more dancefloor-oriented era. That knack for knowing how much is just enough is rare, meaning Beyond is something of an understated triumph. [Bram E. Gieben]

Like M.I.A.’s Kala or The Bug’s London Zoo, it’s hard to imagine Fires in the Park’s particular blend of global influences being forged in any city other than the UK capital. The debut from the trio of Joshua Idehen (vocals), Theo Buckingham (drums) and Tom Leaper (sax/ synths/samples) is an impressively distinctive fusion of hip-hop, dancehall, jazz, dubstep and drum n’ bass; a mixture at its most effective on the kwaito-driven bounce and clatter of Faithless. Elsewhere, Idehen’s sense of urban angst dominates the tone of the record, which is awash with vaguely threatening bass rumblings, portentous sax stabs and lurching, staccato rhythms. While these attempts to generate a sense of dystopian drama sometimes misfire (see the lumbering dub of Pencils), the sheer breadth of genres drawn upon ensures that Fires never feels tired or repetitive. For all of their influences, Benin City also maintain a remarkable sense of cohesion. [Sam Wiseman]

www.fistsmusic.blogspot.co.uk

www.twitter.com/WaltonMCR

www.soundcloud.com/benin-city

Review

RECORDS

THE SKINNY

Bell X1

Lust for Youth

Gauntlet Hair

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Chop Chop [Belly Up, 1 Jul]

Perfect View [Sacred Bones, 15 Jul]

Stills [Dead Oceans, 15 Jul]

For their sixth album, Bell X1 shelve the Talking Heads-aping pop strut and glitchy electronics that flavoured Blue Lights on the Highway and Bloodless Coup in an effort to strip back their songwriting. It’s an understandable urge, but a dangerous one, for they’re not a particularly dynamic troupe, and removing layers only draws attention to this. Nonetheless, Chop Chop achieves moments of elegance, with warm horns elevating Diorama’s easy-listening melodies and The End Is Nigh ticking the ‘anthemic finale’ box ably. But even here Bell X1 betray a lack of personality, with the latter’s strings-hoisted passions glancing where they should pierce – and a shimmering guitar line straight out of Where the Streets Have No Name suggests they’re still keeping tabs on those other Dublin-born chart-toppers named after military aircraft. [Chris Buckle]

Perfect View is Swedish producer Hannes Norrvide’s second album as Lust for Youth, arriving hot on the heels of last year’s Growing Seeds. Actually, make that cold on the heels, for there’s little warmth to be found in these bewitching beats and frosty synths, despite a definite dialling-down of Seeds’ confrontational distortion. There’s a pop core to these compositions – in the muffled New Order-ish intro to Another Day, or bonus track I Found Love in a Different Place’s tight hooks – but it’s a damaged one, with a presiding claustrophobia neutralising any dancefloor urges. Narcotic synth lines, haunted shouts and metonymic thuds provide the three corners of its unshifting aesthetic, and while it’s effectively hypnotic, it also feels overly exposed. With its noir heart permanently shrouded, Perfect View proves to be a record to detachedly admire, rather than lust after or fall for. [Chris Buckle]

Gunning for nostalgia, Andy R and Craig Nice reunite for a second Gauntlet Hair LP. Inspired by the dark angst of favourite childhood bands, the Colorado pair unveil a gloomy album full of murky depths and jangly highs. Clocking in at a mere half hour – but continuing their signature reverb-cloaked melodies in a fuzz of drum-machine beats and muffled vocals – Stills is the brief but conflicted output of an otherwise talented band. Moving past the weak opening (Human Nature and Spew are more discordant than ambient) and allowing the foamy sound to swell into tuneful peaks reaps a few rewards. Bad Apple and New To It spin like night-time carousels, and the colourful wails of Falling Out conjure a now-standard Animal Collective nod. Ultimately, though, any worthwhile glow is lost in a shoegazey fog, and the overall impression is damp and wanting. [George Sully]

www.bellx1.com

www.facebook.com/LustForYouth.Official

www.gauntlethair.net

Laki Mera

Turn All Memory to White Noise [Just Music, 15 Jul]

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Teho Teardo and Blixa Bargeld This collaboration between Einstürzende Neubauten’s Blixa Bargeld and Italian composer Teho Teardo reveals a strikingly symbiotic relationship between the pair, who worked together on theatre and film soundtracks before Still Smiling was conceived. The instrumentation sets violin, cello, piano and guitar against metallic percussion, while Bargeld ponderously intones vocal contributions in English, German and Italian; the musical palette brings out a tenderness in Bargeld’s vocals that is less evident in his other projects. That said, the tone of the pieces often recalls Neubauten’s dark, nervous tension, although their sharp-edged, post-industrial aesthetic is here replaced with a hazier atmosphere – particularly on the mournful, fluttering strings of songs like Come Up and See Me. While this makes Still Smiling a less challenging and complex record than some of Bargeld’s other work, it does have a rare space and quietude, which emphasises the deadpan, melancholy humour of his lyrics and vocal style. [Sam Wiseman]

www.lakimera.co.uk

www.tehoteardo.com

Edging God Out [Southside Deluxe, Out Now]

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The old retirement-and-comeback trick is a hip-hop staple, so how has it worked out for Loki, one of Scotland’s most lyrically gifted writers and rappers? Assembling a mass of the finest beatmakers in the Scottish hip-hop scene, from past collaborator Scatabrainz to affiliated crews and collectives; the likes of Sound Thief, Zambian Astronaut, Konchis and others, he has constructed an uncompromising, angry, often hilarious 19-track album that is without a doubt the strongest of his career. The intricate facets of his resurrection are myriad, from the hyper-intense double-time flows – which astound from guitardriven opener The Lazarus Pit onwards – to the socio-political engagement evidenced by Alter of the Swoosh and Jump, galvanised by a searing, sometimes uncomfortable honesty. There are moments of straight-up boom bap (the fantastic Michael Keaton) and darkly comic battle raps (the controversy-baiting Omnilash). Loki’s ambition here, both lyrically and musically, is astonishing. [Bram E Gieben]

July 2013

If the opening one-two of Junk Shop and Lesbian Wife didn’t offer enough cues – the former all languid guitar and sneers, the latter breezier despite lyrical loneliness – the third track on Any Port In A Storm lyrically nails Scott and Charlene’s Wedding’s schtick. “I haven’t done much changing in what I love since 1993,” drawls Craig Dermody over a top-of-theclass take on the It’s A Shame About Ray school of slacker-rock, and true to his word the influences are of a comparable vintage throughout, with Dando and Malkmus acting as key spirit guides. The second foundation of Dermody’s sound isn’t a time but a place, with the relocated Aussie continuing to display love for (and anxieties about) his adopted New York, from Fakin’ NYC’s messy pop hooks to Gammy Leg’s grisly postcard home. But despite the borrowed touchstones, Any Port… avoids feeling second-hand thanks to Dermody’s keen conviction and ear for a winning chorus. [Chris Buckle] www.scottandcharleneswedding.bandcamp.com

Ikonika

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Love Your Dum and Mad [Apollo, 22 Jul]

Aerotropolis [Hyperdub, 29 Jul]

With its gently tremulous textures and smoky intensity, Nadine Shah’s voice is a revelation on Love Your Dum and Mad, her first full-length album following a brace of acclaimed EPs. The title’s spoonerism is a red herring: across these eleven tracks, Shah selects and delivers her words with precision, affording every syllable space to register atop a crepuscular bed of despondent, predominantly piano-based arrangements. From the propulsive and dramatic Runaway to the richly gothic Dreary Town (remarkably, the first song the Whitburn-born chanteuse ever wrote), Shah evidences her compositional flair time and time again - even if the singularly lugubrious tone can at times feel arduous. Thankfully, said weight is largely alleviated through moments of crisp beauty such as the brass swells of Used it All and the final refrain of closer Winter Reigns, the latter imparting a lingering air of fragility and finesse. All in all, pretty gucking food. [Chris Buckle]

Emerging onto London’s bass scene with 2010’s Contact, Love, Want, Have, Ikonika (aka Sara Abdel-Hamid) presented an amalgamation of 80s retro-futurism, chiptune, dayglo synth washes and uptempo garage rhythms. That distinctive combination remains in evidence on Aerotropolis, though some of Contact ’s rougher edges have been tidied up. There’s a crisp, poppy edge here, particularly on Ikonika’s first track to feature vocals, courtesy of Jessy Lanza: the soulful, house-inflected Beach Mode (Keep It Simple). What makes Aerotropolis a different listening experience to Contact, however, is not any kind of radical development in sound, but a sense that the context has changed. Where Abdel-Hamid’s debut was an early indicator of an increasingly fragmented postdubstep landscape, its follow-up consolidates her approach; bass music continues to change at a bewildering rate, but Ikonika deliberately limits her sonic parameters, thus illustrating the value of maintaining a long-term focus. [Sam Wiseman]

www.nadineshah.co.uk

ikonika.tumblr.com

Icky Blossoms

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Between them, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Stefan Schneider have contributed significantly to the development of ambient music since the 70s: Roedelius through his work in pioneering electronica acts Cluster and Harmonia, and Schneider via post-rock innovators including To Rococo Rot. Accordingly, there’s an intuitive logic about their collaboration on Tiden, which comprises thirteen meditative instrumentals entwining sparse, Satie-like piano with hypnotic percussive loops; at its best, the LP recalls the dreamy, reflective tone of later Labradford. While both artists’ trademarks are evident here - Roedelius’ proggy synthscapes, Schneider’s icy minimalism -it’s the latter’s influence that feels strongest. The average track length hovers around a decidedly un-Cluster-like three minutes, and the pulsing beats which ebb and flow beneath jazzy synth chords will be familiar to fans of Schneider’s other work. Tiden is unapologetically slight, but it’s also a carefully measured, cohesive document that joins some dots between two central strains of experimental instrumentalism. [Sam Wiseman]

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Nadine Shah

Roedelius Schneider Tiden [Bureau B, 1 Jul]

Any Port in a Storm [Fire Records, 22 Jul]

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Laki Mera’s second album (third if you count 2008’s Clutter, which the band apparently doesn’t for whatever reason) emerges in the wake of two significant changes: drummer Tim Harbinson’s decision to quit the band early in the writing process, followed by the dissolution of a nineyear relationship between core members Andrea Gobbi and Laura Donnelly. Both schisms are felt in the resulting work; the former in the prevalence of processed beats, the latter in Donnelly’s lyrics, which by her own admission are punctuated with oblique references to the split, but neither’s mark is negative, with the band’s pristine aesthetic of electronic lullabies and nocturnal sophistipop benefitting, if anything, form a bit of added frisson. The album’s length is a hindrance, however, with a scattering of repetition and the occasional listless stretch. Nonetheless, tracks like Come Alone offer sufficient riches to forgive it its excesses and focus instead on its clarity and poise. [Chris Buckle]

Loki

Scott & Charlene’s Wedding

Still Smiling [Specula, 1 Jul]

Icky Blossoms [Saddle Creek, 22 Jul] It’s sometimes tough to distinguish between maverick eclecticism and plain old muddlement, with Icky Blossoms’ exhibit A. The pedigree of its originators certainly makes extending the benefit of the doubt a temptation – with David Pressnall of Tilly and the Wall providing the band’s multi-instrumentalist hub, Dave Sitek producing, and sundry contributions from notable Nebraskans (including members of The Faint and Bright Eyes), there’s no dearth of talent beneath its shiny surfaces. But past form and good intentions can’t disguise the record’s inconsistency, with its triumphs (chic electro-pop opener Heat Lightning; I Am’s propulsive indie-dance fuzz; the atmospheric sweep of closer Perfect Vision) frequently cancelled out by its misjudgements (electroclash relic Sex to the Devil’s babbling mantras and tacky beats; Babes’ painfully awkward attempt at Ladytron chic). Its one-step-forward/two-steps-back nature is maddening, though there’s enough expertise in the peaks to warrant further investigation. [Chris Buckle]

The Top Five 1 2 3 4 5

Fuck Buttons

Slow Focus

Adam Stafford

Imaginary Walls Collapse

Thundercat

Apocalypse

Bosnian Rainbows

Loki

Edging God Out

www.ickyblossoms.com

RECORDS

Review

Like A Boss Scottish hip-hop is on the rise, with recent acclaim for the likes of Stanley Odd and Hector Bizerk, plus a new wave of artists flooding the scene. The perfect time, then, for its de facto leader to re-emerge – meet Darren ‘Loki’ McGarvey Interview: Bram E. Gieben Photography: Vito Andreoni

few years ago, to all but the close-knit, dedicated community of fans within Scotland, local hip-hop was often treated as a joke. The accent was seen as a barrier to both comprehension and enjoyment, and the scene was dismissed with the customary, dismissive tag attached to pretty much all hip-hop communities outside the borders of London – it was ‘regional,’ and therefore not much of a contender. Slowly, those attitudes have begun to change – Hector Bizerk have gigged all around the country, with a big festival presence this summer; meanwhile Stanley Odd beat all comers to win a support slot with The View as part of NYC’s Scotland Week. Their show in the hip-hop heartland was a roaring success, and earlier this year, the band were shortlisted for the prestigious Scottish Album of the Year Award. And so the stage is set for the return of one Darren ‘Loki’ McGarvey, in many ways Scottish hip-hop’s Chairman of the Board. After years of battling with alcohol dependency, the often controversial rapper returns this month with a new album, a new attitude, and a new-found currency in the media as a regularly-featured pundit on TV political debate shows. Through his writing, his public speaking, and his work with motivational youth organisation Volition, he has come to be seen as a champion of working class values, emphasising community, social responsibility, and self-actualisation. Loki is an outspoken, fearlessly revolutionary person in his lyrics, his beliefs and his actions, but he is also thoughtful, picking his words carefully. On the topic of independence, he is firmly a ‘Yes’ man, as what he calls “a means to an end.” He sees independence as a route to more positive cultural expression: “I’ve always believed in autonomy for communities. I would like, personally, to take responsibility. Everything I do in my life is aimed towards that,” he explains. “People say: ‘What if the economic conditions are harder?’ Well, that’s the price that you might pay for a bit more autonomy and control.” Loki shrugs. “It’s like me going to the doctor, and the doctor saying: ‘You shouldn’t try to stop drinking, because the withdrawal is going to be terrible, and there’s no guarantee that you’re going to stay sober. So take

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these Valium and go back into your life.’” Sobriety is on Loki’s mind a lot these days. As he says candidly: “My insane reputation precedes me.” For a long time, Loki showing up at an open mic, or even at his own gigs, was unpredictable – he nearly always pulled off his shows, but could be prone to explosions of temper, heckling the crowd from the stage. Part of that, he says, comes from the prevalent attitudes to drink and drugs in the Scottish hip-hop scene. “When I don’t perform to a hip-hop audience, it’s a different response. There’s something about the hiphop crowd in this country – they’re conditioned to respond to certain types of things. I just find that dead limiting. If I’m drunk, I take that as a challenge. And it’s just a roll of the dice how I’m going to behave.” Now seven months without a drink, his whole attitude is changing. “I’m like, ‘What am I interested in? What do I want to write about now?’ I feel like my life is... you know when you walk into a room, and you don’t remember why you went in? That’s what my life feels like just now,” he explains. For a long time, he was “chasing highs and living in a fantasy,” and the scene he was a part of enabled him to keep doing that. “I don’t know anyone else in the community who’s come out and said, ‘I’m not happy, I can’t stop drinking, I hate all of you.’ What you get is, and you get this in my music as well, is celebratory music about drink and drugs. And you get the self-pity and anger, the negative emotions. You never get the clear-cut, ‘As soon as this drink touches my lips, I don’t know what’s going to happen, I am fucking terrified.’” The process of sobering up has informed his new album, Edging God Out. Originally conceived as two albums, he decided to condense the best material down into one package, but originally, the two albums were “two sides of the same coin,” one dealing with the “more jovial” elements of his journey to sobriety, and one with the inevitable paranoia and darkness. The new album is “unfinished business. What I’m going to evolve into comes after this.” But this isn’t the king of Scottish hip-hop reclaiming his crown – he’d rather exist off to one side, doing his own thing. “I feel like I can make a better contribution to Scottish

hip-hop by not being drowned in it,” he says. Loki is full of admiration for Hector Bizerk and Stanley Odd. “A live show is what hip-hop’s always been about,” he says, praising both bands for their “completely separate, dynamic sounds” and stage shows. He praises Mister Bohze & NC

“I feel like I can make a better contribution to Scottish hip-hop by not being drowned in it” Loki

Epik for their four-deck live show, and namechecks Madhat McGore as one of Scotland’s hardest-working emcees, even if the music he makes isn’t to his taste. “What they have all shown is that you need to adopt a professional, hardcore work ethic, as well as having hardcore music,” he explains. “There has to be somebody flying the flag for the raw elements of it. When you cut through the dither, and you get to the real class acts in Scotland, you could go across the world and look at other reflections of hip-hop culture – we have the highest calibre.” Having recently deleted his Facebook profile for an extended period, one gets the sense that Loki is tired of technology. “Look, Facebook is an ego-trip, right?” he says. “It’s for instant validation and a false sense of social control. You’ve got your life, and then you’ve got this Facebookbrain... ‘Oh, I can’t wait to get back and put this on Facebook!’” His artist page is run by Mark McGee of fellow Glasweigian hip-hop fusion band The Girobabies. From a first listen to the new album Loki’s lyrics have lost none of their sting, full of hilarious, messed up, controversial imagery. “I can see the elements in my writing that are deliberately

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provocative – and sometimes that’s because it’s important to provoke, but also sometimes because I’m just venting,” he says. “There is a balance, but at the end of the day, it’s freedom of speech – people can talk about it later. It’s a lot better than that fucking Rick Ross lyric everyone was talking about!” His work with Volition, which gives young people access to resources, knowledge and facilities to help start them out on the road to careers in the creative industries, came from a feeling that “too many youth organisations are led by middle-aged people. They have a top-down structure, and people are getting paid to decide what services young people have access to. Young people can’t get jobs doing what they like – why can’t we do something about this? Why can’t young people learn how to provide the kinds of services they want to access?” For Loki, answering these questions meant “putting my money where my mouth is and saying: ‘I believe in you.’” With plans in the offing for a screenplay and a documentary strand themed around independence, and further appearances on TV likely, Loki is embracing his role as a cultural ambassador and spokesman. Creatively, he is fascinated by the changes sobriety has wrought on his writing. It feels like a fresh start for Darren McGarvey, and for Loki – one that will be fascinating to watch. You may not find Loki on Discogs, you may not hear his songs on commercial radio – but his voice, his steadfast political passion, and his magnanimous activism are increasingly hard to ignore. As Scottish hip-hop emerges from the sidelines in 2013, he is perhaps its most fascinating and intelligent practitioner. Talking about the battle scene, where he is a major draw, he is enthusiastic about the possibilities for development of the form as an art, and a sport. “There’s another level to be achieved, at least for me,” he says, and he could be talking about his music career too. “People might read this and say, well, fuck him.” He pauses and smiles. “But fuck them.” Edging God Out is out now for download, with the physical release to follow in July via Southside Deluxe Records misterlokiscotland.bandcamp.com

THE SKINNY

ENGINEERING & PRODUCTION IN PRACTICE Chem19 Recording Studio, based in Blantyre, nr Glasgow is now open for applications to its course ‘SoundLAB’. Devised specifically for young engineers/producers, SoundLAB will start in October 2013 and will run till June 2014. Applicants must be aged between 18 and 25 and be resident in Scotland. For more information on the course and how to apply please visit www.chem19.co.uk Applications close 16 August 2013

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July 2013

Clubbing Highlights This month we point you in the direction of Marquis Hawkes, Rinse FM’s Oneman, and Future Times boss Maxmillion Dunbar. We also have a few tips for TITP’s Slam Tent... Words: Ronan Martin Illustration: Jonathan Summers-Muir

Beneath The Label: Dixon Avenue Basement Jams Continuing our series exploring the best club labels around, The Skinny sits down for a pint with the duo behind Dixon Avenue Basement Jams Interview: Ronan Martin

“R

eal rockin’ raw shit from the street for the clubs” is the unambiguous motto that underpins Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, the Glasgow-based label run by Dan ‘Monox’ Lurinsky and Kenny Grieve AKA The Wasp. The duo signalled their intent in no uncertain terms at the tail end of last summer with the release of Jared Wilson’s Unknown Desires, immediately turning countless heads in the process. Since then, the output has consistently lived up to their founding promise, with the main emphasis being on a particularly jacking breed of dancefloor-ready house music. With vinyl runs of around 1000 copies pressed for their most recent releases, DABJ seems to have struck a chord with those who like their electronic music authentic and well-crafted. Among the highlights in the label’s early history have been two releases by the uber secretive Marquis Hawkes, a hitherto unknown associate of Grieve and Lurinsky, who operates under an alias and closely guards his identity. His debut offering, last year’s Cabrini Green, was undoubtedly a key moment in DABJ’s increasing rise to prominence, with its old school rugged percussion, warped acid grooves and skilfully deployed vocal snippets. “Between us, we knew straight away that one was going to be massive,” says Dan. “I remember letting Richard and Martin who do distribution at Rubadub hear it. Before we’d even started doing pre-sales they said it was going to be huge and, sure enough, it’s turned out that way.” Though Hawkes, along with other artists such as VernoN and Jared Wilson have quickly helped establish DABJ’s reputation as purveyors of the finest bubbling acid stompers, the label’s founders insist that they are open to exploring a broader range of styles, providing the quality remains high. “There’s no constraints,” says Kenny. “We’re sniffing about the same styles but if someone drops something on us, like DABJ 1207 (TX Connect & CT Trax), which isn’t the same as what we’ve done but it’s amazing, we couldn’t say no.” “Even if someone sent us an electro record that we thought was an absolute nailer,” adds Dan, “if we thought it suited the label, we would

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definitely put it out. It just so happens that we’ve not heard anything like that yet.” In any case, it seems the duo have plenty to keep them occupied, and one suspects they may well already be sitting on a goldmine of unreleased gems. With test pressings for their next few instalments already delivered or in transit, they seem to take glee in discussing how and when they are going to proceed with releases. “I think we should put number seven out before six just to fuck people up,” Kenny suggests with a wayward grin. “We could do that,” admits Dan.

“Between us, we knew Maruis Hawkes' debut was going to be massive”

n Edinburgh, much-loved Cowgate venue Sneaky Pete’s kick off their fifth birthday celebrations in fine style with Juice set to welcome Rinse FM’s Oneman. Steve Bishop is a graduate of dubstep who has developed a diverse DJing style that has made him one of the most in demand selectors around (11 Jul, £5). As the birthday celebrations continue, Sneaky Pete’s will also play host to the mysterious Marquis Hawkes, one of a number of artists who have been killing it on Glasgow’s Dixon Avenue Basement Jams label over the past year. 2012’s Sea Lion Woman in particular was a track that was immediately picked up on and rinsed repeatedly by scores of DJs across the globe (12 Jul, £5 advance). The promoters behind that night, #notsosilent, are also kindly bringing Gerd AKA NY Stomp to the club on 26 Jul, rounding off an impressive series of anniversary celebrations (£5 early bird). Elsewhere in the ’burgh, Jackhammer come up trumps with the visit of Detroit techno legend Kevin Saunderson and fellow Motor City outfit Scan 7. Generally recognised as being the producer responsible for bringing Detroit’s mechanised future music to a wider audience with his Inner City project, Saunderson has been responsible for a number of classic records, including seminal vocal-driven hits Big Fun and Good Life. Scan 7’s Trackmaster Lou on the other hand has always operated on the underground plain, and yet he has amassed a loyal and substantial following with his punchy productions on labels such as Underground Resistance and Tresor. This one should be tasty (26 Jul, The Liquid Room, £8 adv). On to Glasgow now, and 13 Jul offers some particularly good options for your night out. Wrong Island invites Future Times record boss Andrew Field-Pickering AKA Maxmillion Dunbar to Nice ‘N’ Sleazy for his Scottish debut. The US artist’s sound ranges from lush excursions

through gleaming disco-informed house to more synth-driven psychedelic material. Outwith his own stable, his records have found a home on such labels as L.I.E.S and Ramp Recordings and, in partnership with Ari Goldman, he also releases tracks as Beautiful Swimmers. At a mere four pounds, we reckon this is the bargain of the month. On the same night, #notsosilent pop up again with the Glasgow leg of the Marquis Hawkes appreciation society (see this month’s Beneath The Label feature for more on Hawkes). With the intimate La Cheetah Club playing host, this should be a sweaty affair (£5 adv). Elsewhere, Highlife presents a midweek session showcasing Shangaan Electro, a street dance movement originating in South Africa which melds traditional vocal elements with uptempo electronic backing tracks in a captivating synthesis which has grabbed the attention of several global electronic acts. Shangaan tracks have been remixed by the likes of MMM, Peverlist and juke duo DJ Rashad and DJ Spinn. This event will form part of a UK tour featuring all-inclusive dance workshops, spreading the Shangaan movement to even wider audiences (17 Jul, SWG3, £10 adv). Outwith the clubs, it would be rude to ignore Scotland’s leading summer festival, T In The Park. The Slam Tent as always will offer plenty of doof-doof all weekend, offering a shaded refuge for those who come primarily to dance. Particular highlights will be the pairing of Jackmaster and Joy Orbison, likely to be in all-out party mode, Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann offering slabs of brooding techno and the trio of Derrick Carter, Mark Farina and DJ Sneak who, despite the certain prospect of trite commercial material finding its way into their set, will surely also tap into their collective roots to find at least some of the soulful, grin-inducing house cuts with which they made their name (12-14 Jul).

Dan Lurinsky

Released in the correct order or not, the coming weeks and months will see the partners add to their impressive discography. For one, we can expect the arrival of the first in the DABJ Allstars series, a split EP featuring two tracks by TX Connect and two by CT Trax, yet another artist operating under a mysterious alias for the label. Marquis Hawkes is also set to release Sex, Drugs and House before the end of the summer. With the pair clearly excited about the label’s future, and with the prospect of a Boiler Room set in October among the many events they have to look forward to, the only foreseeable hitch in their plan will come when they run out of colours to use on their eye-catching marbled vinyl. “At that point, we’ll have to rethink it,” admits Dan, pondering a somewhat enviable dilemma. Catch Marquis Hawkes alongside Dixon Avenue Basement Jams in Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh on 12 Jul and La Cheetah, Glasgow on 13 Jul. Read the extended interview on our website soundcloud.com/dixonavenuebasementjams

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THE SKINNY

Back Into The Groove After a hiatus of over two years, Graeme Clark AKA The Revenge returns with fresh material and a brand new label, Roar Groove

n March of this year, Glasgow’s Sub Club hosted the last ever Instruments of Rapture party, an event which also marked the winding up of Graeme Clark’s much-loved label of the same name. Many would question the decision to close the curtain on a label which, after only ten releases, had garnered a loyal following among fans of deep, disco-tinted house music. Yet anyone who’s followed the career of the DJ, producer and re-edit master will know that he’s never likely to remain quiet for long. Whether he’s producing solo as The Revenge, in partnership with Craig Smith as 6th Borough Project, or remixing the work of others, Clark’s work ethic has always kept him busy. Now, having taken a well earned breather, he’s ready to unleash new material and is gearing up for the launch of a new label, Roar Groove. What’s the motivation behind the label? Creative control, I guess. I’ve always had a strong idea of how I want my music to be represented and delivered but this label idea got sidetracked when I got more exposure a few years ago, doing remixes and touring. What can we expect in terms of the style of music released? It’s going to be pretty broad, in line with my scatterbrained approach to music. Although I won’t be signing new artists as such, I hope to release some stuff that I have a role in producing or executive producing. Though you’ve become known for your brilliant edit work over the years, the new record has more of your own sound coming through. What, if anything, has changed? I moved studio a couple of times in the last two years and went back to the way I used to record as a kid, just jamming with some hardware. I did three live shows in Glasgow last year as a test to see if I could create and improvise some new ideas outside of the studio. It was a cathartic experience in some ways and blew away some of the cobwebs that had formed doing so many remixes and being on the road a lot. I wasn’t sure I had the ability to come up with a whole batch of fresh

July 2013

Interview: Ronan Martin

shit, but the opposite was true. I created so many new ideas that excited me and formed the basis of what will be the output for the label. The name of the label seems fitting; there always seems to be a solid groove at the heart of your music that drives the tracks forward. How do you approach production generally? The groove is pretty much where it’s at, especially for dance music. The key for me is to get two or four bars of something that is on fire, and then expand on that. The most critical (and difficult) part of the process is the arranging. It’s so easy to fuck the whole thing up when you start piecing it all together. That’s kind of why I went back to jamming stuff live in the studio and trying to capture that. That’s the genius of people like Moodymann, not the engineering. If you listen to something like Shades Of Jae, nobody would arrange it like that. He’s captured the spark, a moment in time, like a Polaroid of the music.

“I wasn't sure I had the ability to come up with a whole batch of fresh shit, but the opposite was true ” Graeme Clark

Finally, what’s on the horizon beyond the release of the Body Fusion EP? I’m finishing working on the 6th Borough Project album with Craig Smith at the moment. I’ve also done some tracks with Harri from the Sub Club which hopefully will see the light of day (or night) this year. Roar Groove launches on 8 Jul with The Revenge’s Body Fusion EP Read the extended interview on our website

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July Film Events T Wadjda

Wadjda

Monsters University

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Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour Starring: Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah, Ahd, Sultan Al Assaf, Abdullrahman Al Gohani Released: 19 Jul

Director: Dan Scanlon Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Steve Buscemi, Frank Oz Released: 12 Jul Certificate: U

Wadjda is the simple tale of a ten year-old girl whose only desire is to buy a bicycle so she can race with her friends. This précis admittedly suggests a minor work, but when you consider that this is a film made in Saudi Arabia and directed by a woman, its true complexity and courage is revealed. Haifaa Al-Mansour’s remarkable debut feature conveys female experience in Saudi Arabia through the eyes of her young title character, played with wonderful spirit and grace by Waad Mohammed. Throughout the picture she exposes us to everyday examples of the oppression that women of all ages face in this particularly patriarchal society. These points are beautifully integrated into her deceptively simple story, the political aspects of which are never allowed to overwhelm the human drama. A satisfying and skilfully made film is always something to celebrate, but largely due to the circumstances from which it arose, Wadjda feels like one of the year’s most vital. [Philip Concannon]

Monsters University both thrives and struggles under the strictures of a prequel. The big advantage of returning to the world of Monsters, Inc. is that it was such a well realised concept first time around. University imagines this monsters’ parallel universe in the familiar college movie genre – complete with nerds, jocks and weirdos; an Animal House with actual animals. Pixar’s humour is razor sharp, here, filling each frame with almost imperceptible sight gags and hilariously impractical monsters, like a legless slug playing hacky sack. It’s a pleasure to be back in such a fun alternate world and, by throwing every joke possible at the screen, this is not only one of the studio’s funniest films, it’s also one of the best comedies of the year. However, revisiting Mike and Sully only serves to highlight a crucial aspect that’s missing: invention. Monsters University, however funny, leaves you longing for a time when this kind of world was an original idea, not a sequel. [Nathaneal Smith]

Frances Ha

Blancanieves

Director: Noah Baumbach Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen Released: 26 Jul

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Director: Pablo Berger Starring: Maribel Verdú, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Ángela Molina Released: 12 Jul Certificate: 12A

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Frances (Gerwig) is in freefall. At the grand old age of 27, her hopes of becoming a professional dancer hang by a ballet pump. She’s broke, has no permanent abode, and BFF Sophie (a brilliantly brittle Mickey Sumner) is spending all her time with her square boyfriend. It’s a familiar tale, but such is the mellow fizz of the performances that it feels like we’re watching the first 20-something to have her dreams curdle in New York City. Frances Ha’s twist is it isn’t a downer: when the Big Apple gives Frances lemons, she turns them to sweet, effervescent pop. Gerwig seems to have the same effect on director Baumbach, who up until now had specialised in movies so breathtakingly caustic they should be watched from behind glass – or at least through fingers. Frances Ha trades in the same cringe comedy of The Squid and the Whale and Greenberg, but Gerwig’s deft screwball timing turns every disaster into a grace note. This may be a comedy of awkwardness, but rather than curl, your toes will tap. [Jamie Dunn]

Last year, Hollywood coughed up two takes on Snow White: one camp, one dark, neither much cop. Director Pablo Berger’s free interpretation of the Grimm tale offers another angle, both camp and dark, and the result comfortably tops its bigger-budgeted contemporaries by every possible measure: more fun, more stylish and decidedly more memorable. Set in 1920s Seville, the story’s key components are given bold makeovers, as the orphaned daughter of a matador father and flamenco star mother joins a travelling troupe of (six) bull-fighting dwarves, with a bandana-wearing rooster named Pepe as her confidant and a wicked stepmother (played with deranged glamour by Maribel Verdú) plotting her demise. Both silent and monochromatic, Berger evokes the filmmaking fashions of the period in which Blancanieves is set, with iris-in wipes and title cards building a cinephile-pleasing pastiche. But like its iconic apple, there’s poison under Blancanieves’ skin, with happy endings replaced by a desperately sad conclusion of which the hardened Grimms would doubtlessly have approved. [Chris Buckle]

The Deep

A Field In England

Director: Baltasar Kormákur Starring: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jóhann G. Jóhannsson, Þorbjörg Helga Þorgilsdóttir, Björn Thors, Walter Grímsson Released: 12 Jul Certificate: 12A

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Trawler fishing has enjoyed something of a cultural boom of late, with shows depicting the hi-octane escapades of burly men with magnificent facial hair popping-up on the telly with the regularity of Peter Andre on ITV3. Timely, then, that Contraband director Baltasar Kormákur should return to his Icelandic roots to tell the alarming true story of one such burly man who swam three miles to shore in the freezing North Atlantic when his vessel sank. Then walked another couple miles to civilisation over rocks of extreme jagginess with no shoes on. Eat your heart out, John McClane. Ólafur Darri Ólafsson brings quiet stoicism and sadness to the role of sole survivor and reluctant hero, Gulli, while Kormákur demonstrates great visual flair without technique ever intruding on content. The ship’s doomed crew are briskly introduced and the harshness of their surrounds and employment beautifully constructed with a pallid, frozen aesthetic. As a portrait of a lifestyle alien to many and the extraordinary resourcefulness of a very simple man, The Deep provides keen insight and empathy. [Chris Fyvie]

Review

hroughout July and August, Filmhouse, in Edinburgh, is celebrating the work of Ray Harryhausen. The special effects and stop motion pioneer has influenced countless filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Nick Park and George Lucas. Six films are being shown, starting with Mysterious Island (13 & 14 Jul), based on Jules Verne’s classic novel. Also included is The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (20 & 21 Jul) and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (27 & 28 Jul), featuring the six-armed god Kali. Check out the Filmhouse website for the full line-up. The GFT in Glasgow is proud to screen two films this month as part of the London Indian Film Festival, showcasing new independent Indian cinema. The Good Road, Gyan Correa’s debut feature following three groups of people as they travel along an isolated highway in the Kutch region, is screening 23 Jul, while Josh (Against the Grain) is showing 25 Jul. Featuring some of India’s biggest actors, this film will be introduced by doctoral student Akshaya Kumar. Fans of Edgar Wright should head to the Cameo on 27 Jul for the Blood and Ice Cream trilogy (aka the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy) – back-to-back screenings of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and newly released The World’s End. Although the individual stories are unrelated, the films all share certain traits, including the core cast (namely Simon Pegg and Nick Frost), Cornettos, quick wit, and genre-bending screenplays. The evening promises to be great fun, filled with zombies, serial killers, the apocalypse, and countless geek references – just make sure you don’t get any red on you. On 13 Jul, the DCA in Dundee is showing Wolfen, a 1981 werewolf film starring Albert Finney and Diane Venora. Largely forgotten due to the success of The Howling and American Werewolf in London in the same year, Michael Waddleigh’s only fiction film uses thermography (much like that found in Predator) and boasts a cameo from Tom Waits, which was edited out of the film’s video release. This screening of the original 35mm print is a rare chance to see the film in its entirety, so don’t miss out. Finally, Werner Herzog fans should head to the GFT for special screenings of The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (27&28 Jul), which won the Grand Jury prize at Cannes in 1975. Based on a legend from the 19th century about a mysterious young boy with possible royal heritage, the film, starring Bruno S in the title role, is widely considered one of the director’s finest. [Becky Bartlett]

Director: Ben Wheatley Starring: Reece Shearsmith, Michael Smiley, Julian Barratt Released: 5 Jul Certificate: 15

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Ben Wheatley’s new film is a psychedelic tale of the English Civil War, shot in stark monochrome using a combination of digital lenses, giving a rich, textured depth of field, and experimental, macroscopic close-ups. It bears several of Wheatley’s stylstic trademarks – dry, sardonically witty dialogue; stomach-churning violence; and a painterly eye for the English countryside – but achieves something quite different than his first three features. The cast is on fine form. Barratt’s foul-mouthed cockney is almost unrecognisable, coming into focus with the Dan Ashcroft-esque line: “Haven’t you ever seen a man taking a shit before?” Smiley’s grim, dark-eyed villain recalls Vincent Price in Witchfinder General. Shearsmith, as our hapless protagonist, veers from naïve fish-out-of-water to bug-eyed, psilocybinfuelled maniac with an assured charm. Like in Sightseers, the countryside is the star. Wheatley’s rippling grass fields, earthy textures and – when the tripping starts in earnest – kaleidoscopic cross-cuts and dissolves create a powerful sense of the period, recalling Aguirre, Wrath of God’s bleak naturalism and Valhalla Rising’s theatrical psychedelia. [Bram E. Gieben]

FILM

THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD

THE SKINNY

Post Tenebras Lux

Broken

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Director: Carlos Reygadas Starring: Adolfo Jiménez Castro, Nathalia Acevedo, Willebaldo Torres Released: 22 Jul Certificate: 18 Many interpreted Silent Light’s Dreyer-referencing classicism as indicative of a shift in Carlos Reygadas’ methods; a shake-up that would temper the Mexican director’s more arcane tendencies by moving towards a comparatively conventional form of art-cinema. Post Tenebras Lux takes that assumption and shreds it, offering a bewildering array of arresting imagery – glowing devils, selfdecapitation, joyless sex clubs and public school rugby matches – that seems to confrontationally resist reconciliation. There’s no obvious eureka moment amidst these curios, no key clue which allows all pieces to slide together, but unpicking its glut of metaphors proves supremely satisfying in and of itself, and with close attention a coherence (of sorts) emerges. Reygadas’ ability to imbue ostensibly simple moments with deeply affecting undercurrents is expressed in a number of scenes (most vividly the elemental opening, in which a child plays alone as storm clouds amass), which possess such acute sensory impact that any narrative meaning seems almost moot. [Chris Buckle]

Spider Baby

Director: Jack Hill Starring: Lon Chaney, Sid Haig Released: Out now Certificate: 18

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Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told (to give its full title) is a wonderful slice of 1960s comic horror. It centres on the ramshackle home of the Merrye family, a clan who make The Addams Family look like the Waltons. Afflicted by a unique hereditary condition which causes them to de-evolve into a savage, cannibalistic state as they enter adulthood, the Merryes have reached the end of the line with only three remaining family members. Working with a tiny budget exploitation auteur Jack Hill created in this, his debut feature, a classic piece of sun-drenched Gothic shot through with moments of great invention and deranged humour. What grounds the film is its affectionate allusions to the Universal horror films of the 1930s, and it stars the Wolf Man himself, Lon Chaney, as the Merryes’s long suffering butler. [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]

July 2013

Director: Rufus Norris Starring: Cilian Murphy, Rory Kinnear, Tim Roth Released: 8 Jul Certificate: 15 'Broken Britain' was a favourite of the Tories in the election, describing a 21st century dystopia of broken families, broken relationships and broken people. We can tick them all off in Rufus Norris’s coming-of-age drama in which we follow a young girl after she witnesses a violent attack on a neighbour in a London suburb. But forget the kitchen sink dramas of the 1970s. This is an overly polished, terribly self-aware and self-satisfied homage to Loach. Instead of showing ordinary people living ordinary lives, Norris settles for well-worn middle class tropes, which quickly become irritating and distracting. For what amounts to three houses in a cul-de-sac, there’s also just too much going on and it ultimately lacks focus. The best moments come from Cillian Murphy and Tim Roth who give good supporting performances, but they’re buried in an unsatisfying and faintly pretentious mix of contrivance and superficial melodrama. It’s grim up North London, so don’t bother visiting. [Scotty McKellar]

Director: Pablo Larraín Starring: Gael García Bernal, Alfredo Castro, Luis Gnecco Released: Out now Certificate: 15 After Tony Manero and Post Mortem assayed General Pinochet’s dictatorship through the lenses of discomforting murder drama and icy satire respectively, Pablo Larraín’s take on Chile’s oppressive past adopts a different approach. With No, Larraín practises what the film’s protagonist – advertising wunderkind René Saavedra (Bernal) – preaches: to bring a political message to the masses, you have to seduce them. It tackles a pivotal moment in Pinochet’s rule, the 1988 plebiscite that would ultimately force out his military-backed government, in unabashedly entertaining fashion, mirroring the way its characters formulate their anti-authoritarian media campaign in crowd-pleasing fashion. Larraín evokes the era smartly, with telling period detail and an artfully dated visual style, to create a backdrop for the film’s triumph-of-the-underdog narrative. But just as Saavedra’s appropriation of advertising grammar serves a political end, No’s surface conventionality sweetens a subversive core, which shows through most clearly in its downbeat coda. [Chris Buckle]

Parker

Safe Haven

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Director: Taylor Hackford Starring: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Wendell Pierce Released: 8 Jul Certificate: 15 The eponymous hero of Parker made an auspicious Hollywood debut in John Boorman’s classic existential thriller Point Blank. A professional thief with a code of honour once again, he is doublecrossed by his colleagues and left for dead in this new outing based on the cycle of novels by Richard Stark. With Jason Statham instead of Lee Marvin in the lead role, and journeyman director Taylor Hackford at the helm, this is inevitably a more workaday affair than the earlier film, but it has some decent procedural sequences and uses its Palm Beach locations effectively. Statham, in a role which seems calculated to push him into the big league, is unsurprisingly effective in the action scenes but lacks the charisma necessary to round out his character. Jennifer Lopez, as his unlikely accomplice, displays a charm not seen since her transformation into J-Lo. [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]

FILM

Director: Lasse Halstrom Starring: Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough Released: 8 Jul Certificate: 12

The arrival of a mysterious blonde in a small seaside town inevitably attracts the interest of the hunky young store keeper, and it isn’t long before he is wooing her with the offer of a shot on his bike. But inevitably the path of true love does not run smoothly, especially when the two lovers are freighted down with soap-y back stories – she is on the run from a dark past, while he is the recently widowed father of two perky children. Based on a novel from the über-successful romance novelist Nicholas Sparks, Safe Haven works its way through a series of predictable highs and lows, and some even more predictable dialogue before the inevitable final clinch. Only a truly bonkers final twist raises us out of our stupor, if only to exclaim: “What the fuck?” [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]

Review

David Batchelor: Flatlands

captured and exorcised onto the page. On paper, Batchelor’s drawings still exist within a three rrrrr dimensional world. They evoke ideas for sculpConventionally marginalised or removed from fine tures that may never exist, ones that defy the laws art, colour is tacky, tasteless; a distraction from of gravity but can be visualised, here, in all their the purity of intellect of serious artistic endeavmystifying glory. our ever since the paint rubbed off the ancient In the adjoining gallery, a recent series inGreek statuary. There is a reason westerners trill tervening with the theoretical journal October. at the sight of polluted, overcrowded, povertyA symbol of the arid intellectual pinnacle of fine stricken India. It’s the shock of the colour, art, October has been published since the 1970s everywhere, the sudden realisation that a polyand has steadfastly refused to include colour. chromatic world is a visually stimulating world, How gauche, that colour. Batchelor responds and one which produces a simple emotional by covering page after page of the first issue in reaction, unsought – joy. multi-coloured bubbles and vectors, bursting out Enough of your staid monochromatic art, of the art theory and redacting Michel Foucault says David Batchelor. He explores the bright lights and Marcel Duchamp in a sea of pure visual joy. of the neon city, of advertising billboards and The apparent straightforwardness of this act of screaming cereal boxes. He does this through undermining is rendered complex by Batchelor’s sculpture, most famously, but also through draw- other career within the world of art theory. ing and painting, a branch of his practice brought Upstairs hangs the Blobs series, vast planes together here in the Fruitmarket for the first time. of single colour gloss on aluminium, the paint On the ground floor we find his Atomic formed into crinkles and rivulets emerging out of Drawings, pinned to the wall at eye height around the metal ‘canvas.’ As Batchelor says, “To run into two of the gallery walls. Created using everyday colour is to run out of words.” [Rosamund West] materials like marker pen and household paint, www.davidbatchelor.co.uk they allude to an intensive production, of an idea

Zoe Williams, Soft Paste 2013

Zoe Williams

SWG3, until 6 Jul

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The atmosphere’s heavy with incense, there’s an altar and the sound piece is paced at the rate of meditative breathing. Some controversial cultic ritual must be scheduled later in the day. Apprehending cursorily curious glances into the main space, SWG3’s interior windows are clad in black limo film – glimpses of the two dramatically spotlighted plinths are filtered into a beautiful, disarming chiaroscuro. Seen before it’s smelled before it’s seen, the ceramic Orgy Urn on the first plinth holds the incense that sensorially precedes the rest of the show. In flesh tones with ceramic macules and papules, it’s as organic as it is ornamental. The subject of much stroking in Williams’ 2012 video Drench, it has the tactile allure of a scab that must be scratched only to tease the thrill of frustrated fingers – do not touch! On the second plinth, next to a suggestively

orificial shell is Obsidian Olisbos – an extravagant dildo whose curved form recurs throughout the show, dictating the sweeping ‘S’ movement of the floor-to-ceiling curtain that drastically reconfigures the space. Darkness shrinking the space, physics and scale are crushed under the ornaments’ undeniable monumental status. Pastel and metallic recasts of the dildo feature alongside aestheticised shots of highsheen BMW bodies in the far wall’s video piece. Filmed in HD, Williams appropriates the fetishistic reverence for form and texture of ‘This is not just a chicken...’ M&S-style marketing campaigns and indulges handsy haptic imagination. As careful as its gradual revelation, Soft Paste folds back into itself in reflexive selfreference – the pieces in the main space illuminate the previously enigmatic forms of the prints in the reception area. Not for another few hours does the show come to an end, as the residue of resin incense gradually unclings itself from skin, clothes etc; sense finally giving way to memory. [Adam Benmakhlouf]

Hackney Drawing, 2003 Courtesy the artist, Galeria Leme, São Paulo and Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh

Photo: Thierry Bal

Fruitmarket, until 14 Jul

ADVERTISING FEATURE

GRID: Going Places Innovative Glasgow-based interactive art map GRID comes to Edinburgh – we chat to its creators, Sebastian Gorton Kavik and Arron Sands

RID art map has only been around since September 2010 but it’s hard to remember a time when it wasn’t there. Mapping all the contemporary art venues across Glasgow and listings of current shows, it’s an invaluable guide for anyone looking to see some art in the city. Launched by Sebastian Gorton Kalvik and Arron Sands, it was initially influenced by the map produced during the biennial Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art, which made the vast array of events easier to navigate. But since then it has gained an online presence and they recently launched GRID Edinburgh, supported by funding from Creative Scotland through the Own Art scheme. All the galleries that participate in Own Art are listed on GRID, so just pocket a copy and you’re ready to go gallery hopping. We asked Kalvik and Sands for some tips. You’ve recently launched GRID in Edinburgh. Looking at the map, one is struck by the amazing diversity of galleries in the city. Do you find it prompts you to visit places you wouldn’t normally think of going? Just as in Glasgow, we had an idea that there was lots going on but it’s not until we sat down and

34 6

Interview: Jac Mantle

mapped all the information that we realised quite how much diversity there is across a relatively large number of galleries for a city the size of Edinburgh.

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The dedicated gallery-goer can end up trekking round Edinburgh for hours. Apart from going armed with GRID, what tips would you offer to someone making a day of it? We would recommend booking tickets to go to Jupiter Artland and getting an early start from Waverley station on the 27 or X27 bus. Spend a morning wandering around permanent outdoor works from exciting contemporary artists in a rural location before making your way back into the city centre in time for lunch. Use the afternoon to wander the streets from gallery to gallery whilst taking in the amazing sites and architecture. When you can see no more art then eat some more food and hit some of the many great pubs and bars. You’ve described GRID as not just a map but a listings publication in its own right. Are there any current shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh that you can recommend?

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3 5 7 24 27 2

12 18 42

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The Rachel Maclean exhibition, I HEART SCOTLAND, at Edinburgh Printmakers from 1 Aug until 7 Sep is not to be missed and in Glasgow we would recommend the ReConnect group show at Project Ability in Trongate 103 that runs from 2-31 Aug. Where can we pick up a copy of GRID? All galleries in Edinburgh apart from the National Galleries and all galleries in Glasgow stock copies of GRID and also a selection of other venues such as the Goethe Institute and bars such as Stereo in the city centre of Glasgow. We are always open

to suggestions of new venues to stock GRID. 44 19

What do you do when not fulfilling Scotland’s 14 artistic map needs? 20 Sebastian works as a freelance graphic designer on projects in the UK and internationally and Arron is a writer, artist and curator currently working on a second book of poetry. The Own Art scheme offers an interest free loan to spread the cost of buying original work over ten months 26

www.ownart.org.uk

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

Offer subject to age and status. Terms and conditions apply. You will need a UK bank account that can handle direct debits, proof of identity and address, and you will also need to be over 18. Own Art is an Arts Council England initiative operated by Creative Sector Services CIC, a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales under number 08280539. Registered address: 2-6 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6YH.

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

249 West George Street Glasgow G2 4QE

Review

ART

THE SKINNY

Life Begins at 40 Not content to gaze lovingly at their last 40 years of success, Canongate are asking the nation’s cultural heavyweights to help them discover the next generation of movers and shakers. True to form, it looks pretty spectacular Words: Ryan Rushton

London Road, Alasdair Gray

anongate are a true Scottish success story. Founded in 1973, they were for many years a small, but well-respected independent publisher, producing limited print-runs and enjoying their greatest degree of renown for Alasdair Gray’s magnum opus, Lanark. Fast-forward to 1994 and they are bought-out by current Managing Director Jamie Byng, ushering in a new age of cutting-edge imprints, international bestsellers and publisher of the year awards. Always ahead of the curve, it should come as no surprise that they’re using their 40th birthday as a way to celebrate the creative writers most likely to dominate the next 40 years of culture and speculate how ‘the book’ might continue to evolve and diversify. For this ‘Storytellers of the Future’ project, The Skinny has been enlisted to help find the 40 best up-and-coming storytellers across the creative spectrum. From producers of the written word, through to filmmakers, musicians, artists and game designers, the project aims to highlight and discover the very best ‘creative writers’ working in Scotland today. And how are we going to find this top 40?

The Quarry

By Iain Banks

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Well, by asking those creative organisations and individuals currently at the top of their game who they see as inheritors of their storytelling crowns. In collaboration with The Skinny, Canongate are asking masters in their field to identify the next generation and so far their roster is pretty damn impressive. Recently shortlisted for the Turner Prize, David Shrigley is a visual artist renowned for the dry wit of his multi-disciplinary work. No stranger to collaboration outside his medium, he has produced music videos for Blur and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, as well as working with David Byrne and Hot Chip on Worried Noodles, an album that saw musicians transform his writings into lyrics. It would be an impossibility to predict who an artist working in such cross-disciplinary ways will nominate, but we look forward to finding out. From the world of music itself, Aidan Moffat has signed up, the former Arab Strap man prepared to offer wisdom on who he sees as dominating the Scottish and international music scenes in years to come. Other names confirmed include film director Mark Cousins; Judith

Doherty, Chief Executive and Co-Artistic Director of Grid Iron Theatre Company; Nick Barley, director of Edinburgh International Book Festival; and Francis Bickmore, fiction editor at Canongate itself. Perhaps most exciting from the world of books are the authors Michel Faber and Canongate stalwart, Alasdair Gray. Gray is a true heavyweight of the Scottish literary and arts scenes, penning, in Lanark, quite probably the most celebrated literary Scottish novel of the last 25 years. Faber is the author of the roundly praised, adapted-for-TV, The Crimson Petal and the White and will also be reading alongside William McIlvanney in a landmark September launch event for the Top 40 hosted by South Bank’s poet-in-residence Lemn Sissay. Canongate promise this night will feature appearances from a selection of the 40, alongside an eclectic mix of music, art, spoken word, complementing the bleeding of forms the project seeks to encourage. In more immediately exciting news, the publisher has also specially commisioned a book of short stories to further commemorate their 40

Cotton Tenants

Plan D

By James Agee and Walker Percy

By Simon Urban

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years. Featuring Canongate authors such as Geoff Dyer, Patrick Ness, Philip Pullman, and David Eagleman, this collection will be free and published this month. Full details can be found on their website. In fact, if you head over there midJuly you should find the project up-and-running, with further digital content from the authors in the anthology, as well as opportunities for you to get involved. That’s because, not wanting to leave any stone unturned, Canongate are also seeking submissions from up-and-coming artists, working across any medium, that they may have missed. Think you’re going to dominate your field for the next 40 years and want an opportunity to show the world why? Go to canongate.tv/40 for the chance to be one of the chosen writing stars of the future. You could even be one of the Top 40 who end up working with an existing Canongate author on a brand new, exclusively-commisioned work for the project. Best of luck! www.canongate.tv/40

Drowntown: Book One

By Robbie Morrison and Jim Murray

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18-year-old Kit and his dad, Guy, live in a house on the edge of an expanding quarry. Kit has Asperger’s, Guy has cancer. It’s quite funny, really. Or, at least, Banks uncovers the hilarity in the midst of the horror. Kit is the unflinching narrator here, applying calm, mathematical precision to defuse any threat of hopelessness or sentimentality. A group of Guy’s old uni friends descend on the house for the weekend; a pair of corporate bunnies, a media lawyer, a single mother, a stoner, and an acerbic critic. This allows for a rhythmic dialogue interleaved with Kit’s internal observations. He is neither innocent nor naïve, but has all the newness of looking at things in full for the first time. The prose is quick, brilliant, and surprising; Banks’ control is apparently effortless as he considers cancer from all sides, through all of his characters. And just as the reader settles into the comedy of social interaction on the brink of an ignored abyss, the prose turns translucent, razor-sharp, and we see over the edge: cancer is an unwilled suicide. Banks is often darkly funny, but this is being funny in the darkness of inexorable, too-soon death. [Galen O’Hanlon]

James Agee was a protean genius, mastering every form he tried, whether poetry, film criticism, the novel, screenwriting, or journalism. But in his greatest work, the monumental Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, he broke free of traditional forms altogether to create a true literary one-off. Famous Men came out of a 1936 Fortune magazine assignment, for which Agee and photographer Walker Evans were to document the lives of impoverished sharecroppers in the American South. This experience was eventually turned into a 400-page mish-mash of prolonged philosophising, factual reportage, and biblical prose-poetry, accompanied by Evans’s starkly beautiful blackand-white photography. Before Famous Men, though, there was the magazine essay itself. Entitled Cotton Tenants, it was never published, and, until Agee’s daughter found it by chance, was considered lost. Biographers assumed that it was in the style of Famous Men, and was therefore rejected for being too unorthodox. Well, they were only half right: it is unorthodox, but it certainly isn’t in the epic style of Famous Men. Instead, Cotton Tenants is a compact and clear-eyed work, detailing the desperate situation of the Southern sharecroppers with sober detachment. It’s so perfect an account of social and economic injustice that it has a timeless quality: although written over 70 years ago, it seems to have lost none of its force or relevance. [Kristian Doyle]

Plan D imagines a modern day East Germany in which the Berlin Wall never fell. Trapped inside the socialist state, citizens are subject to the same close surveillance and limited goods present in the original German Democratic Republic. In Urban’s modern GDR the economy is in crisis and the state’s future rests on energy consultations with the West. However the summit is jeopardised when a government official is discovered executed on the gas pipeline in the old Stasi style, arousing suspicion outside the wall that the state control of previous decades still holds. Plan D follows Detective Martin Wegener as he is tasked, along with a West German detective, to discover the murderer and clear the Stasi’s name. Wegener is a typical detective: lonely, world weary and past his prime, but the plot is far from clichéd. After a slow start it offers fast paced revelations and twists that successfully harness the secrecy, surveillance and control of the old socialist state into a modern day thriller. Unfortunately amongst the terror attacks and illicit meetings some of the many subplots aren’t brought to a satisfactory conclusion but Plan D succeeds in providing an unnerving insight into life under a repressive regime. [Rowena McIntosh]

Co-creator of Nikolai Dante and Japanese Dredd-spinoff Shimura, Robbie Morrison has been making an impact on UK and international comics since the early 90s. His latest project, Drowntown, is set in a flooded future London – a scenario already explored at length in the Warren Ellis / Paul Duffield webcomic FreakAngels. But whereas the Ellis version was a post-apocalyptic coming of age tale, Morrison’s take is rooted in noir tropes, with a private detective investigating a conspiracy amongst the population of genetically-engineered beasts, hoverbike-riding vixens and menacing corporate villains. Jim Murray’s painted art is exquisite, stylistically occupying a mid-point between the richly textured fantasy art of Simon Bisley and the painter Peter Howson. Every page is stunning, with spectacular, kinetic layouts and expressive, intricately detailed characters. Morrison’s script, however, leaves a lot to be desired. There’s just too much familiarity in the voice of his grizzled ex-cop turned private eye; too much exposition to get through to explain the careful and appealing world-building. Perhaps, given enough time, the rich textures of the art will be matched by Morrison’s vision, but judged solely on the first volume, Drowntown offers frankly astonishing style, but sadly lacks convincing substance. [Bram E. Gieben]

Out now, published by Little, Brown, RRP £18.99

Out now, published by Melville House, RRP £11.99

Out now, published by Harvill Secker, RRP £14.99

Out now, published by Jonathan Cape, RRP £12.99

July 2013

BOOKS

Review

Who is Your Neighbour? Launched last year, Albert Drive aims to bring together the multi-cultural communities of Glasgow’s Pollokshields. July sees the project’s culmination with a series of events in Tramway

n our age of near-constant digital connectivity, with the development of e-commerce, and the social media explosion, it is nonetheless very easy to feel isolated and alone. The Albert Drive project, based around the eponymous street in Glasgow’s Pollokshields, is a response to this, examining the question “Who is my neighbour?”. Co-produced by Glas(s) Performance and Tramway, the Albert Drive project kicked off in October 2012. Thus far, over 1500 people have been involved directly with the project, demonstrating that art can draw people together. Through various creative activities, the Albert Drive and Pollokshields community has been encouraged to learn about who they live next door to. This large-scale community project is also an opportunity for Tramway itself to consider its relationship to its surroundings. “The work that we make is always about the performers and their stories,” remarks Tashi Gore, one of the artistic directors of Glas(s) Performance. One of the schemes resulting from this is Letters to Our Neighbours, which is exactly what it says on the tin. Through letter-writing workshops, Glas(s) have encouraged over 1000 local residents to write letters to each other, many of

which are showcased on lampposts all along the Drive. This scheme was also taken into primary schools, along with workshops about the Albert Drive Neighbourhood Watch. The Neighbourhood Watch involves a team of young scooter drivers who patrol up and down the street, seeking to celebrate the everyday. They engage with the younger members of the community, organising fun events in the area. Furthermore, Glas(s) Performance came up with the concept of Everybody’s House. Designed by Edo Architecture – led by Andy McAvoy and Ann Nisbet – the portable transparent house appears at various points along the Drive and acts as a place for the community to meet, have tea, and chat. Aside from the strong community engagement making use of letter-writing and neighbourhood watch initiatives, the Albert Drive project also incorporates a cross-disciplinary residency programme. This involves five artists working closely with the community to explore what it is to be a neighbour through their own practices, namely Arpita Shah, Basharat Khan, Janice Parker, Shauna McMullan, and Nic Green. Shah is working with local Muslim, Sikh, and Christian women to investigate the wearing of the

Photo: Basharat Khan

Interview: Eric Karoulla

veil through photography. Visual artist McMullan is trying to reinvent the Pantone colour chart as an Albert Drive colour chart, collecting residents’ favourite colours. Meanwhile, Glasgow-based filmmaker Basharat Khan is setting up Albert Drive TV, a ‘community channel’ installed in shops on Albert Drive, which screens short documentaries made with the local residents. With local residents of all ages and abilities, independent choreographer Janice Parker explores the idea and stories behind living room dances. Vivarium by Nic Green collates the various voices that form Albert Drive into a one-person audio experience inside the walls of the New Victoria Gardens.

The entire project is due to culminate in a series of events in Tramway over the weekend of 6 and 7 July, and will include three performances devised by Glas(s) Performance, an exhibition showcasing the resident artists’ work, and a shared meal that is being put together by 17 local businesses, community groups, and food providers. Albert Drive: Performance, Tramway 1, Sat 6 Jul, 3 & 7.30pm, Sun 7 Jul, 7.30pm Exhibition, Tramway 5, Sat 6 Jul-Sun 6 Aug Shared Meal, Tramway 4, Sat 6 Jul, 1-3pm and 5-7pm, Sun 7 Jul, 5-7pm www.albertdrive.com/project

SEMI-FINALS 26–27 September Royal Conservatoire of Scotland New Athenaeum Theatre 0141 332 5057 www.rcs.ac.uk/boxoffice

FINAL 29 September Theatre Royal, Glasgow 0844 871 7615 www.atgtickets.com Royal Academy of Dance® is a charity registered in England and Wales No. 312826

Presented by

www.rad.org.uk/genee2013 In association with Photo: Evan Li

Preview

THEATRE

THE SKINNY

Photo: Tom Jervis

Babies aren’t cute. Especially when they’re just born.

Recently my friend had a baby and invited me to come to visit them in the hospital. I was thrilled. And by thrilled, I mean infuriated

hate children, the whiney, moany, throw-up-onyou-at-the-supermarket-y little creatures of the Earth that they are. But I especially hate when parents make me give a toss about them. “COME AND LOOK AT MY CHILD!” they scream, though not always vocally. Nowadays most of it is done with Facebook pictures of their repugnant spawn sporting a bowl of SpaghettiOs they’ve dumped on their head while bearing the caption ‘Wee Cutie! <3’ when actually it looks like the second rising of the Swamp Thing. Or worse, when you’re out drinking with parents and they won’t stop banging on about “how cute Junior was when he pissed himself on the Persian rug” and all you want to do is drown them in their Strawberry Daiquiri. So there I was, in a hospital maternity ward pretending to be happy. Well, not pretending as such, more being nauseatingly overenthusiastic about a new life in the world. I mean, big woop: I was a new life in the world once and strange, distant friends of my parents didn’t visit me and act overjoyed. They did the normal thing by giving my Mum a kiss and a cuddle and giving my Dad a morbid tap on the shoulder and a grave “it’s all downhill from here” look. As per tradition, the baby gets thrown around from stranger to stranger like a post-natal pass the parcel and we’re all supposed to coo and aww and hum and gargle gargle. But here’s the inside scoop, sports fans: I think that all newborn babies are ugly and, if I’m being entirely honest, androgynous too. They have the blurred gender lines and aesthetic prettiness of a Goth house party, but twice as moody and with more milky vomit on the expensive upholstery.

Words: Jimmy Bread

Is it wrong to think that all newborn babies look... like the front end of a Porsche? Not because they’re expensive, hard to make and worst acquired when you’re having a midlife crisis, but because they look, well, froggy. They look as if they’re not ready yet; I want to give it back to the pond from whence it came. I feel as if I’m staring at the first incarnation of Aquaman. That wasn’t the worst bit. Oh no. The worst bit was when I realised that there’s etiquette involved. You have to be nice to these people. The parents are extremely proud of this creation (Hell, who wouldn’t be? I’d be proud if it came from my vagina) and it’s not polite to say that it resembles a tiny, curled-up version of the Hindenburg. There are also questions that you just don’t ask. Questions like “How was the birth?” Well, friend, it was like squeezing a sack of spuds out of my body, thanks for asking. Or “Did you use gas and air?” Oh no, no, I thought I’d just spend six hours in constant searing pain, fully conscious of the adult male attending to my gootchies. Or the worst question of all, “How do you feel?” Kinda like my nether-region has just done an excellent impression of the Eurotunnel. No, if you want to survive a visit to the maternity ward with all your sanity and teeth intact follow this handy-dandy guide: The mother always looks radiant; the child always looks angelic; the father must always be made fun of; and, most importantly, both mother and child always look far better than the family in the bed across the room. And if you’re ever in any doubt – or a man – just keep your mouth shut, in maternity ward as in life.

AN EVENING WITH

DAVID SEDARIS N E W

Y O R K

T I M E S

B E S T

S E L L I N G

A U T H O R

17-24 AUGUST - 18:30 SHOW VENUE 150 LENNOX SUITE @EICC EDINBURGH 0844 871 8803 kililive.com 0844 847 1639 venue150.com “He has a Bennett-like way with a pause, and pitch perfect comedy timing…” SCOTSMAN “Profanity seldom sounds this refined, phrases so expertly massaged, or laughs so lovingly engineered.” THE HERALD “No, Sedaris isn’t a stand-up, but he’s certainly a masterful comic writer, whose modest delivery brings his words to hilarious life.” CHORTLE OUT NOW

A KILIMANJARO PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH SHOW AND TELL

July 2013

COMEDY

Preview

Glasgow Music

A five-piece from London making infectious indie music of the pop variety.

Tue 02 Jul

STEREO, 20:00–22:30, £12 ADV.

CAST THE NET (VANILLA GLOOM + THE LONGDRONE FLOWERS + 7 OF 7)

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Regular showcase night taking in a handpicked selection of exciting new Scottish artists and bands.

SMASHING PUMPKINS (HACKTIVIST)

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £35

The kings of daring, expansive rock, Corgan’s crew cherry-pick from their rather enviable back catalogue – with a fair few from their new album, Oceania. TAKING HAYLEY

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £8

The Birmingham-based quartet continue spreading the pop-rock gospel, following the 2012 release of their debut album, Tricks and Games. BADBADNOTGOOD

BROADCAST, 19:30–23:00, £8

Post-bop, instrumental hip-hopmeets-jazz trio from Toronto, possibly in pig masks.

Wed 03 Jul

VATICAN SHADOW (GG ALLAH + SMOKE JAGUAR)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, £6 ADV. (£7 DOOR)

The e’er unpredictable Dominick Fernow – the powerhouse behind the legendary Hospital Productions and Prurient – brings his Vatican Shadow project for a live set of militant industrial techno and haunting, ritualistic atmosphere. GOLDHEART ASSEMBLY (LINDEN + DEAD MAN FALL)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

Experimental pop five-piece from London touring with their new album, Long Distance Song Effects. HOUNDS OF HATE (VIOLENT REACTION + MAKE THE EFFORT + THE PACT + NO ISLAND)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £6

The Pennsylvania-based chaps bring the rough, abrasive and aggressive hardcore, with the night also marking the last ever show for local lot Make The Effort. SEAN ARMSTRONG

MONO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

The Yawns singer Sean Armstrong performs songs from his extensive solo catalogue, joined by an assortment of pals for an intimate free set. FOREIGN SKIES + BROTHERS + TWO TOWN APART

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Glaswegian label Progression Records present a night of handpicked post-rock from their roster.

Thu 04 Jul STRUGGLE

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

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

SCOTTISH HIP-HOP SHOWCASE (DEL) KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

Showcase of up-and-coming hip-hop from the Glasgow scene, headlined by fledgling rap artist Del.

Fri 05 Jul

JOHNNY AND THE BOMB (MELTED MESSIAH + GAREEDA + INECYTE)

BUFF CLUB, 19:15–22:00, £5

Desert and prog-styled rock night headlined by punk-rock Somerset lads Johnny and the Bomb. ADAM STAFFORD (ROBBIE LESIUK + SIOBHAN WILSON)

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:00–22:00, £6

Former Y’All Is Fantasy Island mainman Adam Stafford launches his second solo LP – the follow up to 2011’s Build A Harbour Immediately – which continues his inspired experimentation with loop-station, repeating rhythms, minimal guitar and layered vocals.

THIS FEELING (THE STRUTS + THE LAST PARTY + SELECTIVE SERVICE + SOLDIER ON)

MAGGIE MAY’S, 19:30–22:00, £6

The favourited London rock’n’roll night takes a trip to Scotland, with a selection of live bands taking to the stage.

Listings

THE VELVETEEN SAINTS (BACCHANAL PARTY + AARON FYFE) O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £5

Bright new Glaswegian rock’n’roll trio, riding along on an amalgam of razor sharp 50s, garage rock’n’roll, big beat and three-part vocals. HALO TORA (ATLAS:EMPIRE + PALEFIRE)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £5

Glasgow-based ensemble blending rock sounds into something fresh and interesting via soaring dual lead vocals and three part harmonies, guitars and piano.

Sat 06 Jul DEATHKILL4000

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 12)

Industro-rock noise party with live players and bespoke visuals to boot.

MARCUS BONFANTI (SERGIO SERGIO)

BROADCAST, 19:30–23:00, £8

The London-born bluesman plays with his live ensemble, featuring Scott Wiber on bass and Alex Reeves on drums.

DINOSAUR PILE-UP KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7.50

Leeds-based alternative rock lot led by singer and guitarist Matt Bigland.

Mon 08 Jul AESTHETIC PERFECTION

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £12

Industrial electronic musical project created by the LA-based Daniel Graves back in 2000. SUSAN BOYLE

THE KING’S THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £28.50

The Britain’s Got Talent songstress performs a set of iconic album tracks and classics, we’ll do the hiding.

MADAM + PUBLIC SPACES + KAELEA + ALISTAIR QUIETSCH 13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £5

Showcase night of experimental and noise music, with traces of dark electro-pop thrown in for good measure.

THE OK SOCIAL CLUB

HOODLUMS BROADCAST, 19:30–23:00, £5

NAZORANAI (JER REID)

Apocalyptically loud supergroup trio consisting of three heavyweights from the contemporary experimental world music scene, in the form of Keiji Haino, Oren Ambarchi and Stephen O’Malley. FIRST STEP TO FAILURE + YEAH DETROIT + ONE GOOD REASON

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Scottish imprint Cold War Legacy Records present a night of handpicked bands from their current crop.

JACK JAMES

THE ROXY 171, 19:30–22:00, £5

The Glasgow acoustic indie-folk songwriter plays an intimate session.

DELTA MAINLINE (THE MELTHOD ONE + PAPER CROWNS + STEADY STATE REGIME) BUFF CLUB, 19:15–22:00, £5

The alternative Edinburgh ensemble ride their own sonic wave of lush instrumentation and layers of psychedelic goodness – creating a hugely textural and almost space-age sound as they go.

SCHEME

O2 ABC, 18:00–22:00, £10

Formed back in’t day (aka the 80s), the longstanding Glagsow ensemble bring their mix of blues, reggae and rock to a roomfull dedicated followers. THE WEEKS (FEET OF CLAY)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

Alternative sludge pop five-piece hailing from Nashville embarking on a mammoth UK and US tour. THE BARRELS (BLANCO + THE BOSCOS)

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 20:00–23:00, £5

Unsigned Livingston alternative rockers, who started life playing in lead singer Michael Campbell’s garage.

SIN HARVEST (HEADSHOT + HAND OF HORUS + BEACHED WHALE)

THE GARAGE, 19:00–22:00, £5

Glasgow-based metalcore lot, formerly known as E for Exile. PABLO ESKIMO (RATISTAS + PYRORAPTOR)

THE ROXY 171, 19:30–22:00, £4

Tue 09 Jul

CAST THE NET (CORDYCEPS + CUTTY’S GYM + SIX HANDS)

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Regular showcase night taking in a handpicked selection of exciting new Scottish artists and bands. SUSAN BOYLE

THE KING’S THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £28.50

The Britain’s Got Talent songstress performs a set of iconic album tracks and classics, we’ll do the hiding.

Wed 10 Jul

THE JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW

THE KING’S THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £18

Singer/songwriter Clive John evokes the spirit of Johnny Cash, covering all aspects of the singer’s life in one neat musical package. KENNY ROGERS

SECC, 18:30–22:00, FROM £32.50

Glasgow-bsed dirty rock’n’rollers, who’s frontlady sings like a crazed banshee and taught herself to play bass in six weeks.

The US-of-A country singer/ songwriter plays a set of hits.

STEREO, 19:00–03:00, £5 (£7)

Eastbourne trio of pals making an alternative punk-styled racket, self-described as ‘chaoscore’.

SOUNDHAUS: SIGNS OF LIFE

Soundhaus fundraiser night – raising funds to get the venue going again – featuring live tunes and DJs across eight hours at Stereo, featuring the likes of hard-rockin’ Glaswegian outfit The Girobabies and house and techno specialists, Animal Farm DJs.

Sun 07 Jul

THE ROSY CRUCIFIXION (THE WHARVES + AGGI DOOM + SMACK WIZARDS)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £5

Glasgow garage-rockers offering a moody and atmospheric take on the genre. SHAMBLES MILLER (MARSHALL CHIPPED)

13TH NOTE, 20:30–23:00, £5

Acoustic Glasgow singer/songwriter of the folk-meets-punk variety. ROSE ROOM

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £14

Glasgow-based ensemble playing songs from the swing jazz era, with a dash of western swing thrown in for good measure.

LET’S TALK DAGGERS (CRUSADES, IN OCEANS, NO ISLAND)

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 20:00–22:30, £5

TIFT MERRITT

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £14

American singer/songwriter touring with her 2012 album, Travelling Alone. ULTRAMAGNETIC MCS

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £17

The stellar selection of Bronx hiphop veterans take to the UK as part of their world tour, celebrating 25 years since the release of their seminal album, Critical Beatdown – with Kool Keith, Ced Gee, TR Love and Moe Love all in attendance. ADVANCE BASE (MACHINES IN HEAVEN)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, £7 ADV. (£9 DOOR)

Illinois-based singer/songwriter Owen Ashworth (formerly of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone) tours with his latest release, A Shut-In’s Prayer, a collection of lo-fi torch songs, waltzes and ballads.

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS

SWG3, 19:00–22:00, £15

American ensemble led by Alex Ebert, who also has musical duties as vocalist of powerpop lot Ima Robot.

THE NEW MENDICANTS (BLUE ROSE CODE)

MONO, 19:30–22:00, £12

Tue 16 Jul

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Jolty, polycolliding musical ensemble with myriad influences – born of the ashes of Punch and the Apostles and comprised of much the same unit.

Folk-punk project started by 80s indie darlings The Wedding Present, mixing up their winning concoction of western punk-pop and traditional Ukrainian sounds.

Mon 15 Jul

Fri 12 Jul

GOOD GRIEF’S GOOD SHOP (YOUNG PHILADELPHIA + KHYDRA)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 20:00–23:00, £5

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £9 ADV.

Energetic Glasgow quartet combining catchy melodies and lyrics with a hybrid musical style of rock, electro, pop and metal.

The French lords of electro-rock show the kids how it’s done.

Thu 11 Jul

THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BLUE SHIP

THE UKRANIANS

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Banter-heavy performance from Glasgow-born Norman Blake and the Massachusetts-hailing Joe Pernice, now neighbours in Canada and making music under their sublime pop The New Mendicants guise.

THE HOWWOOD INN, 20:00–23:30, FREE

The genre-hopping Edinburgh trio play a special acoustic set, offering up the support slots to two local bands (email supporttheOKsocialclub@outlook.com to get involved).

KILLER CURE (HERALDS OF GALACTUS)

BACK TO ROCK (THE SLEAZE BROTHER)

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 20:00–22:30, £5

All-rockin’ showcase night, this edition headlined by The Sleaze Brother. THE VEX

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

CAST THE NET (FAREWELL SINGAPORE + HJEARTS + THE FUTURE CAPITAL + RED SKY LEGION)

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Regular showcase night taking in a handpicked selection of exciting new Scottish artists and bands. RETOX (ZEUS! + BATTERU FACE + THIN PRIVILIDGE)

BROADCAST, 19:30–23:00, £7

The Southern Californian quartet tour their new LP, YPLL.

Wed 17 Jul

MAIREARAD GREEN AND ANNA MASSIE

CCA, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£9)

Glasgow-based multi-instrumentalist duo on guitar, fiddle and banjo (Anna Massie) and accordian and smallpipes (Mairearad Green) – that do you? SHANGAAN ELECTRO

SWG3, 18:00–21:00, £12 (OR £10 PERFORMANCE ONLY)

Dance workshop-cum-performance in the latest South African dance craze – y’know, Shangaan Electro – built on rapid-style moves and a whole lotta assshaking. Optional workshops will be followed by a live performance. JET BLACK HEART (DEAD + BIRDHEART)

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

The newly-reformed Weegie lot play an extended set of classic and rockin’ tributes of songs that inspired them.

Pumping monthly gig and club night from analogue junkies at Dixon Street Studios.

THE GARAGE, 19:00–22:00, £5

Thu 18 Jul

PARKER (NO MORE TOMORROW)

Glasgow-based rock-meets-pop outfit currently putting the finishing touches to their first EP.

Sat 13 Jul FANTASTIC MAN

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 12)

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

THE GARAGE, 19:00–22:00, £5

Glasgow-based rock trio who play a balanced mix of covers and original tunes. DREAM:NIGHTMARE (BIG NED + NATALIE PRYCE + MICHELLE HANNAH + CALUM MACASKILL) BROADCAST, 19:30–00:00, £4

A selection of experimental musos focus on the theme of dreams and nightmares to explore fantasies and unlock hidden feelings; a common usage of music for many a songwriter.

Sun 14 Jul

MONSTER A-GO-GO (MONKEY PUZZLE + THE DILLDOLLS)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £5

Monster-themed night of live bands, burlesque, go-go dancing and other such fun from the Monster A-Go-Go lot. Prizes for the best dressed monster. JOHN LEMKE (POPPY ACKROYD + KIM MOORE + GARETH GRIFFITHS)

MONO, 20:00–23:00, £DONATION

Glasgow-based composer John Lemke launches his new album, People Do, with special collaborative guest Poppy Ackroyd – fusing percussive piano, abstracted guitar landscapes and disembodied vocal textures.

INNOCENT WHEN YOU DREAM (THE ROSY CRUCIFIXION + KALDI’S GOATS + JACOB YATES AND THE PEARLY GATE LOCK PICKERS + JOHN MCFARLANE + CLARE SIMPSON) MONO, 19:30–23:00, £5

Mono play tribute to all things Tom Waits, with a special appreciation evening featuring renditions by the likes of The Rosy Crucifixion and Sluts of Trust’s John McFarlane, plus an open floor for punter contributions.

Fri 19 Jul THE AVIATORS

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 20:00–23:00, £5

Lively East-Kilbride foursome led by Darren Hutton.

SHADOWS CHASING GHOSTS (PALM READER + NOW VOYAGER + STANDS ILLYTHIA + INSIGHTS)

CLASSIC GRAND, 18:30–22:00, £8

London quintet mixing razor sharp guitar work and anthemic melodies, playing as a series of ‘Last Ever Shows’ as part of their farewell tour. AWAKEN WORSHIP + PHOENIX LIGHTS + THE LEVEE STROLLERS

BUFF CLUB, 19:15–22:00, £5

Upbeat indie-rock showcase. Can’t say fairer. KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: SUNSHINE SOCIAL (CHERRI PHOSPHATE + JOHNNY JACK + TIJUANA BIBLES)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

Sun 21 Jul

MIAOUX MIAOUX (ATOM TREE, JONNIE COMMON)

STEREO, 20:00–23:00, £5 ADV. (£6 DOOR)

Muti-tasking chap Julian Corrie (aka Miaoux Miaoux) plays a special show to introduce two new stage members to his live sound – with drummer Liam Chapman and bass player Liam Graham adding new depth to his pedals, drum machines, synth and guitar combo. MOGWAI: ZIDANE, A 21ST CENTURY PORTRAIT

220 BROOMIELAW, 18:00–22:00, £25 ADV.

With a musical tome of beautifully-crafted post rock at their disposal, Mogwai play a rather special hometown show – performing their soundtrack to 2006 film, Zidane, A 21st Century Portrait alongside a live screening, for what will be the first time. MIASMA

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £5

Edinburgh-based alternative poprockers made up of various local musos and songwriters.. KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: ALARM BELLS (AXES + VASA + BELLOW BELOW)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Aggressive and grinding hardcore lot, riding along on a platter of meaty riffs and sludge-y soundscapes.

THE GLASGOW SLOW CLUB (JOHN MCLINDEN)

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Relaxed music night soundtracked by a selection of live guests from the local scene, completed by mood lighting, candles and cake. Could it be any bloody lovelier? ROOM 94

CLASSIC GRAND, 18:00–22:00, £8

Unsigned band of brothers – made up of Kieran, Dean and Sean Lemon, joined by Kit Tanton on bass – doing their pop-meetsrock thing.

Leeds-based lads of the reggaetinged, folk-punk persuasion – fueled pretty much solely on gigging and beer.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £7

Fledgling Glasgow pop-rock lot, just a few months old and making their first steps into the live scene. Be gentle on ‘em. KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: SO MANY ANIMAL CALLS (WOLVES AT HEART + BALTIMORE LEAGUE)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from Glaswegian quartet So Many Animal Calls, who rather selfdeprecatingly term their sound as ‘failpop’.

THE HEART OF HIP-HOP (MOG + MADHART MCGORE + WERD + WEE D + NITY GRITZ + RIDDLAH + BLASFIMA SINNA + DEADSOUNDZ + CERERBUS) THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 20:00–23:00, £5

Bulging line-up of hip-hop talent, joining forces to raise funds for Yorkhill Children’s Hospital.

Psychedelic showcase featuring a meltdown of guitars, melodicas, violins, saxophones, pianos and pounding drums from new locals Woven Tents and Dutch upstarts on tour Scotch.

KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: MICHAEL CASSIDY (SAM FENDER + LITTLE FIRE + RYAN JOSEPH BURNS)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from Paisley singer/songwriter Michael Cassidy – whose music is best defined as alternative folk-meetspop, with an emphasis on melody.

NEWLIFE

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

The Newlife crew present their monthly hanpicked selection of the best new left-field Scottish talent.

A MARCH IN NOVEMBER (EQUALS)

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, FREE

RICKY WARWICK (TONY WRIGHT)

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £11

BURIALS (CITIES ON FIRE)

JAKE AND THE JELLYFISH (BILLY LIAR + THE SCREICHS + BROKEN STORIES)

SCOTCH + WOVEN TENTS

KING TUT’S, 20:00–23:00, £6

Five-pronged musical juggernaut hailing from Bath, delivering their progressive metalcore sound with an unrelenting and elegant force.

Wed 24 Jul

THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 20:00–22:30, £5

The musical marathon that is King Tut’s Summer Nights kicks off with a headline set from aggressive Glasgow metalcore chaps The Recovery! (exclamation mark obligatory), commencing the 15-day schedule taking in some 50+ live acts.

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Local showcase night, including Edinburgh and Glasgow-born female-fronted garage punk trio The Fnords.

Thu 25 Jul

KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: THE RECOVERY! (PRESS TO MECO + BEAR ARMS + SHORES OF ATTICA)

O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £15

13TH NOTE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

The internationally-acclaimed touring hardcore emo outfit hit the Weege.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

That jackass fae, err, Jackass turns his attention to making music, covering the likes of Turbonegro, Clutch and Bloodhound Gang in his own punk-rock rammy of a way.

THE FNORDS + THE FRANCEENS + THE JACKHAMMERS

THE CATHARSIS (THE COLOUR PINK IS GAY)

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

BAM MARGERA FROM JACKASS IS FUCKFACE UNSTOPPABLE

THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–23:00, £6

Indie-styled showcase night with noisy pop offerings from the US, Italy/Germany and Edinburgh respectively.

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

COMMUNION

The former The Almighty, Thin Lizzy – and now Black Star Riders – vocalists plays as part of a special solo acoustic tour, with support from Terrorvision mainman Tony Wright.

TUNABUNNY + THE SPOOK SCHOOL + WOOG RIOTS

SORDID LITTLE SECRETS (THE SLEAZE BROTHERS + THE TWISTED MELONS)

AKRON/FAMILY

Mon 22 Jul

RAZOREATER (THE INFERNAL SEA)

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from Kinross-formed ensemble Sienna – rich with bluesy hues and powerful harmonies.

BROADCAST, 19:30–23:00, £7.50

Sat 20 Jul

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from bass-heavy electronic chap, TeKlo.

KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: SIENNA (THE YOUNG AND THE YOUNG + CRITTERS)

13TH NOTE, 19:30–23:00, £4

Folk-influenced experimental rock ensemble with members scattered across Oregon, Arizona and New York.

KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

Young pup four-piece hailing from Oakland, CA, with a passion for piñatas and punk rock. Ain’t we all.

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from new ex-Dananankroyd peeps, Alarm Bells.

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from uplifting indie troupe Sunshine Social – aka they who won the Billy Kelly award back in’t 2010. KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: TEKLO (ROMAN NOSE + THE MIGHTY CREAM + DARC)

EMILY’S ARMY O2 ABC, 19:00–22:00, £6

BALLBOY (ARTS & LEISURE + YAKURI CABLE) THE GLAD CAFE, 19:30–23:00, £6

KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: TAFFY (THE MODESTS + THE CLOCK + YOUNG AVIATORS) KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

Scottish-born, London-living acoustic folk-rock chap (aka Andrew Bradley) on vocals, piano and guitar. STRETCHED (NOISETRADE + KOOSHT)

John Peel favourites ballboy play a special acoustic set in the intimate surrounds of The Glad Cafe.

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from Japanese Britpop fetishists Taffy.

Fledgling jazz-influenced alternative night, all-new to Bloc’s lair.

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £5

Tue 23 Jul

Fri 26 Jul

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £12

SCOTT CHARLES

The soulful Clydebank singer/ songwriter performs an acoustic live band set, playing tracks from his new album, Paper Thin Days, as well as some new exclusive tracks. INDIEVIOUS (THE PATRIOTS + THE HYPNIC JERKS + ANDY GALLAGHER AND OVERHAUL + DISTRICT 55 + BLACK JACK)

MAGGIE MAY’S, 19:30–22:00, £6

Live music showcase featuring an indie-centric selection of bands.

CAST THE NET (BETAMIN + NEX)

Regular showcase night taking in a handpicked selection of exciting new Scottish artists and bands. ICON OF COIL

CLASSIC GRAND, 19:00–22:00, £14

Norwegian electronic project established in 1997 as the solo project of Andy LaPlegua, later joined by former Sector 9 bandmate Sebastian Komor.

BLOC+, 21:00–01:00, FREE

RED SKY JULY

Vintage-styled country rock from husband and wife duo Ally McErlaine and Shelly Poole, respectively from bands Texas and Alisha’s Attic. PACIFIC BLUES (RUSSIAN BRIDE)

BUFF CLUB, 19:15–22:00, £5

Unsigned Glasgow tropical rockers mixing rock, pop, funk and blues into their sunny mix.

THE SKINNY

KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: THE OK SOCIAL CLUB (A PLASTIC ROSE + MODEL JET PILOT + HUEVO AND THE GIANT) KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from genre-hopping Edinburgh trio The OK Social Club. FRIDAY SOUND OFF (THE SHIVERIN’ SHEIKS + CASUAL SEX)

THE BRUNSWICK MUSIC STAGE, 18:00–20:00, £TBC

Double headline outing with genrehopping rock’n’rollers The Shiverin’ Sheiks squaring up to Glasgow indie quartet Casual Sex. Part of Merchant City Festival.

FREE ANNUAL 13TH NOTE MUSIC FESTIVAL (NO ISLAND + TIDE OF IRON + MAGPYES + GUNFINGER + SKULLWIZARD + SMACK WIZARDS + WOE) 13TH NOTE, 19:00–23:00, FREE

Three-day-long mini music festival, playing host to a raggle-taggle bunch of locals over the course of the weekend. Part of Merchant City Festival. BRAID

STEREO, 18:30–22:00, £14 ADV.

The post-hardcore Illinoisers perform their beloved third LP, Frame and Canvas, in full – in celebration of its 15th anniversary year.

Sat 27 Jul STUNTMAN MIKE

STEREO, 19:00–22:00, £8 (£6)

Glasgow rock quartet made up of longtime friends from various different bands, united under the powerful tones of frontman Scott Hetherington. GLASGOW’S HIDDEN GEOMETRY

MARYHILL BURGH HALLS, 18:00–22:00, £8 (£6)

Psychogeographical exploration in music and film, featuring a screening of The Devil’s Plantation by May Miles Thomas, plus live music from sonic dark folk experimenters The Psychogeographical Commission and Glasgow sound artist Caroline McKenzie.

KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: SOS (THE LITTLE ILLUSIONS + THE MOON KIDS + MONO SIX) KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from Glasgow ensemble SOS (which stands for Strawberry Ocean Sea, o’course), a mash of ethereal vocals and big ol’ guitars.

FREE ANNUAL 13TH NOTE MUSIC FESTIVAL (VASQUEZ + TUFF LOVE + EX WIVES + SLY AND THE FAMILY DRONE + SKULLWIZARD + THE CHERRY WAVE + MISS IRENIE ROSE + GLAD COMMUNITY CHOIR) 13TH NOTE, 19:00–23:00, FREE

Three-day-long mini music festival, playing host to a raggle-taggle bunch of locals over the course of the weekend. Part of Merchant City Festival.

SAVE SIGHTHILL STONE CIRCLE (STUART BRAITHWAITE + AIDAN MOFFAT + RM HUBBERT + EUGENE KELLY + EMMA POLLOCK + REMEMBER REMEMBER) PLATFORM, 17:00–22:00, £6

Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite heads a supergig cast to play a one-off benefit to help Save Sighthill Stone Circle – which Glasgow City Council plan to demolish to make way for Commonwealth Games redevelopment. Buses leave from Mono at 4.30pm. F.O.X

FLAT 0/1, 19:00–22:00, £5

KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: DEPARTURES (SALO + OWLS IN ANTARTICA) KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £7

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from Glasgow-based hardcore rock lot Departures. FREE ANNUAL 13TH NOTE MUSIC FESTIVAL (LOS TENTAKILLS + THE WOVEN TENS + GALOSHINS + BIG HOGG + HOWIE REEVE + GIBLETS OF YESTERDAY)

13TH NOTE, 19:00–23:00, FREE

Three-day-long mini music festival, playing host to a raggle-taggle bunch of locals over the course of the weekend. Part of Merchant City Festival.

Mon 29 Jul WE ARE SCIENTISTS

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £13.50

California-based indie-rockers with a penchant for big riffs, on the road showcasing a selection of new songs. KING TUT’S SUMMER NIGHTS: FAKE MAJOR (CAMPFIRES IN WINTER + KEVIN HARPER) KING TUT’S, 20:30–23:00, £6

King Tut’s Summer Nights schedule continues with a headline set from the Endor chaps new venture, going by the name of Fake Major.

Edinburgh Music Tue 02 Jul VATICAN SHADOW

SNEAKY PETE’S, 21:00–00:00, £6

USHER HALL, 18:30–22:00, FROM £30

Deborah Harry and co. return to the UK for the first time since 2011, touring with their ninth studio album, Panic of Girls.

Wed 03 Jul

ADAM HOLMES AND THE EMBERS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

Young rootsy-pop singer/ songwriter Adam Holmes plays accompanied by his five-strong band of players, The Embers. ROBOT DOCTORS

PIVO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Dundonian indie-punk exponents, blending a love of melody with a penchant for balls-to-the-wall rock.

Thu 04 Jul

ADAM STAFFORD (RM HUBBERT + SIOBHAN WILSON)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £6

ALGERNON DOLL (DEGRASSI + HALO TORA + CURATORS)

OPIUM, 20:00–23:30, £5

Off-kilter alternative folk project from Glasgow’s Ewan Grant, in the vein of Red House Painters, Mark Lanegan and Elliot Smith.

Fledgling female-fronted electro popsters, born into the world in January 2013.

Fri 05 Jul

ORAN MOR, 19:00–22:00, £14

Edinburgh alternative noisemakers known for their well-crafted epic rock anthems.

TERRY NEASON

Popular singer and comic diva Terry Neason presents an eclectic mix of country, jazz, blues and pop covers.

Sun 28 Jul JOHNNY FLYNN

CCA, 19:00–22:00, £12

After a two-year hiatus from the live circuit, folk-rock singer/ songwriter Johnny Flynn dusts off his guitar for a mini UK tour. FIFTEEN DEAD (SUFFERINFUCK + SHEER IGNORANCE)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 19:30–23:00, £5

Crust-meets-metal crossover from all over east Scotland, currently warming up for their US tour the following week.

July 2013

LOST IN AUDIO (MISSING MYLA + THE MARTELLOS + PENNY BLACK) THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £TBC

FROM DEATH TO DEATH AND OTHER SMALL TALES: BY NIGHT

SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY OF MODERN ART, 19:00–22:00, FREE (BUT TICKETED)

Special evening viewing of From Death to Death and Other Small Tales, exploring the exhibition’s themes of the body and the human condition via music from Withered Hand, Wounded Knee and Small Feet Little Toes – plus talks, DJs and an artist performance. UNTIL WE’RE HEROES (MOVING MAGNETS) BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £5

Glaswegian four-piece rock unit, specialising in slapping basses and melting faces.

Edinburgh Music Sat 06 Jul

A FIGHT YOU CAN’T WIN (VANILLA GLOOM + VASQUEZ)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

The Edinburgh trio deliver their short and subtly distorted blasts of grunge-y rock, as per. Let the moshing commence. THIS FEELING

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £6

The favourited London rock’n’roll night takes a trip to Scotland, with a selection of live bands taking to the stage. FASTER PUSSYCAT (THE ART + ADDICTION FOR DESTRUCTION + PSYCHO SUNDAY)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

The LA sleaze kings return to play a (predictably sold out) greatest hits set.

PLAY WITH ME (GARRY CAMBRIDGE + KEVIN WILLIAMSON + BILL RYDER-JONES + DAVY HENDERSON)

SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE, 19:30–21:30, £5

Talented young wordsmith Michael Pedersen launches his first fulllength poetry collection with a rare ol’ party, joined by spoken word compadres Garry Cambridge and Kevin Williamson, plus live music from Bill Ryder-Jones and Davy Henderson.

SUMMER IN THE CITY: WARM-UP (TOM MILSOM + EDDPLANT + BLUESKIES + CHAMELEON CIRCUIT) CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £7

Warm-up tour for Summer in the City festival, traveling the country with a selection of acts in advance of the main event.

UNITED FRONT + LOADED + SNOW + GIROBUSTER + WEE D + KAYCE ONE +DEE + SCOPE + LUMANES + MANIAC HENRY’S CELLAR, 23:00–03:00, £6

Late night hip-hop showcase with myriad players, MCs and DJs in attendance. NAKED (RED DEATH)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

The fledgling ‘burgh-based minimal experimentalists – all members of Edinburgh School For The Deaf – launch their new 7-inch.

Sun 07 Jul

MARCUS BONFANTI (JACK ROWBERRY) CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £8

The London-born bluesman plays with his live ensemble, featuring Scott Wiber on bass and Alex Reeves on drums. THROW THE GOAT (THE BASTARD SONS + SERPICO + ROLL ON 111)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £6

Hard rockin’ ensemble hailing from the wild mountains of Idyllwild, California.

Mon 08 Jul

BLACK JACK (LYXX + CORRUPT THE SYSTEM)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £4

Hard, southern-styled rock Edinburgh quintet specialising in pure rock’n’roll sounds.

Tue 09 Jul KENNY ROGERS

USHER HALL, 18:30–22:00, FROM £30

The US-of-A country singer/ songwriter plays a set of hits. ADVANCE BASE (EAGLEOWL)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £7.50

Wed 10 Jul

FUZZY AND THE PEACHES

PIVO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Four chaps from around East Lothian playng good ol’ bluesy funk with an injection of rock.

Thu 11 Jul

SCOTT COWIE (TAKE TODAY + ELVIRA STITT)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

The tender Glasgow singer/songwriter brings his hearty melodies to bear.

FATHERSON + SPARROW AND THE WORKSHOP + FOUND

KARMA TO BURN (DESERT STORM + GAREEDA)

THE CAVES, 20:00–23:00, FREE

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £10

THE LORELEI (DIRTY SHOES + CRAIG JOHN DAVIDSON) BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £6

The Aberdonian Fat Hippy Records signees tour their new LP, Faces.

Sun 21 Jul

STEVE RILEY AND THE MAMOU PLAYBOYS

Rock-meets-pop styled Kilmarnock trio Fatherson headline the bill at Dewar’s third first-comefirst-served free gig night, with stellar support from Sparrow and the Workshop and FOUND. And free drams ahoy, obvs.

West Virginia stoner rock trio made up of guitarist William Mecum, bassist Rich Mullins and drummer Rob Oswald.

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £5 ADV.

Monthly experimental music club bringing the good times with their Beefheart-inspired experimental funk.

Unique fusion of world, afrobeat, hip-hop, folk and reggae from Guinea-born singer and kora player Sekou Kouyaté and guitarist and rapper Joe Driscoll. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival.

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Mon 22 Jul

RAGLANS

Dublin-based quartet formed in a festival tent back in 2010, riding along on muscular new wave guitars, gritty pop melodies and indie-folk arrangements.

HORSES LATITUDE (S&M + OF SPIRE & THRONE + EAGLETOMB) BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £5

Slow and primitive-styled metal sounds from the Helsinki trio.

Fri 12 Jul SUSAN BOYLE

FESTIVAL THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £27.50

The Britain’s Got Talent songstress performs a set of iconic album tracks and classics, we’ll do the hiding. FULL MOON FREAKS (ELECTRIC CLOWNS)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £5

Reformed 80s psychobilly rockers, back on the stage with a selection of old and new sounds.

Sat 13 Jul

BRUNCHEON!: THE SOUND OF MUESLI

OUT OF THE BLUE DRILL HALL, 11:30–15:00, FREE

Brunch and live music event in the Drill Hall cafe, featuring local musical talent.

SKA FOR SICK KIDS (FAD MANNERS + THE BUCKY SKANKS + THE RATISTAS)

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:00–23:00, £8 ADV. (£9 DOOR)

Celebration of all things ska, featuring a selection of local players. All profits go to The Sick Kids Friends Foundation. THE WYNNTOWN MARSHALS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £8

The Americana-styled Edinburgh lot with a penchant for guitars, catchy choruses and using music as a storytelling medium. SUSAN BOYLE

FESTIVAL THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £27.50

Thu 18 Jul CLICK CLACK CLUB

HENRY’S CELLAR, 20:00–23:30, £5 (£3)

BLACK INTERNATIONAL

Post-punk duo from Edinburgh, formed in late 2006 by ECA graduates Stewart Allan and Craig Peeble. ABSOLUTE BOWIE

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £12

David Bowie tribute act.

MS FI AND THE LOST HEAD BAND

THE OUTHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Edinburgh-based singer/songwriter Fiona J Thom and her merry live band launch their new LP, influenced by the songwriting traditions of the American Songbook, 60s psychedellia and good ol’ rock’n’roll.

Fri 19 Jul

THE PREVENTERS (TOM VEVERS + EXIT THE THEATRE + PAPER CROWNS) CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £5

Cumbernauld retro lot playing with sounds from the 50s and 60s, spiced up with contemporary melodies and lyrics. TIA FULLER

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:30–22:30, £15

Super-charged American saxophone star with her big swinging, bop–based, all female band. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival. FATHOMS (CITAGAZI)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £5

Hardcore style metal punch to the face from the rising Brighton monsters.

NORMAN SILVER AND THE GOLD (FATALISTS) HENRY’S CELLAR, 19:00–23:00, £5

The Edinburgh-based countrystyled lot launch their new LP, War Memoirs, pitched as ‘uncheerful country and western’. Sold. TEMPLE DAWN (APERTURE)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

The Britain’s Got Talent songstress performs a set of iconic album tracks and classics, we’ll do the hiding.

Hard rockin’ Lanarkshire quartet, melodic and powerful in equal measures.

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £5

BLANK CANVAS (TAFFY + WE CAME FROM THE NORTH + WOZNIAK)

TOOMS

Newcastle-based industrial headbangers fusing hardcore metal with hard electronic dance music. DAPITZ (GLASSFACE)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Leith-residing band of ‘burgh punk-rockers, who met in the 70s but only formed a band in 2011.

Sun 14 Jul

CARNAL DECAY (PIGHEAD + CANCEROUS WOMB + SCORDATURA)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £6

Aggressive death metal noisemakers hailing from Switzerland, out on the road touring their new album, On Top Of The Food Chain.

Mon 15 Jul PRESS TO MECO

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £4

Alternative-styled progressive rock trio fresh from their Download festival airing.

Tue 16 Jul

AVOCET BLUE (SECTIONED + DEAD ECHOES)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

All new adventures in melodic hardcore from the central belt.

Wed 17 Jul

AMANDA PALMER AND THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA

PICTURE HOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £16 ADV.

The DIY songstress and her raucous new crew play their rescheduled European tour dates showcasing new album, Theatre Is Evil, in a live setting.

Sat 20 Jul

PALAZZO SPIEGELTENT, 20:30–22:30, £15

A fine example of Cajun French music straight outta the backwaters of Southwest Louisiana. JOE AND SEKOU

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 20:00–23:00, £12

SNARKY PUPPY

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £15

With a rotating schedule of some 25 players, the US-of A collective share their unique musical enthusiasm for jazz funk and world music. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival. DONNIE VIE (BAZ FRANCIS)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £9

The Enuff Z Nuff singer performs a set of hits, unplugged and on piano, followed by a selection of rock stories.

Tue 23 Jul

MATT NORRIS AND THE MOON

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £5

Edinburgh-based modern folk collective resplendent with trumpets, fiddles, accordions and four-part harmonies. JAKE AND THE JELLYFISH

PIVO, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Leeds-based lads of the reggaetinged, folk-punk persuasion – fueled pretty much solely on gigging and beer. LOCUS

THE JAZZ BAR, 19:00–20:30, £10

A group of talented young things, led by the NYC-based Leah Gough-Cooper and Leeds-based Kim Macari, sharing their energetic approach to contemporary jazz. THE ALLAN JOHNSTON BAND (THE JO PHILBY BAND)

HIDDEN ORCHESTRA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £10

FAT SAM’S BAND

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:30–22:00, £15

Fat Sam and co. bring the foottapping, upbeat jazz and swing from the jive-talking era. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival.

RED STRIPE BAND (DOM AND THE IKOS)

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:30–22:00, £15

Red Stripe and his seven- piece band do their rollicking boogie woogie, blues, jump jive, swing, and rock’n’roll thing. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival. F.O.X

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £5

Fledgling female-fronted electro popsters, born into the world in January 2013.

Sat 27 Jul

WHITE LIGHTNIN’ (THE STARK PALACE)

Sun 28 Jul

PHAROAH SANDERS QUARTET

3 BRISTO PLACE, 20:30–22:30, £22.50

One of the most distinctive tenor saxophone sounds in jazz, harmonically rich and heavy with overtones, performing as part of the jazz fest. ULTRA HIGH FLAMENCO

3 BRISTO PLACE, 18:00–19:30, £15

High profile Spanish band, playing dramatic and fiery flamenco-jazz fusion with a folky, acoustic feel: tumbling rhythms, dazzling unison passages and passionate melodies. Part of Manchester Jazz Festival. JOOLS HOLLAND AND HIS RHYTHM AND BLUES ORCHESTRA

FESTIVAL THEATRE, 19:30–21:30, £33.50

The new blues-rock Edinburgh trio on the block play a headline set, marking a return visit to Henry’s.

The former Squeeze piano tinkler does his thing, accompanied as ever by his 20-piece Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £12

Mon 29 Jul

HENRY’S CELLAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

GHOSTPOET

Inspired experimental hip-hip from the Mercury-nominated lisped Londoner. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival. MUD MORGANFIELD + STEVEY HAY’S SHADES OF BLUE

FESTIVAL THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £15

Muddy Waters’ eldest son plays with his new blues ensemble, joined by Stevie Hay’s rockin’ blues band. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival.

FESTIVAL FOLK @ THE OAK

THE ROYAL OAK, 20:30–23:00, £6

Edinburgh’s famous hub for folk music presents 35 Festival nights of acoustic folk and traditional music, featuring a different singer, musician or group every night.

ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS

DUKE ELLINGTON’S SACRED CONCERT

Rare performance of Ellington’s wonderful ‘Sacred Music’, encompassing jazz, classical music, choral music, spirituals, gospel, blues and dance. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival. MR WISHART (MELANIE MAIE)

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £4

Chilled evening of acoustic tunes, headed up by Edinburgh singer/ songwriter Mr Wishart.

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Joe Acheson and his Edinburgh based outfit play a special AV performance, dueling acoustic and digital percussion, piano, violin, bass and samples in one gloriously experimental whole. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival.

Leeds-based dubstep experimentalists brewing soul, jazz and electronica into their instrumental treatment of the genre.

THE SKALLIGATORS (RED2RED)

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

More ska-styled tunesmithery from the Edinburgh covers ensemble. The will play The Specials.

FESTIVAL THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £20

Thu 25 Jul

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £3

SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA

THE LIQUID ROOM, 19:00–22:00, £13

Edinburgh-based alternative indie-rock quintet led by Cal Black.

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

MONSTERS ON MOVIE POSTERS (FELIX CHAMPION)

Alternative synth-rock trio playing a hometown gig.

WEE RED BAR, 19:00–22:00, £5

Monthly showcase selection of new bands who’ve been using Bainbridge Studios facilities this month.

FERRIC (SEA OF CROWNS)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–22:00, £5

The indie-pop styled Edinburgh quartet play a hometown show, fresh from a jaunt to London recording new material.

HENRY’S CELLAR, 19:00–23:00, £5

Sex Pistols tribute act.

BAINBRIDGE INTRODUCING

SCENIC SOUNDTRACK

BANNERMANS, 20:00–23:00, £5

Fledgling, indie-driven Edinburgh rockers formed in the dark depths of winter 2012.

THE SPOOK SCHOOL (WOOG RIOTS + FINNMARK)

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–21:30, £17.50

BODIES (THE I-MAN-I EXPERIENCE + DAPITZ)

Fri 26 Jul

Funk and soul specialist (and musical director of the James Brown Band during its heyday). Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival.

Wed 24 Jul

MIAOUX MIAOUX (MACHINES IN HEAVEN)

The Scottish guitarist – known for his stream of interesting projects across the contemporary jazz spectrum – puts together an international band of players handpicked from the Oslo and Copenhagen jazz scenes, paying reference to his Scandinavian roots.

Rare hometown show from Allan Johnston – a prolific songwriter and singer of traditional folk song – and his group of players.

Rare set from one of the most powerful and distinctive voices in blues and rock’n’roll. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival.

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 19:00–22:00, £5 ADV.

FRED WESLEY & THE NEW JBS THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:30–22:30, £20

THE VOODOO ROOMS, 19:30–23:00, £10

SNEAKY PETE’S, 19:00–22:00, £4 ADV. (£7 DOOR)

Edinburgh-based post-punk experimentalists, fusing elements of dreamy math with melodic guitars and bass.

HAFTOR MEDBOE 19:00 – 20:30, £12, 3 BRISTO PLACE

THE LAST BATTLE (CARO AND THE BRIDGES + MATT NORRIS)

Edinburgh’s own folk-pop outfit do their ever-lovely orchestraltinged thing. BARBER, BILK AND BALL

FESTIVAL THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £20

Undisputed kings of traditional jazz in Britain, with Kenny Ball’s son stepping up to take his late father’s spot on the stage. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival. STONE ISLANDS

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 20:00–21:30, £12.50

Musical collaboration between Sardinian saxophonist Enzo Favata, and Scottish musicians Colin Steele and Dave Milligan. Part of Edinburgh Jazz Festival.

Listings

Edinburgh Clubs Tue 02 Jul ANTICS

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Alternative anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie and punk. SOUL JAM HOT

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team. I LOVE HIP HOP

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £2

Selection of hip-hop classics and brand new classics-to-be. HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £5/6

Electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

Wed 03 Jul BANGERS & MASH

THE HIVE, 22:00–05:00, £1 (£3 AFTER 11)

Midweek student rundown of chart and cheese classics. WITNESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures. CHAMPION SOUND

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 12)

Midweek celebration of all things dub, jungle, reggae and dancehall. THE BUNKER: LAUNCH NIGHT

STUDIO 24, 19:00–03:00, £4

Studio 24 launch their very own indoor skate park as only they know how – with an eight-hour party night complete with a bar, ping pong table, live music and projectors. FUSED

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£2)

House styled night with added electro and hip-hop breaks. OXYGEN

THE ANNEXE, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

A whole night of trance, for all your, er, trance-y needs.

Thu 04 Jul FRISKY

THE HIVE, 22:00–05:00, FREE

Chart, dance and electro fare, plus punter requests all night long. JUICE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pumped Thursday nighter playing a mighty mix of everything from Hud Mo to Fly Mo. DJ PROF

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Remixed, deep and funky house from the Elementary resident. I AM: EDINBURGH

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4/3/ FREE

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass.

Fri 05 Jul MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms. PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

Distinctly retro selection from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top. CONFUSION IS SEX

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£6 AFTER 12)

The glam techno and electro night takes over Bongo HQ for its usual themed shenanigans, this month with a Let’s Get Physical dress code. Discount in fancy dress. THIS IS MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

Regular indie and electro outing from the Sick Note DJs. POP TARTS

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

The occasional fun night takes on a new regular Friday night slot, with the DJs from some of their favourited existing nights – including Magic Nostalgic and Pop Rocks. BAD ROBOT

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5

The Bad Robot party lot invade once more, armed with an intergalactic mash-up of electro party tunes.

Listings

FLY CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7/5

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by a selection of guest talent both local and further flung (aka London). DIGITAL SWEATBAND

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Eclectic mash-up of funk, soul, future boogie, re-edits and old school hip-hop and electro. That do you? UNSEEN (INGEN)

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

Stripped-down techno with a back-to-basics warehouse style, joined by Edinburgh-based DJ and producer Ingen – whose sounds range from complex polyrhythms to the obvious techno backbone.

OXFAM: BUY WHAT YOU HEAR CABARET VOLTAIRE, 19:00–01:00, FREE

Guest DJs come armed with the music they’ve picked from Edinburgh’s Oxfam store in Stockbridge, all of which will be available to purchase on the night – with funds going straight to Oxfam. DM LOVERS

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 22:30–03:00, £3/4

New alternative monthly night taking its inspiration from the skinhead and punk movements, with discounted entry in Dr. Martens. Obviously.

WITNESS (LAST JAPAN)

BUBBLEGUM

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures welcome South London producer Last Japan into their fold for the evening, helping the venue celebrate their 5th birthday month.

Thu 11 Jul FRISKY

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Chart, dance and electro fare, plus punter requests all night long. STONEGROOVE

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Downtempo D’n’B and dub sounds from the chaps behind Spangled. I AM: EDINBURGH

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4/3/ FREE

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass. JUICE (ONEMAN)

COMPRESSION (ANDY WHITBY)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5 (MEMBERS FREE)

THE ANNEXE, 22:30–03:00, £10

Hardhouse-styled offerings, headed up by hard dance specialist Andy Whitby.

The pumped Thursday party night welcomes Rinse FM’s Oneman to their lair for a special set in honour of Sneaky’s 5th birthday month.

Sat 06 Jul

Fri 12 Jul

TEASE AGE

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms.

THE GO-GO

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£5/£4 STUDENT AFTER 11.30)

PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

Long-running retro night with veteran DJs Tall Paul and Big Gus.

Distinctly retro selection from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top.

BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

XPLICIT

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£6 AFTER 12)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard.

Heavy jungle and bass-styled beats from the inimitable Xplicit crew and guests.

PLAYDATE

COSMIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00– 03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

House specialists Stewart and Steven play, er, some special house. PROPAGANDA

PICTURE HOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4

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

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5

Swinging soul spanning a whole century with DJs Tsatsu and Fryer, plus live dancers a-go-go. SPEAKER BITE ME

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £5

The Evol DJs worship at the alter of all kinds of indie-pop, as long as it’s got bite. BORDELLO

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£5/£4 STUDENT AFTER 11)

Classic sleazy rock all night long. POCKET ACES (THUNDER DISCO CLUB)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7/5

Dance-inducing party with an anything goes attitude and rotating rota of guest DJs, with TDC making their monthly journey to the capital for a night of discoinfused house. BOOGIE NIGHTS

THE ANNEXE, 22:30–03:00, FREE

Fun-styled night of retro classics for your general dancing pleasure. JAM HOT

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Sweet, soulful grooves and nitty gritty house care of resident Craig Gee. KOO KOO

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, £5

STUDIO 24, 21:00–03:00, £3 (£6 AFTER 12)

Mon 08 Jul MIXED UP

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Request-driven night of poppunk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s classics. NU FIRE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Tue 09 Jul ANTICS

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Alternative anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie and punk. SOUL JAM HOT

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team. I LOVE HIP HOP

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £2

Selection of hip-hop classics and brand new classics-to-be. HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £5/6

Electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

Wed 10 Jul BANGERS & MASH

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 AFTER 11)

Midweek student rundown of chart and cheese classics. CHAMPION SOUND

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 12)

Party-styled night of 70s post-punk, disco and synth wave delights.

Midweek celebration of all things dub, jungle, reggae and dancehall.

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5

STUDIO 24, 19:00–03:00, £4

LIQUID ROOM CLASSICS

Myriad of the classic Liquid Room DJs get together for a one-off night of nostalgia.

Sun 07 Jul THE SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of.

THE BUNKER

New skate night in Studio 24’s own indoor park, with an eight-hour party night complete with a bar, ping pong table, live music and projectors.

Monthly club bringing the spirit of the psychedelic trance dance ritual to the floor, with live acts, VJs and colourful fluoro decor. POP TARTS

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

The occasional fun night takes on a new regular Friday night slot, with the DJs from some of their favourited existing nights – including Magic Nostalgic and Pop Rocks. BAD ROBOT

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5

The Bad Robot party lot invade once more, armed with an intergalactic mash-up of electro party tunes.

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard. PROPAGANDA

PICTURE HOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. DR NO’S

HENRY’S CELLAR, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£5 AFTER 12)

Danceable mix of the best in 60s ska, rocksteady, bluebeat and reggae. BEEP BEEP, YEAH!

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £4 (£5 AFTER 12)

Retro pop stylings from the 50s to the 70s, via a disco tune or ten. MESSENGER

THE BONGO CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£7 AFTER 12)

Conscious roots and dub reggae rockin’ from the usual beefty soundsystem. KARNIVAL (JESSE ROSE)

THE ANNEXE, 22:30–03:00, £8 ADV.

Karnival take to The Annexe with LA-based house specialist Jesse Rose, who’ll be marking a return visit to the night after his March outing there.

Wed 17 Jul

A QUARTER OF HITS (JIM GELLATLY + DEL + STU TODD)

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 AFTER 11)

Charity fundraiser with Jim Gellatly headlining, alongside Madchester’s dEL and XY’s Stu Todd on support, playing the best music from the past 25 years – jollied along by a BBQ and a live music auction. All profits go to SANDS Lothian.

BANGERS & MASH

Midweek student rundown of chart and cheese classics. WITNESS

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures. THE BUNKER

STUDIO 24, 19:00–03:00, £4

New skate night in Studio 24’s own indoor park, with an eight-hour party night complete with a bar, ping pong table, live music and projectors. FUSED

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£2)

House styled night with added electro and hip-hop breaks.

Thu 18 Jul FRISKY

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Chart, dance and electro fare, plus punter requests all night long. JUICE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pumped Thursday nighter playing a mighty mix of everything from Hud Mo to Fly Mo. EKLEKTIKA

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Deep, funky and eclectic house beats from Marcus A – a bright new light on the Edinburgh DJ scene.

POCKET ACES (THINK TWICE)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (FREE VIA IAMCLUB.CO.UK)

JAM HOT

Sweet, soulful grooves and nitty gritty house care of resident Craig Gee. CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Dance-inducing party night, with Craig Smith making his monthly appearance rich with deep, soulful house sounds. DJ RAWKS COMPETITION

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, FREE

As a thank you to their regulars, Studio 24 host a free rock club – complete with live games and a DJ competition. REPUBLIK

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £TBC

Themed night of retro classics, all night long.

Sun 14 Jul THE SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of.

Mon 15 Jul MIXED UP

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Request-driven night of pop-punk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s classics. NU FIRE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Tue 16 Jul ANTICS

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Alternative anthems cherrypicked

FLY

I AM: EDINBURGH

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass.

Fri 19 Jul MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms. PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

Distinctly retro selection from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top. THIS IS MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

Regular indie and electro outing from the Sick Note DJs. STEPBACK

WEE RED BAR, 23:00–03:00, £5

Mixed bag of electronic bass, from Baltimore to dubstep. POP TARTS

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

The occasional fun night takes on a new regular Friday night slot, with the DJs from some of their favourited existing nights – including Magic Nostalgic and Pop Rocks. SHAKE YER SHOULDERS

STUDIO 24, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

Celebration of all things techno with the Shake Yer Shoulders residents. FLY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7/5

THE LIQUID ROOM, 21:00–03:00, £6

Sat 20 Jul

BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

STUDIO 24, 19:00–03:00, £4

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard. THE GREEN DOOR

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, £2 (£5/£4 STUDENT AFTER 11)

from genres of rock, indie and punk. SOUL JAM HOT

Selection of hip-hop classics and brand new classics-to-be. CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

I LOVE HIP HOP

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £TBC

Regular fun night of big drops and bass sounds from the realms of modern dance and EDM.

Electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

Sat 13 Jul

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£2)

BASS SYNDICATE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

New skate night in Studio 24’s own indoor park, with an eight-hour party night complete with a bar, ping pong table, live music and projectors. FUSED

Surf, blues and rockabilly from the 50s and early 60s, plus free cake. Job done.

House styled night with added electro and hip-hop breaks.

PICTURE HOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Thu 25 Jul

REWIND

Chart, dance and electro fare, plus punter requests all night long.

PROPAGANDA

Student-orientated night playing the best in new and classic indie music. THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £5

Journey back through the ages, with the residents digging out anthemic gems from the last 40 years. DECADE

STUDIO 24, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5/£4 STUDENT AFTER 11)

Fresh playlists spanning pop-punk, emo and hardcore soundscapes. WASABI DISCO

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £3 (MEMBERS FREE)

Heady bout of cosmic house, punk upside-down disco and, er, Fleetwood Mac with yer man Kris ‘Wasabi’ Walker. POP ROCKS!

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, £4 (£5 AFTER 12)

Pop and rock gems, taking in motown, 80s classics and plenty danceable fare (well, the Beep Beep, Yeah! crew are on decks after all). JAM HOT

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Sweet, soulful grooves and nitty gritty house care of resident Craig Gee. POCKET ACES (GASOLINE DANCE MACHINE)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Dance-inducing party night, with GDM’s Cheap Picasso making their monthly appearance armed with classic Italo, straight-up boogie, contemporary house and disco.

Sun 21 Jul THE SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of.

Mon 22 Jul MIXED UP

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £3 (£2)

FRISKY

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

JUICE

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Pumped Thursday nighter playing a mighty mix of everything from Hud Mo to Fly Mo. WOLFJAZZ

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

The Edinburgh stalwart mans the decks, famous for residencies at el Bongo’s Wonky and techno night Jackhammer. I AM: EDINBURGH (RICHARD FEARLESS)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£3)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa make their now regular trip east, playing the usual fine mix of electronica and bass – joined by Death in Vegas’ Richard Fearless for a special guest slot.

Fri 26 Jul MISFITS

THE HIVE, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 10)

Chart, electro, indie-pop and alternative anthems over two rooms. PLANET EARTH

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

Distinctly retro selection from 1960 to 1999, moving from Abba to ZZ Top. WONKY

HENRY’S CELLAR, 23:00–03:00, £5

A cast of players take care of all your hardtek and breakcore needs, with full UV decor and, YES!, glowsticks. POP TARTS

ELECTRIC CIRCUS, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 12)

The occasional fun night takes on a new regular Friday night slot, with the DJs from some of their favourited existing nights – including Magic Nostalgic and Pop Rocks. DEFCON

STUDIO 24, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

Jungle, jungle and, er, more jungle with a selection of the best modern jungle DJs. DIGITAL SWEATBAND

FUSED

House styled night with added electro and hip-hop breaks. CLUB EDEN

THE ANNEXE, 22:30–03:00, £5

Funky house and dirty electro playlists from the past and future, so say they.

Eclectic mash-up of funk, soul, future boogie, re-edits and old school hip-hop and electro. That do you?

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by a selection of guest talent both local and further flung (aka London).

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

HECTOR’S HOUSE

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

THE BUNKER

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

THE ANNEXE, 22:30–03:00, £3

TEASE AGE

WITNESS

Sneaky’s resident bass spectacular of house, garage and bass adventures.

Long-running indie, rock and soul night.

Request-driven night of pop-punk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team.

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

BANGERS & MASH

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, £1 (£3 AFTER 11)

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

The #notsosilent crew boast a set of all-vinyl techno pressure from the star of Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, Marquis Hawkes, as part of Sneaky’s 5th birthday month of celebrations. BASSCAMP

Wed 24 Jul

TEASE AGE

DIGITAL SWEATBAND

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5

HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £6 (£5)

Electronic basslines allied with home-cooked house beats.

CITRUS CLUB, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11)

PIVO, 22:00–03:00, FREE

#NOTSOSILENT (MARQUIS HAWKES)

Fresh mix of funk, soul and boogie from The Players Association team.

Midweek student rundown of chart and cheese classics.

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by a selection of guest talent both local and further flung (aka London). Eclectic mash-up of funk, soul, future boogie, re-edits and old school hip-hop and electro. That do you?

SOUL JAM HOT SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

DIGITAL SWEATBAND

Eclectic mash-up of funk, soul, future boogie, re-edits and old school hip-hop and electro. That do you?

FLY (RUSS CHIMES)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

A powerhouse of local residents take over Cab Vol, joined by guest talent Russ Chimes (aka he of the ever-so-trancey, synth-crazy electro house). #NOTSOSILENT (GERD)

classics.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, £5

SNEAKY PETE’S, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Edinburgh’s #notsosilent house specialists host a special Easter Electric warm-up party, joined by leftfield electronic Dutch producer Gerd.

Tue 23 Jul

THE LIQUID ROOM, 22:30–03:00, £10 ADV.

NU FIRE

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs. ANTICS

THE HIVE, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Alternative anthems cherrypicked from genres of rock, indie and punk.

JACKHAMMER (SCAN 7, KEVIN SAUNDERSON)

The Jackhammer crew up our dose of all things techno, bringing a double dose of techno legends to their lair – in the form of Scan 7 and Kevin Saunderson.

The regular Edinburgh breaks and bassline Manga crew takeover.

THE SKINNY

Sat 27 Jul Tease Age

Citrus Club, 22:30–03:00, Free (£5 after 11)

Long-running indie, rock and soul night. Bubblegum

The Hive, 21:00–03:00, Free (£4 after 10)

Handpicked weekend mix of chart and dance, with retro 80s classics as standard. Magic Nostalgic

Electric Circus, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£7 after 12)

A hodgepodge of quality tracks chosen by JP’s spinning wheel. Expect anything from 90s rave to power ballads, and a whole lotta one-hit wonders. Ride

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, £3 (members free)

Glasgow Clubs TV Tuesday

Bigfoot’s Tea Party (Makam)

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £6 adv.

Weekly Tuesday party playing a selection of dancefloor-friendly anthems. I AM (Vortex Funk)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (free via iamclub.co.uk)

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

Wed 03 Jul Take It Sleazy

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

The Ride girls play hip-hop and dance, all night long Ð now in their new party-ready Saturday night slot.

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

Picture House, 23:00–03:00, £4

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

Propaganda

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

The Liquid Room, 22:30–03:00, £6

Monthly favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like. Betamax

Studio 24, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Monthly offering of new wave, disco, post-punk and a bit o’ synthtastic 80s with your hosts Chris and Big Gus. Dr No’s

Henry’s Cellar, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£5 after 12)

Danceable mix of the best in 60s ska, rocksteady, bluebeat and reggae. VEGAS!

The Voodoo Rooms, 19:30–23:00, £6

Sub Rosa

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Musique Boutique

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Thu 04 Jul Misbehavin’

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

Monthly mish-mash of electro, dance and dirty pop with DJ Drucifer. Danse Macabre

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £4

50s-themed party fun night, with Frankie Sumatra, Bugsy Seagull, Dino Martini, Sam Jose and Nikki Nevada. Plus Vegas showgirls ago-go, natch.

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

Pivo, 22:00–03:00, Free

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £3

Jam Hot

Cryotec

The Nomadic techno and techhouse crew take to Subbie once more, hosting a series of special nights in the run up to their 5th birthday in December – with this month playing host to infectious house and techno chap Makam’s Scottish debut. Booty Call

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Mixed bag of indie and chart classics across four rooms, plus karaoke shenanigans. Jamming Fridays

Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

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

The Berkeley Suite, 23:00–03:00, £tbc

The Optimo boys curate another evening of shenanigans, with live guests kept tightly under wraps for now. Dirty teases. Liquid Sky

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

Formed from the ashes of Pandemic, Chad Palestine plays everything from vintage rock’n’roll to soul, leftfield pop to the best in alternative indie. The Shed Fridays

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Pop and chart hits with Andy Robertson in the main room, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room. Yes!

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

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

Strange Paradise Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

New night from Wild Combination man David Barbarossa, specialising in leftfield disco, post-punk and far-out pop. The Shed Saturdays

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Frothy weekend mix of commercial pop and cheese classics, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room. F.A.T

The Admiral, 23:00–03:00, £5

Fresh night of cutting edge funk and techno played out by Tommi Reilly and Gary Stodart.

Sunday Roaster

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath. Renegade

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Rock, metal and punk playlists all night long, selected by yer man DJ Mythic. Open Sundays

Shed, 22:30–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

The Shed open their doors on the day of the Lord for their messy weekend-extender of a night. Free entry before midnight.

Mon 08 Jul Burn

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3/Free with wage slip)

Space Invader

Sat 06 Jul Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Tue 09 Jul

Pocket Aces (Gareth Sommerville)

Cabaret Voltaire, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£5)

Dance-inducing party night, with Mr Gareth Sommerville making his regular monthly appearance. Studio 24 Goes Metal!

Studio 24, 22:30–03:00, Free (£5/£4 student after 11)

Studio 24 takes a foray into all things heavy and metal for their usual last Saturday of the month blow-out.

Sun 28 Jul The Sunday Club

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Two rooms of all the chart, cheese and indie-pop you can think of.

Mon 29 Jul Mixed Up

The Hive, 22:00–03:00, Free

Request-driven night of pop-punk, chart, indie and good ol’ 90s classics. Nu Fire

Sneaky Pete’s, 23:00–03:00, Free

DJ Fusion and Beef move from hip-hop to dubstep with a plethora of live MCs.

Glasgow Clubs Tue 02 Jul Killer Kitsch

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs. Shore

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

Hip Hop Thursdays

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

Subcity’s Tigerbeat launches a new night of the finest lost sounds from deserts and jungles.

Fri 05 Jul Old Skool

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

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

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £6

Two floors of the best in punk, metal and alternative tunes. Propaganda

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £5

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

Cathouse Saturdays

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet. The Rock Shop

Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

Rock, indie and golden indie classics with resident DJ Heather McCartney. Love Music

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11.30)

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons and guests. Rip This Joint

Slouch, 23:00–03:00, Free

DJ Jopez plays a choice selection of indie, rock, blues and funk. Deathkill4000

Bloc+, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Industro-rock noise party with live players and bespoke visuals to boot. I Heart Garage Saturdays

The Garage, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

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

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Mod, soul, ska and groovy freakbeat 45s, with DJs Jamo, Paul Molloy and Gareth McCallum.

Badseed

The Berkeley Suite, 23:00–03:00, £5

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

Badass mix of indie, rock and electro with DJ Heather McCartney.

July 2013

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

Subculture

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

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

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

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £10 adv.

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

R.U.IN Thursdays

Slouch, 23:00–03:00, Free

Killer Kitsch

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors. Long-running house night with residents Harri & Domenic manning the decks.

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

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Absolution

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £6

Eclectic new party night playing everything from the electronic aquatic funk of Drexciya to the outer-space jazz of Sun Ra.

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

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

Supermax

A taste of the decadent sound systems of NYC’s disco era with yer main man Billy Woods.

R.U.IN Thursdays

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

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

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

Sun 07 Jul

Sneaky Pete’s, 15:00–21:00, Free

Neverland

House-party styled night with residents Gav Dunbar and Sci-Fi Steve, plus free toast for all as standard.

Shore

Kino Fist

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £3 adv. (£5 door)

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £4

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

Eclectic new party night playing everything from the electronic aquatic funk of Drexciya to the outer-space jazz of Sun Ra.

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

La Cheetah Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

Nu Skool

DJ Jopez plays a choice selection of indie, rock, blues and funk.

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

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

Chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer.

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs.

Tribal Pulse (Pole Folder)

Monthly dose of industrial, EBM and electronic. We hear it’s very danceable.

Daytime clubbing, with Yogi Haughton and Lee Marvin playing northern soul, classic house and disco edits.

Offbeat (Jared Wilson) La Cheetah Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 adv. (£7 door)

Make Do, 23:00–04:00, £8 adv. (£10 door)

Sweet, soulful grooves and nitty gritty house care of resident Craig Gee.

Jellybaby

Sub Rosa Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

All-new record label and club night, Tribal Pulse, host their second live outing – bringing Belgian electronic chap Pole Folder to their lair, who’s also set to appear on their debut record.

Catch 22 residents Zachery and Correlate welcome back-to-back sets from special guests Andy Buchanen and Missing Persons Club.

Function at the Junction

Rip This Joint Slouch, 23:00–03:00, Free

Fri 12 Jul

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

Catch 22 (Andy Buchanen + Missing Persons Club)

Neverland The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £4

Voodoo Voodoo

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

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Weekly Tuesday party playing a selection of dancefloor-friendly anthems. I AM Vs Stay Fresh

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (free via iamclub.co.uk)

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa play the usual mix of electronica and bass, joined by local hip-hop boys Stay Fresh in whole crew capacity.

Wed 10 Jul Sub Rosa

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

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

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Thu 11 Jul Jellybaby

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £3 adv. (£5 door)

Chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer.

Damnation

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £6

Two floors of the best in punk, metal and alternative tunes. Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

Genre-spanning mix of 60s psych, leftfield pop and Krautrock with resident Charlotte (of Muscles of Joy). Propaganda

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

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

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

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

Slouch, 23:00–03:00, Free

Badass mix of indie, rock and electro with DJ Heather McCartney. Common People

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Mixed bag of indie and chart classics across four rooms, plus karaoke shenanigans. Jamming Fridays

Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

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

Bloc+, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

The intergalactic gay disco party returns, spinning a selection of 70s, 80s, Nu, Italo and, o’course, space disco tuneage. Plus pizza! The Shed Fridays

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Pop and chart hits with Andy Robertson in the main room, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room. Kill Yr Idols (Pumajaw)

The Berkeley Suite, 21:00–03:00, £5

More DIY disco with a punk attitude, where psychedelic voodoo grooves meet souped-up turbo-tech – this time with a special guest set from Fife-based enigmas Pumajaw, performing a sneak preview of their Festival Fringe show.

Sat 13 Jul Nu Skool

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

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

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £6

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors. Subculture

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £10 adv.

Long-running house night with residents Harri & Domenic manning the decks. Cathouse Saturdays

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet. The Rock Shop

Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

Rock, indie and golden indie classics with resident DJ Heather McCartney. Love Music

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11.30)

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons and guests.

Back Tae Mine

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

I Heart Garage Saturdays

The Garage, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

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

Bloc+, 21:00–01:00, Free (£2 after 12)

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

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Frothy weekend mix of commercial pop and cheese classics, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room. Wrong Island (Maximillion Dunbar) Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £4

The legendary Teamy and Dirty Larry welcome Washington DCbased chap Maxmillion Dunbar for his Scottish debut appearance – spinning a potent mix of off-kilter house, new age euphoria, cerebral techno and zonked bedroom funk. Naive (Danny Daze, Tanner Ross) Saint Judes, 23:00–03:00, £7

The Naive crew offer up a summerstyled double bill pairing of Danny Daze’s shimmering Miami house and the chilled funk of Wolf & Lamb affiliated chap, Tanner Ross. #notsosilent (Marquis Hawkes) La Cheetah Club, 23:00–03:00, £5

The #notsosilent crew boast a set of all-vinyl techno pressure from the star of Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, Marquis Hawkes.

Sun 14 Jul Sunday Roaster

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath. Renegade

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Rock, metal and punk playlists all night long, selected by yer man DJ Mythic. Open Sundays

Shed, 22:30–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

The Shed open their doors on the day of the Lord for their messy weekend-extender of a night. Free entry before midnight.

Mon 15 Jul Burn

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3/Free with wage slip)

Long-running trade night with Normski, Zeus and Mash spinning disco beats. Space Invader

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Tue 16 Jul Killer Kitsch

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

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

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

The Berkeley Suite, 23:00–03:00, Free

Brand new Wednesday summer party night, blending together the best alternative hip-hop, trap and footwork.

Thu 18 Jul

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £4

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs. Shore

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

Eclectic new party night playing everything from the electronic aquatic funk of Drexciya to the outer-space jazz of Sun Ra. R.U.IN Thursdays

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

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

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

Fri 19 Jul Old Skool

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors. Cathouse Saturdays

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

Punk, rock and metallic beats with DJs Billy and Muppet. The Rock Shop

Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

Love Music

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons and guests. Rip This Joint

Slouch, 23:00–03:00, Free

DJ Jopez plays a choice selection of indie, rock, blues and funk. Bottle Rocket

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Indie dancing club, playing anything and everything danceable. I Heart Garage Saturdays

The Garage, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

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

The Flying Duck, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Andy Divine and Chris Geddes’ gem of a night dedicated to 7-inch singles from every genre imaginable. The Shed Saturdays

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Classic Grand, 23:00–03:00, £6

Frothy weekend mix of commercial pop and cheese classics, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room.

Propaganda

Bloc+, 23:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

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

Two floors of the best in punk, metal and alternative tunes.

TYCI (Us Baby Bear Bones + MILK DJs)

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

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

Cathouse, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

The Berkeley Suite, 23:00–03:00, £5

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

Cathouse Fridays

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

Slouch, 23:00–03:00, Free

Badass mix of indie, rock and electro with DJ Heather McCartney. Booty Call

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Mixed bag of indie and chart classics across four rooms, plus karaoke shenanigans. Jamming Fridays

Maggie May’s, 22:00–03:00, Free (£5/£3 student after 12)

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

The Berkeley Suite, 22:30–03:00, £8 adv.

Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston’s rather ace London night makes its now regular trip north, with the mighty duo playing backto-back all night long. Harsh Tug

Oddio: 2nd Birthday

The monthly residency of deep electrical manoeuvres turns the grand old age of two, manned by Weegie stalwart Jim Hutchison and a selection of special guests. Subculture (John Talabot)

Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £10 adv.

Subculture residents Harri & Domenic host a rare UK set from Spanish producer John Talabot, whose sultry LP, Fin, was undoubtedly one of 2012’s finest hangover soothers. Code (Developer)

La Cheetah Club, 23:00–03:00, £6 adv. (£10 door)

Underground techno specialists Code host a special set from cutting edge innovator, Developer, pumping oot the dark and industrial techno tunes.

Sun 21 Jul Sunday Roaster

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, £3

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath.

The Shed Fridays

Cathouse, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

Weekly Tuesday party playing a selection of dancefloor-friendly anthems. Sub Club, 23:00–03:00, £5

Bloc+, 22:00–03:00, Free (£2 after 12)

Renegade

Shed, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Rock, metal and punk playlists all night long, selected by yer man DJ Mythic.

Rock The Bloc (Jazz Spastiks)

The Shed open their doors on the day of the Lord for their messy weekend-extender of a night. Free entry before midnight.

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa play the usual fine mix of electronica and bass, with a special guest or two oft in tow – this time in the form of Phantasy Sound Collective’s Daniel Avery.

The HNDPCKD Cassette chaps take control of the decks, playing a five-hour marathon set of classic hip-hop, instrumental beats, future funk and head nodders, this month joined by Jazz Spastiks.

Wed 17 Jul

The Waverley, 19:00–23:00, £tbc

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, 23:30–03:00, Free

Absolution

Classic Grand, 22:30–03:00, £6

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, Free (£5 after 11.30)

Pop and chart hits with Andy Robertson in the main room, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room.

South African house, grime, jungle, R’n’B and hauntology. A tropical mix, ayes.

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

Neverland

Chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer.

The Garage, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Not Moving

Nu Skool

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

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

Jellybaby

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

I AM (Daniel Avery)

Sat 20 Jul

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £3 adv. (£5 door)

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

The Offbeat collective welcome Jared Wilson, aka he of a new Detroit lilt – bringing forth his own unique take on techno.

Sensu: Boat Party

Sensu set sail for a voyage down The Waverley, with some soon to be revealed live guests in tow (i.e. they’re currently teasing us) and after-party action at Subbie. Pick up from Glasgow Science Centre.

Open Sundays

Shed, 22:30–03:00, Free (£3 after 12)

Mon 22 Jul Burn

Buff Club, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3/Free with wage slip)

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

Listings

SPACE INVADER THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

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

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

Tue 23 Jul

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 12)

KILLER KITSCH

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

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

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

Resident young guns Beta & Kappa play the usual mix of electronica and bass, oft with live guests in tow. TV TUESDAY

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Wed 24 Jul SUB ROSA

SUB CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£4)

Subbie’s regular student night with residents Ray Vose and Desoto at the helm. SO WEIT SO GOOD

SHAKE APPEAL

Damn fine evening of hip shakers and neck breakers, combining everything from Buddy Holly to Motorhead. THE SHED FRIDAYS

SHED, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£4)

Pop and chart hits with Andy Robertson in the main room, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room. BIPPP

THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5

New night dedicated to the joy of synthesisers, playing everything from Gary Numan to CHVRCHES.

Sat 27 Jul NU SKOOL

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

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

CLASSIC GRAND, 22:30–03:00, £6

Metal, industrial and pop-punk over two floors. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

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

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

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

MUSIQUE BOUTIQUE

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£5 AFTER 11.30)

Regular free party night featuring the party sounds of Ean, Smiddy and Kenny White on decks. BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Thu 25 Jul COUNTERFEIT

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

Full-on mix of nu-metal and hard rockin’ tunes with DJs Mythic and Div. JELLYBABY

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £3 ADV. (£5 DOOR)

Chart, disco and party tunes. Can’t say fairer. NEVERLAND

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Themed night with a live Twitter feed and a bouncy castle for added LOLs. SHORE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, FREE

Eclectic new party night playing everything from the electronic aquatic funk of Drexciya to the outer-space jazz of Sun Ra. R.U.IN THURSDAYS

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

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

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3

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

Fri 26 Jul OLD SKOOL

BUFF CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £7 (£6)

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, 23:30–03:00, £3

Tearin’ it up with 60s psych-outs and modern sleaze, provided by Rafla and Andy (of The Phantom Band). DAMNATION

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £6

Two floors of the best in punk, metal and alternative tunes. PROPAGANDA

O2 ABC, 23:00–03:00, £4

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

SLOUCH, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Badass mix of indie, rock and electro with DJ Heather McCartney. BOOTY CALL

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Mixed bag of indie and chart classics across four rooms, plus karaoke shenanigans.

Listings

LOVE MUSIC

Saturday night disco with Gerry Lyons and guests. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, 22:30–03:00, £6 (£5)

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

SLOUCH, 23:00–03:00, FREE

DJ Jopez plays a choice selection of indie, rock, blues and funk. I HEART GARAGE SATURDAYS

THE GARAGE, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Student superclub playing everything from hip-hop to dance and funk to chart. HOUNDIN’ THE STREETS

THE FLYING DUCK, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Resident DJs Jer Reid, Martin Law and guests play music from, and some music inspired by, 1970s and early 80s NYC. THE SHED SATURDAYS

SHED, 22:30–03:00, £7 (£5)

Frothy weekend mix of commercial pop and cheese classics, plus DJ Del playing the ol’ hippity-hop in the Red Room. TEENAGE RIOT (ATLAS:EMPIRE)

BLOC+, 23:00–03:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 12)

Members of Glasgow’s posthardcore noise-masters, United Fruit, curate their lively monthly event of big-beat alternative indie.

SUNDAY ROASTER THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

Residents Garry and Andrew incite more mayhem than should really be allowed on the Sabbath. RENEGADE

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £2 (£1)

ASYLUM KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

Best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

Wed 17 Jul FRIENDZY

Rock, metal and punk playlists all night long, selected by yer man DJ Mythic.

Messy student midweeker of party tunes and jelly shots.

SHED, 22:30–03:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 12)

Fri 19 Jul

OPEN SUNDAYS

The Shed open their doors on the day of the Lord for their messy weekend-extender of a night. Free entry before midnight.

Mon 29 Jul BURN

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

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

THE GARAGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

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

Dundee Clubs Wed 03 Jul FRIENDZY

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £3.50

Messy student midweeker of party tunes and jelly shots.

Fri 05 Jul

GHOST SYSTEMS RAVE

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £3.50 (£5 AFTER 12)

Bedroom-produced, Tiga-signed, Scottish techno duo – Clouds – take over for the night, manning the decks at the launch of a brand new rave-styled party night. FAT SAM’S FRIDAYS

FAT SAM’S, 20:00–03:00, £8

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £3.50

BASS ORGY

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £5 (£7 AFTER 12)

Full-on electro, D’n’B and dub orgy, complete with a massive soundsystem and live visuals. FAT SAM’S FRIDAYS

FAT SAM’S, 20:00–03:00, £8

Party-styled Friday nighter soundtracked by beat-heavy house and electro playlists. GORILLA IN YOUR CAR

KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

Hardcore, emo, punk and scenester selections. Also perhaps the best-named club night in Dundee’s existence.

Sat 20 Jul LOCARNO

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £5 (£7 AFTER 12)

Rockabilly, doo-wop, soul and all things golden age and danceable with the Locarno regulars. FAT SAM’S SATURDAYS

FAT SAM’S, 21:00–03:00, £6

Massive Saturday night party spreading its wares over three floors and no less than six rooms. ASYLUM

KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

Best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

Wed 24 Jul FRIENDZY

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £3.50

Messy student midweeker of party tunes and jelly shots.

Fri 26 Jul

READING ROOMS: RESIDENTS’ PARTY

Party-styled Friday nighter soundtracked by beat-heavy house and electro playlists.

The Reading Room residents hold the fort for the evening.

KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

FAT SAM’S, 20:00–03:00, £8

WARPED

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £TBC

FAT SAM’S FRIDAYS

Ska, screamo and pop-punk offerings, featuring additional live performances from a selection of choice noisemakers.

Party-styled Friday nighter soundtracked by beat-heavy house and electro playlists.

Sat 06 Jul

KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

AUTODISCO

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £TBC

Electro-funk, house and disco with your regular hosts Dave Autodisco and Dicky Trisco. FAT SAM’S SATURDAYS

FAT SAM’S, 21:00–03:00, £6

Massive Saturday night party spreading its wares over three floors and no less than six rooms. ASYLUM

KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

ZAZOU

Forgotten future retro classics from of the seediest and most decadent dancefloors of the 70s, 80s and beyond.

Sat 27 Jul THE BOOK CLUB

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £TBC

Selection of DJs on rotation all night, covering genres of electro, disco, techno and anything else they damn well fancy. FAT SAM’S SATURDAYS

NEW PROJECTS FESTIVAL

Best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY & THE ART SCHOOL UNION, 15:00–03:00, £3

Wed 10 Jul

Massive Saturday night party spreading its wares over three floors and no less than six rooms.

FAT SAM’S, 22:30–03:00, £3.50

KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

One-off event across Sleazy’s and The Art School, spanning the audio and visual fields – promoting new and innovate work by established and emerging artists and musicians. Line-up garnered from an open submission call to arms (aka as yet unrevealed). RICHARD FEARLESS

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 23:00–03:00, £8 ADV.

One half of Death in Vegas, Richard Fearless, pays another visit to The Berkeley Suite – never failing to unearth some new sounds.

SUBCULTURE: BOAT PARTY (JACKMASTER, SPENCER)

THE WAVERLEY, 19:00–23:00, £10 ADV.

The long-running house night sets sail down’t Waverley with Numbers residents Jackmaster and Spencer in tow, followed by an after-bash at Subbie. Boat leaves from Glasgow Science Centre.

Sun 28 Jul SLIDE IT IN

CATHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £4 (£2)

Nicola Walker plays cult rock hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s. TRASH AND BURN

CLASSIC GRAND, 23:00–03:00, £4

Monthly glam trash and sleaze tease party, with guest burlesque performers, magicians and a bit o’ belly dancing.

FRIENDZY

Messy student midweeker of party tunes and jelly shots.

FAT SAM’S, 21:00–03:00, £6

ASYLUM

Best of selection of rock, metal and alternative tunes.

Fri 12 Jul

LIBRARIAN’S CHOICE (MISS DLOVE, TYPEWRITER)

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £5

Chilled weekend starter, with tune spinning duties taken care of by Miss Dlove and her all-vinyl selections, alongside Crayon regular Typewriter.

Dundee Music Thu 04 Jul

FAT SAM’S, 20:00–03:00, £8

DINOSAUR PILE-UP (ROBOT DOCTORS)

KAOS

Leeds-based alternative rock lot led by singer and guitarist Matt Bigland.

FAT SAM’S FRIDAYS

Party-styled Friday nighter soundtracked by beat-heavy house and electro playlists. KAGE, 23:00–02:30, £4

New night exploring new music and the bands that inspired them, and the bands that in turn inspired them... And so on for eternity.

Sat 13 Jul

READING ROOMS: RESIDENTS’ PARTY

READING ROOMS, 22:30–03:30, £TBC

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 20:00–22:30, £7.50

Sat 06 Jul

THE SWINDLERS, CLASH LIVI ROCKERS

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 20:00–22:30, £5

Duo of tribute acts, of The Sex Pistols and The Clash respectively.

Fri 19 Jul

The Reading Room residents hold the fort for the evening.

SENSELESS (JIM THREAT AND THE VULTURES, SALEMSTREET, MOLOTOV)

FAT SAM’S, 21:00–03:00, £6

The Stoke-based punk lot make their debut Dundee appearance. Be gentle on ‘em.

FAT SAM’S SATURDAYS

Massive Saturday night party spreading its wares over three floors and no less than six rooms.

BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 20:00–22:30, £4

THE SKINNY

Comedy Glasgow Tue 02 Jul Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

Wed 10 Jul Fun Junkies

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £5 (£4/£2.50 members)

Diverse offerings from the comedy spectrum, featuring stand-up, variety acts, sketches, musical comedy and magicians, natch.

Fri 19 Jul

The Friday Show (Zoe Lyons + Mike Milligan + Katia Kvinge + Bruce Devlin)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £12 (£10/£6 members)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts.

Sat 20 Jul

The Saturday Show (Zoe Lyons + Mike Milligan + Katia Kvinge + Bruce Devlin)

Janey Godley’s Glasgow Gallivant Ingram Street Car Park, 12:00–13:00, £10

Mother and daughter comic combo Janey Godley and Ashley Storrie tour the East End of Glasgow in a classic MacBrayne Bedford Beauty bus, telling funny tales as they go. Part of Merchant City Festival. Janey Godley’s Glasgow Gallivant

Ingram Street Car Park, 14:30–15:30, £10

Resident host Julia Sutherland introduces a variety of stand-up comedians from the Scottish circuit delivering, yes, all new material.

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend.

Mother and daughter comic combo Janey Godley and Ashley Storrie tour the East End of Glasgow in a classic MacBrayne Bedford Beauty bus, telling funny tales as they go. Part of Merchant City Festival.

All-female stand-up, with a suitably varied mix of headliners and newcomers taking to the stage.

Thu 11 Jul

Sun 21 Jul

Tron Theatre, 20:00–22:00, £7 (£5)

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service

Vespbar, 20:00–22:00, £3

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£7/£5 members)

Wed 03 Jul

Wicked Wenches (Susan Calman + Jan Maree + Susie McCabe) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3 members)

New Material Night

Vespbar, 20:00–22:00, £3

The Thursday Show (Steve Gribbin + Tiffany Stevenson + Neil McFarlane + Martin Mor)

Resident host Julia Sutherland introduces a variety of stand-up comedians from the Scottish circuit delivering, yes, all new material.

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase.

Thu 04 Jul

Fri 12 Jul

The Thursday Show (Colin Murphy + Howard Read + DebraJane Appleby + Gareth Mutch + Raymond Mearns)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£7/£5 members)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase.

Fri 05 Jul

The Friday Show (Colin Murphy + Howard Read + Debra-Jane Appleby + Gareth Mutch + Raymond Mearns) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £12 (£10/£6 members)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts. Acoustic and Comedy Night

The Roxy 171, 20:00–23:00, £7 (£4)

Chilled night fusing acoustic music sessions with live stand-up comedy. Absolute Improv

Halt Bar, 20:00–22:00, £5 (£4)

Fast-paced improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway.

Sat 06 Jul

The Saturday Show (Colin Murphy + Howard Read + DebraJane Appleby + Gareth Mutch + Raymond Mearns)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend.

Sun 07 Jul

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1 members)

Chilled Sunday comedy showcase with resident Irish funnyman Michael Redmond and guests. Little Howard And The Magic Pencil Of Life And Death

The Stand, 15:00–17:00, £4

Following their TV show, Little Howard’s Big Question, real human Big Howard and animated sixyear-old Little Howard entertain the little ‘uns – complete with 3D animation and singalongs.

Vladimir McTavish (Scott Hunter + Chris Thornburn + Tom Tumilty + Gerry McKelvie + Matty Finlayson + Jimmy Bread + Sandy Boutell) The Roxy 171, 20:00–23:30, £4

Headliner Vladimir McTavish leads a raggle-taggle line-up of comics down’t The Roxy 171.

Tue 09 Jul Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

The Friday Show (Steve Gribbin + Tiffany Stevenson + Neil McFarlane + Martin Mor) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £12 (£10/£6 members)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts.

Sat 13 Jul

The Saturday Show (Steve Gribbin + Tiffany Stevenson + Neil McFarlane + Martin Mor)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1 members)

Chilled Sunday comedy showcase with resident Irish funnyman Michael Redmond and guests.

Mon 22 Jul Richard Brown

The Roxy 171, 19:30–23:00, £3

Richard Brown leads a secret gig night of up-and-coming comics roadtesting new material ahead of Edinburgh Fringe.

Tue 23 Jul Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1 members)

Chilled Sunday comedy showcase with resident Irish funnyman Michael Redmond and guests.

Tue 16 Jul Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

Wed 17 Jul

Scottish Huntington’s Association Benefit (Ray Bradshaw + Ashey Storrie + Chris Conroy)

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6

Comedy fundraiser in aid of Scottish Huntington’s Association – the only charity in Scotland dedicated to helping people affected by the hereditary neurological condition, Huntington’s Disease. New Material Night

Vespbar, 20:00–22:00, £3

The Thursday Show (Chris Martin + Elaine Malcolmson + Tamika Campbell + Billy Kirkwood) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£7/£5 members)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase.

Scottish Comedian of the Year: Semi Final

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £12.50

A talented line-up of comics battle it out in the first semi-final of the Scottish Comedian of the Year heats, with Alan Anderson amongst them. Scottish Comedian of the Year: Semi Final

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £12.50

A talented line-up of comics battle it out in the first semi-final of the Scottish Comedian of the Year heats, with Alan Anderson amongst them.

Fri 26 Jul

The Friday Show (Chris Martin + Elaine Malcolmson + Tamika Campbell + Billy Kirkwood) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £12 (£10/£6 members)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts.

Chilled Sunday comedy showcase with resident Irish funnyman Michael Redmond and guests.

Ingram Street Car Park, 14:30–15:30, £10

The King’s Theatre, 19:30–22:00, £25

Loved for his wondering, grumbling puzzlement at life, Mr Lock puts himself in the mind of a ‘purple van man’ (like a white van man, but probably dafter) for some more deft observations on the world.

Edinburgh Tue 02 Jul

Wicked Wenches (Susan Calman + Jan Maree + Susie McCabe) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£3 members)

All-female stand-up, with a suitably varied mix of headliners and newcomers taking to the stage.

Wed 03 Jul

Broken Windows Policy

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £4 (£2)

Henry’s Cellar, 19:30–23:00, £5

Tron Theatre, 20:00–22:00, £7 (£5)

Improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway, in which the performers create sketches based on audience suggestions.

Sat 27 Jul

The Saturday Show (Chris Martin + Elaine Malcolmson + Tamika Campbell + Billy Kirkwood) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend.

Lach’s Antihoot Radio Night

Spoken word chap Lach curates his own comedy show, featuring live stand-up and musicians presented in the style of an old time radio show.

Thu 04 Jul

The Thursday Show (Seymour Mace + Jan Maree + Susan Calman) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£7/£5 members)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase. Thursday Notebook

Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:00, £2 (£1)

A mixed batch of stand-up rookies take to the stage to cut their teeth. Be gentle on ‘em.

July 2013

The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Robin Ince + Maeve Higgins + Andrew Lawrence + David Kay)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £12 (£10/£6 members)

The Stand, 21:45–22:45, £8 (£7)

The Friday Show (Seymour Mace + Jan Maree + Susan Calman)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups. Four Nations Magic-Off

The Voodoo Rooms, 22:00–00:00, £16

Late-night comedy showdown, bringing together magicians from around the UK battling it out to be the Four Nations Magic Champ 2013. Part of Edinburgh International Magic Festival

Sat 06 Jul

The Saturday Show (Seymour Mace + Jan Maree + Susan Calman) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Mon 08 Jul

The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Andy Zaltzman + Nish Kumar + Isy Suttie + Stephen Carlin)

The Stand, 18:45–19:45, £8 (£7)

Comedy Central return to The Stand for the live recording of series two of The Alternative Comedy Experience – featuring new talent, including Nish Kumar, John Hegley, and Grainne Maguire, alongside series one regulars Josie Long and Henning Wehn et al. The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Andy Zaltzman + Liam Mullone + David O’Doherty)

The Stand, 21:45–22:45, £8 (£7)

Tue 09 Jul

The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Simon Munnery + Grainne MacGuire + Kevin McAleer + Ginger & Black) The Stand, 18:45–19:45, £8 (£7)

Absolut Improv

Thu 18 Jul

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1 members)

The Roxy 171, 20:00–23:00, £7 (£4)

Chilled night fusing acoustic music sessions with live stand-up comedy.

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £10 (£7/£5 members)

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service

More fast-paced and anarchic skits and character comedy from The Stand’s resident sketch comedy troupe.

Acoustic and Comedy Night

Resident host Julia Sutherland introduces a variety of stand-up comedians from the Scottish circuit delivering, yes, all new material. The Thursday Show (Zoe Lyons + Mike Milligan + Katia Kvinge + Bruce Devlin)

Sun 28 Jul

Vespbar, 20:00–22:00, £3

Thu 25 Jul

Sun 14 Jul

Maggie May’s, 20:00–22:00, £12.50

A talented line-up of comics battle it out in the first semi-final of the Scottish Comedian of the Year heats, with Alan Anderson amongst them.

Ingram Street Car Park, 12:00–13:00, £10

The Flying Duck, 20:00–22:30, £3

Monthly comedy club hosted by Sarah Cassidy and Andrew Learmonth, who bring with ‘em an off-beat selection of stories and jokes with a different theme each edition.

Scottish Comedian of the Year: Semi Final

Janey Godley’s Glasgow Gallivant

New Material Night

Resident host Julia Sutherland introduces a variety of stand-up comedians from the Scottish circuit delivering, yes, all new material.

The Comedy Explorers

Improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway, in which the performers create sketches based on audience suggestions.

Wed 24 Jul

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend.

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Absolut Improv

Fri 05 Jul

Wed 10 Jul

The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Robin Ince + Paul Sinha + Michael Legge) The Stand, 18:45–19:45, £8 (£7)

Henry’s Cellar, 19:30–23:00, £5

Spoken word chap Lach curates his own comedy show, featuring live stand-up and musicians presented in the style of an old time radio show.

Thu 11 Jul

The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Helen Arney + Alfie Brown + Henning Wehn)

The Stand, 21:45–22:45, £8 (£7)

The Stand, 18:45–19:45, £8 (£7)

Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:00, £2 (£1)

A mixed batch of stand-up rookies take to the stage to cut their teeth. Be gentle on ‘em.

Fri 12 Jul

The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Josie Long + Helen Keen + Bridget Christie + Tony Law) The Stand, 21:45–22:45, £8 (£7)

The Alternative Comedy Experience: Series 2 (Josie Long + Helen Keen + Bridget Christie + Kevin Eldon) The Stand, 18:45–19:45, £8 (£7)

Comedy Central return to The Stand for the live recording of series two of The Alternative Comedy Experience – featuring new talent, including Nish Kumar, John Hegley, and Grainne Maguire, alongside series one regulars Josie Long and Henning Wehn et al. Radio 4 Extra Stands Up (Zoe Lyons + Jo Caulfield) The Stand, 20:30–22:30, Free

The Stand play host to a selection of the best comedians working in the UK right now, performing for a brand new series on BBC Radio 4 Extra. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sat 13 Jul

The Saturday Show (Raymond Mearns)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sun 14 Jul

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

Improvised lunchtime comedy favourite with resident cheeky chappies Stu & Garry. The Sunday Night Laugh-In

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1 members)

Chilled comedy showcase to cure your Sunday evening back-towork blues.

Mon 15 Jul Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

Wed 17 Jul

Lach’s Antihoot Radio Night

Henry’s Cellar, 19:30–23:00, £5

Spoken word chap Lach curates his own comedy show, featuring live stand-up and musicians presented in the style of an old time radio show.

Thu 18 Jul

The Thursday Show (Noel James + Mark Simmons + Susan Morrison) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£7/£5 members)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase. Thursday Notebook

Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:00, £2 (£1)

A mixed batch of stand-up rookies take to the stage to cut their teeth. Be gentle on ‘em.

Fri 19 Jul

The Friday Show (Noel James + Mark Simmons + Susan Morrison) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £12 (£10/£6 members)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sat 20 Jul

The Saturday Show (Noel James + Mark Simmons + Susan Morrison) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Thu 25 Jul

The Thursday Show (Rudi Lickwood + Davey Strong + Phil O’Shea)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £10 (£7/£5 members)

Weekend-welcoming selection of handpicked headline acts and newcomers over a two-hour showcase. Thursday Notebook

Beehive Inn, 20:00–22:00, £2 (£1)

A mixed batch of stand-up rookies take to the stage to cut their teeth. Be gentle on ‘em.

Fri 26 Jul

The Friday Show (Rudi Lickwood + Silky + Davey Strong + Phil O’Shea + Scott Agnew) The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £12 (£10/£6 members)

Prime stand-up from the Scottish and international circuit, hosted by a rotating selection of Stand stalwarts. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sat 27 Jul Absolute Improv

The Tron, 20:00–22:00, £5 (£4)

Fast-paced improv-styled comedy show in the vein of Whose Line Is It Anyway. The Saturday Show (Rudi Lickwood + Silky + Davey Strong + Phil O’Shea + Scott Agnew)

The Stand, 21:00–23:00, £15

Packed Saturday evening bill of stand-up headliners and resident comperes to jolly along your weekend. The Beehive Comedy Club

Beehive Inn, 20:30–22:30, £7

Regular weekend comedy showcase featuring a selection of up-and-coming acts from Scotland and beyond, topped with a guest headliner. Check their Facebook page on the day for line-ups.

Sun 28 Jul

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

Improvised lunchtime comedy favourite with resident cheeky chappies Stu & Garry. The Sunday Night Laugh-In

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1 members)

Chilled comedy showcase to cure your Sunday evening back-towork blues.

Mon 29 Jul Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

Sun 21 Jul

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway?

The Stand, 13:30–15:30, Free

Improvised lunchtime comedy favourite with resident cheeky chappies Stu & Garry. The Sunday Night Laugh-In

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £6 (£5/£1 members)

Chilled comedy showcase to cure your Sunday evening back-towork blues.

Mon 22 Jul Red Raw

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £2

Open-mic style beginners showcase, plus some old hands dropping by to roadtest new material.

Tue 23 Jul Bright Club

The Stand, 20:30–22:30, £5

A selection of comedic academics do a stint of stand-up for your entertainment and enlightenment. Laughs and learning in one neat package: tick.

Wed 24 Jul

Lach’s Antihoot Radio Night

Henry’s Cellar, 19:30–23:00, £5

Spoken word chap Lach curates his own comedy show, featuring live stand-up and musicians presented in the style of an old time radio show.

Listings

Art Glasgow

Berlinbilder

24 Jun – 12 Jul, not 30 Jun, 7 Jul, times vary, Free

Photography showcase from students at Paisley’s Reid Kerr cottage, resulting from a recent architecture field trip to Berlin.

Market Gallery At Land

CCA

Tomorrow Never Knows: Ed Atkins and Naheed Raza

24 Jun – 20 Jul, not 30 Jun, 7 Jul, 14 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

Collaborative exhibition from artists Ed Atkins and Naheed Raza – the recipients of the Jerwood/Film and Video Umbrella Awards – considering the artists’ own individual projects for the future against the larger theme of ‘futures past.’ Indirectly, Yours

6–26 Jul, not 7, 14, 21, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

First installment of a painting show turned into a single installation, in which Cedric Tai’s pieces are interventions of the actual palettes of other local painters – creating a portrait of sorts of that particular painter’s work and personality.

Gallery of Modern Art

Niki de Saint Phalle: The Eric and Jean Cass Gift

24 Jun – 16 Nov, times vary, Free

Exhibition of 13 sculptures, one lithograph and other related ephemera by French sculptor, painter, and film maker Niki de Saint Phalle, gifted to Glasgow Museums through the Contemporary Art Society. Every Day

24 Jun – 1 Sep, times vary, Free

Collective exhibition bringing together works by six Glasgowbased artists who all use sculpture in their practice – selected for their use of everyday materials and their reference or resemblance to everyday places or events. Ian Hamilton Finlay: Poet, Artist, Revolutionary

24 Jun – 1 Mar, times vary, Free

Exhibition of graphic prints and sculptural installations by the late Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006), drawn from Glasgow Museums’ own gifted collection.

Glasgow Print Studio Carla Scott Fullerton: Occupying Forms

various dates between 5 Jul and 18 Aug, times vary, Free

The Glasgow School of Art graduate continues her questioning of how forms and formless structures sit together, juxtaposing material forms through processes and playing with shapes that relate to architecture. Claire Forsyth

5–28 Jul, not 8, 15, 22, times vary, Free

All-new body of work from Claire Forsyth – responding to a set of new technical and environmental conditions, with each image informed by the one before.

Glasgow School of Art A Conspiracy of Detail

13 Jul – 29 Sep, times vary, Free

Group exhibition looking at the ideas contemporary practice has around adornment, in terms of cultural, social, religious and material aspects – featuring artists working across contemporary visual art and design. In the Mackintosh Museum.

Glasgow Sculpture Studios

Nina Beier: Liquid Assets

various dates between 13 Jul and 7 Sep, 11:00am – 5:00pm, Free

New work from the Danish artist, whose practice explores notions of representation through the practice of sculpture – with this exhibition bringing together a selection of new commissions and pre-existing works.

Goethe-Institut

Listings

various dates between 5 Jul and 16 Aug, times vary, Free

Showcase exhibition exploring the genre of the Scottish urban landscape, with ten artists exhibiting paintings that depict viewpoints of how inhabitants occupy and populate the built environments of Scottish cities, communities and industries.

Mary Mary Gerda Scheepers

various dates between 25 Jun and 27 Jul, 12:00pm – 6:00pm, Free

Solo exhibition by the Berlin-based artist, taking in a group of new works where paintings are supported by, or shown in relation to, sculptural elements both in the individual works themselves as well as throughout the gallery space.

RGI Kelly Gallery

Ruth Nicol: Tributary

24 Jun – 6 Jul, not 30 Jun, times vary, Free

Winner of RGI Kelly’s Exhibition Prize for a work by a recent art school graduate, Edinburgh College of Art graduate Ruth Nicol takes over the gallery space for what will be her first solo show in Glasgow.

St Mungo Museum

Under Gods: Stories from the Soho Road various dates between 25 Jun and 27 Jul, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Unique photograph project by artist Liz Hingley exploring everyday religious experiences of the different communities that live around a single road in Birmingham, home to people from more than 90 countries.

Street Level Photoworks

FUTUREPROOF: (Some) New Photography In Scotland

28 Jun – 27 Jul, not 1 Jul, 8 Jul, 15 Jul, 22 Jul, times vary, Free

Pretty much as it says on the tin – a selection of some of the best new photography currently coming out of Scotland, handpicked from across the Scottish art colleges.

The Briggait Standing Stones

24 Jun – 19 Jul, weekdays only, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

First solo show by Glasgow-based artist Victoria Evans, composed of an installation of new paintings arranged sculpturally in the manner of stelae (or standing stones) within the stunning setting of the main Briggait courtyard space.

various dates between 24 Jun and 31 Aug, times vary, Free

Roger Billcliffe continues its Bi-Annual Design Collection exhibitions with an eclectic mix of the best in contemporary jewellery, silver tableware, metalwork and ceramics from a range of established British designer-makers.

STATIC Collective Keep Mum

various dates between 29 Jun and 27 Jul, 10:30am – 5:30pm, Free

Collection of Steve Gullick’s work, which formerly showed in London and Istanbul with 90s-focused retrospectives – this time exclusively showing work from the first six years of this century.

SWG3 Soft Paste

24 Jun – 6 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

New solo show by Zoe Williams, whose work is primarily concerned with the creation of immersive environments and objects that hold a veneer of seduction – seeking to access the cerebral through sensual experience.

Six Foot Gallery Best of Degree Show

various dates between 2 Jul and 31 Jul, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Annual showcase exhibition of Scotland’s graduate young artists and designers – with exhibiting artists from the City of Glasgow College’s new Contemporary Art practice, alongside GSA, Duncan of Jordanstone, ECA and Gray’s School of Art.

various dates between 25 Jun and 20 Jul, 10:00am – 6:00pm, Free

5–13 Jul, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Stand Tall, Get Snapped

Photographer Edo Zollo presents a photographic portrait of 30 HIV+ people – inspired by his own experience of taking PEP after potential exposure to the virus – featuring images from recently diagnosed (3 months) to the long-term (28 years). Merchant City’s Working

24 Jul – 10 Aug, not 28 Jul, 29 Jul, 4 Aug, 5 Aug, 11:00am – 4:30pm, Free

Series of photographic snap shots of day-to-day life in Merchant City in 2013, compiled via Virginian Gallery’s work collaboration with a group of local and international photographers who all work in the Merchant City.

Tramway Albert Drive

various dates between 6 Jul and 11 Aug, times vary, prices vary

Original exhibtition taken from an autobiographical starting point, featuring 20 local residents engaged in the central question; who is my neighbour? – intended to explore our similarities and differences from the perspective of one street, Albert Drive.

26–28 Jul, times vary, Free

The Lighthouse

Summer Design Collection Exhibition

25 Jun – 13 Jul, not 30 Jun, 1 Jul, 7 Jul, 8 Jul, 11:00am – 4:30pm, Free

Veneer

RIP 323

Roger Billcliffe Gallery

Out of the Blue Drill Hall

Barrie Girls

25 Jun – 13 Jul, not 1 Jul, 8 Jul, 12:00pm – 6:00pm, Free

Group show bringing together an eclectic mix of Scottish artists who will work for one week to fill the gallery and arch with colourful mural canvasses, acting as a ‘goodbye’ to the Recoat gallery space that is set to close after six years of exhibitions.

Edinburgh Printmakers

opening 26th july 7–9pm then open, 27 and 28 Jul, 11:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Exhibition of new work exploring Scotland’s 20th Century fashion and retail heritage through a series of posters designed by Maeve Redmond and Sophie Dyer, drawing inspiration from ‘found’ photographs borrowed from the archive of Barrie Knitwear.

Recoat Gallery

The Virginia Gallery

Many Hands

12 Jul – 25 Aug, times vary, Free

Glasgow-based outdoor lifestyle brand Trakke present an exploration of the origins of the materials used in the production of a Trakke bag, the craftsmanship behind each product and the stories of those who use them out in the wild. Charlotte Linton: Ermantrude’s Travels in Scotland

12 Jul – 25 Aug, times vary, Free

Textile designer Charlotte Linton continues with her tale of Ermantrude – a fictional zoologist travelling across continents, through decades of time, told via designs in print translated into scarves and Haori jackets. Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in Antarctica

26 Jul – 2 Oct, times vary, Free

Premiere of a new touring exhibition presenting some of the most innovative examples of contemporary architecture in Antarctica, focusing on the design of five case study buildings and highlighting the cutting edge science that takes place there.

The Modern Institute Manfred Pernice

various dates between 6 Jul and 24 Aug, times vary, Free

New body of work from German sculptor Manfred Pernice - for whom the phrase ‘anti-monumental’ is often bandied about, nicely capturing the imposing scale and humble everyday materials that make up his practice.

The Modern Institute @ Airds Lane

Martin Boyce: All Over – Again – and Again various dates between 6 Jul and 31 Aug, 12:00pm – 5:00pm, Free

New body of work from the Glasgow-residing sculptor known for taking his inspiration from early 20th century modernism – and who won the 2011 Turner Prize for his installation Do Words Have Voices, a recreation of a park in autumn.

Show us your Arts

Charity showcase of artwork donated by artists and designers from all over Scotland, to be given as rewards to those who donate money to SAMH via a dedicated crowdfunder page.

Bronwen Sleigh

After her residency at The Scottish Sculpture Workshop, printmaker Bronwen Sleigh showcases sculptural work for the first time since graduating in 2008 – with the pieces exploring, abstracting and reinterpreting industrial and architectural spaces.

Fruitmarket Gallery David Batchelor

24 Jun – 14 Jul, times vary, Free

The Fruitmarket mark the first in-depth survey of drawings, paintings and photographic work from the Dundee-born artist – best known for his vividlycoloured sculptural installations of illuminated lightboxes, dollies and found objects.

Gallery Seventeen

Kirill Sokolov: 1930-2004

12–26 Jul, weekdays only, 9:00am – 5:30pm, Free

Collection of work by late Russian artist Kirill Sokolov, known for experimenting with different modernist techniques – taking in a wide variety of abstract, collage, mixed media work and paintings.

Gladstone’s Land Gallery Are You Here

2–7 Jul, 10:30am – 5:00pm, Free

Edinburgh

Taking inspiration from her own family tree, illustrator Alison McCandlish presents a series of illustrations and photographs that question the nature of family and genealogical links to places.

Bourne Fine Art

Ingleby Gallery

Scottishness in Art: 1750-1980

various dates between 5 Jul and 31 Aug, times vary, Free

Ten works exploring the competing romanticism, rationalism and realism of Scottish art from 1750-1970, beginning with William Hamilton’s c.1780 portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots – arguably the archetype of the Scottish heroine-victim. Trina Bohan Tyrie: A Space in Time II

19–26 Jul, not 21, times vary, Free

Solo exhibition of 20 new Scottish skyscapes over water, including the coastlines of North Berwick and the west of Scotland, and the lochs and rivers of the Highlands.

City Art Centre

Coming into Fashion: A Century of Photography at Condé Nast

24 Jun – 8 Sep, times vary, £5 (£3.50)

Rare and early fashion photography from the Condé Nast archives by such luminaries as Cecil Beaton, Helmut Newton, David Bailey, Guy Bourdin and Mario Testino, as it appeared in the pages of Vogue, Glamour and other Condé Nast publications. Dressed to Kill

24 Jun – 29 Sep, times vary, Free

Exhibition showcase of how Scottish artists have captured fashion, costume and dress over the years, from the late 17th century to the present day – covering everything from mundane everyday clothes to the most elaborate of fashionable dress.

Danish Cultural Institute Fashion Scandinavia

17 Jul – 31 Aug, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Specially curated selection of upcoming Scandinavian designers recently shown at London’s Somerset House, featuring designs and images from rising stars from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Part of Edinburgh International Fashion Festival.

Garry Fabian Miller: The Middle Place

24 Jun – 13 Jul, not 30 Jun, 7 Jul, 10:00am – 6:00pm, Free

The Bristol-born artist continues his preoccupation with the horizon, exhibiting his forty Sea Horizon images, alongside a group of new, large format, camera-less works – titled The Middle Place – exploring the meeting of earth and sky.

Inverleith House Mostly West: Franz West and Artist Collaborations

various dates between 13 Jul and 22 Sep, 10:00am – 5:30pm, Free

First exhibition by late Austrian artist Franz West (1947-2012) of works made in collaboration with other leading visual artists, including Douglas Gordon, Marina Faust, Mike Kelley, Sarah Lucas, Albert Oehlen and Michelangelo Pistoletto.

Open Eye Gallery

Caroline Temple: New Jewellery

24 Jun – 13 Jul, not 30 Jun, 7 Jul, times vary, Free

Showcase exhibition of silver and enamel jewellery by Edinburghbased artist Caroline Temple, featuring a selection of her cutesy flora and fauna, birds and woodland animal designs.

Tom Mabon: Before and Beyond

1–17 Jul, not 7, 14, times vary, Free

Solo selection of Scottish rural landscapes by Kilkcaldy-born artist Tom Mabon – the principal art teacher at Fortrose Academy, and winner of the RGI Armour Award 2012. Barbara Rae: Paso del Tiempo

22 Jul – 6 Aug, not 28 Jul, 4 Aug, times vary, Free

Edinburgh-residing painter and printmaker Barbara Rae revisits (in art form) a selection of key places to examine what has shifted, eroded and altered radically through the passing of time. Open Eye’s Summer Show

22 Jul – 6 Aug, not 28 Jul, 4 Aug, times vary, Free

Annual summer showcase exhibition of works by a handpicked collection of Open Eye artists, this year including Lara Scouller, Ann Ross and Deborah Cumming.

Precious Metals Workshop: Annual Exhibition

Annual exhibition, featuring new and old work from the Precious Metals Workshop’s jewellers and silversmiths in residence.

Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) EGO

various dates between 24 Jun and 30 Sep, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Interactive exhibition of selfportraits from the RSA collections, designed to tie in to the 187th RSA Annual Exhibition and its theme – celebrating works of art that inhabit the gap between perceived and imagined realities. Open Mondays only. RSA 187th Annual Exhibition

24 Jun – 2 Jul, times vary, Free

Annual highlight featuring RSA Academicians and invited submissions from leading and emerging Scottish artists, plus invited artists including BAFTA awardwinner John Maclean and Gabriela Fridriksdottir, who’ve collaborated extensively with Bjork. Collectors’ Choice

20 Jul – 8 Sep, times vary, Free

Examination of the motivations, processes and benefits of collecting contemporary art, told through a display of works owned by a variety of participating collectors – including first-time buyers, family collections and national institutions. 21 Revolutions: Two Decades of Changing Minds at Glasgow Women’s Library 20 Jul – 8 Sep, times vary, Free

To mark their 21st birthday in 2012, Glasgow Women’s Library commissioned 21 female artists to create limited edition fine art prints inspired by items in its collections – herein lie the fruits. Richard Murphy Architects

13 Jul – 24 Aug, times vary, Free

Exhibition of works encompassing the full 21 years of Richard Murphy Architects – known for their early 90s remodeling of the Fruitmarket Gallery – presenting a range of major new projects, including work on the British High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Scottish National Gallery Through American Eyes: Frederic Church and the Landscape Oil Sketch

24 Jun – 8 Sep, times vary, Free

Exhibition celebrating 19th century American painter Frederic Church, renowned for his impressive landscapes combining dramatic compositions with carefully-observed light effects.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art From Death to Death and Other Small Tales

24 Jun – 8 Sep, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Selected masterpieces from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and the D.Daskalopoulos Collection, taking in some 130 works that each highlight the significance of the body as a theme in 20th and 21st century art practice. Witches and Wicked Bodies

27 Jul – 3 Nov, 10:00am – 5:00pm, £7 (£5)

Historical exhibition journeying through 16th and 17th century prints and drawings, detailing how the advent of the printing press allowed artists and writers to share ideas, myths and fears about witches from country to country.

Minette: The Life and Letters of a Stuart Princess 24 Jun – 5 Jan, times vary, Free

The youngest sister of Charles II comes under the spotlight, with a mini exhibition centred around a full-length portrait of Henriette Anne (aka Minette) by the French artist Jean Nocret. Man Ray: Portraits

24 Jun – 22 Sep, times vary, £7 (£5)

Major retrospective of Man Ray’s photographic portraits, featuring over 100 works dating from 1916 to 1968 – taking in his most significant muses, Lee Miller and Kiki de Montparnasse, and fellow artists Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, amongst others. Ken Currie

20 Jul – 22 Sep, times vary, Free

Series of new paintings, on public view for the first time, in which Scottish figurative painter Ken Currie meditates upon the idea of the portrait, its origins and purposes, and its continued significance in the modern world.

Stills

Second Sight

24 Jun – 21 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

Collective exhibition of newly commissioned works and archival photographs that explore the transformation of the lives of people from rural Italy who, after 1940, emigrated to urban communities throughout Europe.

Summerhall Prologue

24 Jun – 19 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

This year’s Prologue showcase – awarding three emerging visual artists and one emerging curator – with Dane Sutherland curating all-new work from Alexander Storey Gordon, Alex Tobin and Tim Sandys. Andrew Cranston: Who Is This Who Is Coming?

24 Jun – 12 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

Solo showcase from Glasgowbased painter Andrew Cranston, known for exploring architectural space as a catalyst for images – oft elaborating on situations experienced directly or found in cinema, theatre and literature. Denis Buckley: The Irishman

24 Jun – 12 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

Irish artist Denis Buckley continues to explore his self-created persona – entitled ‘The Irishman’ – via performance, moving image and stills, consisting of a series of the ‘burning shovel’ images shown alongside new initiatives based on the theme. 1759

24 Jun – 12 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

Group exhibition featuring six artists working in Philadelphia and the surrounding region, taking it’s name and spirit from the year Benjamin Franklin took his first journey from Philadelphia to Scotland. Martin Kippenberger Published A Lot Of Books

24 Jun – 12 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

Retrospective exhibition taking in some of the 149 different artist books from Martin Kippinger’s days of running a punk music cafe in Berlin, shown alongside a selection of other collected ephemera from the Heart Fine Art collection. Hugh Buchanan: The Esterhazy Archive Watercolours

24 Jun – 28 Jul, 11:00am – 6:00pm, Free

For his first comprehensive display of work in Edinburgh in over 20 years, watercolourist Hugh Buchanan delves into the Esterhazy archive – stored for the last 500 years at Forchtenstein, and filling 25 vaulted rooms in the ancient fortress’ basement.

Creative Meadows 12 Jul, 5:30pm – 10:00pm, Free

One-off evening exhibition collecting new and up-and-coming artists and designers together to create a community in which to show their selected work to the public and potential clients.

Whitespace

Sophia Lindsay Burns and Rose Strang

26 Jul – 1 Aug, times vary, Free

Double-header exhibition sharing themes of sensory and imaginative response to experience – with Burns’ paintings featuring the human figure immersed in imaginary landscapes, while Strang’s paintings present landscape and nature from unusual perspectives. Cold Light

19–25 Jul, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Free

Collaborative project between photographer Jodie Mann and her digital artist sister, Jocasta – presenting a new body of work exploring themes of locality.

Dundee DCA

Johanna Basford: Wonderlands

25 Jun – 7 Jul, not 1 Jul, times vary, Free

Showcase of work from artist and illustrator Johanna Basford, taking a journey into the Textile Design graduates’ fantastical imagination – featuring a monochrome menagerie of hand-drawn wonderbeasts, each suggested by one of over 150 co-creators. There Will Be New Rules Next Week

various dates between 20 Jul and 22 Sep, times vary, Free

Showcase of works by the late Sister Corita Kent (1918-1986), shown alongside work by five contemporary artists inspired by her printmaking and life-affirming teaching: Peter Davies, Ruth Ewan, Emily Floyd, Scott Myles and Ciara Phillips.

Generator Projects

I take into my arms more than I can bear to hold various dates between 27 Jun and 14 Jul, 12:00pm – 5:00pm, Free

Lauren Printy Currie and Valerie Norris exhibit a series of works, sculptural assemblages and an installation of nominated books – creating a mise-en-scene of colour, form and association. Also eligible for longest exhibition title, probs ever.

The McManus Reflections from the Tay

24 Jun – 13 Aug, times vary, Free

New exhibition focusing on artists with links to Dundee – artists who were born there, worked locally or were associated with the Dundee College of Art. What Presence!: The Rock Photography of Harry Papadopoulos

24 Jun – 11 Aug, times vary, Free

Showcase exhibition of legendary Scottish music photographer Harry Papadopoulos, taking in more than 300 images from between 1979 and 1984 – with his guerilla-style lensmanship taking in the likes of Bowie, Blondie and, yes, Spandau Ballet.

The Old Ambulance Scottish National Portrait Depot Passing Place Gallery 25–28 Jul, times vary, Free Migration Stories: Valentina Bonizzi

24 Jun – 22 Sep, times vary, Free

Having lived in Scotland for eight years, Italian-born artist Valentina Bonizzi uses photography and video to create what she terms the ‘image document’, exploring migrant experiences from 1850 to today.

Group exhibition featuring work from six fourth year Fine Art students, whose work ranges in style and subject matter – with the central theme being the capturing of ephemeral moments.

THE SKINNY

Theatre Glasgow 13th Note

WHEN THE CLOWN LAUGHS: EVIL NEVER DIES

1–2 JUL, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £TBC

New stage musical inspired by classic slasher horror flicks, featuring original songs ranging from soaring love ballads to rock anthems.

CCA

CRYPTIC NIGHTS: WHY SCOTLAND, WHY EAST KILBRIDE

4 JUL, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £5

Bringing a live double rock band to their stage, the ever-inventive Cryptic Nights lot present a new work by composer J. Simon van der Walt entering the imagined mind of Edward ‘Teddy’ Edwards.

Oran Mor

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT

1–27 JUL, NOT 7, 14, 21, TIMES VARY, FROM £8

Afternoon session showcasing new work from a selection of talented playwrights, plus a pie and a pint, naturally. See oran-mor.co.uk for schedule details.

SECC

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

8–21 JUL, NOT 14, 15, 19, 20, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Lisa Riley takes us on a whirlwind romp through the sequined and spray tanned world of Strictly Come Dancing. The joys.

The Glad Cafe

Theatre Royal

2–4 JUL, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8 (£6)

4–11 JUL, NOT 7, 8, 9, 10, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

BAZAAR AND RUMMAGE

Glasgow-based theatre group All About Eve Productions revive Sue Townsend’s 80s-set comedy tale of a neurotic do-gooder, a trainee social worker and three agoraphobics who come together to run a jumble sale, as you do.

THREE PHANTOMS

Three ‘phantoms’ (Earl Carpenter, Matthew Cammelle and Stephen John Davis) perform excerpts from various musicals, including Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.

The King’s Theatre

Tramway

2–6 JUL, TIMES VARY, FROM £6.50

Original performance taken from an autobiographical starting point, featuring 20 local residents engaged in the central question; who is my neighbour? – intended to explore our similarities and differences from the perspective of one street, Albert Drive.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Six all-singing, all-dancing performers, belt out some Queen classics, including the legendary Bohemian Rhapsody. THE JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW

10 JUL, 21 AUG, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Singer/songwriter Clive John evokes the spirit of Johnny Cash, covering all aspects of the singer’s life in one neat musical package. SOFIA NATIONAL BALLET: DON QUIXOTE

11 JUL, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £14

The Spanish classic is brought to life on stage with the help of the Sofia National Ballet, telling the tale of Don Quixote and his fantasy world or brave knights and beautiful ladies. SOFIA NATIONAL BALLET: GISELLE

12 JUL, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £14

Classical ballet about love and betrayal, brought to life with mesmerising sets and lavish costumes by Sofia National Ballet. SOFIA NATIONAL BALLET: SWAN LAKE

13 JUL, TIMES VARY, FROM £14

The acclaimed Bulgarian ballet company perform their own reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic love story.

ALBERT DRIVE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 6 JUL AND 11 AUG, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Tron Theatre HOW A MAN CRUMBLED

25 JUL, 26 JUL, 28 JUL, 8:30PM – 10:30PM, FROM £7.50

Edinburgh Brunton Theatre AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

20 JUL, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, £9.50 (£6.50)

Outdoor adaptation of Charles Verne’s classic tale of Phileas Fogg’s attempt to journey around the world in just 80 days. Bring chairs/blankets/thermals.

Edinburgh Playhouse

DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS

8–13 JUL, TIMES VARY, FROM £10

a) Astronomy For Insects b) Imitator Dei c) Bertrand’s Toys

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

8–21 JUL, NOT 14, 15, 19, 20, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Lisa Riley takes us on a whirlwind romp through the sequined and spray tanned world of Strictly Come Dancing. The joys. RIGOLETTO: LIVE FROM TAORMINA THEATRE

9 JUL, 8:30PM – 10:30PM, £25

Favourited Italian opera telling the story of the court jester Rigoletto and his beautiful daughter Gilda, streamed live from the ancient Taormina Theatre in Greece.

60s-set musical singalong which finds two young musicians competing for the love of a certain lady.

The Annexe

26–27 JUL, TIMES VARY, FROM £15

The Voodoo Rooms

GREASE

New rendition of the frothy musical favourite, delivered in full-on singalong glory by the Edinburgh Playhouse Stage Experience. SOFIA NATIONAL BALLET: GISELLE

BOOGIE NIGHTS

6–7 JUL, 10:30PM – 3:00AM, FREE

Fun-styled night of retro classics for your general dancing pleasure.

THE PRETTY THINGS PEEPSHOW

19 JUL, 7:30PM – 11:00PM, £10

New York-based travelling burlesque show, intended to invoke the cotton-candy mystique of Coney Island (aka expect sideshow stunts, striptease and plenty cheekiness).

The award-winning Clout Theatre company present their bizarrely wonderful new piece about Russian poet Daniil Kharms, plunging the audience into a world where clocks have no hands and a cucumber can kill a man. Part of Surge 2013.

1 JUL, 16 JUL, 23 JUL, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY

SOFIA NATIONAL BALLET: DON QUIXOTE

Traverse Theatre

5–20 JUL, NOT 7, 8, 14, 15, 7:45PM – 9:45PM, FROM £8

2 JUL, 15 JUL, 22 JUL, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 29 JUL AND 25 AUG, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

CANNIBAL WOMEN OF MARS

Musical tale set in 2113, with two Martian princesses eating their way through the male population to a specially-composed soundtrack by Belle and Sebastian’s Mick Cooke. A-mazing. EVERYDAY VENGEANCE

25–28 JUL, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, FROM £7.50

New solo work from the artistic director of Conflux, Al Seed, exploring justice in its most tantalizing form – vengeance. Part of Surge 2013.

Classical ballet about love and betrayal, brought to life with mesmerising sets and lavish costumes by Sofia National Ballet.

The Spanish classic is brought to life on stage with the help of the Sofia National Ballet, telling the tale of Don Quixote and his fantasy world or brave knights and beautiful ladies.

CADRE

South African story of dreams and change, charting how countries go through times of turmoil when in transition from one state of governing to a new order.

SOFIA NATIONAL BALLET: SWAN LAKE

3 JUL, 17 JUL, 24 JUL, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY

The acclaimed Bulgarian ballet company perform their own reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic love story.

Win tickets to blackSKYwhite's OMEGA! Moscow’s blackSKYwhite Theatre return to the Fringe next month with their exhilarating and mind bending new production, OMEGA – a hoochie-coochie carnival for the end of time. The Skinny has teamed up with AR Fringe to offer three lucky souls a real Big Top prize: a pair of exclusive tickets to the world premiere performance at the Assembly Rooms on 31 July AND a shiny copy of the official soundtrack CD, OMEGA:ost by Edinburgh based sound artist, Michael Begg To have a chance of winning, simply answer the following question correctly to be entered into our draw. In 2000, blackSKYwhite won a Fringe First and a Total Theatre award for which production? To be in with a chance of winning head along to www.theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and answer this simple question: in 2000, blackSKYwhite won a Fringe First and a Total Theatre award for which production? Was it:

Festival Theatre

Win tickets to Fiddler on the Roof!

Competition closes midnight on Wednesday 24 July. Winners will be notified within two working days and required to respond within one week or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.theskinny.co.uk/about/terms.

From the award-winning producers of The King and I and High Society comes a new production of one of the world’s favourite musicals, directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, the nation’s favourite Strictly Come Dancing judge and master of the musical stage and starring the celebrated and acclaimed actor, director and writer, Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky in the iconic 70s TV series Starsky & Hutch) in the lead role of Tevye. Tevye, the local milkman in his village of Anatevka, has always stuck by his traditions but suddenly his head strong daughters decide that they want to marry for love rather than accept whatever Yente the Matchmaker comes up with. Tevye loves his daughters but has to convince his wife, and the villagers, that their decisions are actually falling in with tradition – not any easy thing to do but if anyone can do it, the wily Tevye can! Filled to the brim with classic songs like If I Were a Rich Man, Matchmaker Matchmaker, Sunrise Sunset and To Life, Fiddler On The Roof was the longest running production on Broadway for over 13 years and when you join Tevye, his family and friends at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre this October you will understand why.

www.arfringe.com www.blackskywhite.com www.omnempathy.com

We have 2 pairs of tickets to give away for Wednesday 2 October at 7.30pm. For your chance to win head along to www. theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and answer this question:

July 2013

What cult 1970s TV series did Paul Michael Glaser star in? a) M*A*S*H b) Starsky & Hutch c) The Brady Bunch Competition closes midnight Sunday 28 July. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within one week or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.theskinny.co.uk/about/terms.

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